A jail, a school and an orphanage: Bawana’s fortress gets another makeover
Updated On Feb 21, 2017 08:07 AM IST
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Restoration of Bawana jail undertaken by state archaeological department is on in full swing. (Sushil Kumar/HT PHOTO)
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The single-storey structure, made of lakhori bricks, is being renovated under the state archaeology department’s plan to conserve 19 monuments in Delhi, including Talkatora Garden embankment, tombs in Mehrauli Archeological Park, gateways of Chirag Dilli, and structures in Mehram Nagar. (Sushil Kumar/HT PHOTO)
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The area covers a 200 square yard complex. (Sushil Kumar/HT PHOTO)
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The complex housed one of the four zails (administrative units tasked with revenue collection) in Delhi. (Sushil Kumar/HT PHOTO)
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Bawana was established in 1168. It is believed that Jats came to settle here from Taoru, now in Haryana. Before making Bawana their final abode, they spent considerable time at Mehrauli too. (Sushil Kumar/HT PHOTO)
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The structure looks like a fortress from outside, and has one arched gateway. The doorway opens into a courtyard surrounded by corridors and has two rooms in the extreme corner on the left. (Sushil Kumar/HT PHOTO)
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Villagers were confined in these two rooms if they were not able to pay up zaildari tax. The compound, flanked by modern-day houses still has old peepal, banyan, and neem trees. (Sushil Kumar/HT PHOTO)
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It was constructed in the 1860s when the zaildari system (revenue collection plan) was introduced. The in-charge of the jail was called zaildar or numberdar. Three villages — Bawana, Alipur, and Kanjhawala — were under its jurisdiction. (Sushil Kumar/HT PHOTO)
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Around the 1930-40s, the building was converted into a school, which continued after the Partition. For a brief period, it served as a veterinary hospital. Later, it was converted into an orphanage, which was closed in 1981. (Sushil Kumar/HT PHOTO)
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