ll efforts to rename Shadman Chowk after Bhagat Singh, the freedom fighter who kissed the gallows on March 23, 1931, have ended in controversy. He was executed for killing JP Saunders, a British police officer.

The government has meanwhile gone ahead and set up a gallery in his memory. Poonch House, the place where his trial was held, is home to the gallery.

Bhagat Singh Gallery was inaugurated in December last. It consists of three rooms, two of which have photos of Singh and his ancestors on display. The third, the actual courtroom, is being renovated.

The photo gallery has pictures of his father, Kishan Singh; his mother, Vidyawati Kaur; two sisters; and his uncle, Ajit Singh. The caption to a photo of a very young Bhagat Singh looking into the camera with a straight face, reads: “When his parents tried to get him married, Bhagat Singh left home for Kanpur saying that if he were to marry in an enslaved India, “death shall be my bride.”

A photo frame hung on the wall shows Singh’s death certificate.

The display includes photos of Singh’s belongings — a watch, which he is believed to have gifted to a friend (and co-revolutionary) Jaidev Kapoor; the shell of the bomb he hurled at the British forces; and his shirt. There is a replica of a poster of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association that was issued after Saunders’ death. Also, there is a recent (hence, coloured) photo of the primary school in Jaranwala that Singh attended. A letter, written by Singh to his younger brother, Partap, from his death cell, is of particular interest to the visitors.

he idea of Bhagat Singh Gallery was thrown up in 2023, when Dr Ehsan Bhutta, secretary of the Industries, Commerce, Investment and Skills Development Department, first visited Poonch House where the department’s offices were located.

Speaking exclusively with TNS, Bhutta recalls how he noticed that the place was being renovated using modern materials. “The officials seemed to have no clue to the preservation of a heritage site… I had connections in the Archaeology Department, so I invited them to assess the [restoration] work. They confirmed my doubts.”

Recognising the need for a proper restoration plan, Bhutta reached out to the Architecture Department of the Punjab Tianjin University of Technology, Lahore. He engaged Maqsood Malik, an archeology expert, as a consultant. He also invited students from the university to survey the Poonch House building and develop a master plan. “The students, well-versed in computer technology, created a 3D model of the entire structure, marking the original layout, including windows and ventilation points,” Bhutta says.

“We learnt that the original building had 90 doors, 54 double windows and 28 ventilators. Many of those had been plastered over and sealed off.”

Once the master plan was ready, Bhutta called on the Communication and Works Department to discuss the project. He shared his vision with them, and they agreed to proceed with it. He also sought the approval of the Planning and Development Department, which greenlighted it.

By June 2023, the restoration plan had been revised and funds re-allocated. The ICI&SD director general had originally proposed hiring additional staff for the project, but it was later found unnecessary.

Bhutta adopted a hands-on approach, personally visiting the site every Saturday to monitor progress. Experts from C&W were asked to visit the site every 15 days. The restoration proceeded over the next four months.

The restoration of Poonch House’s façade was the first milestone to be achieved. It was decided that the place be illuminated to highlight its architectural features. “I believe that all restoration work should be in full public view,” Bhutta adds.

The illuminated façade attracted significant public attention. On August 14, a special Independence Day programme was held at the site, marking the official reopening of the restored building. This got them notices of several senior officials, including the chief secretary and some officials from the C&W as well as the National Folk Heritage Museum.

Bhagat Singh Gallery consists of three rooms, two of which have photos of Singh and his ancestors on display. The third room, which was the actual courtroom, is being renovated.

However, a lot of work remained. A fire caused by short-circuiting in 2012 had destroyed a large part of the building’s interior, including wooden staircases that had been replaced with steel stairs. There was a demand from the visitors to restore it to its original architectural elements. The restoration team and experts from the C&W were invited for further consultation. A major discovery was made during the restoration process. “When the false ceiling was removed, we uncovered beautifully preserved frescoes,” Bhutta says. The artwork, hidden for many years, was a key historical feature of the building.

Experts from the Lahore University of Management Sciences were engaged to ensure proper restoration. The university’s students and faculty members specialising in heritage conservation, were invited to assess the state of the site and propose solutions. “They confirmed that this was an important historical find, and appreciated our efforts,” he adds.

While fresco restoration was underway, attention moved to other architectural elements. Among those, the original marble floor, covered up or replaced over time, was identified for restoration.

At this stage, Bhutta and his team made another historical connection. “I asked them which room was [the trial] held in, and they told me it was the frescoed one.” Eventually, a courtroom was built at the site.

The courtroom has a massive, 20-foot high door. “We’ve kept its original features intact,” says Bhutta. Work is currently under way on a section that will become a part of the courtroom. “In about a fortnight’s time, work on the room should be finished.”

He mentions that a minister requested for 10 tables for an event in which Sikh delegates from Canada, USA, the UK, and India would be participating. “When they mentioned Bhagat Singh, I thought of creating a gallery space. A room was selected for the purpose.

“I knew that Bhagat Singh’s birthplace was in Jaranwala. I had been to the place myself. So I contacted people there and asked for items of historical significance. They suggested that I send a team, and whatever we needed would be provided. But a lawyer, who had custody of certain historical records, refused to hand over the originals. However, he allowed us to take their photographs. Thus, we captured 118 images.”

The photographic images were digitally processed and framed. Of those, 60 were retained. Bhutta says, “I knew that the original gallows existed, and certain documents related to his trial were available in the archives. I sent two officials, Maqsood sahib and Hassan sahib, to examine the records. All historical documents were scanned and framed. It has turned out to be a remarkable collection.”

In 2015 and, later, in 2022, efforts to rename Shadman Chowk after Bhagat Singh picked momentum. However, there was strong opposition from certain quarters. “We managed to name a building after him [Bhagat Singh],” says Bhutta.

Bhagat Singh Gallery was inaugurated on December 30, 2024, by chief secretary Punjab, Zahid Akhtar Zaman. The event made headlines beyond the border as well.

To ensure sustainability, the project team has collaborated with the Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and the tourism authorities. “On weekends, Sikh visitors and students are offered guided tours of the gallery.”

Bhutta also mentions Shaadi Lal building, currently occupied by Government College of Technology for Women, Lahore. It was there that Bhagat Singh’s appeal was heard in 1929, while he was held in Mianwali Jail.

Bhutta says he approached the authorities in Mianwali to help them retrieve relevant historical records. “The Lahore High Court has some documents related to the case. The registrar has been instructed to provide us access. We have photographed all the records. Once those are compiled, we will set up two more galleries at the college site, in about 10 days after Eid-ul Fitr.”

Ahsan Malik is a media veteran interested in politics, consumer rights and entrepreneurship