Historical fountain at Charminar in neglect, cries for attention

HYDERABAD: A fountain with a history dating back more than 300 years, situated at the entrance to the city's famed Charminar monument and in the middle of the road amid busy traffic, has been neglected for more than five years, a reflection of the authorities' indifference and apathy to its preservation. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has blamed lack of funds for its failure to maintain it.

A senior ASI official from Charminar Circle told Deccan Chronicle, "There is no water connection to the fountain. We are planning to repair the main monument first, and the fountain will be repaired later because we are currently facing a funding shortage."

Contrary to the claims, the fountain has a running water supply at the base, but a much-needed electric motor to pump water has been missing for years. In fact, a local worker was seen spraying water with a hose connected to a water line at the fountain's base.

"The fountain at the entrance of the iconic monument is a metallic bronze structure, with ducks designed on it," city-based historian Mohammed Safiullah explained. “It is over 300 years old and dates back to the Qutub Shahi era, before 1687. It is a historically significant fountain and should be restored and preserved,” he added.  Heritage historians like Dr Safiullah complained that Hyderabad's administrators did not respect heritage and did not care about it.

Sachin Aggarwal, a resident near Gulzar Houz, near Charminar, stated, "The fountain has been in neglect for about six years now. Previously, we had a beautiful view of the structure with lightning in the evenings." Navid Salman, a tourist from Madhya Pradesh who came to see the famous monument, said it was sad to see such a beautiful structure in such disrepair. It is in the best interests of the city to save this lovely fountain, he said.

In light of the recent Unesco Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation for the restoration of the stepwells inside the Qutb Shahi Tombs Complex in the city, such a sight of neglect highlighted the importance of preserving the city's rich heritage, said historians