In Gujarat, the 19th century Mahabat Maqbara still stands tall.
Standing almost forgotten on a busy dusty street in Junagadh in Saurashtra, is the 19th century mausoleum of Nawab Mahabat Khan II, across the road from the High Court. Called the Mahabat (not Mohabbat) Maqbara palace, also the mausoleum of Bahaduddinbhai Hasainbhai, this stunning monument was once said to be home to the Nawabs of Junagadh. A stellar example of Indo-European-Islamic architecture, it is also designated as a protected monument by the Archaeological Survey of India.
This declaration of protection hasn’t had any effect though, with an absconding caretaker and a creaking iron gate that swings carelessly in the slight winter breeze. If this centuries-old monument is still standing, it’s totally on its own accord. According to a marble information tablet, the nawab’s family set aside Rs 8,000 a year that’s given to the village for the upkeep and maintenance of the maqbara.
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The intricate architecture of the two buildings can be said to be a testament to the complex history of the land it stands on. The Junagadh state was founded in the early 18th century, becoming a British Protectorate in 1807. The East India Company took over the state in 1818 but the Saurashtra region never came under direct British rule. It was divided into more than a hundred princely states, which is how it remained until 1947. At the time of independence, its incumbent ruler Mahabat Khanji III chose to accede to Pakistan despite having no common border with Pakistan. After pressure from the Indian government and neighbouring states, Khanji and his family are said to have fled to Pakistan, and in November of 1947, Junagadh’s court appealed to the Indian government to take over the state’s administration. After a controversial plebiscite in February 1948, Junagadh became a part of the Indian state.
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