Ali Usman Baig

February 26, 2018

by Ali Usman Baig

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to visit a remarkable bridge that dated back 400 years to the Mughal Era. This architectural marvel was situated on Degh Nala and captured my interest after reading an extensive article about it by Sir Salman Rasheed. Intriguingly, Sir Salman Rasheed's article also mentioned another Mughal-era bridge located on a branch of the Degh known as the Chhoti or Lesser Degh, not far to the west.

For a considerable period, I struggled to pinpoint the exact location of this place. However, after much effort, I finally succeeded and visited the site last Sunday. As I arrived, I noticed the remnants of the collapsed bridge scattered across the stream, a stark reminder of its former grandeur.

The length of the bridge was measured to be 30 meters, identical to the Mughal Era Bridge situated on the main Degh River. It was an arch bridge, featuring four arches with a center-to-center distance of 7.5 meters. Construction of the bridge is believed to have taken place in the later decades of the sixteenth century.

An analysis of the chemical and mineral composition of the Mughal mortar renders, and plaster from the seventeenth century revealed the presence of coarse materials such as bricks, kankar pieces, and slag, along with fine aggregates like river sand. These materials were typically combined with a calcite lime binder. The specific ratio of binder to aggregate varied depending on the functional requirements of each masonry unit. The chemical composition, both major and trace elements, indicated the use of locally available raw materials in the construction of these historical monuments. In the current bridge, the construction comprised Nanak Shahi bricks internally reinforced and filled with calcite lime mortar.

Arch bridges, which have been utilized for over 3000 years, remain one of the most popular bridge designs. During the Roman Empire, stone and wood arch bridges gained significant popularity, with architects successfully constructing over 1000 stone arch bridges across Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Remarkably, many of these bridges have endured to this day. Contrary to the belief that the 1976 flood led to the collapse of the bridge I visited, it appeared that the disintegration of the arch members originated from the top crown. Arch bridges primarily rely on compression to bear loads. The failure I observed seemed to result from overloaded vehicles frequently crossing the bridge, ironically serving as a common route for heavily loaded tractor trolleys for decades. Evidently, the Mughal architects did not anticipate such substantial wheel loads when designing the bridge.

The remnants of the bridge include the remains of 2-foot-high, 40-meter-long roadside wing walls that run on both ends of the bridge along the road. These walls are accompanied by columns at the beginning of each wing wall, making the bridge visible from a distance. It is worth noting that the length of the bridge is nearly double the current width of the Nala, indicating that the Nala has significantly narrowed over time due to reduced water flow in the River Ravi. Presently, a new bridge has been constructed over the debris of the collapsed one.

In the past, this bridge served as a crucial crossing point for the military troops of the Mughal and Sikh armies. It witnessed the passage of numerous centuries. Sadly, no relevant authority has ever taken the initiative to restore or protect this historical gem, instead attributing its destruction to floods.

It is disheartening to witness the fading away of such a significant piece of history, lost forever to the sands of time.