New lease of life for Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s haveli in Pakistan as restoration project gets nod
The haveli, displaying Mughal and Rajput architectural influences, has remained in a state of neglect since Partition.
The historic haveli in Gujranwala, Pakistan, where Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh was born, is all set to be restored, with Pakistan Punjab’s minister for minorities’ affairs and Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) president Ramesh Singh Arora green-lighting the project.
The haveli, displaying Mughal and Rajput architectural influences, holds great significance for Sikhs worldwide. However, it has remained in a state of neglect since Partition, and like many Sikh heritage structures in Pakistan, this one too has been encroached upon and vandalised.
The mansion stands in a small square in the old part of Gujranwala city. Its red brick facade now faces a fish market. In 2022, a portion of the haveli’s roof collapsed due to lack of maintenance.
It was declared a protected cultural heritage building by Pakistan’s department of archaeology and museums, according to Pak media reports.
In a post on X (formerly twitter), the PSGPC said, “Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora has approved restoration of the historic Haveli of Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Gujranwala. The restoration work will be completed before June 29, 2025, coinciding with the Maharaja’s birth anniversary. The project aims to pay tribute to the legacy of the legendary Maharaja, who is revered as a symbol of Punjab’s unity and rich cultural heritage.”
Maharaja Ranjit Singh, born on November 13, 1780, had established a big empire in north-western part of the Indian sub-continent, which was known as ‘Sarkar-E-Khalsa’. He spent most of his childhood in this haveli.
A year ago, Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh had urged the Pakistan government to restore Sikh heritage sites and remove illegal encroachments from the historic gurdwaras. He had said, “After 1947 India-Pakistan partition, the Pakistan government should pay special attention towards the maintenance and preservation of the Sikh religious historic places on its land... These important religious sites are disappearing due to government negligence.”