Ganj Golai, testimony of Latur history

 Ganj Golai, testimony of Latur history

 

VINOD CHAVAN

 

Latur-

 

 

As time passed, the characteristic architecture of Ganj Golai, the witness of the history of Latur city has been changed completely. However, the environment, people and their living style also changed. But the only premises of the old building, which witnessed the changing history of the city as it was earlier, completed its 104 years on Jan 1, 2021.

This story is accompanied by two photographs. The first photo represents the old Ganj Golai area of the Nizam period. The main gate and the tall tower seen in the middle of the Ganj Golai is now no more. The second photograph shows the present famous Ganj Golai, as the central and crowded place of the city for trading. Both the photographs were taken from Nanded Road on the old Market Committee Road. 2017 was the centenary year of this unique architecture building. One hundred years ago, in 1917, the Ganj Golai was inaugurated by the then Subedar Raja Indrakarna of Gulbarga. (Reference book, ‘Latur Parichay’ written by author - Hanmant Hari Renapurkar, Page No. 4, Published on July 1, 1952)

The ruler Nizam had constructed Ganj Golai to attract Rajasthan traders to Latur. He had sent a special letter to the kings of Rajasthan, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Mewar and invited the traders to the Latur, Aurad Shahajani area of Marathwada. For the convenience of the traders who came to Latur, the Nizam's officials at that time had prepared a map of the market in the city. It was the map of Ganjgolai.

The Ganjgolai is designed like a round Sun and the effect of the sun rays scattered around it. Some people say the Ganjgolai looks like an umbrella and the surrounding roads are its sticks. Whatever it may be, the structure of the Latur's Ganj Golai is unique not only in Maharashtra but in the country as well.

When the king Indrakarna inaugurated this building hundred years ago, the name of the building was not called 'Ganj Golai' as it is today. People would call it 'Azam Ganj'. In the middle of the Ganjgolai, there was a 60-65 feet high old stone tower. The words ‘Azam Ganj were also carved on the tower. Now the temple of Goddess Jagdamba is seen in place of a tower.

The then traders of the city were facing the shortage of area for trading. So they made an effort to go to Nizam for another place. The delegation of the traders included Bache Khan, Devidasbhai Chapasi, Bapuravji Bodhe, Rathi of Kasarkhed, Shivalingappa Khanapure, Channappa Yenegure, Ramuji Gilda and Mukundrao Deshpande. Their demands were fulfilled and the Nizam Government gave them place of Ganjgolai for trading. Sujayat Ali, the then peshkar of Ausa, worked hard to bring the market in this new Ganjgolai area. Immediately, the traders Tandale, Dhage, Bodhe set up their tin sheds and established trading centers by offering Lakshmi puja on Diwali. Later, town planner Faiyajuddin Saheb prepared a design of Ganj Golai and made such arrangements where 16 roads would be connected and that are compatible with the entire market. Dr Omshiva Ligade and Dr Arvind Sontakke made research on this topic.

At that time, there were four higher places at Ganjgolai where the lamp lights were lit.

The city had no electricity. Municipal lights were placed at the squares on the roads. The tower was later built. It was planned to install big clocks on all four sides of the tower. A place for it was also found on the tower. But the clocks did not install there till the end. Under the same tower, which had a square platform, the Razakars' leader Qasim Razvi had delivered a speech on the birthday of Nizam. As a revenge for his poisonous speech, some youths had taken pledge to remove the Nizam's Asaf Jahi flag from the tower and hoist 'Bapuji's tricolor' in place. These youths were Karbasappa Inde, Gurusangayya Swami, Anantrao Jain, Kashinath Bhoi, Shyamrao Umate (Killari) and Raghuveer Shinde. In the past, there was a famous 'Bhagwan Tea House'. The hotel with large mirrors on the walls is still remembered by the old generation.

Though the old Ganjgolai is now beautified, the specific urban structure around it has made it difficult to expand the building. Due to the shape of the building being round like its name ‘Golai’ the Jagdamba temple in the middle (where the tower was) has also been constructed round. The first Sarvajanik Navratri festival was started by the Shri Jayajagadamba Navratri Festival in 1968. Each of the 16 streets that surround the Golai is lined with several shops selling the same type of goods. Therefore, these roads are getting various names like cloth line, bhusar line, saraf line, lokhand galli, bhande galli, main road.

Since all things are easy to purchase in the market, everyone inclined to Golai. People say, “if a person loses his way in Latur, he may not lose anywhere. The structure of this city is made such that he will finally reach Golai. In the worst earthquake of 1993, Laturians saw with their own eyes the whole Ganjgolai tremoring. Whether it is a procession, a march or a funeral procession of a resident, it does not go on without touching Ganjgolai. These are the different parts of the cultural, political and social life of Latur.

 

Giving a silent testimony of all these thrilling histories, this Ganjgolai has been capturing the vibrations of Laturians’ mind over the last hundred years.