A Historical Haveli in Kanjrur, Narowal (2020)

 

 Saturday, 09 August 2020 (Date of Visit)

(All pictures and the writeup is author integral property, please respect copyright)

 

Last year, a friend of mine shared a picture of a pre-partition Haveli located in the small town of Kanjrur. Upon seeing the picture, I was immediately struck by its castle-like appearance.

As someone who has been deeply interested in historical architecture in Pakistan for years, I found it surprising that I had never come across this building before. Intrigued, I decided to visit the site of this magnificent Haveli the very next day.

Kanjrur is a union council in Tehsil Shakargarh, Narowal district. The town derives its name from a prominent Sufi figure known as Kanju Peer, whose tomb is located in the village.

Situated approximately 15 kilometers from Narowal city, Kanjrur is positioned on the banks of the Basantar River. The Basantar River is a tributary of the Ravi River that flows through Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. It holds historical significance as it was the site of the Battle of Basantar, a crucial battle fought during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 in the western sector of India (December 4–16, 1971).

The construction of this grand Haveli in Kanjrur is attributed to a wealthy Hindu landlord named Dewan Chand. It is believed that the Haveli was built in the early 19th century, making it over a hundred years old. Prior to the partition of India, a substantial number of Hindu families resided in Kanjrur, and the village was home to four Hindu temples.

According to local accounts, Dewan Chand erected this magnificent mansion for his family. The outer walls of the Haveli are heavily fortified, featuring bastions at each corner and reaching a width of 7 feet at certain points. The approximate dimensions of the Haveli are 100 x 102 feet. The Haveli consists of three stories and underground compartments, with the height of the outer facade and boundary walls measuring over 35 feet. In the middle of the outer facade, a Jharoka (balcony) was once situated, providing a view of the outside. Unfortunately, the garden and gateway in front of the Haveli have been destroyed over time.

Additionally, the Haveli contains an escape tunnel beneath the front wall, which was constructed for emergency purposes. Markings of bullets can also be observed on the front elevation, hinting at a mysterious history that begs further investigation.

It is worth noting that most parts of Kanjrur, including this Haveli, are situated atop an ancient mound, adding to the historical allure of the site.

Dewan Chand, known for his philanthropy, also established a school in the town, which still exists to this day. Dewan Chand's family migrated to India before the partition of 1947. Currently, the Haveli is inhabited by several families who have settled there after their own migrations. Unfortunately, the building suffered significant damage during the 2005 earthquake.

The Haveli of Kanjrur stands as a testament to the architectural and historical heritage of the region, drawing visitors with its imposing structure and fascinating past.

Crossing Basanter River

Bansi Mandir Anarkali Lahore

 30-12-2017

 31°34'30.56"N

 74°18'47.81"E

Bansi Mandir located in congested streets of Anarkali Bazaar.

The mandir itself is located within the courtyard of a massive haveli. At present, portions are rented out to various tenants and even the main building of the mandir is used as a home by one of the numbers of families here. 

This building would have been built during the colonial period by a prosperous family wanting to expand out of the congested walled city. Kanhaiya Lal and Latif don't mention it in their descriptions of Anarkali so it must have been built or completed after the 1890s. 

The façade is a long one and lines the Anarkali bazaar. 

The decorative features on the main façade are broadly European but the central section has a traditional arch framed by pillars and contains an elaborate jharokha above the entrance. The wooden jharokha or balcony with its fine woodwork is still in a good state of preservation. I could not able to take a photo of that work.  The stairs lead up to the courtyard, in the center of which is located the fine temple with plaster moldings.

Bansi Mandir, in the background the tall standing four minarets are of Badshahi mosque. Picture taken from top of Surgical Tower Mayo Hospital. 

CHILLA SHAH BADR DEWAN

25-12-2014

Chilla of Shah Badr Dewan is located to the north of Shrine of Khawaja Mehmud and exactly northwest of Begampura. This is the place where the saint passed forty days of seclusion and meditation during his stay in Lahore.

The imposing edifice stands in the centre of a walled enclosure on a platform of the height of 3 feet. It is a quadrangular building surmounted by a high neck dome of green color. The entrance to the building is from stairs to the south and the walls of the remaining three sides are perforated by latticed work of red sandstone which has now been ruthlessly whitewashed. The structure was originally decorated with beautiful glazed pottery work, of blue and yellow color, to the height of three feet from ground all around. Traces of the pottery work are still extant in some areas. To the north is a small tower, decorated with pottery work and intended as a place for a lamp.

The final resting place of Shah Badr Dewan is in the village of Masanian in Batala, India. The saint's real name was Syed Hasan Badr-ud-din Gilani (Baghdadi) but he was betterknown as Baba Shah Badr Dewan. He is a descendant of Ghaus-ul-Azam Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani. He was born in Baghdad in 861 AH. He left Baghdad in 904 AH and came to Lahore where he stayed for several years. From Lahore, he moved to village Masanian (3 miles east of Batala, India) where he passed away in 978 AH.