Archaeology of Maner

• Contemporary Uses of Archaeological Monuments

• Paper for Theoretical Archaeology Group, Southampton

• By

• Ajay Pratap, Department of History, faculty of Social Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi - 221 005, India

Maner

Maner-An Introduction

• Maner is a Contemporary Sufi Shrine, often used syncretically, that was built in 1609, by Ibrahim Khan, at the behest of the Mughal Emperor Jehangir

• Maner is regarded as the finest example of Mughal Architecture in Bihar and is built of Chunar Sandstone that was the preferred medium for imperial architecture in the Magadhan Region since the time of the Mauryas, most notably Ashoka, who cast all his pillar inscriptions in this medium.

Maner-Attributes• As Maner has continued to be used syncretically continuously since the 18 th century it deserves

attention.• Principally we may divide this medieval shrine complex into five components that describe the

site:• A. Choti Dargah – having the tomb of Makhdoon Daulat and Ibrahim Khan, another shrine and

prayer gallery.• B. Bari Dargah – having the shrine of Yahya Maneri, Daulat’s father, and after whom the place

and the shrine derive their name.• C. The Magnificently architectured Entrance – This is extended into a perimeter wall that

surrounds the entire extent of the Choti Dargah and includes the other shrine and the prayer-halls, and the four sided rampart with two turrets or stair-wells that provide access to a very large reservoir of water which is the fifth and final component.

• D. The Reservoir. When Thomas and William Daniell visited this rural shrine in the mid-eighteenth century they made an aquatint of the shrine which shows but the Choti Dargah and the main entrance to the north of it. However, this large reservoir which is certainly contemporaneously built with the shrine in 1609 certainly did exist then as it exists now. Indeed there is evidence that some repair-work must have been carried-out to the tank periodically, as abandoned steps and platforms occur around the reservoir. The reservoir is also, on two sides, the East and the West provided with Rajput Style Chhatris for visitors to sit under as part of their visit to the shrine.

• E. Mounds surrounding the monument complex and the reservoir.

Scope of this study

• This study has attempted through an ethnography of the monument to document the multiple issues surrounding the re-use and continuing use of this monument, in a contemporary commemorative framework.

Ibrahim Khan Inscription

Entrance To Choti Dargah

Northern Face – Choti Dargah

Southern Face

East

Entrance Gate to Choti Dargah (From Within)

Terrace Overlooking the Reservoir

Southern-view of the reservoir from the terrace

Old steps and new ones

Steps from the monument to the reservoir – the entrance

Descent

Curve

Exit to the reservoir -

Fishing near old abandoned steps of the reservoir

Old bathing-platform of the reservoir

Maner - Western face of the perimeter wall

A touristic view of the reservoir and the monument – southern view

Medieval steps of the reservoir - southern-limit

Path leading to Bari Dargah

Daily activities at the site by Maner villagers

Conclusions• We have attempted in this paper to document the various

components of the Maner site with reference to its complexity as a contemporary commemorative structure.

• It would appear that the great popularity that the site enjoys is on account of its syncretic religious significance, as well as, the marvellous architecture, that imposes Maner, onto a contemporary Indian Landscape that has nothing to parallel it.

• It is no doubt also the case that the shrine complex and the attached reservoir play a very important role in providing the local popultion a getaway from their daily humdrum existence and is also a functionally important resource for diurnal activties for which there is no other water-body available near Maner Village.

• Thus, in the manner of all contemporary Mughal Monuments of the country, Maner fulfils a dual purpose of serving a devout laity and the common man for their spiritual, aesthetic and functional needs.