The City of Men: A patwari’s love for Peshawar culminates in yet unpublished book

‘Peshawar kay bäm-o-dar’ captures anecdotes, archives, but financial constrains prevent it from being accessible.

PESHAWAR:

‘Peshawar kay bäm-o-dar’, a four-hundred-page book on the history, heritage and culture of the walled city of Peshawar remains unpublished. Researched and written by a heritage aficionado, the book might never make it to the shelves as financial concerns restrict its publication.

“The book was at the crux of my research for more than 20 years,” author Humayun Akhund told The Express Tribune. “I took on this time-consuming work only to preserve the culture and heritage of the city which is vanishing quickly,” he adds.

A patwari’s 20-year affair

The researcher has been working as a patwari with the land and revenue department for more than 20 years. His job includes field visits, and collecting and archiving land records. As a patwari, he is aware of every nook and cranny of the city, which, according to recorded history, dates back to at least 2 century AD.

Known as Purushapura (a Sanskrit name) or the City of Men, Peshawar was one of two administrative capitals under the rule of the fifth Kushan king.



As a government servant, Akhund says, he has easy access to records dating back centuries – a huge help in conducting his research. “I have witnessed culture and heritage sites vanishing,” shares Akhund. “Through unbiased writings, these could be preserved for the coming generations.”

‘Peshawar kay bäm-o-dar’ should not be considered a comprehensive study of the entire history of the metropolis. It specifically revolves around the lives, traditions, culture, heritage and other aspects of the walled city during the Sikh rule circa 1818.

The book consists of 16 chapters, each covering one of the sixteen gates of the walled city. Each chapter gives details about the population, its strength, its ways, standard of living, professions, and other features. Moreover, the cultural values of Peshawar’s denizens from the said time period and the attitude of the people towards the city have been collated and included in the book.



According to the author, a main source for his work were old records found at the Muhafiz Khana – the city’s archive – which carries very precise information about the city’s Sikh and British rule.

Akhund also interviewed senior citizens who provided first-hand information about the city. The people interviewed possessed the faculty of sound memory, and their oral history furnished him with information which, unfortunately, was not archived earlier for posterity, maintains the writer. The interviews have been published in detail in the book.

The fall of Purushapura

The government should not be the only quarter blamed for failing to preserve Peshawar’s history; Akhund argues the people of the city are equally ignorant.

The internal migration of people is another reason why historical records and locales are not being preserved. When original settlers relocate from the old city to newer neighbourhoods, those who replace them have no vested interests, no reason to preserve the ancient architecture surmises Akhund. The new inhabitants replace living history with new structures.

He gives the example of woodwork in Karim Pura: “Houses constructed in 1863 completely of wood still exist in the area. But there is no one to care for them – these houses are slowly being destroyed one by one.” The government’s sole effort revolves around the Sethi house, complains Akhund.

He has reached out to the culture department to publish his book and preserve records of Peshawar’s heritage.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 26^th, 2013.