Pre-partition Buildings of 'Pari Mohalla' Shahdara

17 July 2022

(All research and photos  by the author)

The historic town of Shahdara is in the northern suburbs of Lahore, and one can reach there after crossing the river Ravi. In the 15th century, it was the entrance gateway of the Lahore and Mughal emperors. It is mainly famous for historic Mughal architectural sites, Mughal gardens, and the Tomb of Jahangir, the Mughal Emperor, his wife Empress Nur Jehan, and his brother-in-law Abdul Hasan Asaf Khan. After the construction of these historical monuments, Shahdara town also started to expand, and before the partition of 1947, a diverse community comprising all religions was present here. 

In Shahdara town, a neighborhood by the name 'Pari Mohalla' still exists. In 'Pari Mohalla' before partition Khatri clan of the Hindu community used to live here and most of them were associated with the gold business in Hindustan. They constructed some amazing residential buildings, which comprised elegant architectural elements. 

Kala Mahal of Shahdara and false Stories of Paranormal Activities

17 July 2022

(All research and photos  by the author)

The historic town of Shahdara is in the northern suburbs of Lahore, and one can reach there after crossing the river Ravi. In the 15th century, it was the entrance gateway of the Lahore and Mughal emperors. It is mainly famous for historic Mughal architectural sites, Mughal gardens, and the Tomb of Jahangir, the Mughal Emperor, his wife Empress Nur Jehan, and his brother-in-law Abdul Hasan Asaf Khan. After the construction of these historical monuments, Shahdara town also started to expand, and before the partition of 1947, a diverse community comprising all religions was present here. 

In Shahdara town, a neighborhood by the name 'Pari Mohalla' still exists. In 'Pari Mohalla' before partition Khatri clan of the Hindu community used to live here and most of them were associated with the gold business in Hindustan. They constructed some amazing residential buildings, which comprised elegant architectural elements. 

One such building in this vicinity was 'Kala Mahal', which was once considered the most attractive architecture in this neighborhood. Originally, it was a three-storey high residential building constructed mostly of Nanak Shahi bricks. One can still see the remains of precisely carved brick arches, wooden door frames, and stylish windows. All the walls were thirteen and a half inches thick above the plinth level. 

After the partition of 1947, almost all the Hindu families of this neighborhood left for Hindustan, and the property of this Mahal was alloted to migratory Muslim families who came from the other side of the border. The current owner of this place is Mr. Nasir Kharia. He was born in Kala Mahal and lived almost all of his life there. He shared that over time cracks started to appear on the roof. It was dangerous to continue to live under this building. So, Nasir and his family left the place and dismantled the roof for new construction. It was a joint property and Nasir only constructed a new residence in only a few areas of Kala Mahal land. A dispute arose between his siblings about selling the remaining land, and ultimately the property could not be able to sell at all. 

Due to its decrepit condition, loose construction material from time to time started to fall from already crumbling walls and when it hit the ground it creates noise as well, it was only a few years back that People started to fabricate false paranormal activity stories about this building. These false stories spread like a forest fire and people from different cities started to come to visit this place. Media teams and vloggers were also not behind everyone wanted to associate haunted activities with this building. I saw one of the lowest acts in this regard on the UrduPoint.com Youtube channel, whose anchor named Ruvaiza Rajpoot did a video documentary on this building. She asked the neighborhood children to drop stones during the recording in front of the camera just to show a paranormal activity was going on in this complex. Also, a member of his team did acting to pretend that some paranormal creature had grabbed his neck. Adopting the faux documentary style just to attract more viewership, is a wrong practice and could only be partially successful.

A Downhill Cycling Ride from Choa Saidan Shah to Khewra & my Visit to a British Era Check Post

February 26, 2017

Choa Saidan Shah is situated only 3.5 kilometers east of the historical site of Katas on Kallar Kahar road. The town is a union council of district Chakwal and is named after the saint Saidan Shah Shirazi. It has an altitude of 676 meters from sea level. Two other main roads originate from the Choa Saidan Shah, in the northwest direction Choa-Saidan Shah Chakwal road and in the southeast direction Choa Saidan Shah- Khewra trek. 

From Choa Saidan Shah to Khewra a picturesque downhill trek of eighteen kilometers takes you to the second largest salt mines in the world. Along this road, there are many coal mines and one has to face the ugly traffic of these coal-carrying dumper trucks. 

One can also have a bird's eye view of Khewra city, and the far-flowing river Jhelum in the south is also visible from this trek. 

A few years back, I have done a downhill bicycling ride on this road. I came across the remains of a British Era Check post on this trek. It was constructed to provide security to coal mines. 

A seventeenth-century Shrine of Hazrat Syed Nizam Uddin Chishti (RA) in Lahore

 

14th August, 2022

(Reference of Chishti Sufi order taken from Aiman Khizar Research article)

There have been different orders of Sufism and one of the most important of these is the “Chishti Sufi order”.

“Chishtia Order originated in Indian Sub-continent by the efforts of Moen-ud-Din Chisti who initiated the first Sufi order there. 

He founded it in Ajmer but then it extended to other areas. Today it's one of the most widely accepted Sufi Orders in the Indian sub-continent. While explaining the origins of the Chisita order Amin mentions, “It is beyond any doubt, that it has been the most dominant Sufi Order of India and Pakistan. Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chishti as the founder of the Order has his reverence not just in Muslims’ hearts rather we find Hindu accounts equally occupied with his praise as Rai Bahadur Harbilas Sarda wrote in his book on Ajmer that …. He never preached aggression and was a man of peace and goodwill towards all God’s creatures. The Chishtiya Order broadened quickly due to Chishti Sufis’ simple and determined doings which were purely based on love of God and affection for humanity. It highly impressed many Hindus, in particular, those from the lower castes, it was a big socio-religious change during that period that led to the transposition in India. The fact is that the Chishti monasteries kept away from any intolerance between the disciples and carried out a classless society that involved a huge number of people in their fold. If truth be told the Islamization of the country was achieved largely by the preaching of the dervishes, not by the sword. In the cast-ridden social setup, those were the sayings and actions of the great Chishti Sufis that disclosed the true spirit of their wisdom that facilitated to put down the basis of Islamic Humanism. The Order acquired a highly integrated social organization that was effectively controlled by the center and directed the actions and behaviors of those who were connected with it” 

 “Sufi orders trace their origins ultimately to the Islamic prophet Muhammad, who is believed to have instructed his successor in mystical teachings and practices in addition to the Qur'an or hidden within the Qur'an. The Chishti, though Sunni, trace their lineage through Ali. This is not unusual for Sufi orders, which tend to stress devotion rather than legalism and sectarianism.

 The traditional Silsila (spiritual lineage) of the Chishti order is as follows:

 'Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib

 Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī (d. 728, an early Persian Muslim theologian)

 'Abdul Wāḥid Bin Zaid Abul Faḍl (d. 793, an early Sufi saint)

 Fuḍayl ibn 'Iyāḍ Bin Mas'ūd Bin Bishr al-Tamīmī

 Ibrāhīm bin Adham (a legendary early Sufi ascetic)

 Ḥudhayfah al-Mar'ashī

 Amīnuddīn Abū Ḥubayrah al-Baṣrī

 Mumshād Dīnwarī

 Abu Ishaq Shamī (d. 940, founder of the Chishti order proper)

 Abu Ahmad Chishtī

 Abu Muhammad Chishtī

 Abu Yusuf Nasar-ud-Din Chishtī (d. 1067)

 Qutab-ud-Din Maudood Chishtī (Abu Yusuf's son, d. 1139)

 Haji Sharif Zindani (d. 1215)

 Usman Harooni (d. 1220)

 Mu'īnuddīn Chishtī (1141-1230)

 Qutab-ud-Din Bakhtyar Kaki (1173-1228)

 Farīduddīn Mas'ūd (Baba Farid, 1173 or 1175 - 1266)

 After Farīduddīn Mas'ūd, the Chishti order was divided into two branches:

 Chishtī Sabri, who follows Alauddin Sabir Kaliyari (Sabiri/Sabriya branch)

 Chishtī Nizami who follow Nizāmuddīn Auliyā. (Nizami/Nizamiya branch)”

Hazrat Syed Nizam Uddin Chishti (RA)

One such seventeenth-century shrine of Chisti order is located on Allama Iqbal road on Muhammad Nagar stop Gari Shahu Lahore. The Shrine belongs to Hazrat Syed Nizam Uddin. He died in the year 1795 and his Urs is celebrated every year on 10th of the November. 

Also, one still can see old Badshahi bricks used in masonry and tomb construction.