The Mahal itself is under the control of Pakistan Army, but its grounds are a popular tourist attraction; since they provide proximity and excellent view of the architecture that resembles that of the ancient Mughalai Forts, and is on par with the typical fusion of East Indian and Arabic architectural techniques that were prevalent in the subcontinent during the 1800s.
History of Darbar Mahal
Darbar Mahal was commissioned by Nawab Bahal Khan (V) in 1904, and was one of its kinds among other forts that had been built around that time. Originally conceived as the “Bhawal Gerh”; the fort was completed in 1905 and was dedicated to one of the wives of the Nawab. The Mahal was eventually given into the services of the Pakistan Armed Forces and government offices after the Pakistani War of Independence in 1947, and the tenants paid due dividends to the Nawab. The Mahal has also served as the sitting bench for regional court of the State of Bahawalpur and during the last 2 decades has been reserved exclusively to serve the Pakistan Army.
