To err is human. To carry on with that error is sheer laxity and arrogance. In case of the authorities maintaining the Freedom Park near Freedom Park Metro Station, the second statement holds true. How else can one explain the plaque carrying incorrect information about city’s heritage -- Sitabuldi Fort -- still continuing on the ‘History Wall’ in the Freedom Park? This carrying on with inaccuracy regarding city’s heritage and misinformation regarding history, raises eyebrows and serious concern especially ahead of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Freedom Park Metro Station. For, if the inaccurate plaque in still in the park, there is likelihood that the Prime Minister’s visit nearby may be taken as granting official recognition to the inaccurate detail about the historic Sitabuldi Fort. Interestingly, ‘The Hitavada’ had highlighted the ‘distortion of history’ through the column ‘Footloose in Nagpur’. Following up, ‘The Hitavada’ had carried a detailed report on front page of ‘CityLine’ on September 1, 2021 pointing out the inaccuracy of detail with the photograph of the plaques in English, Marathi, and Hindi, and references from various records. However, despite passage of more than a year since then, the authorities concerned did not bother to replace the plaques carrying inaccurate details with plaques having correct information.

 

 

 

Also, one is left wondering if the authorities are even interested in portraying correct history at public spaces. The plaques in English, Marathi, and Hindi on ‘History Wall’ in the Freedom Park at old Morris College Square reads that the fort was built by Gond king Bakht Buland Shah in the year 1702. Though the Gond king was the founder of Nagpur, historic records do not have any mention that he had constructed the Sitabuldi Fort. In fact, Nagpur Tercentenary Celebrations Committee had celebrated the historic occasion of 300 years of Nagpur as founded by the great Gond king Bakht Buland Shah. But, even the book published by the Nagpur Tercentenary Celebrations Committee and printed by Government Printing Press also states on Page-87 that construction on Sitabuldi Tekdi (hills) started only after 1818. “There is a popular perception that Sitabuldi Fort was built by the Bhosles. In reality, till the Battle of Sitabuldi, there were two hills in Sitabuldi. After 1818 only, construction work on Sitabuldi hills began. The construction of this fort and other buildings was completed on January 25, 1822.” This particular plaque makes another wrong statement that Marathas rebuilt the fort. As regards the history of Sitabuldi Fort, another authentic official source ‘The Nagpur Gazetteer’ mentions that the Battle of Sitabuldi was fought in 1817 between the Bhosles and the East India Company, in which the East India Company eventually emerged triumphant. “It was after this battle and as a part of the agreement that British fortified the twin hills of Sitabuldi and the fort was built,” states the Nagpur Gazetteer.

 

The ‘Central Provinces District Gazetteers -- Nagpur District’ edited by R V Russell and dating back to 1908 mentions, “The Deccan Trap also forms an excellent building material and is quarried for this purpose at the foot of Sitabaldi Hill. The fort on the top of this hill is largely built of basalt.” However, these authentic records do not appear to have been referred to by the authorities while getting the plaques with inaccurate historic details in the Freedom Park. Probably, they have not considered the possibility of wrong portrayal of history as something that may be encashed by certain elements to create social faultlines. “The authorities appear to be unmindful of the fact that such errors displayed at a monument may sow the seeds of unwarranted social dispute over inheritance of legacy”, ‘The Hitavada’ had cautioned in its previous report on the issue published in September 2021. The plaque regarding the making of the city of Nagpur rightly states that the great Gond King Bakht Buland Shah founded Nagpur. The Moghuls had recognised Bakht Buland Shah as the king of Deogad.

 

These and other details are there on the plaque. However, more attention to details would have served the purpose of portraying accurate history of Sitabuldi Fort too. The most important issue is not just of factual details but also of communicating correct history to succeeding generations. But the Freedom Park authorities do not seem serious about the correction. By way of this laxity -- which some may allege to be deliberate -- the authorities are insulting not just the past but also the future. Most unfortunately, there is nobody to rectify the official wrong -- despite the fact that the city has two stalwart leaders, one at the Centre and the other in the State. They have obviously not paid attention to this major lapse.