Scholars Preserve Sikh-Era Heritage in Lahore and both Panjabs

In the West-Panjab, US-based scholar Dr Tarunjit Singh Butalia is working with the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) to document Lahore Fort’s Sikh-era heritage and produce a guide book. He has identified about 100 monuments dating from the Sikh Empire (1799–1849), though around 30 have vanished. The fort served as the power base for Sikh rulers from Maharaja Ranjit Singh to Maharaja Sher Singh until the British took over in 1849. Butalia’s interest arises partly from family connections within the Sikh court. He discovered multiple maps and sketches dating to 1825, indicating the fort was sometimes known as Qila Mubarak (Celebration Fort). Noting that local guides portrayed the Sikh era negatively, Butalia aims to present a balanced historical account. The guide book will map known monuments, list their names, and propose a tour route beginning and ending at the Bastion Café. WCLA officials plan to train their tour guides on this new perspective, preserving a crucial piece of Sikh heritage. In Kallar Syedan, near Islamabad, lies the crumbling Khem Singh Bedi Mahal, built in 1860. Once part of a government boys’ high school, this three-story palace’s arched verandas, vibrant frescoes, and grand courtyard are deteriorating from neglect. Its wooden roof has collapsed and exquisite artwork is fading due to minimal upkeep. The palace once boasted stables and a guesthouse, both of which have now vanished. Its original owner, Baba Khem Singh Bedi, was a prominent Sikh figure associated with the British. Locals lament that classwork has shifted to newer blocks since 1989, leaving the heritage building abandoned. Many locals now urge authorities to restore its decaying splendor. In East Panjab, the restoration of the historic Jahaz Haveli (Ship Mansion) began on 23 Feb in Fatehgarh Sahib with Panjab Member of Legislative Assembly Tarunpreet Singh Sond inaugurating the work. Diwan Todar Mall Virasti Foundation leads the effort.