Date of
visit: 31 January 2021
(All pictures and writeup text used in this blog, is
author property, kindly respect copyrights)
 |
| Elevation of Edifice and double story elegant gateway |
 |
| Elevation of Samadhi from the second floor of two story gateway |
A tall edifice by the name of Fatmal Marrhi with elegant
double story entrance gateway standing 200m south of the village of the same
name, 1 km north-west of village Patuke, 500 meters south of an abandoned canal
khanwala branch, 3.5 km north-west of Kanganpur (Rasool pur).
District: - Kasur
Tehsil: - Chunian
Mauza/Khasra: Fatmal
Description of
Architectural Elements of Structure: -
Plan, Ground, and
above: -
Octagonal melon-shaped ribbed dome.
External
Description: -
Main Entrance. facade and other sides
The Fatmal Marrhi is constructed on a 1m
high square platform measuring 16 x16m. A double story gateway has been
constructed on the eastern side of the platform. The main entrance has been
provided through a cusped arched opening within an architrave surmounted by
archivolt and flanked by octagonal bastions. The upper story consists of three
pavilions, one each on bastions and one above the entrance structure. The
arcuate (bent in the forms of the bow) bastion pavilions are crowned with
ribbed cupolas and eaves above the entablatures, while the central pavilion has
three arched openings on the eastern side and one each on the remaining three
sides. The top is provided by a curved eave followed by a sail (passage vault).
Access to the upper pavilion has been provided through open stairways located
on the southern and western sides. The entrance arch spandrels and curvature
below the eaves are decorated with fresco design.
The main structure of the Marrhi is
octagonal in plan. From the outside, it looks like a double story building due
to a continuous projected hand above the large arched panels. Each side of the
octagon has a large rectangular recessed frame having a multicusped blind arch
resting on pilasters and another recessed rectangular frame inside the blind
arch. Four entrances have been provided from four rectangular frames within
blind arches. The larger frames are flanked with small niches on each side. The
portion above the projected band has a pilaster on each corner. The side of the
octagon is decorated with false aches in the form of a projection niche in the
middle and two holes on the side. The top of the wall has an eave following the
octagon. Parapet has a series of pinnacles on it. The melon-shaped dome has
been from a circular drum. Finial of the dome is missing.
Decoration and
Inscriptions: -
The Fatmal Marri has been lavishly
decorated with colorful fresco paintings on the spandrels of the multicusped
blind arches which have been decorated in arabesque style. Space on both sides
of these arches has frames decorated with the designs of flowers and the frames
above the arches depict battle scenes of war and recreational activities such
as dancing, musical festivities, and hunting. The pendentive is also decorated
with such scenes and floral design.
 |
| Fresco Painting image 1 |
 |
| Fresco Painting image 2 |
 |
| Fresco Paiting image 3 |
 |
| Image taken from inside the Samadhi |
 |
| Fresco Paiting |
 |
| Fresco Paiting |
 |
| The edifice has doors provided at all four corners, destroyed by vandalism |
 |
| It seems that fire is used inside the edifice |
 |
| most of the fresco paintings destroyed |
 |
| Fresco painting |
 |
| Fresco Paiting |
 |
| Floral Paiting |
 |
| Floral painting |
 |
| floral painting |
 |
| Floral Painting |
 |
| View from Inside Samadhi |
 |
| Floral Painting |
Interior
Descriptions:
Roof/Dome(s)
The ceiling of the central pavilion is
decorated with fresco paintings depicting the floral design. Murals depicting
human figures and other scenes are the portion above the arches. The cupolas on
the gateway bastion are also decorated with sunflower motifs. The dome had
floral decoration, most of which has faded away with time.
 |
| View of two story entrance gate way |
 |
| Entrance gateway |
 |
| View of Main Building |
 |
| Roof view Mural paintings |
Well, /Pond: A
water well and the pond is found south of the gateway.
On the wall of the well, a commemorative plaque is
present but could not be able to read it.
Escape Tunnel: - Beneath
the main edifice an escape tunnel is present. It ends 300 meters south of the
complex. With the time it collapsed, we could not investigate it personally.
Period and Current
Condition: -
There is an inscription writing found over the main
entrance arched gateway but not in a condition of decipherability.
Unfortunately, locals who live in close villages belong to migratory families
who settled here after the India partition of 1947. They do not know anything
about the history of this place. Hence exact period and year this place is
constructed are unknown.
From building architecture, it looks it belongs to the
late eighteenth century.
Like many other historical structures, the Fatmal Marrhi
is also being near to vanish because of vandalism, neglect of relevant
departments, and time to time diggings by treasure hunters.
 |
| Pond |
 |
| Well |
