The Sevakunj Hostel, a historic landmark in Aram Bagh Road, Rambagh Quarter, Karachi. The building was erected in the

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by an affluent

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

family. The building of the Sevakunj Hostel, resembling a flawless square, is arranged around a courtyard. Rooms in the two-story structure are positioned around this central space. The building boasts symmetrical adornments on all four sides, with each side divided into two halves featuring central window openings. Every room includes a balcony bordered by wrought iron grilles, upheld by stone brackets. The building boasts minimal yet refined exteriors adorned with a series of long windows. Its layout is distinctive, featuring a central courtyard instead of an open compound. This courtyard served as a communal area within the hostel and hosted university events.

History

British Raj

The name "Sevakunj" originates from the Sanskrit words Seva and Kunj, meaning "Service Grove". The builders of the hostel were the Shahani family, a prominent Sindhi-Hindu family active in education. The hostel accommodated not only local students but also a significant number of international students.

Post-independence

In the

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, due to violent clashes between student groups, Sevakunj Hostel and several neighbouring student accommodations had to close their doors. Sevakunj Hostel had been serving as a residence for students, especially those enrolled at NED College/University and later Dawood Engineering College, until the early

1990s File:1990s decade montage.png, From top left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope orbits the Earth after it was launched in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War ...

. Despite its central location near Pakistan Chowk, once revered as the educational heart of the city and home to numerous historic structures, the building now stands abandoned. In 1997, it was designated as a protected site under the ''Sindh Cultural Heritage Preservation Act of 1994''.

References

{{Cultural heritage sites in Sindh , state=autocollapse British colonial architecture Buildings and structures in Karachi 1910s establishments in British India Heritage sites in Karachi Hostels in Pakistan Tourist attractions in Karachi

History

British Raj

Post-independence

See also

References