Noor Mahal

Noor Mahal

History

There are various stories regarding its construction. According to one legend, Nawab Adnan Abbas IV had the palace made for his wife; however, she was only there for one night, as she happened to see the adjoining graveyard from her balcony, and refused to spend another night there, and so it remained unused during his reign.^[2]

Noor Mehal is one of the hidden gems of Bahawalpur, due to the lack of publicity. The palace is open to public. It is currently in the possession of the Pakistan Army and is used as a state guest house for holding state durbars and meetings with foreign delegations.

Architecture

Mr. Heennan, an Englishman who was the state engineer, designed the building. The foundation of Noor Palace was laid in 1872. A map and coins of the state were buried in its foundation as a good omen. Most of the palace's materials and furniture were imported from England and Italy. The construction of the palace was completed in 1875 at a cost of Rs. 1.2 million. Considering the amount of silver in the Indian Rupee Coin at 11.66 Grams in 1862, this amount in 2016 would come to about 8.1 million US dollars. Noor Palace covers an area of 44,600 square feet (4,140 m²). It has 32 rooms including 14 in the basement, 6 verandas and 5 domes.

The design encompasses features of Corinthian and Islamic styles of architecture with a tinge of subcontinental style. The Corinthian touch is visible in the columns, balustrade, pediments and the vaulted ceiling of Durbar Hall. The Islamic style is evident in the five domes, whereas the angular elliptical shapes are a stroke of subcontinent style. Nawab Muhammad Bahawal Khan the fifth added a mosque to the palace in 1906 at the cost of Rs. 20,000. The design is based on the mosque of Aitchison College.

In 1956, when Bahawalpur  was merged into Pakistan, the building was taken over by the Auqaf department. The palace was leased to the army in 1971; in 1997 the army purchased it for the sum of 119 million.

The building was declared a “protected monument” in September 2001 by the Government of Pakistan's Department of Archeology, and it is now open for general visitors, students trips and other interested persons.

Noor Mahal: the hidden gem of Bahawalpur

Entering Bahawalpur, the road leads to the stunning Noor Mahal – the palace built by the fifth ruler of Bahawalpur State Nawab Sir Muhammad Sadiq or the ‘Shahjehan of Bahawalpur’, who is renowned for his passion of constructing beautiful buildings.

This beautiful building inspired by Italian construction style is one of the hidden gems of Bahawalpur and was built by a British Engineer named Heenan in 1875 at a cost of Rs1.2 million.

The palace is known for its colourful, exquisite exterior made of cut and dressed bricks that make this a unique piece of historical architecture. Noor Mahal’s distinguishing architectural feature is the use of five domes built in the traditional style.

Since its construction, the palace shot Bahawalpur’s popularity among tourists, who throng the site every day to have a glimpse of the vintage marvel.

The purpose

Noor Mahal is one of the latest monuments in Punjab that was placed under the antiquities act. It was built for the residence of Nawab Sir Muhammad Sadiq. However, he did not live in the palace as the royals did not prefer to live near a graveyard – the Basti Muluk Shah Graveyard was located a few metres away.

The palace was later used as the state guest house. During his tenure, the Nawab also held occasional cabinet meetings in Noor Mahal. On some occasions, the palace was used as the State Court with the Nawab addressing his courtiers and the army during wars.

Massive structure

Noor Mahal was built in the middle of a spacious garden having a water tank and fountains. It consists of 32 rooms, including a basement. When the construction was completed, the palace was decorated with thick carpets and paintings made by western artists.

The two-storey palace had exquisite furniture and fixtures like chandeliers and cupboards that were imported while it also consisted of rich collection of arms in its armoury.

As part of the Mughal traditions, some swords and muskets are also on display inside the palace.

In 1906, a mosque was added to the palace by Nawab Bahawal Khan, a later ruler of the state of Bahawalpur. He also renovated the structure at a cost of Rs100,000.

Downfall

According to an old tale, a property dispute took place among the heirs of the last ruler which led to the abandonment of Noor Mahal as well as several other buildings. The palace was locked under a judicial order but most of its artefacts were smuggled out. Its furniture, carpets, paintings and crockery were sold by thieves almost all over the country.

On October 12, 1997, the army took over the possession of the palace and restored it. Later, it was used as an army club. The building is still in army’s possession.