Former Shahzada Bukhara House, Abbottabad

(by IH Malik, adapted from online sources)


This house was once the property of Shahzada (Prince)  Abdul Malik Tura,son of Amir Muzaffar of Bukhara, in Central Asia (now in Uzbekistan).

Abdul Malik escaped from Bukhara, after he showed antagonism to certain policies of his father Amir Muzaffar. The main issue over which Abdul Malik Tura fought was his father's lack of resistance to Russian influence and increasing interferance in the affairs of Bukhara principality.It was the time of the "Great Game" played between Russia and Britain. According to one historical source:

" Russia monitored the instability that resulted from the activities and set-backs of the Amir carefully. In the south, the Amir's son, Abdul Malik Tura, rose and captured Qarshi.. In this, he was aided by the khans of the Manghit tribe, the very tribe on which Amir Muzaffar hoped to draw to defeat his son. In the north, two Kazakh princes, who had been allowed to enter Bukhara and who had been given administrative positions, rose against the Amir. Calling themselves the true descendants of Chingiz Khan and the rightful claimants to the throne of Bukhara, they captured Karminah. These rebellions were put down but were followed soon by the defeat of Bukhara by the Russians in 1866. Further Russian successes also followed, in Bukhara and Samarkand, 1868. The Bukhara Amir now appealed to the Amir Afghanistan for help, and received a ploite but negative reply in August 1868. Thus, the Bukhara ruler had no option but to make very humiliating terms with the victorious Russians''.

Meanwhile, afraid that the Russians would exact a strong vengeance against him for aopposing them, Prinec Abdul Malik Tura fled to Kashgar (Chinese Turkistan) in late 1868 or early 1869.  The full details of the flight of Abdul Malik Tura to Kashgar, are available in a British Report from there, dated 25th Jan 1870 (Brit Lib IOR/OIOC records No L/PS/5/264 , Sec 8, pp 144A-144HH). Later, however, Abdul Malik requested British help and shifted to Kabul, Afghanistan, where he received a house and an allowance from the Afghan king. But he was not happy there and requested to be shifted to British India, and this was done in 1872, and regular allowances for him were fixed by both the Govt of British India and the (then) Afghan Amir, Abdur Rahman Khan, which he and his exiled descendants kept receiving. After a short time in Peshawar, Abdul Malik Tura and his family and the few followers/retainers, were allotted a house in Abbottabad in the cool hills, and this house was then extended and renovated as per the Prince's wishes, into its present form, with Central Asian style embellishments, and was popularly called 'Bukhara House' or 'Shahzada Bukhara House'. The Prince, or 'shahzada' also spent generously in building a famous mosque and religious school/madrassa near his home, called 'Shahzada Masjid (mosque)' which still stands, albeit it has been marred by later construction.

Sadly, all the Shahzada's sons except Shahzada Sikander died young, and he never married. He sold off this house and lived in another house nearby,where he died later on. Thus, this property came in the possession of present owners. It was purchased by one Baluch Sardar, Dur-Muhammad Leghari, who was settled in Abbottabad, and who was married to Shahzada Sikandar's sister, and the house then remained with their family. It is now claimed in Abbottabad (2015) that the 'Bukhara House' is now for sale, but we could not confirm this on trying to contact the owners.

What is the status of this house now? Who owns it and what is its situation and condition? Surely, this historical place deserves to be preserved.

Remnants of the past-Haripur old town

by Sufiyan Baig

Haripur (meaning 'town of Hari') is an old town, in Hazara region of North-West Frontier Province (some call it KP now) of Pakistan. The town was founded in 1822 , along with the famous 'Harkishangarh Fort' by the able and strong Sikh general Hari Singh Nalwa. Nalwa had been appointed to control and bring order to the turbulent Hazara region, by order of the Sikh Darbar (court) of Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Lahore.

By establishing a strong fort and garrison at this location in lower Hazara, and by setting up a rich and prosperous market town (mostly famous for its grain, fruits and vegetables) Nalwa was eventually not only able to control this area but also monitor and check activities in upper Hazara, and to pacify most of this region. In this process, he also gave Hazara a valuable new town, which went on to become its capital and remain thus, until 1853 when after British annexation (1849) Major James Abbott shifted the seat of local administration up to the new Abbottabad town founded by him.

Haripur used to have a number of old bazaars and 'mohallas' (neighborhoods) around the massive Harkishangarh Fort,  with their mosques, temples, Sikh 'gurdwaras' and so on. Most of these were, sadly, over the years since 1947 (Partition of British India and Independence of Pakistan) , were slowly destroyed to be replaced by new shopping markets of modern outlook. Some buildings and old sites from that time are surviving but in poor condition. Many of these are occupied illegally by 'qabza groups' (land-grabbing gangs) or forcefully taken over by supporters of big political persons and parties. So, by and large, nothing much now survives of the rich and beautiful past of Haripur. Only, here and there, we can see glimpses of that lost glory, in some 'haveli' which is gradually falling down; or in a doorway or arch or such structure, telling us some story of by-gone days-- for how long, I wonder.

It's no doubt a good idea to try to record and preserve at least what is left by photos and these accounts, since we can't save these sites themselves. Our federal and provincial governments have time and money for expensive foreign tours, for special allowances and perks for MNAs and MPs, for all sorts of wasteful expenditure, like the recent bakery bill of NWFP (KP) Chief Minister of Rs 4-5 lakhs (400, 000 or 500, 000 rupees) . Why worry about falling old buildings and temples, when you can have delicious cakes and pastries?

         Surviving doorway of an old and partially destroyed 'haveli' building 

Residence of former Dir Nawabs, in Dir, NWFP (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Pakistan

by Shirin Dil Khan

The Nawabs of Dir belong to the Akhun Khel family, who claim to have established their state in the mid-17th century, or possibly somewhat later.

Historically, there is little evidence of this family's existence before the 1870s and they seem to have concocted much 'old history' recently. Their residence, or 'Dir Nawab Fort' , is situated in the center of Dir town, in NWFP (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province now) in Pakistan. It was a small state, and mostly over-shadowed by its larger neighbors Swat and Chitral, historically. Its first prominent ruler, who came into contact with the British, was Muhammad Shareef Khan, Khan of Dir from 1884 to 1904, who was originally styled 'Khan' but later on, in 1897, due to his loyalty to the British during the Frontier Uprising, was given the title of 'Nawab'. After him, the 4th and last Nawab of Dir was Shahjahan Khan, and Dir state was formally abolished and became part of Pakistan in 1969.

The former Nawab's residence or fort, is a long rambling building, enclosing several compounds, outhouses, watchtowers and big and small lawns and gardens, within a walled enclosure. It was mostly renovated and reconstructed in its present form, in around the 1920s, or 1930s. It is still owned by the Dir ex-Nawabi family, although sadly they seem not to have taken too much interest in it.

                                Online sources, 2014--aerial view, Dir ex Nawabi fort/residence

Wali's Residence, Swat

(adapted from online sources)

Residence of the last Wali of Swat, Miangul Jahanzeb (1908-1987), is located in the heart of Saidu Sharif town, Swat valley, North-West Pakistan.

This vast large building complex is the residence of the last Wali of Swat and his sons, completed sometime between 1935 and 1940. The building consists of the courtyard,houses,guest house and a vast lawn, with orchards and so on . Glimpses of European and Mughal architecture, mixed with native style, are seen in this eclectic building. It is still owned by the former Wali Swat family.


See also:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wali_of_Swat

                                     Wali's residence, Saidu Sharif, Swat, Pakistan 

Royal Fort, Chitral

Dr Iftikhar Malik

The Royal Fort of Chitral, is situated in Chitral, NWFP/KP, Pakistan. It used to be the main seat of the former 'Mehtars' or 'Rajas' (rulers) of the ex-princely state of Chitral. They belonged to the Kator or Katur Dynasty, who ruled there since the 1560s.

The Royal Fort in Chitral has a commanding position on the Chitral River. It is believed to have been built in the 1560s and was restored in 1774 and 1911, respectively. It is still owned by the descendants of the former Chitral royal family and they live there when in their native area. One can only enter it with permission from the owners. A mosque, the 'Shahi Masjid' (Royal Mosque) is also adjacent to the Fort, and was built by one of the rulers, Shuja ul Mulk,  in the 1930s. He is buried in a coner of the mosque.

The ex royal family of Chitral also own a Summer palace, or lodge,  at a place called Birmoghlasht, on top of a mountain looking down from 9000 feet unto Chitral town and fort below.

    

                                 Chitral Fort, front view, online photo source, 2014 

Sethi House(s) in Sethi Mohallah, Peshawar

by Ms Tasneem Ahmad (and also some material online)

Sethi 'Mohallah' is a street or neighborhood in the heart of the old walled city of Peshawar, Pakistan. The Mohallah contains seven houses (including main Sethi House a cultural heritage building) built by the Sethis. These unique houses are a blend of the art and architecture of Gandhara and Central Asia, are rare architectural masterpieces located in the walled city.The first was built by Haji Ahmed Gul Sethi in 1882.

The Sethis were traders/businessmen who had businesses in China, India, Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia, with trade centres at Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif, Tashkent, Bukhara, Samarkand and other cities in the Asian region.

The downfall of the Sethis began during the Russian Revolution in 1917, when their businesses experienced setbacks from which they never recovered, forcing them to leave Central Asia and return to Peshawar.

The Sethi homes in Peshawar were designed with inspiration from the vernacular architecture of Bukhara. Two neatly decorated tehkhanas (basement rooms), a balakhana (upper storey), dalaans (big halls), chinikhanas (rooms where decoration and art pieces are displayed on chimneypieces) and fountains can be found in each house. The ceilings are painted and the walls are decorated with mirror work. One of the houses has been purchased by the NWFP Government, this house has two portions, one for men and one for women. The overall structure is a combination of brick and woodwork embellished with carved wooden doors and balconies. Painted and mirrored atriums provide fresh air and attractive views, while the main entrances are made of superbly carved wood.

It has 12 rooms and four basements and includes a fountain. Colourful glass ceilings with geometrical designs, woodwork with engravings of various splendid designs on walls, a big resting place, made of wood and called Takht-e-Sulaimani, to take sunshine in winter, beautiful ventilators, slanting window-shades, wooden wall cupboards, chimneys and red bricks stairs with projected wooden frames are some of the prominent features of the house.

                                       View, Sethi street/mohallah, Peshawar old city

Abbott House, at Abbottabad (supposed)

by Waheed-ud-din Khan

Abbottabad town in Hazara, NWFP/KPK, Pakistan, is a historical town dating from British colonial days. It was founded in January 1853 by Major James Abbott (born 1807-died 1896) who was first British Deputy Commissioner of the region. Today, Abbottabad is a big and flourishing town, with many benefits and problems, at the same time.

When Abbottabad town was first conceived by Major Abbott, he wished to set up a small cantonment type military garrison town with a small bazar and other facilities, in a cool and pleasing climate, so he chose the present town site. At the time when the contructions of the town first began, Abbott also made a small hill bungalow or cottage for himself, here. When this bungalow or cottage was completed, in January-February 1853, Abbott himself was not able to enjoy if for long, as he was posted to Bengal in April 1853 and had to bid farewell (in his famous poem) to the town he made.

This small 'Abbott Cottage' was in fact still in reasonable living condition in 1880s, and in an old record album preserved by the family of Major Fenton of Sikh Regiment, we can see a view of it (see below 1). According to the old Hazara District Gazetteer of 1883, as well as later editions, this cottage or house was built by Major Abbott somewhere near or upon Shimla Hill at the back of the Abbottabad cantonment (not to be confused with Simla in India) and it is not known who was occupying it then. This cottage or house was like many similar such houses built at that time in the 19th century, at Abbottabad.

However, quite later on, around the 1920s, a rather different type of house, bigger and more ornate, was shown and identified as 'Abbott House', situated close to the base of Shimla Hill, Abbottabad Cantonment--what was this? Was this in fact the same place and same house or cottage, expanded by some later occupant? The recent photo of the second so-called 'Abbott House' is also given below (See No 2). The surroundings dont seem to be the same and, certainly, the house is very different.

Some old residents of Abbottabad town who still remember anything, say that yes, this was the site where Abbott's actual small bungalow or cottage had once stood; and this had later been taken by some rich Sikhs, who lived here before 1947 and developed the property and expanded the house, adding new blocks and rooms and designs, inside and outside, over time. Some historians also agree with this, they say that the present house or building doesnt seem to be older than 1920s.

However, there are also some people in Abbottabad, including the local MEO (Military Estate Office) and the present owners (Muslims) of this property, who insist this is 'the exact same Abbott House' which was built for himself by James Abbott some one hundred sixty years ago. They dont have any real evidence but who can say for sure? Both the arguments still exist and continue. The smaller, earlier house is today nowhere else to be seen in Abbottabad.

In any case, the supposed 'Abbott House' that we know, today, is also not in very good condition. It was damaged by fire and earthquakes and is in rather shabby and fragile condition. If this is really the old and real 'Abbott House' then the Abbottabad District Government must take steps to save this place as a heritage site. They have recently set up the Abbott Museum in the old town hall down in the bazar, but it may be better to relocate that museum to this place, on one side. There are a number of old buildings in Abbottabad from British times, which should be declared 'heritage sites' and preserved for posterity, as tourist attractions.


1. Original 'Abbot House'

2. Today's supposed 'Abbott House'

Sawhney Haveli, Nawanshehr

(Blog Report- IHMalik)


Near Abbottabad town, in NWFP (or Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province), Pakistan, is the small hamlet of Nawanshehr. This little hamlet was first inhabited by some aboriginal Hindu Tanolis and Gujjar peoples of ancient Hazara and later by some Punjabi Awan settlers. Till 18th century this was the position.

In the 18th century some Jadoon Pathans defeated the Gujjar, Tanoli and Awan peoples and took over control of Nawanshehr and Dhamtor areas and also the valley of Orash, where Abbottabad town now is located. From 18th century onwards, the main people in this area became Jadoons, however some Tanolis, Awans, Gujjars and other old Hindu people continued to live here, and later also some Sikhs settled here, during Sikh rule of Hazara district, till 1849.

In 1849, the British took over all Punjab from the defeated Sikhs and also Hazara district. The first Britisher DC (Deputy Commissioner/District Collector) was Major James Abbott, and in 1853 he made the town of Abbottabad named after him. This small town continued to grow and became an important town and cantonement military center, home of PIFFER (FF) and also 5 Goorkha Regiments. The British did a lot of development work here and the town bazar and also nearby suburbs grew and developed too, Nawanshehr was also one such area. It passed from just a small Jadoon hamlet, home to some illiterate Pathans, to a medium-sized urban township with many facilities and educated-minded religious class population. The Hindus of Nawanshehr were especially very prosperous and educated and owned most of the town's property, later after 1947 (Independence of Pakistan) most of these properties sadly became taken over by land grabbing 'mafias' and criminals. One such very rare and beautiful property was the old family 'haveli' (mansion) of a famous Hindu Sawhney family.

The Sawhney family were very prominent and famous Hindu Khatris, of Hazara district and very rich and owned almost 1/3rd of Nawanshehr township and also some properties in nearby main Abbottabad town. Original ancestor of Sawhneys was Lala Ram Das, who settled here around 1825 and started a small greocery business, also lending money to Jadoons farmers of the area. One member of this family also had a big coal business supplying the British Army units from Chakwal area of Punjab. Later, the family made a big fortune and a big name, and one Sawhney was late Rai-Bahadur Tirath Ram Shah, MBE, he was head of the Nawanshehr township municipal committee and mayor, and he obtained a big timber business in Hazara area and also other businesses, and was very successful. He was later also made a provincial 'Durbari' by the British Government and given the MBE award, he was one of the top 2-3 Hindu leaders of all Hazara area. Rai-Bahadur made a home in Nawanshehr location but this was probably small as he had a large family and after his death, his son Rai-Bahadur Ishar Das, made a proper and impressive 'haveli' mansion here in probably 1902-1905. This was known far and wide as 'Babu Ishar Das haveli' or 'Sawhney haveli'.

Rai-Bahadur 'Babu' Ishar Das, MA, BA, LLB, was the most famous son of RB Tirath Ram Shah, and the head of Sawhney family in Hazara region. He was a highly educated and learned man, and also a big and sucessful businessman. Indeed, he was the founder and original majority shares owner of the old Premier Sugar Mills, in Mardan, NWFP,  later taken over by local Muslims. He remained Honorary Magistrate,  Honorary Secretary Nawanshehr town committee, and a district and provincial 'Durbari' and received in 1922 the 'Kaiser i Hind' medal for his role in helping to raise funds from this area for the World War 1. Rai-Bahadur Ishar Das was also an enlightened and liberal man and he also helped finance the old ruined Arya Samaj temple in that place and also made contributions to renovating the Arya Samaj mandir (temple) in main Abbottabad town bazar, and surprisingly also for the renovation of Ilyas Masjid (mosque) in Nawanshehr.

Sawhney 'haveli' or 'Ishar Das haveli' was a very beautiful and impressive building at that time, it was the center piece of Nawanshehr and people used to come from many places to visit and see it. It was made in a beautiful and fine manner, with artists and artisans coming from Peshawar and also Kashmir, to do special work in it, in stone and wood.  It was the home of cultured and civilised people.

Yet, what happened to this fine place after Pakistan came into being? Initially, while Babu Isher Das lived, he used to visit Pakistan from India and things werent too bad, but after his death, they sank to abysmal levels. The house fell into a bad state and began to fall apart, no one cared or loved it anymore. It was then taken over by a 'qabza group' and is today the building of a third-rate school 'Orash Public School'. Who us running it? Why does not the NWFP/KP government heritage department look after it? One by one, in Abbottabad, Nawanshehr and environs, all unique old British, Sikh and Hindu properties have fallen victim to greedy people. This trend goes on today without check.

                   Entrance to the Sawhney/Ishar Das haveli in Nawanshehr, near Abbottabad
                   (c) 'Environmentalist'  at Abbottabad Pakistan site, March 2007 , with thanks

Talokar Old Bangla (Bungalow), Hazara

by Dr Iftikhar Malik


Talokar village, near Haripur town, Hazara, NWFP (now KP) in North-West Pakistan, is a historical place.

Founded by Hindu Talokar Jatts, around the 15-16th century it became part of a 'Jageer' estate granted by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (ruled 1628-1658) to Sardar (Chief) Bustan Khan Tarin who migrated here with around 300 clan people from Afghanistan, in 1629-1630.Talokar was thus occupied by these new Afghan/Pashtun settlers. One later chief Sardar Bahadur Khan Tarin joined the Afghan forces of King Ahmad Shah (Durrani) which fought and defeated the Marhattas at Third Battle of Panipat in 1761, and after this, the Sardar was granted official honours and appointed administrator or 'hakim' of lower Hazara (Maidan Hazara). In 1765, Bahadur Khan met an Englishman called Mr Montague, who visited from Lahore as an early traveler. In his MS at a UK archive or library, Montague mentions visiting the 'haveli' mansion of Bahadur Khan at Talokar in that year.

The old 'haveli' of Bahadur Khan is, alas, no more. It was badly burnt and damaged by Sikh attacks later and only a small part of it survived. This was incorporated into a new 'bangla' (bungalow) house made at the location, by another later Tarin chief Muhammad Habib Khan in 1881-1882. Habib Khan served as a cavalry officer (Risaldar) in the British Army and retired in 1864. A person of 'modern' tastes, he was fond of Urdu poetry and 'ghazal' songs/music, had lived long in Bengal, Bihar and Oudh, and developed sophisticated habits unlike most of the savage and ignorant Hazarawal tribal chiefs. On retirement, he built an open, Bengali style house where the old family 'haveli' had stood. This building was made of sun-baked bricks, with deep verandahs around two courtyards, on a three-level single-storey plan. Some mention of this is given in records/letters by NG Waterfield (ex Commissioner of Peshawar Division) dating to 1882. This 'bangla' was later expanded in 1905 by a son of Habib Khan, Abdul Majeed Khan, OBE (1877-1939), into its present existing form, as he also added some additional property inherited from his mother, into this compound.

A government officer during British times , Abdul Majeed Khan served as a magistrate and retired in 1934. He became one of the first Hazara leaders to join the All India Muslim League, and in 1936 was elected to the NWFP Legislative Assembly. Abdul Majeed Khan was specially noted for his strong views, advising the senior central leadership (including Quaid i Azam M.A. Jinnah, in a letter dated April 1939) to maintain autonomous Muslim states or zones within a larger Indian Federation, along a USA-model; he believed this would have long term benefits for Muslims and they could also thus avoid clashes with Hindus, Sikhs and other Indian subcontinent communities. However this plan was never followed and in March 1940, the Lahore Resolution called for an 'autonomous' Muslim state, later modified in 1946 to a demand for a separate country altogether. In 1947 Pakistan came into being. Abdul Majeed Khan died in June 1939.

Since then, the offspring of Abdul Majeed Khan have lived in the present  'bangla' at village Talokar, so its at least somewhat preserved. One brother of this leader, was also famous, Jemadar Abdul Latif Khan, who died in Iraq (then called Mesopotamia) in 1916, during World War 1, and got a bravery medal. Another relative who died in World War 1 was Sepoy Sikandar Khan, who lies buried in a Muslim cemetery in UK. Abdul Majeed Khan's had three sons, of which eldest was late His Excellency Ambassador Saleem Khan, who died in 1957. He was a senior Pakistani diplomat who served at various places like Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Japan, UK etc. The wife of Ambassador Khan was the well-known Pakistani lady social worker and ex-minister, Begum Mahmooda Saleem. Other members of this gifted family have also been notable, at various levels, in various fields. Noted Pakistani poet and scholar Omar Tarin, is also related to this family.

According to one historian of Haripur area, this old 'Talokar bangla has produced many famous people, its a true landmark of the area'. This building has now stood here for more than 130 years on the site of an older building which had stood here at least 250 years ago. Who knows what its future will bring? Let's hope the noble traditions of this house will continue to shine.

                               (c) View interior, Talokar 'bangla' , 2014



NB: I am grateful for assistance and historical material to family of late HE Abdus Saleem Khan, family of late Abdul Hameed Khan,  staff at records section at NWFP/KPK Archives and Records department, Peshawar, and also the Punjab Archives staff, Civil Secretariat, Lahore. 

Haveli of Raja Jahandad Khan (Khanpur, Hazara, NWFP)

by Salman Rashid


Even from a distance one is impressed by the grandeur of the chunky building with one tower rising above what seems to be a vaulted car porch. To match, it has a picturesque setting: smack on the shores of the blue-green Khanpur Lake in the midst of lush rolling hills not far from the village of Khanpur on the highroad from Taxila to Haripur.

Raja Jahandad Khan Gakkhar, who receives honourable mention in the Gazetteer of Hazara district , built this haveli back in 1875. He was a scion of the old and respected Gakkhar tribe, one of their head families settled at Khanpur since Mughal times. Then there was no lake; only the winding Haro river, copper-red during the rains, azure otherwise, would have complemented the scene. The lake came about thirty years ago when the river was dammed to store the water supply for Rawalpindi and Islamabad. If anything, it added to the picture postcard quality of the house.

On the far side of the high, arched entrance of the car porch a rickety wooden gate led into the courtyard. I looked in diffidently, not knowing if I would be allowed to enter the building. Apparently the servants were used to strangers poking about for I was invited in by the man and his wife; and, yes, I could look around all I wanted.

In the traditional vernacular style of construction, the courtyard was U-shaped with a paved patio in the middle and pillared verandahs fronting the rooms on the sides. At the end of the patio an unkempt, overgrown garden stretched to a crumbling boundary wall. Beyond lay the placid surface of the lake. From the verandah doors with stained glass led into spacious rooms, most of them roofless. Debris covered the colourful mosaic floors. Grass grew wild within the four walls. In one room there was even a young mulberry tree. Just below the level of the roof was a line of frescoes; and above it the rectangle of blue sky. The last coat of yellow wash on the exterior must have been laid many years ago when the owners still lived here – or at least visited every weekend. Now in many places it was peeling to show an older deep red wash underneath. The stained glass was missing in many places.

The caretaker said there were some rooms on the first floor where the roof was still intact. But I was dissuaded from going upstairs for the staircase, he said, was teeming with wasps. The basement was similarly choked with debris. Everywhere were signs of abandonment; assertive, unabashed, absolute abandonment. As if someone vehemently wished to break that connection with the past that this haveli represented. It was an act so wanton and sorrowful that I, without any affiliation with the mansion or the family who owned it, felt affected by the aggressiveness of the act.

In the back was an equally beautiful and similarly derelict zenankhana – the Ladies Quarters. Next to it a modern appendage grew like an ugly wart. The caretaker asked if I wished to see the modern house from inside. I declined: there would be no stained glass, cut brick, mosaic floors or frescoes to marvel at; it would only have all those accouterments that any modern house has. And of those I have seen plenty.

In neighbouring India mansions such as this were being meticulously preserved and turned into hotels that make money. And here we are allowing them to go to pot. Situated as it is on the shores of a lovely lake, this haveli holds the promise of being whatever it is not allowed to be. For one, it could be a first class lakeside honeymoon lodge where guests could relive the splendour of the past. But sadly, this old haveli is now almost a fallen ruin.

  

                (c) copyright Mr Salman Rashid, 2014  

Shergarh Fort

by Salman Rashid

Under the placid waters of the lake formed by the damming of the Indus River at Tarbela, there repose, among others, the water-logged remains of two old settlements. The one called Amb on the west bank and the other Darband on the east. It was from Darband that the chief of Amb , head of  the Tanoli tribe, ruled over a sizable fiefdom that spread partly along the west bank of the Sindhu (Indus River) and largely on the east side. The area east of the river partially falling in Mansehra and Haripur districts of NWFP, being known as Tanaval, the tribe favours the cognomen of Tanaoli/Tanavli for itself.

Their own history, fawning and full of flaws and misrepresentations (not unsurprisingly written by a Tanoli), makes them conflictingly either Pukhtuns from the vicinity of Ghazni or Turks of the Barlas sub-clan. Painting the family in the most gloriously exaggerated of martial colours, this document brings the Tanaoli tribe to the trans-Sindhu territories about four hundred years ago.The family, it is recorded named the region they settled in after Tanal, supposedly a mountain pass between Kabul and Ghazni. Interestingly, all of the several maps (both modern and from the 19th century) consulted for confirmation of the existence of this pass turned up blanks, no such pass exists in Afghanistan. It consequently appears that the name Tanaval pre-dated the arrival of this tribe and that they simply took the name from the area.

The Gazetteer of the Hazara District-1883, looks upon the Tanolis as a peaceable and industrious agricultural lot. It also says that they make ‘fair soldiers.’ The extensive Glossary of Tribes, Castes and Clans of Ibbestson, Maclagan and Rose while agreeing with the Gazetteer regarding the Tanolis’ habits, makes them neither Pukhtun nor Turk, but Aryans of Indian stock and Olaf Caroe (The Pathans), similarly places them unequivocally outside the Pukhtun circle.

Be that as it may, there is no reason to doubt that the Tanolis have held the area of Tanaval for a long time. Their seat of power was at Darband on the east bank of the Sindhu, but with the growth of Sikh power under Maharaja Ranjit Singh and their far-ranging sallies, the seat was moved to Amb to use the river as a barrier. Although there are no 19th century or earlier travellers’ accounts of Darband and Amb, the Tanolis tell tales of two fairly impressive little towns.

In June 1841 when the Tanolis under Mir Painda Khan were fighting against the Sikhs under Arbel Singh, a mighty flood swept down the Sindhu River. While it obliterated a Sikh encampment near the fort of Attock, it also washed away both Amb and Darband. This was on the second day of June and nearly two decades later Henry Haversham Godwin-Austen was to confirm that the Biafo Glacier in Baltistan having extended itself across the Braldu River (that emanates from the Baltoro Glacier), had dammed up the river creating a small lake. When the dam burst, a huge wall of water went roaring down the gorge of the Sindhu destroying everything that stood in its way.

Evidently the revenue of Amb was sizeable for shortly after this cataclysm, both the destroyed towns were rebuilt. Little did he known that in a hundred and thirty years these towns would again be laid low by the filling up of the Tarbela reservoir. But back then, with the advent of British influence, the Nawabs were quick to learn modern ways. One of these was to build a summer getaway. It is not hard to imagine that one midsummer a passing British bigwig entertained by (then) Nawab Akram Khan commented on the stifling heat of Darband. Smack on the river bank and at a height of no more than five hundred metres above the sea, it would indeed have been a rather muggy sort of place.

The spot for the appropriate summer retreat was quickly pinpointed: outside the little village of Shergarh on one of the byways leading from Darband to the Kashmir highlands. Here at a height of about 1600 metres above the sea, in a rolling landscape amid fine stands of blue pine, was an old fort (dating back to 1840s) where the Tanolis kept a small garrison. This fort, so ordained Nawab Akram Khan, was to be reordered into a residential fort-cum-palace. The Amb family maintains no records of expenditure, architects, masons, time of beginning and completion of this project or any other detail. However general estimates claim this work was started sometimes around 1900 or 1901.

In one of the rooms, however, a broken marble plaque records another similar but later construction project. In nastaliq script it mentions in Urdu the name of the ‘Builder and Supervisor,’ as Rahim Baksh Overseer Gujrati. The bottom line records the commencement of the project in 1935, but for some strange reason the year of completion is completed obliterated as if on purpose. Nawabzada Jehangir Khan, the present custodian of this place, says the elders used to mention one Rahim Baksh Bhatti as a builder long associated with the family. He does not know however where the plaque was actually installed.

The year 1935 was the advent of the reign of the last chief of Amb, Nawab Sir Farid Khan. The broken plaque therefore refers to some work undertaken on his orders. Though the family is not certain, it appears that the portion known as the Raees Khana or hostel for the Nawab’s guests and above it the 'dera' where he entertained them was constructed at this time. Nawab Sir Farid Khan ruled until 1969 when the country’s princely states were abolished. The revenue and judicial system of Amb was amalgamated with the State of Pakistan. The family was only permitted to retain their properties but all titles, priviliges etc were formally abolished.

(c) Photo, copyright to Mr Salman Rashid 2014