Written by Amandeep Madra
IN the last few weeks, Google Earth has updated its maps of Punjab. These have included higher defintion images of some of the main centres including Chandigarh, Patiala, Amritsar and Lahore. For the first time, some of Punjabs most important sites of built heritage are now visible from the air and them make remarkable viewing. In the second part of the "Hidden Heritage" series we look at some of the more recognisable sites accompanied with pictures from the ground.
 | One of the most recognisable heritage sites in East Punjab, the Darbar Sahib complex in Amritsar. The sarovar, parkarma and the Akal Takht are all clearly visible.
The original "Guru-ka-bagh" from where the building of the Darbar Sahib was supervised by Guru Arjan Dev ji is visible as a bifucated green rectangle almost in the centre of the pcicture. The rectagluar sarovar of the Baba Atal Burj is visible in the bottom left of the picture. |
The Darbar Sahib remains is the very centre of the old city of Amritsar. Whilst the old city walls have been demolished and the city gates are all but destroyed, the perimeter of the medeivel city is evident in the view from Google Earth.
(the very similar, but smaller, structure in the top of the frame is the Hindu Durgiana Tenmple, that was built in the 1920s on the same plan as the Harimandir Sahib). The old city is bound by roads giving it an almost kidney shape. The map of 1869 below from the Royal Geographical Society serves as a comparison:
Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who was instrumental in reguilding the Darbar Sahib and gicing it the appelation; the Golden Temple was someone who left his indelible mark on the Punjab in many differnet ways. Probably the most telling are the Hazuri Bagh and his own Samadhi in Lahore. The views of these monuments form the air speak volumes about Ranjit Singh's reign. The Hazuri Bagh is a modest marble pavillion, richly decorated and placed in the bagh between the austere and enourmous Badshahi Masjid and Akbar's (and later Ranjit Singh's) Lahore Fortress. The scale of the pavillion and its placement in the public area illustrate Ranjit Singh's humility and his openess.
Aurangzeb's Badshahi Masjib viewed from the sky, the enourmous red square is the prayer hall. Opposite this is the Hazuri bagh, with Ranjit Singh's marble pavillion in it's very centre. Top the right is the almost square Lahore fort complex which forms one side of the old city walls. Ranjit Singh's samadh and Dehra Sahib gurdwara are just to the top of the hazuri Bagh (see the zoomed view below)
Ranjit Singh's Samadhi (bottom left) with the golden dome of Dehra Sahib gurdwara above and to the right.
 | A view from Lahore fort of the Bashahi Masjid, the domes of Ranjit Singh's Samadhi and just poking above the treeline the golden dome of Dehra Sahib gurdwara |
 | Dehra Sahib Gurdwara |
 | Ranjit Singh Samadhi with one of the Masjid's minarets in the background |
 | Badshahi Masjid |
 | |
 | The marble pavillion built by Ranjit Singh in the centre of Hazuri Bagh. This was once used as a plae of public darbar. The entrance to Lahore fort is in the background. |
Just outside the old city of Lahore is another area of great importance to Punjab's heritage; Shalimar gardens. These gardens were originally laid by the Mughals and were amongst the most fabulous of the formal Mughal gardens in South Asia.
From the ground, the Shalimar gardens, Lahore
East Punjab may suffer a dearth of Sikh heritage relating to Ranjit Singh but it does contain one of the most important Sikh forts, and this is intact in structure. The Qila Mubarak which was originally built in eth 1700s and has been expanded as late as the turn of the 20th century is amply evident from the air on Google Earth.
The Qila Mubarak was first developed as a mud fort or Kachi Garhi. Baba Ala Singh constructed the Pacca Qila after his conquest of Sirhind. From the receipts of the octroi on the merchandise passing through his territory of the G.T. road, he constructed the Qila. The present Qila is divided into two parts- one, the Qila Androon, the interior portion, was built by Ala Singh. Situated on a mound, it ascends as one moves into it. While the other i.e., between the Qila Androon and outer walls with the secretariat on the left and Darbar Hall on the right, was built by Maharaja Karam Singh. The Darbar Hall is now converted into a mini museum where rare arms and armours including a sword of Nadir Shah known as 'Shikar Gah' are on display. Most precious pieces of art are the rich collection of tree-like chandeliers made of Bohemian cut-glass emitting prism like radiant splendour and sheen. To those interested in metallurgy and guns, a visit to the Cannon Park within the premises of the Qila Mubarak would certainly be a thrilling experience of life time. The murals inside the palaces are rare specimen of the Kangra and Rajasthan paintings
The story of Nau Nihal Singh, the favourite grandson of Ranjit Singh, who as a precocious 13 year old was commanding units of Ranjit Singh’s feared Khalsa army and by 14 was governing the rebellious and dreaded Peshawar region, seems to have been wiped from the collective consciousness of Sikh history. He was respected by the Khalsa, loved by his grandfather and dreaded by the British - his youth blocking British expansionist ambitions.
It was a youthful Nau Nihal Singh who rushed back to Lahore after Ranjit Singh’s death. Only, seventeen, he was a hardened military man and governor of one of Punjab’s most troubled areas but he simply wasn’t equipped for court politics. Ranjit Singh chosen successor was Kharak Singh, Nau Nihal Singh’s father. Within a year Kharak Singh was dying, possibly poisoned by his own ministers. The young Nau Nihal Singh was to inherit the Punjab at the age of 19, the same age his beloved grandfather had taken the country in 1799. Tragedy and intrigue was close at hand. Returning from his own father’s cremation ceremony Nau Nihal Singh suddenly and violently met his death by the fall of a portion of archway leading to Hazuri Bagh; and thus the same day that witnessed his coronation, saw him deprived of his life. Maharajah for a day, Nau Nihal Singh’s death spun the kingdom of Lahore into a series of bloody battles of succession that ultimately ended in the annexation of the country to the British.
The ashes of grandfather (Ranjit Singh), father (Kharak Singh) and son (Nau Nihal Singh) are all preserved in samadhis close to the Badshahi Mosque and the Lahore Fort.
In the Mori Gate area of the old walled city of Lahore there once stood one of the most ornate and highly embellished havelis of Lahore. This haveli still survives but only as a memento of the past. This is the haveli (courtyard house) of the young Nau Nihal Singh, built by Ranjit Singh to house the young Raja in readiness for his lavish wedding in 1837.
Mori Gate is one of the 14 gates of Old Lahore and is located between Lahori Gate and Bhati Gate. The Mori Gate is the smallest of the gateways, and, as its name implies, was in old times used as an outlet for the refuse and sweepings of the city. Behind the place where Mori Gate once stood is a narrow street. This leads to an open area. This open area was once a large garden and the haveli of Nau Nihal Singh stood at one of its extremities. Not a vestige of that garden remains but the haveli survives with some of its decorative motifs in situ.
Sikh rulers of the Punjab were great lovers of music and dance. Nau Nihal Singh was no exception albeit he also patronised visual arts like painting and architecture. His haveli is a testimony to his taste. This lofty haveli is reckoned among the most magnificent buildings of the city of Lahore. Nau Nihal Singh used it as his private residence. It contains numerous specious chambers, halls and balconies. The roofs are decorated with paintings and mirrors, and are worked in gold. The walls are richly and tastefully ornamented with glass and artificial flowers. It is now government property and is used as a girls school.
The haveli, rectangular in plan, is a fairly large building. Its entrance is on the west side and the façade has been divided into two clear sections: one housing the entrance gate, which is profusely decorated, and the other is simple but has plenty of fenestration. If there was any decoration on this area it has been destroyed by the ravages of time.
The building had a basement and four storeys above the ground level. The basement is no longer approachable. Out of the four storeys above ground level, two storeys encompass the whole area, the third storey is partially crumbled while the fourth storey stands in the north-western corner and is called Shish Mahal. Shish Mahal in fact is like the Mughal’s Hawa Mahal or Palace of Winds. Hawa Mahal used to be at the top of the royal buildings where fresh breeze could be enjoyed and at the same time a view of the surroundings could be relished. The Shish Mahal of Nau Nihal Singh’s haveli served these purposes very well.
Inside the Sheesh Mahal at the very top of the Haveli
A painting inside the sheesh mahal
This Shish Mahal is in no way comparable to the Shish Mahal of the Lahore Fort which is huge, massive and matchless in its decorative exuberance. The wooden roof of Naunihal Singh’s haveli is divided into several geometrical compartments and each one is fitted with a small mirror in the centre. In the middle is the “Surya” or the sun-motif. Northern and western walls have fenestrations in the form of windows and ventilators. There are blind arches in between the windows and ventilators. These arches house miniature painting depicting religious and secular themes. Their colours are still fresh and speak a lot of the expertise and paint manufacturing of the Sikh artists. Gold, blue, red, and orange colours dominate. These paintings are rendered in 18 x 18 inch areas.
Beside these miniature paintings there are several other kinds of decorative works like cut-brick work, woodwork including carvings and engravings, painted floral motifs and stucco work. The cut-brick work, however, is of the finest kind. It seems that Sikh craftsmen especially excelled in this kind of masonry. This brick-work manifests its perfection under the oriel window and under the cornices. The carving of the bricks is so sharp, precise and accurate that bricks seem to be made of wax rather than of baked clay. Wood carving is noticeable on doors and windows and miniature columns introduced at the corners of the oriel windows. Painted work exists almost everywhere although it is decayed at several places. The quality of restoration, however, is very poor. The paint used is already flaking off. Stucco work was created for development multifarious kinds of floral motifs. At places magnificence of the bygone days still stands out.
The rear of the building, once a bagh (garden) now a storage area for
the local box making businesses
Local children play in the area that was once the bagh that accompanied
the haveli
The upper stories of the courtyard still retain the original Sikh period wall paintings. The lower story has
been whitewashed
Detail of the spectacular Oriel window.
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