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Omar Hayat Mahal is a 19th century wooden
architectural wonder of Chiniot District, a in Pakistan. It is also
known as Gulzar Manzil.
Omar Hayat Palace is a five story building which stands in the heart of
the city. Two upper stories were removed in 1993 due to heavy rainfall
and storms which may have affected the adjoining buildings. It is a
great tourist attraction for both local and foreign visitors.
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History
Members of the Shaikh family migrated from Calcutta to Chiniot around
the 18th or 19th century. Sheikh Omar Hayat who was a successful trader
born in a middle-class family. He decided to construct a magnificent
palace for his newborn son in 1923.
Syed Hassan Shah was assigned the task of palace's construction. He
gathered many famous artisans from different places who continued
working day and night for 10 ten years. Rahim Bakhsh Pirjha and Elahi
Bakhsh Pirjha who were masters in manabat kari did wood carving.
Gazeteer Vol XXXII, Jhang district 1929 states, "The house built by
Sheikh Omar Hayat is a sort of local wonder, as it's cost was Rs
400,000(according to Govt. of Pakistan's History Records) to make and
rises high above all other buildings of area". The construction of the
palace completed in 1935 and Mr Hayat expired in same year just a couple
of months before its completion.
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History claims that Mr Hayat's only son Gulzar Muhammad's marriage in
1938 brought an ironic twist of fate in the shape of death . He (Gulzar)
was found dead in the palace the very next day of his marriage. The news
of son’s death lofted loads of grief on mother who died remembering him.
Both the mother and the son were buried in the courtyard of the ground
floor of the palace.
Mr Hayat's relatives left the palace thinking it as a subject to bad
luck for sheikh family, while servants continued living for a couple of
years and then parted from it. An orphanage was established by some
religious leaders and then it was evacuated when its top story
collapsed. Next came the Qabza groups who got shops and houses
constructed on the piece of land lying next to it.
Architecture of the palace
The palace's building is perhaps the last of Mughal’s architectural
style, or a Mughal Revival building ("revival" buildings are
interpretations of an old architectural style by people of a later era).
Unique carving cuts on the doors, windows and jhirokas reflect a colour
of their own. The roofs, balconies, stairways, terrace and the stucco
designs make a perfect interior. The facade of the building is decorated
with a fine inlay of bricks, the dazzling shine of marble and
picturesque shades help it rank among the great palaces of Mughal era
landlords.
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Recent status
Later on this placed was occupied by Qabza mafia who destroyed most of
the building However seeing death of its glory in 1989, Athar Tahir, the
then deputy commissioner of Jhang, took the palace into his custody. He
removed the encroachments and started its renovation with an expenditure
of Rs1,700,000.
Cultural centre
It was handed over to local municipal committee and a library, cultural
centre and a museum were new additions which regained some vigour. A
rare collection of thousands of books and subscription for seven dailies
was introduced to learners and It was publicly opened the then Punjab
Governor, Mian Muhammad Azhar.
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Recent condition
In Year 1997 the municipal committee refused to bear the expenses of the
latest achievements and terminated the subscription of newspapers and
other reading material.
It was later handed over to auqaf department in year 1998 which also
failed to improve its condition . The situation is getting worse by day.
The library has been closed while the reading room is standing without
its assets. It was only in 1989 when the building was last looked worth
renovation.
At present the palace is very much out of sorts. Its walls have
developed cracks rainy water pours in. The woodwork has lost colour.
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