Jahaz Haveli

The Haveli Todar Mal Tandon popularly known as Jahaz Haveli or Jahaz Mahal is the 17th century residence (haveli) of Todar Mal, a Khatri Chopra from Sirhind, 

who became the diwan in the court of Nawab Wazir Khan, the Governor of Sirhind, under Mughal Empire. Today, it is remembered for the cremation of young martyred sons of Guru Gobind Singh and his mother.[1]

Jahaz Haveli
Jahaz Haveli (Haveli Todar Mal)
Former namesJahaz Mahal
Alternative namesHaveli Todar Mal
General information
TypeHaveli
Architectural styleMughal
LocationFatehgarh Sahib, Punjab
AddressHarnam Nagar
Completed17th century
OwnerSGPC

The haveli is situated in Harnam Nagar, on the Eastern side of Sirhind-Rupnagar Railway Line just 1 km away from Fatehgarh Sahib, and is now being taken over and restored by SGPC with the help of Punjab govt and INTACH.[1][2][3][4] Todar Mal descendants moved from Sirhind to Ludhaina. The present descendants known as Mandals are Kshatriyas. Both Todar Mal's in history are from the same family. The mandal family records are available in Haridwar since the 16th century. Todar Mal was from Punjab.

Architecture
Jahaz Haveli being restored.

The lavish haveli constructed with Sirhindi bricks stand just outside the Mughal Governor Nawab Wazir Khan's palace, once boasts of a grand reception area to receive and entertain guests and a well laid-out ground complete with a pool and fountains.[5]

Diwan Todar Mal
Diwan Todar Mall Hall in Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib

Diwan Todar Mal was a Chopra scholar and Dewan at the court of Nawab wazir khan of Sirhind .[6][7] and as per account in the Phulkian state gazetteer, he belonged to Kakra village, a few miles from Patiala.[8]

In Sikh history, he is remembered for buying a small piece of land at a very huge price saying the world's costliest land ever bought for the cremation of the dead bodies of Mata Gujri, the mother and Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh, the two younger sons of 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh in 1704 A.D, by paying an exorbitant price to the Wazir Khan Governor Of Sarhind. He had to cover the whole piece of land with gold coins (ashrafis) in a vertical position, as he was asked to vertically place gold coins on the land and only that much land was given to him which he could cover with gold coins. He later also made arrangements for their cremation. But, according to Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer, the bodies of all the three were cremated by the descendants of Todar Mall Shahjahani because the latter had already died in 1665-66.[9]

Todar Mal, however had to bear the brunt of Wazir Khan's wrath, and he and his family had to abandon the haveli soon after, and themselves faded into oblivion, with dilapidated building being their only reminder. In the coming years, the haveli fell into rapid disrepair, and collapsed at many place. Though it survived ransacking of Sirhind by Banda Bahadur and during the reign of The Sikh Confederacy, the haveli was left untouched out of respect for Diwan Todar Mal.[5][10]

Today, Gurdwara Jyoti Swarup, now stands at the place where these three martyrs were cremated and the road connecting the two Gurdwaras is known as Dewan Todar Mal Marg. Even today Diwan Todar Mal is deeply respected by the Sikhs and a Diwan Todar Mal Memorial Hall, congregation hall has been constructed at historic Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib by SGPC.[11][12]

See also
  • Brief description of history of Haveli Todar Mal, Fatehgarh Sahib district, Punjab, India
  • Haveli Todar Mal,Fatehgarh Sahib district, Punjab, India
  • Ruins of Haveli Todar Mal, Fatehgarh Sahib district, Punjab, India
  • Well at Haveli Todar Mal, Fatehgarh Sahib district, Punjab ,India

References
  1. "Aggarwal Sabha hails SGPC move". The Tribune. 31 December 2009.
  2. "Shrines: Haveli Todar Mal". Fatehgarh Sahib district website. Archived from the original on 10 February 2010.
  3. "Jahaz Haveli to get a facelift by Gurdeep Singh Mann". The Tribune. 4 January 2010.
  4. "SGPC keen on Sikh heritage conservation". The Indian Express. 31 May 2008.
  5. "The forgotten Diwan of Sirhind". The Tribune. 2 January 2004.
  6. "AN ANCIENT BROTHERHOOD". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  7. "Jahaz Haveli - SikhiWiki, free Sikh encyclopedia". www.sikhiwiki.org. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  8. Sarbjit Dhaliwal (5 May 2008). "There were 2 Todar Mals: Historian". The Tribune.
  9. Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer, SIKH HISTORY IN 10 VOLUMES, vol 1, p. 375.
  10. Fatehgarh Sahib /Sirhind Archived 18 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Govt of Punjab, Revenue Dept.
  11. "Dewan Todar Mal- A true devotee of the Guru". Fatehgarh Sahib website. Archived from the original on 9 April 2009. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
  12. Khushwant Singh (7 November 2009). "An Ancient Brotherhood". The Telegraph.

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