Baradari of Raja Todar Mal (2018)

**Date of Visiting of the Site: 04.03.2018

Date of posting this blog: 14.09.2019

All pictures are owned

The three Dilapidated Edifices along the old Bank of River Beas

(Baradari of Raja Todar Mal)

WHO WAS RAJA TODAR MAL?

Raja Todar Mal, a Khatri Rajput had served his youth under the administration of Sher Shah Suri and had gained priceless experience in management of Land and revenues. He assisted Akbar’s chancellor of exchequer Muzafar Khan first and then took part in suppression of Ali Kuli in 1566.

Raja Todar Mal was the First Hindu which was sent to lead the Mughal Army. This was particularly because of Akbar’s suspicion that a Muslim may act in collusion with the rebel enemy.

After that Raja Todar Mal was employed settling the revenue system of Gujarat and then again given the military command to win Bengal.

He became the finance officer (Mushrif-i-Diwan) of Akbar in 1575 and Diwan-i-kul (Chief Finance Minister) in 1582.  He took over from the famous eunuch, Khawaja Malik Itimad Khan, in 1560.He was one of the Navaratnas in Akbar's durbar (court) and introduced the reforms also known as Todar Mal’s rentroll, the book of land records in Mughal Empire.

Raja Todar Mal is best known for introduction of the following reforms: Land measurements, Dahasala System and  Karori / Crori System

Following Todar Mal's death on 8 November 1589 in Lahore, his body was cremated according to the Hindu traditions, the Finance Minister in Akbar's Darbar. One of the largest funeral processions ever to leave the Walled City of Lahore headed for the River Ravi outside Mori Gate. The cremation of Raja Todar Mal was taking place and almost every dignitary in the court of Emperor Akbar was there. The proceedings were supervised by Raja Bhagwan Das, the head of Lahore’s revenue department, and the fire was lighted by Todar Mal’s son Kalyan Das, who would rise to become the Finance Minister in Akbar’s ‘darbar’. The death of this ‘jewel’ among the ‘Nau Ratans’ of Akbar had been preceded by the death of Raja Birbal, and suddenly, it seems, the ‘kitchen cabinet’ or ‘Nau Ratans’ was diminishing, much to the emperor’s dismay. Raja Todar Mal’s eldest son Dhari had earlier been killed in battle fighting for the Mughals in Sindh.

The subject Baradari site located between Changa Manga and Chunian and it is believed to be constructed by Raja Todar Mal. However, no historical proofs have been found in this regard which can further validate Todar Mal connection with this.

INTRODUCTION:-

A narrow road connects Tibba Mondeke with town of Changa Manga.  One can find a small village named Mundeke on roadside, which is roughly ten kilometers from Changa Manga. From here a dirt path will take you to site of three dilapidated Bardari’s.

This site can also be approached from Chunian.

Famous traveler writer; Salman Rashid describe in his blog that, ‘ The country where the baradari stands was once very picturesque with the Beas River flowing by through a thickly wooded tract near the present town of Chunian.’

The Sutlej meets the Beas River in Hari-Ke-Patan in Amritsar in Punjab, India and flows to the southwest, penetrating Pakistan to join the Chenab River. However after Indus water treaty the Beas and Sutlej River were vanished from the maps in the Pakistan. Their beds got dried and new towns constructed on their routes.

The area was rich in history from prehistoric times, archeologist found remains of seven mound in nearby areas.

LOCATION:-

31° 0'37.31"N    74° 3'55.55"E

ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS:-

At first sight, it looks a Baradari building standing along with its two compartments on a protected plinth platform (82 ft x 86 ft).  However, according to Salman Rashid, the building was actually not designed in two wings. It was, in fact, two distinct structures separated in time from each other by about 200 years. The larger building occupying the middle of the plinth was clearly early 17th century, but the smaller one to a side was from the Sikh period.

BUILDING 1:-

The oldest structure among these three buildings, it has rough dimension of 18 ft in width by 34 ft in length.

This is supposed to be constructed in Raja Todar Mal time and tenure.

This structure has five arch openings on length side among which three are closed with brick work also there are three openings along the width among which two openings are closed.

Alternate arch style and pattern used along the lengths, two arches at side and one at center are of multifold type, while the other two remaining are of four centered arch design.

Along the width the two corner arches are of four centered design while the centered one is multifold pattern.

On all four sides a roof shade is extended, it has rough dimension of 1.5 ft in width and 8 inch in depth. The shade is further supported by architectural brackets.

There is also a parapet wall raised above roof in this building.

This building is in state of despair, the floor excavated and uprooted long ago by treasure hunters. Building fresco and plaster work totally faded with time.

Building 2:-

This looks a little less unspoiled structure from exterior than the rest of two buildings. Although have different dimensions, this buildings has same architecture and design than the oldest one. According to traveler writer Salman Rasheed the present baradari seems to be constructed some 200 years after the oldest one and most likely of  early 17^th century era.

Before Sikh’s rule in present Pakistani Punjab, Raja’s Todar Mal family owned large properties around Chunian. Therefore it is assumed the current building constructed by Raj’s family.

A typical baradari structure having rectangle configuration with each side has dimension of 34 ft. Three arch openings present along each length, the side openings of arch are of typical multifold design, where as the middle one is four centered arch.

Like other buildings in periphery, roof shade is present on all four sides supported by elegant brackets, between two brackets floral fresco art paintings were made. The outer wall is more than 3 ft in width. The portion inside the arches are crafted with floral and fresco work. The inside of Bardari’s walls still have some remains of fresco work, which proves how gem of building this looks in past.

Building 3:-

The third building the smallest one in dimension, supposed to be constructed in Sikh Era of late seventeenth century.

This building has different design than others.

This building have dimension of 13 ft in width and roughly 18ft in length.

On length sides there are total five arches openings among these three of them are close. On width side three arch were provided among two were close. All arches in this building are of four centered arch design.

The Building is in total state of despair nobody even visit it in day time as  local  associate false haunted stories with this. More, sad to mention here no rehabilitation and conversation work has ever done by concerned archeological and historical department to protect this site of great historical importance.