Old Anarkali
Buildings
Civil Secretariat
pre-1845 & 1847
During its early
days of occupation,
the East India
Company usually
constructed three
kinds of structures:
army barracks, a
chapel or small
church, and civil
administrative
structures.
Anarkali, as the
area in which the
secretariat is
located was known,
became the centre in
which all three
building types were
located. As a
military cantonment
it abounded in army
barracks until the
cantonment was
shifted to Mian Mir
(named after the
celebrated saint
Mian Mir), and the
barracks demolished
to make way for
structures of civil
use. No
purpose-built chapel
is found in the
area, since the
existing Mughal Tomb
of Anarkali with its
magnificent form and
lofty interior
spaces was
considered eminently
suitable to serve as
a chapel, which it
did until 1885.
The Civil
Secretariat, the
first building on
this rahguzar, can
be said to be the
earliest extant
British building.
Around a core dating
to the Sikh Period,
the building was
extended,
incorporating modest
classical
architectural
elements to portray
the British
aspirations of the
time.
Originally built by
Jean Baptiste
Ventura, a general
in Ranjit Singh's
army, the building
was known as
'Anarkali House',
and was built in
close proximity to
Anarkali's sepulcher
situated in a garden
known as Anarkali
Garden. The house
was acquired by the
British on payment
of Rs. 2,000 against
Ventura's demand of
Rs. 10,000.
In 1831, the
traveler Jacque Mont
found Ventura and
Jean Francois
Allard, the other
French adventurer
who had been awarded
the rank of general
by Ranjit Singh,
sharing the house.
Built on the ruins
of a Mughal palace,
the "half European
and half Persian"
house had been
magnificently
decorated with
Persian and Kashmir
rugs "of great
beauty" strewn on
the floors. Jacque
Mont had found the
"large Mughal tomb"
of Anarkali occupied
by Ventura's wife.
The traveler Baron
Hugel of Travels in
Kashmir fame, who
visited Lahore in
1836, informed that:
"General Ventura's
house, built by
himself, though of
no great size
combines the
splendor of the east
with the comforts of
European residence."
Although the Punjab
Gazetteer of 1916
dates the erection
of this building to
1845 (when the
battles of Mudki,
Ferozeshah & Sobraon
took place resulting
in the establishment
of British
administration in
the Punjab), a
plaque installed in
1917 records: "Jean
Baptiste Ventura,
General in the
service of the
Maharaja Ranjit
Singh erected this
building in its
original form, and
lived in it for many
years. It became the
British Residency in
1847 and was
occupied by Henry
Lawrence and John
Lawrence as Resident
at the Court of
Lahore, and after
the annexation of
the Punjab, as
Member of the Board
of Administration."
The main attraction
of this modest
linear structure
lies in the deep
front verandah
carried on simple
Doric columns, the
whole unified by a
parapet of cornices.
An interesting
feature is the
central curved
portion, accented by
the utilization of
double Doric
columns. Honoria,
daughter of Henry
Lawrence, confirms
that the verandah
was built as part of
the extended house,
when it was also
re-named 'Alhenho'
after her siblings
ALeck, HENry and
HOnoria.
As the British
resident. Henry had
lived in great
style, with many
outhouses for
assistants. There
were stables, along
with a company and a
half of the infantry
and scores of sawars,
while the enormous
grounds were
enclosed with a high
mud wall to make the
estate secure.
Today, although the
front lawn is
maintained,
subsequent changes
have altered the
surrounding area. It
is fortunate that
proposals for
shifting and
reconstruction did
not bear fruit, and
the building itself
continues to
function as the
office of the Chief
Secretary of the
Punjab.
District Court
House, 1870
Coming out of the
Secretariat if you
turn left (north) on
the Lower Mall, you
will find Nasir Bagh
on your right, a
reminder of the
early British
cantonment that was
established here.
This garden, which
has been known
variously as
Anarkali Garden,
Kumpany Bagh,
Soldier's Garden and
Gol Bagh (now named
after Jamal Abdul
Nasir of Egypt), is
well maintained.
The original
'Soldier's Garden',
was laid out with
"racket courts, five
courts, ba 11
courts, swings,
 whirligigs,
gymnastic poles,"
with military band
playing two or three
times a week for the
pleasure of
soldiers. The 'old
Sikh guns' and "the
long muskets that
used to commit so
much mischief" as
recorded by Honoria
Lawrence at the
time, were
"peacefully standing
up as garden
railings," as
enclosure to the
garden. The garden
was used for festive
occasions as was
done on the occasion
of the visit of Lord
and Lady Dalhousie
(1849), when a
raised terrace was
built over which was
stretched a gay
awning for 'the
little Maharaja'
(Maharaja Dulip
Singh, the last Sikh
ruler); the garden
was "crowded with
people, soldiers
with their wives and
children. Native
Chiefs, both
Muhammadan and
Hindoo, with their
armed followers gay
with jewels, shawls,
and every colored
costume. The gay
Staff Officers of
the Governor General
and
Commander-in-Chief
with crowds of
ladies and
gentlemen."
Driving past the
neo-Gothic
Government College
with its enormous
tower, you will need
to turn left into a
large compound where
the impressive
District Courts or
the office of the
Deputy Commissioner
is situated. The
site, part of the
old Anarkali
Cantonment, was
situated opposite
the Gymnasium (old
Presbyterian
Church). To make
space for the Saddar
Kachahri of Lahore
District—as the
District Courts were
known—many of the
barracks had to be
demolished, as
indeed had been the
fate of several
Mughal structures
when the first
British cantonment
was laid out in
1845. Kannhaiya Lal,
executive engineer
in charge, praises
the pleasant verdant
grounds full of old
trees, where the
District Courts were
constructed in 1870
at a cost of Rs.
100,000.
Designed in a 'U'
shape with a
footprint of 233' x
227', its three
wings border the
periphery of the
open space. The
centre of the long
frontage is defined
by a commodious
porch, used by the
DC, whose buggy
would stand waiting
for the sahib to
finish his work. The
porch leads across
the verandah to the
court with a raised
dais for use of the
Deputy Commissioner.
The remaining
portions of the
building contain
offices of the
Assistant
Commissioner and
Extra Assistant
Commissioner etc.,
as well as the
offices of District
Superintendent of
Police.
The District Courts
is the first
building in Lahore
which exhibits
Italian Renaissance
influence, a style
popularly referred
to as Italianate'.
Built with exposed
red brick masonry,
the design of the
facade relies on
simple arcading,
defined with simple
moldings and
keystones. The
repetitive
utilization of Roman
arches supported on
massive piers on the
ground and twin
columns on the first
floor verandahs
lends the facade a
transparent air, at
the same time
providing the much
needed shade to
rooms accessed from
them. Although
simply executed, the
building's lofty
ceilings and neatly
laid brick make a
combination for an
extremely impressive
structure. A
projecting chajja,
supported on molded
corbelled brackets,
formed with red
stone, terminates
the first floor
roof.
An invaluable
treasure contained
in this building was
the archival record
consisting of maps
and sanads (land
deeds) which had
been maintained
since the annexation
of the Punjab, which
was unfortunately
lost as a result of
arson by an unruly
mob in 1998.
This building, a
symbol of the Punjab
administration, was
among the first to
carry the flag of
independent
Pakistan, hoisted by
the first Deputy
Commissioner of
Lahore, Zafarul
Ahsan Lari, C.S.P.,
formerly of Indian
Civil Service.
Government
College 1872-77
You will need to
park the car outside
the gate to enter
the remarkable
educational
institution that
Government College
is. As is well
known, its main
college building
dates from 1870s
(1872-77). As you
walk up the
ramp-like driveway,
past the attractive
single storey brick
structure—now
utilized as an
administrative block
you are overawed by
the majestic
neo-Gothic
architectural tour
de force in mellow
Lahori brick.
Lahore Government
College or simply
GC, is synonymous
with Lahore. Among
the most famous of
 Lahore
colleges, it is
among the first
educational
institutions that
were established in
the Punjab.
Generations of
students have passed
through its portals
and attained eminent
positions in all
walks of life in
Pakistan.
Although the
establishment of a
Central College at
Lahore was
sanctioned in 1856
with the condition
that the teachers
should be graduates
of Oxford,
Cambridge, Dublin or
Durham, it was not
until January 1,1864
that the college
opened its doors in
the palace (haveli)
of Dhian Singh/Khushal
Singh, in Lahore's
Walled City (for
location see
Guzargah 9—Kashmiri
& Masti Gates in
Chapter 8, Walled
City Rahguzar). The
first principal was
the famous Dr. G. W.
Leitner whose name
is closely attached
to the College.
When it was decided
to move to more
suitable premises, a
site on an eminence
north of the
Soldier's Garden (Gol
Bagh) was selected,
and a 'picturesque
building', with a
large central clock
tower was
constructed. That
Gothic was the
chosen style for the
building is not
surprising. Among
the first major
structures of
Lahore, the
missionary zeal
frequently expressed
by the Lawrence
brothers (Henry and
John Lawrence) no
doubt had an impact
on the architectural
expression of the
college. As is well
known, during the
early Victorian age,
every administrator
from England arrived
as a missionary
soldier in the
subcontinent, and
what could better
express the
Christian zeal than
buildings clad in
Gothic attire?
The building was
designed by W.
Purdon,
Superintendent
Engineer, and
constructed under
the supervision of
Executive Engineer
Kannhaiya Lal. It
was completed in
1877 at a cost of
Rs. 320,000. A
couple of years
after its
completion. Viceroy
Lord Lytton presided
over the convocation
of 'Punjab
University College'
(1879) held in its
convocation hall
with its enormous
height—"the great
hall of the Lahore
College, which was
tastefully decorated
and arranged for the
occasion." Lytton
papers recorded that
the event was
witnessed by "a
large number of
ladies and
gentlemen, European
and Native."
From the main road
the main college
building is seen
above the landscaped
terracing through
the foliage of
trees, presenting a
picture postcard
view.
The Lahori brick is
combined with
sparing use of black
Chiniot stone in the
first floor columns
as well as in the
borders lining the
openings. Pointed
arches on the facade
are accented with
simple moldings, and
the building is
topped by a steeply
sloping roof.
According to
Kannahiya Lal, the
slate for the roof
covering was
acquired from
Dalhousie Mountain
hundreds of miles
away.
The centre of the
building is marked
with an enormous
entrance tower—a
most impressive
element representing
the image of
Government College.
Placed on a 15' high
podium, and
accessible from the
garden by a wide
flight of stairs,
the tower rises to a
total height of
176'. Divided into
four distinct
storey, it is
terminated in the
form of a spire. The
battered sides of
the octagonal tower
carry quaint dormer
windows, with its
enormous clocks
visible from great
distances. The
classrooms are
accessed from a deep
verandah which also
provides protection
from the strong
Punjab sun.
The College has a
large campus. It
contains one of the
earliest libraries
of the province,
which houses a large
collection of books
acquired over the
years.
Apart from several
other structures, in
the rear of the main
college building is
also located another
historic building—a
boarding house
dating to 1892.
Built around a
quadrangle 160' by
170', at a cost of
Rs. 57,000, it was
designed to
accommodate 100
students.
Town Hal
11887-1890
To view an
impressive group of
Anglo-Mughal
buildings which are
located on the west
end of the Upper
Mall, it is best to
make a 'U' turn on
the Lower Mall and
after Nasir Bagh (Gol
Bagh) take a left
turn (east) into the
Upper Mall. The
first structure of
this group is the
building known as
Lahore Metropolitan
Corporation Hall.
Originally built as
Victoria Jubilee
Town Hall "dedicated
to the joyful memory
of the fiftieth year
of the reign" of
Queen Victoria, the
building was begun
in February 1887.
Its foundation stone
was laid by Charles
Aitchison, Lieut.
Governor of the
Punjab, and the
opening took place
with great fanfare
and ceremony
attended by Prince
Albert Victor on
February 3,1890.
This structure,
although not very
large, has an
impressive presence.
Consisting of two
storey, it has a
large hall 80' x
40'wide on the first
floor, while the
ground floor is
dedicated to
offices. As was
usual with town
halls of the British
period, the
beautifully
decorated hall, with
its excellent teak
floor, was used for
exclusive functions
such as dances,
concerts and
meetings, although
the prince in his
opening speech said
that he hoped that
it would also be
utilized for "wise
and quiet debates."
As a result of a
competition, the
winning design, with
a prize of Rs. 500,
was chosen from
several competitive
entries. The design
was prepared by
Pogson, a Madras
architect. Having
been designed "on an
oriental principle,"
as noted in
contemporary
accounts, the
building
incorporates
elements derived
from Muslim
architectural
traditions. The
square corner towers
are the dominating
element of the
ensemble, and
incorporate arch
forms from varied
sources Mughal and
Sultanate Period
lancet-arches along
with Spanish
horse-shoe arches,
reflect the
influence of Robert
Fellows Chisholm of
Madras rather than
that of Swinton
Jacob of Jaipur. The
choice of Pogson
demonstrates the
partiality felt for
Madras by the Lahore
Administration, they
having earlier
chosen the design of
another Madras
architect, J.W.
Brassington, for the
impressive Chief
Court (High Court)
building (see later
in this rahguzar).
The two-storey
middle section of
the building
carrying an enormous
lancet arch alcove
is flanked by the
massive three-storey
corner towers, the
roof line
terminating with
castle-like merlons.
The corner towers
are capped by a
central dome and
four onion shaped
corner cupolas. In
spite of its
'oriental' imagery,
and use of moldings,
the detailing is
comparatively simple
and the flourish of
molded brick or
terra-cotta
fretwork, found in
the earlier Chief
Court or the nearby
Mayo School, is not
in evidence.
The building which
was completed at a
cost of Rs. 60,000,
has been restored
and cleaned in
recent years, and
once again proudly
presents its
original brick
facing. The
landscaped forecourt
is dominated by an
attractive fountain,
said to be a gift of
Raja Harbans Singh.Old Anarkali Buildings
The Upper Mall Heritage
Charing Cross Group
Miscellaneous
Imperial Edifices
G.O.R. & Cantonment Buildings
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