The Maharani, who used t of her treasure to construct the serai, would be today turning in her grave as well.
The dilapidated condition of the once majestic edifice is cause for concern. A major portion of the historic inn has already crumbled. The remaining is breaking apart, thanks to official apathy and the vagaries of nature. If preservation measures are not taken at the earliest, the serai’s splendour would soon slip into the long list of the city’s historic monuments which have already passed into oblivion due to utter neglect.
The serai was built in the late 18th century on the instructions of Maharani Aas Kaur, wife of Maharaja Sahib Singh. The Queen is said to have developed a philanthropic zeal in the twilight of her life. She found that visitors to the state who came from far and wide had no place to rest. At that time the Sanauri Adda side of the city, which today falls at the rear, used to be the main entrance to the Sirhindi Bazaar, a hub of trading activity.
The serai is a specimen of Sikh architecture which has few other examples left today. According to Capt R.S. Randhawa, Additional Deputy Commissioner and art connoisseur, the serai is basically a haveli is one of the beautiful examples of Sikh architecture which has few parallels in the form of brick masonry.{pagebreak}
Mr Randhawa claims that Sikh masons took cues from the Rajasthani architecture and also evolved their own designs. He said the subtle brick work, jharokhas and the uniquely designed parks in the haveli can compete with the world famous havelis of the Rajasthan.
A Conservation Department official wishing not to be quoted said that the department could not be held responsible for the decay of the building as the government has not declared the haveli to be a protected monument. A Supreme Court order says that all more than 100-year-old buildings should be declared protected monuments and conserved.
The building was in good condition two decades ago, say Brigadier Sukhdev Singh (retd) and Mr B.K. Kapoor, senior citizens of the city. They say that it is a pity that the government was not preserving our history by protecting such monuments. If conserved, the haveli can be developed into a tourism interest site.
While the SSP, Mr Harpreet Singh Sidhu, was not available for comments, police sources in the CIA said the haveli was given to the Police Department some time after Independence. The haveli, because of its fort-like structure, is ideal for interrogation of criminals. During terrorism days and even today, the mere mention to a criminal that he would be taken to the serai is enough to elicit information.
The police department has carried out some repairs in the inner portion. Some cops, however, conceded that the fear that the roofs and the walls would crumble suddenly over them is always there.
