ujar Khan is home to numerous historical havelis located throughout its many villages and towns. Since 1998, I have been visiting these areas in Rawalpindi division to research its cultural heritage. During my visits, I was captivated by the impressive havelis in the tehsil. Unfortunately, many of the mansions I first saw in 1998 and revisited in subsequent years, have either been demolished or altered, compromising their original beauty.

The havelis in Gujar Khan, mainly built in the 19th and the 20th Centuries, were powerful symbols of the prominence of the village and urban elites. These were primarily owned by Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus. The villages where these are located include Dora Budhal, Kauntrila, Sukho, Karnali, Daultala, Narali, Dera Bakhshian, Mankiala Brahmanan (now called Mankiala Muslim), Beval, Mohra Chhena, Sayed Kasran and Gulyana. Moreover, there were several magnificent havelis in Gujar Khan town, particularly in Mohalla Chauhan and Ward Numbers 6 and 11. These were noted for their wooden doors, ceilings and balconies. Unfortunately, most of these havelis have lost their original lustre and intricate artwork.

One of the most magnificent havelis, located in Kauntrila village, is believed to have been built by Bakhshi Ram Singh in 1886. This is also indicated by English and Urdu inscriptions on the main entrance. Bakhshi Ram Singh (d. 1926) was an engineer in the Punjab Public Works Department, General Branch. He was an influential person during the British period in Pothohar. It is believed that Ahmad Shah Abdali had granted the title “bakhshi” to Lajja Singh (d. 1799), chief of the Bakhshis of Basali village, who served as a general under Abdali (d. 1773). The Bakhshis were a powerful community across several villages and towns in Pothohar. Like the Bakhshis of Basali and Kauntrila, the Bakhshi families of Dera Bakhshian in Gujar Khan and Bishandaur in Jhelum’s Sohawa held significant power and influence in the Pothohar region.

The Bakhshi family from Dera Bakhshian, now known as Dera Muslim, conducted business not only in Gujar Khan but also in other towns throughout Pothohar. The village was once home to several magnificent havelis belonging to the Bakhshi family. However, today, not a single haveli remains in the village. The only remnant from the pre-partition era in Dera Bakhshian is a small temple.

The Bakhshi Ram Singh haveli is a three-storey building with 11 rooms and two underground chambers. The main entrance, now closed, led to a spacious courtyard surrounded by a verandah. Distinctive features of the haveli include elegant jharokhas, wooden balconies, doors and a prominent tower. The haveli is especially noted for its octagonal tower, which surmounts the building and was used to enjoy a panoramic view of Kauntrila village and the surrounding areas.

The double wooden balcony is a distinctive feature of the Bakhshi Ram Singh haveli. Only a few havelis in the Pothohar region feature such impressive wooden balconies, distinguished by their remarkable carvings. Both balconies have exquisitely carved wooden ceilings, though, unfortunately, the wooden screens or fretted panels are now in a state of disrepair. Wooden ceilings were a signature feature of Pothohari havelis. The Sujan Singh haveli, built by Rai Bahadur Sardar Sujan Singh (d. 1901) in Rawalpindi in 1893, was renowned for its intricate wooden ceiling, which has since crumbled. Baba Khem Singh Bedi’s Maari, also known as Haveli or Babey da Mahal in Kallar Syedan town, is similarly famous for its wooden ceilings and beautiful mural paintings.

The Bakhshi Ram Singh haveli is noted for its jharokhas, which, though now in disrepair, were not only architectural features but also served as vantage points for observing the street life below, where shops once thrived. Older family members would also use these jharokhas to oversee daily chores within the haveli. Most grand havelis in Pothohar featured jharokhas. Some havelis in Daultala town are particularly well-known for those. A majority of havelis in Daultala belonged to Sikhs, with the Gujral and Lamba families being the most influential, controlling the local economy of the town and surrounding areas. A few impressive havelis built before the partition in 1947 included the Atam Singh Gujral haveli and the Jeevan Singh haveli. Unfortunately, the Atam Singh Gujral haveli has been demolished and replaced with a new structure. I first visited this haveli in 2007 and subsequently in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2023. Over these visits, I observed that several buildings had lost their original character. These included the Jeevan Singh and Atam Singh Gujral havelis. The Gujral haveli was demolished and rebuilt in 2017.

The havelis in Gujar Khan, built mostly in the 19th and the 20th Centuries, were powerful symbols of the village and urban elites. Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus owned these.

The havelis in Daultala town feature intricately carved wooden doors, showcasing the region’s craftsmanship. These doors not only highlight the skill and artistry of local artisans but also embody the opulence and aesthetic ideals of the original builders.

Narali village in Gujar Khan features several historic mansions built before partition, though most have since been modified. These havelis belonged to Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus. Some of the prominent havelis and maaris (mansions) in Narali included the maari of two Sikh brothers, Heera Singh and Lal Singh; the maari of Munshi Gopal Singh, also known as Munshi Pala; and the maaris of Partab Singh, Mangal Singh and Budh Singh.

The maari of Sardar Heera Singh and Sardar Lal Singh was one of the most imposing buildings in Narali village. Construction of this mansion began in 1915 and was completed in 1919. Two masons, Sardar Ali and Muhammad Wali from Natha Chhatar village near Daultala, built the mansion. Originally, it was a three-storey building. Today, only a single storey remains. Even thismight disappear in a few years. This haveli is located near the edge of the ban (pond), which was constructed by Harnam Singh, a survey superintendent, in memory of his father Teja Singh and his uncle Sant Sahib Singh on July 1, 1929, as indicated by an inscribed slab on the wall of the water tank. This inscribed slab is now close to being buried.

The Budh Singh haveli was another architectural marvel in Narali village, known for its exquisitely carved wooden doors, which are still there.

Like Narali, Sukho town is renowned for its many historical structures built by Sikhs and Hindus. Sikh mansions once dominated the landscape of Sukho. The prominent havelis belonged to Shabram (Shivram) Singh, a raees of Sukho, likely from the Bindra family, who was the most influential figure in the Sikh community in Sukho. He owned substantial property in Sukho town and nearby villages. His younger brother, Gur Bakhsh Singh, was also a notable figure in Sukho. Apart from the mansions of Shabram Singh and his brother, other notable havelis belonged to Hari Singh, Dogar Singh, Santokh Singh, Nanak Singh, Bhagat Singh Bindra, Harnam Singh Bindra, Duni Chand Bhaglal, Mula Ram, Parmanand, Beli Ram, Muna Singh, Sundar Singh, Jawar Singh, Mangal Singh, Seva Singh, Dhyan Singh, Jodha Singh, Kartar Singh, Nand Singh, Shesha Singh and Teerath Singh. Most of these havelis have now either been demolished or altered.

The nearby village of Karnali also featured a few imposing mansions, belonging to Mai Dhobi, Partab Singh and Santokh Singh. This village was well-known for the samadhi of Baba Mohan Das, an Udasi saint revered by both Sikhs and Hindus. Unfortunately, thesamadhi is in a poor state of preservation.

Gulyana was a historic village in Gujar Khan, renowned for its monuments built by Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus. The prominent havelis in Gulyana included those of Bakhshi Moti Ram, Sardar Tara Singh, Bali Singh (known as Lal Haveli), Diwan Prithvi Chand, Tek Chand and the haveli of a Muslim noble, called Qasr-i-Amir. Aside from the Lal Haveli and Qasr-i-Amir, all other buildings have been demolished.

Dora Budhal is another historic village in Gujar Khan, known for its havelis that once defined the landscape. The most prominent mansion, known as the choubara (double-storey building), belonged to Jivani Kaur, a wealthy woman. The mansion, now gone, was located in the village bazaar, an area that once housed numerous shops owned by Sikh merchants, including Gurdit Singh, Ladha Singh, Puran Singh, Sarjan Singh, Gurdas Singh, Kartar Singh, Jagat Singh and Hira Singh.

I first visited Dora Budhal in 2007 and revisited it in 2009 and 2019. In 2009, the choubara was in a relatively good condition. It was a two-storey structure featuring an impressive balcony that overlooked the bazaar. The distinctive features of Jivani Kaur’s choubara included its wooden balcony and doors. In addition to Jivani Kaur’s choubara, the choubaras of Sardar Hira Singh, Ladha Singh, Kartar Singh, Puran Singh, Sarjan Singh, Jagat Singh and Gurdas Singh were also well-known in Dora Budhal. Unfortunately, these choubaras are now preserved only in the memories of the village’s oral historians.

The authorities should prioritise designating villages and towns with historic havelis as heritage sites to promote tourism. Ideally, all havelis should be preserved and promoted as potential tourist destinations to boost the local economy. If this is not feasible, these historic havelis should at least be preserved for posterity.

The writer is an anthropologist. He has authored 16 books on Pakistan’s cultural heritage and anthropology. He tweets @kalhorozulfiqar and may be contacted at zulfi04@hotmail.com