PAKLINKS BANNER EXCHANGE
The fort-like building is made up of distorted black bricks. These bricks are the burnt ones found in the inner most part of the brick kiln. The use of, narrow and long black wooden doors and windows with arches give an antique look to the house. The floor of the terrace and the doorways are made up of long thin red bricks such floors are commonly seen in old parts of Lahore.
Shakir Ali was a great painter who inspired and influenced a whole new generation. His house reflects his personality and aesthetic sense, and was completed in stages gradually and slowly, just the way Shakir made his paintings. Whenever some paintings were sold Shakir put in the capital and got some of the work done. And just as he did in his paintings, Shakir experimented and created new things in his house also. He saw the building material and the model of the house from a painter's eye. For him, the house was a canvas and all the material paints and brushes. He put strokes, where ever, he felt like, to see how it would come out to be. No wonder we have learnt from his friends that the house was built in a long span of time and changes and alterations in the house continued till the end. But just when the house was finished, Shakir was no longer there to live in it and enjoy this beautiful creation.
At various corners of his lawn and veranda, there were birds' nests. He was against catching them, but wished to provide them a place to make their nests and homes. These nests were open, without doors, and Shakir spent a lot of time filling water containers for these birds.
All Officials visitors to Ranjit brought ceremonial gifts to Ranjit's court. Lord Auckland, the British governor gave Ranjit a picture of Queen Victoria in her coronation robes framed in gold, set with turquoises and rimmed with the orders of the Garter and the Bath plus a magnificent aigrette. These gifts were in turn bestowed upon his favorites by Ranjit Singh including the Faqirs brothers, which included a miniature brass cannon which ingeniously fired at noon each day, pieces of English cut glass and china lamps, clocks and watches. Some of these are in the Lahore Museum as part of the Faqirs family bequest.
Ranjit Singh also appropriated many treasures from his Moghal predecessors, the most precious of which were relics of the Prophet which were brought by the Faqirs brothers (they are on show once a year at the Muslim feast of Muharram). There were also early illuminated calligraphic manuscripts, including Korans and several hundred exquisite 17th and 18th century paints, which were made in a process now lost, by grinding precious stones such as emeralds and amethysts to a powder. Many of these miniatures found their way to the Fakir Khana. .
Other historic exhibits include clothes worn by the 18th century Moghul emperors, carpets from their courts, a collection of Sikh weapons, vital accessory in any imperial oriental court, a stone poison filter recently tested by a drug company guaranteed to work.
Later generations traveled the world and assembled Chinese and Japanese paintings cracked Imari bowls, Song celadons, damaged Indian bronzes, Persian coins, Buddhist stone carvings, rings made from freak stone formations, brass knick knacks, old hand blown green glass bottles, tea kettles and teapots, a quantity of tarnished silver plates. A print of the Mona Lisa and selection of walking sticks. The collection was first put on display in 1909, inaugurated by British dignitaries Sir Edward and Lady Maclagan.