On July 27, 2019, I had the opportunity to visit Mandi Bahauddin at the invitation of my dear friend and brother, Irfan Ahmed. I had explored the area around Mandi Bahauddin many times in the past, but never fully explored the city itself. It was a family visit, and I was just looking forward to meeting our relatives and perhaps discovering one or two old buildings. But the visit turned out to be very interesting.
Irfan, being aware of my fondness for old buildings with historical significance, took me on a quick tour of the city. The central part of the town, the bazaar area, is well planned and has broad streets, though, like every other city and town of Pakistan, it is overcrowded with encroachments, especially carts selling mostly vegetables, fruits, or clothes.
Our first destination was an old Pathshala (school). It is located in a by-lane off the main Sadar Bazar road, at 32°35'7.35"N, 73°29'30.46"E. Even today, it is being used as a government primary school. The compound has many rooms on two sides of a courtyard, built on two floors, and the only structure of particular interest is a pavilion. I am not sure what the pavilion was used for; perhaps a statue once stood here in the past.
A pavilion in the compound. (27.07.2019.)
Another view of the pavilion. (27.07.2019.)
A row of rooms. (27.07.2019.)
A view of the courtyard. (27.07.2019.)
Looking towards the entrance. (27.07.2019.)
Tariq Amir and Ibrahim Tariq. (27.07.2019.)
Tariq Amir and Irfan Ahmed. (27.07.2019.)
Some old houses in front of the Dharmsala. (27.07.2019۔)
ॐ
यह पाठ शाला म. नोदड मल
संत (क्षत्र) सराफ जी ने सपनी
पूज्या स्वर्ग्वाशी माता श्री मति
वीरां देवी जी की पवित्र स्मृति
में बनवाई - माघ सं: १९९१
اوم
یہ پاٹھ شالا (درسگاہ) م. نودڑ مل
سنت (کشترا) صراف جی نے اپنی
پوجیا (پوجنے لائق یعنی بہت محترم ) سورگواشی (جنتی یعنی مرحوم ) ماتا شریمتی (محترمہ)
ویراں دیوی جی کی پوِتر سمرتی (مقدس یاد)
میں بنوائی - ماگھ 1991 (1934 ء)
This school was constructed by Nodar Mal, in the sacred memory of his late mother, Shrimati Veraan Devi. Magh 1999 Smvat. (1934 AD)
काहन चंद सनघोई निवासी ने श्रयनी
धर्म पतनी श्रीमती हर देवी की पवित्र स्मृति
में बनवाया
IN SACRED MEMORY OF HIS WIFE
SHRIMATI HAR DEVI
WHO DIED ON 30TH OCTOBER, 1933
BUILT BY
KAHAN CHAND OF SANGHOI
AT A COST OF RS. 1000
1934
After briefly visiting this Dharamsala, we passed through the busy Sadar Bazaar and turned towards Ghalla Mandi (grain market) Road. Here, we stopped in front of an old two-storey building. The ground floor has some shops facing the road. The entrance is a small door leading to a room and an adjoining corridor, which opens into a large hall. The building was a gurdwara before 1947 and is now being used as a warehouse. It is totally neglected and, due to this negligence, is falling apart. I forgot to ask someone, but it is probably a property of the Auqaf Department (or the Evacuee Trust Property Board). The problem is that such properties are often rented out or given on long-term leases, and the occupants have no interest in repairing or maintaining them. Consequently, many beautiful buildings across the country are tragically deteriorating.
I was told by someone that it was once a much larger complex, with another large building attached to it, which was perhaps a guest house and langar hall associated with the gurdwara. The exact date of construction is not known, but it can be safely guessed that it was built in the 1920s or 1930s. It is located at 32°35'3.90"N, 73°29'24.77"E. (In the map given below, I shall refer to this gurdwara as Gurdwara 1.)
A gurdwara in Mandi Bahauddin. (27.07.2019۔)
Two sides of the gurdwara. (27.07.2019۔)
A partially surviving plaque above the entrance. (27.07.2019۔)
The main hall. (27.07.2019۔)
Arches of the first floor and the ventilators. (27.07.2019۔)
Another view of the arches. (27.07.2019)
Large galleries exist behind these arches. (27.07.2019.)
It must have been a beautiful building in its good days. (27.07.2019.)
Galleries on the first floor. (27.07.2019.)
Another view of the arches. (27.07.2019.)
The ceiling of the hall. (27.07.2019.)
The interior was painted in sky blue. (27.07.2019.)
The building is used as a warehouse. (27.07.2019.)
A view of the first floor. (27.07.2019.)
The building is so badly damaged and passages are blocked that I had to use this ladder to go to the first floor. (27.07.2019)
The roof of the hall is quite high. (27.07.2019)
A corridor on the ground floor, is filled with junk. (27.07.2019.)
A view of the gallery on the first floor. (27.07.2019.)
A view of the gallery on the first floor. (27.07.2019.)
The ventilators as seen from outside. (27.07.2019.)
A gallery in poor condition. (27.07.2019.)
The roof at places has caved in. (27.07.2019.)
੫੧ ਸਿਵਾ ਕਰਾਈ
ਜਗਤ ਸੰਘ ਰੁਟੇਜਾ ਹਾਲ ਮੰਡੀ
ਸਾਹਿਤ ਪ੍ਰਵਾਰ ਫਗਣ ੧੯੯੫
51 روپے سیوا کرائی
جگت سنگھ رُٹیجا ہال منڈی
ساہت پروار پھگنڑ 1995 (مارچ 1938)
Rs 51, service rendered by Jagat Singh Ruteja Hal Mandi, literary body, Phagan 1995. (1938 AD)
੧੦ ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰਾਈ
ਸ੍ਰ: ਜੀਵਣ ਸਿੰਘ ਵਧਵਾ ਯਾਦਗਾਰ
ਅਪਨੇ ਭਰਾਤਾ ਕਰਤਾਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਦੀ
10 روپے سیوا کرائی
سردار جیونڑ سنگھ ودھوا یادگار
اپنے بھراتا کرتار سنگھ دی
Rs 10, service rendered by Sardar Jeevan Singh Wadha, in memory of his brother.
੧੦ ਸ੍ਰ: ਈਸ਼ਰ ਸਿੰਘ
ਦਫੇਦਾਰ
10 روپے سردار ایشر سنگھ
دفعدار
Rs 10, service rendered by Sardar Eshar Singh Dafedear (a non commissioned officer in the cavalry)
250 ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰਾਈ ਇਸ ਚੋਵੰਕ ਦੀ ਭ: ਜੈ ਸਿੰਘ
ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮ ਸਿੰਘ ਕਰੀਆਨੇ ਵਾਲੇ ਮੰਡੀ ਸੈਹਤ ਪ੍ਰਵਾਰ
250 روپے سیوا کرائی اس چوک دی بھائی جے سنگھ
پریتم سنگھ کریانے والے منڈی سیہت پروار
Rs 250, service rendered by Bhai Jai Singh Pritam Singh, store merchant, and market community.
Just at a little distance from the main Sadar bazaar and not far from the above-mentioned gurdwara, another old building exists. That too was a gurdwara. Now a family lives inside this building and we could not see it from inside. It too is a fairly large building with an impressive facade. This gurdwara is located at 32°35'0.41"N, 73°29'22.27"E. (In the map given below, I shall refer to this gurdwara as Gurdwara 2.) Kashmir House is painted above the door in Urdu, because refugees from Kashmir settled in after the independence.
The main entrance of the gurdwara. (27.07.2019.)
Another view of the gate. (27.07.2019.)
ਸਚ ਖੰਡ ਵਸੈ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ
سچ کھنڈ وسے نِرنکار
(In the realm of Truth abides the Formless Lord.)
The main door. (27.07.2019.)
A side view of the building. (27.07.2019.)
Another view of the building. (27.07.2019.)
੧ ਓ
ਪ੍ਰਵਾਣ ਗਣੀ ਸੇਈ ਟਿਹਆਏ
ਸਫਲ ਤਿਨਾ ਕੇ ਕਾਮਾ
੨੦੦ ਇਸ ਬੜੇ ਦੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰਾਈ
ਬੀ: ਰਣਜੀਤ ਕੌਰ ਸੁਪਤਨੀ ਭਾ:
ਮੋਹਣ ਸਿੰਘ ਅੰਸ ਭਾ: ਬੰਨੋ
ਸਾਹਿਬ ਯਾਦਗਾਰ ਆਪਣੀ ਸਸ
ਰੁਕਮਣ ਦੇਵੀ ਦੀ ਭਦਰ ੧੯੯੯
1 اونکار
پروانڑ گڑیں سوئی ٹِہائی
سپھل تِنان کے کاما
200 روپے اس بڑے دی سیوا کرائی
بی بی رنڑجیت کور سُپتنی بھائی
موہنڑ سنگھ انس بھائی بنو
صاحب یادگار آپڑیں سس
رکمنڑ دیوی دی بھدر 1999 (اگست/ستمبر 1942 ء)
Rs 200, service rendered by Bibi Ranjit Kaur w/o Bhai Mohan Singh Ans Bhai Banno sahib, in memory of her mother in law, Rukman Devi, Bhadr 1999. (Aug/Sep 1942 AD)
੧ ਓ ਸ੍ਰੀ ______ ਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ
__________________________________________________
ਸਮਤ ੧੯੯੬
ਭਾ: ਸਰਦਾਰ ਸਿੰਘ - ਸਪੁਤਰ - ਭਾ: ਭਗਵਾਨ ਸਿੰਘ
The above-mentioned two gurdwaras are located in a busy bazaar, but there is another gurdwara situated on the outskirts of the city, about a kilometre and a half east of the city centre, at 32°35'16.05"N, 73°30'26.80"E. It must once have stood amid open green fields, offering a pleasant view, but it is now surrounded by closely built, unplanned houses. It appears that these houses have been constructed on the land of the gurdwara. This gurdwara was built in 1944, as indicated by an inscription on the building. Much of the surrounding structures have been demolished or absorbed into neighbouring houses; however, the main tower-like building still survives and remains in reasonably good condition, considering the time that has passed since its construction.
The three-storey gurdwara building. (27.07.2019.)
A closer view of the two top floors. (27.07.2019.)
Writings on the building show that local Muslims also used it for some time for religious purposes. (27.07.2019.)
A view of the top floors from another angle. (27.07.2019.)
Another view of the top floor. (27.07.2019.)
Another side of the tower. (27.07.2019.)
A newly constructed structure blocks the fourth side of the tower. (27.07.2019.)
A view from the south. (27.07.2019.)
Ibrhim Tariq, though not having much interest in such matters, came with me and perhaps enjoyed too. (27.07.2019.)
Irfan Ahmed, credit for this discovery goes to him. (27.07.2019.)
Tariq Amir. (27.07.2019.)
The entrance from this side has been blocked. The green door on the right is of a new construction. (27.07.2019.)
ਸਤਿ ਗੁਰ ਨਿਵਾਸ
(Holy shabds)
It seems that people used this building for religious purposes for some time. But while painting Islamic phrases on the walls, they took care not to paint or disfigure the inscriptions written in Gurmukhi. (27.07.2019.)
ਗੁਰ ਮੁਖਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਜਾਰ ਧਿਆ ਸਭਿ ਆਖਹ ਧੰਨ ਧੰਨ ਧੰਨ ਗੁਰ ਮੋਈ
ਸਤਿਕਰਤਾਰ ਜੀ
(Holy shabds)
ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਤਿ ਗੁਰ - ਬਲਿਹਰੀ ਜਿਨੇ ਏਹੁ - ਥਾਨੁ ਸੁਹਾ ਇਆ
(Holy shabds)
ਬਾਬਾ ਪਰ ਪਰ ਪਰ ਪਜਾ ਆਸਣ ਥਾਪਣਸ ਆ
ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਤਿ ਗੁਰ - ਬਲਿਹਾਹਾਰੀ ਜਿਨਏਹੁ - ਥਾਨੁ
(Holy shabds)
--- ਬਾਬਾ ਪਰ ਧਰ ਪਜਾ ਆਸਣ ਬਾਧਣ ਸਆ
(Holy shabds)
1944 is inscribed on this corner, which gives its year of construction. So the devotees had to leave this place soon after its completion. (27.07.2019.)
ਆਬ ਚਲਨੀ ਵਧਰੀ ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਿਤ ਨਿਤ ਚੜੇ -----
(Holy shabds)
ਸਤਿ ਗੁਰ ਕਰਿਦੀਨੇ ਅਸਬਿਰ ਘਰਬਾਰ
(Holy shabds)
These buildings may not have much historical importance; nevertheless, they are a link to the pre-partition society of Mandi Bahauddin, when different religious communities lived in this city. It was a small town before independence, but the non-Muslims formed an overwhelming majority. As the table given below shows:
Mandi
Bahauddin City Population: According to the Census of 1941
|
Total
|
Muslims
|
%
|
Hindus
|
%
|
Sikhs
|
%
|
12,752
|
2,269
|
17.79
|
6,146
|
48.20
|
4277
|
33.54
|
Mandi Bahauddin is a new city and was probably settled during the development of canal colonies. In 1941, it had a population of just 12,572. Now the population, according to the census of 2017 is 198,609. So this city has witnessed an exponential growth in the last 8 decades. These buildings should be preserved because of their value as part of our heritage and this city's link to the pre-independence era.
Tariq Amir
December 07, 2019.
Doha - Qatar.
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