Dating back to Sikh empire, researcher identifies 100 monuments at Lahore Fort

Lahore: A US-based researcher has identified some 100 monuments at the Lahore Fort from the era of the Sikh Empire (1799-1849) detailing its historical significance. Of them around 30 monuments do not exist today.

To provide a comprehensive understanding of Lahore Fort and its historical significance during the Sikh Empire, the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA), a government body, has engaged Dr Tarunjit Singh Butalia to write a tour guidebook — Lahore Fort during the Sikh Empire.

“The Lahore Fort, a sentimental monument deeply ingrained in the Sikh psyche, served as the seat of power for the Sikh Empire for nearly half a century. “It holds a special place in my heart, as my ancestors held esteemed positions within the Sikh court as per Umdat ut Tawarikh – the Persian records of the court,” Dr Butalia said. “It is very important for Sikhs in India to recognise that 1947 divided Sikh heritage and places of worship into two parts of the world. For a very long time, Sikhs in India were cut off from their historical sites in Pakistan,” he said.

Things have changed now with visa liberalisation and the presence of a large number of diaspora Sikhs settled in Western countries who are able to visit Pakistan, he said.

The Lahore Fort’s rich Mughal history, dating back to the 16th century when Emperor Akbar first constructed it, forms the cornerstone of its importance. Furthermore, the fort’s documented Sikh involvement for half a century adds another layer to its historical narrative.

The expansive Royal Lahore Fort, constructed upon a mud fort by Mughal Emperors Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb, was acquired by the Sikh Empire in 1799 and remained under their control until 1849 when the British Empire transformed it into an army garrison.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Maharaja Kharak Singh, Kanwar Naunihal Singh and Maharaja Sher Singh preserved many of the fort’s structures and constructed several new ones, including the Hazuri Bagh and its magnificent Baradari.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh also constructed the Gurdwara Dera Sahib, commemorating the site of the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru. His successors erected his ‘samadh’ adjacent to the gurdwara. “During my first visit in 2019 to Lahore from the US, I experienced a profound connection with the fort. At the Athdhara (pavilion), I could almost sense the footsteps of Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Ganda Singh Butalia. However, the experience was tinged with sadness, as I was surprised to discover that many of the narratives imparted by tour guides here were predominantly negative when discussing the Sikh era,” he said.

Dr Butalia said going through the records, it was revealed that during the Sikh era, the fort was referred to as Shahi Qila, with occasional instances of being designated as “Qila Mubarak”.