You will ask How?

 In 2009 I visited Kusha Ghat Haridwar. Kusha Ghat comprises of a Group of Cow Sheds along side river Ganga. The Cow sheds were got built by Maharani Ahilya Bai Holkar (31 May 1725 – 13 August 1795), a Dalit, who was the Holkar Queen of the Maratha ruled Malwa kingdom, India. The cow sheds commemorated her visit to Haridwar. The Kusha Ghat is the place where Hindus do After Death rites of their ancestors. In 2009 a number of panegyrics or commemorative stones above every cow shed door mentioned this commemoration -- that Devi Ahilyabai Holkar got built these Cow Sheds.

In 2012, I visited Kusha Ghat Haridwar once again.  And this time around, all these commemorative stones had been painted with saffron colour and Chaupai from Hindu Religious epics were written on them. That's who got built these historic buildings was permanently covered with thick paint and Chaupais (Quadruplets).

Imagine, what will happen fifty years from now. No one will even bother to investigate who built these piece of history.

We often hear staunch Hindus complain about some Hindu temple turned into a mosque. The changes made to Kusha Ghat commemorative stones is an excellent example, why such complaints are shallow. As over the period of time, humans do change the historicity of monuments. These changes usually suit some contemporary agenda or self interest. For instance, in the case of Kusha Ghat, the donation of cow sheds from Devi Ahilya Bai served less purpose for Pandas (Hindu religious priests) compared to Chaupais from Hindu Religious Epics.

If we complain the tampering of historic facts, then we must complain the change made to Kusha Ghat commemorative stones too. Shouldn't We?



----