Today, the walls of Raja Nahar Singh Palace at Ballabgarh vibrate again with the echo of drums and trumpets… With the eager feet of visitors… And the exclaims of delight at the sight of this beautifully maintained palace of the legendary Raja Nahar Singh.
The revolt of 1857 was an important milestone in the history of our country. Raja Nahar Singh, ruler of the small state of Ballabgarh, played a key role in India’s struggle for Independence.
The Palace : The earliest parts of Raja Nahar Singh’s palace were constructed by his ancestor Rao Balram, who came to power in 1739. This construction continued in parts till about 1850. Today, urban centres have come up around the palace. But, the beauty of the palace continues to charm the visitors.
The Retreat : Today the beautiful pavilions and courtyards of Raja Nahar Singh Palace glow once again with royal ambience carefully emphasised by six tastefully decorated guest rooms, restaurant, bar, lounge and public areas, beautified with antiques, relics of a bygone past, stone jallies and intricately carved arches, that take one back to the times of the Raja Nahar Singh.
Shah Quil Khan was valiant noble of Akbar’s court. He was made Governor of Punjab in 1575 AD. He died at Agra in 1601 AD. At Narnaul, where he spent maximum time of his life, he erected splendid buildings and a beautiful garden and named it as Aram-i-Kausar. The Tripolia Gateway is the main entrance to this garden. This fine gateway was constructed within the compound of the garden. The interior walls and ceilings of the façade are adorned with pleasing ornamental carvings. The inscription existing over the pointed arch of the entrance gate records the name of the garden, its builder and the date of its construction.
The inscription over the entrance of the tomb suggests that it was constructed on the instructions of Sher Shah Suri (1540-45 AD) over the grave of his grandfather, Ibrahim Khan Sur, who died at Narnaul in 1518 AD. Its entrance is on the eastern side, and appears to have been built of Hindu temples and has beautiful carvings. The façade, divided in two storeys by a bandof moulding, is decorated with small panels showing low relief carving in red sandstone bordered with grey limestone. Four octagonal cupolas, placed at the four corners of the terrace, balance the dome.
Therefore, this huge pond (sarovar) was built by a local chief during late Mughal period for the use of general public. The ‘sarovar’ was constructed in rubble masonry with thick layer of lime plaster in the style of then prevailing Hindu architecture. Four staircases in each arm of the pond lead to the water storage tank. There were twelve kiosks (chhatri) on its boundary wall, one each at the corners and two each on the either sides of the staircases. At present only two out of twelve are surviving. An inscription affixed on the eastern wall records that an enclosed chamber for ladies-bath was added to this pond in 1929 AD. This ‘sarovar’ is still in public use.
Shah Quil Khan was the Governor of Narnaul during the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar (1556-1605 AD). He built this tomb in memory of his father but after his death, his mortal remains were also buried here. Situated on a high octagonal platform approachable from south, the tomb is built in grey stone mixed with red sandstone presenting a remarkable appearance. Both the interior and exterior of the tomb are octagonal in shape having a narrow passage supported on projecting running all along the base of the arched openings and recesses. The interior of the tomb is sub-divided into two storeys.
Much of it is originally marred by later constructions. Originally the tomb and adjoining mosque was constructed during the reign of Firoz Shah Tughlaq. The eastern colonnades, the dome and a part of enclosure were erected by Alam Khan Mewati in 1357 AD. The tomb itself is surmounted by a hemisphere that has some modern paintings. The pillared verandah (portico) in front of the tomb was constructed during the British period. Most of the other structures within its enclosures were constructed during last Mughal period. The inscription in Persian verse over the doorway registers the date 1137 AD of demise of the Turkish saint in chronogram and in figures.
This baoli (water tank) built by Mirza Ali Jan, the Nawab of Narnaul during the reign of Emperor Akbar, is situated to the north-west of the town of Narnaul. The ‘Chhatri’ has a decorated flap, resting on the eight pillars made of grey stone into rows that open to all sides. Below it, there is a balcony with staircases. The Takhat stands on the main arched entrance of the baoli. On the south, the main arched opening is attached with the three-storied ‘baoli’ and further a well.
According to a Persian inscription over the main entrance, it was built by Nawab Shah Quil Khan, who was the Governor of Narnaul for 52 long years. The entrance to the palace is in the north through a gatehouse, with rooms for guards constructed over a bridge resting on sixteen arched-spans. The palace consists of a square central chamber with four small chambers on the four corners. Four staircases, two each on the northern and southern faces, give access to the upper storeys. The roof of the central chamber is crowned by an octagonal cupola surrounded by a hemispherical dome balanced on four smaller cupolas placed over the corner chambers . The Jal Mahal was constructed during the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar in 1590-91 AD. The construction of the tank was completed in 1592-93 AD.
