Cooch Behar, June 30: The land department is worried over the rampant excavation of the huge earthen wall that surrounded the capital of the Khen kings by people who are making money out of selling the earth.
The remains of the 20-feet high wall, which once had battlements to fend of enemy attacks, stretches for about 10km from Dinhata town to Adabarighat. The wall that is 20-25ft wide in some places has also been levelled off in many areas. It surrounded the town of Gossainimari from where the Khen kings ruled their realm.
According to block land reforms officer of Dinhata, Mridul Srimani, who recently carried out an inspection of the 15th century wall, what was going on was totally illegal. He said according to the West Bengal Land Reforms Act, anyone wanting to change the nature of land— for example by levelling or digging up — has to take permission from the government.
“We have found out that people are carting away large chunks of earth from the garh, which is a non-bailable offence. The subdivisional officer, Indrajit Pal, has already contacted the Dinhata police and asked them to keep an eye out for such activities. The entire wall is vested land and people are making money out of it illegally,” Pal said.
Inquiries revealed that one handcart full of earth fetches those arranging to transport it about Rs 250.
In Gossainimari lies the remains of Khen king Kantesewar’s capital or Rajpaat. The wall and the battlements were erected to protect the city. Eight years ago, the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) had carried out some excavations, but nothing has been done recently to unearth the buried city.
Local historian, Hiten Nag, who researches on the history of Cooch Behar, said in 1498 Alauddin Hussain Shah, the Sultan of Bengal and founder of the Hussain-Shahi dynasty, attacked the Khen king and defeated and imprisoned him. “The wall that was built to protect the city was breached. Now it stands as a silent witness to that battle. It is a shame that it is being allowed to be vandalised,” Nag said.
He said ASI had begun excavations at the Rajpaat in 2001 and then stopped. “The people of Dinhata are disappointed that what used to be the seat of an old kingdom should lie buried under mounds of earth with cows and goats grazing over it,” Nag said
Courtesy: The Telegraph |
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