Lucknow: Lucknow, the city of Nawabs, is known for its historical buildings and cultural heritage. Many of these buildings are a thing of the past, but there are some whose importance has been buried in the dust of time. One such historical building is 'Kalakankar Bhawan'.
Kalakankar, a centuries-old heritage and princely building of the city, is in a dilapidated condition. The walls of this building have become dilapidated, the plaster is falling. This historical building has not been included as a heritage till date.
Silent witness of the freedom struggle: The Bhawan was an important centre of the Indian freedom struggle. It was constructed in the beginning of the 20th century. Before independence, it used to be the office of the Congress Committee in the Awadh region. Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and other prominent freedom fighters used to hold important meetings and conventions here. Veteran Congress leader Pandit Motilal Nehru died in this building on 6 February 1931. This has been mentioned in Dr. Yogesh Praveen's book 'Mohallon Ki Shaan'.
The Bhawan came under the Uttar Pradesh government in 1954. According to government records, this 3.31 acre estate was purchased from the Kalakankar royal family for Rs 1,85,000 for the Agriculture Department. However in July 1954 it was transferred to the Planning Department. The foundation of Planning Research and Action Institute was laid in this campus.
Till 1971, this building was the headquarters of Uttar Pradesh Planning Research and Action Institute. After this, a division of the Planning Department remained operational here. At present, along with the Planning Department, the headquarters of Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (UP RERA) is also located here.
Structure of Kalakankar Bhawan: Kalakankar Estate is spread over 3.31 acres. The area of its main building is about 1240 square meters. It is made of two floors. There are 16 rooms on the ground floor and 15 rooms on the first floor. The main building is currently closed, however the documents of the Planning Department are preserved in it.
Krishna Singh, who was an officer of the Planning Department in 1980, said that the atmosphere of this building was lively during his tenure. "But, after a new building was built inside the campus in 2015, the office was shifted there. In 2013-14, a recommendation was made by the State Archaeology Department to repair the building. A team conducted a survey and submitted a report, in which it was said to be preserved as a historical heritage. But, the repair work remained incomplete," said Singh.
Renu Dwivedi, Director of the State Archaeology Department, said her department conducted a survey again in 2022-23, the report of which was sent to the state government.
According to the documents accessed by ETV Bharat, in a review meeting held on 21 June 2023 under the chairmanship of the Principal Secretary, Culture Department, instructions were given to consider converting this building into a culture museum.
Kalakankar princely state is a historical area located in the Pratapgarh district of Uttar Pradesh. It was founded in 1193 by King Hom Malla. King Hanumant Singh made it his capital. The royal family played an important role in the freedom struggle. Raja Ramgopal Singh was one of the early leaders of the Congress and played a key role in giving direction to the freedom struggle. According to historian Ravi Bhatt, Kalakankar Bhawan was the main centre of Congress party's brainstorming and movements.
A unique and interesting chapter of Kalakankar royal family is related to Soviet Union dictator Joseph Stalin's daughter Svetlana. Prince Brijesh Singh of the royal family and Svetlana met in a hospital in Moscow. Both decided to have a love marriage, but it was not approved. After Brijesh Singh's death in 1966, Svetlana came to India with his ashes and stayed in Kalakankar for some time. In 1969, she built a hospital in Pratapgarh in memory of Brijesh Singh. The hospital is now concerted into a private school.
Historians and experts believe that Kalakankar Bhawan should be included in the list of state heritage. It should be repaired and preserved and developed as a memorial.
