Sajid Bashir
Saturday, March 19, 2011
LAHORE
KAMRAN’S Baradari, one of the oldest Mughal monuments in Lahore situated in the middle of Ravi River near Shahdara, has become a deserted place and pile of debris due to negligence of the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) and the staff deputed there. The power supply to the monument has been cut because the only generator that used to supply the power has been shifted to New Airport from the Baradari. Besides, the electric switchboards at the walls have also been broken or removed. The staff told this scribe that the power generator was out of order for the last 10 years due to which there had been no evening functions at the Baradari.
The electric lamps beside the small lawns and walking tracks and fountains were missing. There were lampposts without any bulbs or lamps. The fountains were out of order due to many reasons, including the absence of power, broken water pipelines and absence of maintenance of fountains. These fountains were installed there in 1988 during the reign of Mian Nawaz Sharif and after that no government made an effort to do any developmental work and remodelling of the Baradari.
The cleanliness situation at the Baradari is poor with heaps of garbage and filth seen all around. Due to absence of power, there is no water at the Baradari at all. There are no toilets and visitors face serious problems, as they have to go to the riverbed to answer the call of the nature.
Women and children are the worst sufferers of the situation. The only toilet available on the whole island is inside the shrine of a saint Ghulam Mohammad Awan Sarwari Qadri which is situated behind the boundary wall of the Baradari.
Sweepers and other staff responsible for cleanliness at the Baradari are usually go absent and come there only when government officials conduct surveys. A staff member told this scribe that there are more than 60 persons deputed for maintenance of the Baradari but only few shows up just for the sake of attendance.
He said there were more than 20 gardeners but they did not come there and the plants and the grass were being destroyed due to the negligence and absence of water.
The boats that used to take visitors from the river’s bank to Baradari are in poor condition. Only rowboats are used to take visitors to the Baradari because motorboats require deep water, which has almost become non-existent in Ravi River for the whole year except for the monsoon season. It is only then when motorboats are used for the purpose.
The rowers are out of business because of absence of visitors and hence charge a handsome amount of one hundred rupees per visitor for a small distance of nearly 200 meters. The berth of boats where visitors board them is very close to the place where a filthy sewer falls into the river, making the visitors often vomit.
The Baradari (pavilion) of Mirza Kamran is believed to be the earliest existing structure, belonging to the Mughal period in Lahore. It is named after Mirza Kamran who was the first Mughal Governor of Lahore, a stepbrother of Emperor Humayun and son of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Kingdom in India. The Baradari was a part of the garden built by Kamran where he used to receive his father, Emperor Babur on his visits to Lahore.
The garden remained a recreational place for the royal Mughal family until 18th century. The emperor and his entourage would arrive here by boat to enjoy the cool and green scenery. It was originally built on the right bank of the Ravi River but with the passage of time, it was pushed in the middle by the waves.
The Baradari structure itself is a testimony to the engineering skill of Mughal builders. The structure built of massive brick masonry consists of an octagonal central chamber of 24 feet wide and four corner octagonal rooms of 11 feet wide. The core is encircled by an 11 feet wide arcaded veranda.
There are five small arches attached to both sides of the square structure. While talking to The News, a visitor Qasim said he lived in Shahdara and visited Baradari every week for pilgrimage of saint Ghulam Muhammad Awan Sarwari Qadri. He said he did not see any maintenance work at Baradari for the last seven years due to which its condition had seriously deteriorated. He said only few people came here only because of the mausoleum. He said the tourists had stopped coming here since many years. Talking to The News, a rower Waseem said he was facing financial difficulties due to the negligence of the Baradari management. He said the visitors to Baradari had almost vanished due to poor conditions. He said dirty water drain also contributed a lot towards the inconvenience of the visitors.
Project Director of Baradari Yaqoob Ch was not in his office situated beside the monument. Talking to The News on phone, Yaqoob said the PHA Department was facing financial problems due to which Baradari’s maintenance work was affecting. He said the department was going to install new generator for baradari and its electricity work would also be completed soon. The water system and fountain system will be restored soon after the installation of new generator.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=36924&Cat=5&dt=3/19/2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
LAHORE
KAMRAN’S Baradari, one of the oldest Mughal monuments in Lahore situated in the middle of Ravi River near Shahdara, has become a deserted place and pile of debris due to negligence of the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) and the staff deputed there. The power supply to the monument has been cut because the only generator that used to supply the power has been shifted to New Airport from the Baradari. Besides, the electric switchboards at the walls have also been broken or removed. The staff told this scribe that the power generator was out of order for the last 10 years due to which there had been no evening functions at the Baradari.
The electric lamps beside the small lawns and walking tracks and fountains were missing. There were lampposts without any bulbs or lamps. The fountains were out of order due to many reasons, including the absence of power, broken water pipelines and absence of maintenance of fountains. These fountains were installed there in 1988 during the reign of Mian Nawaz Sharif and after that no government made an effort to do any developmental work and remodelling of the Baradari.
The cleanliness situation at the Baradari is poor with heaps of garbage and filth seen all around. Due to absence of power, there is no water at the Baradari at all. There are no toilets and visitors face serious problems, as they have to go to the riverbed to answer the call of the nature.
Women and children are the worst sufferers of the situation. The only toilet available on the whole island is inside the shrine of a saint Ghulam Mohammad Awan Sarwari Qadri which is situated behind the boundary wall of the Baradari.
Sweepers and other staff responsible for cleanliness at the Baradari are usually go absent and come there only when government officials conduct surveys. A staff member told this scribe that there are more than 60 persons deputed for maintenance of the Baradari but only few shows up just for the sake of attendance.
He said there were more than 20 gardeners but they did not come there and the plants and the grass were being destroyed due to the negligence and absence of water.
The boats that used to take visitors from the river’s bank to Baradari are in poor condition. Only rowboats are used to take visitors to the Baradari because motorboats require deep water, which has almost become non-existent in Ravi River for the whole year except for the monsoon season. It is only then when motorboats are used for the purpose.
The rowers are out of business because of absence of visitors and hence charge a handsome amount of one hundred rupees per visitor for a small distance of nearly 200 meters. The berth of boats where visitors board them is very close to the place where a filthy sewer falls into the river, making the visitors often vomit.
The Baradari (pavilion) of Mirza Kamran is believed to be the earliest existing structure, belonging to the Mughal period in Lahore. It is named after Mirza Kamran who was the first Mughal Governor of Lahore, a stepbrother of Emperor Humayun and son of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Kingdom in India. The Baradari was a part of the garden built by Kamran where he used to receive his father, Emperor Babur on his visits to Lahore.
The garden remained a recreational place for the royal Mughal family until 18th century. The emperor and his entourage would arrive here by boat to enjoy the cool and green scenery. It was originally built on the right bank of the Ravi River but with the passage of time, it was pushed in the middle by the waves.
The Baradari structure itself is a testimony to the engineering skill of Mughal builders. The structure built of massive brick masonry consists of an octagonal central chamber of 24 feet wide and four corner octagonal rooms of 11 feet wide. The core is encircled by an 11 feet wide arcaded veranda.
There are five small arches attached to both sides of the square structure. While talking to The News, a visitor Qasim said he lived in Shahdara and visited Baradari every week for pilgrimage of saint Ghulam Muhammad Awan Sarwari Qadri. He said he did not see any maintenance work at Baradari for the last seven years due to which its condition had seriously deteriorated. He said only few people came here only because of the mausoleum. He said the tourists had stopped coming here since many years. Talking to The News, a rower Waseem said he was facing financial difficulties due to the negligence of the Baradari management. He said the visitors to Baradari had almost vanished due to poor conditions. He said dirty water drain also contributed a lot towards the inconvenience of the visitors.
Project Director of Baradari Yaqoob Ch was not in his office situated beside the monument. Talking to The News on phone, Yaqoob said the PHA Department was facing financial problems due to which Baradari’s maintenance work was affecting. He said the department was going to install new generator for baradari and its electricity work would also be completed soon. The water system and fountain system will be restored soon after the installation of new generator.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=36924&Cat=5&dt=3/19/2011
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