Peoples Democratic Social gathering (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti has requested chief minister Nitish Kumar to protect in Nalanda, his dwelling district, the tomb of Kashmir’s final indigenous king Yousuf Shah Chak, who died in Bihar after Mughal emperor Akbar exiled him after invading his kingdom within the sixteenth century.
She expressed concern over its poor situation and mentioned the final resting place of Chak symbolises the ties between Kashmir and Bihar. “However sadly, the location is in absolute disrepair and ruins,” mentioned Mufti, the final chief minister of J&Ok earlier than the area was stripped of its statehood in 2019.
Mufti, who’s in Patna for the assembly of non-Bharatiya Janata Social gathering (BJP) events on Friday as a part of efforts to unite them forward of the 2024 nationwide polls, visited Nalanda to pay her respects to Chak.
The Mughals annexed Kashmir in 1586 after unsuccessful makes an attempt to take action over the earlier six a long time of the institution of the Mughal Empire beneath Emperor Babur in 1528. Chak stays a part of Kashmir’s collective reminiscence not simply as its final indigenous king but in addition via the poetry of his queen Habba Khatun, who is without doubt one of the area’s biggest cultural icons. He’s believed to have fallen in love at first sight together with her whereas he was on a looking journey and heard Khatun singing beneath a Chinar tree as she was wandering after strolling out of an sad marriage. Born Zoon, she was renamed Habba Khatun as she turned Chak’s queen. The Mughals quickly invaded Kashmir and exiled Chak.
Chak lived in exile in Nalanda’s Beswak village, which has since been renamed Kashmiri Chak. He died in 1592.
Mufti cited the historic significance of the tomb and mentioned it must be preserved. “The realm across the grave is open and with out boundary partitions. The place ought to have been developed as a vacationer spot with services. Many individuals from Kashmir are keen to go to this place. The event of the location would enhance tourism.”
She mentioned the burial floor has sufficient land the place a park may be developed for the comfort of the guests.”…Nitish Kumar would positively reply in a optimistic method.”
Nalanda district Justice of the Peace Shashank Shubhankar, who accompanied Mufti to the location, mentioned there was a plan to develop boundary partitions over the land across the grave. “I’d additionally talk about the tourism potential of the location with the tourism division,” he mentioned.
Yasir Rashid Khan, the custodian of the graveyard, mentioned he has been requesting the federal government for the maintenance for years. “In 2019, Omar Abdullah, one other former chief minister of J&Ok, requested the federal government to guard the a part of Kashmir’s historical past in Bihar, however nothing occurred,” he mentioned.
There’s a boundary wall across the graveyard however the gravestones are in dangerous form. The five-acre land space across the graves is open from all sides and confronted encroachment. “An enormous a part of this land has been encroached on. Locals have occupied it for farming,” mentioned Khan. He added the place had been drawing individuals from Kashmir and different elements of the nation. “However there’s neither any fundamental amenity nor any tourism facility right here. Individuals who flip up, depart the location inside just a few hours.”