Maghi Mela in less than 3 weeks, memorials in state of neglect

Archit Watts

Muktsar, December 29

With less than three weeks remaining for Maghi, the memorials of 40 ‘Muktas’ (liberated ones) and Mai Bhago in the city are in an utter state of neglect. Maghi is observed every year on January 14, a day after Lohri.

An annual fair, Maghi Mela, is organised here to commemorate the 40 ‘Muktas’, who laid down their lives while fighting the last battle of Sikhs against Mughals in 1705 in the city, earlier known as ‘Khidrane di dhab’.

World’s tallest ‘khanda’ rusting away

• At Mata Bhag Kaur Heritage Park, statues are damaged, staircase and benches broken
• Even the park’s entrance is in poor condition and the fountain non-functional
• The world’s tallest ‘khanda’ (81-ft girdled ring) installed at the ‘Mukte Minar’ rusting away

On this occasion, a large number of people from faraway places visit here to pay obeisance at the historic gurdwaras.

A visit to Mata Bhag Kaur Heritage Park today revealed that statues depicting the scenes of the war were damaged, staircase and benches broken and a large number of wall tiles fallen. Even the park’s entrance was in a poor shape and the fountain non-functional.

Further, the world’s tallest ‘khanda’ (81-ft girdled ring) installed at the ‘Mukte Minar’ located next to the District Administrative Complex has been rusting away.

The work on the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee’s proposed Martyrs’ Memorial on Tibbi Sahib Road here too has not commenced even after 17 years of laying of its foundation stone.

Muktsar SDM Kanwarjit Singh said, “The state government has not sent instructions regarding and restrictions pertaining to Covid yet and the Maghi Mela will be organised at the previous year’s site.”

About the poor condition of Mata Bhag Kaur Heritage Park, he said, “There is a proposal to renovate this park or establish a public library there.”

In August this year, the district administration had claimed that the responsibility of maintaining the park had been to a private university and in return, the university authorities were given the advertisement rights. “The proposal in this regard did not mature,” said the SDM.

He said that no political party had so far approached them for permission to hold a political conference during the Mela.