Iqbal Singh Hamjapur
Panipat is famous for three historic battles. Signs associated with all three battles still exist today. Apart from the traces of battles, there are other mosques, minarets, shrines and historical buildings that heritage lovers visit all year round.
Salarjung Gate is also among the historical buildings of Panipat. In the past, gates were built for decoration, protection or in memory of someone. It will not be an exaggeration that Salarjung Gate was built for beauty and protection as well as to keep its memories fresh.
Salarjung Gate was built by Nawab Sadiq Ali of Panipat. Mir Turab Ali Khan popularly known as Salarjung was born in 1829 AD at Bijapur. His ancestors held important positions during the Adil Shahi dynasty, the Mughal period and then the reign of the Nizams. Mir Alam was his grandfather and Syed Kazim Ali Khan was his maternal grandfather. Salarjung received the post of talukdar for eight months in 1847. Then in 1853, at the age of three, he became the Prime Minister of the Nizam of the princely state of Hyderabad. He held this position till his death in 1883. From 1869 to 1883 he was the guardian of the sixth Nizam Asaf Jah VI. During his tenure, he made several reforms in the administration of the Hyderabad state, including the reorganization of the revenue and judicial system, division of the state into districts, the introduction of a postal service, the establishment of modern educational institutions, and the construction of the first railway and telegraph infrastructure. During his tenure, the small spark of the First Revolt of 1857 was also ignited in Hyderabad. He was one of the five Prime Ministers of the famous Salarjung dynasty of Hyderabad. His daughter was married to Asaf Jah VI. Thus he was the maternal grandfather of Mir Usman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad.
Prime Minister Salarjung was a friend and admirer of Sadiq Ali. Sadiq Ali was deeply impressed by Salarjung’s friendship and closeness. He had built the gate in the name of his friend Salarjung.
The Salarjung Gate, located at the back of the bus stand, was one of the five gates of Panipat. The beauty of the Salarjung Gate made of lacquered bricks and red stone is known only by seeing it. Red stone is used inside and Lakhori bricks are used outside. Salarjung Gate is a masterpiece of Islamic architecture. It is made attractive by extending outwards from both sides. To strengthen the arched gate, bastions have been erected in it.
Built in 1737 AD, this gate stands exactly parallel to the Shershah Suri Marg in the north-south direction. The gate is protected under the Monuments of National Importance Act of the Archeology Department of India. At a cursory glance, both sides of this gate appear to be the same, but a closer look reveals a difference. The two bastions on the outer side of the Salarjung Gate have been extended and given the shape of minarets. On its roof, on the outside side, a brick fence has been built, which looks like a palace from a distance. From the east and west side of the gate there are stairs to climb up. These stairs go up to the roof, but there are big windows in between them. These windows seem to have been built for the purpose of lighting the stairs. In the past these windows would also have been used for remote monitoring. These windows are on the inner side of the Salarjung Gate, not the outer side. Only the windows are designed with bricks on the outside. There is also an inscription on the outside of this gate. Above this inscription is written ‘Bab-e-Faiz’ in Urdu. Local people refer to it as ‘Bab-e-Faiz’ meaning ‘Door of Profit’. Nawab Sadiq may have built this gate in the happiness of getting some kind of benefit and dedicated it to Prime Minister Salarjung. The date of construction of this gate according to Islamic and Hijri calendar is also written on the inscription.
Looking closely at the Salarjung Gate, it seems that there were gates on both sides of it once. As soon as it gets dark, these gates will be closed. Salarjung Gate is popularly known nowadays as Salarganj Gate. People have started using ‘ganj’ instead of ‘war’. Traders and shopkeepers have hidden its aura and beauty by putting up advertisements, banners and other boards on the gate. The piles of dirt around the gate also disappoint the heritage lovers and history buffs who come to visit it. Unwanted pipals growing on the gate are also damaging it. The local administration should cooperate with the Archeology Department of India in maintaining the gate. Its surroundings should be kept clean.
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