Noor Mahal: A Magical Place in Bahawalpur

Noor Mahal: A Magical Place in Bahawalpur

Bahawalpur is a famous city in Punjab, Pakistan. Abbasi family of Nawabs ruled Bahawalpur till 1955 and so, Nawabs left an architectural legacy behind and now this city is famous for its monuments.

One of the prominent palaces in Bahawalpur is ‘Noor Mahal’. It was built in 1872 by an Englishman named Mr. Heenan. It has 32 rooms and 5 domes. Its design is based on the mosque of Aitchison College. It was the property of Nawabs of Bahawalpur princely state, during British Raj. A famous story attached to the construction of Noor Mahal is that Nawab Adnan Abbasi made this palace for his beloved wife. Interestingly, she spent just one night in the mahal because the view of the adjoining graveyard was frightening and so, she refused to live there.

Pakistan Army owns this palace now. It is used as a state guest house and several meetings with foreign delegations occur here. But it is also open for the public between 9:00 AM and 10:00 PM throughout the entire week. The magnificent sound and light show at Noor Mahal attract a lot of visitors from all over the country. It is usually held on a weekend around 7:30 PM. As the lights are turned on at night, it is beautiful in a dramatic and eye-catching way. On the building of the palace, they display the culture and animating history through various light effects. This is the reason why it is also called as the ‘Palace of Lights’.

If someone is interested in history and modern architecture, this is the right place for them to visit as there are many ancient things present in the palace. It includes some used items by the Nawabs of that time. There are so many old swords, old currency notes and old coins. Also, there is an old piano present there that Nawabs used to play. Some articles about second-hand furniture are still there. Imaginary pictures of Nawabs are placed on a long wall. But, one picture is real for sure.