Maharaja Ranjit Singh Palace

India has several palaces across the country and most of the palaces were used as a residence for Maharaja. Ram Bagh is a popular garden built during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Amritsar in the Indian state of Punjab. The entire complex consisting of the garden, and Ram Bagh Mahal falls under state-protected monuments as well as considered monuments of national importance. The palace was used as a summer residence by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. It has typical Sikh architecture and has a resemblance to the Shalimar Gardens of Lahore. The article gives a comprehensive insight into its history, architecture, and current status.

History of Ram Bagh Complex 

• The construction of the entire complex of Ram Bagh was completed in 1831. It was named in honour of the 4th Guru of Sikh, Guru Ram Das, who also founded the city of Amritsar.
• The construction of the Ram Bagh Palace and the garden started in the year 1819 and was used by Maharaja Ranjit Singh as his summer residence.
• The palace was constructed in the complex under the supervision of Faqir Aziz-ul-din, Desadingh, and Sardar Sehna Singh Majithia.
• Ram Bagh garden was built on the Mughal pattern inspired by Shalimar Bagh in Lahore. The palace was built later, with its construction starting in 1819. 
• With the demise of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the collapse of the Sikh Empire, the Ram Bagh complex was taken over by the British. The annexation renamed the company garden Company Bagh. 
• Ram Bagh Mahal and the entire complex were declared a protected monument by the state government in 1997. 
• Ram Bagh complex was declared a Monument of National Importance by the central government in the year 2004. 
• The palace complex of Ram Bagh is spread across an area of 84 acres. It was enclosed by a 14-foot high wall and was surrounded by a moat. 

Important Structures of Ram Bagh Complex 

• The main attraction of the Ram Bagh complex is the place which is located in the centre of the garden. The palace is a two-storey building and has a basement.  The Ram Bagh palace housed a hammam (bathhouse) towards the northwest of the palace. The bathhouse had a large pool. 
• The palace also has an intriguing and elaborate gateway known as deorhi and is located facing the south side of the garden. The gateway is the main entrance to the palace. There is also a gateway located towards the northern end. 
• Most of the structures are made from red sandstone. The garden has four watchtowers located at the four corners of the Ram Bagh garden. 
• Another important structure is the Macchi Ghar or fish house. The room was built for Darbar staff by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. However, the room was turned into an aquarium during the British occupation. 
• The Ram Bagh Palace complex has many other structures which were gradually built, including a skating rink, food kiosks, tennis courts, government offices, etc. 

Establishment of the Museum

• The structures are endangered and fall under protected monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India. One of the prominent current tourist places is the memorial gallery built-in 2006 called “Ranjit Singh Panorama.” It was built adjacent to the northwest corner of the Ram Bagh garden.
• The Maharaja Ranjit Singh Palace is now turned into a museum. It is located within the main palace, which has statues and other belongings. 
• A series of statues were installed in the complex in 1960, including the statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Mahatma Gandhi, and Major Lalit Mohan Bhatia. 
• The Ram Bagh complex now houses a new museum inside the main palace and is operated by Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board. The museum has different galleries with statues depicting the wedding of Maharaja Ranjit Singh to Mehtab Kaur. 
• The galleries in the museum are represented by statues of seated Darbar. The museum displays the heritage of the Sikh Empire, treaties signed by the Sikh Empire with the East India Company and other important documents. 
• There are even displays of rare oil paintings, cannons, guns, weapons, etc. 
• The gallery or museum also has a model of the Maharaja’s throne along with the exhibition of the Kohinoor diamond. 

Conclusion 

Ram Bagh is one of the prominent tourist places located in Amritsar and was used as a summer place by Maharaja Ranjit Singh of the Sikh Empire. It started as a garden spread across acres of area and was influenced by the Mughal garden style of Shalimar Garden of Lahore. Later, it expanded with the construction of Ram Bagh palace and was completed in 1831. The palace or complex was named after the 4th Guru of Sikhs, Guru Ram Das. The restoration and conservation work of the complex is now managed by the Archaeological Survey of India and is considered under Protected monuments of India. Currently, the palace is turned into a museum with various galleries displaying status and important documents from the Sikh Empire. In summary, the monument is preserved as heritage and declared by the central government in 2004 as a Monument of National Importance.