Written by: Muhammad Asif Nawaz
Posted on: March 05, 2018 | 
| 中文
Main reception hall of Shahi Hamam
Inside Lahore’s Delhi Gate lies a world redolent of a bygone grandeur. The Wazir Khan Masjid, the Sunehri Masjid, historic wells, the royal trail and a number of havelis, are all present inside the Walled City and guarded by this gate. A very important monument adjacent to the gate is the Shahi Hamam or Royal Bath, a Mughal-era structure that continues to inspire awe even now. Besides its historical eminence, however, it’s the stellar conservation of Shahi Hamam that deserves appreciation, with the hope that such a process may be replicated in other heritage sites of the region.
The Shahi Hamam was built by the governor of Lahore, Hakim Ilm Ud Din Ansari, during the reign of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Since the formidable Wazir Khan Masjid nearby was also built by him, the construction of the hamam in the 1630s, was a way to aid in the financial needs of the grand mosque. Though certain luxurious baths may have been present in other Mughal buildings, this Hamam stands out for two reasons; firstly, it’s considered unique owing to Turkish and Persian influences in its style, secondly, it’s a proper public bath, instead of the neat private baths in vogue back then. It is said that when the Mughals tried to introduce the Turkish/Persian bath styles here, they weren’t well-received by the locals. The Shahi Hamam in Lahore is the only one still-standing, and a testimony to their efforts. In its day, it offered services that were surprisingly ahead of its times: hot, warm and cold plunges, massage places, sweat rooms and resting chambers.
In total, the place comprised of twenty one inter-connected rooms. The bath was used both by travellers and the locals of the place. After having made the arduous journey from Delhi, royal guests would stop here to freshen up, before entering the Fort. Women would also visit the bath, either in a segregated portion of the complex, or only on allotted days. Over the years, the bath lost its purpose and the usual drill of Mughal monuments follows. Plundered by Sikhs, vandalised by British and criminally neglected by the country they ended up in. Except that the tale of the Shahi Hamam follows a slightly different trajectory.
The first time I visited the Hamam, would be around ten years ago, and to say that the place was in shambles would be an under-statement. There was no proper boundary, encroachments were rampant on all sides, the entrance route was indistinct, and there were no entry tickets, since it wasn’t even a proper tourist site. I had to knock incessantly on the door of the adjoining school, before a person came out, who had the key of Hamam in his pocket. It was a time when only heritage aficionados knew of the Shahi Hamam, for most of the populace didn’t know about its existence.
How things have changed for Shahi Hamam since then, is hard to believe. Renowned historian and writer, William Dalrymple, author of “The Last Mughal” and “Return of a King,” tweeted early last year that Shahi Hamam’s renovation project was the “best new architectural restoration project I've seen anywhere in South Asia.” Coming from Dalrymple, whose expertise on the subject is remarkable, it's no mean achievement. It only goes to show the success of this project.
The Walled City of Lahore Authority, a body of the Government of Punjab, is to be accredited with the work. The major restoration work began in 2013, when this Authority teamed up with Aga Khan Cultural Service, Pakistan, and the Royal Norwegian Embassy. They carried out extensive excavations, digging up the floors, until they reached the actual waterways and drainage systems. Scaffolding was put in place, to offer a bird’s eye view of the uncovered bathing system. The frescoes on the roof were renovated and re-done, and ample lighting put into place. Electronic tablets were installed to offer information about each room’s purpose, and a separate room was allocated for seminars. The encroachments around the bath were removed and the original westwards entrance was restored. Numerous tourist facilities have been added since then, including a cafeteria with a royal ambience, which now offers sumptuous snacks, a functional souvenir shop and even primly maintained washrooms.
The conservation is estimated to have cost one million dollars, and more than half of this came from the Royal Norwegian Embassy. Not only should the success story of Shahi Hamam be lauded, the effort should be duplicated in other places, and such public-private partnerships should be encouraged. Though the part of the bath damaged permanently due to the ravages of time, cannot be restored, the Walled City of Lahore Authority has left nothing else to raise objections upon. When there’s talk of neglecting our history, the Shahi Hamam in Lahore can shrug off these allegations with ease, since it does not fall into that category.
Though we are talking about the exception and not the norm, the astounding and wonderful work done on the Shahi Hamam must be acknowledged. An Award of Merit was bestowed upon this project by UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2016. Here’s hoping that this trend of owning and conserving our historical sites is replicated, and the long over-due attention, which our rich heritage deserves, is finally granted to it!
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