The AAP government is completely neglecting the ‘Ram Bagh’ and its historical monuments built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the name of Guru Ramdas Ji. The tourism department of the Punjab government has failed to maintain this heritage monument and Under the leadership of the district administration, the historic Ram Bagh, which was the most beautiful and luxurious of all the gardens of Punjab during the Sikh rule, is now surrounded by 6-7 feet high forest bushes.
Despite the fact that many gardeners have been appointed by the horticulture department of the municipal corporation to maintain the beauty of the garden, the growth of wild bushes everywhere in the garden is putting a question mark on the performance of the concerned department and administration. Due to these thickets, it is impossible for local citizens or tourists arriving here to reach the Royal Swimming Pool (Shahi Ishanan Ghar) built by General Ventura, the statue of Vir Chakra winner Shaheed Major Lalit Mohan Bhatia and other monuments in the garden.
It is to be noted that in the middle of this historic garden, in the middle of the luxurious summer palace (summer palace) built by the Maharaja for his residence in the year 1819, at a cost of millions of rupees, in the gardens planted some time ago in the style of ‘char-bagh’. Due to the growth of tall bushes and Congress grass, the appearance of the heritage monument has completely deteriorated.
Although the capital of Sarkar-e-Khalsa was Lahore, Amritsar has always been the center of the Sikh psyche. On the orders of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, in 1819 Sarkar-e-Khalsa started building a beautiful garden on the northern side of this city, about one kilometer away from Harmandir Sahib. Sher-e-Punjab gave the responsibility of building this garden to the famous Muslim architect Muhammad Yar. The garden was completed in 1831 and cost Rs 1,45,000 at that time. The garden was planted with beautiful gardens, flowers and shade plants. Fountains were installed to water the flowers and enhance the beauty of the garden. For the residence of the Maharaja, a very beautiful barandari-like building was built in the middle of the garden, which is known as Sheesh Mahal. Apart from this Deodhi and other buildings were also built in the garden. These buildings are masterpieces of Sikh Bhavan art.
When this garden was completed in Amritsar in 1831, the courtiers requested the Maharaja to name it Ranjit Singh Bagh. Maharaj Ranjit Singh rejected this demand of the courtiers and said that this garden is in the holy city of Guru Ramdasji and its name should also be Ram Bagh. Gradually, Ram Bagh became the center of Sarkar-e-Khalsa.
When the East India Company occupied Punjab in 1849, the officials of the East India Company also started living in Ram Bagh. With the occupation by the East India Company, the new name ‘Company Bagh’ was popularized in place of Ram Bagh. How much time has passed since the occupation of the East India Company ended, but still most people call it Company Bagh.
There is a very beautiful Maharaja Ranjit Singh Panorama in the present day Ram Bagh. On 18 November 2001, then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid its foundation stone and on 20 July 2006, then Chief Minister Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh inaugurated it. But now the AAP government is not paying attention to it.
