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LOST GARDENS > Gardens |
The first comprehensive study on Khajuraho and its region (‘Masterplan for the Khajuraho Heritage Region by INTACH, 1998, Prof. Nalini Thakur, Adit Pal, and others) mentioned six historical gardens, all situated in Rajnagar; further research from 2004 onwards revealed the existence of seven more gardens (in Hindi: ‘bagh’ or ‘bagicha’). Oral tradition clarifies that all these gardens were owned by the local royal family, that resided in the district capital of Chhattarpur (50 km from Khajuraho). Since Independence (1947) most of these gardens, except for Ram Bagh and Bada Bagh, have been obtained by the government or private persons. The concentration of these gardens in Rajnagar is unique; moreover, no in depth research on this type of gardens has ever been carried out.
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These thirteen gardens are : Bada Bagh, Duan ka Bagicha*, Gokulan Bagh*, Khan ka Bagh, Lakhan Seth ka Bagicha*, Najar Bagh*, Radha Madheo Mandir ka Bagh*, Ram Bagh, Rani Bagh°, Pateriya ka Bagh°, Soni ka Bagicha, Tiwari ka Bagh°, Wasir ka Bagh.
The gardens, marked with a * are to much gone to be restored in a sensible way. Our project will concentrate in the first place on the gardens, marked with a °.
The gardens share some common features:
- they are in between 1 ½ and 3 hectare
- they are (or were) completely walled
- there are wells for irrigation (in former times using buffalo power; now electricity)
- there is (or was) a more or less developed irrigation system of constructed canals
- there is a small temple, mostly dedicated to lord shiva
- there is (or was) a small palace/kothi, now mostly used as a storehouse, or residence of the caretaker
- generally speaking, the maharaja, his family and train would have stayed in these gardens whenever they travelled to the important religious festivals in khajuraho, or when they were just passing by. this means that these gardens were no permanent living places. could it be that the kothis were used as storehouses for tents and other gear for the guests?
- most of the gardens have one or more plastered brick platforms, samadhi, for the cremation of an important person (maharaja or family). it might be that these produce gardens changed into memorial gardens after such a cremation had taken place
- some gardens have also a pavilion, now also used as a storehouse
- most gardens are situated next to one of the two major lakes of Rajnagar
- some gardens are so-called “twin gardens”, with one common side: Bada Bagh/Ram Bagh, Soni ka Bagh/Khan ka Bagh, Tiwari ka Bagh/Wasir ka Bagh
The unity of style suggests that all these gardens have been laid out during the second half of the 18th century, or the beginning of the 19th century.
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