Commercialisation carving into a bungalow of kings

Bangla Ayub Shah’s secret tunnels once led out to River Ravi and Delhi Gate

LAHORE: The ‘Bangla Ayub Shah’, once an awe-inspiring residence inside the Kashmiri Gate, is in desperate need of saving as commercialisation is whittling away at what was once a prime example of the architecture of its time.

Below the building lie secret tunnels which would lead all those who ventured in straight to the River Ravi or even the Delhi Gate. Sadly, much of the structure has been reduced to rubble with time, but what remains still stand as a testament to a once lavish bungalow.



Historians claim the bungalow was built during the Sikh era in the 19th century. Though the original owner remains unknown, the bungalow was bought and restored by Afghan chieftain Ayub Shah in 1849. He later sold the bungalow to another prince and chieftain named Shahzada Sultan. The latter’s family sold a major chunk of the property and this paved the way for high commercial plazas in the 1960s.

Built with small bricks and stones, the bungalow was a three-storey building and once boasted two basements. The roofs were made with wooden beams and batten, while the exterior and interior of the building were finished with lime plaster. Moreover, the roman style veranda, on the front side of the building, still adds great beauty to this masterpiece.

Walled City of Lahore Authority Focal Person Tania Shahab points out that only one-third of the original building remains intact and that too may not be for much longer. She fears commercialisation of the area is insensitive to the heritage value of the old city. “The remaining portion will also collapse soon if nothing is done to stop the encroaching plaza mafia,” she says.



Tania, along with many experts, believes the bungalow has huge tourist potential due to its proximity with the main road and available parking area. She adds it can serve as the epitome of old architecture, but its dilapidated state means the bungalow is not frequently visited by tourists.

Tania laments that even though the bungalow was handed over to WCLA last year, the authority had to give up possession to the City District Government due to the disputed nature of ownership documents. “Our organisation intends to conserve the structure once its official status is cleared and we manage to secure its possession, officially,” she assures.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 5^th, 2017.