Declared a protected monument in 2005, the Mubarak Mandi Heritage complex that exhibits the legacy of the Dogra dynasty is waiting — after years of work — for its restoration to complete. While the progress is now visible, the complete restoration may still take time.
Mubarak Mandi was the main seat of the Dogra rulers before Maharaja Hari Singh moved to Hari Palace on the outskirts of Jammu city in 1925.
On May 21 this year, the Heritage Cafeteria-cum-Restaurant with library at the Mubarak Mandi complex was thrown open to people, marking a significant step towards transforming the iconic Dogra heritage site into a major cultural and tourism destination.
While the decision to open a cafeteria inside a heritage site was criticised by some locals in Jammu, it was widely appreciated as a step to conserve the past glory of the Dogra Empire.
As per officials, renovation of 11 buildings at the heritage complex is underway with nine to 10 projects expected to be completed by March 2027.
The restoration work of the Mubarak Mandi has witnessed many controversies in the past where the local leaders accused the Kashmir-centric governments for allegedly not taking the renovation work at the site seriously.
Many parts of the vital buildings in the complex also suffered damage in the past due to heavy rain, fire and other natural reasons. The buildings inside the complex suffered damage allegedly due to continuous neglect.
A portion of the wall of the nearly 200-year-old Gadadhar temple collapsed outside the Mubarak Mandi heritage complex on June 4 following rain, triggering concerns among locals. They blamed the ongoing excavation and restoration work near the shrine for the collapse.
On Monday, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha visited the complex and inspected the restoration work initiated for the damaged wall and slab of the historic temple. He directed officials to expedite the restoration process while ensuring the quality of works.
The L-G has personally chaired multiple meetings in the past to review the ongoing restoration work on the heritage complex.
The projects that are expected to be completed at the complex in coming months include conservation of Darbar Hall, Raja Ram Singh Palace, Raja Amar Singh Palace and Dogra Art Museum.
