History enthusiast bats for heritage inscriptions

PUNE: What is set in stone remains unyielding, or so it is believed. However, history enthusiast Sameer Nikam would beg to differ as he turns the city's attention towards stone inscriptions or shilalekh. According to him, the lesser-known remnants of Pune's heritage, seen at Shaniwarwada and the British-era bridge at Bundgarden, are dwindling in numbers.
Nikam has been fighting to preserve the shilalekh over the past seven years.He believes the inscriptions are the sole carriers of records dating back centuries. Most inscriptions bear information regarding the type of heritage structure, the time of construction, and the cost of building it.
"I have been requesting and fighting towards preservation of these records and creating awareness about the same since long. These are some of the rare, multilingual stone inscriptions, which acted as records in those times. They hold historical evidence and even till date we do not have such records on paper about these structures and other happenings of the time," said Nikam.
Acknowledging his work, head of the civic body's heritage cell Shyam Dhawale said, "Nikam did approach us and we have taken cognizance of his requests. We will see how we can work on the preservation and restoration of the same."
Among the noteworthy inscriptions is a shilalekh that speaks of the assassination of officer WC Rand during the British rule. It also mentions the story from the authorities' side as well as the Chaphekar brothers and the events of Ganeshkhind road (now Senapati Bapat Road). The stones which bore the inscriptions are now lost.
Nikam highlights another, more recent, casualty the trilingual decorative column at Bund Garden bridge, that was broken. "This was the only trilingual shilalekh left in the city yet it was brought down," he said. The enthusiast points out that another inscription from the same era on Wellesley bridge was blackened. He is currently in touch with other noted historians, such as Mandar Lawate, for this cause and has received backing from them too. As per Nikam, only three shilalekh remain in the city as of now.
Pune: It is said that what is set in stone never gets lost - but this is not the case with many stone inscriptions or 'shilalekh' in the city. From Shaniwarwada to the British-era bridges at Bundgarden, these lesser-known heritage items, the writings on the walls, are dwindling in numbers. according to history enthusiast Sameer Nikam.
The importance of such inscriptions, says Nikam - who is fighting for 'shilalekh' from past seven years - preservation is that they are the sole carriers of records from hundreds of years back. These inscriptions talk about the type of a heritage structure, the construction time and the cost of building the same at that time. "I have been requesting and fighting towards preservation of these records and awareness about the same since long. These are one of the rare stone inscriptions, which acted as records in those times, which are multlingual. They are historical evidences and even till date we do not have such records on paper about these structures and other happenings of that time," says Nikam.
"Nikam did approach us and we have taken cognizance of the his requests. We will see how we can work on the preservation and restoration of the same," says Shyam Dhawale, head of the corporation heritage cell, at the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
One of the noteworthy inscriptions spoke about the assassination of officer WC Rand during the British rule and also the story from the authorities' side, and another about the Chaphekar brothers, Ganeshkhind road. These stones which had the inscriptions are lost now.
Nikam points out the recent casualty, the trilingual decorative column at Bund Garden bridge, which was broken. "This was the only trilingual 'shilalekh' left in the city and due to laxity or rather lack of awareness of the historical imoprtance, it was brought down," he says.
Nikam shares that the bund was a mini dam built by Phiroze Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy during the British era and another inscription on Wellesley Bridge, whch was also from the same era, was blackened. Nikam is in touch with other noted historians such as Mandar Lawate for this cause and is backed by them too.
As per Nikam, there are around only three inscriptions which are remaining in the city as of now.