Ever since the 1960s Indian Punjab has been engaged in an act of slow, unwitting cultural self-immolation.

Virtually every historic gurudwara in the state would be demolished for ‘renovation,’ while virtually every historic mosque and palace would be abandoned.

Patiala’s Qila Mubarak was handed over to the government, and despite containing Punjab’s greatest surviving artworks, the painted palaces of Patiala were closed for the public for decades.

Its frescoes were allowed to fade behind padlocked doors as risingpl damp and structural decay crept through the walls.

By 2004, Patiala's entire Qila Mubarak complex was formally placed on the World Monuments Fund’s list of the 100 Most Endangered Monuments.

One of the most historically significant treasures in the state was facing imminent, catastrophic collapse. This was all the more ridiculous given that the Patiala Maharajas had successfully transitioned into Punjab's foremost political family.

Only in recent years has a quiet revival begun.