THE Indus Queen, once a rare gem of Bahawalpur state’s maritime history, carries a story as turbulent and enduring as the rivers it once sailed. Born as a British warship in the early 17th century, this vessel was purchased by the Nawab of Bahawalpur in the 18th century. Renovated as a royal ship, and renamed the Satluj Queen, the vessel was crafted in Scottish shipyards, traversing oceans and continents to become the royal transport of Bahawal-pur’s rulers.

Adorned by French designers, it boasted ornate decks, luxurious cabins, a capacity for 400 passengers, and an engine ahead of its time, cementing its reputation as a masterpiece. From royal ceremonies to pilgrim voyages, the ship mirrored the grandeur of the era.

By the 19th century, things began to change, and the ship’s journeys got reduced to rivers rather than seas. There was more trouble in store after the Sutlej River started drying up in the wake of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). The vessel was rebranded the Indus Queen, but soon became a victim of receding waters and neglect. After a devastating fire in the 1990s, the ship rusted into a skeletal wreck on Kot Mithan’s shores; a haunting witness to faded glory.

In 2017, the Abbasi family, the guardian of Bahawalpur’s royal legacy, proposed relocating the Indus Queen to Noor Mahal during its restoration. However, the ship’s decay made this impossible. Though ideas flickered and faded, persistent advocacy bore fruit in 2021 when it was decided to recreate an exact replica of the original. Today, this replica stands as a cultural exhibit. The Indus Queen’s rebirth offers a lesson: when the original cannot be saved, replicas can become history’s custodians.

Dr Moazzam Khan Durrani
Bahawalpur

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2025