Market: Mandi city of Himachal Pradesh is also historical. Indira Market is in the center of the city. The clock tower here is the pride of the market. It was inaugurated on 28 February 1939 by Status Forces Military Advisor-in-Chief Sir Arthur M. Milne in the presence of the then King of Mandi State, Jogendra Sen. The history of the place where this clock tower is built is more than 300 years old. This place still keeps the story of enmity between Mandi and Bhangal Risayat fresh.
Presently situated in the middle of Indira Market, Ghantaghar was earlier also known as Sankan Garden. It is related to the 17th century king Siddha Sen. This place was also known as Siddha Sar in the past. According to the historian, Raja Siddha Sen’s daughter was married to Raja Prithvi Pal of Bhangal state. Bhangal was a very big princely state. On one side of the state there was a 14,000 feet high mountain and on the other side there was a flowing river. The king’s fort was at a very high altitude, where it was not without danger for enemies to reach there.
wife returned to her parents’ home
The historian told that King Prithipal was a king of colorful temperament. The queen was upset with his debauchery. She explained to her husband many times that he should pay attention to his kingdom and his people. Frustrated with her husband’s behavior, the queen returned to her parents’ house one day. Seeing her daughter coming alone, Siddhasen noticed something black in the lentils. Crying, the queen told everything about her husband to her father. King Siddhasen became furious due to his son-in-law’s disobedience. He decided to teach his son-in-law a lesson. He wanted to kill two birds with one stone. Revenge for daughter’s insult and capture of Bhangal state.
Then the father-in-law murdered the son-in-law
King Siddhasen sent his messenger to Bhangal and sent a message inviting him to come to Mandi. The king’s trusted ministers advised the king not to go to the market. They are sensing a conspiracy in this. Prithipal did not listen to them and left for the market with the messenger. Siddhasen put his son-in-law under house arrest in the palace. Prithipal realized his mistake. With the help of the king of Suket, he came out of the palace. When he was crossing the Beas river with the messenger of Suket, the boatmen recognized him and informed King Siddhasen about it. The king killed his son-in-law in rage and buried his head in the middle of the pond and his legs and arms in the four corners. The queen was deeply shocked by the brutal murder of her husband.
The clock tower was built there later
Mandi historian Akash Sharma told Local 18 that earlier people did not do any wrong to each other, but when someone else did a mistake, he was not spared. This is the reason why this happened to the king of Bada Bhangal, but after that the time changed and the clock tower was built by the king and artisans from Bengal arrived here and installed a big clock here. Today, there is a market around the clock tower.
Tags: Himachal news, History of India, Local18, market news
FIRST PUBLISHED: September 29, 2024, 14:22 IST