A Heritage Handicraft Mela is being organised at Sheesh Mehal, Patiala , from Nov.1st ,2011 to November -10th ,2011

The stalls were put up at the "Mela" by Artisians ,Entrpenuers and small industries from many parts of India so much so from J&K, HP, UP and south India. The Mela had huge brigade of grand colourful presenters from different states who performed in their costumes of traditional dresses of their respective states ,also were enthralling the audience by their performances,giving a vivid picture of different shades of Indian culture and diversity.

Welcome gate at Sheesh Mehal o

Big joy wheel at the back ground













Historical canons of Patiala  Erstwhile State 
-

-Joy ride  for visitors

 Folk Dancers  going for performance

Satuting the visitors

tribal Folk dancers  doing  "Fire dance".
  








































Puppet Dance 

stalls of handicraft

Visitors at Fair

-

Pot makers at work

Joy wheel

Author at entertainment segment

          

                             

Rajasthani flavours

Author's friend having a look

PHOTO GALLARY

BARADARI GARDEN ,PATIALA

BARADARI GARDEN ,PATIALA

RAJINDRA KHOTI ( HAWELLI )Recently Bollywood star Salman Khan was here shooting for his new film.

AUTHOR AT BARADARI GARDEN

FLOWER & VEGETABLE SHOW (MARCH-2011)

FLOWER & VEGETABLE SHOW (MARCH-2011)

FLOWER & VEGETABLE SHOW (MARCH-2011)

FLOWER & VEGETABLE SHOW (MARCH-2011)

FLOWER & VEGETABLE SHOW (MARCH-2011)

FLOWER & VEGETABLE SHOW (MARCH-2011)

FLOWER & VEGETABLE SHOW (MARCH-2011)

FLOWER & VEGETABLE SHOW (MARCH-2011)

SHERANWALA GATE (MALL ROAD) PATIALA

STATE BANK OF PATIALA HEAD OFFICE ,THE MALL, PATIALA.

CENTRAL LIBRARY ,THE MALL, PATIALA.

Unique feature of Patiala State Monorail Transport system

Patiala State Monorail Transport

Patiala State Monorail System (PSMT) was a unique rail guided, partially road-borne railways system running in Patiala State from 1907 to 1927. PSMT was the only operational locomotive railway system built based on the Erwine system in the world.
Maharaja Bhupinder Singh patronized this unique Railway system and got this railway system constructed. This Transport system was constructed to facilitate movement of people and goods in his state. This system was developed under the supervision of Colonel C.W Bowles , who was The chief engineer of this project . Col. Bowles had earlier successfully used monorail based on model of Erwine system. One of the objects of PSMT was to make use of the 500 mules ,These mules were breeded and maintained by Patiala State. Apart from mules, Oxen were also used to haul the monorail before introduction of steam engine on route of PSMT.
In a 1908 edition of Imperial Gazetteer of India in which there was a brief mention. The gazetteer simply stated about the existence of the monorail system , that - "a mono-rail tramway, opened in February, 1907, connects Bassi with the railway at Sirhind". Later An map of 1913 available also had confirmed and shows a tramway running along west side of road which possibly indicate the existence of such rail system, but it does not mention the PSMT by name.
The only account of operational details of PSMT is found in papers of Colonel Bowles. According to a memorandum dated October 2, 1908 available with the records . There is mention of the PSMT carried 20,000 passengers in a single month on Sirhind - Morinda line. However there was no details of goods carried of the quantity is available at anywhere.
The fare of only 1½ Annas , was charged from the passenger was for the entire route. where as 1 anna per maund (80 lb). was charged for carrying goods .
The total distance covered by PSMT was estimated to be around 50 miles (80 km). PSMT was operational on only two unconnected Section lines. One section was from Sirhind to Morinda a distance of 24 km. It was planned at one stage to extend this line to Ropar, but there is no trace of it.Probably the project could not be carried out.
The other section of rail line ran 55 km from Patiala to Sunam . Today no trace of the tracks or any infrastructure of PSMT remains is found any where . However, information about the route was found in a letter by Colonel Bowles to Mr. Ambler. Colonel Bowles described the route of Patiala-Sunam line .
The steam engine was probably used only on Patiala Sunam Line. Col. Bowles wrote about the engines were heavy for rails which were specified as 9 kg/m.These steam engines were not used on Sirhind - Morinda line which were not of that specification of rails. He had mentioned that the steam engine did run only between Patiala Station and City Mandi , a distance of about a mile only .
Rolling stock.
The information of the rolling stock with PSMT is not very clear However the records show some vague picture, by reconstructing these information the facts are available.
• Wagons were normally of 8 feet long and 6 feet wide , with two 8-inch diameter wheels.
• The coaches were provided with 98 cm diameter road wheel .
• There was a total of 75 goods wagons and 15 passenger coaches in PSMT fleet till 1908..
• There were goods wagons, having two road wheels. Some of these wagons were also converted and improvised for use as passenger coaches by having transverse benches fitted in them.The goods coaches were about 30-foot long.
• The passenger coaches on the Sirhind Line were open-sided wagons

Features of Steam Locomotive engines of PSMT.

• Initially PSMT used mules to pull the train. Later on four steam loco’s were acquired for pulling the coaches. It is not known whether the engines were used on both lines or only on Patiala - Sunam line.
• These four locomotives were built by Orenstein & Koppel Co.of Berlin Germany, around the year 1907 at cost of £600 each.
• The locomotives had a double flanged driver in the center of each axle . The water tank on the right-hand side was larger so that some of the weight shifted onto the 39-inch diameter balance wheel which was attached beyond the enlarged water tank.
• Orenstein & Koppel Co.of Berlin Germany ,designed the engines by considering the extra cab space behind the enlarged water tank and provided the fire door on the right side of the fire box instead at the back as was usually done.
• These locos were only used to ply between the Patiala - Sunam .

Around 1912, with the advent of new automobile Technology and improved roads, PSMT slowly began losing favour with people. As The Patiala State also lost its interest in PSMT ,ultimately the project was closed on 1 October 1927. After the death of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh in there was no takers of this project . Thus, PSMT and all its records, photographs, etc., were left uncared for and gradually ,the documents, photographs etc. related to PSMT were not preserved and thus what could have been valuable source of information on this unique monorail was lost forever. PSMT was forgotten even in Patiala, till the its remains were discovered in a Public Work Department (PWD) shed by Mr. Mike Shatow in 1962.
One PSMT locomotive was restored along with Chief Engineer's private inspection car (this coach was rebuilt on original frame as a normal passenger coach). Both of these are on display at the Indian National Railway Museum New Delhi . No information is available about rest of the engine or coaches.

CULTURE AND TRADITIONS OF PATIALA .

Importance of Patiala.
Pictures of Quila Mubarak.

Patiala, is a Royal city and it is the administrative headquarters of Patiala distt. , and is also the Headquarter of Commissioner of Revenue Division in Punjab . It was once the capital of the premier Princely state in the former Punjab Province of British India . Patiala still holds great prominence in terms of culture ,tradition and education. Its importance is more due to its proximity to the State Capital – Chandigarh, it is 65 km from Chandigarh . Located in the south-eastern part of the state, it lies between 29°49’ and 30°47’ north latitude, 75°58’ and 76°54' east longitude. It is well connected by Rail, Road and has a Flying club too. It is also strategically important due to Military Cantonment and bordering the state of Haryana . Today Patiala is the headquarter of many of Central and Punjab Government offices and departments.
The historically important event it has witnessed is of a historical treaty .In this Darbar Hall of the Qila Mubarak Complex the Historical Instrument of Accession was signed between , Maharaja Yadavindra Singh of Patiala and Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel,the then Home Minister of India ,The architect of present India ,making Patiala the first Royal State to join the Union of India. This way Patiala took the lead and achieved formidable first leaving hundreds of royal states and far bigger royal states of pre-independence India well behind. Later, Patiala regained some of its past glory when it became the capital of PEPSU (Patiala and East Punjab State Union) The Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU) was a state of India from 1948-56. It was created by amalgamating eight Punjabi princely states: Patiala, Nabha, Jind, Kapurthala, Faridkot, Malerkotla, Kalsia, and Nalagarh. The state of PEPSU came into being on July 15, 1948 and formally made a state of India in 1950. Its capital was Patiala. The state had an area of about 26,000 km². This included the areas of Kasauli, Chail ,Kandaghat, and Dharampur ,which are now the part of Himachal Pardesh .

The last Maharaja of Patiala, Yadavindra Singh was appointed its Rajpramukh ( Governor) by Govt. of India . On 13 January 1949, Gian Singh Rarewala was sworn in as the first Chief Minister of PEPSU. The state legislative assembly had about 60 elected members. The existence of this PEPSU state remained very short . On 5 March 1953 his government was dismissed and President's rule was imposed on the state. On 1st November 1956, PEPSU was merged into Punjab State.
In 1956, when the merger of PEPSU and Punjab happened , A part of the former state of PEPSU, the portion around Jind and the Narnaul was separated from PEPSU and restructuring was done in these North Indian States and Three Present states - Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pardesh were Created out .
Patiala then lost the status of a capital city. But after about five decades now some of its lost glory has been partially restored . Patiala now happens to be one of the nine cities selected for up gradation as a counter-magnet to Delhi in the National Capital Region (NCR). Now the city is witnessing consistent changes in infrastructure ,and overall development. It is now marching at a steady pace with the time. Three Flyovers have come up in the city to meet the traffic blues ,which has changed the old face of the Royal city. These changes were immediately needed to match the pace of growth of the city .The traffic bottlenecks are infact the stumbling block in any city’s development The development and prosperity of Patiala can be gauged by the many fold increase in the number of vehicles on road ,new market places and malls. Patiala has well responded to the sentiments of the people of the city in mitigating the problem of traffic . There is a new road map laid for effective movement. Many of the roads have been expanded manifolds, The old drainage system has made way to a better roads as all the drains have been covered and it has been utilized to expand the roads. Patiala is ready now for a major facelift.

Culture & Traditions

Patiala is a wonderful blend of religious and cultural life. Patiala has remained in the forefront in education field , Patiala was the first town in this part of the country to have Degree College in 1870. The Mohindra College was a prestigious institution in North India . Under the patronage of Patiala rulers in 19th century ,some of the classics were created by masters. Patiala had developed a culture of its own, known as "Patialavi" culture. Patiala has also seen evolution of a distinct style of architecture. The roots of many of the creation is links to the Rajput Style, its beauty and elegance , however, was moulded according to the local coloring and taste .
Hindustani music also took its roots and was established which was called ‘the Patiala Gharana’. This school of music has had a number of famous musicians, many of whom came to Patiala after the disintegration of the Mughal Court at Delhi in the 18th century. Ustad Ali Bux was the most renowned exponent of this Gharana. Later his sons, Ustad Akhtar Hussain Khan and Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan are the big artists who achieved fame world wide, they brought glory to the Patiala Gharana .
Patiala is famous for its Turban (traditional headgear of Sikhs of special style )it is about 7-8 mts length cloth tied over the heads . Famous Punjabi singers like Pammi Bai and many others folk singers have sung songs on the famous ‘Patialashahi’ turban, Phulkari – a large cloth of the size of a bed cover of cotton , is a unique hand crafted & embroidered with silk thread , this is a ceremonial cloth being used in Marriages and Shaguns, also in traditional affairs. Paranda -it is tasseled colourful tag tied to the hair of women , Patiala Peg – which is infact a double or large peg of whiskey. This term is very popular and is understood in most parts of India, It has been made famous by Bollywood and Punjabi songs. Punjabi Jutti – it is specially crafted foot wear. It is famous in Punjab and abroad and Patialashahi Salwar – it is specially designed and stitched lower dress of ladies garments . .

Qila Mubarak

Baba Ala Singh constructed the Pacca Qila (A fort) after his conquest of Sirhind as earlier the 'Qila Mubarak' is said to have been first developed as a mud fort or Kachi Garhi. The Qila Mubarak had a splendid hall known as the Darbar Hall , This Durbar hall is a testimony to the historical event when the Maharaja Yadvinder Singh signed a treaty with Govt. Of India after the independence, This is now converted into a mini museum where rare arms and armours including a sword of Nadir Shah known as 'Shikar Gah' are kept on display. The best collection includes most precious pieces of art - a tree-like chandeliers made of Bohemian cut-glass emitting prism like splendor and shine . Metallurgy and guns, are kept at Cannon Park within the premises of the Qila Mubarak The murals inside the palaces are rare specimen of the Kangra and Rajasthan paintings.

Moti Bagh Palace
The next great architectural landmark is the Moti Bagh Palace constructed in 1847 by Maharaja Narendra Singh at a cost of Rs. 5 lakhs; The Moti Bagh Palace was designed on the pattern of Shalimar Gardens of Lahore with water channels and terraces , Sheesh Mahal has beautiful garden. It is a four storeyed structure with massive stone-walls, arched openings, filtered and ornamental grills and crowning domes.
The rear part of the palace has been developed into an amusement park.,. In the front of the Sheesh Mahal, there is a huge tank with two towers on both sides. There is the suspended rope bridge popularly known as Lakshman Jhula, which connects the palace with the Bansar Ghar which is having the Natural History Gallery. Here the collection of rarest of the stuffed animals and birds are displayed. At Sheesh Mehal North Zone Cultural Center is also functioning .The rest of the palace now houses the most prestigious Netaji Subhash National Institute of Sports.
Under the patronage of Maharaja Narendra Singh, who was a great patron of literature, music and fine arts. Many painters from Kangra and Rajasthan were engaged to paint the walls of Sheesh Mahal. The themes of these paintings are based on legends,mythology, Raga-Ragni, Nayak-Nayika ( Hero -Heroine relationship) and Bara-masa ( depiction of twelve seasons according to months of the year)in Rajasthani style.. The interior casts a beautiful Kaleidoscope panorma of magnificent images and multi-coloured lights. These walls and ceilings are exclusively rich in floral patterns The museum has a collection of miniature paintings of the 19th century. Paintings are also displaying the Raga-mala of the Rajasthan musical schools and that of the Mughal era .
Ivory carvings of Punjab, royal wooden carved furniture, and a large number of Burmese and Kashmiri carved objects are also exhibited. It also houses the huge portraits of the rulers of Patiala adorning the walls of museum hall. Some of the rare manuscripts can be seen here. The manuscripts , the Gulistan-Bostan by Sheikh Sadi of Shiraz, ,the manuscript of Janamsakhi and Jain scriptures , are the most valuable possession.

Medal Gallery
Medal Gallery with around 3,000 number of medals and decorations had been set up in the Sheesh Mahal which is on display , these medals are rare in the world and were were collected by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh. However , Maharaja Yadvindra Singh gifted the priceless collection to the Punjab Government Museum. The list of the medals are as ;
* The Order of the Garter (England).
* The Order of St. Andrews (Russia)
* Order of the Double Dragon (China)
* The Order of the Golden Fleece (Austria)
* The Order of the Rising Sun (Japan)
The collection contains medals also from Denmark, Belgium and many of other Asian and African countries. These medals reflect religion, culture and art of many countries in metal and are great sources of history. Besides medals, there is a rare collection of coins. This unique numismatic collection showcases a vast range from the punch-marked coins to those issued by the princely states in the 19th century. It is history depicting country's trade, commerce, as well as the developments made in the field of science and metallurgy at that time.

Educational Institutions
Punjabi University
This Institution was Established on April 30, 1962 in the erstwhile princely state of Patiala with the main objective of promoting the cause of Punjabi language, art and literature, Punjabi University has since evolved into the largest University in the state. Spreaded over 500 acres of land, it has effective strength of about 500 teachers who are imparting instruction and guidance to more than 9,000 students in a multi-faculty environment comprising 65 Teaching Departments on its Campus, five Regional Centres, six different Campuses and 166 Colleges affiliated to it.
The University has achieved many milestones and has achieved advanced development of Punjabi language . , which is catering to the linguistic and cultural needs of the Punjabis here as well as overseas .

The Punjabi reference Library has been created to build up a strong collection on Punjab history, culture, language and literature. This library has a rich collection of over 1,00,000 documents, of which around 55,000 have been donated by noted litterateurs and historians.It contains many Punjabi newspapers, magazines, books, diaries and mostly the rare manuscripts pertaining to the 19th and 20th centuries. More than 100 Punjabi newspapers and periodicals published in the world are also available in this Library.

Other great contributions are as :
1. Punjabi University has established a Centre for Teaching of Punjabi as a
Foreign Language.this Centre for Teaching of Punjabi as a Foreign Language has
already taught Punjabi to seekers from the different countries like USA,
Canada, Russia and China .
2. The Advanced Centre for Technical Development of Punjabi Language, Literature
and Culture has prepared special software for inter-script transfer
between Gurmukhi and Shahmukhi. The Centre has now established a search
engine in Punjabi ,which the first of its kind . This has in fact contributed
in a big way in preserving ,refining and developing this language.
3. The University has taken a big step in the direction and has launched its
website in Punjabi .
4. The University has been strengthening and spreading the religious ethos ,
particularly that of Sikhism. It has established a full-fledged Department
of Guru Granth Studies and Guru Gobind Singh Department of Religious Studies,
5. The University has published first of its kind, the Encyclopaedia of Sikhism
which is available in four volumes.The Encyclopaedia, contains complete
details about Sikh history, philosophy, theology, art and architecture,
customs, ceremonies and shrines etc.
6. By the Developing and research made in the field of Punjabi Literature and
language the university has contributed in making the Patiala take prominent
place in the world map. It is one of the city icons and epitaph of progress the city has
made while moving ahead in the corridors of time.
7. Having published a record number of over 3,000 titles in Punjabi covering a wide range of areas . Punjabi University has established a special Punjabi Reference Library.

Since its establishment it has been a strong source of inspiration , development and preservation of Punjabi Language.It has worked as a monitor and guide through out. Though the motive was to give Punjabi a international status , besides that Punjabi University has been teaching all kinds of other courses in science ,arts and even Engg.& Medical. Its prominent role is also seen in imparting education through correspondence. University has many hundred students doing various courses through correspondence .


Government Mohindra College
Maharaja Mahendra Singh was a great patron of modern education. He established this college in 1870 for the people of Patiala. Its building is a wonderful piece of architecture. Famous for its architectural excellence, the institution for a long time was the only one between Delhi and Lahore. Govt. Mohindra College is a standing monument of the glorious past of the princely state of Patiala. This college still has made a great contribution in modern education . Students feel proud to be associated with this college.

Govt. Rajindra Medical College.
This is a prestigious institution which has been catering to the medical needs of the Malwa region. This is now the one of the three Govt. Medical Colleges of Punjab. Rajendra Hospital Patiala was named after the Maharaja Rajendra Singh who ruled Patiala in 1856–1900 of erstwhile state. The foundation of the Medical College was laid down on 15th April 1950 ,by Maharaja Yadvinder Singh .This was first Medical college of PEPSU province at that time .
The Medical college was taken over and converted to Government Medical College, Patiala was started on 29th September, 1953 The Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, was under construction when the college started. The foundation stone of the college building was laid by Dr. Rajendra Parshad then President of India on 21st Dec.1953. The College had a privilege and honor that opening ceremony of Rajindra Hospital, Patiala was performed by the Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, in 1954.
It started as a 500 bedded hospital and presently it is 1000 bedded
Now the super specialty departments are also functioning. Cardiology, Neurology, Nephrology, ICCU are functioning in Medicine Deptt. and Urology, Pediatrics, Surgery, Plastic Surgery, I.C.U are also functional.

Thapar University ( Thapar Engg.College.)
This is a primer institution in imparting Technological education. It is one of the ten top institutions in India.Thapar Centre for Industrial Research & Development (TCIRD), is a Non- Profit Research & Development Organization situated in Patiala (Punjab). Established in 1984, Thapar University ( Deemed Univ.) has been recognized as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organization by Government of India and has emerged as a premier technology development centre in Northern India. it is first private university in Patiala.

National Institute of Sports (NIS )
It is being operated from Moti Bagh Palace. This is a primer Sports Institution funded by Central Govt. through Sports Authority of India. Housed in the erstwhile Palace of Maharaja of Patiala ( Punjab), National Institute of Sports, which is now the Academic Wing of the Sports Authority of India was established by the Government of India on 7th May, 1961 This was created with the objective of developing sports in the country on Scientific lines and to train the Coaches in different sports disciplines. It has lived to its reputation of training and producing leading sports men and women of India in various discipline. NIS is a name to be reckoned with. Sports person from different states are provided with world class facilities and fitness training equipments.
The Institute was renamed as Netaji Subhash National Institute of Sports (NSNIS) on 23rd January, 1973.

Govt. College of Physical Education ,Lehal ,Patiala.
Govt. College of Women, Bhupindra Road, Near YPS,Patiala.
State college of Education,Lehal ,Patiala
Govt. Bikram College , Lehal,Patiala
Rajive Gandhi Law University
M.M Modi College

Other important Offices and Departments .

Head office of State Bank of Patiala.
Head office of Punjab Pollution Control Board.
Punjab Public Service Commission
Diesel Loco Modernisation Works ( Indian Railways )
Head office of Punjab State Electricity Corporation Ltd. ( earlier Punjab State Electricity Board)
North Zone cultural Center, Sheesh Mehal,Patiala.

Baradari Gardens
Situated in the north of the old Patiala city, now it is a central place , on side os The Mall Road , just outside the Sheranwala Gate, the Baradari Gardens was built around the Baradari Palace. Which was infact constructed as a residence for the crown Prince Rajinder Singh later was called Rajinder Kothi .A great lover of nature, the crown Prince brought all kinds of saplings of rare trees and planted them here in the garden. The huge fruit trees, the Fern House and the Rock Garden stand testimony to his interest. The Baradari Palace remained for years as a houses for the Punjab State Archives, a repository of rare documents of historical importance. But this now has been leased out to a Hotel company . However has become a eye sore for Patiala people. It now divides the garden, The road which once used to pass through this cool and pleasant garden has been closed.
The Punjab Public Service Commission ‘s office is situated in this Baradari Garden also it has Rajinder Gymkahana Club and Dhruv Pandove Cricket stadium. One portion of the Garden is Govt Horticulture Nursery .Though the Park was given a face lift some couple of years back, when many new things were added . The Distt. Traffic Police headquarter is also situated in the garden.
On the other side of the Mall Road, the Sherawala gate was renovated and rebuilt recently . Just facing towards Baradari Garden on right hand side stands the Head Office of State Bank Of Patiala , where as on the Left side is situated Head office of Punjab Electricity Corporation Limted. ( earlier Punjab State Electricity Board ).

Famous Gurudwara Dukhniwaran Sahib
This is a historical Gurudwara ( Sikh Shrine ) People have great reverence and faith. It is a prominent religious place for all. It is associated with 9th sikh Guru – Guru Teg Bahadur sahib.The Guruji visited Lehal on 24 January 1672 on the request of a devotee of Lehal village,and stayed under a banyan tree by the side of a pond. The sickness in the village subsided it was gods blessing bestowed through the Guru.The site where Guru Tegh Bahadur had stayed came to be known as Dukh Nivaran, literally meaning eradicator of suffering. People who visit here have faith in the healing qualities of water in the sarovar attached to the shrine. .It has a large sarovar and magnificent building which has been rebuilt a couple of years back, in place of old building. It is the main stay in the Sikh religious establishments being a historical place of worship. People of all walks and religions come here and seek the blessings. This is managed by Shromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee. ( Amritsar). On the day of Basant Punchami most of the devotees come to worship. They take bath at Holy tank (Sarovar ). This day has special meaning for the people of Patiala.

Bahadurgarh Fort
A small fort is situated about a distance of one and half kilometer from the main gate of Punjabi University, It is named so to commemorate the holy memory of Guru Tegh Bahadur .. The four walls of the fort enclose the village Saifabad located on the left-side of the PATIALA - CHANDIGARH Road. One of the relatives of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, Saif Khan, became a hermit ,after holding several important offices, He had settled down here. He had great regards for Guru Teg Bahadur sahib ( Ninth Sikh Guru), He invited Guru ji to stay with him and bless the villagers . Guru Ji had accepted the invitation and stayed there After his death Saif Khan was buried here. The two inscriptions in the fort testify that the village and the mosque were founded in 1668 during the reign of Aurangzeb.
The Bahadurgarh Fort was later constructed by Maharaja Karam Singh during the period 1837-45 at a cost of Rs.10,00,000. This fort was used by Army of erstwhile Patiala State as garrison. Now the fort is headquarter and training center of Punjab Armed Police .