Tour to Bahawalpur State (2nd Episode)

Tour to Bahawalpur State

As per the plan we 23 people moved from kassowal at sharp 06:30 AM. We used two vehicles a high roof containing 16 individuals and an APV containing 7 individuals. It was a mix of researchers, students and tourists at the same time. We had 3 researchers, 7 teachers, 5 students and 8 tourists. All of them were informed via e-mail, text message, printed material and verbally about the tour details. All of them were fully aware of the tour details. We had with us two satellite maps printed on 3*4 mat sheets for demonstrations, along with this we provided the participants with hand out containing the brief history of Bahawalpur, Cholistan, Derawar Fort, Palaces and the Abbasi family.

Horse cart of Royal Family

 We moved from kassowal and reached Khanewal at 07:30 and stayed for a breakfast at Bismillah Restaurant and then we reached Bahawalpur via motorway at 10:30. We reached Bahawalpur Museum with the help of google map (application maps.me). Sahibzada Adil Abbasi was our host who managed all the activities single handedly.

Miss Nadia PRO Bahawalpur Museum , Demonstrating the participant

Map of Derawar Fort on original plan

Miss Nadia the Public relation officer received us at Bahawalpur Museum and provided us with a detailed description of Bahawalpur, Abbasi family, armory, Royal cars, royal objects and many more things related to Abbasi family. It was an interactive session that helped the visitors to make a clear picture about Bahawalpur and its rulers. 

Noor mahal Gallary

Participants of the tour

Adil Abbasi while a briefing about Noor Mahal

Facilitator with Abil Abbasi and Aatif

Snooker board used by Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Then we moved to Noor Mahal, a palace some 5 Km away from the museum around cantonment. The palace is open for visitors after purchasing a ticket of Rs. 30 the palace contains the original furniture and the pictures of old times. There is a shocker board in original form with original sticks used by the Nawabs themselves. It is a majestic building with very preserved condition.

A Geologist and an Archaeologist briefing about glazed tile work and fresco paintings inside the main chamber of Royal Necropolice

Afterwards we directly moved to Derawar fort, some 98 Km away from Bahawalpur via Ahmadpur East. There we visited the Royal Necropolis containing the graves of entitles Nawabs in on row under a roof. The surroundings toms are of females of Royal family, all of the tombs are decorated with frescos and stucco tracing, many of the tombs are completely made of chaste white marble, derived from Dehli India. The toms and the floors are in a very good condition and well maintained.

Briefing on map abour the plan of Derawar Fort

Participants on the top of Bastion

derawar lake

Then we visited the Fort. The fort has 40 bastions with 30 miters high walls and a lake outside the fort. The buildings of the fort are in dilapidated condition. Most of the buildings collapsed and some are still standing in good condition. A cannon is also placed there, it is a brass cannon with wooden wheels. The living rooms of Nawab Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi are a great example of cut brick art, wood work and fresco paintings. The rooms are having fire chambers inside to keep the room warm in winter season. There is a mosque inside the fort with a prayer chamber, an open courtyard and an entrance. Outside the fort there is another mosque made of chaste white marble with black marble inscriptions inlay work. This mosque is made on the plan of Moti Masjid in Dehli. It contains the influences of Mughal art in it.

After visiting Derawar fort we reached Dera Kangan. It is a resting place of Sahibzada Sher Mian Abbasi. He himself received the tourists. Nawab Sher Mian Abbasi is a kind and quite hospitable person. He managed a team of specialists consisting of Professor Dr Muhammad Tahir (Specialization in the history of Bahawalpur) and Professor Ismat Ullah Head of Saraiki Department, Sadiq Edgerton College Bahawalpur. Miss Nighat Aslam a Lecturer in Govt Girls Degree College Bahawalpur also joined the team for a detailed lecture on the history and achievements of Bahawalpur State.

Sahibzada Sher Mian Abbasi Dr Tahir and Ismat Ullah Shah sharing thier valuable knowlege to the participants

Sahibzada Sher Mian Abbasi Dr Tahir and Ismat Ullah Shah sharing thier valuable knowlege to the participants

 Dr Muhammad Tahir briefed us about the prestigious landmarks of Abbasi rulers in the form of Health, Education, Economy, Military, Islam, Love for Pakistan and then submission to Pakistan. He described in detail about the establishment of Sadiq Edgerton College in 1886 and Satluj valley project that resulted in the construction of Head Islam Head Panjnad and Head … at the cost of Rs. 120000000/ at that time with a loan from British Government and had returned the loan within10 years though it was to be paid in 1986 as per contract. He also informed that Bahawalpur is still the biggest division, Yazman is the biggest tehsil and Bahawalpur the biggest city of Pakistan. He informed that even in the present time the Bahawalpur comprises of the 20% land of Punjab. The firs Mercedes was presented to the King of Saudi Arabia by Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan 5., Sir Sadiq also sent ships of wheat to Saudi Arabia for several years. The biggest hospital (Victoria Hospital) of India was also made in Bahawalpur by his Highness.

Sahibzada Sher Mian Abbasi has established a forum in the name of Fikr e Fareed Forum. The Abbasi family is a great devotee of Sufi sait Khawaja Fareed of Kot Mithan shareef Sindh. Professor Ismat Ullah Shah recited Kaafi from the book of Khawaja Fareed and described the caplets in Urdu.

Afterwards we took a great lunch with Sahibzada Sher Mian Abbasi. It was full moon night and the scene of moon night was too much awe inspiring in the desert at Dera kanganwala. We started our journey back to home at 10:30 PM and reached home at 03:30 AM