In crying need of appreciation
If you wish to visit the unusual monument of Cypress Tomb, you will have to make up your way on Begampura Road going east on GT Road and through a locality known as Sharif Park. It is located about 200 meters north of Dai Anga’s tomb
This name “Cypress Tomb” must be new to you and so it was to me until a few days ago when I planned to visit Begumpura in Lahore. This tomb is also known as Saru wala Maqbara. Saru or Cypress is a conifer of northern temperate regions. They are also found in dry areas and are frequently planted as ornamental trees. The Cypress Tomb (Saru wala Maqbara) is in close vicinity of the Gulabi Bagh and lies directly in the north of Dai Anga’s tomb, it is not accessible from there due to the many buildings that have been constructed in the area. Once this entire complex used to be a grand garden but with the passage of time, because of negligence towards historic preservation and unplanned building of structures, these monuments lost their grandeur.
If you wish to visit the unusual monument of Cypress Tomb, you will have to make up your way on Begampura Road going east on GT Road and through a locality known as Sharif Park. It is located about 200 meters north of Dai Anga’s tomb. The tomb, however, is not directly visible, because of the ill planned structures and buildings that surround the monument. Once you reach this place you can ask anyone about it and you can make your way to the monument on foot or by car. At present there is more of a mess because of the Orange Line being constructed by the government, despite several reservations by the social and media community.
Now let me tell you what this Cypress Tomb is. The tomb of Sharf-un-Nisa Begum is popularly known as Saru wala Maqbara because of ornamentation of cypress trees rendered in square ceramic tiles, rather than the tile mosaic seen in Gulabi Bagh Gateway, as a decorative feature. Sharf-un-Nisa Begum was a sister of Nawab Zakariya Khan, governor of Lahore during the reign of Emperor Mohammad Shah. The structure was built during 1735—1740 .The tower-like form, sporting slightly battered walls, is unique in itself. The tomb, for its unusual shape and facade decoration of cypress motif, is considered to be the jewel of Mughal architecture at Lahore.
Historic accounts narrate that the building was constructed to cater to Sharf-un-Nisa Begum’s requirement of daily visits to the first floor chamber, 16 feet above the ground level. It was as a meditation chamber during her lifetime. There, after reading the Holy Quran she would deposit the holy book as well as her jeweled sword, descending by means of a removable wooden ladder. After her death she was buried in the same chamber, along with a copy of the holy book and her jeweled sword. Respecting her wishes to keep her mortal remains out of sight and inaccessible, all openings were blocked, providing a blank appearance in the battered walls on all four sides.
The tomb in shambles is listed on the Protected Heritage Monuments of the Archaeology Department of Punjab. It is one of the last Mughal structures in Lahore and I guess it should be preserved well like other historic buildings
Like many other Mughal era monuments, the tomb became victim of the vandalism carried out during the 18th century Sikh rule. It is believed by historians and archeologists that the tower contained treasures, and breaking open the tomb, the holy book and jeweled sword were removed — decorative features are extant only in the upper part of this two-storey structure. Square in plan, the tomb is a solid, tower-like tapering brick structure with a chajja near the top of the dome. The chamber is covered by a single dome of a four-sided pyramidal shape. The drum has a low neck. A band of colour glazed tiles runs around the neck of the dome. It is embellished with the attributes of Allah in superb calligraphy. The burial chamber can only be approached by the use of a moveable ladder. The idea behind such a structure is that even the grave of the purdah observing lady should be kept out of public view. The low pitched four-sided pyramidal dome, over a double drum, is a unique feature of this tomb. The dome is covered with glazed tiles in blue and white colors finished in zig-zag patterns. The projecting chajja (eaves), and a pyramidal low roof, similar to one seen in the tomb of Hazrat Mian Mir provides a fitting termination.
The exterior of the tomb is embellished with colourful cypress trees. These cypresses, four on each side, are intercepted by little blooming flower plants, all in enamelled square tile mosaic work on the plaster base. The tomb was surrounded by a large garden at the time of its construction, however; now it is hemmed in by houses, leaving a small garden which is used by the local youth to play cricket, as is the case in many of the remaining tomb gardens. Historian Catherine Blanshard Asher describes the tomb as “Lahore’s best monument from the post-Aurangzeb period”. It is a “unique structure” as it is like a tapering tower with a “pyramidal vault”.
The tomb in shambles is listed on the Protected Heritage Monuments of the Archaeology Department of Punjab. It is one of the last Mughal structures in Lahore and I guess it should be preserved well like other historic buildings. The access to the monument should be made easier and it must be turned into a tourist site with a small ticket so that it develops a self sustainable model. Also, a few souvenirs, books and tuck shops should be opened there by the Archeology Department like they have done around other monuments. In my opinion a monument is a monument, no matter if it is small or huge like Lahore Fort. Each piece of history is precious and should be preserved to its best.
