Our Story
Lahore is a cultural hub of Pakistan well known for its art and history. A settlement is known by the people it’s inhabited by, their stories. Such stories (qissa’s) are passed by the people who lived and experienced Lahore through oral narrations generations to generations creating perceptions of how our historical and cultural view of the city in the past is visualized. The question arises, who are these people, how they lived then and what remains of these stories. How do such stories cater to our society in the current times?
How does such historical recount let us experience the time capsule of the past, present and the future?
Such guardians of our culture exist in the walled city of Lahore in the bustling Bazaar-e-Hakeeman (market) inside Bhatti gate, known as the Fakir’s. The Fakir’s, a renowned family of Lahore, owning a huge collection of artifacts passed down through generations have turned their home into a private museum known as the Fakir Khana museum, whose collection counts itself as being amongst the largest private collection in the world.
The Fakir’s, also known as hakims, or physicians have a deep rooted interest in preservation of their history of Punjab, and Lahore in particular. Their family’s involvement in preserving history dates back to the period of Mughal decline in the subcontinent.
As stated by Fakir Saifuddin, the current owner, “This is a living museum. Not one where historical objects are locked behind sealed glass shelves. I live here. Everything in this space holds onto its history. I, too, am a part of this history.”
The Fakir Khanna museum family collection consists of more than 20,000 plus historical artifacts, taking the viewer through the journey of past to the present, presenting a universe within itself in the world of art and culture.
Fakir Syed Saifuddin belongs directly to the Fakir family. Three members of this family, Fakir Nooruddin, Fakir Azizuddin, and Fakir Imamuddin were ambassadors to Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Fakir Syed Saifuddin belongs to the sixth generation of Fakirs who live in Lahore. As one of the most reputable families in the city, the Fakir khandan is proud of its strong lineage; the shajra of Fakir Khana known as the “khandan-e-fukra-e-Lahore'' traces its origin from Hazrat Jalaluddin Hussain Makhdoom Jahan Ghasht of Uch Sharif, down to Syed Hussain Pir Kamal of Chunia, and finally to Fakir Syed Ghulam Mohiuddin ‘Nausha-e-Sani’of Lahore, the real founder of the Fakir Family. Family of Fakirs derives their descent from Fakir Syed Nooruddin.
As Mr. Saifuddin shares, the Fakir family was one of the oldest Syed (Bukhari) families who settled in Lahore in the years close to 1730. Here, they established a publishing house and began rewriting, illustrating, publishing, and selling books throughout the entire subcontinent. By 1780, the Fakirs were in ownership of more than 10,000 books that manifest not just their passion for gathering and preserving texts, but also the beginnings of a huge collection of works out of which about 1800 books are still to be found in the Fakir Khana Museum. While their stay in Lahore, one of Mr. Saifuddin’s ancestors, Ghulam Shah, established a deep association with Hakim Abdullah Ansari. After Ghulam Shah’s passed away at an early age, his son, Ghulam Mohiuddin, was adopted and counselled by Hakim Abdullah Ansari who transferred the knowledge of his hikmat onto him. Ghulam Mohiuddin travelled and developed an affiliation with a sufi named Fakir Imanat Shah Qadri. As his murshid (disciple) the title of the ‘Fakir’ ultimately passed onto him and has ever since been the family name.
Fakir Ghulam Mohiuddin’s three sons, Azizuddin, Imamuddin, and Nooruddin, grew up during a family of Fakirs derive their decent in Lahore’s history. As Saifuddin narrated: “Us zamane mein Lahore ka koi pursaaney haal na tha”(Those were terrible times in Lahore).
He argued that being furthest from the center of Mughal administration, Lahore had been susceptible to frequent invasions by Afghans, who left behind futile rulers. “It was during this period that about 12 Sikh Misls (tribes) gathered their armies and recognized a grip over Punjab. Thus, Lahore fell into the hands of the Bhangi Misl. in the middle of the 1730’s and was divided into three parts ruled by Gujar Singh Bhangi, Sobha Singh Bhangi and Lehna Singh,”he said.
The Bhangi Misl had a strong hold all over Lahore and their ill-rule was based on ridiculous taxes, religious and social restrictions that caused the people of Lahore to become dissatisfied. It was crucial to have a saviour who would help curtail the threat of the Afghans and the Bhangis. This savior came as Ranjit Singh, a young chief of the Sukerchukia clan, who was ‘invited’ by the Muslims of Lahore to rescue them from the miserable rule of both the Afghans and the Bhangis. A letter of invitation was compiled and signed by 18 reputable families of Lahore, following which Ranjit Singh captured Lahore from the Bhangi Misl and, made it his capital. This was the first step towards his rise of power.
In the succeeding years he brought the whole of central Punjab, from the Sutlej to the Jhelum, under his rule. People living inside the Bhatti Gate tell a story that has elements of legend and myth about how the Fakirs become acquainted with Ranjit Singh. And yet, the story is significant to the extent that it allows an understanding into the way in which this family’s history is locally consumed and interpreted. According to a local salesman, “After the conquest of Lahore, one day Ranjit Singh wandered away from his men towards a tower on the side of the River Ravi. Peering into the darkness before entering he was taken aback when he saw the form of a tiger. He turned to walk away, but heard a voice calling him from inside: ‘Ranjit Singh do not be frightened, come in’. Upon entering the tower, he found himself in the company of a frail, white-bearded old man who told him that he would soon establish an independent kingdom of Punjab.”
Ranjit Singh was given several instructions by the old man, one of the instructions was to make friends with Syed Ghulam Mohiuddin of Lahore, a man who had been appointed a spiritual guardian of the new state, and whose sons would serve it well.
In his conversation too, Fakir Saifuddin derives a great sense of pride in his family’s service to the Maharaja. As he pointed out, “Faqir Azizuddin was the most respectable figure in Ranjit Singh’s court.” According to him, though Fakir Azizuddin was in charge of foreign affairs, the Maharaja consulted him in all matters concerning the state and never undertook any decision without his consent. Fakir Azizuddin was also in charge of the Maharaja’s relations with the British. In the Maharaja’s absence, he took charge of defense and general administration. Fakir Nuruddin was the Maharaja’s home minister as well as the royal physician and custodian of the key to the royal treasury.
He commanded Ranjit Singh’s possessions at the Lahore Fort. Aside from this, he was also responsible for commissioning arts all over India. As a result, the period of Sikh rule witnessed a flourishing of art. Fakir Imamuddin, on the other hand, was the custodian of the fort in Amritsar. The three Fakirs were the Maharaja’s most loyal men. A large part of the collection in the Fakir Khana Museum consists of gifts given to the Fakirs by Ranjit Singh.
The generations of Fakirs, now living in post-partition Lahore, including Fakir Saifuddin, look up to the figure of the deceased Maharaja. The greatest description of their loyalty surfaces in the books they have authored in praise of this rather forgotten figure in Muslim history. Two of the well-known works are The Real Ranjit Singh by Fakir Syed Waheeduddin and The Resourceful Fakirs by Fakir Syed Aijazuddin.
Fakir Saifuddin mentioned that he is also in the process of writing a book. These works are an attempt to rectify gaps in history-writing that overlook the narrative of the Fakirs and present an alternative history of Lahore under Sikh rule. The Fakir family are also deeply invested in a tradition of storytelling, which happened to be the most interesting part of the conversation with Mr. Saifuddin. The stories that he tells, revolve around the happenings during Ranjit Singh’s life witnessed by the Fakirs themselves. In narrating these stories, the Fakirs reinforce their importance but also reconstruct the rather tarnished image of Ranjit Singh.
As the collection has travelled through generations, the same are the stories and anecdotes which are attached to the relics which they possess. As these stories are preserved within the family so they are very rich in content and context which the usual historical accounts sometimes lack.
Fakir Saifuddin, the current owner and curator of the museum is a great storyteller and narrator. He narrates many interesting stories backing many artifacts and how they became part of the collection. The story of the gilded and beautifully calligraphed Holy Quran in the collection is that, one day Ranjit Singh saw a bull cart passing by the Lahore Fort when he was on the balcony of the Sheesh Mahal. Upon inquiry, he was told that a calligraphist was carrying the Holy Quran to Sindh. The calligraphist was called upon by Ranjit Singh and Fakir Azizuddind read a passage of Quran and translated into Punjabi for Ranjit Singh, after which he purchased the Quran from the calligraphist and made it a part of his private collection. Fakir Azizuddin asked Ranjit Singh why he paid the price and he replied that God wanted me to look at all the religions with one eye that’s why he took the light away from the other eye.
Another anecdote he narrates is about the watch which is collection, dates back to 1831 when Lord William Bentick requested to meet Ranjit Singh. During his visit, he asked Fakir Azizuddin why one eye of Maharaja was closed, to which he replied that he heard from his ancestors and read in Shastras that the sun had one eye and if it had two eyes, it would burn the world. When asked which of Maharaja’s eyes was without light, he said with respect that I have never looked closely at Majesty’s face. Upon hearing this the British Governor General gifted this watch to Fakir Azizuddin as a token of appreciation and loyalty.
The artifacts in the collection of Fakir Khana Museum are eclectic, important and impressive, each one in its own way. The miniature paintings painted with one strand of hair on ivory, ancient manuscripts and Quranic texts and many many others demonstrate the importance of this collection. The artifacts in this collection do not only tell the story of the glory of Fakir family’s past, but also a testament to their involvement in history itself.