BAHAWALPUR

HISTORICAL PLACES

NOOR MAHAL

Noor Mahal of Bahawalpur cannot be related to Taj Mahal in any way but there is some little resemblance, as both the monuments were built in honor of wives.

The palace is one hundred and forty years old and was built by Nawab Sadiq Muhammad Khan the Fourth for his wife Noor but she spend only one night in this awesome palace.

The exquisite palace meant to be residence of the Nawab and his family but legend says they spend only one night as they were cautioned against so because of the near proximity of a graveyard Basti Muluk Shah.

History of Noor Mahal Bahawalpur:

Although, there are different stories famous in Bahalwalpur district regarding the construction of Noor Mahal but among all, the famous legend is that Nawab of Bahawalpur Nawab Subah Sadiq Muhammad Khan IV laid the foundation for constructing this palace in honor of his wife Noor.

The design of this building was curated by Mr. Hennan, who was an Englishman and a state engineer and construction began in 1872. It’s been said that while foundation was constructed a map and coin of the state were buried as good omen. It took three years to build this building and construction work was completed in 1875 at a cost of R.s 1.2 million.

Noor palace covers an area of 44,600 square feet, it’s a double storey building with a basement as well and contains 32 rooms having 14 in basement, 6 verandas and 5 domes.

Designer: Hennan
Construction Begins: 1872
Construction Completed: 1875
Cost: Rs. 1.2 Million
Area: 44,600 Sq Feet
Building: Double Storey
Rooms: 32
Verandas: 6
Domes: 5

Pictures of Noor Mahal Bahawalpur:

Noor Mahal Bahalwalpur

Noor Mahal at night

Although Noor Mahal did not serve the purpose of being the living place for Nawab and family but rather it was used for occasional cabinet meetings and State Court for the Nawab’s address to his courtiers and later it was used as a state guest house and some of the guests name worth mentioning in here:

JAN 11, 1890: His Highness Prince Albert Victor was there as a guest in Noor Mahal.

DEC 22, 1892: Sir McOrth Beck CCIS Senior Financial Commissioner of Punjab with family stayed at the palace for three days.

Also some other functions celebrated:

MAY 11, 1897: The court was held on the 60th Birthday of the Queen Victoria.

FEB 9, 1933: A historical function was arranged because of the union of the Birtish Government and the Bahawalpur State.

MARCH 8, 1934: The Government of the State of Bahawalpur arranged a ten years jublie celebration in the lawn of Noor Mahal.

Worth mentioning the name of Nawab Bahawal Khan, who was the later ruler of the state of Bahawalpur for adding a Masjid to the palace in 1906.

The state of Bahalwapur was merged into Pakistan in 1956 and control of the palace was given to Auqaf under the Antiquities Act.Completed in AD 1875, later Pakistan army took responsibility of the palace in 1999 and help preserve the building to it’s original shape.

Currently Department of Archeology is responsible for the look after of the palace and they have opened it to general public, students and other delegates.

DARBAR MAHAL

On 19th of May, 1904 Nawab Bahawal Khan (V) approved to establish some more palaces including Gulzar Palace, Nishat Palace and Farukh Palace which are the most famous palaces of them all. Darbar Mahal and Gulzar Mahal are based on beautiful buildings having too many doors.

Darbar Mahal at Night

The rooms are decorated with fabulous furniture and spectacular carpets. The doors are covered with elegant lushly curtains of maroon color. All of walls are made up of marble and the roofs are made up of mosaic. The large lamps placed in the palace have increased its majesty.

There is big gallery with the main hall which was used as an art gallery containing rare norms times ago. Today this gallery does not contain any norms but some rare pictures of the former rulers of the State of Bahawalpur are displayed on its walls.

For a long time this palace was in use of the son (Nawab Abbass Abbassi) of the Nawab. Now this palace is used as an Army office. The total area of this Palace is 34 acers.

DERAWAR FORT AND CHOLISTAN DESERT

You can make an intersting excursions from Bahawalpur, full day trip requiring a four-wheel drive vehicle to Derawar Fort (Qila Derawar), through the semi-desert of cholistan. You need a guide to take you to Derawar, and also permission from the present Amir of Bahawalpur to get inside the fort. The drive takes three to four hours through fasinating barren landscape. The cholistan desert covers 26,000 sq km (10,000 sq miles) and extends into the Thar desert to India. The whole area was once well watered by the river Ghaggar, now called the Hakara in Pakistan, and known in vedic times as the Sarasvati. All along the 500 km (300 miles) of the dried-up river are over 400 archaeological sites. Most of these date from the indus civilisation, 45,00 years ago, and are clustered round Derawar Fort, the only perennial water hole in the desert. There is very little to make out today. The desert has an average rainfall of 12 cm (5 inches) a year, and there is very little civilisation. The underground water is brackish. The few people of the desert dig artificial wells in the troughs between the sand hills and use camels to draw the water up. In the rainy season the dig artificials ponds, and when these ponds dry up they move out of the desert. The people of the desert live in tall round huts shaped like steeples, which they build on the highest sand hills and which keep out most of the sun. The lean graceful women wear long gathered red skirts. They live by raising cattle and breeding camels. The Amir's private herds of breeding camels are kept at Derawar. There are some execellent photographs of nomads' way of life in the Bahawalpur museum. Derawar Fort (Qila Derawar) is in good condition, its walls are intact and still guarded by soldiers in fezes. Its age is unknown. The tombs of the Amirs of Bahawalpur are also at Derawar, decorated with attractive blue glazed tiles contrasting with the ochre landscape. Some of the cannons which were used times ago by the Army of Bahawalpur are also kept in this fort. Every year a Jeep Ralley is held in the desert of Cholistan. This Race is so famous that people from all over the world come to the desert to see and participate in the jeep ralley. This jeep ralley is broadcasted live by some local channels of Pakistan. It is really worth it spending every penny to come here and watch the Cholistan jeep ralley Bahawalpur.

Car gifted by the Ameer of Bahawalpur,
Nawab Sadiq Mohammad Khan
to the Quaid, Mohammad Ali Jinnah

Nawab of Bahawalpur's Car