Sir Ganga Ram’s death anniversary goes unnoticed

No official gathering held to commemorate modern-day Lahore’s lead architect

LAHORE:

Another death anniversary of Sir Ganga Ram, best known for a hospital named after him in the city, passed unobserved on Saturday.

No official public event was held in the city to mark the day except for certain NGOs including Sir Ganga Ram Heritage Foundation.

It has been 94 years since Ganga Ram, the architect often regarded as the founder of modern-day Lahore, passed away.

The various NGOs that commemorated the late civil engineer’s death anniversary paid tribute to him for his efforts to help build the provincial metropolis.

On the occasion of the death anniversary, representative of Bikers Association Salman Hameed Khokhar, Punjab Minority Advisory Council Chairperson Jacqueline Tressler, Sir Ganga Ram Heritage Foundation Director Syed Shaheen Hassan and others gathered at his samadhi on Ravi Road.

Flowers were laid at the samadhi by the participants and the architect’s services were remembered.

Khokhar said on the occasion, “Today we have gathered to pay homage to mohsin-e-Lahore and acknowledge his services. All-important buildings in Lahore, especially the General Post Office, Lahore High Court, Lahore Railway Station, Lahore Museum, Government College University and NCA, are designed by Sir Ganga Ram and still stand today after 100 years.”

Tressler remarked, “We have to acknowledge the services of those who offered sacrifices for this country and region and have rendered services beyond the distinction of religion as well as tell our future generations about these benefactors of the country and the nation.”

Unfortunately, we have also divided the benefactors of the nation into religions, the minority council chairperson regretted. “Today, the nation is not told that Bhagat Singh and Sir Ganga Ram are also heroes of this nation. We have to remember their sacrifices and services.”

He added that Ganga Ram had built a centre for widows and given his personal residence to Hailey College.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, the heritage foundation director said that Sir Ganga Ram introduced modern architecture to Lahore and structured the entire Mall Road with magnificent buildings.

According to Hassan, Ganga Ram went to England in 1927 as a member of an agricultural commission.

“His health deteriorated due to working day and night and he died on July 10, 1927 in London. His last rites were performed in London.

Ganga Ram's ashes were brought to India where half of them were deposited into River Ganga and the other half were buried in a ground between ashrams set up for differently-abled men and elderly women on Ravi Road.”

This samadhi reminds the people of Sir Ganga Ram. In 1992, when extremists in India demolished the Babri Masjid, many temples in Pakistan were damaged. A mob also vandalised Sir Ganga Ram's samadhi,” he elaborated.

However, the Evacuee Trust Waqf Property Board had completed the renovation of the samadhi before the anniversary.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 12^th, 2021.