Pind da darwaza: A peep into rich past & glory of a village

‘Pind da darwaza’ (village’s entry gate) is no ordinary door. It holds huge significance, which very few people are aware of today. Large, fortified wooden gates were designed for both defence purposes and to control access. The structures of these gates are impressive, both in size and construction, and often reflect the historical era and cultural influences of the village.

The ‘darwaza’ used to be a hallway with huge gates at both the ends and sitting arrangement inside the passage, where elderly from the village used to sit and discuss the current topics and keep a watch on people coming and going out of the ‘darwaza’.

There used to be 3-4 gates in the village that would be closed every night and opened in the morning, and in this way, these were used to keep the security at the village tight. Closing all the gates meant no access to anyone into the village.

Hailing from Ubhawal village in Sangrur, Jagrup Singh, shared the significance of these gates, saying that they acted as the boundary wall of the village. “Our village had four gates and every day, a siren used to blow in the morning and evening — an indication for the opening and closing of the gates. After the closing the gates, the access to the entire village was restricted and these gates helped in keeping the security of the village tight,” he said.

“With the passage of time, the ‘darwaza’ lost its significance and it has become just like any other entrance gates of the village,” he said.

An octogenarian from Sunet village, Ram Singh, said the ‘darwaza’ was an important part of the village that was built in 1750.

“Over a period of time, the huge wooden gate rusted away and now, only the concrete hallway structure stands. It was recently painted and uplifted but hardly anybody comes to sit here these days,” he said.

The ‘darwaza’ of a village is not just an entryway, but also a symbol of power and protection. It acts as a crucial line of defence, strategically located and sometimes, reinforced with metal and spikes. Beyond their functional purpose, these doors also showcased intricate designs and artistic traditions, reflecting the region’s socio-political environment, adds Surjit Kaur, from a village near Maachiwara.

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