Sufaid Mahal or White Palace

Sufed Mahal or White Palace is located in the Swat District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The White Palace was built in the year 1941 by the order of Mian Gul Abdul Wadud, known as Wali Sahib (1881 – 1971), the founder of the modern state of Swat. Few people know that the White Palace that its first name was “Pearl Palace”. Even today, despite the passage of eight decades, the white palace is the center of attraction.

Regarding the construction of the white palace, the royal family says that the Wali Sahib actually went to India. One day, he passed through the Rajasthan region. There he saw white marble. In those days, the region of Rajasthan was famous for minerals. Wali Sahib saw the palace of the then Maharaja of Rajasthan, in which the same white marble was used. Wali Sahib was impressed by this palace.

Later, the same white marble was brought from Jaipur. A tradition is also known that the marble used in the White Palace is actually the same marble used in the Taj Mahal (Agra, India). When the palace was built, government affairs were held in Marghazar during the summer season instead of Saidu Sharif. In other words, in winter, the capital of Swat state used to be a meadow thanks to Saydu Sharif, and in summer, the White Palace.

On closer look, the main building has a drawing room, dining hall, meeting room, and the King’s own room. Apart from this, rooms are built on two or three levels on its premises. When the King (Wali Sahib) visited Murghazar in summer, his ministers, advisers, and nobles would also accompany him. In the rooms built on the second level, these ministers were advisers and nobles, and in the rooms built on the third level, family members lived.

A mosque in the open area of ​​the White Palace, in which the kings preferred to pray and recite the Holy Quran. As this mosque is quite big, all the ministers prefer to pray together with the advisor and the king in it. It has been open to the general public since the first day.