Syed Altamash Ahmad

 Ruins of an Idgah situated on the bank of the Sone river in the Arwal district of Bihar The Idgah is a place in South Asian Islamic culture for the open-air enclosure usually outside the city reserved for Eid prayers offered in the morning of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.  This Idgah is said to be more than 200 years old. Being on the banks of the Sone river, it has always been damaged by floods. Even after several attempts by the people to save it, the boundary of the Idgah got breached due to flood 2 years back, and now only a broken niche facing west is left.  .

 During the British era, this canal connecting the Shahabad region to Patna was used to transport spices and grains by ship.  Arwal district then used to be a small town and since it was in between Dehri and Patna, there was a toll bridge that was used to collect taxes from the ship owners. These bridges were built in such a way that ships could easily pass through them. Today, the Sipah bridge is used to connect New Arwal with Old Arwal, the other one is used to connect Arwal with Baidarabad. And whenever water is released into the Son river, lock number 7 is used to generate hydroelectricity. Alas, today the areas near the bridges are used as a garbage dump. And this bridge is in dilapidated condition which may collapse at any time.