This Old Architecture is fading away | Exploring the old building structures of Hafizabad

13 comments

Today, i went to Hafizabad city. City is wrapped with convenient architectural style according to time, but there are many buildings, rooms, houses and ruins which are still telling the story of pre-partition time and of Mughal's architecture.

This architecture is legacy of Indian subcontinent which holded many countries in it's zone and now Indian subcontinent is divided into countries. Still, the architecture and buildings have the scars and mark of history.

This is main entrance of the city, usually ignored by all the people who are passing. I also ignored it many times but today i stopped to observe it's fading beauty.

The entrance is old and original but there is so much lay over work which has been done on the original frame. The white and blue color tiles are actually lay over the old red color structure. This addition of blue and white tiles also depicts the religious side of region.

On the other side of the entrance structure, the design of windows is same. In other words, the style used to be symmetrical but time changed it's original frame.

Just on the right of entrance, there was an (silent) ally. In that ally, on few shoes shopkeepers were sitting in their shops. Instead of walking through the entrance, i stepped towards right side of it.

On the right side, Another masterpiece of old style buildings was waiting for me. These were actually old shops of 19th century subcontinent.

These bricks shows that these old shops aren't from initial time of 19th century, rather these belong to middle of the nineteenth century.The design of wooden doors is also depiction of it.
Most probably, these shops are from the colonial time frame when this region(Punjab) was being ruled by Sikh Rulers. The style and design is very similar to that time.

Some doors were closed but lock was telling us that these shops are still in use. I confirmed it when i saw a person who was sitting in a shop and having a cup of tea.

The interior of the shop is quite simple and raw. This rawness shows it's originality.

There were many people who were sitting behind me, while i was capturing this particular photo. They told me that these shops are from the time of partition but they did renovation too. I took permission from them to click pictures and they gave.

Inside this old shop, the only person was the shopkeeper who was selling tea there. A small apparatus was around him with which he was making tea.

White paint which was a usual paint two and three decades ago is painted here. This white paint is actually quick lime which you can see on many old buildings here.

Here i entered the city. Lime is also used to paint the interior of entrance. The wooden roof is prominent as it's color is looking fresh which shows that it is renovated just now. There is a scientific fact behind using lime on buildings. It is believed that lime keeps the buildings colder in hot weather conditions. May be it's true but i always heard it.

I stepped a little further and there was green wooden door which was quite attractive and beautiful. It's locked and no way to enter. Interestingly, there was no one around who can tell me that where this door will lead or atleast about the history.

On the exact opposite side of this green door, there was a wooden porch which always made me fell in love. I am in love with these wooden porches. These porches are legacy of Mughal time period in Indian Subcontinent.

There was a person who was standing besides me, i asked him about the history of these buildings with porches. He just has limited knowledge that these buildings are from partition time and came in the ownership of immigrants after partition.

It's quite ironic that many people aren't aware of the exact history and dates.

Fascinating structures and styles were on my way. Just look at the style of room which i showed above. It's a room which is without any support from the base earth. This room is like bridge. It's interesting style yet fearful for me.

While, i was walking through the market, i saw a door of home which was opened. There was a person who was standing by it. I took permission and asked about history of the house!
Again same response i received " this home belongs to us and came in our ownership after partition when we migrated from India".

To see old parts of the buildings i have to look above my head because base parts of buildings are quite changed and modified according to time and convenience. Mostly the above parts are in original structure and shape. Such an original thing i saw today. I saw an old window which was never opened from decades. The spider web which is entangled around it is advocating this fact that it is decades ago when it used to be an open window.

The bad thing which switched my good mood to bad is the web of these electric wires which ruined the beauty of buildings. Actually these buildings are wrapped in these wires.

This light yellow color buildings is the only left part from the original building. The ground part/ base part is transformed into shops for commercial reasons but the upper part is still intact. Entry isn't allowed in this part because it is too weak to enter.

Just look above the window and you will see some words written in "Hindi Language". These words shows that this building was owned by any Hindu family and after partition they left this building in Pakistan before shifting to India.

_{This is another side of the same building which is towards the main road}

I was moving forward and exploring the historical and architectural treasure of the city which is getting foggy in the lights of modern day.

This yellow color building used to be a religious building for Sikh people but after partition it came in the hand of government. Now it's a closed building just!

It's last thing which i discovered today. Another porche of wood which is seemingly weak but i don't know the exact situation that it is actually weak or not.
This porch is on the building of health house which is owned by government but later i got to know that it is now a residency of a family.