2 weeks ago
Neglect Pushes Qutb Shahi-Era Akkanna Sarai Towards Ruin
A very old building called the Akkanna Sarai was built a long time ago as a place where tired travelers could rest.
It is in a place called Maheshwaram in Telangana, India.
The building was made for a man named Akkanna, who was an important official for the Qutb Shahi rulers.
For many years, nobody has taken care of the building, so it is falling apart.
People who care about old buildings are worried and want it fixed.
In 2023, someone made a plan to fix it up, but the work never started.
A person named Md.
Habeeb saw people damaging the building's courtyard and trying to build something new there.
Another person, P. Anuradha Reddy, says the building belongs to the public and should be studied and repaired carefully.
The building also has an old stepwell inside it.
Everyone agrees that the building needs to be protected and restored soon before it gets worse.
The Akkanna Sarai, a Qutb Shahi-era travellers' rest house at Maheshwaram in Telangana, has been left to decay for years due to neglect.
The square-shaped Sarai was dedicated to Akkanna, a senior Qutb Shahi official who served from 1674 to 1686.
Proposals for its beautification and restoration were initiated in 2023, but no work has been taken up so far.
Heritage activist Md. Habeeb said locals were allegedly damaging the courtyard slab and attempting to construct a new structure.
INTACH Hyderabad convener P. Anuradha Reddy said the Sarai needs to be properly studied and restored in a phased manner, as it is public property.
The heritage structure also houses a stepwell and needs immediate protection and restoration.
- Who
- Heritage activists Md. Habeeb and INTACH Hyderabad convener P. Anuradha Reddy, along with the Telangana government.
- What
- The Qutb Shahi-era Akkanna Sarai travellers' rest house is decaying due to neglect, with restoration proposals from 2023 not yet implemented.
- Where
- Maheshwaram, Telangana, India.
- When
- The Sarai dates to the Qutb Shahi era; restoration proposals were initiated in 2023, and the recent concerns were raised during a recent visit.
- Why
- Neglect and lack of restoration work have led to structural deterioration, and locals were allegedly damaging the structure.
Preservation Advocates
Local Development Interests
Restoration of heritage site
Preservation Advocates
The Sarai is public property that must be studied and restored in a phased manner to preserve heritage.
Local Development Interests
Locals were allegedly damaging the courtyard slab and attempting to construct a new structure on the site.
Key facts
- Structure
- Akkanna Sarai, a Qutb Shahi-era travellers' rest house
- Location
- Maheshwaram, Telangana
- Dedicated to
- Akkanna, senior Qutb Shahi official (served 1674-1686)
- Restoration proposal
- Initiated in 2023, no work taken up so far
- Features
- Square-shaped, stone pillars, stone slab roof, stepwell
- Concerns raised by
- Md. Habeeb and P. Anuradha Reddy (INTACH Hyderabad)
Quotes
P. Anuradha Reddy
INTACH Hyderabad convener
“"He also raised concerns about the poor maintenance of notified heritage sites and demanded that the government inspect these structures and take steps to protect and restore them."”
deccanchronicle.com
“"public money had been spent on such structures in the past and, therefore, they are public property that must be preserved."”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
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