{{Short description|Bricks used in traditional Sikh architecture}} [[File:Brick Haveli besides Main Sikh Haveli (100 8632 Orton-ish).jpg|thumb|Sikh-era ''[[Haveli|havelis]]'' constructed out of bricks at Qilla Sheikhupura, Pakistan]] '''Nanakshahi bricks''' ({{langx|pa|ਨਾਨਕਸ਼ਾਹੀ ਇੱਟ}}; meaning "belonging to the reign of Guru Nanak"<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Bhatti |first=SS |title=Golden temple : marvel of sikh architecture |date=2013 |isbn=978-1-4349-8964-2 |location=Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |pages=31–32 |oclc=1031039993}}</ref>), also known as '''Lakhuri bricks''',<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hāṇḍā |first=Omacanda |title=Wood handicraft : a study of its origin and development in Saharanpur |date=2000 |publisher=Indus Pub. Co |others=Madhu, Dr Jain |isbn=81-7387-103-5 |location=New Delhi |pages=45 |oclc=43905003}}</ref> were decorative [[Brick|bricks]] used for structural walls during the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] era.{{Efn|'Nanakshahi' is alternatively spelt with a space as 'Nanak Shahi'.|group=note}}<ref>[http://www.apnaorg.com/columns/spsingh/column-1.html Academy of Punjab in North America]</ref> They were employed for constructing historical Sikh architecture, such as at the Golden Temple complex.<ref name=":0" /> The British colonists also made use of the bricks in Punjab.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jain |first=Shikha |title=Conserving Fortified Heritage : the Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Fortifications and World Heritage, New Delhi, 2015. |date=2016 |others=Rima Hooja |isbn=978-1-4438-9637-5 |location=Newcastle-upon-Tyne |pages=84 |oclc=960702249}}</ref>
==Uses==
Nanakshahi bricks were used in the Mughal-era more for aesthetic or ornamental reasons rather than structural reasons.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=May 2022 |title=Manimajra |url=https://map.sahapedia.org/article/Manimajra/11817 |access-date=11 August 2024 |website=Sahapedia}}</ref> This variety of brick tiles were of moderate dimensions and could be used for reinforcing [[Lime (material)|lime]] [[concrete]]s in the structural walls and other thick components. But, as they made [[Molding (decorative)|molding]]s, [[cornice]]s, [[plaster]]s, etc. easy to work into a variety of shapes, they were more often used as [[Cladding (construction)|cladding]] or decorative material. In the present-day, the bricks are sometimes used to give a "historical" look to settings, such as when the surrounding of the Golden Temple complex was heavily renovated in the 2010s.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Bagga |first=Neeraj |date=22 August 2016 |title=Nanakshahi bricks to spruce up road to Golden Temple |work=The Tribune |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/features/nanakshahi-bricks-to-spruce-up-road-to-golden-temple-283591}}</ref> ==General specifications== Nanakshahi bricks are moderate in-size.<ref name=":2" /> More often than not, the structures on which they were used, especially the [[Sikh]] temples ([[Gurudwara]]s),<ref>[http://www.punjabiportal.com/forum/punjabi-villages-speciality-t2615.html Punjab Portal]</ref> were a combination of two systems: [[trabeated]] and [[post-and-lintel]], or based on [[arch]]es. The surfaces were treated with lime or [[gypsum]] plaster which was molded into [[cornices]], [[pilaster]]s, and other structural as well as non-structural embellishments.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ajitweekly.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10797&Itemid=55 |title=Ajit Weekly |access-date=2010-07-08 |archive-date=2016-11-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111191015/http://www.ajitweekly.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10797&Itemid=55 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Brick and lime [[Mortar (masonry)|mortar]] as well as lime or gypsum plaster, and lime concrete were the most favoured building materials, although stone (such as red stone and [[white marble]]) were also used in a number of shrines.<ref>[http://www.punjabstarnews.com/news/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3272:2009-12-15-16-38-07&catid=104:2009-09-27-01-08-43&Itemid=470 Historical Clue at Chamauker Bastion]</ref> Many fortresses were built using these bricks.<ref>[http://www.demotix.com/news/18599/crumbling-glory Fort at Mani Majra near Chandigarh's Fun Republic]</ref> They come in 4”x4” and 4”x6’’ sizes.<ref name=":1" />
== Relationship with Lakhuri bricks == {{Further information|Lakhori bricks}} Due to a lack of understanding, sometimes contemporary writers confuse the Lakhuri bricks with other similar but distinct regional variants. For example, some writers use "Lakhuri bricks and Nanakshahi bricks" implying two different things, and others use "Lakhuri bricks or Nanakshahi bricks" inadvertently implying either are the same or two different things, leading to confusion on if they are the same, especially if these words are casually mentioned interchangeably.
Lakhuri bricks were used by the Mughal Empire that spanned across the Indian subcontinent,<ref name="bri3">[https://www.sahapedia.org/the-architectures-of-shahjahanabad The Architectures of Shahjahanabad.]</ref> whereas Nanak Shahi bricks were used mainly across the [[Sikh Empire]],<ref name="bri10">[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Patialas-Mughal-era-fort-to-get-Rs-4-3cr-facelift/articleshow/45714787.cms Patiala's Mughal era fort to get Rs 4.3cr facelift], ''[[Times of India]]'', 1 Jan 2015.</ref> that was spread across the [[Punjab region]] in the north-west Indian subcontinent,<ref name="bri13">{{cite web |date=3 September 2015 |title=Ranjit Singh: A Secular Sikh Sovereign by K.S. Duggal. ''(Date:1989. ISBN 8170172446'') |url=http://www.exoticindiaart.com/book/details/IDE822/ |access-date=2009-08-09 |publisher=Exoticindiaart.com}}</ref> when Sikhs were in conflict with the Mughal Empire due to the [[Islam and Sikhism#History|religious persecution of Sikhs by Mughals]].<ref name="bri14">{{citation |last=Markovits |first=Claude |title=A history of modern India, 1480-1950 |year=2004 |publisher=Anthem Press |location=London |isbn=978-1-84331-152-2 |page=98}}</ref><ref name="bri15">{{cite book |last=Melton |first=J. Gordon |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bI9_AwAAQBAJ |title=Faiths Across Time: 5,000 Years of Religious History |date=Jan 15, 2014 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=9781610690263 |page=1163 |access-date=Nov 3, 2014}}</ref><ref name="bri16">{{citation |last=Jestice |first=Phyllis G. |title=Holy people of the world: a cross-cultural encyclopedia, Volume 3 |year=2004 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-57607-355-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H5cQH17-HnMC&q=guru+har+gobind+jahangir&pg=PA345 |pages=345–346}}</ref> Coins struck by Sikh rulers between 1764 CE to 1777 CE were called ''Gobind Shahi'' coins (bearing an inscription in the name of [[Guru Gobind Singh]]), and coins struck from 1777 onward were called ''Nanak Shahi'' coins (bearing an inscription in the name of [[Guru Nanak]]).<ref name="bri17">Charles J. Rodgers, 1894, "Coin Collection in Northern India".</ref><ref name="bri18">Sun, Sohan Lal, 1885-89, "Umdat-ut-Twarikh", Lahore.</ref>
Mughal-era Lakhuri bricks predate Nanakshahi bricks, as seen in [[Patiala#Bahadurgarh Fort|Bahadurgarh Fort of Patiala]] that was built by the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] Nawab Saif Khan in 1658 CE using earlier-era Lakhuri bricks, and nearly 80 years later it was renovated using later-era Nanakshahi bricks and renamed in the honor of Guru Tegh Bahadur (as [[Guru Teg Bahadur]] had stayed at this fort for three months and nine days before leaving for Delhi when he was executed by [[Aurangzeb]] in 1675 CE) by [[Karam Singh of Patiala|Maharaja of Patiala Karam Singh]] in 1837 CE.<ref name="bri10" /><ref name="bri19">{{cite book |author=H.R. Gupta |title=History of the Sikhs: The Sikh Gurus, 1469-1708 |year=1994 |isbn=9788121502764 |volume=1}}</ref><ref name="bri20">{{cite book |author=Pashaura Singh and Louis Fenech |title=The Oxford handbook of Sikh studies |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-19-969930-8 |location=Oxford, UK |pages=236–445, Quote:"this second martyrdom helped to make 'human rights and freedom of conscience' central to its identity." Quote:"This is the reputed place where several Kashmiri Pandits came seeking protection from Auranzeb's army."}}</ref><ref name="bri22">{{cite web |last1=Chandra |first1=Satish |date=2001-10-16 |title=Guru Tegh Bahadur's martyrdom |url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/2001/10/16/stories/05162524.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020228135707/http://thehindu.com/thehindu/2001/10/16/stories/05162524.htm |archive-date=28 February 2002 |access-date=20 October 2016 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> Since the timeline of both the Mughal Empire and Sikh Empire overlapped, both Lakhuri and Nanakshahi bricks were used around the same time in their respective dominions. Restoration architect author [[Anil Laul]] clarifies "We, therefore, had slim bricks known as the Lakhori and Nanakshahi bricks in India and the slim Roman bricks or their equivalents for many other parts of the world."<ref name="bri12">Anil Laul, [https://www.zingyhomes.com/latest-trends/human-settlement-planning-design-sustainability/ Urban Red Herrings - an extract from the book "Green in Red"], 20 Aug 2015.</ref>
== Conservation == [[Peter Bance]], when evaluating the status of Sikh sites in present-day India, where the majority of Sikhs live today, criticizes the destruction of the originality of 19th century Sikh sites under the guise of "renovation", whereby historical structures are toppled and new buildings take their former place.<ref name=":02">{{Cite journal |last=Bakshi |first=Artika Aurora |date=2023 |title=Discovering the Forgotten Heritage of the Panjabs With Peter Bance |journal=Nishaan Nagaara |issue=11 |pages=28–37}}</ref> An example cited by him of sites losing their originality relates to nanakshahi bricks, which are characteristic of Sikh architecture from the 19th century, being replaced by renovators of historical Sikh sites in India by marble and gold.<ref name=":02" />
==See also== * [[Lakhori bricks]] * [[Sikh architecture]]
== Notes == {{Reflist|group=note}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.servinghistory.com/topics/Nanak_Shahi_bricks Nanak Shahi Bricks] *[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050714/aplus.htm#1 Ancient Home of Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna,(of Ghadar Party fame) in trouble] *[http://virasathaveli.com/aboutus.html Viraasat Haveli frozen in Time] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131208211029/http://virasathaveli.com/aboutus.html |date=2013-12-08 }}
{{Architecture of India}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nanak Shahi Bricks}} [[Category:Indian architectural history]] [[Category:Sikh architecture]] [[Category:Mughal architecture elements]] [[Category:Building materials]]