Year After Royal Begum’s Passing, Sheesh Mahal Transferred to Panjab Govt.

Begum Munawwar-ul-Nisa, the last heir of Malerkotla’s royal family, passed away on 27 Oct 2023 at the age of 103 without naming a legal successor, leading to the transfer of the historic Sheesh Mahal (glass palace aka Mubarak Manzil Mahal) to the Panjab govt. The Sheesh Mahal, built in 1845 by Maharaja Narinder Singh of Patiala, is in a state of disrepair. Residents have been urging the govt. to adopt and restore the palace as a heritage monument under the Department of Culture and Heritage. The administration had initiated the process to transfer her wealth, including the Sheesh Mahal and a fixed deposit of $146K, to the Panjab govt., with a meeting scheduled on 5 Nov to discuss the procedure. Begum Nisa, who had no children, had previously handed over the palace to the govt. in Jan 2021 during former CM Amarinder Singh’s govt., expressing her wish to see it restored to its former glory before her death. She was allowed to live out her life in the palace. The palace holds significant historical importance, as Begum Nisa was the successor of Nawab Sher Mohammad Khan, who protested against the execution of Guru Gobind Singh’s younger sons in 1705. The Sheesh Mahal, covering 32,400 sq ft, reflects a blend of Mughal elegance and Panjabi aesthetics, featuring arched entrances, ornate balconies, and elegant cylindrical columns. Despite its historical value, Begum Nisa had been living in poverty for many years, with valuables from the palace being sold off over time. In one of her last interviews, she stated ‘my motive behind handing over the palace to the govt. was that I wanted it to be brought back to the condition it was during our ancestors.