City of Ruins

Sadia Qasim Shah

At the heart of Peshawar's walled city lies Gorgathree, a cluster of antiquated buildings on a raised mound. A vestige of the Mughal era, the monument is said to be the only extant serai in Peshawar Valley. Previously the residence of Ranjit Singh's governor Avitabile, Gorgathree boasts a unique setup: a Sikh temple rests amidst a quadrangle building with the remains of the cells of a caravan semi. Gates on the eastern and western sides of the compound flank British barracks dating from 1912. Despite having served as a fire brigade bell tower and station, these barracks are still standing. Moreover, British civil servants established a police station, a kutchery and several other structures in the premises of Gorgathree.

But most of these have been demolished. Excessive pollution has marred the existing structures while the view from Gorgathree on to Peshawar city has been blocked by several homes and high-rises. Worse still, a slew of new construction, including a wedding hall, a mosque and a landscaped garden stand out from the historic building, different as they are in age and architecture. Now, Gorgathree is merely used as a short cut by indifferent locals.

The historic charm of Gorgathree was damaged in the 1990s when structural interventions such as a wedding hall and mosque that did not relate to the Mughal, Sikh or British period marred the original structure of the monument. A year ago, a bastion was removed from the monument during the widening of a road under the direction of the provincial government. An official explains that since Gorgathree was damaged by that action," an FIR was registered against those involved in the destruction of the bastion. But no action has been taken so far." Instead of being preserved by the City Development and Municipal Department (CDMD), Gorgathree suffered again when the CDMD took charge of the site and initiated a renovation project that included the launch of a Mughal-style garden at the protected site.

Designed in the manner of a chaarbagh lawn and fountain, the garden is replete with red brick walkways. Not only was the garden constructed after demolishing colonial structures but the Mughal design has also raised much controversy. "The design and layout of the garden is flawed. When the lawns are watered the water seeps into the walls of the building that are below the surface of the lawn. Ultimately, dampness will damage the structure," explains an archaeologist.

The fact is, Gorgathree is one of many historic sites that need to be the focus of conservation efforts, especially since none of the old monuments of Peshawar's walled city are included in UNESCO's World Heritage List. A report on cultural tourism in Lahore and Peshawar, prepared jointly by the government, UNDP and UNESCO, puts it best: "Gorgathree no longer serves its original functions and is a heritage monument in need of proper management and reuse. Recent actions by the CDMD illustrate the lack of a clear conservation policy for the site. A poorly designed and historically unsound paved Mughal garden is being laid at the site. At best, this can be considered misdirected work by a municipal department charged with the responsibility of improving the area."

Moreover, an official source adds that the construction of a paved garden at Gorgathree is illegal under the Antiquities Act 1975. The law, according to which the monument at Gorgathree is maintained, does not authorise any individual or state agency to carry out construction work inside a protected site without fulfilling technical as well as legal requirements. Reiterating the same point, a source quips, "Gorgathree is a protected site and it is a misconception that archaeological sites are picnic spots."

Unfortunately, Gorgathree is just the tip of the iceberg. The lack of cooperation between government departments and archaeology departments both at the federal and provincial level has led to the neglect of most historic buildings located in Peshawar's walled city. For instance, the Mahabat Khan Mosque, which is still used for regular prayers, is crumbling due to the lack of qualified conservators. The Auqaf department, charged with managing the mosque's premises, has embarked on conservation work. But the renovations have been cosmetic and, in the words of one official, "no consolidation work has been completed."

It is tragic that such a fate has been doled out to the only significant Mughal era mosque remaining in Peshawar. Built by Mahabat Khan in 1670 when he was the governor of the city under emperors Shah Jehan and Aurangzeb, the mosque was nearly destroyed by a fire in 1898 and was only saved because of the unremitting efforts of regular worshippers. At that time, traditional craftsmen undertook the extensive renovation of the mosque, making it a fine specimen of Mughal architecture from Shah Jehan's period. The interior of the prayer chamber was lavishly decorated with floral work and calligraphy. Meanwhile the Sethis; Peshawar-based traders, renovated the walls of the mosque with fresco paint and repaired the minaret which had been demolished by Sikh rulers.

Criminal neglect; the Western gate at Gorgatree

But such careful renovation work is no longer the norm. On June 25, 2004, a portion of the courtyard of the Mahabat Khan Mosque suddenly sank, leaving a 30-square-foot ditch in the courtyard. This accident occurred despite the fact that officials of the Auqaf department had said that there was no immediate threat to the structure of the seventeenth-century building. On the contrary, several obvious reasons contributed to the collapse.

In the late 1980s, the original brick floor of the Mahabat Khan Mosque was replaced by white marble under the direction of former NWFP chief minister Aftab Khan Sherpao, who hoped to increase the grandeur of the mosque. "The marble floor then blocked natural seepage. As a result of increased humidity, dampness affected the walls which became a threat to the structure," explains an official. Moreover, the Auqaf department had rented out the mosque's basement to shopkeepers who sealed their outlets with Formica and glass. This measure further blocked ventilation and increased humidity.

Once again, these measures were illegal as per the Antiquities Act 1975 which states that "no person shall ... destroy, break, damage, alter, injure, deface or mutilate or scribble or write or engage any inscription or sign on any antiquity." Violators of this law are punishable with up to three years rigorous imprisonment as well as a hefty fine. Unfortunately, when a case is registered with the police against those involved in conservation offences, severe action is never taken. For that reason, an official of the archaeology department banks on curative measures instead. "The basement of the Mahabat Khan Mosque should be vacated by shopkeepers to increase ventilation and the floor should be laid in brick so that the structure can return to its original shape."

Strange juxtaposition; the Minaret of an under-construction mosque in the Bala Hisar Fort

Recently, the Frontier Corps (FC) have undertaken the construction of a huge mosque inside the historic Balahisar Fort. Built by the Mughals in the sixteenth century, Balahisar Fort has remained under the control of the Mughals, Afghans, Sikhs and British and at present accommodates 1,100 paramilitary troops. Despite a sharp reaction from conservationists who want the federal government to abandon the project, an 80-foot-high minaret has been constructed inside the fort, marring the original monument.

A 2001 presidential order as well as an agreement reached between the FC and provincial government in 2004 stipulate that the FC headquarters are to be shifted to a new premises in Hayatabad. According to an official in the provincial archaeology department, though, "the FC seem disinterested in vacating the site, which is in clear negation of the agreement. Meanwhile, the ongoing disfigurement of the historical landmark smacks of double standards as any construction that mars the originality of the fort is illegal." Of course, the provincial government could not do anything to halt the construction of the mosque as the fort was considered to be the property of the military establishment. Earlier, the pollution from a gas station in front of the fort was also posing a threat to the monument's facade. But no preservation work has been possible with the fort under the control of the FC.

Sadly, Peshawar is losing its architectural resources at a rapid pace and privately owned monuments are no exception. Daunted by the cost of preservation, many private owners have demolished heritage sites and built modern structures in their stead. The havelis of Mohalla Sethian, particularly those built in 1882 by Haji Ahmed Gul, are a prime example. Still inhabited by the Sethis, these historic and palatial houses are not available for conservation efforts but are worthy of preservation.

The buildings' eighteenth and nineteenth century architecture boasts the work of artisans from Bukhara, Kashmir, Golkanda and Iran. Kashmiri bricks known as waziri that adorn the Sethi homes were also used in the Mughal era while the use of limestone, painted glass and carved floral motifs on doors and arches transport visitors to bygone days when Peshawar was ruled by princes in exile. Inside, intricately painted ceilings flaunt different designs in every room and cut glass artistically fixed on walls reflects the beautiful colourful panels.

In its need for preservation, Mohalla Sethian is joined by the wall which once defined the boundary of the old city but has almost disappeared. Of 14 original city gates, only two survive and these are in immediate need of conservation. Similarly, the historic Qissa Khwani or Story Tellers' Bazaar as well as the Kabuli Bazaar are left with few original structures, all of which need immediate preservation. The Shahi Bagh, a Mughal era garden, has also lost all heritage value owing to encroachments such as government schools and an amusement park while a similar fate awaits the dilapidated and barren Wazir Bagh, another Mughal garden.

Going, Going, Gone; an endangered historic building in Peshawar

In all these cases, traditional architectural elements, including carved wood, bonded bricks and stucco are being damaged due to neglect, a lack of funds and ill-planned development projects. Identifying specific causes of damage to heritage sites, a UNESCO report lists environmental degradation, poor sewerage systems and vehicular traffic as the main culprits. The vibrations generated by traffic are damaging historic structures and this impact is apparent on fragile exterior elements such as balconies and facade decorations. More alarming is the overall lack of awareness and a dearth of instruction manuals offering advice and conservation methodologies to private owners of historic buildings.

Despite this knowledge, few measures are being taken to restore structural integrity to Peshawar's heritage sites. This status quo exposes the weakness of the federal archaeology department where officials complain about the shortage of staff, particularly expert conservators, and funding. Established in 1992, the provincial directorate of archaeology in the NWFP is especially lacking in resources. Although over 1,500 archaeological sites were discovered throughout the NWFP during a survey conducted between 1994 and 2003, only a few sites have been singled out for conservation efforts. Meanwhile, in Peshawar, the Auqaf department continues collecting a sizeable income from the properties under its care. But little is spent on site maintenance as is evident by the poor state of old Hindu and Sikh buildings. Given this lack of resources, efficient restoration work and initiative, it is no wonder that Peshawar's built heritage is on the brink of ruin.