Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 25:
Daughter of Churachand Maharaj, no less, MK Binodini has welcomed the decision of the State Govt to take over and preserve New Palace and the eight sites mentioned by the Expert Committee as historical monuments, but advised that the Govt should exercise wisdom while going about with its work.
Speaking exclusively to The Sangai Express at her Yaiskul Police Lane residence today, Binodini said that the decision of the Govt to preserve the historic New Palace is welcome but cautioned that the Stae Govt should go about it in the right way and not take up anything without considering all the necessary aspects.
Recalling the sloppy work that was executed in the renovation of the memorial site of General Thangal and Leimapokpa Keirungba, Binodini said lessons should be learnt from these two misadventure so that the same are not repeated in the preservation work of New Palace.
83 year old and one of the most revered members of the royal family, Binodini recounted the New Palace as she saw it during her childhood days during the British rule and observed that save for the Chonga Bon and the Durbar Hall, all the other structures are no longer what they used to be.
"I still remember the sites inside New Palace I saw as a child.
However now as I have grown in years, it will be hard for me to specifically single out the different structures inside the Palace," said the octogenarian.
Inaugurated in 1908, Binodini said that there were eight Nageswar trees around the Ras Mandal when she was a child.
But today all that one can see are the numerous structures that have come up around New Palace, she observed.
Maharaj Bodhachandra, who was the last King to run the affairs of Manipur from New Palace, used to live in a bungalow at Mahabali, while Churachand Maharaj was the King, recalled Binodini.
The royal Princess further said that the preservation of New Palace should also be accompanied by a certain degree of renovations of the old structures inside the Palace.
Experts from outside Manipur may also be consulted for preserving the New Palace, she mooted.
Giving further opinion, Binodini said that it would be in the fitness of things for the Government to first obtain the consent of the titular King Leishemba Sanajaoba before actually taking over the New Palace.
The terms and conditions for taking over New Palace taking over the New Palace should also be clearly enumerated, said Binodini.