Once Kipling?s abode, now a neglected place

The bungalow has lost its resplendent charm. None care to take a stroll through the thick greenery and explore the place where the famous English writer Rudyard Kipling spent almost an year over a century ago.

The bungalow has lost its resplendent charm. None care to take a stroll through the thick greenery and explore the place where the famous English writer Rudyard Kipling spent almost an year over a century ago.

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A stone plaque affixed at the right side of the small entrance cites that Joseph Rudyard Kipling, popularly known as Rudyard Kipling, made this bungalow his abode for a year.

The place is situated right in front of the library gate of Allahabad University on the Bund Road. The plaque has the following information etched on the blue background- 'Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) (1888-1889) installed by the Kipling Society of London'. It is also said that the stone plaque was removed once and the new one was installed afterwards.

At present the campus also hosts the building where Rajakiya Shishu Prashikshan Mahila Mahavidyalay, Prayag is being run. Centrally located in the premises lies the structure where Kipling stayed.

With the passage of time, the original glory of the structure has been lost.

There are seven pillars which have been erected in straight lines in the verandah and also a fireplace inside the big central hall which opens to a chimney almost 25 feet high. The fireplace is still in use.

Durga Mehrotra, a retired AIR programme executive and her family reside in the building at present. The elderly lady recalls the period when her father late Bhagwati Prasad was posted as the Additional District Magistrate in the city and he was allotted the place for his stay in the year 1943.

According to her, the building is 120 years old.

It reminds of the style with which the Britishers constructed their residence with the main structure in the centre surrounded by lawn. There were also stables and servant quarters at the back side meant for the cooks and the servants.

Old fashioned fans made of cloth were used which were suspended from the ceiling and a person was supposed to sway it with the help of a rope tied to it.

There was also a huge collection of books, approximately 25,000 in number in a small library. None of them could be found at present as most have been sold or donated.

Amit Mishra and Pankaj Verma, the students who are doing research work on the lost heritage of the city came upon this site accidentally.

It is unfortunate that the building has become dilapidated as the residents of the building are not getting any financial help to take care of it, they said. Besides, there is also the threat of land Mafia.

The Kipling Society of London too has not taken any care to conserve the heritage.