Gates to the grand past
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Take your experience further with Premium access. Thought-provoking Opinions, Expert Analysis, In-depth Insights and other Member Only BenefitsAfter taking control of Amritsar in 1805 Maharaja Ranjit Singh, in year 1822, began fortifying the city under the supervision of ‘buildings officer’ Ganesh Das. With the suggestion from Muhammad Yar Khan the construction of the wall started from Katra Maha Singh. Later, the baton was passed onto Maharaja’s trusted military general Sardar Desa Singh Majithia, who appointed his son Lehna Singh as the overseer of the work. The very first work was completed with Rs7 lakh deposited in ‘sarkar’s’ treasury from a well-known ‘sahukar’ — Ramanand. After Maharaja Ranjit Singh, his son Sher Singh continued with the construction. The total cost of the wall, including 12 gates and a fort named ‘Dhoor Kot’, amounted to Rs12, 40,460. Come 1849, when British annexed Punjab, Amritsar was a walled city. However, it was not long when the invaders decided to demolish the wall on the pretext that it was crumbling. It seems improbable that the strong fortification began decaying within a short span of 24 years. The historians believe that it was a military strategy to erase everything which could lead to a mutiny. The British, after demolition, started the construction of a new wall, which would have 13 gates instead of original 12. It was completed in 1885. The additional entrance, the Hall Gate built in 1866, is named after then Deputy Commissioner CH Hall. Though the name was officially changed to Gandhi Darwaza — after Mahatma Gandhi — but the ‘Hall Gate’ has stuck on. Similarly, the name ‘walled city’ remains glued – even though the wall fringing the area has long perished.
Maharaja’s 12 gates
There were twelve strong gates in the city. Some of them were surrounded by defences with two or three brass guns. The Lahori Darwaza served as the main entrance on the road from Lahore. Moving in anti-clockwise direction, one is confronted by other gates of the city: Khazana, Hakeema, Rangar Nangalia Gilwali, Ramgarhia, Doburji, Ahluwalia, Deori Kalan, Rambagh Deori Shahzada and Lohgarh. The names of a few have changed since mid-19th Century.
The Wall
A massive double wall of unbaked bricks, with a double moat was constructed by the Maharaja. Gurbaz Singh, in his work Tarikh-i-Punjab (Punjabi translation of the portion dealing with Punjab in Ahmad Shah’s Tarikh-i-Hind) writes that the fortification was 25 yards broad and 7 yards high. The circumference of the walled city was around 5 miles. The British had the moats filled and built a few police chowkis. The old wall was demolished and a new one rose. However, it, too, has perished and its later versions, renovated and reconstructed, are available at a few spots.
Hall Gate
It is the 13th gate built by the British in addition to the 12 erected during the Maharaja’s era. It is named after then Deputy Commissioner CH Hall. It was named Gandhi Darwaza after Partition, but only for a short period of time. The original name remains. There used to be a prison at the place which was shifted to Gumtala after the construction began.
Hathi Darwaza (Darwaza Sehzada)
Chattiwind Gate (Ramgarhia Darwaza)
Sultanwind Gate or Delhi Darwaza (Doburji)
Khazana Gate (Darwaza Khazana)
Lahori Gate
Gate Hakeema (Darwaza Hakeema Wala)
Darwaza Rambagh
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Lohgarh Gate
Gate Bhagatawala (Darwaza Rangar Nangalia)
Darwaza Gheo Mandi (Ahluwalia Darwaza)
Gilwali Gate