A group of people in Narowal has partially demolished the four-story, centuries-old building and has sold off its doors, windows, and ventilators.
The group partially demolished the building with the alleged connivance of Auqaf department officials. Locals report that the Auqaf department was informed about the demolition, which was carried out by influential persons. However, no action was taken and no one from the department even came to the site.
A local claims that three stories of the building have already been demolished. New houses have been constructed there. Moreover, the government departments are clueless about the ownership of the building or where its records are maintained.
Narowal Deputy Commissioner Waheed Asghar, who deals with the record of all properties in the vicinity, says, “There is no mention of this building in the revenue record. As it seemed to be historical, we are checking the municipal committee’s record.” He says that he has stopped the demolition.
Evacuee Trust Property Board’s (ETPB) Sialkot zone’s Rent Collector Rana Waheed has said that his team is investigating the Guru Nanak Mahal Bathanwala. If the palace is the property of the ETPB, the board will take legal action against those responsible.
Palace of Guru Nanak
The building seems to be constructed over four centuries ago in the village of Bathanwala. It was constructed from sand, clay, limestone, and old bricks. It comprised 16 large rooms in the building, each having at least three beautiful doors and at least four ventilators.
The rooms were airy and had large broad walls with wooden cupboards. The walls had small lamp enclosures and the doors had flowers engraved on them. The roofs had Diyar wood beams. The wood is worth thousands of rupees per foot.
The sturdy walls surrounding the building bore beautiful designs and the pictures of Baba Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, along with several Hindu rulers and princes.
The locals had named this building ‘Mahalan’. A number of Sikhs from all over the world used to visit the building. Being a ‘heritage site’, the building was treasured by the foreign delegations.
Via: Dawn
How Sad,
Where IK, who always defend the tourism?
tourism in a country racked by terrorism? lmao. all this talk of tourism only betrays the level of disconnect between our rulers and the ground reality of the country.
Historical monuments are not a priority. Only fighting india is a priority.
And They’re not even fighting with India, as India is fighting on every level.
So go and fight India on the border instead of being a keyboard warrior on the internet.
Reporter of Dawn News associated this building with Baba Guru Nanak Ji but facts are contrary. This building was constructed during the rein of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh in Punjab. Three wives of Maharaja belonged to Narowal & Shakargarh. This building was constructed for one of his wife. Wherever Baba Ji went Gurdwara was constructed and claiming this building to be his abode is not anyway substantiated.