NarNaul

Narnaul Town

¤ The Great History

Narnaul is the main town of the of Mahendragarh district. Narnaul is date back to the Mahabharata as Nar Rashtra according to legend man and another one puts it to be about nine century years old, when lions roamed free in forest and thus the name was Naharnaul (lion’s fear).
There’s other more – one Raja Launkaran named it Narlaun after his wife. He was chosen new named Narnaul so we’ll call it that too.

Sher Shah Sur when he was the king of the Afghan king who came here from Bihar and shook the foundations of the Mughal dynasty, he was born here. And his father, Hasan Khan, was engaged in the services of Emperor Jahangir and was the jagirdar of Narnaul. While Akbar ruled here, he established a mint here, churning out coins for the masses. The religious Satanism revolted against Aurangzeb’s envoy in Narnaul so severaly that the emperor himself came down to quash the revolt.

When the Mughal dynasty was disintegrated, the town was taken over by the Rajputs ruler and became a part of Jaipur. However, after the Uprising of 1857 against the British, Narnaul passed into the hands of the Patiala ruler, Maharaja Narender Singh, was helping the Britishers.


¤ Main Attractions of Narnaul

Jal Mahal
A building in between water, Jal Mahal was built by Shah Quli Khan in 1591, an officer of Akbar and the ruler of Narnaul. It represents a synthesis of Persian and Indian architecture and stands at the centre of a large water tank. The approach through the water was via a causeway from the north which opens through an arched entrance. The main building is surrounded by four minarets, which have stairways leading right to the top. However, the lower chambers have by now disintegrated and not trace of them can be found.

Tomb of Pir Turkman
A tomb-cum-mosque complex, it belongs to a muslim saint caslled Hazarat Turkman who was setteled in these parts in the 12^th century to the dislike of local Rathore chiefs. The original tomb is capped by a dome, but the pillared verandah was built by the British very much later. Additions to the tomb were communed even during the Mughal period.

Tomb of Ibrahim Khan Sur
This tomb is a tribute by Sher Shah Sur, Ibrahim Khan Sur was the ruler of Bengal and later Hindustan, for his grandfather Ibrahim. The Sur who lies here served as the administrative officer Narnaul, and the monument was created by Sher Shah’s personal architect Sheikh Ahmad Niyazi. The tomb of Ibrahim Khan Sur is a perfect example of the Pathan style of those times.

Chor gumbad
The Chor gumbad is affectionately called the `signboard’ of the town and Standing majestically and isolated upon a rock in the north of the town, this Chor gumbad is a well planed square building with a large chamber within and four minarets outside of each corner. Constructed by the Afghan Jamal Khan during the reign of Feroze Shah Tughlaq, it became a hideout for robber and thieves, thus earning its named chor.

Tripolia gateway
Tripolia gateway Constructed by Shah Quili Khan in 1589 as the main entrance to a garden, the gate has three sides. The Khan’s octagonal tomb (built in red and grey sandstone) and Islam Quili Khan’s lie within the garden complex, named Aram-i-Kausa by Quili Khan. The gate itself is built from broken down masonry.

Chatta Rai Bal Mukund Das
Chatta Rai Bal Mukund Das palace built by Rai Bal Mukund Das, the diwan of Narnaul during Emperor Shah Jahan’s ruler time. This five-storey building has a number of halls, rooms and pavillions, and the Diwan-e-Khas (inner chambers) flaunts marble floors and pillars. Fountains and springs (they don’t work anymore) were made to keep the building as well as the surrounding area cool in summer, the water being sucked in from a well in the southwest. The Persian wheel was used to lift water into reservoirs at various levels from this well so that water could flow down at great speed. The underground chambers (now eaten away) are believed to have had three layers wher light streamed in throughout the day and had tunnels which lead directly to Delhi, Jaipur and Mahendrgarh. Only a basement remains today.

Mirza Ali Jan’s Baoli
Mirza Ali Jan’s Baoli, This water well or baoli was built by Mirza Ali Jan and can be found towards the northwest of Narnaul. The Mirza was the nawab of Narnaul while Akbar ruled. The baoli is surrounded by a mass of water called Chotta Barwa talaab, and the main structure of the building is shaped like a huge arched gateway carrying a takhat (bed) with a chattri (umbrella) on top. The decorated chattri is supported by eight pillars from where steps lead right down to a well.