By ARUN PRATAP SINGH
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 10 Sep: The historic legacy and memories of Tehri (Old Tehri town) will now be preserved in Athoorwala, Doiwala. It may be recalled that when the Tehri Dam project was built for the development of the nation and the state, thousands of families from Tehri town had to leave behind their homes, fields and memories to face displacement. A large number of these families were resettled in Athoorwala (near the Dehradun Airport) under the Doiwala Assembly constituency. Along with this sacrifice, Tehri’s iconic Ghantaghar was submerged in the waters of the Tehri lake, a loss still deeply felt by Tehri residents.
To revive those memories and connect the younger generation with their roots, a grand Ghantaghar is now set to be constructed in Athoorwala. The project, costing nearly Rs 98 lakhs, has generated immense enthusiasm among the displaced families of Tehri. Doiwala MLA Brijbhushan Gairola shared that the land for the construction of this Ghantaghar has already been identified and financial approval has also been granted by the government. He said the historic Ghantaghar, which was submerged along with Tehri town, was a symbol of Tehri’s identity, and the displaced families had long demanded that their cultural heritage be restored. Their persistent efforts have finally led to the sanction of this project.
Gairola added that the plan is not limited to the construction of a Ghantaghar but will also include the construction of a grand museum. This museum will showcase Tehri’s history, culture, artefacts, photographs and heritage items, enabling future generations to learn about the glorious past of Tehri. He also added that the foundation ceremony will be held soon and construction work will begin thereafter.
