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Chhatar Manzil gondola may be 200 years old: BSIP carbon dating test
: The mysterious gondola that was found buried on the premises of nawabi-era Chhatar Manzil here is approximately 200 years old
: The mysterious gondola that was found buried on the premises of nawabi-era Chhatar Manzil here is approximately 200 years old.
The fact came to light in a radiocarbon dating test that was carried out by Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP) of Lucknow to assess the age of the 42 feet-long and 11 feet-wide gondola, which some historians say could also be a ‘royal gondola’.
Dr Rajesh Agnihotri, senior scientists and in-charge of radiocarbon dating and isotope characterisation laboratory, BSIP who spearheaded the Carbon Dating or C-14 test said, “We tested two samples—both were of the wood from the boat. As per the findings, one sample was found to be 200-year-old whereas the date of another sample was not found desirable.”
BSIP scientists, however, have also expressed their willingness to collect a few more samples from the site in order to make an accurate assessment. “Of the two samples which we initially collected, one failed to fetch desirable result. Hence, we want to collect more samples in order to make 100 percent accurate assessment,” Dr Agnihotri added.
Besides, the institute had also approached Uttar Pradesh State Archaeological Department (UPSAD), the custodian of Chhatar Manzil, seeking permission to carry out sampling for the second time.
The sampling was initially done in July 2019 after UPSAD had approached BSIP for the sampling of the gondola, which is also being said to be a ‘royal gondola’.
AK Singh, director of state museum who has additional charge of director UPSAD, said as of now the project work was stalled for want of funds and the site was lying covered. “The fund is expected to be released this month. Once the project work resumes, we may further grant permission for the sampling as the findings would throw light on many hidden facts and mysteries. Besides, it will further throw light on the lavish lifestyle of the nawabs and also on the water transport system that was said to be a common feature during the era,” said Singh.
The discovery of the gondola was made on May 8 when excavators and experts stumbled upon a wooden structure that was partially visible. It was later confirmed that the wooden structure was nothing but a huge gondola.
In the ongoing Chhatar Manzil restoration and conservation project, Faculty of Architecture, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU), is the consultancy.
HISTORIAN’S TAKE: PC Sarkar, a historian, said the present finding indicated that the excavated gondola could be from the early 1800s, roughly corresponding to the rule of Sa’adat Ali Khan (1798-1814). Generally speaking, carbon dating a 200-year-old sample of wood can have an error of around 3 to 10 years. So it could be from the reign of Ghazi-ud-Din Haider also (1814 - 1827), who is credited for building Bada Chattar Manzil. However, travelling by gondolas was not confined to the nawabi rulers of Lucknow. There are several paintings which show gondolas with decorative mast heads of horses, peacocks etc. even in the times of Shuja-ud-Daula at Faizabad.
