Jahaz Haveli Diwan Todar Mal

The Haveli Todar Mal, famously known as the Jahaz Haveli or Jahaz Mahal (as it is shaped like a ship), is the 17th century residence of the wealthy Jain merchant Todar Mal. He served as the diwan in the court of Wazir Khan of Sirhind. Diwan Todar Mal (not to be confused with Todar Mal of Akbar’s Navratnas) was a Jain, and is fondly remembered in Sikh history for what happened in December 1704. After the younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh, Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh, were executed on Wazir Khan’s orders, their grandmother Mata Gujri also died. Todar Mal stepped forward to arrange their cremation, and Wazir Khan set a harsh condition: only as much land would be sold to him as he could cover with gold coins placed vertically. Devoting himself to the cause, he spent most of his life savings and is said to have laid down 78,000 gold coins (ashrafis). This is said to be the costliest land ever purchased per square foot. Gurdwara Jyoti Sarup now stands on the spot, and the road linking it to Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib is named Dewan Todar Mal Marg. Todar Mal, however, had to bear the brunt of Wazir Khan’s wrath, and he and his family had to abandon the haveli soon after. They faded into oblivion, with the dilapidated building being their only reminder. In the coming years, the haveli fell into rapid disrepair and collapsed in many places. It survived the sack of Sirhind by Banda Singh Bahadur, and during the rule of the Sikh Misls it was left untouched out of respect for Diwan Todar Mal. The haveli is situated in Harnam Nagar, on the Eastern side of Sirhind-Rupnagar Railway Line just 1 km away from Fatehgarh Sahib, and is now being taken over and restored by SGPC with the help of Punjab govt and INTACH.