Haveli Kharak Singh

During the Sikh reign in Lahore, the quadrangle (the haveli structure) saw the addition of the Haveli of Maharaja Kharak Singh and Maharani Jindaan. Haveli Kharak Singh was constructed during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, for his son Kharak Singh later residing there after being appointed as his successor before Ranjit Singh’s passing in 1839.

Kharak Singh, known for his modesty, resided on the first floor of the haveli. During the Sikh period, the ground floor of the haveli was utilized for storage, while in the British era, it served as a godown or housing for clerical staff. Following independence, the Archaeology Department occupied the first floor for its offices, while a reference library was established on the ground floor.

In 2023, Archaeology Department handed The Haveli of Kharak Singh to the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA).  The authority took charge of the Haveli and started the conservational works after a comprehensive planning and consultations with Heritage specialists. Today, the ground floor of this haveli is being utilized as “Akbari Mahal Library and Archives” for housing more than twenty thousand books and storing nine million archival documents. It welcomes researchers and students from all across the globe for consulting the stored documents and books for their research work.