he proximity of less-known heritage sites to prominent landmarks and pilgrimage sites diminishes their historical significance and hinders their mainstream recognition. This argument is reinforced by observing the numerous sites in South Asia that suffer from this problem. What factors contribute to a place being considered as having a rich history or being labelled as built heritage? Is it a particular event, period, forgotten architectural practices or socio-religious and political developments in a specific polity? How do places gain or lose importance in their recognition as heritage sites? How do social and cultural norms evolve to redefine the meaning and value of materiality? The answers to these questions shape contemporary perspectives and influence our understanding of history and heritage.

Across from the entrance to Gurdwara Panja Sahib, a prominent pilgrimage site in Hassanabdal, lies a narrow lane leading to an iron gate. The unexpected sight that greets visitors beyond the gate is a pond, a hexagonal tomb and a garden, all nestled in what appes to be a congested settlement. The area is not only a tourist attraction but also has a rich history. Despite Hassanabdal’s fame for Panja Sahib and Wali Qandhari, places like Lala Rukh’s tomb and the railway station, which has a history tied to Saka Panja Sahib, are often overlooked and remain less known.

According to local lore, the maqbara in question was originally built by Shamsuddin Hawafi, Akbar’s minister who oversaw the construction of Attock Fort between 1581 and 1583. Hawafi intended for the maqbara to be his final resting place, but fate had other plans. The tomb eventually became the burial site for two of Akbar’s aides and physicians, Hakeem Abul Fatah Gillani and Hakeem Humam Gillani. Although the tomb’s architecture appears to have been recently restored, there are no visible graves. Outside the maqbara lies a pond teeming with fish. Seven-sided, domed towers stand at each of the garden’s four corners. Legend has it that during the Khalsa period, the site was repurposed as an administrative office and the graves were levelled. However, a well-preserved grave belonging to Lala Rukh, situated in the middle of the garden, tells a different story. The rectangular stone pedestal holding Lala Rukh’s grave lacks any inscription or epitaphs but remains in relatively good condition. Many stories about Lala Rukh circulate in the area; some are hearsay; others offer insight into the region’s history.

The identity of the person buried in the nameless grave remains uncertain. According to the plaque put up by the Archaeology Department, it belongs to a lady from the Mughal emperor Humayun’s family. There are many apocryphal stories about the grave’s occupant. Some local writers have suggested that it could be Aurangzeb’s daughter, but there is no historical evidence to support this claim. The legend that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s daughter was buried here on her way to Kashmir seems to be a colonial-era construct.

It is possible that the name Lala Rukh was given to the tomb because of Thomas Moore’s 1817 poem, Lalla Rookh. This poem is a romantic story about the journey of a Mughal princess named Lalla Rookh from Delhi to Kashmir, where she is to marry a prince named Framorze, whom she has never met. The story is an orientalist romp that draws inspiration from classical Persian poetry and 1001 Arabian Nights. Although Lalla Rookh has no historical basis, it has significantly impacted Western art, inspiring operas and other works.

Despite Hassanabdal’s fame for Panja Sahib and Wali Qandhari, places like Lala Rukh’s tomb and the railway station, which has a history tied to Saka Panja Sahib, are often overlooked and remain less known.

Revenue records documented the tomb as Maqbra Bibi Lala Rukh in the early Twentieth Century. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the tomb’s occupant, Lala Rukh’s grave remains a source of fascination for many, inspiring both hearsay and historical inquiry.

Malick Ushtar, a local historian with extensive knowledge of the history of Taxila and the surrounding region, says that Lala Rukh remains alive in the memories of the local people. This is evident from the fact that a housing society has been named after her in the nearby Wah. However, the maqbara is not the only historical site in Hassanabdal with many stories and legends attached to it. The railway station, located within walking distance from the maqbara, also has a rich history.

The railway station witnessed the tragic event of the Saka Panja Sahib a hundred years ago, which was commemorated religiously until 1947. While the railway station has undergone changes and wears a new look today, an enormous domed building remains empty throughout the year except on Gurupurab and Vaisakhi days. In October 2014, Singapore-based Sikh historian and documentary filmmaker Amardeep Singh visited Hassanabdal and took a photo of the old railway station as part of an extensive mapping and documentation project of Sikh heritage sites across Pakistan.

More recently, the railway station hosted a small gathering to commemorate those who lost their lives during the Saka Panja Sahib. The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism, published by Punjabi University, Patiala, provides a detailed account of the event:

“During 1922, when a local sangat led by Bhai Pratap Singh, treasurer of Sri Panja Sahib Gurdwara management committee, sought to halt a train carrying prisoners of the Guru Ka Bagh agitation to Attock Jail in order to serve meals to them, the railway authorities refused to make an unscheduled wayside halt. Several Sikhs, with Bhai Pratap Singh and Karam Singh at their head, then squatted on the railway track. The train, finding its warning whistles ineffective, screeched to a halt but not before crushing Bhai Pratap Singh and Karam Singh and wounding five others. This tragedy which took place on October 30, 1922, attracted streams of pilgrims. Funds were collected for raising a larger building as a memorial. Construction of the new sarovar or sacred pool began on October 14, 1932. Besides the daily services, well attended religious assemblies were held in October to commemorate the martyrs of the 1922 tragedy and in April to celebrate Vaisakhi.

Today, there are no signs of the old railway station, including the Gurmukhi station name board. Unfortunately, the event of Saka Panja Sahib is a faded memory in Pakistan. The visual representations of Saka Panja Sahib, where the old railway station played an important part, have been lost due to its unnecessary demolition a few years ago - a significant historical loss. Most of the literature on the area is journalistic and lacks historical depth, a common problem in many regions of Pakistan.

Historian Manan Ahmed Asif commented on this phenomenon: “If journalism is the first draft of history, then history remains in the drafting stage for Pakistan.” This intellectual loss is compounded by the fact that Hassanabdal is often inaccurately mentioned as part of Pothwar. Local writers, academicians, and some anthropologists have failed to understand the unique local geography of Pothwar. It is important to note that the Rawalpindi division is not synonymous with Pothwar.