Renaming the pages of history: Minto hall and the Nawab culture of Bhopal
Bhopal has a very rich and vibrant atmosphere both socially and politically. It has a very distinctive place in history, being the only princely state with four generations of female monarchs or known as begums. Nawab Sultan Jahan Begum, the twelfth ruler of the kingdom of Bhopal and the fourth in the lineage of female monarchs, succeeded to the Bhopal sultanate around the turn of the twentieth century (1901). It was her who envisaged the beautiful ‘Minto hall’ to welcome the then viceroy of colonial India Lord Earl Minto.
From that time the city of lakes has changed drastically, and so has the significance of Minto hall. The building now stands as an international convention center with an exuberant restaurant and bar. But still, the beautiful Nawabi architecture and the name always keeps the memories of the Begums alive.
But these memories are seemingly fading. About three months ago, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh and the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), renamed the popular heritage structure Minto Hall to Kushabhau Thakre Bhawan after late BJP foundation member Kushabhau Thakre. This comes two weeks after the renaming of Habibganj railway station to Rani Kamlapati.
The history of Minto hall
As a statement of honor and admiration for the British Raj, the structure was named after Lord and Lady Minto, with the elevation exemplifying the crown of King George V, the emperor of British India. However, it was never used for its purpose as the viceroy never visited the building.
During its twenty-year construction, the building's sponsorship had already shifted from Nawab Sultan Jahan Begum (1901-26) to her son, Nawab Hamidullah Khan (1926-56). When it was finished, the structure was utilized as the headquarters of the army of the princely state of Bhopal; later, the British converted it into a financial advice office under Mr. Joseph Moore.
Later the Minto hall came to be known as ‘Hamidia College’ in 1946, inaugurated by Nawab Hamidullah Khan, giving Minto Hall a new character. Minto Hall gained even more significance on September 9, 1956, when it was designated as the Legislative Assembly, or Vidhan Sabha, of Madhya Pradesh, independent India's second largest state. It remained the political powerhouse of Madhya Pradesh's state government until August 3, 1996, when the new assembly building was formally inaugurated.
Sultan Jahan Begum was an exemplary and visionary ruler. Not only did she work for technological growth and education, she started a movement for women’s social and educational emancipation. After she attended the coronation of King George V in England in 1911, she was heavily influenced by the British Empire’s technological advancements, organizational abilities and scientific temperament, which can be seen in her revenue and administrative reforms in the same period.
Also, post her return from England, she started a social and educational movement for women’s independence which gained momentum nationwide.
The changing Political environment
The renaming spree in India has been going on for a while now. Since the past year, the Madhya Pradesh government has also renamed several bus stops, universities, districts and Railway stations. The one which got the most attention was the renaming of Habibganj railway station to Rani Kamlapati. The reason was the inauguration done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after its relaunching as the ‘most modern’ railway station in India.
Accounting for the action of renaming Minto Hall, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told BJP leaders at a state executive committee meeting, “It's our land, our soil, our stone, our building, and the hard work of our laborers, but the name is Minto.” Thakre ji's assistance brought several MLAs to this legislature. Thakre ji empowered the BJP in MP, therefore it is now called after Thakre.”
Furthermore, several BJP leaders are demanding the changing of names of other neighborhoods in Bhopal and the city itself. Although the supposed relaunching and renaming may seem innocent, it is systematically wiping out the historical diversity of India. The names and places which are being renamed carry a significance of telling the coexistence of different religions, cultures and architectures simultaneously.
While women have been key to most of the architectural history in India, they’re rarely known for leaving an impression of their own. It is in rare artifacts like Minto hall where a woman stands out as a legacy maker, which is why these chunks of historical relics must be preserved as they are.
Similarly Minto hall also stands as a beautiful relic of Bhopal's culturally rich past and acts as the memoir of Sultan Jahan. A Begum, who was not only a pragmatic ruler, but also a nationwide face for women's rights in the early 20th century.