Kumar Rajiv Nayan
Ara : A square shape small building on the campus of Maharaja Bahadur Ram Ran Vijay Pratap Singh College better known as Maharaja College, Ara, called ‘Arrah House’ now renamed ‘Veer Kuer Singh Sangrahalay’ witnessed the beginning of the first War of Independence in 1857 and until mid-fifties attracted quite a number of tourists both from within and outside the country.
The Arrah House building was tottering till December 2017 and had become den of some anti- social elements but the State Government’s decision to celebrate the Veer Kuer Singh Victory Day (Vijayotsav) with full state honour from April 23 to April 25, 2018, woke up the college administration and it has renovated it giving it a new look. The college administration also changed the original structure of the building from outside. The entire campus is encircled with walls and fountains and garden.
It was here that the erstwhile collector W C Wake took shelter to protect himself and his supporters under the command of Subedar Sardar Hukum Singh of 45th Sikh regiment against the fury of thousands of people under the command of Veer Babu Kuer Singh. When George V, the Emperor of England, came to take part in Delhi Darbar in 1911-1912, he visited this place as a mark of respect to the loyalty of the Collector and the Sikh regiment who protected the Arrah House.
The Arrah House, which used as a dance hall by a railway engineer Mr Boyce who was involved in construction of Delhi-Howrah Railway Line, is a two storeyed building. On the ground floor, there are three halls, one meant for grain storage, the second one for keeping important railway materials and the third and the smallest one for the three guards who used to keep watch on the House.
From the southern side, the bigger hall still points to a well which was dug for water as there was water shortage inside during weeks of confinement. But, the well could not be completed. The sign of a tunnel is still there. If one moves into the hall right beneath the stairs leading to the first floor, there appears to be a hole going down below turning to the north, which has been protected by window like iron bars. It was nearly abandoned when it was handed over to Maharaja College by the Government of India. As it remained abandoned for years, filth, garbage and foul smell made it impossible to stay in the room of the ground floor but after proper repair, it was once converted into a control room for examination purposes in the 70s when Bhagrathi Singh was the Principal of the college. It was so cool and comfortable that even during blistering heat, teachers took rest here.
The Government used to give Rs 6,000 per annum for repair and maintenance of the House but the grant was suddenly stopped. It was thus once again abandoned. This monument could not be preserved even as it has a cultural heritage. But, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar decided the celebrate the Veer Kuer Singh Victory Day with full State honour this year and the college administration came out of hibernation to renovate the monument.