Maharaja Sher Singh’s mansion: Amid row over possession, minority panel seeks report

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Amid the row over possession of mansion of Maharaja Sher Singh, son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, a rare heritage building at Batala town of Gurdaspur district, National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has sought status report from the chief secretary of Punjab government on its possession and any preservation plan.

While writing a letter to the chief secretary, the commission undersecretary asked him to send the detailed report to the commission on or before December 30.

The Commission took notice of the concern about lack of preservation and its possession after Gurdaspur based BJP leader Yadwinder Singh Butter recently met NCM chairperson Iqbal Singh Lalpura and handed him a memorandum.

A historic relic of the Sikh kingdom, the mansion is now under the possession of Baring Union Christian College at Batala and the college is using it for its administrative works.

As Punjab was annexed in British India in 1849, the mansion was given to Henry Baring, a missionary representing the Church Missionary Society of England, on the lease for 99 years in 1878. On its premises, Baring Union Christian College and Baring School were opened.

The heritage lovers in their several letters to the government and Butter in his memorandum stated that the lease was over in 1977 and after that it is in direct ownership of the government. They are concerned that the “heritage building is not being preserved, nor is it being vacated by the college”. They want the building to be preserved and opened for public.

Thanking the commission for writing a letter to the Punjab government, Butter said, “Apart from Maharaja Sher Singh, Maharaja Ranjit Singh and his other family members often used to stay here and there was also parkash (installation) of Guru Granth Sahib. Thus, Sikh sentiments are also attached with it. Its old status must be restored by making it free from possession. A museum should also be established here”.

Meanwhile, Baldev Singh Randhawa, Batala Virasti Manch, also demanded the building be declared as a protected building.

When contacted, Gurdaspur DC Himanshu Aggarwal expressed ignorance on this matter and said he will look into it to clear the air on the possession and other issues concerning this building.

On the other hand, College officiating Principal Ashwani Kansra said, “I am not authorised to say anything about it. Only management secretary can give any statement about when the lease was over and renewed. He has the documents pertaining to the lease. If it is under possession of the college, it is as per law and nothing is illegal. We pay its rent to the Punjab government”.

A Baradari was also built by Maharaja Sher Singh in front of the mansion in the pond of Shamsher Khan, which is supervised by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).


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