Kunjah is a well-known town in the district of Gujrat, located about eight kilometres to the west of Gujrat city. It is an old settlement that enjoyed considerable importance during both the Mughal and Sikh periods. A mosque in the town is traditionally believed to have been built during the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb. Kunjah has long held a reputation not only for its historical significance but also for its cultural importance.
Demographics of Gujrat:
In this article, we shall explore a building of particular historical interest, the Baradari of Diwan Kirpa Ram. A notable Hindu of this town. Before the Partition of 1947, the Gujrat district had a significant Hindu and Sikh population. The table below is based on the Census of 1941.
|
District/Tehsil |
Gujrat (D) |
Gujrat (T) |
Kharian |
Phalia |
|
Pop. Total |
1,104,952 |
380,923 |
325,942 |
398,057 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Muslims |
945,609 |
331,261 |
291,641 |
322,707 |
|
% |
85.58 |
86.96 |
89.48 |
81.06 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hindus |
84,643 |
29,197 |
16,603 |
38,843 |
|
% |
7.66 |
7.66 |
5.09 |
9.76 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sikhs |
70,233 |
18,896 |
17,159 |
34,178 |
|
% |
6.36 |
4.96 |
5.26 |
8.59 |
ٰI could not find any separate figures for Kunjah town in the Census of 1941. However, according to the Gazetteer of the District Gujrat, the population of Kunjah in 1891 was 5,474. The Census of 1931 shows an increase in population and records it at 7,152 persons. However, I could not find separate figures for religious communities.
History of the Gujrat Region:
Not much information is available about the ancient history of this region. The most famous event in ancient times was the Battle of Hydaspes, which is commonly believed to have been fought at or near the town of Mong, about 45 kilometers to the north-west of Kunjah, near the banks of the River Jhelum. After the invasions of Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi, this region became part of the Delhi Sultanate, and later the Mughal Empire.
During the reign of Emperor Akbar, Gujrat was made the headquarters of a district (then called a Chakla). The region enjoyed stability, peace, and prosperity until the beginning of the eighteenth century. All this changed with the invasion of Nadir Shah in 1739. His invasion unleashed chaos which lasted until the very end of the eighteenth century.
After Nadir Shah, his former general—later the ruler of Afghanistan, Ahmad Shah Abdali began his regular invasions of Punjab, attacking the region ten times from 1747 onwards. These invasions devastated the country. During this period, Gakhar Sardar Mukarrab Khan served as Abdali’s lieutenant and ruled Gujrat until 1765.
Amid this anarchy, the Sikhs were gaining strength, taking advantage of the political vacuum. Sardar Gujar Singh Bhangi marched westward and defeated Mukarrab Khan at Gujrat. His sons ruled the region until 1810, when Maharaja Ranjit Singh occupied it and incorporated it into his expanding kingdom.
This region finally fell to the British in 1849, when the final battle of the Anglo-Sikh Wars was fought on 21 February 1849, just ten kilometers east of Kunjah, near Gujrat.
During the Sikh period, many Sikhs settled in the area and established prosperous communities. They constructed beautiful houses, gurdwaras, temples, and other buildings. Some of these survive to this day, one of which is a Baradari in the town, built by Diwan Kirpa Ram, probably in 1830s.
Architecture and the current status:
The baradari is located at: 32°31'28.04"N, 73°58'31.43"E. It is square in shape, with each side approximately 25 metres in length. It has two floors, and each floor features two sets of arches, one on the outside and another on the inside. Simply speaking, an inner square is surrounded by a corridor, a very common architectural style of that era. I have seen the same pattern in many gurdwaras built even in much later times. The structure was built with the small bricks widely used during the Sikh period.
The baradari is now divided between two families. I visited the portion owned by Mr. Nasir Masood Toor, son of Ali Ahmad. This part of the property was allotted to his grandfather, Mr. Nawaz Khan, who migrated to Pakistan in 1947 from Dhainthal, a village in the former Patiala State. I could not locate the exact position of this village, but Nasir Sahib told me it was near Samana, and that his grandfather, who served as a numberdar, was also a member of the Samana Town Committee. Mr. Nasir further informed me that the village was relocated due to the construction of a canal, and it is now probably included within Samana city, as suggested by some search results.
This beautiful baradari was once situated inside a vast garden. I was told that the total area of the baradari complex is 47 kanal and 16 marla, which is almost exactly 6 acres. At present, this land is owned by three related families. The garden itself has disappeared; but traces of the old boundary wall still remain and can be clearly seen in some places.
An interesting feature is a large building to the north of the garden. I was informed that this was the main entrance to the baradari complex, a traditional arched deorhi with several rooms. Unfortunately, most of this structure has now collapsed.
A nearby Hindu Temple:
A Janj Ghar:
Diwan Mohkam Chand (d. 1814)
Diwan Mohkam Chand, the grandfather of Kirpa Ram, was one of the most brilliant generals of the Sikh Empire and among the most trusted commanders of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. A man of sharp strategic mind and unwavering loyalty, he played a central role in transforming Ranjit Singh from a regional Sikh chief into the undisputed ruler of Punjab.
Under his leadership, Sikh armies achieved remarkable victories in Kangra, Rajauri, Multan, and other frontier regions. His military discipline, political intelligence, and deep personal loyalty made him indispensable to the Maharaja.
He died on 29 October 1814, but his son, Moti Ram, inherited both his position and his responsibilities.
Diwan Moti Ram
Diwan Moti Ram, son of Mohkam Chand and father of Kirpa Ram, rose to prominence in the Lahore Darbar through a combination of competence, refinement, and administrative skill. He held both civil and military posts and was appointed Governor (Nazim) of Kashmir on multiple occasions as well as Governor of Jalandhar Doab.
He was a competent person and discharged his duties well, but he became entangled in the intriguing atmosphere of the Lahore Darbar, which was full of political rivalries. He eventually fell from grace, though he remained loyal to Maharaja Ranjit Singh. In the end, he withdrew from Lahore and settled in Varanasi.
Diwan Kirpa Ram (d. 1843)
Diwan Kirpa Ram, the youngest son of Moti Ram and grandson of Mohkam Chand, was one of the most capable officials of his generation. His family background, education, and administrative skills earned him early prominence in the Sikh government. In 1819, Maharja Ranjit Singh sent him to Hazara to settle that area and later the same year to Jalandhar Doab. In 1823 he participated in the battle of Naushera also. In 1827, Maharaja Ranjit Singh appointed him as the Governor of Kashmir, one of the most challenging provinces of the empire.
His tenure coincided with extremely difficult circumstances. Kashmir suffered a devastating earthquake in 1828, followed by a deadly cholera epidemic, placing immense strain on revenue and public administration. Despite these challenges, Kirpa Ram is credited with constructing fine buildings, gardens, and improving civic life in Srinagar.
His popularity and independent administrative style, however, made him a target of powerful rivals at the Lahore court. The Dogra faction, already influential in Kashmir affairs, considered him a political threat. In 1831 he was removed from his post, accused of mismanagement, and even imprisoned for a time. To secure his release, he paid a heavy fine. Rather than returning to Lahore’s treacherous political atmosphere, he left for Banaras to join his father.
In recognition of his past service and as a form of compensation, Maharaja Ranjit Singh had earlier granted him a jagir in Kunjah in the District Gujrat. Kirpa Ram spent his later years connected with this region, although he eventually died in Haridwar in 1843. It is said that he constructed this baradari after he returned from Kashmir in 1831.
The subsequent History:
The story of the Diwan family does not end here, I found a reference to this family in the Gazetteer of the district Gujra, which is given below:Colonel Dhanraj, Extra Assistant Commissioner, was the adopted son of Diwan Kirpa Ram of Kashmir. He owned considerable property in Kunja, half the revenue of which was assigned to him. He died in 1880, after having adopted Diwan Radha Kishan, the son of Kanhya Lal, son of Sheo Dial, brother of Diwan Kirpa Ram. Rs 1,000 of the revenue of Kunja has been assigned to him for life. His brother Jagan Nath lives at Kunja. Ram Chand, a grandson of Sheo Dial, also live at Kunja, and is a member of the Municipal Committee; and his younger brother, Hari Chand is an officiating tahsildar at Pind Gheb in the Rawalpindi district.
According to Mr. Nasir Masood, the Diwan family that owned this baradari and its surrounding garden continued to live here until about 1902, after which they moved to another part of India, after handing over this building and garden to a group of Hindu Sadhus, who lived here until 1947. Beyond this point, no reliable information is available about their later history.
For the details presented in this article, I have relied primarily on two sources. The first is a PhD thesis by Rajinder Kaur titled “Role of Select Courtiers and Officials at Lahore Darbar (1799–1849)”, and the second is The Sikh Encyclopedia.
As we have seen above, the structure of the baradari is still largely intact and can be preserved without much difficulty. The Department of Archaeology or the Tourism Department should take immediate notice of its historical value and ensure its preservation and maintenance. Although the property is privately owned, the concerned authorities should consider acquiring the building and a portion of the surrounding land by offering reasonable compensation to the owners. I believe the families will cooperate, as they too understand the importance of this heritage.
We must remember that very few such baradaris have survived in our country. This beautiful example of Sikh-period architecture, with its historical and cultural significance, deserves to be preserved for future generations to see, admire, and learn from.
Tariq Amir
November 27, 2025.Islamabad
No comments:
Post a Comment