𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐭 𝐑𝐚𝐦 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐞

09th April, 2023

 (All pictures and writeup text used in this blog, are author's property, kindly respect copyrights)

Let's explore the story of Chait Ram in the streets of Lahore's Walled City. The Taxali Gate, now a distant memory, was once named after a mint established by Shah Jehan and served as the exclusive western entrance to the city. However, our journey through time focuses on the intricate lanes branching off Taxali Gate.

Chait Ram Road unfolds just beyond Taxali Gate, where the home of Ustaad Daman, a revered Punjabi poet, stands as a cultural landmark. The road then divides into 'Nicha Chait Ram Road' and 'Uncha Chait Ram Road.'

Chait Ram, a devout monk who once resided in Taxali Gate during the Sikh era, transcended conventional religious boundaries by embracing diverse spiritual practices. His religious affiliation remains a mystery, as local beliefs suggest that he may have been a Hindu who converted to Islam before his passing, as documented in historical accounts.

In Nicha Chait Ram, a small enclosure still houses Chait Ram's grave, reinforcing the local belief that he embraced Islam.

During my visit last year, I sensed a profound gratitude in this small area adorned with incense sticks and oil lamps. Chait Ram's grave stood there, a reflective symbol. The roads bear his name, and locals continue to regard him as a spiritual figure with mystical powers.

Chet Ram Road, on the other hand, gained fame for its mastery of crafting musical instruments. The twin Chet Ram Streets and adjacent thoroughfares form the nucleus of one of the Subcontinent's most recognized red-light districts. With historical roots in the Mughal and Sikh eras, this district has served as a cultural hub for centuries, known for its association with classical music, dance, and traditional performing arts. The structures along these historic streets, standing as silent witnesses to bygone eras, weave together tales of the past, contributing to the rich social and cultural fabric of Lahore.

Tracing Roots: A Journey into Lahore's Anglo-Indian History with Rob Cranenburgh

In my article titled "Lahore's Timeless Charm: Unveiling the Enchanting Tale of Victoria Park and its Bygone Anglo-Indian Community," The article delves into the interesting history of Charing Cross and Victoria Park in Lahore, uncovering details about the Anglo-Indian community that lived there before 1947.

(link to my article https://aliusmanbaig.blogspot.com/2023/06/lahores-timeless-charm-unveiling.html)

To my surprise, Rob Cranenburgh, currently residing in the UK, reached out to me, initiating a heartwarming conversation. His grandmother was an Anglo-Indian born in Lahore and baptized at Sacred Heart Cathedral School, adding a personal touch to Lahore's history.

"Hey Ali, I'm good thanks, and you? I found your feed to be very interesting! I’d love to visit Lahore," Rob shared, setting the stage for a delightful exchange.

His simple request held profound meaning: "The next time you are near the cathedral, I’d love it if you could take a picture for me. I will share it with my uncle; he is over 80, and I know he would love to see it." This small request became a bridge connecting our shared interests and heritage.

Rob's grandmother was born in 1918 in Lahore, she was baptized in the Sacred Heart Cathedral, a grand Catholic Cathedral. Rob recalled memories of a time when Lahore had a more significant Anglo-Indian population, a community that dwindled after the Independence of British India in 1947 and subsequent migrations in the 1950s and 60s.

Rob shared more about his family's connection to Lahore, highlighting his grandmother's mother, who ran a cafe in the city. Born in Lucknow, her mixed heritage added an intriguing layer to their family's narrative.

The conversation unfolded further, unveiling the story of Rob's great-grandfather, Charles James White, an Englishman in the British army. Tragically, he passed away when Rob's grandmother was still a child. After his death, Rob's grandmother and mother left Lahore, making a new home in Calcutta, where she eventually met Rob's grandfather.

I inquired about Rob's grandfather, whether he was a local or Anglo-Indian. The answer revealed, "Yes, also Anglo-Indian, but from an old Calcutta Anglo-Indian family dating back to the late 1700s. So my surname is of Dutch origin. My grandfather's ancestor, we believe, came out to India with the Dutch East India Company."

Rob's fascination with history became evident as he shared insights from conversations with older members of the Anglo-Indian community. The stories reflected a contrast in experiences between those in Pakistan, facing discrimination leading to migration post-partition, and those in India, departing more for economic reasons.

In the simplicity of our conversation, a tale of intertwined histories emerged. Rob Cranenburgh's connection to Lahore, though physically distant, speaks to the universal threads linking us to our roots. Through photographs and conversations, we became witnesses to a story spanning generations and continents, a testament to the enduring power of shared history. I later took pictures of Sacred Heart Cathedral School for Rob, and in 2023, he visited Lahore, standing where his grandmother was baptized—a way to show respect and gratitude to his ancestors.

A Samadhi or Tomb present in Tapiala Dost Muhammad Khan (2019)

 (All pictures and research belong to the author and should only be used after written permission)

Date of  visit:- 09 November 2019

Front view of Tomb

Tapiala Dost Muhammad Khan is a small town located 11.7 km on Muridka-Narang Mandi Road. In ancient times Grand Trunk Road passes through this town. I also found some remains of the old Grand Trunk in Tapiala. 

Remain of Old of GT Road Road 

 

GT Road from Tapiala (mausoleum) made the onward journey to Pul Shah Daula with an ancient bridge on Nullah Degh. 

 

There is an old, isolated mausoleum standing in an ancient graveyard of Tapiala Dost Muhammad Khan. Long ago, I read about this mausoleum in a book, "The Silk Roads Highway of Culture and Commerce" by Vadim Elisseeff. But not much written about its history. In the Urdu language, 'Tapi' means tree and the meaning of 'Tapiala' could be derived as' the town full of trees. 

 

The second question that came to mind was that who was Dost Muhammad Khan. 

In history, the most prominent personality by this name was of Dost Mohammad Khan (December 23, 1793 – June 9, 1863). HE was the founder of the Barakzai dynasty and one of the prominent rulers of Afghanistan during the First Anglo-Afghan War. With the decline of the Durrani dynasty, he became Emir of Afghanistan from 1823 to 1839 and then from 1843 to 1863. An ethnic Pashtun. However, the present tomb is not related to him as the Afghan king died in Afghanistan and has a burial tomb present in Herat. 

 

Meanwhile, we met an elderly guy from Tapiala. He was aware of the history of this place. He shared that Dost Muhammad Khan was a local chief appointed by Mughal Darbar.

 

The tomb's outer facade was plastered recently with cement. It has a double-dome roof, that is present almost in all Mughal mausoleum in the sub-continent.

Inside there were three graves present.

Three Graves

The most interesting thing found in this tomb was fresco paintings on the walls and roof.  One more thing which I noticed inside that there were no Islamic inscriptions are written on the tomb. That is one of the common elements seen in the Islamic architecture of tombs. I also observed that some portion of the paintings were erased and redrawn. The object is redrawn and added later with different types of fruit shapes.

Fruit Painting

Fruit Painting

 

After the decline of Mughals in Punjab, Sikh’s were the main ruler and Tapiala Dost Muhammad khan lies in the area where Sikhs have dominancy.

 

There is a possibility that the current structure might be converted into some Sikh samadhi for some period. Locals also told that in past it is also used for storing crops and excavated many times by treasure hunters. The graves which I found inside were not that old some local saint after pre-partition was buried there along with his family members.

 

The fresco paintings found inside are in very bad condition and can be erased if proper care not done. Hope the concerned department does some needful action before this site disappears completely.

Fresco Painting (image 1)

Fresco Painting (image 2)

Fresco Painting (image 3)

A Ten year Wait to Visit an Akbar era Tomb in Sarai Mughal (2018)

Date of  visit 04-03-2018
All pictures are owned
Tomb in Sarai Mughal

Sir SALMAN RASHID is my favorite travel writer from Pakistan. In the mid-90s, there was a TV show that used to be telecast on PTV “Travelling along the Alexander trail” that was hosted by Sir Salman Rashid. That, TV show not only inspired me but also become a reason for growing wish inside my soul that sometime in my life; I will do some similar exploring work. 

More than ten years back, I read one of his articles that was about a tomb whose history and name is totally unknown to historians. Sir Salman mentioned some general guidelines about the location of this tomb; it is somewhat 5 km from the head of Baloki on the outskirts of Sarai Mughal. I could not find the exact location of this site on Google earth; however, I put a location pin on the map that maybe I would be able to visit in the future.

My plans to visit Sarai Mughal could never get finalized due to a lack of information about the place. Also, I could not able to find any post or picture related to this tomb on the internet

Well in 2018 after a lap of ten years; I left for Sarai Mughal in search of an unnamed tomb. To my good luck, I found the tomb after some effort.

An eighteen feet high, square tomb stands at the outskirts of the village graveyard. The site is roughly five kilometers to river Ravi. There is no grave inside the tomb. Salman Rashid during his visit to the place had concluded that this (most likely) Akbar-era tomb of the 16th-century era was pre-built but no one got the honor/chance of getting interred here.  A little outside the village, by a government school, and surrounded by a graveyard there stood the lofty building with its squat dome. Other than the lime plaster eroded from the plinth and in patches from one side, the building was in good fettle. In fact, if the plaster on the dome had not been blackened by age, I could have said it had been laid only a few years earlier. In my layman’s estimation the building dates to the last quarter of the 16th century, that is, the final years of the reign of Akbar the Great. The interior of the square building had a bare floor: there was no burial. But the walls were ornate with Mughal-style frescoes. Faded, discolored, and chipped, they had also been marred by cow dung patties.