Piecing Together Old Bahawalpur

Extremely nice article.

Describes the atmosphere and the Bahawalpur Royal family very well.

Dear Aakar,

The residents of Aalap are doing splendidly. Thanks for asking. How`s your fambli doin?

As it has turned out... the residents of Aalap are visiting me far more frequently than I am able to make it to the famous nagri of `Aa te sha tujh haal, Surat sona ni murat`.

I was last there in Feb. Will try to make it back in one of these years!

Warden ni mare Abdullo!

the happy one

so when`re you returning home, ghaddar-e-watan?

and how`re the residents of alaap?

regards

aakar

Re: Aakar

(lol)

I think most of Wasiq`s beloved buildings were damaged when the poor hapless residents of Bhawalpur were hitting their heads against their walls while Hanif Chacha made merry at their expense!

An aside... did you know that neither Lara`s 501 * nor Hanif`s 499 * are even in the top 15 longest innings in first class cricket? I have seen Lara`s innings and he was hitting every single ball wherever he chose... it was obscene! Hanif`s must have been similar... maybe some of those sixes took out a few walls!

Ironically both Lara and Hanif do figure in the longest innings list for their respective highest test scores. I think Hanif played for 8 sessions for his 337.

dear Wasiq Nawaz Khan Khakwani

seeing the poor response to your babble, and knowing exactly how it feels to have three and a half people post messages for a well-written piece, i write this aapki shaan badhaney etc.

isn`t your hometown bahawalpur the same place as in the sentence: ``hanif mohammed scored 499 not out for karachi versus bahawalpur``?

if so, could you please accept my commiserations?

warm regards

aakar patel

Excellent article

Jaisalmer ... ``now In India``. Now? Where was it before?

Does anyone know how historic preservation is executed in Pakistan?

Temporal mentioned Jaiselmer and the Indian efforts to preserve the Hawelis. Its actually not at all under the purview of the RTDC (Rajasthan Tourism Development Board) as alluded to by T. When it comes to landmark preservation the ASI (Archeological Survey of India) is the governing body. The Ministry of Tourism obviously has some weight it can throw as to how the ASI resources are utilized. Then there are National endowment funds, which are funded primarily by public monies (eg: Rajiv`s controversial Heritage Trust).

Historic preservation is an extremely complicated process. Very often there are industries that are private or public that jeopardize historic structures like the industries in Agra that have been affecting the sheen of the marble of the Taj or the blast quarrying near the monuments of Champaner. A lot of ministries have to be leaned upon to bring everybody together. When landmarks are owned by private individuals, it brings into being an entirely new dimension to the process.

Having been involved with these processes in India I can tell you that a good way to get this thing going is as follows:

1.Organize the local architects/ art historians to form a lobby.

2.Generate buzz about the issue by a consolidated effort to popularize the issue through media and also give it prominence in the student bodies of various architecture and art programs in the country.

3.Once enough lobbying is done, start leaning on the various industry owners and ministries to move in the direction.

4.Approach corporate houses looking to project a greener image to sponsor the revitalization and preservation initiatives.

This is a tough and arduous process but it does work. Especially if you have the right people on your side. But what has worked brilliantly in India is the `Sheretonization` of the palaces and forts. The Maharajas sell or lease their palaces to big Hotel chains. Local building regulation authorities have already designated these buildings as historic landmarks so any improvement is typically regulated by preservation experts. The hotel groups have to conduct extensive improvements in order to compete and usually their desire to look great coupled with the institutional regulations create a pretty good preservation product. I don`t know if you have been to the Palace hotels in Jodhpur & Udaipur but they are excellent examples. In many cases the Maharaja actually is the franchisee and holds controlling interest in the venture.

Wasiq:

Didn`t realize you had seraiki roots(Noticed the last name for the first time).A very warm welcome. Thoroughly enjoyed your piece. Brought back memories of my own childhood in Bahawalpur. Human-drawn rickshaws, elaborate carriages sometimes with women handlers and sprawling stately homes. Considering the old money that is still resident in that enchanting city, I find it disturbing that there is no effort to preserve its architecture. Maybe the Cornell gentleman you mentioned can be prodded into doing the needful?

later

-sac

Dear Wasiq,

Very nice and informative article with a personal touch that makes you feel that events described here are your own experiences.

One of the regrets in my life are not visiting Bahawalpur. Well, I almost visited it, once. A friend of mine was doing his masters from the Islamia University Bahawalpur. He had invited my like upteenth time when I decided to visit him during one semester break. He received me at the Bahawalpur Railway Station and our car was cruising on a rural road when we hit a road block set up by Army. We were told to go back. When we asked why we cant go further we were told that ``Aagay aik faugi tiara crash ho gaya hay``.......

Welcome to Chowk. Yours is truly a well written piece. I`ve never visited Bahawalpur, and if I do, I`ll carry a copy of your article with me.

Rafay

Since I am into tangents these days, another
Bahawalpur story at:

http://www.jang-group.com/thenews/aug2000-daily/20-08-2000/oped/o7.htm

Ras

Wasiq:

Welcome to Chowk.

Good reminiscing piece. It is nice to see that you took a pause to reflect upon your past. And took us on this passionate though troublesome journey.

I did not know Bahawalpur State had a Navy? The stamps, ah yes, I should look in my treasure chest and see if I still have my old collection. The fez, with the black tassel, the full blown moustache of the Amir, the haunting look on the face!

I remember visiting one of the palaces as a child. My father took the whole family on an excursion. PWR used to run a special tourist train once a year covering the whole of West Pakistan. The train was a hotel on wheels. I vividly recall the main meeting chamber or the Diwan-e-Aaam with a raised ornamented chair or Takht at one end and two mirrors at the other----- one concave and the other convex ----- they fascinated me. I laughed at seeing everybody’s distorted reflection in those mirrors.

And you went to Jaisalmer!

Oh, those abandoned Havelis there fascinate me and the treasures of art noveau they house --- including well preserved frescoes and period furniture. Tell me, did you get to visit those Havelis? Your impressions? I have heard that the Indian Tourist Board folks are trying to preserve them. True?

(beyond this point read on at your own peril) :)

Your command over the language is not bad. Try to break the thoughts into smaller paragraphs. There was one doubtful error, three debatable (I wouldn’t use them but others do) and three certain typographical errors.

Whip them into better shapes next time, which means keep writing:)

regards,

temporal

I remember visiting the Nawab of Bahawalpur`s palace when I was in school (courtesy of an uncle posted there). It was impressive. He had a big weapons collection that included a multi-muzzled rifle as I remember plus tons of armor, shields, swords, old rifles; a room mirrored all over, acres of oriental carpets in every room, an electric fireplace (a novelty back then, and that too in this place in the middle of nowhere) and so forth. And the Nawab`s men wore the red fez and were part of his private army as I recall being told. We were also informed of his many wives (which led me to a certain amount of fantasizing even at that supposedly innocent age). That is about all I recall - I have no clue where that palace is, if it is the same as Sadiq Garh that you visited. Any enlightenment would be gratefully received.