Wazirabad, a city steeped in history, was established by Wazir Khan, the governor, and later Grand Vizier of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, during the 17th century. One of the city’s remarkable historical wonders is Saman Burj, also known as Musamman Burj.

The Persian term “Musamman” translates to figure eight, and these 57 canals of history encompass a vast complex of structures. The two main gates feature a configuration of four watchtowers each, giving rise to the moniker “Musamman Burj.” The Musamman Burj in Agra is also renowned for its distinctive architecture.

Legend has it that Jehangir and his wife, Noor Jehan, frequently stayed at Musamman Burj while en route to Kashmir. This location was formerly the Royal Sarai erected during Emperor Jehangir’s reign in 1601 AD. Each year, when the Chenab River was flowing strongly, the emperor and his queen would spend several days at the site while traveling from Lahore to Kashmir.

Charat Singh, Maharaja Ranjeet Singh’s grandfather, took over Saman Burj when the Mughal Empire was in decline in 1752. After renovating the complex, he added new structures and took up residence there. His son Maha Singh, the father of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, subsequently occupied the site.

At present, it is noteworthy that neither Sikhs nor Mughals inhabit Saman Burj. The current inhabitants claim to be the relatives of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir’s second wife, Begum Bai, a Jaral Rajput from Rajauri in Indian-occupied Kashmir. Begum Bai was also Emperor Shah Aalam’s mother.

In 1799, when the Mughal empire was in decline, the Sikh empire led by Ranjeet Singh gained control of parts of Punjab and Kashmir, including Rajauri. However, “Maharajah Ranjeet Singh of Punjab had occupied Rajouri and other Punjab Hills States in 1813. But he had allowed the Raja of Rajaur (Aagar Khan) to rule the state.”

After the British defeated the Sikhs in the first Anglo-Sikh war in 1846, they sold Kashmir to Dogra Singh under the treaty of Amritsar, and the Jarral Rajas were forced to abandon their palaces and homes. Overwhelmed with sadness at the loss of their land, which they had ruled for six centuries, the Rajas left Rajauri and relocated to Rehlu in Kangra, Punjab.

Subsequently, due to a family dispute, a member named Raja Fakirullah purchased the land with Rs 6,000 from the British and moved into Wazirabad’s Saman Burj. It is said that Fakirullah chose to stay in Wazirabad with the hope of eventually returning to Rajauri. That is how the Jarral Rajputs came to live in Saman Burj in Wazirabad.

The complex spans approximately seven acres and is surrounded by a massive wall with access through two large gates. The site includes havelis and Bara Darri for residential use, with four acres of gardens in the center accessible by walkways leading to the residences. On the northern end of Saman Burj flows a tributary of the Chenab River known as Pulkhu.

 I explored different parts of the building, enthralled by the paintings on the walls, yet also disheartened by the neglect that had befallen this magnificent art. From the pillars supporting the building to the wall paintings, everything exemplified an artistic grandeur rarely seen in contemporary architecture. The room on the top floor was where Jehangir and his wife resided.

On the top floor, there were abundant paintings adorning its walls. These artworks portrayed scenes of Guru Nanak preaching and Maharaja Ranjeet Singh joyously celebrating the Holi Festival. Additionally, there were depictions of flowers and horsemen.

The room that was once Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s abode has been meticulously preserved, eagerly awaiting the arrival of royal occupants. Presently, two families reside within this palatial residence, occupying different quarters: the Thakur family and the Raja family. Notably, esteemed visitors such as Quaid-e-Azam and Imran Khan top the list.

While there may be debates regarding whether the government or any other organization should assist in restoring these sites, one cannot deny that the structures standing in the north of Wazirabad speak volumes even in their dilapidated state. Places like Saman Burj are not mere collections of ancient structures; they hold within them the tales of every brick, the essence of every particle of soil, and the allure of each painting, captivating those who possess an affinity for the rich history of the subcontinent.

The Wazirabad cluster industry of handmade products such as swords, pocket knives, military knives, hunting knives, light industrial products and households are recognized across the globe for high quality traditional designs and unique production methods.
The cutlery industry is one of the major sources of income after agriculture for the people of the area. The manufacturing of different cutting instruments involves in cutlery industry. Approximately 25 per cent of Wazirabad population is employed either directly or indirectly with the industry.
The cutlery exports have great potential to contribute a larger share in economic growth and to develop and provide jobs to millions of unemployed people. In production, the main raw material used is ‘steel’. In 2011, Pakistan’s total export of cutlery was US $ 55 million. Around 80 per cent of steel is manufactured locally and the remaining 20 per cent is imported from Japan and Germany.
The industry produces around 3.0 million cutlery pieces a year with an estimated value of Rs 6-7 billion and on average 1.3 million swords. About 95 per cent of swords and hunting equipments are exported out of the total production, whereas tableware cutlery is exported 25 per cent out of the total production. According to Cutlery Institute of Pakistan (CIP), China is the largest exporter of these products followed by Germany while Pakistan is the third largest exporter of cutlery in the international market. In Pakistan, the cutlery industry is operated and owned independently and has not gone through massive technological evolutions which need improvements for more export in the industry.
Even for the production of export goods, local stainless steel is used by the manufacturers. The cutlery industry is highly advanced improved and meet all the modern methods of manufacturing. Talking to APP, M. Shafeeq, a cutlery expert and a shop owner in Wazirabad said, the cutlery industry should be amongst the priority developments of the incumbent government as there was a huge potential in the field locally as well as in terms of exports.
He said, “Our locally made products were capable enough to compare them with the international market”. The expert said the previous exports were the example of good quality and credibility of products due to which Pakistan is even today a leading stakeholder of cutlery in the international.
However, he urged the authorities concerned to work for the betterment and development of the sector with other industrial zones and sectors to improve the economic conditions of the country.
Bright cutlery, kitchen wears and Pakistan cutlery consortium URSA International are some of the leading cutlery brands in Wazirabad producing the best export and locally use kitchen wears along the cutlery.
A local resident in the cutlery market, Usman Shah said, “We are proud of our products and their reorganization in the export field and the recent downfall in the market can be overcome with the help of government.” He, however, said the manufacturers and the government should consider the policies that could provide relief to the working industries to boost the export sector by providing good revenue.
For the sustainable market flow, the departments concerned should listen to the market stakeholders so that they may come up with a better plan in the future, he added. The industrial zone of Pakistan is equipped with the required skills and minds through which the country the economic conditions could be improved. However, the government needs to focus on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) along with large scale industrial setups to increase the exports.