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Written by Farooq Soomro | Photos by Farooq Soomro and Shameen Khan
"Which building in Pakistan will you chose as your abode if money was no object?”, someone threw a random question out to the audience."
“Sheesh Mahal in Khairpur”, someone replied.
“Khairpur? Khairpur Mirs?”
I woke up from my slumber.
Indeed there is a Sheesh Mahal in Khairpur Mirs which was built by then ruler Mir Faiz Mohammad Talpur. When I had a chance to go to Sukkur for a family affair, I decided to take time out and see Sheesh Mahal up close.
Children walking by the entrance of Sheesh Mahal in Khairpur. - Photo by Farooq Soomro
We drove there on a hazy winter afternoon, stopping at Khairpur first to pick up our guide. Khairpur Mirs, just like all other urban centers in interior Sindh has undergone frenzied expansion which has deteriorated the authentic look of the city which was once the jewel of the Talpur Crown. It is one of the largest districts in Sindh and is immensely diverse in topography.
Mir Wah irrigates its fertile lands while a vast desert goes all the way to the border with India and beyond. A formation of limestone serves as a boundary between both areas. The last ruling dynasty of Talpurs were patrons of arts and crafts, and many splendid edifices are found scattered throughout the district as a testimony of that opulent era.
The decaying condition of these monuments is a grim reminder of the prevalent sad state of affairs in Sindh.
The main entrance to the city was blocked due to the construction of a flyover which was a relatively new phenomenon in the development kit of authorities. We had to take a detour near ‘Garhi Pul’ which was built over Mir Wah which moved slowly through the city. I could see a lot of sewerage pumps emptying into the murky waters of the canal.
The road curved and passed near Faiz Mahal which was the residence of Mirs of Khairpur. The once mighty walls of the residence have lost its height due to the raised ground level of the road which has been built over and over. A few old sumbul trees stood firmly fighting the mediocrity all around.
The city was full of posters of political leaders but there was not much pride to be fought for. We found our guide near Maryam cannon, a once important landmark, seemingly lost in the sea of vehicles and encroachment. A bypass has been built around Khairpur which went through the outskirts of the city but the city was still connected with Kot Diji via the old highway.
Our drive to Kot Diji was rather uneventful. The Kot Diji fort, built on top of a rock formation could be seen from far. A small road from Kot Diji fort led us through the fields ripe with rabi crops. I took a deep breath of relief in that quaint setting which was a welcome change after the city.
The road ended in front of a wooden gate which could barely keep intruders away. The red brick wall had eroded over time.
A green faded door at the side entrance of the Sheesh Mahal. Photo by Shameen Khan
We walked past the gate. The track was covered with thick old trees. You would not find them in the city anymore. A curious child showed up out of nowhere and inquired what we were doing there. He belonged to the family which has been left as caretaker of the decaying edifice.
A boy who belongs to the family assigned as caretakers of Sheesh Mahal is pictured outside the haveli. - Photo by Farooq Soomro
The caretaker's boy stands by a wooden carved door inside the Sheeh Mahal in Khairpur. - Photo by Farooq Soomro
I told the kid that I wanted to see the building from inside and he quickly ran away towards the building. I followed him and entered the building from the side entrance.
The interior of the corridor was breathtaking with the walls and roof heavily adorned with colourful patterns. The wood work was rather basic but still had a royal feel to them. We stepped inside the main hall and were taken by surprise with the exquisite craft on the walls and the roof. The glass and tiny pieces of mirror have been used expertly with the hand crafted patterns which probably gave the building its current name.
All doors at Sheesh Mahal are intricately carved. Photo by Farooq Soomro.
The tiles on the ceilings were all hand-painted in contrast with wooden carved doors and tinted windows. Photo by Farooq Soomro.
The most compelling part of the entire Sheesh Mahal adorned in hand painted tiles and mirror work. Photo by Farooq Soomro.
A close up of the mirror work on the ceiling of Sheesh Mahal. Photo by Farooq Soomro.
We walked around the main hall. The building was built in symmetrical fashion with smaller rooms on each side. There were washrooms built on the corners and a sole bathtub was lying in one of those.
"Which building in Pakistan will you chose as your abode if money was no object?”, someone threw a random question out to the audience."
“Sheesh Mahal in Khairpur”, someone replied.
“Khairpur? Khairpur Mirs?”
I woke up from my slumber.
Indeed there is a Sheesh Mahal in Khairpur Mirs which was built by then ruler Mir Faiz Mohammad Talpur. When I had a chance to go to Sukkur for a family affair, I decided to take time out and see Sheesh Mahal up close.
Children walking by the entrance of Sheesh Mahal in Khairpur. - Photo by Farooq Soomro
We drove there on a hazy winter afternoon, stopping at Khairpur first to pick up our guide. Khairpur Mirs, just like all other urban centers in interior Sindh has undergone frenzied expansion which has deteriorated the authentic look of the city which was once the jewel of the Talpur Crown. It is one of the largest districts in Sindh and is immensely diverse in topography.
Mir Wah irrigates its fertile lands while a vast desert goes all the way to the border with India and beyond. A formation of limestone serves as a boundary between both areas. The last ruling dynasty of Talpurs were patrons of arts and crafts, and many splendid edifices are found scattered throughout the district as a testimony of that opulent era.
The decaying condition of these monuments is a grim reminder of the prevalent sad state of affairs in Sindh.
The main entrance to the city was blocked due to the construction of a flyover which was a relatively new phenomenon in the development kit of authorities. We had to take a detour near ‘Garhi Pul’ which was built over Mir Wah which moved slowly through the city. I could see a lot of sewerage pumps emptying into the murky waters of the canal.
The road curved and passed near Faiz Mahal which was the residence of Mirs of Khairpur. The once mighty walls of the residence have lost its height due to the raised ground level of the road which has been built over and over. A few old sumbul trees stood firmly fighting the mediocrity all around.
The city was full of posters of political leaders but there was not much pride to be fought for. We found our guide near Maryam cannon, a once important landmark, seemingly lost in the sea of vehicles and encroachment. A bypass has been built around Khairpur which went through the outskirts of the city but the city was still connected with Kot Diji via the old highway.
Our drive to Kot Diji was rather uneventful. The Kot Diji fort, built on top of a rock formation could be seen from far. A small road from Kot Diji fort led us through the fields ripe with rabi crops. I took a deep breath of relief in that quaint setting which was a welcome change after the city.
The road ended in front of a wooden gate which could barely keep intruders away. The red brick wall had eroded over time.
A green faded door at the side entrance of the Sheesh Mahal. Photo by Shameen Khan
We walked past the gate. The track was covered with thick old trees. You would not find them in the city anymore. A curious child showed up out of nowhere and inquired what we were doing there. He belonged to the family which has been left as caretaker of the decaying edifice.
A boy who belongs to the family assigned as caretakers of Sheesh Mahal is pictured outside the haveli. - Photo by Farooq Soomro
The caretaker's boy stands by a wooden carved door inside the Sheeh Mahal in Khairpur. - Photo by Farooq Soomro
I told the kid that I wanted to see the building from inside and he quickly ran away towards the building. I followed him and entered the building from the side entrance.
The interior of the corridor was breathtaking with the walls and roof heavily adorned with colourful patterns. The wood work was rather basic but still had a royal feel to them. We stepped inside the main hall and were taken by surprise with the exquisite craft on the walls and the roof. The glass and tiny pieces of mirror have been used expertly with the hand crafted patterns which probably gave the building its current name.
All doors at Sheesh Mahal are intricately carved. Photo by Farooq Soomro.
The tiles on the ceilings were all hand-painted in contrast with wooden carved doors and tinted windows. Photo by Farooq Soomro.
The most compelling part of the entire Sheesh Mahal adorned in hand painted tiles and mirror work. Photo by Farooq Soomro.
A close up of the mirror work on the ceiling of Sheesh Mahal. Photo by Farooq Soomro.
We walked around the main hall. The building was built in symmetrical fashion with smaller rooms on each side. There were washrooms built on the corners and a sole bathtub was lying in one of those.
