Narrative
The Kutch Earthquake of 2001 is a memorable disaster event in the history of India. Out of many historical monuments that got damaged and destroyed in the earthquake, there were few unprotected and unrecognized monuments, most of which are privately owned. One such monument is Prag Mahal in Bhuj, Gujarat. Prag Mahal has been an attractive location for Bollywood to shoot movies like Lagaan and is also a tourist attraction in the small town of Bhuj. Yet it could not seek enough attention or funds for proper restoration, even after sustaining heavy damage in the 2001 earthquake. In present day, the palace is open for tourists. While the palace areas that are heavily damaged are not given access yet few such areas still have access for the tourists. Looking at the retrofitting measure taken for the damaged clock tower does not satisfy the eyes of someone who understands the vulnerabilities of a building. Also, the other tower of the palace seems like it is left unattended and the bricks might fall off anytime. Being located in Earthquake Zone V, the unrepairable damage to the palace seems just an earthquake away along with other associated risk.
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