The first point of our interest is the Loaser Baoli inside Wah Cantt. at 33°46'03.8"N, 72°45'47.6"E. This baoli is a good example of Mughal architecture, built in the 17th century for the convenience of travellers. It is located inside Sher Shah Park. At the time of my visit on 15 Dec 2021, repair work was underway and the baoli was not fully open to visitors. However, its beautiful setting inside a garden, perhaps as old as the baoli itself, enhanced the charm of the small structure.
لوسر باؤلی
لوسر باولی شاہراہ اعظم کے کنارے پر واقع ہے، جس کو شیر شاہ سوری نے سترھویں صدی عیسوی میں ان قافلوں کو سہولیات بہم پہنچانے کے لیئے تعمیر کروایا جو ٹیکسلا کے راستے کابل جاتے تھے، لوسر باؤلی پختہ اینٹوں سے بنائی گئی ہے اور تقریبا 100 فٹ گہری ہے۔ پانی تک رسائی کے لیئے سیڑھیاں بنائی گئ ہیں۔ دروازے کے دونوں اطراف چھوٹے چھوٹے کمرے بنے ہوئے ہیں، جس سے سیڑھیاں چھت کو جاتی ہیں۔ دروازے کے پچھلی طرف دو پختہ اینٹوں کے چبوترے بنے ہوئے ہیں۔ جن پر مسافر آرام کرتے ہیں۔ اس کے ساتھ ہی جانوروں کے پانی دینےکے لیئے ایک چھوٹا سا حوض بنا ہوا ہے۔ یہ لوسر باؤلی مغلیہ فنِ تعمیر کا ایک شاہکار ہے۔
(محکمہ آثار قدیمہ ٹیکسلا، حکومت پنجاب)
Losar Baoli
Losar Baoli is located beside the Great Road, which was built by Sher Shah Suri during the 17th century AD, to facilitate those caravans that travelled to Kabul via Taxila. It is built with baked bricks and is about 100 feet in depth. A staircase has been constructed to reach the water. There are small rooms on both sides of the gate, staicases from them lead to the roof. There are two platforms, made of baked bricks, behind the gate, where the travellers took some rest. A pool is made nearby to water the animals. This baoli is a masterpiece of the Mughal Architecture.
(Department of Archaeology Taxila, Government of Punjab)
A view from across the road. (15.12.2021.)
If we travel 25 kilometers towards Attock, we reach a town called Hattian. In this town, another small baoli exists, at 33°51'39.0"N, 72°26'58.8"E. After crossing the canal, 1.7 km onwards, ask someone about the darbar of Hazrat Sakhi Shah Habib. The baoli exists at the premises of the shrine. It is an interesting place for history and architecture fans. This baoli, though comparatively small, has its own significance. It is perhaps one of the few baolis that are still functioning and people draw water from them.
These baolis have lost much of their importance and most of them have simply disappeared. But these are historically important structures and tell us about life centuries ago and the way people travelled in the past. Both are easily accessible, spare some time to appreciate a piece of old times.
January 11, 2022.
Islamabad.
Good job 👍
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