Architectural Synthesis at Gurdwara Punja Sahib: Mughal, Rajput and Sikh Elements in a Nineteenth Century Shrine at Hasanabdal

Abstract

Gurdwara Punja Sahib at Hasanabdal occupies a distinctive place in the architectural history of Sikh sacred space in the western Punjab. Raised during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and later rebuilt as a three-storey sanctuary in grey sandstone, the shrine gathers forms that belong at once to the Mughal court vocabulary of Shah Jahan, to the projected jharoka and chhatri traditions of Rajput palaces, and to the liturgical requirements of a living Sikh congregation. This article examines the plan, elevation, dome, kiosks, bay windows, sermon hall, sarovar, hostel ranges and glass mosaic interiors of the complex. It argues that the building is not a late copy of any single prototype but a deliberate synthesis whose closest monumental cousin is the Samadhi of Maharaja Ranjit Singh at Lahore. Field observation, measured description and photographic recording conducted at the site are combined with a reading of published accounts of Sikh and Mughal architecture in order to locate Punja Sahib within the broader cultural landscape of Attock district. The analysis shows that decorative techniques such as tukri or sheesha giri work, cusped arches, fluted double domes and inverted lotus finials operate as both aesthetic devices and theological signs, while the four doorways of the sanctuary enact the Sikh claim of openness to every visitor.

Keywords: Sikh Architecture, Gurdwara Punja Sahib, Hasanabdal, Mughal Influence, Jharoka, Glass Mosaic, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Sacred Space.