Written by: Muhammad Awais
Posted on: December 07, 2020 | 
| 中文
Whole View of Mughal Garden Rooms
An enduring legacy of Mughal rule in Pakistan has been the vast and beautiful gardens that they have left behind, such as the Shalimar Gardens of Lahore or Hiran Minar in Sheikhupura. However, many other Mughal gardens are spread out across the country, each with unique features that can give people insight into the lives of the Mughals. The small town of Wah in the Hasan Abdal district of Punjab, located about 40km from Islamabad and 12km from Taxila on the Grand Trunk (G.T. Road), is one such example of an overlooked, yet historically rich Mughal site. Wah Gardens, located in the older section of town is rich with Mughal heritage, but in desperate need of conservation.
As a product of their Central Asian and Persian heritage, Mughals inherited a love for lush green gardens, adorned with art and architectural wonders. Mughals were known to make magnificent gardens in areas of natural beauty and running water for recreational and travel purposes. Wah, along with much of the Pothohar Plateau, provided a unique combination of natural beauty, and existence of many pre-Mughal Gandhara historical sites.
A View of Mughal Garden
Although all famous Mughal rulers and local conquerors visited the area at some point in time, but Wah is primarily associated with three kings: Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jehan. This was a popular rest stop from Lahore to Kabul. The story goes that Akbar (or Jehangir, in some historical accounts), struck by the natural beauty of the area, exclaimed “Wah! (Wow)”, and Jehangir renamed it “Wah” from its original name, “Jalal Sar”.
Historical records trace the origins of the Gardens to Raja Man Singh, a Rajput King, a trusted military general of Akbar and the father-in-law of Emperor Jehangir. Raja Man Singh, also one of Akbar’s “Nine Jewels”, was posted in Wah from 1581 to 1584 to stop enemy incursions on Mughal land. Astounded by the beauty of the place, he set up a baradari (twelve-door structure) in the center of a large man-made pond that channeled water from the nearby rivers.
Little Waterfall in Middle Garden
The most extensive account of Wah Gardens, however, came during the time of Jehangir. Jehangir stopped in Wah for three days to fish, and was enthralled by Raja Man Singh’s pond and baradari. He ordered Ustad Ahmed Meymaar, who was known as the “King’s Architect”, to redesign and improve the pleasure gardens. After a construction period of two years, Ustad Meymaar branched out the waterways of the central pond, to make fountains, canals, and bathrooms which had both hot and cold water. At the height of its beauty the Gardens spanned over 20 acres comprising of crisscrossing canals and waterfalls, and other structures on different levels all around that central pond.
Historical Fountains
In addition, artisans designed intricately decorated guest houses and hammams (royal baths) for other royals to stop over, as they traveled between Kashmir and Kabul. Shah Jehan, in particular, was recorded to have stayed the longest in Wah, visiting the place five times during his reign. The last Mughal emperor to visit Wah for an extensive period was Emperor Aurangzeb, who stayed for two years and funded repairs of the monuments.
Cells in Mughal Garden
Although people in Wah continue to venture to this garden for recreational purposes, the Gardens have been in a state of complete decay since the time of the Mughals, with much of its original design work lost. Much of the destruction began as early as at the time of the Durrani Empire (1747-1826), and the Sikh rule (1826-1849). With the 1865 annexation of Punjab by the British, Wah Gardens (along with most of the Wah territory) was handed over to Nawab Muhammad Hayat Khan. The old baradari and many of the Mughal structures housed the Nawab’s laborers, while the vast land was converted into farmland for the production of wheat and sugarcane.
Another View of Mughal Garden
In 1976, the Gardens were given to the Department of Archaeology, which has tried to restore, excavate and study the Gardens to discover the design layout of the original Mughal gardens. Unfortunately, lack of funds and public attention has prevented the Gardens from being fully restored. Not only have much of the original structures been lost to nature and negligence, the once lively pond is no longer safe to swim in because it is so polluted.
Historically, Wah Gardens is rich with history, stories and clues about Mughal aesthetics and lifestyles. Unfortunately, no governing body has taken it as a serious heritage or tourist destination, despite its proximity to Taxila and Islamabad. Although we may not be able to fully recreate Wah Gardens as the Mughals experienced it, proper conservation work and strict maintenance, can still help restore the pleasure gardens to some of its original grandeur.
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