Medi Mahal is located in main Kallar Syedan City and locals can guide u easily if u ask about it as "high School"... well its been running as a high school for a long time now and its glory and heritage is declining with time. now it lies in ruins and most of its original items have been Stolen by local people but what cannot be taken away from it is its story. but first things first how did v even get inside the locked doors on a sunday.... ????
well it turns out that arsalan's uncle Mr. Mushtaq Mirza has been headmaster here for 16 years in the 80's and 90's.. it was a time when no one stayed there for even a few weeks and complained of it being possessed and haunted. Obviously Mr. Mushtaq became legend here and also managed to get grants for the restoration and maintenance..... so one phone call to the now head master Haji sb there and gates were open to us.. it was only then when we realized the complete grandeur and ambiance of the once called Mahal.........
our extended photographic session there revealed the story of this building....
the mahal was built by a very famous spiritual and political leader of the area Khem Singh Bedi. he was born in Kallar in 1832 and was the 14th spiritual leader of the faith of Guru Nanak. he was a popular education enthusiast and had made many schools in the area mayb that is y this building was also chosen for a school. any way Mr Khem Singh Bedi was a very rich fellow how had lots of Jagirs and he had fought alongside the British in the 1857 uprising..... his main lands were in sahiwal okara region....
according to Wikipedia this mahal was constructed in the later half of the 19th century and in our talks with the local elders we were told that it took 12 years to make this building and Khem Singh had only stayed here for 2 years when the revolt of 1857 started so its around that time and this places the building at approximately 160 years old.
its a multi story building with a open central portion and lots of rooms and a dungeon as well..... in the basement....from the top floor the whole city is visible... truly a remarkable construction; a reminder of its former glory.....