Sheesh Mahal – Bhera’s Forgotten Palace
Mohalla Sheesh Mahal is a middle-sized mohalla in Bhera. In the east, it is mohalla Chitti Pully and Jethuwali Khui , in the north Sethianwala _Kalan_, in the west mohalla Kapooran, Sheikhanwala and bazaar Dalgaran and the south Masjid Haji Meharban and mohalla Gadianwala , in the southeast mohalla Chibberanwala .
It is believed without any ambiguity that once there was a magnificent palace, in mohalla Sheesh Mahal. Probably, owned by some Raja or King of Bhera, who was a man of taste and style? Most likely, it was constructed in the 16th or 17th century. The origin and demise of this elegant palace remain shrouded in mystery. I have not been able to procure any pictures or authentic written material about it.
My fascination with Sheesh Mahal began with stories from my father, Sheikh Muhammad Mumtaz, who was born in Bhera, in mohalla Sheikhanwala in 1910. As a young boy, he had witnessed the palace’s remnants, its crumbled pillars, and captivating fresco paintings – all in ruins. At that age, his mind was not inquisitive enough to know, to which family it belonged, when it was built, and when it started decaying. What happened to the original owners? Why was it not maintained? People from Bhera, even after the partition, had seen the remnants of the palace, but they did not bother to learn about its history. When I saw it about 40 years ago, there was no palace sign. It had completely vanished, where it was once … a flat piece of ground. I took a few pictures of the site where the palace was located. These are shared.
Interestingly, Bhisham Sahni, an eminent writer of Hindi, English and Russian literature, has reflected on the palace and mohalla Sheesh Mahal in his Hindi novel, _Maay das ki Marhi_ ‘ written in the setting of Bhera. He has translated the novel into English, “The Mansion ”. Bhisham is the younger brother of Balraj Sahni, a well-known and popular film actor of his time. They belonged to mohalla Sahnianwala, Bhera, but later shifted to Rawalpindi, and after partition migrated to India (for details about both brothers see Wikipedia and website, bheraorg).
If you have any photographs, stories, or information about Sheesh Mahal, please share them with me( Whatsapp No 0317 5404161). Together, we can unravel the mysteries of this forgotten palace and keep its memory alive. The majestic palace was proof of Bhera’s rich cultural heritage. It will be included in Part 2 of the write-up.
To be continued…
Zahid Mumtaz
After reading the write-up regarding Sheesh Mahal , Bhera , Madan Bhatia , son of Advocate Kundal Lal Bhatia , from Mohalla Haji Gulab , has given his comments . Presently, he lives in California, the USA. He is around 87.
Good morning Zahid Sahib,
I have passed through the street in front of the old Janjghar many times and have witnessed the ruined Sheesh Mahal in my birth city, Bhera. My knowledge learnt from my father, L. Kundan Lal Bhatia, Vakil, and other elders in Bhera told me that the Sheesh Mahal belonged to the last Hindu rulers from the Anand family in Bhera before the Indian partition in 1947. I vaguely remember that the youngest of the Anand family brothers, Malik Maharaj Bal, and their family lived on the street behind the ruined Sheesh Mahal before partition.
Madan Bhatia