Written by: Muhammad Awais
Posted on: October 28, 2020 | 
| 中文
(L) Gudwara Panja Sahib and Guru Nanak's Handprint on the Rock (R)
Many would be surprised to know that the small town of Hasanabdal, famously known for its Cadet College, was once a deeply important city to the Mughals and Sikhs. Located slightly off the motorway almost 50km from Islamabad, this town was once a recreational stopover on the way to Kabul or Kashmir. It was frequently visited by Mughal royalty, who wrote about their escapades in the town. Although it is no longer the same grand rest stop as it was early on, its older buildings continue to captivate those interested in pre-colonial history.
In particular, Hasanabdal is of great significance to Sikh pilgrims as Gurdwara Panja Sahib is located in the center of town. Gurdwara Panja Sahib is one of the most important religious sites of the Sikhs, after the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore (the term ‘Sahib’ is similar to the Islamic term ‘Sharif’, which is a title given to someone out of respect).
Children Playing at Gurdwara Panja Sahib (photo credits to Munazza Anwar)
The story goes that the stream of water for the inhabitants of Hasanabdal only flowed from a single spring located near the shrine of the local saint Wali Qandhari, giving him a powerful position in the town. It is said that when Guru Nanak stopped over at Hasanabdal, he developed a following significant enough to make Qandhari insecure. Qandhari, in order to challenge the authority of Guru Nanak, stopped the spring water and asked the townspeople to seek help from Guru Nanak instead.
Guru Nanak tried to reason with Qandhari by sending his companion and disciple Bhai Mardana, who tried to convince him thrice but with no avail. Eventually, Guru Nanak removed a stone from the ground under his own feet, making a stream of water gush out while Qandhari’s stream dried out. Angered at this turn of events, Qandhari is said to have hurled a large boulder at Guru Nanak, who stopped it with his right hand (or panja in Urdu), and left a permanent mark on the rock. That is why the gurdwara is named “Panja Sahib”, because of the rock with Guru Nanak’s permanent handprint, that can still be seen on it.
While the gurdwara premises are restricted to most Muslims, Sikhs gather there twice a year, for Guru Nanak’s birthday and the festival of Baisakhi, to pay tribute to Guru Nanak and climb the hill to Wali Qandhari’s shrine as did Bhai Mardana. However, Wali Qandhari is still revered as a patron saint of the town who gave it the gift of water, and his shrine offers a panoramic view of the whole town.
The View of Hasanabdal from the Courtyard of Wali Qandhari's Shrine (photo credits to Mani Junction)
Right across from Gurdwara Panja Sahib, is the equally mysterious and fascinating Tomb of the Hakims (Haqeemon Ka Maqbara). The Tomb belongs to Mughal Emperor Akbar’s doctors, Abdul Fateh Gillani (born 1589) and Hamam Gilani (born 1595), who were known for their expertise of eastern medicine. They were held in high esteem by Akbar, and had the rare privilege of having access to him without the presence of an intermediary.
Initially, the compound was built by Akbar’s minister and superintendent of construction, Khawaja Shamsuddin Khawafi, who also made parts of the Attock Fort and the pond at Gurdwara Panja Sahib. Although Khawafi intended to build the Tomb for himself, Akbar instead ordered his doctors to be buried there, and Khwawafi was buried instead in Lahore.
The Tomb of the Hakeems
The compound of the Tomb is located in a small but beautiful garden, which leads up to a freshwater pond and an octagonal, two-story tomb structure. The building has typical Mughal archways that lead into the central vault. However, the graves have unfortunately been leveled and much of the Tomb’s embellishments were taken away when Sikh soldiers used the Tomb as an office space. Though work has been done in 2012-2013 to restore the Tomb, it is still left vulnerable to vandalism and decay.
On the eastern side of the Tomb is another small square compound known locally as the Tomb of Lalarukh. The tomb built in typical Mughal style is on a raised limestone platform at the center of a garden. Though her name is clearly marked out, the real identity of who lay in the Tomb of Lalarukh remains a mystery. There is some speculation whether she is Humayun, Akbar or Aurangzeb’s daughter, though records show that Aurangzeb had no child with this name.
The Entrance to Lalarukh's Tomb
But perhaps the most interesting theory is that Lalarukh is actually a character of Sir Thomas Moore’s Lalla Rookh (1817), a collection of poems which referred to one of Aurangzeb’s daughters as Lalarukh. For reasons unknown, British officers who were enchanted by the tale of the Mughal princess, placed her name on a previously unmarked grave. Locals continue to call it Lalarukh’s Grave or Cyprus Grave, after the old Cyprus trees planted in the garden.
Lalarukh's Cenotaph
Many such towns across the country are home to these fascinating pre-colonial local histories that fuse myth and historical facts. While some sites continue to remain alive due to their cultural and social importance, other sites, unfortunately, fade into obscurity despite the interesting stories associated with them. Conservation efforts in Pakistan have been severely lacking, more so in smaller towns, and concerned citizens should demand better protection for these historical sites.
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