Thursday 30 April 2015

A Biking Ride to Explore Gurdwara Siri Sandhawalia

A Biking Ride to Explore Gurdwara Siri Sandhawalia
Directions:-
This Gurdawara is located 14 kilometer from Jalo Mor Lahore in borderly village of Sandhawalia. From Jalo Mor one has to cross BRB Canal and turn right on GT road Burki road link and will reach Manhala village. From Manahala you have to move forward on Chappa village road, from Chappa one has to track Nawar Khwaja Faiq road and will reach Sandhawalia village in 90 minutes

History

Let’s explore its historical background … Before Raja Ranjit Singh in late 18th century, frequent invasions by Ahmad Shah Abdali and the Durrani Empire led to a lack of governance in the Punjab region. During thirty years following the final departure of Ahmed Shah Abdali, the Sikhs were left to themselves and increased in wealth and numbers. They gradually divided themselves into independent misls, under the command of hereditary chieftains, having a common place of meeting at Amritsar. Lahore, meanwhile, was portioned out amongst a triumvirate of Sikh chieftains, named, respectively, Gujjar SinghLehna Singh and Sobha Singh, who are spoken of to this day as the Three Hakims. The three chieftains split the city's revenue. For almost thirty long years Gujjar Singh along with Lehna Singh and Sobha Singh, ruled supreme and kept paying the Afghan invader and his offspring an annual sum to keep them at bay.

Most of the borderly villages of Lahore, Attari, Nawar, Sandhawalia, Thaypur, Jevan Singh and Padana once were majorly populated by Sikhs; now one can only see glimpse of great Sikh architectures and religious buildings in the area. Thaypur is one of the borderly villages of Lahore which is hardly 2 and half kilometer from Sandhawalia and less than one kilometer from border has significant part in Sikh history.

Lehna Singh the Sikh chieftains play an important role in shaping the history of Punjab. He arrived at Thay Pur, from Kalkey Kasur where he made an army of his own, and captured all the land from here till Rawalpindi. At that time Pindi was a small town, and he constructed large buildings here. It was also made the capital of his empire. He died in 1804, handing over his kingdom to his son, who later handed it over to Ranjit Singh and became his ally.  


Ranjit Singh's biggest oversight was, perhaps, his inability to have fully prepared any of his sons to take over his kingdom and to be fatally unaware of the treachery afoot in his court in his last few years. When Ranjit Singh died, Kharak Singh, his eldest son became Maharaja. Kharak Singh was 50 years old at this time

Khrak Singh was poisoned by Dogras brothers and after his death his son Naunihal Singh named for Mahraja. Naunihal Singh came back to Lahore to fulfill his duty to cremate the body of his father. As he entered the fort his the funeral procession was already underway. After the last prayers were said he was able to light the pyre of sandalwood. Returning from the cremation, as the group aproached the fort (he and Udham Singh were well ahead now, as the Dogras, with the other Nobles behind them, had lagged behind. Suddenly, just as the new Maharaja and Udham Singh Dogra reached the archway of the old Hazuri Bagh gate; the gate crashed down upon them. Two days later Naunihal Singh had died due to complications of his injury



With yet more deaths of the Royal Family to come Dhyan Singh Dogra now proclaimed another son of Ranjit Singh named Sher Singh as the Maharaja of the Punjab thus seemingly switching allegiance, from the Royal Family at Lahore, to Sher Singh in his power play for the King Meanwhile, the Sandhawalia Sardars Ajit Singh, Lehna Singh and Attar Singh began to fear Sher Singh and Dhyan Singh Dogra and left Lahore seeking safe haven with the British dom.  Two years later, the Sandhanwalia brothers sent a letter to Maharaja Sher Singh saying they wanted to return to their motherland. Sher Singh obliged and gave them permission to return to the Punjab. Sher Singh gave them good positions of rank in the army. It looked at first as if the Sandhawalia brothers were pleased. Dhyan Singh began to plot with the Sandhanwalias suggesting they were all in danger from Sher Singh. Sher Singh with his son, ten year old Prince Pertap Singh was invited to inspect new conscripts under command of the Sandhawalias, Ajit Singh Sandhawalia asked permission to show him how to fire a new carbine he had got from the British. The story is told that...Sher Singh agreed and as he reached for the gun, which was being handed to him barrel first, Ajit Singh Sandhawalia pulled the trigger, Sher Singh only had time to gasp "aah ki Daga!",(what treachery!). At the same time, Lehna Singh Sandhawalia killed Prince Pertap Singh. Dhyan Singh Dogra with 25 of his troops joined them and they all headed back to the fort. Ajit and Lehna Singh took Dhyan Singh aside, as if for a private talk and killed him. His body was cut into many pieces which were hung on pikes all over Lahore City.


Learning of the events Raja Gulab Singh and Hira Sing Dogra, led the Sarkar Khalsa forces in an attack on the Sandhanwalia's citadel; where the murderous brothers, with about 500 of their supporters, had taken shelter. The enraged Khalsa Army attacked and a day later over ran the fort killing both of the Sandhanwalia assassins on the spot.



This Gurdawara constructed by Ajit Singh Sandhawalia. It is tomb like structure hexagonal in shape having three stories. The lower story is close room having only one entrance. The second story has two arch door openings in opposite directions. The top story has four openings; it is called guru astan (rest room for guru). There is also a small room alongside the main structure.

Wednesday 29 April 2015

Dehri Alladand in Malakand (2014)

  • Dehri Alladand in Malakand.
  • Shaheeda Abai (martyred grandmother).
  • Sir Tor Faqir

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On April 15, 2014, I had the opportunity to visit Dir, a region in Pakistan. The purpose of my visit was to explore the Koto hydropower site. Accompanying me was Fazal Kareem, a local engineer from Malakand. On our return journey, we reached a place called Dehri Alladand, where Fazal Kareem shared intriguing historical facts about the area.

He began by recounting the arrival of the British in India, initially disguising themselves as merchants but gradually establishing dominance over the region. Prior to British rule, the Mughal and Sikh empires held sway in the area. Following the fall of the Sikh Empire, the British annexed Punjab in 1849. They also occupied certain tribal areas and conducted numerous expeditions over time. Although they were unable to directly interfere with the tribal way of life, the British established the first agency in 1878 with the aim of keeping the Khyber Pass open.

Fazal Kareem delved into the British campaign against Malakand in 1853. He described how the British first launched a raid on the Uthmankhel tribe, engaging in a significant battle at Prang Ghar. Due to the small number of defenders and their limited weaponry, the Uthmankhel were subdued. This action, however, provoked the Ranizais, who wholeheartedly supported their Uthmankhel brethren. In response, the British decided to punish the Ranizais.

In the latter months of 1853, under the command of Lord Klaidy, a brigade was dispatched to confront the Ranizais. They raided Dargai and Kharkaey, two small Ranizais villages situated at the base of the Malakand Pass. The Ranizais, facing a well-equipped enemy with artillery, eventually agreed to pay a ransom of Rs. 5,000. Although the British forces arrived, their primary objective remained seizing control of the pass at any cost.

Aware of the British intentions, Pukhtoons from various parts of Malakand Division proclaimed jihad against the colonial power. The situation in Buner, ruled by Syed Akbar Shah Badshah, known as Ameerul Jihad, was particularly tense. The British repeatedly planned to storm Buner but struggled to find a viable strategy.

In 1877, following the death of the influential Akhund Sahib (Saidu Baba) of Swat, the Pukhtoon union, which had troubled the British, disintegrated. Exploiting the rivalries among the Pukhtoons, Lord Klaidy led a formidable army into Ranizais territory via Palai and Sherkhana, two hamlets located at the southern boundary of Malakand Agency. Once again, the Ranizai tribe resorted to arbitration.

Moving forward to April 1895, Fazal Kareem recounted the war initiated by Sir Arlo, a major in the British Army, and Colonel Kelly against Umara Khan, a renowned and indomitable sardar (chieftain) and shrewd politician known as "the Afghan Napoleon" by Sir Winston Churchill. The British forces established their camp at Dargai and Kharkay. With the assistance of Prince Ibrahim Khan, the British warned the Ranizais against resisting. However, when the British advanced towards Malakand, a fierce battle erupted at the Malakand Pass, where the Swat Ranizais displayed exceptional valor.

The Uthmankhel of Bar Swat, Dir, and Bajaur joined forces, dealing a severe blow to the enemy. Faced with mounting losses, the British resorted to negotiations. On September 12, 1895, an agreement was signed between the British and the Swat and Sam Ranizais.

In 1897, during the second Battle of Malakand, the Sam Ranizais remained passive while the Swat Ranizais continued to resist. This battle proved decisive, with Pukhtoon women even joining the fight. Fazal Kareem highlighted the bravery of a woman from Dheri Alladand, a respected family, whose name is not widely known. She fought tirelessly, providing sustenance and support to the mujahideen until she was martyred. She rests in an unmarked grave on the outskirts of Dheri Alladand, known locally as Shaheeda Abai (Martyred Grandmother).

Another notable figure mentioned by Fazal Kareem was Hazrat Sadullah Khan, also known as Sar Tor Faqir (Bear-Headed Faqir), Mullah Mastan, or Mad Mullah to the British. Hailing from Riga, Buner in Swat, Sar Tor Faqir gathered a group of mujahideen and launched an assault on Malakand, where the enemy had taken positions.

Upon learning of Sar Tor Faqir's proclamation of jihad, the British dispatched the Mardan Guides Regiment to pursue him. While the British troops captured Amandara, Sar Tor Faqir marched from Landakay towards Thana, where additional mujahideen joined his small band. Together, they advanced to Dheri Alladand and then to Batkhela, bypassing the British forces at Amandara. Their ultimate goal was to raid Malakand.

At Malakand Khas, Sar Tor Faqir launched an assault on the British and soundly defeated them. The Sikhs later joined the British, but despite their combined forces, they were still unable to prevail. The mujahideen captured the British quarter guard, seizing a substantial quantity of arms and ammunition. The battle continued until dawn, resulting in significant casualties for the enemy. Nineteen mujahideen, including Sar Tor Faqir, were martyred. Sar Tor Faqir's tomb stands at the base of Elephant Pass (Hathi Darrah) south of Zulamkot village in Malakand.

Fazal Kareem mentioned another notable figure, Hazrat Sikandar Shah Shaheed, who would carry a large red and white banner. Even after his followers were martyred, he continued to fight until he fell near the British front line. It is believed that Hazrat Sikandar Shah Shaheed (Spin Shaheed) is buried near the modern road close to the Malakand Pass. The ex-political agent of Malakand, Abdul Wakil Shah, constructed a beautiful mausoleum for him during his tenure from 1991 to 1993, using funds collected for the purpose.

Adjacent to Sikandar Shah Shaheed's tomb, a mosque has been constructed, where travelers passing through the area, from Mingora and beyond, stop to offer prayers.

Fazal Kareem emphasized that the bravery of the Pukhtoon mujahideen has been acknowledged even by British writers in their reports and books. He cited Captain J. Young and Colonel Sir Francis, authors of the book "Relief of Chitral," who spoke highly of the enemy's courage. They recounted instances of individual bravery, such as a leader who carried a large red and white banner and charged the Scottish Borderers halfway up the hill. The leader fought on alone, undeterred, despite sustaining heavy wounds, until he was eventually shot dead near the British line. Another example was a drummer who, not content with his fair share of risks, climbed onto the roof of a hut, becoming a visible target against the sky. He continued to beat his drum despite being hit multiple times until a fatal bullet struck him through the heart, causing him to fall down the cliff with his drum around his neck and his arms still raised to strike it.

Following these events, the British established a new force called the Malakand Field Force to handle the tribes in the Malakand region. One of the members of this force was Winston Churchill, who later became the Prime Minister of Great Britain. Churchill served as a captain in the Malakand Field Force and also worked as a war correspondent for the "Allahbad Pioneer" and the "Daily Telegraph." He gained significant recognition for his book "Story of the Malakand Field Force," which further elevated his reputation.

Tuesday 28 April 2015

Jiwan Singh the Lost Heritage (2015)

Date of Visit:- 06th January 2015

Jiwan Singh the Lost Heritage 

A few months back, I have seen some amazing historical pictures of an old haveli on my friend's wall. On inquiring him he told that these pictures were taken from the border village of Lahore named Jiwan Singh. 

I was too much eager to visit this site that I have put a sticky note on my laptop about Jiwan Singh. It is located fourteen kilometers from Lahore Jalo Park. It took us ninety minutes to reach there on a motorbike. The site is located in the center of the village and Indo Pakistan border is less than a kilometer from this place.  The haveli which was actually a fort in past is not in good condition and badly destroyed because of vandalism.  Still the crumbling arches, domes, curvatures telling what a great Sikh Architecture it was. .The villagers are more than friendly they offered us tea and show us all parts of the fort.



History and Background;- 

Jeevan Singh's father played an important role in shaping the history of Punjab. He arrived at Thay Pur, from Kalkey Kasur where he made an army of his own and captured all the land from here till Rawalpindi. At that time Pindi was a small town, and he constructed large buildings there as well. It was also made the capital of his empire. He died in 1804, handing over his kingdom to his son, who later handed it over to Ranjit Singh and became his ally. Jeevan Singh's progeny lived in this village till 1947, when they moved to somewhere around Amritsar.


The ruined fort and Samadi are now the only link between  Jeevan Singh and this village but they are too disappearing fast. Even with conservation efforts, little can now be preserved because of the immense destruction that time has wrought over it.


The locals say the condition of these historic buildings in the village was much better till the war of 1965. In the war, this village was taken over by the Indian forces who brought a lot of destruction here. It is said that they purposefully damaged the fort, perhaps to prevent it from being used as an army strategic location. However, when they were returning, the elders of the locality claim that they renovated the samadhi, in the outer-skirts of the village.


This fort, which is the main attraction of this village, is now in a pathetic state. The entire body of the edifice has almost fallen, only leaving a hollow structure, like the Laxmi building at the Laxmi Chowk. However, whatever remains of the structure, suggests a splendid past, of Sikh architecture. A few arches, pillars, frescoes, sculptures, speak to us about the luxury of this building which was clearly built for residential purposes. The entrance into the relic of the fort is towards the Eastern side where still a large arch remains. This was a double-story building, however, for the most part, the second portion has been destroyed. A few rooms, filled with all sorts of unwanted stuff survive here and there. Nobody is using the building, except for cows, and their dung. A few rooms are being used as storage rooms by the LOCAL people. Where that has been done, new constructions have been made, to optimize the space of the building. Old bricks have been robbed by people, to be used in their houses. All over the village, one finds houses with petit bricks. It appears that the pattern on the ground floor, composed of a combination of rooms, courtyard, and a few big rooms, was replicated on the second floor. The courtyard was on all sides of the building; however, now that has been taken over by the people of the village.


There is a dome on top of one room inside the edifice which has relics of colorful Sikh guru frescoes on the wall inside. There was a small platform in the middle of the room and a broken wooden palki nearby. There is only one entrance into the room. While the locals say there was no gurdwara in the village, all the evidence points towards the fact that this was a Sikh shrine within the complex.


Facing this fort is another building that at first appears to be part of the edifice but is not. This is also an old building, made around 1939 according to the testimonies of the people. This was a triple story building standing on top of the highest side of the mound. The top of this building is the highest part of the region from where one can see Indian villages, buildings.


Further East, there were 3 samadhis, 2 small and 1 big one. The condition of these structures is MUCH like the buildings just visited if not worse. Of the three, the condition of the only one is recognizable. However, even its dome has fallen and it has been stuffed by bricks and closed. Bricks from here have also been taken by the people. There are some floral frescoes on this samadhi in red and green. This is an octagonal construction with a pier on each edge.


These three samadhis belong to Jeevan Singh, his wife, and his son Sardar Anand Singh, who was the landlord of the region during the days of the Empire. There was a PROTECTIVE wall around these three structures, which now has fallen. Sardar Jeevan Singh was responsible for the construction of the first fort we visited. According to the British land records which now have been lost and are only available with Iqbal Qaiser, this fort was made in 1798, around the time when Ranjit Singh became sovereign of this region.
Jeevan Singh belonged to the sub-caste of Sher Gill and originally belonged to the village of Thay Pura, around 4 kilometers north of the present location, within the jurisprudence of Pakistan. Around that time, it is said that his village was subjected to perpetual raids by various people, which is why, he along with other people left it, and came and established themselves here. Principally, there are two castes here, Sher Gills, and Jut Gills. They both came along with Jeevan Singh. The former were bigger landlords whereas the latter smaller. During the Partition, Jut-Gills converted and stayed back. However, their land was taken over by the government with the pretension that it belonged to the departed. They FILED litigation and got the ruling in their favor. They are still found in the village, living in a poor condition.

Location Map:-

Thursday 23 April 2015

A PADDLING RIDE TO EXPLORE LOST (2014)

After the Construction of Shalimar Garden in the 16th century, extensive residences, villages, shrines, and tomb gardens began to line the new alignment of the Grand Trunk Road in the mid-seventeenth century—villages like Kot Khwaja Saeed, Bhogiwal, and Begumpura (Woman's Town). Begumpura is the most interesting village, in terms of Mughal gardens, to survive along the Grand Trunk Road between Lahore Fort and Shalimar garden.

The sites of Begumpura developed over a hundred years from the mid-seventeenth to the mid-eighteenth century. They include tombs, gardens, gates, walls, wells, mosques, shrines, and residential Havelis.

The site of the Shalimar Gardens originally belonged to the Arain Mian Family Baghbanpura. The family was also given the royal title of 'Mian' by the Mughal Emperor, for its services to the Empire. Mian Muhammad Yusuf, then the head of the ArainMian family, gave the site of Ishaq Pura to Emperor Shah Jahan, after pressure, was placed on the family by the royal engineers who wished to build on the site due to its good position and soil. In return, Shah Jahan granted the Arain Mian family governance of the Shalimar Gardens. The Shalimar Gardens remained under the custodianship of this family for more than 350 years. 

I was born and grew up near the Historical Shalimar Garden of Lahore. I completed my graduation from Engineering University Lahore which is also located on the premises of Begumpura on Grand Trunk Road. So love for this area is natural. Since childhood, I am visiting these gardens, masjids, shrines, and tombs but a desire was always there that I should explore them, acquire knowledge about their history and plan a group ride/walk to these areas. Childhood memories have their own special nostalgia and with time dreams force you to turn them into reality.

A few years back I started doing research on my own in this area. My practice was that I use to find the name of the site and then l try to collect related information about its history. Then I mark the location on google earth and in end visit the site. I completed my research on this area long ago.

So on 25th December 2014, I decided to explore all these sites. I took a friend with me and we visited all these sites on bicycles. We started our journey from Shalimar Garden. It was an interesting ride towards history.



1.      MAHABAT KHAN GARDEN:-

Now dilapidated, this garden was once among many of the Chahar Bagh Gardens built along the road to Shalimar Gardens by the Mughal nobility. The garden was originally surrounded by a high wall of masonry and is situated to the west of the Shalimar Gardens and south of Baghbanpura. Now, only portions of the surrounding wall remain as much of the garden has been encroached upon by the local population.

The garden is locally known as "Saithan di Bagheechi". The old gateway is on the west, and additions were made to the upper story by Parsi merchants of Bombay who owned it in the late 1800s. A newer gateway was located to the north, however, only traces of it remain now as most of it has been replaced by houses surrounding the garden. To the east and south were rooms and chambers, built of substantial brick-working order but are no longer extant. To the south was a small mosque, now much renovated.  

The garden was built by Mahabt Khan, surnamed Khan-e-Khanan, Yamin-ud-Daula. His original name was Zamana Beg, and he was the son of Ghyur Beg of Kabul. Jahangir writes of him in his autobiography, "Zamana Beg son of Ghayur Beg had gained the dignity of 500, by when I was till Crown Prince. He now (on my accession), having received the title of Mahabat Khan and a mansab of 1500, was nominated Paymaster of my household."

In the seventeenth year of the reign of Jahangir, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, with a mansab of 7000, and sent against Shah Jahan whom he defeated near Allahabad. Mahabat Khan died in 1634. At his death, he held the dignity of Khan-e-Khanan and was head of the military administration. Shah Jahan made provision for Mahabat Khan's eldest son who ultimately rose to the Governorship of Kabul and to bear his father’s title. 

Maharaja Ranjit Singh gave the garden to Faqir Aziz-ud-Din, who looked well after it. On his death, Faqir Charagh-ud-Din, his heir sold it to Jahangirji & Co., Parsi Merchants.

In the midst of the garden, on a spacious platform (now in ruins), is a grave of solid masonry which both Chishti and Sarwar ascribe to Mahabat Khan.






2.      JANI KHAN'S TOMB:-

The Tomb of Jani Khan or Khan-i-Khanan is situated south of the road to Shalimar Gardens and to the southwest of the garden of Mahabat Khan in Baghbanpura. The tomb was likely constructed during the reign of Mughal Emperor Muhammed Shah or his son Ahmed Shah. The dome is decorated with porcelain tiles of blue and yellow color. Some of the tile work is still extant. The pyramidal dome sits atop a low-height neck which is decorated with pottery work in beautiful floral patterns similar to those seen on the tomb of Sharf-un-Nisa Begum (Cypress Tomb), built in 1745. The tomb originally stood in a garden with a beautiful gateway but no trace of them exists now, the gateway having been dismantled in the late 1800s. Today, the remaining structure is hidden between some houses on a small plot of land bounded by a wall. The door to the enclosure is locked but I was able to access the enclosure by climbing over the wall.



3.      DAI ANGA'S TOMB:-

Zeb-un-Nisa (d. 1672), or Dai Anga ('wet-nurse' in Urdu), was the wet nurse of Shah Jahan, and the wife of a courtier under Jahangir. A few paces distant from the Gulabi Bagh gateway, on the north, lies her splendid mausoleum.

This rather ponderous, square brick structure sporting few apertures and presenting a solid face to the garden was built to house the mortal remains of Dai Anga, Shah Jahan's wet nurse, and of her daughter Shahzadi Sultan Begam, whose husband built the Gulabi Bagh Gateway. It is the same Dai Anga (wife of the Mughal magistrate of Bikaner), who built the spectacular mosque named after her, situated in the Naulakha area of Central Lahore, in which also tile mosaic decoration is employed with wondrous effect.

Traversing the intervening stretch of corridor-like space since the surrounding garden area has been occupied by various railway structures—you arrive at the rather squat-looking tomb placed on a raised plinth. The mausoleum is dominated by a low-pitched dome placed on a high neck or drum, while its corners are accented through the employment of four square pavilion-like kiosks, carrying projecting chajjas (eaves) and cupolas.

Although shorn of most of its ornamentation, the original Kashi Kari (tile mosaic) can be noticed on the parapet, which points towards the quality and kind of tile mosaic that in all likelihood once covered the entire facade.

The mausoleum comprises a central tomb chamber with eight rooms around it. Internally, the surface was embellished with fine fresco, portions of which are extant in the squinches above the projecting, beehive-like decorative muqarnas, along with a starlet dome treatment. The base of the squinches is encircled with inscriptional panels from the Holy Quran, rendered in elegant calligraphy by Muhammad Saleh. Inscriptions at the site, reveal that the mausoleum was constructed in 1671.

The central sepulchral chamber and surrounding rooms are built upon a raised plinth consisting of subterranean chambers, in which the burials took place. There are two graves, one of Dai Anga and the other of her daughter Sultana Begum. Today, the original cenotaphs made of marble are no longer in existence, and the underground chambers are also inaccessible.





4.      BHOOTWALA TOMB/Tomb of Nawab Zakariya Khan

This tomb is in very bad condition, it is located near Zakirya khan Mosque and his Mehal for his Queens. The eastern side of the University of Engineering and Technology was built by Nawab Zakariya Khan, governor of Lahore. No history could be found about this tomb so I presume this tomb may be of some noble person from his family or maybe it is the tomb of Nawab Zakirya himself.





5.      KHAWAJA MEHMUD'S SHRINE:-

The high dome of the shrine of Khawaja Mehmud alias Hazrat Eshan is located to the west of Begampura and north of the University of Engineering the Technology. Khawaja Mehmud was a native of Bukhara. At age 20, he ventured out of his town after receiving his education in the royal college and becoming a renowned scholar at young age. On the way, he made thousands of disciples in Herat, Kabul, and Kandahar. He came to Kashmir in Akbar's time from where Jahangir took him to Agra. In Shah Jahan's time, he made Lahore his residence. He laid out his mausoleum in his own lifetime and upon his death in 1642 was buried here. Wazir Khan, governor of Lahore under Shah Jahan, held him in high esteem and would spend his own wealth for the upkeep of the saint's shrine. During the viceroyalty of Nawab Zakariya Khan, who lived at Begampura, the mausoleum was at the height of its popularity.

The octagonal building of the tomb is surmounted by a high dome. The entrance is from the west and stairs provide access to the top of the building. Inside the tomb, in the center, there is a large platform upon which is the grave of Khawaja Mehmud. Another grave in the northeast belongs to Baha-ud-Din, son of Khawaja Mehmud.

West of the mausoleum is a beautiful mosque topped by three domes. The central dome is larger. The mosque is of the same vintage as the tomb, however, it has been much renovated of late. During the reign of Ranjit Singh, General Gulab Singh established his cantonment near the mausoleum and knocked down the surrounding walls of the tomb enclosure. He filled the mausoleum with the magazine and removed its marble. Brick-sellers stole the bricks from the courtyard of the mosque and even the graves themselves.

At the advent of British rule, the mausoleum was cleared and buildings of the tomb and the adjoining mosque were repaired. Currently, the tomb is whitewashed from the outside and so is the mosque. However, on the inside of the tomb, one can still see the beautiful fresco paintings of floral and geometric designs




6.      BEGUMPURA GARDEN GATEWAY AND RUINS

This site is located hardly thirty meters from Nawab Zakirya mosque and Mehal, The tall multifold arch is occupied by some local residents. Further to this arch a floor constructed of Mughal era brick is still present. Due to the neglect of the responsible authorities and is in dire need of preservation and conservation. At the present time, it is occupied and used as a dwelling, in utmost disregard for its historical importance



7.      CYPRESS TOMB

Cypress Tomb (Saruwala Maqbara) is in close vicinity of the Gulabi Bagh and lies directly in the north of Dai Anga's tomb, it is not accessible from there due to the various buildings that have been constructed in the area. No doubt, at one time the gardens of these sepulchers were inter-connected.

To visit the unusual monument of Cypress Tomb, you will have to take a left turn on Begampura Road going east on G.T. Road. Turning right (east) through a locality known as Sharif Park and turning left again (north) you will reach your destination. The tomb, however, is not directly visible, because of the houses that surround the monument. But once the location is pointed out and as you turn left, you will not have any difficulty in locating it since it is only slightly set back from the road, and is accessible by car.

The tomb of Sharf-un-Nisa Begam is popularly known as 'Saruwala' Maqbara because of images of cypress trees rendered in square ceramic tiles, rather than the tile mosaic seen in Gulabi Bagh Gateway, as a decorative feature. The begam was a sister of Nawab Zakariya Khan, governor of Lahore during the reign of Emperor Mohammad Shah.

The tomb was the last worth nothing building of the later Mughal Period constructed at Lahore in 1745. The tower-like form, sporting slightly battered walls, is unique in itself. The tomb for its unusual shape and facade decoration of the cypress motif is considered to be the jewel of Mughal architecture in Lahore.

The building was constructed to cater to Sharf-un-Nisa Begam's requirement of daily visits to the first-floor chamber, 16' above the ground. There, after reading the Holy Quran she would deposit the holy book as well as her jeweled sword, descending using a removable wooden ladder. After her death, she was buried in the same chamber, along with a copy of the holy book and her jeweled sword. Respecting her wishes to keep her mortal remains out of sight and inaccessible, all openings were blocked up, providing a blank appearance in the battered walls on all four sides.

Due to the desecration carried out on this 18th-century tomb during the Sikh rule—it was believed that the tower contained treasure and breaking open the tomb, the holy book, and the jeweled sword was removed—decorative features are extant only in the upper part of this two-story structure.

Square in the plan, the tomb is a solid, tower-like tapering brick structure with chajja near the top of the dome. The chamber is covered by a single dome of a four-sided pyramidal shape. The drum has a low neck. A band of color-glazed tiles runs around the neck of the dome. It is embellished with the attributes of Allah in superb calligraphy. The burial chamber can only be approached by the use of a moveable ladder. The idea behind the such structure is that even the grave of the purdah observing lady should be kept out of the view of the public. The low-pitched four-sided pyramidal dome, over a double drum, is a unique feature of this tomb. The dome is covered with glazed tiles in blue and white colors finished in zig-zag patterns. The projecting chajja (eaves), and a pyramidal low roof, similar to one seen in the tomb of Hazrat Mian Mir provide a fitting termination.

The exterior of the tomb is embellished with colorful cypress trees. These cypresses, four on each side, are intercepted by little blooming flower plants, all in enameled square tile mosaic work on the plaster base. The tomb was surrounded by a large garden at the time of its construction, however; now it is hemmed in by houses, leaving a small garden that is used by the local youth to play cricket, as is the case in many of the remaining tombs gardens.




8.      BEGAMPURA MOSQUE

This mosque, on the eastern side of the University of Engineering and Technology, was built by Nawab Zakariya Khan, governor of Lahore, in the name of his mother. It is locally known as Begam Shahi Mosque (also the appellation for Maryam Zamani Mosque outside the fort). In government records, it is known as “the mosque with glazed tile work at Begampura”.

The harmonious mosque of Begampura with a bangladar roof and green glazed tiles painted with elegant floral designs is a unique monument of the late Mughal period at Lahore. The mosque has a double Taiwan, which is its most unique feature among other mosques in Lahore. The original surviving part of the mosque is its prayer chamber having five arched openings in the front. It is an oblong structure measuring 70 feet 8 inches by 41 feet 6 inches and having two long bays, divided using wide arches into four inter-communicating compartments, two side rooms, and a central chamber. The ceiling of these compartments is created using vaultings, the façade of the central compartment has been given the shape of a concave curvilinear with a rib in the center. The three arched openings on the north and south sides, now blocked, originally opened in the courtyard. Inside the chamber, the Qibla wall has five niches. Instead of the usual central niche being larger, the two adjoining niches on either side are bigger in size instead, which is the most unusual feature of this mosque. On the east of the aiwan, lies a large courtyard of considerable dimensions.

Of the surface ornamentations, the revetment consisting of square glazed tiles of yellow color is prominent. The façade of the prayer chamber has inscriptions in glazed tiles having the Kalima and a Quranic verse.



9.      RASUL SHAHYUN'S TOMB

This crumbling tomb is located northeast of Chilla of Shah Badr Diwan and about four hundred meters west of Mian Khan's Tomb. The circular dome is supported by a building of octagonal form. The dome itself is now blackened with age but in the spandrels above the arches, traces of glazed pottery work still exist. The chajja is supported by corbels, six on each side. The octagonal building originally stood on a raised platform, of which traces can still be seen. Beneath the platform was an underground chamber in which were interred the remains of the personage in whose honor the edifice was raised. His name cannot be ascertained but according to Latif, the dome was called Rasul Shahyun ka Maqbara (tomb) by the people of the area because the followers of the "Shahyun sect" had located themselves there during the time of the Sikhs.




10. MIAN KHAN TOMB

This well-preserved baradari is located at Shiwala Chowk in Singhpura area of Bhogiwal. According to Kanhaiya Lal's Tarikh-e-Lahore written in 1884, it is the same baradari that houses Mian Khan's grave. Nawab Mian Khan was the son of Nawab Saadullah Khan who was the Prime Minister of Lahore under Shah Jahan.

Main Khan died in 1671 during the reign of Aurangzeb and was buried inside this baradari. Since he hailed from Chiniot in Punjab and Chiniot was famous for having black stones, he used the same black stone in all of his constructions. At the time of its construction, hundreds of thousands of rupees were spent on this tomb. During the time of the Sikh triumvirate in Lahore, this tomb and its garden became desolate. The marble and other precious stone were removed and bricks were stolen by brick sellers. For some time, the tomb structures came under the possession of Sheikh Imam-ud-Din who removed a large number of black stone slabs from the main podium on which the baradari stands and used them in his haveli. By the time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the structure was in ruins but had still retained some beauty. Having found it without an owner, Raja Suchet Singh occupied it, repaired the surrounding walls, and planted a garden on its grounds. During his lifetime, the place was known as Raja Suchet Singh's Bagh. During British rule, it was put on auction and was bought by Nawab Ali Raza Khan Qazilbaksh for 2200 rupees.





11. BRITISH ERA BARADARI

This Baradari structure is located near China Scheme. Near to this, a few years back I have seen a room constructed of Mughal-era bricks, unfortunately, it is demolished.  From Brick Work, it looks like a century-old building constructed in the British era.


12. SHER SINGHS BARADARI

The historical Sher Singh's Baradari is located in the east of China scheme at Kot Khawaja Saeed. Maharaja Sher Singh was born in 1805 in Gujranwala into a Sikh family of Sukerchakia misldars. At the time, much of Punjab was ruled by the Sikhs under a confederate Sarbat Khalsa system and Afghans, who had divided the territory among factions known as misls. Sher Singh's father Ranjit Singh was the first Maharaja of Punjab. He succeeded his father at the young age of 12.

After several campaigns, his rivals accepted him as their leader, and he united the Sikh factions into one large country. Sher Singh was known as a person who did good work for the betterment of his people. He ruled for two and a half years only but is remembered for improving the existing system of governance. Sher Singh and his young son were brutally murdered by the Sardaran-e-Sindha Walia. After his death, Rani Randhawi Singh and her family constructed their Samadhis near this baradari.

The arches are also in very bad shape and may collapse at any time. The Auqaf the department which is responsible for its maintenance has constructed two pillars to save the baradari from collapsing.

The roof of the building has been demolished and its debris lies as such. The boundary wall is already gone. It is becoming a garbage dumping ground as the locals of the area throw garbage inside the baradari.

There is also a shrine of famous Sufi Saint Allama Mirza Syed Shah Bilawal Qadri on the premises of the baradari which used to host a Muslim festival in Lahore. The baradari is also known as the Baradari of Shah Bilawal. Writers like Kannahiya Lal Hindi and Justice Abdul Latif have mentioned this festival in detail in their research. This festival used to take place in December.

The Samadhi of Sher Singh, located on the premises lies in complete ruins as the domed structure appears to have been cut in half. The baradari itself is fast turning into a garbage dump as the Solid Waste Management department has constructed a waste enclosure hereafter demolishing one corner of the Baradari.





13. MAI DAI'S TOMB

This decaying edifice, also known as Khawaja Saeed's Daughter's Tomb, is located to the east of Prince Pervez's tomb in the locality of Kot Khawaja Saeed. As a contemporary to Prince Pervez's tomb, this tomb is unique for its raised platform (similar to Cypress Tomb) upon which sits a quadrangular building surmounted by a dome. Not much is known about the personage buried within. Locals refer to it as "Mai Dai ka Gumbad (dome)", however; historian Latif refers to this monument as the tomb of Khawaja Saeed's Daughter. Khawaja Saeed, after whom the area is named, was a Mahavat (Elephant Driver) of Prince Pervez. 

Quadrangular in the plan, the tomb stands on a raised platform. The drum on the chamber is raised using niches, topped by two shells of the dome in different shapes. The inner shell is hemispherical and slightly pointed while the outer shell is eight-sided and elliptical in construction. The eight-sided dome is the only example of its type in Lahore. Its origin can be traced to Sultan Ghari’s tomb built by Sultan Iltutmish at Delhi in 1231.

The corners of the roof are decorated with four small minarets surmounted by small ornamental domes. The contour of the outer dome is slightly bigger than the octagonal drum. A deep crack has appeared on the outer shell showing the cavity between the two shells. On the top of the dome, a lotus base is still retained for the pinnacle which has been lost to time. Its architectural features suggest that it must have been constructed in the early reign of Shah Jahan and derived inspiration from the tomb of Prince Pervez which is not far from it in terms of both time and distance. On each side of the walls supporting the dome, were latticed works of red sandstone, which are no longer extant.

Regretfully, this important and unique monument of the Mughal period has suffered extensively due to the neglect of the responsible authorities and is in dire need of preservation and conservation. At the present time, it is occupied and used as a dwelling, in utmost disregard for its historical importance.





14. PRINCE PERVEZ'S TOMB

This massive tomb stands in the locality of Kot Khwaja Saeed and is generally attributed to Prince Pervez, son of Emperor Jahangir. According to Kanhaiya Lal, Prince Pervez was buried in this tomb after he was slaughtered by the order of Asaf Khan when he returned from Kashmir. However, this view is incorrect as Prince Pervez died at Burhanpur in his 37th year on October 28, 1625, from where his body was brought to Agra and buried in his garden there. Some accounts also attribute this tomb to Dara Shaikoh but Dara Shaikoh is reported to have been assassinated in Delhi and buried there in the complex of Humayun's tomb. According to Abdullah Chughtai, the area of the tomb was originally a garden owned by Prince Pervez, and the surrounding area was known as Mandi Pervezabad. After the death of Prince Pervez, the garden was transferred to his daughter, Nadira Begum, wife of Prince Dara Shaikh. According to Chughtai, Merh Shaikh, son of Dara Shaikoh lies buried in this tomb; however, this statement has not been historically proven.

According to Latif, it was the burial place of Pervez's two sons who were murdered at Lahore along with other princes of royal blood, by the order of their uncle Shah Jahan, on his accession to the throne. Latif also does not provide any contemporary source for his information. Whosoever is buried there, it is apparent that he was a royal personality as the tomb has been built befitting to a royal status.

Details of the construction of the tomb are not known. However, some writers of the 19th century had made some references to its history and architecture. Chishti wrote in 1864 that "originally, the tomb was wholly in white marble and its eight openings were furnished with marble door frames, but Maharaja Ranjit Singh removed all the marble to use it in the Darbar Sahib at Amritsar." Kanhaiya Lal, writing in 1884, records that "the tomb originally was in marble, including its floor. All its four sides had magnificent gates. Maharaja Ranjit Singh removed its marble and got it repaired in brick. The brick repairs done by Ranjit Singh had also decayed by his time, and the tomb was in a very bad condition of preservation and was then repaired by the British Government."

Latif described the tomb in 1892 as standing eminently in the midst of cultivated fields on a circular platform resting on another platform of the octagonal base, of the height of a man. The dome rose gracefully from an octagonal platform duly supported by arches.

Muhammad-ud-Din Fauq visited the tomb in 1923 and according to him, "the tomb was octagonal in shape and the grave was set inside. The white marble Taweez (sarcophagus) was missing. To approach the grave, on the east, north, and south of the platform, there were two sets of stairs flight to the platforms, seven and five in number respectively. The platform was five feet high from the ground level. In front of the stairs, on the north, the floor of the terrace was badly in wreck. The ground around the platform was in depression. The traces of a canal were visible which led to the garden of Sardar Teja Singh.

Octagonal on a plan with an inner diameter of 22 feet 2 inches and an outer diameter of 31 feet 4 inches (wall thickness of 4 feet 7 inches), the tomb stands on a double platform. The lower platform measures 95 feet 6 inches in length and the upper 66 feet 6 inches. Around the lower tier of the platform, there are remains of the kankar lime terrace about 3 to 4 inches thick. Modern houses have encroached over the whole area and on the west, they even touch the structure of the lower platform. Kanhaiya Lal had mentioned that there were magnificent gates on all four sides of the tomb. Perhaps these gates were at the extremity of the terrace which might have been the base of the geometrical pattern brick pavement in hexagonal and octagonal forms, whose sufficient remains still exist on the lower and upper tiers of the platform. The structure of the tomb is built in small Lahori bricks of the size of 8 inches by 5¼ inches by 1 inch – the size of Shah Jahan’s period. The interior of the tomb was once decorated with the usual fresco work whose traces are still extant here and there. At the top of the platform, a terracotta frieze in two tiers in the form of a leaf design has been applied by the way of decoration. Such a terracotta decoration on a Mughal monument at Lahore is seldom met and is, therefore, rare. The dome appears to be a single story, but the measurement of the height of the soffit in the interior and at the outer apex there is a difference of some 14 feet. From this, it can be inferred that actually, it is a double dome, but the usual small opening which is provided between the two domes has not been kept for some reason or maybe it was blocked sometime later. The tomb has a high neck like that of Ali Mardan Khan's tomb with which it has some similarity in expression. The possible date of its construction falls in the fourth decade of the 17th century – from 1630 to 1640.

The tomb is in a lamentable state of neglect. Its arches which take the load of the heavy dome are broken, and the structure is in danger of a sudden collapse. Most of the pavement on the interior and of the platforms has disappeared. The stairs to the platforms are mostly dilapidated and there is wild growth all over the dome itself which allows leakage of rainwater to the core. Currently, the tomb is almost hemmed in by modern houses.





15.  MIR NIAMAT KHAN'S TOMB

Mir Niamat Khan's Tomb is situated to the south of Bhogiwal and north of G.T. (Grand Trunk) road, in the locality of Babghbanpura. Hemmed in by the surrounding houses, it is a handsome quadrangular tomb, surmounted by a dome of beautiful glazed pottery work, supported by arches. The arches stand on pillars of solid masonry. The tomb originally sat atop a quadrangular platform, which is no longer extant. Beneath the dome is four graves, the larger central one being that of Mir Niamat Khan. There used to be a garden surrounding the building which was already gone by the time Latif wrote his account in the late 1800s.
Niamat Khan was the commander of the artillery at the time of Shah Jahan. South of the tomb is a large mosque with three domes and three arches. It was built by Mir Niamat Khan. The mosque that exists to this day, however, has now been separated from the tomb of its builder by the dense growth of houses in the area.

16.  BUDDHU'S BRICK-KILN

The once lofty brick kiln of Buddhu was situated just south of GT road opposite the present-day University of Engineering and Technology. There is also a tomb in the area erroneously ascribed to Buddhu but which in actuality contains the graves of Khan-e-Dauran Nusrat Jang and his wife.

Buddhu, son of Buddha, was a potter during the time of Shah Jehan. Suddhu, who flourished in the time of Jahangir, constructed several kilns, in the vicinity of Lahore, to supply burnt bricks for the royal edifices, as well as the palaces of the nobles at Lahore. It is said that the fire in the kiln, known after the name of Buddhu, was extinguished as a consequence of the curse of a faqir, named Abdul Haq, a disciple of Mian Mir. Abdul Haq was turned away by Buddhu's servants on a cold rainy day when he came to the kiln to warm himself. The faqir cursed Buddhu and his kiln remained unserviceable ever after. During the reign of Ranjit Singh, General Avitable, the French Officer in his army, built a beautiful summer house on top of the kiln but no trace of it exists now.

Buddha's main brick kiln likely no longer survives, although I have not scoured that area personally at least one of the other kilns built nearby still survives to this day. This kiln is located close to the tomb of Ali Mardan Khan on the east side of Walton Road. One can still see the rows of burnt bricks that were never removed.



17. REMAINS OF NAWAB ZAKARIYA MAHAL

As the name suggests these are the remains of Nawab Zakariya Mahal, on the eastern side of the University of Engineering and Technology was built by Nawab Zakariya Khan, governor of Lahore.


18. ALI MARDAN TOMB

Ali Mardan Khan was a high official in the Mughal Empire under Shah Jahan. Born into a Kurdish family, he served as governor of Kandahar under Persia's Safavid dynasty, becoming a close confidant of Shah Abbas. After the Shah died in 1629, he became fearful for his life as the Shah's successor Shah Safi (Sam Mirza) purged courtiers that had been loyal to his grandfather. In 1637, Ali Mardan Khan offered to surrender Kandahar to the Mughal Empire in exchange for his safety. Shah Jahan agreed to the offer, probably with some enthusiasm as Kandahar had been under the control of the Mughals during the reign of Jahangir, Shah Jahan's father.
As a Mughal officer, Ali Mardan Khan provided guidance on canal instruction, especially regarding the Shah Nahar canal of Shalimar Gardens. When he died in 1657, he was buried adjacent to his mother in the tomb prepared for her next to the canal at Mughalpura. Originally, the tomb sat amidst a large garden, but today only the large gateway survives.
As the tomb sits within the confines of a modern-day rail yard, the authorities have built a kilometer-long passageway from the street to the tomb to prevent visitors from trespassing on the rail yard grounds.





19. BUDDHU'S TOMB

On the south of G.T. Road, opposite the University of Engineering and Technology lies a dilapidated tomb known as 'Buddhu ka Maqbara'. The tomb had an arched gallery and stood in an enclosed garden with a gateway, of which no sign remains. The tomb stands on a platform of masonry, the building itself being of quadrangular form, with an arched entrance on each side.
Constructed with massive brick masonry, each side of this square building is punctured with a central peshtaq opening flanked by two slightly recessed arched panels. The zone of transition of the square chamber to the hemispherical roof is expressed above the chamber in an octagonal drum, on which a dome on a high neck is placed, resulting in a somewhat overpowering gunbud (dome). Glazed tiles in blue and yellow decorated the roof of the lofty building. Signs of floral designs in mosaics can still be seen on some of the yellow tiles. Blue glazed tiles in chevrons can also be seen on the apex of the dome. The arches are decorated with paintings of different colors, but only faint traces of these decorations are now visible.

Traditionally, the structure is attributed to Buddhu, a potter belonging to Shah Jahan's reign. Buddha's father Suddhu is said to have had a flourishing kiln trade during the reign of Jahangir, supplying bricks for all the important structures and palaces built by the imperial family and grandees of the court. However, the kiln was made unserviceable and its fire extinguished forever, when a holy man named Abdul Haq, a disciple of Hazrat Mian Mir, was turned away on a wintry, rainy night from the warmth of the kiln fire.

Later researches point toward the structure being the tomb of the wife of Khan-e-Dauran Bahadur Nusrat Jan, an amir or grandee of the Mughal court. Khan-e-Dauran himself is also reputed to have been buried here on his death in 1643. At his death, he held the rank of 7000 personnel and 7000 horses. As is the case of other similar structures, the tomb is likely to have been set amidst a large garden.

During the Sikh rule, the area was occupied by the summer house of General Avitabile, the French general of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, although no evidence of this has survived. The sepulcher was a center of activities during the inter-Sikh wars when Maharaja Sher Singh and Raja Hira Singh in turn collected Khalsa (Sikh) troops here to lay siege to Lahore.




20. CHILLA SHAH BADR DEWAN

Chilla of Shah Badr Dewan is located to the north of the Shrine of Khawaja Mehmud and exactly northwest of Begampura. This is the place where the saint passed forty days of seclusion and meditation during his stay in Lahore.
The imposing edifice stands in the center of a walled enclosure on a platform of a height of 3 feet. It is a quadrangular building surmounted by a high-neck dome of green color. The entrance to the building is from stairs to the south and the walls of the remaining three sides are perforated by latticed work of red sandstone which has now been ruthlessly whitewashed. The structure was originally decorated with beautiful glazed pottery work, of blue and yellow color, to the height of three feet from the ground all around. Traces of the pottery work are still extant in some areas. To the north is a small tower, decorated with pottery work and intended as a place for a lamp.
The final resting place of Shah Badr Dewan is in the village of Masanian in Batala, India. The saint's real name was Syed Hasan Badr-ud-din Gilani (Baghdadi) but he was better known as Baba Shah Badr Dewan. He is a descendant of Ghaus-ul-Azam Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani. He was born in Baghdad in 861 AH. He left Baghdad in 904 AH and came to Lahore where he stayed for several years. From Lahore, he moved to village Masanian (3 miles east of Batala, India) where he passed away in 978 AH.



21. KOS MINAR

The Kos Minars are the milestones made by the Mughal emperors between 1556 to 1707 AD. "Kos" literally means a medieval measurement of distance denoting approximately 3 km and "Minar" is a Persian word for tower. This Kos Minar in Lahore is located near Ali Mardan Khan's Tomb and probably lined the original G.T. Road, a few hundred meters north of it.


22. ANGOORI BAGH RUINED

The construction of gardens on a large scale began with the coming of Emperor Akbar to power, and particularly between 1584-98 when he made Lahore the capital of his empire.

He reconstructed the fort and fortified the city with a double defensive wall. All important nobles of the Mughal empire, serving in whatever region, built pleasure gardens and fruit gardens in all directions, in particular along major roads connecting Lahore with Delhi in the east, Multan road in the southeast, and Grand Trunk Road in the west. During Shah Jahan's time, the areas in between were filled with a variety of gardens.  Few gardens existed along this route before Shah Jahan's time, but with the construction of the canal and Shalamar Garden, the interest in this area increased. The fragments of some Mughal period gardens still survive. These include Gulabi Bagh, Bagh-i Eeshan, Pervaiz Bagh, Bagh Mahabat Khan, Anguri Bagh, Bagh Fateh Garh, the Bagh around the tomb of Nadira Begum, Bagh Abul Hasan, Bagh Ali Mardan Khan, and Bagh Mulla Shah.

The current site which I am refereeing was part of Angoori garden now only ruined are left people occupied and construct residence along with them.





23. AVITABILE… THE EUROPEAN GENERAL OF PUNJAB

After Napoleon’s defeat in Waterloo, many of the mercenaries left for Persia and India to test their fortunes. General Avitabile was one of them. Born in 1791 in Agerola, Italy, his full name was Paolo Bartolomeo Avitabile. The young Avitabile started his career in the Army of Naples and was known as a brave fighter however after a while he got frustrated with infightings and left for Persia looking for a career.
In 1820, Avitabile took service in Persian Army under King Fateh Ali Shah. He remained in this position for almost six years and was awarded Persia’s highest decorations including ‘The Lion and Sun’. However, on the insistence of General Jean-Baptiste Ventura, Avitabile along with another European officer Claude August Court, ventured further East ending in the Darbar of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1827. Maharaja had already established ‘Fauj-i-Khas’ under General Ventura and was actively recruiting European officers to train his elite force against a possible threat from the British East India Company. Though Avitabile was a military officer, Maharaja apparently sensing their administrative skills in Avitabile, appointed him Governor of Wazirabad.
General Avitabile ruled Wazirabad for some seven years with a firm hand and soon had the reputation of a just and firm administrator. Peshawar had always been a source of trouble for the Maharaja so due to his firm repute, Avitabile was made Governor of Peshawar in 1834. He took residence at the ancient ‘Gor Khutree’ citadel. The rule of ‘Gallows and gibbets’ continued for almost a decade with miscreants being thrown off from the minarets of Masjid Mahabat Khan. The 1842 service digest of the 31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment mentions ‘At each corner of the city there was a large gallows on which malefactors were hanging’. In the words of Henry Lawrence, ‘ he acts like a savage among savage men, instead of showing them that a Christian can wield the iron scepter without staining it by needless cruelty. His ruthlessness was criticized by Europeans however the locals loved it as it brought peace to the area. The folklore remembers Avitabile as Abu Tabela and even today the children are warned to behave otherwise Abu Tabela may come to teach them a lesson. Perhaps we are again in need of Abu Tabela to bring peace to the whole of our North Western Province.
During the First Anglo-Afghan War (1839-42), General Avitabile fully supported the British with logistics as well as money. However, by 1843, he was tired and so he retired and left for Naples with a fortune and honors. He built a grand home, married a twelve-year-old Italian girl, and later died in 1850 under mysterious circumstances, apparently poisoned by his wife. General Avitabile lies buried in Campora, a small town in Southern Italy.
Lahore remembers this Italian cum French General in the shape of a small insignificant monument that points to the location where once Avitabile had a house. The monument is situated on the GT road opposite the University of Engineering and Technology just next to the tomb of ‘Buddhu ka Awa’. The monument is already in a very dilapidated state surrounded by auto workshops. Soon this insignificant monument shall also be no more but probably this is the way we have always treated our heritage.



24. MUGHAL ERA WATER TANK

As elaborated above the whole area of Shalimar and Begumpura in past occupied several gardens and there was a water supply system consisting of water tanks and canals also present for watering. One of the remains of the water tank was left in front of Shalimar Garden's main gate. A major part of the structure was demolished to widen Grand Trunk road. Once the front wall of the structure was covered with tiles and other painting works. But now it is all converted in ruined.