For the last 144 years an abiding mystery has bugged not only historians, but also the people of Lahore. Even architects are confused over just how the strong massive gateway of Hazuri Bagh collapsed on its own while the other 12 did not.

The collapse of the strong Hazuri Bagh gateway is one of the strangest happening of the Sikh era (1799-1849), which led to the mysterious death of the third maharaja, Nau Nihal Singh. A lot of research has gone into this event. Yet the truth remains elusive.

After the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh on June 27, 1839, his son Kharak Singh became the second maharaja of the Lahore Durbar. He was not a very bright person and allegedly a drug addict. One source claims that his prime minister deliberately doped him with drugs. He died on Nov 5, 1840, just 17 months after his father. The third maharaja of the Lahore Durbar was Ranjit Singh’s grandson and Kharak Singh’s son Kanwar Nau Nihal Singh. On the day of his accession and father’s cremation, the tragedy of this 19-year-old ruler started.

Just next to the tomb of Ranjit Singh, a huge funeral pyre was built for Maharaja Kharak Singh. His two young wives, Khem Kaur and Ishar Kaur, as well as 11 maids, were burnt alive with the maharaja. His first wife, Rani Chand Kaur, then aged 44 years old, refused to be cremated.

As the fire reached its peak, Nau Nihal Singh and his companion Udham Singh, the nephew of Prime Minister Raja Dhian Singh, started walking towards the fort. The prime minister was following. The route was via the gateway of Hazuri Bagh and then towards the Lahore Fort gateway. As soon as they reached the Hazuri Bagh gateway, it suddenly, and mysteriously, collapsed. How and why that happened is unknown. The huge brickwork fell on Udham Singh who died on the spot. A large portion fell on the new Maharaja, Nau Nihal Singh, who was critically injured. The prime minister who was walking a few steps behind escaped the disaster. He helped others to take the body of the new maharaja to the Hazuri Bagh pavilion. No one, including his mother, was allowed to see his body. Later the body was moved inside the fort and the gates were locked.

As the injured body lay, Raja Dhian Singh sent a message to Kanwar Sher Singh in Batala to rush to Lahore to claim the throne. Sher Singh happened to be in the good books of the British and Dhian Singh. Three days later when he arrived, it was announced that Maharaja Nau Nihal Singh was dead. This they claimed was done for state security reasons.

The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism, Vol. III, p. 212, clearly states that the Hazuri Bagh gateway fall was no accident. British historian Cunningham, as also Gardner, Smyth and Steinback all claim that the accident was engineered by Raja Dhian Singh. The East India Company despatches of Clerk of 6th, 7th and 10th November 1840, quote Gen Ventura as claiming that it was an accident but also quotes Captain Gardner, a European traveller present there, as suspecting Dhian Singh as being behind this ‘accident’. But then writers like Khushwant Singh (History of the Sikhs), as also M.L. Ahluwalia and Syed Muhammad Latif in his ‘History of the Punjab’ conclude that it was an accident. (History of the Sikhs, II).

The most interesting observation is given in the classic ‘35 Years in the East’ by Dr Martin Honigberger, who lived in Tehsil Bazaar of Lahore, who examined the body and wrote that the young Nau Nihal Singh was injured, but if left alone could have recovered. He commented that Raja Dhian Singh could have killed him. Incidentally, Dr Honigberger set up Lahore’s first mental hospital.

Now to the actual incident. Capt Gardner, who was attached to Raja Dhian Singh, says: “I was present at the commencement of the ceremony of cremation of Maharaja Kharak Singh. Before the new Maharaja left the spot, I was directed by Dhyan Singh to go and bring 40 of my artillerymen in their fatigue dress: I was not told, nor have I ever ascertained what they were wanted for. When I returned, the catastrophe had just occurred.”

There is this theory that the firing of cannons out of respect for the late maharaja could have influenced the gateway. The five palki-bearers who had carried Nau Nihal Singh to his palace were sent to their homes. Two were afterwards privately put to death; two escaped into British India while what happened to the fifth is not known.

Now to the broader reasons. The British were interested in approaching Afghanistan through Punjab, which Maharaja Ranjit Singh always disallowed. As Nau Nihal Singh was in effective control during his drugged father’s reign, he also disallowed British troops passing through. The British needed to move rapidly as they struggled to save the regime of puppet Afghan ruler Shah Shuja.

The young prince had learnt of British plans to invade Punjab and hence his stance was a tough one. According to ‘Intelligence Report, Jan. 5-11, C. M. Wade to Government’: “On the 5th instant [January 1840] at noon Nau Nihal Singh after a hot bath began to utter and gave assurances of his recovery...”.

On the death of Nau Nihal, the British Political Agent, Mr Clerk, had sent a message of congratulation to Sher Singh. (Wm. Murray/Henry T. Prinsep, History of the Punjab, II, p. 231. London: 1848), in which he stated: “All the evidence against the British is circumstantial, but the motivation could not be ruled out. The least that one can read between these lines is that the death of Nau Nihal Singh and succession of Sher Singh to the throne had resolved most of the issues of concern to the British”.

The issue of the death of Nau Nihal Singh has been a tricky one for the Lahore Durbar, for here was a young man with the will to expand like his grandfather. But then surrounded by conspiracy around him getting rid of him was critical. If history is a guide, it seems not much has changed. The Khalsa Army as well as the people admired and supported Nau Nihal Singh. His death meant that within eight to nine years the Lahore Durbar was no more.

Just how and why this accident happened will remain a mystery. Most architects who understand gateway construction say such a thing just could not happen. They ask just why did it happen when the new maharaja was passing under it? So the mystery remains.

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2024