By Harbakhsh Grewal on March 9, 2010
Last November here in Britain the annual remembrance took place of the country’s war dead. Up and down the country on Remembrance Sunday services are held to remember those who have given their lives in the two world wars and many other wars since then, including the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. And this week the Commonwealth war dead were remembered at a special ceremony in London.
It was attended by former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher amongst other dignitaries and representatives of former colonies and British ethnic minorities including the UK Sikh community as well as veterans and serving military. Continue reading “Empire’s efforts: Recognising the Commonwealth’s contribution”
Posted in blog, Cultural | Tagged Remembrance, Sikh, UK, World Wars
By hema on February 19, 2010
Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque) is a well -known and historic mosque in Lahore from the Mughal era. Located near the Alamgiri Gate, the main entrance to the Lahore fort on the western side and very close to the other splendid structures of Lahore fort, such as the Shish Mahal and Naulakha Pavilion.
Moti in Urdu means pearl. It was customary among the Mughals to use generic names of gemstones to name mosques. Continue reading “Lahore’s Moti Masjid speaks the language of History”
Posted in Architectural | Tagged Lahore, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Mughals, Nur-ud-Din Jahangir
By hema on February 19, 2010
When the British conquered Lahore in 1849, Lord Dalhousie, the Governor General, declared that he would educate the “wild illiterate Punjabis” in a new system of Anglo-Vernacular education. When they started the East India Company Board was shocked by what already existed.
The board was amazed to find that the literacy rate in Lahore and its suburbs was over 80 per cent, and this was qualified by the description that this 80 per cent comprised of people who could write a letter. Continue reading “When the ‘Wild’ proved more educated”
Posted in Cultural, Punjabi Social History | Tagged Dalhousie, East India Company Board, Lahore, Ranjit Singh
By admin on February 3, 2010
Lahore is the capital of Punjab, the most populated province of Pakistan, and is known as one of the ancient cities in South Asia with its rich historical and cultural heritage.
The early history of the city is cloaked in obscurity and it is pretty difficult to establish exact date of its foundation. It was a town of not much importance in the first and second century of Christian era and was ruled by Rajput princes. In the eighth and ninth century, it became the capital of a powerful Brahman family, who, in the tenth century, were invaded by Sabuktagin and his son Mahmud Ghaznivide. For the next eight centuries, Lahore was ruled by different Muslim dynasties and served as the capital of Ghaznivides, Ghorians, and Mughals from time to time. At the onset of the 19th century, the Sikhs ascended to the throne of Punjab and Lahore was made the seat of government. Shortly after the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1839, the British defeated the Sikhs and took over their domains. It served as the capital of the undivided province of Punjab until 1947 under the British rule and after independence, it became the capital of the province of Punjab in Pakistan. Continue reading “Lahore and its historic Gates”
Posted in Architectural | Tagged gates, Lahore, old city
By admin on February 1, 2010
Bradlaugh Hall, where one of South Asia’s most influential revolutionaries – Bhagat Singh – once studied is, today, the focus of a campaign to not only rescue it from disrepair but to rename it and other landmarks of Lahore after him. Named after the social reformist and radical member of British parliament Charles Bradlaugh, the college was built on October 30, 1900, to provide secondary higher education to students from all walks of life. In the decades following Partition, the institute has had its share of turmoil, according to residents of Rattigan Road who briefly recounted its history to Daily Times. Shortly after 1947 Bradlaugh Hall was used to store foodstuffs; it then found life as a steel mill up until the 1980s, when it reopened as a technical education centre, the Milli Technical Education Institute. Continue reading “Bhagat Singh’s alma mater: decaying but not forgotten”
Posted in Architectural | Tagged bhagat singh, Lahore, Pakistan
By admin on January 30, 2010
Shiny marble tiles have replaced the century-old brick-made floor and stairs of the historic Islamia College which is being renovated and repaired.
Besides the main building of the college established in 1913, the repair and renovation of the domes of Islamia College mosque is also in progress with conservationists fearing it is tantamount to damaging the originality.
Almost all the floors, stairs and border of main building have been renovated by placing marble slabs replacing the decades-old Waziri bricks. Moreover, the original design of the stairs has been changed. Though the wooden floor of Roos-Keppel Hall has not been replaced but being polished and walls repaired in its original brick shape. Continue reading “Islamia College being renovated flouting conservation principles”
Posted in Architectural | Tagged Lahore, Maharani, Pakistan, Ranjit Singh, Sikh
By Amandeep Madra on January 29, 2010
In 2005 we reported on the sad state of Manauli fort. A recent article in The Tribune by Rajmeet Singh reports that at last the Mohali district administration has paved the way for preservation of the historical Manauli fort.
Located few kilometers from Mohali, the Mughal fort had been decaying for lack of preservation. After acquiring the land of the fort, the possession of the fort has been handed over to the State Department of Cultural Affairs, Archeology and Museum.
Officials of the district administration today visited the site to ascertain the security of the site. Continue reading “Nawab Kapur Singh’s fort crumbles while beaurocrats wrangle”
Posted in Architectural | Tagged conservation, destruction, Kapur Singh, Manauli, Sikh
By admin on January 28, 2010
The samadhi of Bhai Vastiram, a minister in the court of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, lies in ruins reports Pakistan’s Daily Times. Located behind the Lahore Fort, the samadhi was attacked in a senseless act of revenge when the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya was demolished. Scavengers have since been chipping away at the monument, stealing chunks of priceless marble and selling them on.
Posted in Architectural | Tagged conservation, destruction, Lahore, Pakistan, Ranjit Singh
By admin on January 22, 2010
Despite enjoying a lot of funds and working under the Evacuee Property Trust Board (EPTB), Diyal Singh Trust Library (DSTL) has still not started digitalising its collection of rare books, periodicals and manuscripts. However, due to its importance in history and its vast collection of books, the DSTL is tremendously popular among local as well as foreign visitors. Continue reading “Diyal Singh library’s rare books need urgent digitalising”
Posted in Cultural, Manuscripts | Tagged Diyal Singh majithia, Lahore, library
By Harbakhsh Grewal on January 18, 2010
As anyone who reads this site knows all too well, Punjab’s built heritage is in a woeful state and in need of serious attention to save it. The silver lining of this dark cloud however has been the work of Gurmeet S Rai and her team at Cultural Resource Conservation Initiative (CRCI) which has been trailblazing in the field of Indian and especially Punjabi heritage conservation and restoration since 1996.
If ever there was a body worthy of absolute admiration and of a good news story worth celebrating it is CRCI. Their newly launched re-vamped website http://www.crci.co.in/ does credit to them and their efforts, reflecting their professionalism and achievements in a comprehensive and visually attractive way. The lavish 2010 calendar from Sikh Point also highlights their works and is available now via Anglo Sikh Heritage Trail (see http://www.asht.info/news/1186/2010-sikhpointcom-calendar.html).
Continue reading “Punjab heritage calendar and new website celebrate CRCI’s conservation work”
Posted in Architectural, blog | Tagged conservation, CRCI, Gurmeet Rai, SGPC, UNESCO
