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    In the Heart of Lahore: Nau Nihal Singh Haveli

    Written by: Mahnaz Shujrah
    Posted on: June 20, 2016 |

    Exterior of Nau Nihal Singh Haveli

    What I love most about roaming the streets of Old Lahore is the sense of not knowing where you may end up. Behind each and every wall is a story untold, and you just might uncover something incredible when you are least expecting it. This is how I ended up at Nau Nihal Singh Haveli.

    Nau Nihal Singh Haveli, Lahore

    Front entrance of the Haveli

    Traversing the twisted routes of the Walled City, somewhere between the famous Bhatti and Lohari Gates, I did not have a destination in mind, so I continued to follow my friend who had been here before. We were apparently headed to an old haveli, and the only prior knowledge I had was that part of Shoaib Mansoor's film BOL had been shot here, including the famous song Hona Tha Pyaar by Atif Aslam. We continued to walk until we ended up at a clearing; this open area was known as Maidan Bahian, which used to be a garden back in the day, but we could see no remnants of it now.

    Standing right in front of the haveli, I could tell that whoever first constructed this building had outstanding taste. The structure could not hide its age; rather, it showcased itself proudly, and just by looking at the architecture, one could tell how much this place would have stood out from its surroundings at the time of its construction.

    Nau Nihal Singh Haveli, Lahore

    View from the second floor, overlooking the clearing (photo: Rukhshan Arif Mian)

    Reading the curiosity on my face, my friend started explaining to me where we were. The haveli had been built by Nau Nihal Singh, who was the son of Kharak Singh and the grandson of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. It was his private residence, and to this day remains one of the most prominent sites of Sikh heritage in Lahore. After the assassination of his father in 1840, Nau Nihal became the Maharaja of Punjab, but was killed a few days later by the same perpetrators who had murdered Kharak Singh. His mother, Rani Chand Kaur, took to residing in the haveli after his death.

    While listening to this elaborate account, I couldn't help but imagine how the site would have looked in its heyday, with all its grandeur and magnificence. Although the building has now been transformed into a school for girls, ‘Victoria High School’, my mind kept wandering to a time much earlier.

    I strolled along the hallways of the second floor, overlooking the clearing in the middle of the haveli. There were numerous paintings along the walls, depicting nature and scenes from the glorious history of the Sikhs. The level of detail in the frescos and woodwork was strikingly beautiful.

    Nau Nihal Singh Haveli, Lahore

    View from the third floor of the Haveli (photo: Rukhshan Arif Mian)

    As I began making my way up, the narrow stairs seemed to keep climbing endlessly. I opened the wooden door that led to what looked like a ceiling-less room, except the walls only came up as far as my elbows. The first thing my mind registered was the cool breeze – and the second, that I was standing in the very heart of Lahore, from where I could see minarets of masjids rising up from different neighborhoods, kids playing on rooftops, and mothers putting clothes out to dry. The view wasn't pretty in the manner of colors or aesthetics, but it was undeniably beautiful in the way that it made you feel. It was a sense like no other. I always tell my friends that this was the day I fell in love with Lahore, and of course, the Haveli that made it happen.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021