Old Peshawar

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The Graceful Days of Peshawar’s Horse-Drawn Tangas!
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There was a time in the historic city of Peshawar when the rhythmic sound of horses’ hooves along the streets was a familiar and comforting part of everyday life.

The horse-drawn tanga was then the most common means of mobility, used with modesty, pride, and honour. People travelled not in haste but with a calm dignity,and the slow,steady pace of the carriage reflected the gentle rhythm of life itself.

In those days,the tanga was more than just a vehicle; it was a symbol of simplicity and social grace. Families travelled in it with decorum, and the tangawalas were known for their courtesy, honesty, and sense of responsibility.

The clip-clop of horses through the streets near places such as Qissa Khwani Bazaar and around the historic Bala Hisar Fort created an atmosphere that was both lively & reassuring.

In the outskirts of Peshawar, particularly in the villages like Tehkal 'Palosi & Landi Arbab, the tangas once played an even more vital role in daily life. At one time more than fifteen tangas used to be operated in the surrounding villages. They were not merely a means of transport but an essential part of the community’s identity & routine.

Every morning children rode these tangas to their schools and colleges. The sound of the horses’ hooves echoing through the village lanes seemed to announce the beginning of a new day.

These rides were not simply journeys from one place to another; they were shared experiences where passengers knew one another and travelled together in comfort and familiarity.

In earlier days, prosperous families often kept a private horse and tanga for household use.
Our own family too possessed a spirited horse and a beautifully decorated carriage used exclusively for family travel.

Gradually, however, time changed the scene. Roads improved, motorcycles and motorcars became common, and the number of tangas steadily declined.

Today only a single tanga remains & can somehow be seen in the village, though many people still choose to ride it occasionally. Perhaps it is because this humble carriage keeps them connected with their past and reminds them of a simpler way of life.

Once considered a comfortable and even prestigious mode of transport, tangas had their own stands in towns, and many people preferred them particularly for journeys to the courts and markets. They symbolized grace, civility, and refined social conduct.

Today the sight of a horse-drawn tanga has become rare, yet whenever it appears it revives an entire chapter of the past.
It reminds us that while modern progress has increased speed and convenience, something of life’s simplicity, human warmth, & closeness to nature has quietly faded away.

Even so, the tanga continues to occupy a place of honour in our memories and cultural heritage, carrying with it the fragrance of a gentler and more graceful age. !!!!!

 

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Residences of Peshawar Cantonment: The Governor’s House is more than a residence. For more than a century it has stood majestically as a custodian of the political and social history of the province.

The NWFP was created in 1901 by carving it out of the Punjab, where the region had previously been administered from Lahore since 1850s by the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab. With the creation of the new province, an administrative centre had to be established at Peshawar.

The province was officially established on 9 November 1901, with a Chief Commissioner appointed to head it, the office later evolving into that of a Governor in 1932. Serving also as the Viceroy's agent, he supervised Commissioners in the settled districts and Political Agents in the tribal areas.

His headquarters were established at Peshawar during the winter months and at Nathia Gali in the summer. With the birth of the new province came the need for residences, offices, courts and other public buildings for the colonial administration.

Foremost among these was a Government House, intended as the official residence of the Chief Commissioner. It was conceived not merely as a residence but as a complete estate, with gardens, parkland, stables, servants’ quarters and accommodation for the many guests and dignitaries who visited the provincial headquarters.

The proposal for the Government House took shape soon after the province’s formal inauguration in April 1902, when Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India, held a grand durbar at Shahi Bagh. An earlier proposal had suggested modifying an existing old Commissioner’s residence on the site.

That building had long served as the Commissioner’s House and carried a dramatic episode from the early frontier period: it was on its veranda that Col Frederick Mackeson, then Commissioner of Peshawar, was fatally stabbed by an assailant presenting a petition in 1853.

When the plans for alteration were reviewed, however, the Viceroy Curzon, well known for his admiration of architectural monuments, found the proposal inadequate. He recommended demolishing the old structure and erecting an entirely new and grand building, one that would reflect the prestige and authority of the newly created province.

Construction was accordingly undertaken on the same site. The building was designed by officers of the Royal Engineers, notably Col GK Scott-Moncrieff with assistance from Capt HS Rogers, while Mr MacDonald Executive Engineer PWD helped with the plans.

The project also enjoyed the personal attention of Col Harold Deane, the first Chief Commissioner, who took keen interest in every aspect of its design and construction. Completed in Oct 1903 at a cost of about Rs. 92,000, the opening of the Government House was marked by a grand ball and reception.

Now, nearly 125 years later, the Governor’s House still stands as an architectural landmark and a silent witness to the region’s political and social history.

Architecturally, the building reflects the stately Greco Roman style typical of imperial public architecture of the period. The design centred on a large ceremonial Darbar Hall with a gallery and balcony that served as the social heart of the residence.

From it opened the principal reception rooms including the drawing room, dining room, billiard room and private apartments. The ball room featured a music gallery from which a live orchestra could play during formal dinners and dances.

Practical considerations were also incorporated: long straight passages allowed ventilation during Peshawar’s hot summers, while fireplaces and hot water pipes provided warmth in winter. The Chief Commissioner’s study was placed in a corner with its own entrance so that tribal chiefs and visitors could meet him without passing through the private parts of the house.

The celebrated Mayo School of Art in Lahore, today the National College of Arts, was commissioned to decorate the main hall and billiard room, while Capt Rogers developed designs for the drawing and dining rooms.

A summer residence was later built at Nathia Gali in 1904, reflecting the established practice of seasonal migration to the hills during the hot months.

In 1932 the administrative head of the province was elevated from Chief Commissioner to Governor, and the residence became known as the Governor’s House.

Like many colonial residences, the Government House functioned as more than a dwelling. It was a symbol of imperial authority and also a stage for ceremony and diplomacy.

Within its halls visiting international dignitaries were received with elaborate protocol, while successive occupants left their own imprint on the building’s décor and traditions. Though altered and expanded over the years, it still serves as the official residence of the Governor of KP.

Over the years its halls have received numerous rulers, statesmen and dignitaries from across the world. Among them were Mrs Kennedy, the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, Diana, Princess of Wales and the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Little known is the fact that beneath the tranquil lawns of the Governor’s House lies a hint of Peshawar’s remote antiquity.

In 1906, labourers removing earth from the grounds chanced upon an earthen vessel buried nearly ten feet below the surface.

Inside were silver punch-marked coins which the finders hastily divided among themselves and began disposing of in the bazaars. When the authorities learned of the discovery, the Deputy Commissioner managed to recover 61 specimens.

The coins were then examined by the American archaeologist DB Spooner, curator of the Peshawar Museum, who dated them to around the 6th century BC.

The discovery suggests that the mound on which the residence stands may conceal traces of a much earlier settlement, adding yet another fascinating layer to the long and continuous history of Peshawar, often regarded as one of the oldest living cities in Asia.
(AJ)

 

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Tanga was the culture and identity of old Peshawar.

It was a royal ride and the glory of dignity.

People used to wake up early in the morning by the tapping sounds of his sims.
Jabja Tanga Sands used to be, where water ponds were built for horses.

Beautiful and decorated legs on Semna Road are running towards their respective destinations with the spectators of the last show of the night.

They were decorated with henna patterns, and the names were very dear, Ziba, Albela

The picture below is of a road in Peshawar, many people will remember, this place is almost the same now.

 

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Karimpura Bazar in 1950s

This place is almost in the middle of Karimpura Bazaar where there is a lawyer butcher shop nowadays.

This area consisted of a majority population of wealthy Hindus and Sikhs, there is still a temple here named Dhunapati, and connected to it at the end of the street is the Gardwara Bhai Biba Singh of Sikhs.

 

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Orbiters of Peshawar

Ibn Batuta (1304-1369) visited Peshawar during his long journey in the 14th century. His travel diary, "Wonders of Safar," discusses the cultural and social conditions of India of the period, including Peshawar and the surrounding areas, where he also visited orbitaries and their magical flag-making.

In Peshawar, till about thirty forty years ago, various types of orbiters, shabada and people showing deeds were seen in streets, neighborhoods and fields.

Among them were prominent monkey and goat-like deeds, bear-wielding iron skewers through nose and neck, and most of all, the scholar who fought snake-catchers.

These orbiters used to show their deeds by setting up a gathering in open places, usually Jinnah Park, Shahi Bagh, Railway Gate or School No. 3 Peshawar City.

They had a variety of duties that kept the spectators entertained for hours.

There must be a snake and a snake, whom they did not fight till the end when asked to fight.

These madari and his disciples used to show these deeds together.

One of their deeds was to take a watch from one of the spectators, tie it in a handkerchief, hit it with a hammer and then give it back completely.

One of their famous items was to answer various questions from people through the factor.

Camera:Martin Harlimann

The picture is of 1928 somewhere in Peshawar.

 

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, 1960's, Watering street in summer, Peshawar.

 

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The Royal Train Guarded By Indian Police, During Visit Of H.R.H The Prince Of Wales At Peshawar, NWF Province, 1922 (c).

 

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Peshawar Aerodrome, Peshawar, 1929 (c).

Sir Francis Humphrys (right), the last to leave the British Legation at Kabul, is seen holding the Legation flag upon his arrival at Peshawar.

With him is Sir Norman Bolton, Chief Commissioner of the North-West Frontier Province.

 

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Masjid Wazir Khan

 

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Qissa Khawani Bazar

 

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Sirafa Bazar

 

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Dean's Hotel Saddar 1980's

 

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G T Road 1991