The Ghatia Of Azam Khan! Agra. Ps. Walking through the present of the Past.

It’s quite a task to explain to the Millennium Z with me- that “Ghatia” is not what can be translated to English as low quality- which is why he thinks that the selling there is about- low quality stuff!!

Yeah- see - I tell him- it’s like an urban formation - like a “ mohallah”- or like “ nagli” or “ khadar” ! Jeez-I guess someone really needs to study and place traditional Indian urbanism in place-/

So, it’s the chaurah of Ghatia Azam khan, at the once outskirts of the medivial Agra town- past the khadd ( the ditch) from which one route went to the then fancy church and school of St. Peters, the other too the fauraah ( fountain) and the then/now famous medical college, the third other to the Hariparbat chaurah and to the old Akbar Capital of Sikandra.

The fourth went to the town!

A clean route, wide by standards, and flanked by the havelis ( houses) of then rich families. Down the Khadd, up again, city railway station on the left , to baluganj ( sandy area, duh-/) and to the ghat on the Yamuna. About 4 km long! The Havelis along the ghats were the really rich families, and then the richness quotient dripping as each layer of road receded from the River front road! Cross streets were inhabited by families- the barah bhai (12 brothers) Gali for instance!! For trivia- around it was the famous “the Kailash soda water company”- should have been contenders to the Coca Cola in a parallel universe!!

This road from the Ghatia is still the longest, the widest and maybe the once upon escape route of the inside town to the European developments on the outside!

It’s gone of course. The people - The gentry people. Taken over by imposters who claim the roads , the hollowed insides and the carved for themselves corners in the decaying bodies of the Havelis ( houses) and their histories. The Havelis are collectively resisting the onslaught- refusing to give way yet.

Their time stays hanging around in and around the Ghatia- solidified in some most amazing brick and sandstone details- and in the red layer of plaster stucco -unique to their medieval formations of their city and it’s now defunct urbanism.

They are acting as props!! For wares sold in and about them.

Also Propping a decaying history that could yet be salvaged ( yes it can-), giving emotional support and bearings to a largely clueless people and their urbanism.

Amen.