The Mian Salli haveli is a Mughal style haveli which was built in the pre partition era. The haveli is also called the
Barood Khana haveli, as it was used by a Sikh general Dewan Mokham Chand to store gun powder and all kinds of
weapon in its basement. Since in those times a lot of wars took place, the old city of Lahore had underground
networks which connected all of the havelis and important places of the walled area thus to make it easier to
counter the attacks and transport weapons within the fort securely.
The haveli was purchased by the family of Mian Amiruddin, the first Muslim Lord Mayor of Lahore, since then it has
remained and inherited by the members of the Amiruddin family, and currently serves the residence of Mian Yousef
Salahuddin, the self-proclaimed grandson of ‘Allama Iqbal’ Pakistan’s national poet.
Mian Salahuddin associates with the television industry to promote cultural heritage, as he hosts a program named
“Virsa Heritage Revived”. He says, “My work is to revive the heritage that many of us seem to have forgotten.”
The haveli was built by Maharaja Nau Nihal Singh, for residential and official purposes. The haveli was built in 1840.
After his death in 1849 the haveli went in the possession of British colonial power. In 1860, a girl’s school began
here. The school is still ongoing under the name the name of “Victoria Higher Secondary School”.
One of the few remaining royal residencies from the Sikh period, this haveli is situated inside the Walled city.
Located between the historic Bhatti and Lahori gates, where Mori gate once stood.
Huma Ishaq 