Thousands make a beeline today for the Bhagirath Palace Market in Chandni Chowk to fulfill their needs of wholesale lighting equipment, switchboards, wires, heaters, chandeliers and what not. However, about two centuries ago, those making the beeline for the same place were no less than royals, nobles, fighters and power brokers
For the Bhagirath Palace of today was originally the haveli of a “small dainty woman with delicate features” who often held the balance of power in late 18th century Delhi through her powerful mercenary army.
She was Begum Samru.
Born as Farzana in 1753 to Latif Ali Khan, a nobleman of Arabian origin, she lost her father early. Soon they were driven out from his home ( in Kutana, Meerut) by a son from another wife. The mother-daughter duo found their way to Chawri Bazar in Shahjahanabad – the epicentre of nautch girls of Mughal city. The mother passed away as well and Farzana began her life under the watchful care of a tawaif .
The girl came into her own, became famous for her performances and ( at the age of 14) eventually caught the eye of Walter Reinhard Sombre – a (45 year old ) European adventurer and head of a mercenary army. The two became inseparable and eventually married. When Sombre passed way , his 82 European officers and 4000 soldiers the Emperor Shah Alam II to install his Begum as his successor. In 1781, she converted to Christianity adopting the name Joanna
The feisty Begum Samru ( ‘Samru’ corrupted from ‘Sombre’) saved the life and honour of the Mughal Emperor not once but twice. She came to his rescue against the Rohilla Ghulam Qadir in 1787 and drove him out for which she was bestowed with the title of Zeb-un-Nisa ( jewel among the women). In 1788 she again saved him the blushes when Najaf Quli Khan attacked for which she was honored with Farzand-i-Azizi ( most beloved daughter).
It was in this background that the Begum was given the site of a Mughal Garden, Khas Bagh in 1806 by Akbar Shah II. Here, in midst of lush greenery, she built a beautiful, four storeyed European stylemansion with elegant Greek columns (probably the first time these columns were used in Delhi). The vicinity to Red Fort showed the kind of power that the warrior queen commanded. She regularly used to host parties for British officials here.
The wheels of time turned. Begum passed away in 1837 and the property passed on to her adopted son Dyce Sombre who eventually left for England selling his estate to the newly formed Delhi Bank in 1847. In 1857, the site witnessed heavy crossfire between Indian soldiers and British which resulted in the death of the bank’s manager Mr Beresford and his family.
In the post 1857 aftermath, the palace was taken over by British government serving as Imperial Bank and Lloyd’s Bank in succession
In 1922, it was sold to Munshi Shiv Narain who eventually sold it to Lala Bhagirath Mal in 1940. Lala ji rechristened it to Bhagirath Palace and the name survives to this day
In the 80 years hence the palace and the gardens around it transformed to the lighting and electricals market which we know today .
A section of the mansion has a branch of Central Bank of India running while the rest has umpteen number of shops selling their goods encroaching every bit of it. The garden is long gone with every square bit of it serving to “light up” the electrical needs of Delhi-walas
A dusty, rundown board on its entry proclaims it to be a “heritage”. The treatment of the place is anything but.
Its famous Greek columns are in a dire state and , in absence of any preservation, are a health hazard with material falling off from places
The memory of “Lloyds Bank Limited” survives on its frontage but that of the dancing girl who saved the Mughal Emperor multiple times and built the largest church of North India ( in Sardhana) – fades like the plaster on its walls everyday.
Social Share: Behind the futuristic facades of Gurugram is a jagir that has seen some dramatic moments in history – from a Mahabharata connection, to a medieval marauding community, tales of Mughal-era intrigue and a mercenary queen… Catch the story of a hamlet-turned-global city with a surprisingly rich past
Gurugram is defined by glitzy totems to power and pelf, her futuristic facades gazing firmly towards the future. Home to the offices of half the world’s Fortune 500 companies, and a thriving tech and industrial hub, the city has experienced stunning and rapid growth.
The monuments here are made of glass and steel, and the moghuls that lord over this jagir are corporate honchos and the wealthy elite. Boasting swank malls, ultra-modern offices and swish residential neighbourhoods, 21st century Gurugram is Millennium City. Yet, till just 30 years ago, it was little more than a bleak and barren hamlet not far from Delhi.
But this was not just any old hamlet. Gurugram’s unique location – 30 km south-west of Delhi and situated in then Punjab and now Haryana) – meant it was often swept up in some pretty historic events in the country’s history.
Look deep and you will find remnants of its antiquity. The Gurgaon (it was renamed ‘Gurugram’ in 2016) of pre-Independence India consisted of European dwellings, churches, Sadar Bazar and the old gaon with its famous temple dedicated to the ‘Goddess of Small Pox’.
Go further back and you come across a cantonment of a warrior queen and a counter cavalry unit of the British. Further back in the timeline, you discover a Mughal-era sarai and a historic mosque in a far-flung sector of Gurugram. Lastly, you will come across the fearless Mewatis led by the Khanzada dynasty, who leave their stamp here in the form of a once-glorious mosque and tomb.
It may be hard to imagine at first glance, but Gurugram has much to offer heritage and history buffs. Let’s start our journey!
Mahabharata Connection
Legend ascribes the name ‘Gurgaon’ to Guru Dronacharya, who was given the land here by the eldest of the Pandavas – Yudhishtira – in form of a guru dakshina or offering to the guru. The village came to be known as ‘Guru Gram’, which in time transformed into ‘Gurgaon’, and now once again, ‘Gurugram’.
There are many sites here that locals believe connect to the era of the Mahabharata – a small temple in Khandsa village (Sector 37), which locals believe marks the spot where Eklavya cut his thumb; Bhima Kund, a pond where Guru Dronacharya is said to have bathed; and a temple dedicated to the guru himself. However, the most famous of them all is the Sheetla Mata Temple visited every year by thousands of devotees and the site of a famous annual mela.
Sheetla (Sitla/Shitla) Mata Mandir
According to folklore, Sheetla Mata Mandir is dedicated to Kirpai, the wife of Guru Dronacharya, who lived in the village of Keshopur. She committed her life to the service of children suffering from small pox. After her death, a temple was built here in her memory. The story goes that the Mata once appeared in a dream to f a landholder of Gurgaon named Singha, and urged him to relocate the temple to his village. Singha complied and a new temple came up in her honour in Gurgaon. To this day, she is one of the most-revered goddess among the locals.
The temple is of considerable antiquity, as is confirmed by the Gazetteer of the Gurgaon District for 1910. It quotes that 50,000 to 60,000 pilgrims used to visit the temple every year to seek blessings for their children, to ward off the evil of small pox. The pilgrims used to come from as far as Benares and the annual offering varied between 10,000 to 20,000 rupees. The current temple was built in the 18th century by Jat King Jawahar Singh of Bharatpur, to commemorate his victory over the Mughals.
When the metro line arrived in Gurgaon, the first stop was named ‘Guru Dronacharya’ to honour the popular beliefs of the place. In 2016, Gurgaon was renamed ‘Gurugram’.
The Indomitable Mewatis
The Pre-Mughal era saw the constant influence of the Mewatis, a community of Muslim Rajputs, in this region, led by the fearless Bahadur Nahar Khan of the Khanzada Dynasty. While the region officially fell under the Delhi Sultanate of Qutubuddin Aibak and his successors, the Mewatis were a persistent nuisance as they employed the method of plunder and retreat whenever the central authority weakened. Bahlol Lodhi, founder of the Lodhi dynasty, brought the region firmly under his control in 1451 but the Khanzada influence was ever-present.
It was only with the advent of Babur a century later that the Mewati influence waned. During the Battle of Khanwa, Hasan Khan Mewati, the last ruler of this dynasty, allied with Rajput king Rana Sanga but ended up on the losing side. He was killed and the Mughals took over.
Bhondsi Mosque & Tomb
Bhondsi is a small, non-descript village on the Gurgaon-Sohna road, which hides a heritage treasure dying a slow death. It is home to a (approx how old?) mosque and tomb complex attributed to the Khanzadas and boasts typical Lodhi-era architectural features. The mosque has elaborate, fluted domes, octagonal necks, arched niches, lotus finials and graceful minarets on the side.
The tomb is of a square plan, with kanguras (WHAT ARE THESE?) on the parapet, chajjas (??), an octagonal neck and arched niches.
The complex is abandoned, overrun by bats inside and vegetation outside. These monuments, which have lasted more than five centuries, may not last the next few years!
The Mughal Era
During the age of Emperor Akbar, Gurgaon (and its surrounding region) comes to the fore for the first time with the rise of Hemu (7th October 1556 to 5th November 1556), who hailed from Rewari nearby and went on to sit on the throne of Delhi by sheer courage. A sizeable portion of his army came from the region around Gurgaon and fought against the Mughals in the Second Battle of Panipat.
As luck would have had it, Hemu was struck by a chance arrow in his eye, taken prisoner and beheaded. The tide, which was initially in his favour, turned, and his army was annihilated. One can only wonder what would have happened had Hemu triumphed – the people of the Gurgaon region would have been the driving force behind the throne of Delhi! But that was not to be and Gurgaon had to wait for its turn in the sun, till the British arrived.
Gurgaon, under Akbar, fell under the subah of Delhi. A piao, or a public structure intended to provide drinking water for travellers called Dhauli Piao, used to exist here from Akbar’s era till recently According to Veena Talwar Oldenburg, author of Gurgaon: From Mythic Village to Millennium City (year of publication), this was a small, brick pavilion with classic Mughal arches where the emperor’s entourage used to stop for refreshment en route to Amber. Unfortunately, this piao, over 500 years old, was demolished to make way for the Guru Dronacharya Metro Station in 2009. How ironic!
The region finds little mention from the time of Jahangir to Aurangzeb, and with the decline of the Mughals, it fell to the rulers of the neighbouring Farrukhnagar, Ghasera and Bharatpur areas. (Which rulers?)
Since Gurgaon lay on the important route from Delhi to Ajmer, sarais, or rest houses, were constructed for the convenience of travellers. A remnant of that time still exists in the form of the Sarai and Mosque of Nawab Ali Vardi Khan, which was constructed in the 18th century during the reign of Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah.
Sarai & Mosque of Ali Vardi Khan
Nawab Ali Vardi Khan was the Nawab of Bengal (r. 1740-56) during the reign of Muhammad Shah in Delhi. He must have been the chief patron of this sarai, which was built for travellers to Ajmer Sharif. A village that grew around the sarai took its name, and is today Sarai Allawardi in Sector 110 of Gurgaon.
The sarai no more than a heap of ruined rubble but the mosque, thankfully, still exists.
The mosque has three graceful, bulbous domes topped by upturned lotuses and kalasha (translate). It has lost one of its minarets but the rest of the structure is intact. We find exquisite floral ornamentation and cusped arches on the red sandstone façade. The mosque is still in use with namazis from the surrounding areas using it.
The Age of Begum Samru
Begum Samru (ca 1753 to 1836) started as a nautch girl and ended up becoming the ruler of Sardhana near Meerut, commanding her own mercenary army. She was intimately connected to Delhi, having twice come to the rescue of Mughal Emperor Shah Alam.
The jagir of Jharsa-Badshahpur (part of modern Gurugram) was acquired by her husband Walter Reinhardt Sombre from the French. After his death, it passed on to her and she built a major cantonment in Jharsa in addition to her army in Sardhana.
The Begum, according to the Gazetteer of the Gurgaon District for 1910, used to extract one month’s donation every year from the Temple of Sheetla Mata. It is also believed that Sheetla Mata came to her rescue when her child contracted small pox and cured him after prayers were offered to the Goddess. However, this story doesn’t find mention in any official records.
The queen built the grandest monument in Gurgaon during that time. It was her palace and was situated between Jharsa and Gurgaon village. She died in 1839, after ruling Jharsa-Badshahpur for around 60 years. After her death, the palace became the residence of the Deputy Commissioner of Gurugram and her estate passed on to British.
French Memorial, Mohyal Park
Mohyal Park is located in Sector 40 of Gurugram, in the region of erstwhile Jharsa. Here, we find a memorial which Begum Samru built for one of her loyal officers, a Frenchman named Major Jean Etienne.
He served the Begum for 35 years and passed away in 1821. We find another grave here, probably of another officer.
Badshahpur Fort & Baoli
Badshahpur, in Sector 66 of Gurugram, grew around a massive fort which once covered 17 acres. However, rampant encroachment by locals and government apathy resulted in the near-disappearance of the fort. All that exists today is a part of a huge bastion and some walls.
A 100-year-old baoli or well, which existed in the vicinity till 2018, since been covered completely to make way for a new road. Badshahpur is a prime example of rampant urbanization and indifference.
British Rule
The British influence began with the conquest of Delhi in 1803 by Lord Lake. To keep an eye on the Jharsa cantonment of Begum Samru, a British cavalry unit was stationed at Hidayatpur. The British then transferred their civil offices from Bharawas (near Rewari) to the Civil Lines area of Gurgaon, where they built bungalows, a church, jail, post office, two sarais and the Sadar Bazaar. Gurgaon finally became a district in 1821.
Monuments of note from this period are:
Church of The Epiphany
The Church of The Epiphany was built in 1863 for British officers stationed in Gurgaon. It was consecrated in 1866 by the Bishop of Calcutta. This is a quaint, intimate church with coffee-coloured wooden beams in the roof, a simple altar and stained glass windows depicting the Crucifixion. Cawn Sarai
This was one of two sarais built by the British and probably got its name from Mr R Cavendish, the first British administrator of Gurgaon. All that remains of this 19th century structure is its grand gate with the trademark cusped arches of that era. The gate stands in the busy bus stand area of Gurugram and is heavily encroached on all sides. The situation is so dire that there are shops operating even inside it. The local dialect has seen the name evolve to ‘Kaman Sarai’.
John Hall
This grand hall was built in memory of John Bryne, the deceased son of Deputy Commissioner F L Brayne, in 1925. The hall was historically used for high-level meetings and administrative functions. It has been renamed to Swatantra Senani Zila Parishad Hall.
There is a need to look beyond the sheen of corporate towers and high-end neighbourhoods in Gurgaon so that what remains of the city’s glorious past is preserved.
In the tradition of towns and cities which hide an interesting medieval past behind their modern glitz, Faridabad stands as a stark example. To the modern conscience, Faridabad is the industrial hub of Haryana with an astounding two thousand plus factories which contribute to the economy of the state of Haryana generating sizeable employment. It is also home to a lot of corporates as well thus developing a sizeable eco system of housing societies, high end schools, hospitals, malls etc. However, unknown to most, there are ancient and medieval monuments spread across the breadth of the city hiding in plain sight. The spread consists of an eighth century kund , a tenth century dam, medieval mosques, temples, distance markers and a bridge. In fact Faridabad is home to some of the oldest surviving man- made structures of the Delhi NCR region.
The Origin of the Name
The name Faridabad comes from the founder of the old city , Sheikh Farid who was the treasurer of Mughal Emperor Jahangir. Sheikh Farid, whose full name was Sheikh Fariduddin Ibne Syed Ahmed Bukhari, was a loyal servant to the emperor, and was instrumental in suppressing the rebellion of Prince Khusrau, son of Jahangir, post Emperor Akbar’s death. In lieu of this victory, he was honoured with the title of Murtaza Khan. The Sheikh also served as Governor of Punjab and Gujarat during Jahangir’s reign and died in 1615 AD. He lies today in the medieval village of Begumpur in Malviya Nagar, New Delhi where he built a sarai which survives to this day.
Sheikh Farid laid the foundation of the city of Faridabad (known as Old Faridabad today) to protect the imperial Delhi- Agra highway which passed through this route. However the region around Faridabad has a much greater antiquity going back to Mahabharata era. It was also intimately connected to shaping the Delhi of 11th Century. Lets first discuss that.
The Mahabharata Connection
The region of Delhi NCR is rich with Mahabharata legends with both Delhi ( Indraprastha/Indrapat) and Gurugram ( Guru Dronacharya) have their own stories associated with it. On a similar vein, Talpat or Tiliprashta in Faridabad district is believed to be one of the five pats demanded by Pandavas as a part of their share of the kingdom. The village stands atop a 30 metre high mound and archaeological evidence has suggested considerable antiquity.
The region was under the influence of Sungas, Kushanas, Guptas, Harsha and eventually Gurjara Pratiharas till 7th Century AD. However, while ample archaeological evidence in form of statues and art pieces have been discovered as a proof to it, unfortunately no built heritage of those eras has been left behind.
The Tomar Rajputs
The Tomars were Rajputs who started as generals of ruling dynasty of Pratiharas, then became governors of the region and eventually rulers when the Pratiharas era declined. They are regarded as founders of Delhi ( Dhillika then) which was their capital and their region encompassed the Haryana country. Evidence to the same is found in works of Abul Fazl as well bardic traditions like the records of 17th Century Gwalior Bhat Kharag Rai (Bhats were traditional genealogists of India). The Tomars were defeated and displaced by Chauhans who were eventually defeated by the Turks marking a new age in history of India.
As for Tomars and Faridabad region, the village of Anangpur (or Anekpur or Arangpur) still preserves remnants of that age. Anangpur (named either after Anangpala Tomar I or Anangpala Tomar II) is an important prehistoric site with associations to Paleolithic era. There exists an ancient kund/tank 2 kms south of it and a medieval dam within it
Suraj Kund
This is a 10th Century stepped water tank built by Surajpal Tomar which resembles a massive Roman Amphitheatre. It is believed that Surajpal was a Sun God worshipper and he got this tank built along with a sun temple near it. The tank survives thankfully but the place where temple would have existed has only massive blocks of stones left.
The tank was built in shape of rising sun with an eastward arc. Firuz Shah Tughlaq got repairs done in the steps and reservoir during his reign.
Anangpur Dam
This stone masonry dam, totally orphaned by neglect, was built in 11th Century and still has its drainage channels preserved which were used to drain excess water and maintain the water level. The purpose here was to block upstream rainwater for irrigation purposes.
The 50m wide and 7m high dam is now used by riders to do bike stunts and is surrounded on all sides by newly built by marriage halls
During the age of Delhi Sultanate this region witnessed disturbances due to rebellious Mewatis and the efforts to Sultanate to put them down especially Balban.
It was only with the advent of Babur and Mughal age did the Mewati influence waned. The present district of Faridabad was distributed between Delhi and Agra subahs during the age of Akbar.
Interestingly almost all the monuments of medieval age that exist in Faridabad today belong to the reign of Jahangir
The Jahangir Era
Old Faridabad
When Sheikh Farid laid the foundation of Faridabad, he built here a fort, mosque, tank, baoli and an eidgah. The mosque, tank and eidgah still stand today while the baoli was filled up to make way for government quarters. He invited Syeds from Bukhara, Brahmins from Kannauj and Khatris from Punjab to populate his town. While the demographics of the town changed post partition, we still find localities in the old town with names like Sayad Wara, Khatri Wara and Sheikh Wara.
Shahi Jami Masjid
The foundation of the Jami Masjid was laid by Sheikh Farid in 1605 AD . This is a glorious three arched mosque with a pylon (high central arched gateway) in centre, bulbous dome with inverted lotus finial, kanguras ( merlons) at the parapet, and quranic medallions in spandrel of arches.
The kutba of the mosque thankfully still survives and mentions that : During the reign of Emperor Jahangir, who is pious, just and liberal; Murtaza Khan ( Sheikh Farid), who is honoured, powerful, generous and liberal, laid the foundation of this mosque in Hijri 1014 ( or 1605 AD).
The mosque has been recently painted with minarets added to it. There is also a domed tomb in the premises which dates to 200 years post the foundation of mosque. The cenotaph in here is of an unknown person but is deeply revered by the people around.
Barahi Mata Mandir
Barahi ( or Varahi) Mata is one of the Mother Goddess of Hindu religion who is the feminine energy of Varaha – the boar avatar of god Vishnu. The Barahi Mata Mandir of old Faridabad is of considerable antiquity as is confirmed by its pyramidal domes.
An annual Barahi Mata ka mela is held here in the months of April to May
Barahi Talab
The Barahi tank (or talab as called by locals) exists adjacent to the Barahi Mata Mandir and gets its name ffrom it. It was built by Sheikh Farid for the benefit of the local populace.
The tank is usually dry in hot summers while filled with water during the rest of the year. There are remnants of Lahori brick structures and cusped arches near the steps of the tank but the rest of the complex is modern. The renovation at a later date is confirmed by District Gazetteer of Faridabad.
Nawab Sahib ki Masjid
This three arched mosque with graceful, bulbous domes was built during the age of Nawab Mutalabi in Later Mughal era in the locality of Sayed Wara. It is difficult to find any text mentioning the Nawab and his lineage. All we know is that the Nawab’s descendants migrated to Pakistan during partition and the mosque was abandoned. Currently a temple functions in the premises.
Shiv Mandir, Barahi Talab
This temple lies near the medieval tank and most of its structure is modern. The antiquity is confirmed by the bulbous dome with lotus finial and cusped arches inside. There are also remants of lahori brick strcutures in the temple premises. This was probably built during later Mughal age.
Eidgah
The Eidgah was built by Sheikh Farid for the annual offering of Namaz on occasion of Eid in the forested area nearby. This was a simple wall mosque in semi ruins not so long ago. However today it is a full-fledged modern mosque with daily namaz being offered. The mosque is situated in Baba Nagar
Faridabad Kos Minars
Kos Minars were medieval milestones placed on every Kos ( each Kos = 3.22 km) all along the Grand Trunk Road by Akbar and Jahangir. They were almost 20 feet in height and built of rubble masonry/bricks covered with lime plaster. They had an octagonal base which tapered at the top finishing as a circle . There were inns and wells built around them as well as horses and riders placed for quick delivery of royal messages. Hence they were a Hub of activity on travel routes
Since Faridabad lied on the imperial route of Delhi to Agra, it has had 3 Kos Minars in the city area , 2 of which still exist. These Kos Minars were most probably built in era of Jahangir
Kos Minar 1
This one can be found near Sarai Metro Station and stands in a residential colony in a park. The locals unaware of the value of these heritage structures call it a half broken Qutub Minar.
Kos Minar 2
This one exists on the side of the road in Sector 29, Faridabad hidden by roadside trees and protected by an iron railing
Kos Minar 3
The one existed in Mujesor area but as Subhash Parihar, the author of the seminal book on monuments of Agra- Lahore highway –Land Transport in Mughal India: Agra-Lahore Mughal Highway and Its Architecture , confirms this one disappeared due to rapid encroachment and industrialization in Faridabad
There are other kos minars which exist in the Faridabad district in Palwal and Hodal towns as well
Khwaja Sarai Bridge
Jahangir was not a prolific builder of tombs and mosques like his ancestors or descendants . However his memoir mentions that he ordered the construction of bridges, big and small, across his empire so that travellers facing rivers can cross them without obstruction
Three of the bridges of his time still exist in Delhi NCR. While 2 of them lie in Delhi – Barapulla and Salimgarh Fort, the third one lies in Khwaja Sarai village in Faridabad
The bridge today stands over a naala called budhiya wala naala. And the locals call the bridge ‘budhia wala pul’
The bridge has been built in stone and has 3 piers with the arch in central pier strengthened by buttresses. There were 4 mini towers /pylons where the buttresses were. But only 2 survive today
Thankfully the bridge has been preserved by ASI and can be only used by those on foot now
With the death of Aurangzeb and decline of Mughal age, the region witnessed conflicts between Jats, the French, Marathas and British. In 1803, British came to the fore and eventually Gurgaon district was created of whom Faridabad was a part. In 1858, the region moved to Punjab. Unfortunately no monument of colonial era exists today in Faridabad city.
Lastly, it is imperative to be aware and visit these hidden spots so they become a part of mainstream conscience and efforts are made to save the orphaned ones
