Governor of Punjan Sir Malconlm once wrote for some one “ He
won like a hero and gave like a saint” that person waz also called by “ the
architect of modern Lahore” by the people . Yes that person wan indeed Sir
Ganga Ram one of the pioneer engineer of Lahore.
A few days ago I went to the round of walled city spend some
time with my old friends that are not able to walk after that I went to the
Samadhi (tomb) of great person of Lahore Sir Ganaga Ram. I knew that he had
died in july 1927 in London but his ashes had been brought back to his beloved
Lahore, with some dispersed of Ganges . Moslty the navtive don’t know about the
Sir Ganga Ram except they know that he was just Hindu Alas! What he done the
contribution for Lahore no body knows about it .
I stopped my bike out side his tomb local people stared me like a stranger because
I waz new there but after complete my scan a guy jumps and said “ O Adil
Lahorei Tonga wala “ I said lolz yes i am proud to be know about my identity “Adil
Tonga wala “
After spend time with local’s I entered to the tomb Samadhi I
waz simpy shocked that the samdhi irself waz being uses a stable by the
caretaker . The marble slab of the samadhi had been broken at several places
and the reek and the shit of animal insight the tomb was intolerable.
While talking with Natives i collected the info that this structure was
relatively new and that the original was destroyed during the uprisings in 1992
following the demolition of Babri Mosque in India .One of the oldest man told
me that even though it was not a Hindu temple and that Sir Ganga Ram had done a
lot of for Lahore, oldest man told me that old structure was so beautiful there
was water tank around and it took them two days to just break into the dome.
Alas police didn’t stop them and rather stop the attack on this tomb.
Yes we are so ridiculous and unappreciative as a civilization that we did not even spare form our temper the person who practically made modern Lahore and left most of this fortune for the benefits of Lahorie’s. We simply forgot the contributions of Sir Ganga Ram. He founded the sir Ganga Ram free Hospital in 1921 . The Sir Ganga Ram house in Lahore as knows as Nabha House was the first home of the Hailey College of Commerce ,that he gifted by Lady Maclagn School for Girls and that he built the Renala Khurd Power Station out of his own money . This is of course in addition to forgetting that Sir Ganga Ram supervised the construction of almost everything which is iconic in British Lahore, the General Post Office (GPO) the Museum, Atchison College , Mayo Schools of Arts (NCA) and model town among others.
It also shows the recurring patterns in our society. Just as both Muslims and Hindus went on a rampage against each other in 1947, the destruction of the Babri Mosque in 1992 elicited the same rage. But, perhaps, all this shows we are not a ‘society’ in the sociological sense after all. Maybe, we are just a bunch of self-seeking, often bloodthirsty, illiterate people who mainly keep on destroying our own life and surroundings. The irony of Manto’s story of 1947, about the statue of Sir Ganga Ram being brought down on the Mall and the person injured during the process being ‘rushed to Sir Ganga Ram hospital’ is still certainly lost on people here. Perhaps, there is no need now to repair or care for his tomb; Sir Ganga Ram should have thought of better use of his money.
P.S : These all pics are just taken for the Hindu community that lives in Beautiful Pakistan or other part of the world plz avoid from religious talk thanks !
Pics Credit : Adil Lahorei
Permission required to download any picture thanks !
