(Rawalpindi, news report, from daily the ''Dawn'' 6th February 2014, by Aamir Yasin, reproduced with thanks)
The majestic 124-year-old Haveli Sujan Singh (or 'Soojan Singh') , used by the Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU), will soon be renovated by the National College of Arts (NCA).
The NCA and FJWU have entered an agreement under which the former will preserve the building and hand it back to the university after three years.
The college will use this opportunity to establish a ‘field school’ for students learning techniques and methods of historic preservation with the cooperation of Boston Architectural College (BAC), USA.
The two-storey haveli, once the residence of renowned local political figure and philanthropist Sardar Sujan/Soojan Singh, is located in the narrow streets of Bhabhra Bazaar. It was constructed in 1890 and is a fine specimen of brick masonry with a front verandah facing the street.The wooden door, carved with animal and floral motifs, opens into an entrance hall connected with an inner verandah. The building used to have majestic woodwork over the doors and windows. Its floors used to be covered with English tiles while Victorian furniture and Chinese silverware adorned the rooms.
The building shows the implicit faith that Hindu and Sikh communities had in their workmen, including their eye for detail in crafting intricate patterns and skill in carving mythological stories on doors while keeping in line with their traditions.
Apart from his private palace, Sujan Singh’s family also endowed huge amount of money for public welfare projects and built public areas for civic engagements.
“They were singularly responsible for the beatification of Rawalpindi city in the 19th and 20th century. The family built a beautiful garden, popularly remembered as Bagh Sardaraan (the garden of Sardars) which was stretched over acres with lawns, trees, plants, birds and animals,” said NCA Director Nadeem Omar .
A temple, a marriage house and Hardit Singh Library and Museum were also housed there for public use.
In addition, Sujan Singh built the entrance to Saddar Bazaar, known as Massey Gate in the memory of Brig. Gen. Massey, at a cost of Rs200,000.
This arch was demolished in 1920s for widening the road, but the market lasted till the 1970s.
In addition, Sujan Singh and his uncle Kirpal Singh founded Lansdowne Institute at Rawalpindi in the 1890s. The institute’s building on the Mall provided accommodation for theatricals, concerts and dance.
However, after partition in 1947, the building fell victim to the anger of local residents against the Sikhs and Hindus. The government also settled Kashmiri refugees in the haveli who destroyed the artistic woodwork before being evacuated later in 1980.
There were rumours that the building would be handed over to scientist A.Q. Khan for establishing a science college for women, but the plan never materialised. Later, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, the ex-federal minister from Rawalpindi, announced that the building would be converted into a campus for FJWU, and its custody was handed over to the university.
FJWU considered starting a school of culture, heritage, architecture and designs for women, but the plan was never put into action. Finally, NCA Rawalpindi campus took over the building in January 2014 and decided to build a field school and a museum there. So, finally, is there some hope for this historic old haveli fallen on bad times?
(c) Soojan/Sujan Singh haveli, Rawalpindi, thanks to Sikh chic site 2014
The majestic 124-year-old Haveli Sujan Singh (or 'Soojan Singh') , used by the Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU), will soon be renovated by the National College of Arts (NCA).
The NCA and FJWU have entered an agreement under which the former will preserve the building and hand it back to the university after three years.
The college will use this opportunity to establish a ‘field school’ for students learning techniques and methods of historic preservation with the cooperation of Boston Architectural College (BAC), USA.
The two-storey haveli, once the residence of renowned local political figure and philanthropist Sardar Sujan/Soojan Singh, is located in the narrow streets of Bhabhra Bazaar. It was constructed in 1890 and is a fine specimen of brick masonry with a front verandah facing the street.The wooden door, carved with animal and floral motifs, opens into an entrance hall connected with an inner verandah. The building used to have majestic woodwork over the doors and windows. Its floors used to be covered with English tiles while Victorian furniture and Chinese silverware adorned the rooms.
The building shows the implicit faith that Hindu and Sikh communities had in their workmen, including their eye for detail in crafting intricate patterns and skill in carving mythological stories on doors while keeping in line with their traditions.
Apart from his private palace, Sujan Singh’s family also endowed huge amount of money for public welfare projects and built public areas for civic engagements.
“They were singularly responsible for the beatification of Rawalpindi city in the 19th and 20th century. The family built a beautiful garden, popularly remembered as Bagh Sardaraan (the garden of Sardars) which was stretched over acres with lawns, trees, plants, birds and animals,” said NCA Director Nadeem Omar .
A temple, a marriage house and Hardit Singh Library and Museum were also housed there for public use.
In addition, Sujan Singh built the entrance to Saddar Bazaar, known as Massey Gate in the memory of Brig. Gen. Massey, at a cost of Rs200,000.
This arch was demolished in 1920s for widening the road, but the market lasted till the 1970s.
In addition, Sujan Singh and his uncle Kirpal Singh founded Lansdowne Institute at Rawalpindi in the 1890s. The institute’s building on the Mall provided accommodation for theatricals, concerts and dance.
However, after partition in 1947, the building fell victim to the anger of local residents against the Sikhs and Hindus. The government also settled Kashmiri refugees in the haveli who destroyed the artistic woodwork before being evacuated later in 1980.
There were rumours that the building would be handed over to scientist A.Q. Khan for establishing a science college for women, but the plan never materialised. Later, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, the ex-federal minister from Rawalpindi, announced that the building would be converted into a campus for FJWU, and its custody was handed over to the university.
FJWU considered starting a school of culture, heritage, architecture and designs for women, but the plan was never put into action. Finally, NCA Rawalpindi campus took over the building in January 2014 and decided to build a field school and a museum there. So, finally, is there some hope for this historic old haveli fallen on bad times?
(c) Soojan/Sujan Singh haveli, Rawalpindi, thanks to Sikh chic site 2014
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