'Historical Guru Nanak palace' in Pakistan's Punjab province partially demolished by locals

The Guru Nanak Palace was constructed over four centuries ago in Bathanwala village on New Lahore Road.

Image Courtesy: Dawn.com

NAROWAL: Guru Nanak Palace, a building of great historical significance for Sikhs located in Pakistan's Punjab province, had been partially demolished by some locals, the Pakistani media reported on Monday. According to Pakistan's leading daily Dawn.com, the four-storey building was partially damaged by some influential locals allegedly in connivance of the Auqaf department officials. 

Those who were allegedly involved in its partial destruction even sold its precious windows, doors and ventilators.

The historic building was constructed over four centuries ago in Bathanwala village on the New Lahore Road. 

The centuries-old building is called the ''Palace of Baba Guru Nanak'' and a number of Sikhs from across the world, including India, used to visit this building.

The building is made up of old bricks, sand, clay and limestone. There are 16 large rooms in the building, all of which had at least three beautiful doors and at least four ventilators.

The rooms were constructed with large broad walls that had cupboards with wooden doors and flowers carved into them.

All the rooms were airy and their walls had small lamp enclosures in them. Diyar wood beams of various sizes were used in the roofs; the wood costs thousands of rupees per foot.

The three-foot-wide and sturdy walls surrounding the building were made of small old bricks in beautiful designs and intricately painted with pictures of Baba Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism; as well as of various Hindu rulers and princes. 

There were stairs on three of the four sides of the building going up to the roof.

Muhammad Ashraf, a local resident of Narowal, claimed that the Auqaf department was informed about the demolition of the building allegedly by some influential persons, but it did nothing.