The repository of stories - in brick and stone

Right in the middle of the city where i was born and brought up, lies a fort ravaged by time. The The fort, they say, is home to a sacred jyot (flame) which was brought by Baba Ala Singh from jwala ji... a flame which continues to be lit till date!

Today the curiosity got the better of me and i set out to visit the place myself. little did i know that it would be my rendezvous with one of the richest princely states in british india!

The Quila Androon

As i entered the fort complex, i was told by the guard that the complex is actually two concentric forts! the outer one is the qila mubarak, and the fort right in front of me is the qila androon. I inquired about the eternal flame, and i was told it resides in the qila androon which is out of bounds for the visitors, damping half of my spirit on the quest of ala. But the quila had a lot more to fill my day!
The quila androon is a protected national heritage monument. The gate of the fort is an architectural mosaic of rajasthani and mughal styles. this is the only entrance to the fort as i later found out.

The Quila Mubarak

Its the impressive outer fortification, which houses the arms and chandeliers gallery and the auxillary buildings of the fort like putli ghar, bagh ghar, lassi khana etc.

Arms and Chandeliers gallery, Darbar hall

This is the highlight of quila mubarak. And perhaps the only maintained place of the quila. As you enter the darbar hall, the first thing that strikes you are the huge bohemian cut glass tree-like chandeliers.
Then you realize that the whole hall is full of chandeliers!! the gorgeous hanging chandeliers made me take out my camera, and just when i was about to click them, i was snubbed by the guard on duty.. no photography allowed!!

There's a story about how the chandeliers came to Patiala. Maharaja Mohinder Singh (1852-76) was shopping in Kolkata, where he saw the chandeliers and enquired the price of one. The salesman snubbed him saying ordinary people could not afford them. At this, Mohinder Singh asked him to quote a sum for the entire collection and ship it to Patiala! The payment was made on the spot.

The majestic false ceiling made of wood tiles, and huge walnut black doors with jharokhas for the ladies to watch the darbar proceedings give an amazing aura of royalty.

The arms collection of the darbar hall is awesome. The long sword of nadir shah and shah abbas of persia with owner's names and seals carved on them were imposing. Even though i wasnt allowed to take pictures, i sneaked this irresitible one... "ek myaan mein do talwaar?", well, why not? ;)

Another thing that impressed me was the shield art. intricate drawings, depict scenes like lord rama breaking the dhanush, the fight between ravan and lord hanuman, and guru nanak - bhai mardana, various persian court scenes..

When i got back home, i managed to get a pic of darbar hall from the net. posting this on the net, i hope it doesnt violate any copyrights, but describing the hall without pictures would be nothing but incomplete!

the silver alloy chariot seen in this pic was used by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh, grandfather of the present scion (and former Punjab chief minister) Maharaja Amarinder Singh. The four-wheeled carriage was built in Kolkata in 1909 to be used on ceremonial occasions and was drawn by six horses.
The other eye catchers were the antique cars of the patiala royal family.

A trip around the quila androon

the Quest of ala's flame, and the inability to go inside the quila androon made me go for a photography session of the quila from outside... posting some shots here

I would try to obtain permission to photograph the inside of quila androon some time, and post the pics on my blog. For more info on heritage of patiala, click here

Thats all for today, in the next post i will take you on the quest of the famed patiala shahi jutti! and much more! :)