Aug 07, 2024 06:08 PM IST
It is noteworthy that the Sonar Fort is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. However, due to the lack of maintenance over the years, the old walls have been deteriorating
Barmer: The wall of the historic Sonar Fort in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer collapsed as the city was battered with heavy rainfall in the past week, officials said. On Tuesday morning, around 11am, the wall on the Shiv Road side of the Sonar Fort crumbled, with stones falling onto the street below, said officials.
The district received a heavy spell on Monday, leading to damage in various places and flooding all across. Fortunately, there was no traffic on the road during the rainfall, preventing what could have been a major accident.
It is noteworthy that the Sonar Fort is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. However, due to the lack of maintenance over the years, the old walls have been deteriorating. This is not the first time walls have collapsed; the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has previously carried out repairs. The recent collapse has left residents of the fort in fear.
Jaisalmer Municipal Council Commissioner Lajpal Singh said that they reached the fort after receiving information along with a police team. The police blocked the road on both sides with barricades to ensure safety, while the municipal council deployed a team to prevent any further accidents.
Singh stated that the maintenance of the Sonar Fort is under the jurisdiction of the ASI, and they have been notified. The Sonar Fort is very old and inhabited, the absence of proper lime mortar construction has made the ancient fort susceptible to damage during rains, he said.
Confirming the development, an official from the ASI, Rajasthan unit, said, “The higher officials of the ASI were informed about the damage, and a high-level team is likely to visit the area on Thursday. We will ensure all the necessary actions required to repair the damage and further care of the fort.”
Chandan Bhati, a Jaisalmer-based local expert on the forts, also alleged that the ASI ignored several alerts about such damage in the Sonar Qilla. “A slew of minor damages were also reported in this fort in the last few days. We have submitted memorandums to the ASI several times urging them to take actions to protect the heritage. We have also raised the issue that the walls of the fort are in poor condition, which needs immediate renovation. However, all those pleas were ignored.”
Jaisalmer Fort is one of the very few “living forts” in the world. It is the second oldest fort in Rajasthan, built in 1156 AD by Rawal Jaisal, after whom it is named. The fort’s massive yellow sandstone walls appear tawny lion-colored during the day, turning honey-gold as the sun sets, blending into the yellow desert. This has earned it the names Sonar Quila, Golden Fort, or Swarna Durg. Jaisalmer Fort, along with five other forts in Rajasthan, is part of the Hill Forts of Rajasthan group declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Hindustan Times YouTube channel now has 7 million subscribers. We thank our viewers for their support. Follow the channel for exclusive video news on politics, sports, entertainment & more. Click here.
See more
