Alipur Chatha, also known as Akalgarh, is a small town located about 40 kilometers west of Gujranwala and approximately 7 kilometers southeast of the historic city of Rasul Nagar (formerly known as Ramnagar). The 1760s marked the rise of Sikh power in central Punjab, including the Gujranwala district, which remained under Sikh dominance for the next 90 years. During this period, numerous forts, havelis, and gurdwaras were constructed throughout the region. One such relic of that era is the Samadhi of Diwan Mulraj Chopra, situated in Alipur Chatha.
Diwan Mulraj was the last governor of the Sikh Empire in Multan. Some of his actions during his governorship sparked a series of events that led to the Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848–49) — a conflict that ultimately resulted in the fall of the Sikh Empire in Punjab. His Samadhi, located in the southern part of the town, is now in a dilapidated state. Despite its current condition, one can still envision the elegance and grandeur it must have possessed in its prime.
The Samadhi stands at 32°15'44.34"N, 73°48'44.52"E. It comprises a large central chamber crowned with a dome, flanked by three smaller domed structures, each supported by exquisitely crafted pillars. To the west of the Samadhi lies a large square pond, with each side measuring approximately 50 meters — a striking feature that adds to the site's architectural charm.
Unfortunately, I was unable to find definitive information about the exact date of its construction. However, given that Mulraj died in 1851, it is reasonable to assume that the structure was built sometime in the early 1850s. A brief account of Diwan Mulraj and his family can be found in The Panjab Chiefs by Sir Lepel H. Griffin, which offers useful insight into his life and legacy.
According to this book, the grandfather of Mulraj, Hoshnak Rai, was a Khatri of the Chopra caste. He entered the service of Sirdar Dal Singh of Akalgarh in 1768. His eldest son, Nanak Chand, served the same Sirdar until his death in 1804. Then he left his native town and entered the service of Diwan Mohkam Chand, rising to important positions in the administration. Later, he was employed in collecting the revenues of Multan and Kashmir.
Hoshnak Rai’s third son was Sawan Mal, who was born in 1788 and commenced his career in the office of his brother, Nanak Chand. In 1820, he was sent to Multan on a salary of Rs. 250 per month as head of the account office under Bhaiya Badan Hazari, the governor. Due to his talents, he made rapid progress. First, he was made governor of half the province in 1821, and in 1829, he was elevated to the position of governor of the entire Multan province.
Multan at that time was mostly a desert and, due to decades of war and rapine, had become desolate. Sawan Mal brought about a great change and, by offering land and protection, induced many people from neighbouring districts to settle in Multan. He excavated canals and encouraged commerce. He proved to be a wise and beneficent ruler.
He ruled Multan without any difficulty until the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. After that, his bitter rivals, the Rajas of Jammu—Gulab Singh and Dhian Singh, began their machinations against him, and a demand of half a million sterling was made on him. He came to Lahore in September 1840 and settled the matter amicably. The first half of the 1840s saw a gradual deterioration in the affairs of the Lahore Darbar due to the weak descendants of Ranjit Singh and rivalries among different factions. Sawan Mal used this period to consolidate his power in Multan and possibly aimed to establish an independent state.
But fate had something different in store for him. A soldier, caught on the accusation of stealing, found an opportunity to shoot Sawan Mal. This incident happened on 16th September 1844. He could not recover from the wound and died on 29th September. Sir Griffin pays his tributes to Diwan Sawan Mal Chopra in the following words:
Diwan Sawan Mal was the best of all the Sikh governors. During the later years of the Mahraja Ranjit Singh’s life and during the reign of his successors, the Diwan was practically irresponsible; yet his great power was in no way abused. He amassed great wealth; it is true, and upward a million sterling was divided by his family after his death; but this was not wrung from the people by cruelty and oppression. The Government demand, under both Sawan Mal and his son, never exceeded one-third of the gross produce of the land, and was generally only one-fifth or one-sixth. But it was his impartiality which caused the people to regard Sawan Mal with such love.
Mulraj succeeded his father as the governor. Earlier, he had served as Kardar of Shujaabad and Jhang. However, he did not enjoy the good reputation that his father did. Though he improved his disposition after becoming governor, he remained unpopular with the people.
His wealth and power were also a source of anxiety for the Lahore Darbar. He was demanded a nazarana or tribute of one million sterling by the Darbar. To pressurize him, two Sikh battalions were instigated to rebel against him on the issue of pay disparity. Multan troops were given a salary of seven rupees and eight annas, while an infantry soldier in the Lahore army received eleven rupees and eight annas per month. The army mutinied on 24 November 1844, but Mulraj easily dispersed the mutineers with the help of eight battalions of Muslim soldiers under his command. After some negotiations, Mulraj agreed to pay 1.8 million rupees.
However, before the affair could be practically settled, the First Anglo-Sikh War began in late 1845, and the matter dragged on further. After the war, the Lahore Darbar sent a force against Mulraj, who finally, through the mediation of Major H. Lawrence, the British Resident at Lahore, agreed to pay the tribute in October 1846. It was agreed that he would pay an annual amount of 1,968,000 rupees as tribute.
However, things were not going smoothly in the affairs of the government, and Mulraj informed the British Resident of his intention to resign from his post as governor. Sirdar Khan Singh Man was appointed as the new governor, with Vans Agnew as the British Resident and Lieutenant Anderson as his assistant. These British officers reached Multan on 17th April 1848 to take charge of their duties. They were received by Mulraj with great civility. Mulraj took them on an inspection of the fort, and during this visit, they were attacked by Mulraj’s soldiers.
The soldiers of the two Gurkha companies accompanying the British officers took both of them, in a wounded condition, to the Idgah—a strong building near the fort where the officers had taken up their quarters. Agnew tried to contact Mulraj and asked him to explain his position on the attack. But Mulraj refused to meet him, and the next day, on 20th April, his troops opened fire on the Idgah. Soon, all the native troops abandoned the British officers, and they were killed. Mulraj praised and rewarded the murderers.
So the die was cast, and the Second Anglo-Sikh War began, as the rebellion soon spread to other areas of Punjab. The hot weather of Multan saved Mulraj for a few months. In September, the British launched their first assault on Multan from 4th to 14th September, but the small force could not take the formidable fort. After receiving reinforcements, the British launched a second assault on 27th December, and after fierce fighting, they captured the city on 2nd January 1849. Mulraj took shelter in the citadel and finally surrendered on 22nd January 1849.
Mulraj was sent to Lahore and put on trial for the murder of the two British officers. He was sentenced to death. However, the Governor-General, Lord Dalhousie, commuted his sentence to life imprisonment. He was sent to Calcutta as a prisoner, where he died in 1851.
Besides this samadhi, there are many other such historical structures. One of them is the imposing gate of the fort of Akalgarh.
As I mentioned earlier, besides this samadhi, there are many old havelis inside the old city. I had an opportunity to visit one of them. It is a very beautiful haveli built in the traditional style. It is a four-sided, double-storey building with a courtyard in the centre. There is a veranda in front of the rooms on all four sides. The haveli is still in very good condition, and the current owners are taking excellent care of it.
It was a busy day for the family, as they were preparing for a wedding and had some guests at home. Even then, they most graciously allowed us to enter the house, explore both floors, and take some pictures as well.
Mulraj is a very important figure in our recent history, yet he is completely forgotten. Today, his samadhi is nothing more than neglected ruins. I am not sure about the condition of his family’s other properties in the city — there must be something left. I have seen one such beautiful haveli in the inner city. With some effort and research, much more could be discovered about Mulraj and his family. I sincerely wish that someone, or some authority, would take steps to preserve this samadhi, which could easily be developed into a small park and picnic spot.
With a bit of commitment, the Gujranwala district could be transformed into a living museum of Sikh history, offering a great boost to our tourism industry. But is that possible in the near future?
June 3, 2017.
Doha - Qatar.
