PATHRA:Mohammad Yeasin Pathan is ailing and desperate to see the end of his 40-year-old struggle. The 63-year-old retired peon has been waging a war to preserve and restore around 34 Hindu temples dating back to the 18th century located beside river Kangsabati at Pathra village in West Midnapore district of West Bengal.
Despite the fact that none of the temples have any idol and are important only archaeologically, Pathan was branded a ‘Kafir’ for working to preserve the temples. He partially won the battle in 2003 when the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) took over the sites. However, acquisition of 10 acres is yet to be completed. While the state wants ASI to acquire land themselves, ASI wants land to be handed over to them.
Pathan, founder secretary of the Pathra Archaeological Preservation Committee, said, “Around 19 temples have already been restored by the ASI. However, preservation work has been halted since the past three years due to difference in Centre and state land acquisition procedures. Only the wilderness has been cleared. The Paschim Midnapore District Magistrate had earlier asked ASI to acquire the land themselves, as necessitated by the TMC government’s land acquisition procedures but the ASI says as per rules, land has to be handed over.” With failing kidneys and a blocked artery, Yeasin thinks his work will go in vain if the temples are not restored. However, Yeasin’s numerous Facebook friends and followers don’t understand the complex issue of land acquisition.
“We are working on the land acquisition process and talking to the local people through Yeasin Pathan. Efforts are on to conserve the three ASI heritage sites in Pathra temple complex. We are also working to access the correct valuation of the land,” said Shantanu Maity, superintendent archaeologist, ASI, Kolkata Circle.
Most of the 10 acres are ponds, lowland or wasteland. Pathan has also requested the Chief Minister to exclude the agricultural land and develop the rest into a tourism centre.
The original owners of the temple lands live in Midnapore, Kolkata and London, besides Pathra and they are demanding compensation.
What prompted Pathan
Despite religious constraints, Pathan was inspired to take up the conservation of the temples in his neighbouring village largely because of veteran archaeologist Tarapada Santra, author of over 24 books on archaeological sites and folk culture of West Bengal.
Initially, Pathan faced a lot of humiliation from the local Muslims of Hathihalka and was called ‘Kafir’ and ‘Mushrik’. However, things gradually turned around. Later, many Hindus and Muslims joined him and Pathra Archaeological Preservation Committee was formed in October, 1992.
Three women aided ASI takeover
Pathan credits three women for enabling takeover of the site by the ASI, first the then rail minister and present Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee and other two women IAS officers who were earlier posted in Midnapore district.
“I wrote to Banerjee in 2000 for the preservation work. She, in turn, forwarded the application to the cultural ministry. The joint secretary to the then cultural minister Kasturi Gupta Menon called up the then Midnapore District Magistrate Hem Pandey to know about the temples. The application was then forwarded to the ASI for taking over the heritage sites. At the ASI headquarters in New Delhi, director general Gouri Chatterjee helped in preservation of the ancient temples,” Pathan said.