Friday, April 17, 2009
A Tale of Two Cities: The Aftermath of Partition for Lahore and Amritsar 1947–1957
Such modern cities as Breslau and Smyrna have suffered widespread destruction and demographic transformation in the wake of armed invasion. The neighbouring Punjabi cities of Lahore and Amritsar shared this experience, at the time of the 1947 division of the Indian subcontinent. Almost 40 per cent of Amritsar's houses were destroyed or damaged and its Muslim population fell from 49 per cent of the population on the eve of partition to just 00.52 per cent in 1951. Six thousand houses were damaged in Lahore and its Hindu and Sikh population who formed over a third of the population departed for India. The Luftwaffe had destroyed some 4185 houses in Coventry in an air raid for ever associated with the concept of concentrated bombing. The greater damage in peacetime Lahore and Amritsar was a result of disturbances surrounding the end of British rule. The cities lay at the heart of the region which bore the brunt of the 1947 upheaval. Ten million Punjabis were uprooted. In all around 13 million people were displaced by partition. This was the largest migration in a century whose wars and ethnic conflicts rendered millions of people homeless. The cities' proximity to the border (see map.) meant that they received large numbers of refugees. There were a million in Lahore alone in April 1948, two fifths of whom were housed in camps.
Lahore: The city of Mughal Empires
Lahore is the capital of Punjab and the second largest city of Pakistan. Its present population is 6.5 million. Located near the Indian border, Lahore is one the thirty largest cities of the world.
Lahore is famous for its Mughal architectures. During the reign of Akbar, the greatest of all the Mughal emperors, Lahore served as the nation’s capital. Mughal emperors built many buildings and monuments around Lahore. These famous monuments include: Shalimar garden, Badshahi Mosque, Lahore Fort, Jahangir's tomb, NoorJehan's tomb etc. Among other tourist attractions there are: old city and Lahore museum. If you are interested to visit Lahore, then another surprising fact you should know that in Lahore restaurants remain opened all night.
Since, Lahore is the second largest city of Pakistan, it plays an important role in Pakistan’s economy. Lahore Stock Exchange (LSE), is the second biggest stock exchange after Karachi Stock Exchange. Some of the major government organizations such as, Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Water & Sanitation Agency (WASA) are headquartered in Lahore. Other public organizations: Deewan Motors, Habib Bank, Pakistan State Oil and Lever Brothers are situated in Lahore. Foundaries, steel mills, textile mills and chemical factories are the major manufacturing industries of Lahore.
Lahore has also a thriving IT infrastructure. Some of the major Pakistani IT companies: FiveRivers Technologies, NetSol Technologies Inc, Systems Limited, TechLogix, Xvor are situated here.
Lahore is also famous for its carpet industry. The hand knotted carpet is one of the leading export products of Pakistan.
A good number of educational institutions are situated in Lahore. Aitchison College, Lahore American School, Lahore Medical & Dental College, Oriental College Of Arts, Government College University, Iqra University, Lahore College for Women University, University College of Information Technology (PUCIT) and many other institutions are situated in Lahore.
By road, Lahore is very well connected with the rest of the country. The historical Grand Trank road goes through Lahore. In addition, a motor way (M2) was built between Lahore and Islamabad. Lahore has the highest number of underpasses. The headquarter of Pakistan Railway is situated in Lahore. Lahore Central Railway Station is located at the center of the city. The Allama Iqbal International Airport, named after the national poet of Pakistan is an international airport.
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Lahore is famous for its Mughal architectures. During the reign of Akbar, the greatest of all the Mughal emperors, Lahore served as the nation’s capital. Mughal emperors built many buildings and monuments around Lahore. These famous monuments include: Shalimar garden, Badshahi Mosque, Lahore Fort, Jahangir's tomb, NoorJehan's tomb etc. Among other tourist attractions there are: old city and Lahore museum. If you are interested to visit Lahore, then another surprising fact you should know that in Lahore restaurants remain opened all night.
Since, Lahore is the second largest city of Pakistan, it plays an important role in Pakistan’s economy. Lahore Stock Exchange (LSE), is the second biggest stock exchange after Karachi Stock Exchange. Some of the major government organizations such as, Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Water & Sanitation Agency (WASA) are headquartered in Lahore. Other public organizations: Deewan Motors, Habib Bank, Pakistan State Oil and Lever Brothers are situated in Lahore. Foundaries, steel mills, textile mills and chemical factories are the major manufacturing industries of Lahore.
Lahore has also a thriving IT infrastructure. Some of the major Pakistani IT companies: FiveRivers Technologies, NetSol Technologies Inc, Systems Limited, TechLogix, Xvor are situated here.
Lahore is also famous for its carpet industry. The hand knotted carpet is one of the leading export products of Pakistan.
A good number of educational institutions are situated in Lahore. Aitchison College, Lahore American School, Lahore Medical & Dental College, Oriental College Of Arts, Government College University, Iqra University, Lahore College for Women University, University College of Information Technology (PUCIT) and many other institutions are situated in Lahore.
By road, Lahore is very well connected with the rest of the country. The historical Grand Trank road goes through Lahore. In addition, a motor way (M2) was built between Lahore and Islamabad. Lahore has the highest number of underpasses. The headquarter of Pakistan Railway is situated in Lahore. Lahore Central Railway Station is located at the center of the city. The Allama Iqbal International Airport, named after the national poet of Pakistan is an international airport.
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Historic Lahore Attractions
At a Glance
Lahore, being an ancient city, is full of architectural treasures. Lahore Museum, which has the most and the finest Mughal artifacts in the world, is a place to start. Minar-e-Pakistan, Badshahi Mosque and Shalimar Gardens are synonymous with the word Lahore. Tomb of Jahangir, Noor Jahan and Badshahi Mosque have magnificent architecture, as do many other buildings across Lahore.
Lahore is also the shoppers paradise. It has many markets and traditional bazaars. Anarkali is perhaps the most famous of the traditional Lahore bazaars.
Minar-e-Pakistan
In the middle of Iqbal Park in Lahore stands Minar-e-Pakistan, a tall concrete minaret which was built as a tribute to the creation of Pakistan.
This is the exact place where in 1940, the Muslim League passed the famous Lahore Resolution, which demanded a separate homeland for the Muslims of India.
Minar-e-Pakistan is about 60 meters in height. The tower base is raised approximately four meters from the ground and it rises up to approximately 13 meters, forming a sculpted, flower-like base. From this point it tapers as it rises. The base platform is shaped like a five-pointed star and it encloses crescent shaped pools. It is constructed of reinforced concrete, with the floors and walls rendered in stone and marble. Now it is officially recognized as the National Monument of Pakistan.
The Minar-e-Pakistan was designed by Murad Khan, a Turkish architect.
Minar-e-Pakistan
Related links:
View Iqbal Park from Google Earth
See Lahore on Map
Badshahi Mosque
Close to Minar-e-Pakistan is the magnificent Badshahi mosque, built under the patronage of the sixth Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb Alamgir. The moque was completed in 1673 under the supervision of Aurangzeb’s foster brother Muzaffar Hussain who was appointed governor of Lahore in May of 1671 and held this post until 1675.
The Badshahi mosque is adjacent to Lahore Fort, one of the most splendid examples of Mughal architecture in Pakistan. The mosque is one of the largest building made during the reign of Aurangzeb, and in terms of space, it is one of the largest mosque in the Indian subcontinent. The area within the mosque measures approximately 150 meters on each side.
The mosque is raised pretty high from the ground level, and steps lead to the main court yard. The Badshahi mosque has close resembles to the Friday Mosque built by Shah Jahan in his new capital, adjoining the Red Fort, in Delhi, although the Badshahi Mosque is a grander structure.
Badshahi Mosque
Badshahi Mosque
Shalimar Gardens
The gardens are a masterpiece from the time of the Mughal civilization, which reached its height during the reign of the Emperor Shah Jahan. The gardens were commissioned by Shah Jahan in 1637. The fort contains marble palaces and mosques decorated with mosaics and gilt. The elegance of these splendid gardens, built near the city of Lahore on three terraces with lodges, waterfalls and large ornamental ponds, is unequalled.
Each garden is divided by canals and flowerbeds, following the Persian tradition of the charbagh, or fourfold garden. Each of the 3 parts is on a different level, so that the upper parts are concealed from the view of people entering from below. The highest, and therefore the most private, section is thought to have been used by the imperial women. The channels of water that weave through the whole garden are fed by canals designed and administered by a defector from the Persian court, Ali Mardan Khan, or Inayat Khan, known for his architectural and building expertise. The gardens contain white marble buildings in typical Shah Jahani style. They are enclosed by a red sandstone wall interrupted by small decorative kiosks. The Shalimar Gardens are among the best preserved Mughal gardens.
The Shalimar Gardens are laid out in the form of an oblong parallelogram, surrounded by a high brick wall, which is famous for its intricate fretwork. The gardens measure 658 meters north to south and 258 meters east to west.
In 1981, Shalimar Gardens was included as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, under the UNESCO Convention concerning the protection of the world's cultural and natural heritage sites in 1972.
Shalamar Gardens
Shalamar Gardens
Related Links:
Mughal Gardens
UNESCO
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Lahore, being an ancient city, is full of architectural treasures. Lahore Museum, which has the most and the finest Mughal artifacts in the world, is a place to start. Minar-e-Pakistan, Badshahi Mosque and Shalimar Gardens are synonymous with the word Lahore. Tomb of Jahangir, Noor Jahan and Badshahi Mosque have magnificent architecture, as do many other buildings across Lahore.
Lahore is also the shoppers paradise. It has many markets and traditional bazaars. Anarkali is perhaps the most famous of the traditional Lahore bazaars.
Minar-e-Pakistan
In the middle of Iqbal Park in Lahore stands Minar-e-Pakistan, a tall concrete minaret which was built as a tribute to the creation of Pakistan.
This is the exact place where in 1940, the Muslim League passed the famous Lahore Resolution, which demanded a separate homeland for the Muslims of India.
Minar-e-Pakistan is about 60 meters in height. The tower base is raised approximately four meters from the ground and it rises up to approximately 13 meters, forming a sculpted, flower-like base. From this point it tapers as it rises. The base platform is shaped like a five-pointed star and it encloses crescent shaped pools. It is constructed of reinforced concrete, with the floors and walls rendered in stone and marble. Now it is officially recognized as the National Monument of Pakistan.
The Minar-e-Pakistan was designed by Murad Khan, a Turkish architect.
Minar-e-Pakistan
Related links:
View Iqbal Park from Google Earth
See Lahore on Map
Badshahi Mosque
Close to Minar-e-Pakistan is the magnificent Badshahi mosque, built under the patronage of the sixth Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb Alamgir. The moque was completed in 1673 under the supervision of Aurangzeb’s foster brother Muzaffar Hussain who was appointed governor of Lahore in May of 1671 and held this post until 1675.
The Badshahi mosque is adjacent to Lahore Fort, one of the most splendid examples of Mughal architecture in Pakistan. The mosque is one of the largest building made during the reign of Aurangzeb, and in terms of space, it is one of the largest mosque in the Indian subcontinent. The area within the mosque measures approximately 150 meters on each side.
The mosque is raised pretty high from the ground level, and steps lead to the main court yard. The Badshahi mosque has close resembles to the Friday Mosque built by Shah Jahan in his new capital, adjoining the Red Fort, in Delhi, although the Badshahi Mosque is a grander structure.
Badshahi Mosque
Badshahi Mosque
Shalimar Gardens
The gardens are a masterpiece from the time of the Mughal civilization, which reached its height during the reign of the Emperor Shah Jahan. The gardens were commissioned by Shah Jahan in 1637. The fort contains marble palaces and mosques decorated with mosaics and gilt. The elegance of these splendid gardens, built near the city of Lahore on three terraces with lodges, waterfalls and large ornamental ponds, is unequalled.
Each garden is divided by canals and flowerbeds, following the Persian tradition of the charbagh, or fourfold garden. Each of the 3 parts is on a different level, so that the upper parts are concealed from the view of people entering from below. The highest, and therefore the most private, section is thought to have been used by the imperial women. The channels of water that weave through the whole garden are fed by canals designed and administered by a defector from the Persian court, Ali Mardan Khan, or Inayat Khan, known for his architectural and building expertise. The gardens contain white marble buildings in typical Shah Jahani style. They are enclosed by a red sandstone wall interrupted by small decorative kiosks. The Shalimar Gardens are among the best preserved Mughal gardens.
The Shalimar Gardens are laid out in the form of an oblong parallelogram, surrounded by a high brick wall, which is famous for its intricate fretwork. The gardens measure 658 meters north to south and 258 meters east to west.
In 1981, Shalimar Gardens was included as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, under the UNESCO Convention concerning the protection of the world's cultural and natural heritage sites in 1972.
Shalamar Gardens
Shalamar Gardens
Related Links:
Mughal Gardens
UNESCO
Home Contact Us Search
� http://www.lahore.ecityportal.com | Terms of Use | Privacy Statement
Lahore City Tour/Tour of Lahore/Mughul treasure Lahore in Punjab
AHORE CITY
Tour Highlights
Shahlimar Garden[b/] 5km east of the old city, are the famous Shalimar Gardens, laid out by the Mughul Emperor Shah Jehan in 1642 AD. Shahlimar Garden have the privilege of being the venue of all-important State receptions.
Flag Ceremony at Wagha Wagha is the only land border open between Pakistan and India. The check post is about 30km from Lahore. A daily flag-lowering ceremony is simultaneously held on the Pakistani and Indian sides at sunset.
Lahore Fort a major part of Royal Fort was constructed around 1566 by the Mughul emperor Akabr the Great, on the remains of an old mud fort, dating back to 10th century AD. Every succeed Mughul Emperor, as well as Sikh and the British, added a pavilion, place or wall to the fort. Emperor Jahangir extended the gardens and constructed the places in Jehangir's Quadrangle, while Shah Jahan added Diwan-e-Khas, Moti Masjid and his sleeping chambers. Aurangzeb build the impressive main gate. The famous Sheesh Mahal (the mirror place) is in the northwest corner of the fort.
Badshahi Mosque The mosque was build by the emperor Aurangzeb, the last of the great Mughul, in 1974. it has beautiful gateway, measuring 21.33 meters in length and is build up entirely of red sandstone. The courtyards measure 161.5mx160.60 meters, the largest mosque courtyard in the world for outdoor prayers. The marble domes covers 7 chambers. Four minarets stand at the four corners of the mosque, each with an outer circumference of 20 meters, soaring up to 54 meters.
Mausoleum of Emperor Jahangir it lie 5km northwest of Lahore across the river Ravi. The mausoleum has majestic structure made of red sandstone and marble. A perfect stetting with typical Mughul garden, speaks volumes about its design and architecture. Queen Noor Jahan and emperor's son. Shah Jehan build the tomb around 1637. in a courtyard next to Jehangir's tomb, lie buried his brother I law, Asif Jah, father of queen Arjumad Bano.
Noor Jehan's Tomb The empress Noor Jehan, "light of the world" was the only empress whose name appeared on the coins of the Mughul Empire. She was buried in 1645 at Shahdara, near Jahangir's Mausoleum.
Lahore Museum Situated opposite the old University Hall, it is Mughul style building on the Shahrah-e-Quid-i-Azam. The museum contains the finest specimens of Mughul and Sikh doorways and woodwork, and has big collection of paintings dated back to Indo-Pakistan, Mughul, Sikh and British times.
The Old City In the Mughul days the old city was surrounded by a nine meter high brick wall. A circular road around the rampart gave access to the city through 13 gates. Some of these gates are still preserved. In the Bazaar of the old city, one still comes across the tiny shops where craftsmen can be seen busy turning out masterpieces in copper, brass, silver, as well as textiles in traditional fashion.
Wazir Khan Mosque Situated in the old part of town, it is the most beautiful mosque of South Asia. The mosque was build in 1683 by Hakim Wazir Khan, a minister to Shah Jehan. It is a marvelous specimen of arabesque painting and work.
The Golden Mosque Situated in the Kashmiri Bazaar, it is remarkably beautiful mosque with three golden domes.
Shrines of Data Sahib Situated close to the lower mall and the circular road outside Bhaiti Gate.
Anarkali Bazaar Is the most fascinating of the city's many bazaars. The alleys and lanes of Anarkali are full of exciting wares, especially crafts like leather ware, embroidered garments, glass bangles, beaten gold and silver jewelers etc.
Tour Highlights
Shahlimar Garden[b/] 5km east of the old city, are the famous Shalimar Gardens, laid out by the Mughul Emperor Shah Jehan in 1642 AD. Shahlimar Garden have the privilege of being the venue of all-important State receptions.
Flag Ceremony at Wagha Wagha is the only land border open between Pakistan and India. The check post is about 30km from Lahore. A daily flag-lowering ceremony is simultaneously held on the Pakistani and Indian sides at sunset.
Lahore Fort a major part of Royal Fort was constructed around 1566 by the Mughul emperor Akabr the Great, on the remains of an old mud fort, dating back to 10th century AD. Every succeed Mughul Emperor, as well as Sikh and the British, added a pavilion, place or wall to the fort. Emperor Jahangir extended the gardens and constructed the places in Jehangir's Quadrangle, while Shah Jahan added Diwan-e-Khas, Moti Masjid and his sleeping chambers. Aurangzeb build the impressive main gate. The famous Sheesh Mahal (the mirror place) is in the northwest corner of the fort.
Badshahi Mosque The mosque was build by the emperor Aurangzeb, the last of the great Mughul, in 1974. it has beautiful gateway, measuring 21.33 meters in length and is build up entirely of red sandstone. The courtyards measure 161.5mx160.60 meters, the largest mosque courtyard in the world for outdoor prayers. The marble domes covers 7 chambers. Four minarets stand at the four corners of the mosque, each with an outer circumference of 20 meters, soaring up to 54 meters.
Mausoleum of Emperor Jahangir it lie 5km northwest of Lahore across the river Ravi. The mausoleum has majestic structure made of red sandstone and marble. A perfect stetting with typical Mughul garden, speaks volumes about its design and architecture. Queen Noor Jahan and emperor's son. Shah Jehan build the tomb around 1637. in a courtyard next to Jehangir's tomb, lie buried his brother I law, Asif Jah, father of queen Arjumad Bano.
Noor Jehan's Tomb The empress Noor Jehan, "light of the world" was the only empress whose name appeared on the coins of the Mughul Empire. She was buried in 1645 at Shahdara, near Jahangir's Mausoleum.
Lahore Museum Situated opposite the old University Hall, it is Mughul style building on the Shahrah-e-Quid-i-Azam. The museum contains the finest specimens of Mughul and Sikh doorways and woodwork, and has big collection of paintings dated back to Indo-Pakistan, Mughul, Sikh and British times.
The Old City In the Mughul days the old city was surrounded by a nine meter high brick wall. A circular road around the rampart gave access to the city through 13 gates. Some of these gates are still preserved. In the Bazaar of the old city, one still comes across the tiny shops where craftsmen can be seen busy turning out masterpieces in copper, brass, silver, as well as textiles in traditional fashion.
Wazir Khan Mosque Situated in the old part of town, it is the most beautiful mosque of South Asia. The mosque was build in 1683 by Hakim Wazir Khan, a minister to Shah Jehan. It is a marvelous specimen of arabesque painting and work.
The Golden Mosque Situated in the Kashmiri Bazaar, it is remarkably beautiful mosque with three golden domes.
Shrines of Data Sahib Situated close to the lower mall and the circular road outside Bhaiti Gate.
Anarkali Bazaar Is the most fascinating of the city's many bazaars. The alleys and lanes of Anarkali are full of exciting wares, especially crafts like leather ware, embroidered garments, glass bangles, beaten gold and silver jewelers etc.
When Re 1 separated Lahore from holy city
Believe it or not, from Amritsar one could go to Lahore by train by spending hardly Re 1 on a ticket. Many would go to Lahore on their bicycles. Wagha, now internationally known as Wagha Border, was an unknown place.
Recalling the pre-partition days spent in Amritsar, Som Dutt Vasudeva, a former additional advocate general, Himachal Pradesh, said hundreds of Amritsaris would go to Lahore every day to see the ancient city, full of architectural treasures and famous as the finest Mughal artifact in the world. Lahore was also famous for being shoppers’ paradise.
Legend has it that Lahore was founded more than 4000 years ago and named after Luv, son of Lord Rama.
Excited about the days spent in the twin cities (Amritsar and Lahore), Vasudeva says he could forget Anarkali Bazar, Shalmi Gate, Tibbi Bazar, dargah of Data Gunj Baksh and Sitla Mata Mandir, outside Shalmi Gate, even after a lapse of more than 60 years. Panjab University, University Law College, Government College, Lahore, where it was difficult to get admission in those days, were also places of interest. Thus it was rightly said a person who had not visited Lahore had, in fact, not born.
Resident of Sultanwind village on the fringes of Amritsar, Vasudeva remained on the rolls of Hindu Sabha College from 1944 to 1948. Earlier, he passed his matric from Hindu Sabha High School, Amritsar, after studying up to eighth class in Bhishan Das S.D.High School, Empress Road, Lahore.
Walking down the memory lane, Vasudeva says life in Amritsar then was worth living. In fact, it was a pollution-free city. The Company Bagh - the Summer Palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh - and its surrounding areas used to be full of residents in the evenings who would come for stroll. Even Saketri Bagh, outside Chattiwind Gate, used to be visited by residents of nearby localities and also people from outside city. The Upper Bari Doab Canal, near the city, used to be visited by number of people on holidays, especially on Sundays, for picnic in the pre-partition days and the “Taran Wala Pul” on the Jallandhar-Amritsar national highway provided a good spot for taking bath and for diving in the canal.
The nearby mini-hydro-electric substation was operated by irrigation department officials. One could see groups of picnic revellers enjoying the salubrious climate and preparing mouth-watering dishes. Hindus and Muslims used to enjoy picnics together on holidays. Vasudeva rues that after the partition due to the apathy of the authorities concerned, the picnic spot near the city was completely neglected. In his views, it needs to be revived and also the hydro-electric substation.
Recalling the pre-partition days spent in Amritsar, Som Dutt Vasudeva, a former additional advocate general, Himachal Pradesh, said hundreds of Amritsaris would go to Lahore every day to see the ancient city, full of architectural treasures and famous as the finest Mughal artifact in the world. Lahore was also famous for being shoppers’ paradise.
Legend has it that Lahore was founded more than 4000 years ago and named after Luv, son of Lord Rama.
Excited about the days spent in the twin cities (Amritsar and Lahore), Vasudeva says he could forget Anarkali Bazar, Shalmi Gate, Tibbi Bazar, dargah of Data Gunj Baksh and Sitla Mata Mandir, outside Shalmi Gate, even after a lapse of more than 60 years. Panjab University, University Law College, Government College, Lahore, where it was difficult to get admission in those days, were also places of interest. Thus it was rightly said a person who had not visited Lahore had, in fact, not born.
Resident of Sultanwind village on the fringes of Amritsar, Vasudeva remained on the rolls of Hindu Sabha College from 1944 to 1948. Earlier, he passed his matric from Hindu Sabha High School, Amritsar, after studying up to eighth class in Bhishan Das S.D.High School, Empress Road, Lahore.
Walking down the memory lane, Vasudeva says life in Amritsar then was worth living. In fact, it was a pollution-free city. The Company Bagh - the Summer Palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh - and its surrounding areas used to be full of residents in the evenings who would come for stroll. Even Saketri Bagh, outside Chattiwind Gate, used to be visited by residents of nearby localities and also people from outside city. The Upper Bari Doab Canal, near the city, used to be visited by number of people on holidays, especially on Sundays, for picnic in the pre-partition days and the “Taran Wala Pul” on the Jallandhar-Amritsar national highway provided a good spot for taking bath and for diving in the canal.
The nearby mini-hydro-electric substation was operated by irrigation department officials. One could see groups of picnic revellers enjoying the salubrious climate and preparing mouth-watering dishes. Hindus and Muslims used to enjoy picnics together on holidays. Vasudeva rues that after the partition due to the apathy of the authorities concerned, the picnic spot near the city was completely neglected. In his views, it needs to be revived and also the hydro-electric substation.
Lahore - The City of Gardens
Lahore - The City of Gardens
Lahore, currently the capital city of the province of Punjab in Pakistan has been the cultural center of Northern India extending from Peshawar to New Delhi for thousands of years. Lahore is a city of culture, of history, of an unsurpassed charm that is unique from every other city. The city has stood witness to generations of cultural, intellectual, musical and literary evolution, which has gradually resulted in a potpourri that is evident in Lahore’s rich cultural heritage. Lahore is famous for its renowned poets, artists and craftsmen. Apart from being the cultural and intellectual centre of the country, the city is home to some of the most stunning architecture dating back to the Mughal period. For more than two centuries, beginning from about 1524 AD Lahore has been the favored capital and a thriving cultural centre of the great Mughal Empire. The Mughal Emperors have left the city with a legacy of magnificent palaces, perfectly manicured gardens and majestic mosques.
Legend has it that Lahore was founded four thousand years ago and named after Luv, son of Lord Rama. Lahore came under Muslim rule in the early years of the 11th century, and became a focus of attention for Islamic culture. Strategically positioned on the main trade routes of South Asia, Lahore has seen the birth and death of many dynasties, having been ruled by several of them. Muslim rule began here when Qutub-ud-din Aibak was crowned in Lahore in 1206 and reached the apex of its glory during the Mughal rule from 1524 to 1752. The Mughals, who are known for their fine aesthetic sense, have given Lahore some of its grandest architectural monuments. Akbar ruled the country from Lahore for 14 years from 1584 to 1598. The Lahore Fort was built by him; he also surrounded the city with a red brick wall. Emperor Jahangir and Shah Jahan further extended the fort, built palaces and tombs, and laid out gardens.
The last of the great Mughals, Aurangzeb built Lahore’s most famous monument, the massive Badshahi Masjid and the splendid Alamgiri gateway to the fort. The mughals were followed by the British who came into power in 1849 and constructed many monuments and bungalows in Mughal-Gothic style. The Lahore Cantonment is perhaps the best example of the British style of architecture with wide tree-lined boulevards and sprawling bungalows. Every section of the city has a story to tell, which is apparent in the monuments, the bazaars, the old buildings lining the Mall and in the people of Lahore.
Spread over fifty acres, Lahore Fort is located in the northwest corner of the Walled City. The fort was built by Mughal Emperor Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar during Akbar's reign between 1556 and 1605. Succeeding Mughal emperor including the Sikhs and the British all added to the original construction, making it a unique structure which represents a complete history of the architectural influences in Lahore. The fort boasts of two imposing gates on the east and the west sides. The western gate, known as Alamgiri Gate, a magnificent double-storey gate is presently used as the main entrance.
Alamgiri Gate was built by Emperor Mohiuddin Aurangezeb Alamgir in 1673, faces the grand Badshahi Mosque while opening into Hazuri Bagh. Garden of Public Audience or Maidan Diwan-e-Aam is located on the southern section and is the most important element of Mughal court ceremonial spaces. It was destroyed during the Sikh occupancy and Inter-Sikh wars and many cells were destroyed to construct artillery and infantry barracks when the Mughal fort served as a British cantonment. Diwan-e-Aam lies on the northern side of the garden and is the focal point of all activity. The Diwan-e-Aam is constructed on a raised platform surrounded by a stone railing with a marble jharoka dominating the centre. Daulat Khana-e-Khass-o-Aam is well designed and acts as a transition from the highly public area of the Diwan-e-Aam to the private residential apartments of the Emperor’s harem. The original ornate walls and embellishments are destroyed by the imperceptive Sikh painting sketched on top and British stark whitewashes having buried most of the Mughal art. In spite of the loss of surface decoration, evidence of the delicately embellished architecture can be seen in the dainty latticed jharokas and finely sculpted arches. The small but beautiful Makatib Khana is located in the northwest corner of the Maidan Diwan-e-Aam. It was designed by one of the most accomplished Mughal architects—Abdul Karim titled Mamur Khan, a favorite of both Jahangir and Shah Jahan.
One of the earliest structures of the period is Jahangir's Quadrangle which was begun by Akbar and completed by Jahangir in 1618. Jahangir's Quadrangle consists of private imperial apartments and a harem. It offers some of the prettiest view, overlooking the vast countryside.
Mashriqi and Maghribi are twin two-storey, separate havelis located at either side of Jehangir's Quadrangle. These mansions were especially built for the favored members of the royal household may it be a favorite concubine, the queen mother or a favorite daughter such as Jahan Ara Begam.
These havelis are exquisitely detailed with great attention given to its design. The columns on the portico, the carved brackets, the dainty arches are all embellished with delicate designs all over. These historically significant havelis are currently a part of a group of havelis known as Chuna Mandi Havelis. From its sprawling courtyards to its royal baths and from its arched hallways to its zenana gardens, the building is breathtakingly beautiful. But, perhaps what is far more important is that the haveli is well looked after and is being utilized as a college and every corner has been put to constructive use. It currently houses the Government Fatima Jinnah College for Women Conservation work on the haveli was carried out by the Lahore Development Authority before it was converted into a college. The college is fascinating and it is not surprising to find students sitting in a math class that is bang next to a royal bath, or crossing a dark alley that would lead them to their department. The roof tops exhibit the old city and one can spot the Lahore Fort, Badshahi Mosque and the Minar-e-Pakistan.
The Sikh rulers of the Punjab have left their stamp on Lahore in its music, painting, architecture and dance. Nau Nihal Singh’s magnificent haveli is counted among the most majestic buildings of the city of Lahore. Nau Nihal Singh who once used it as his private residence added numerous specious chambers, halls and balconies. The roofs are embellished with paintings and stained glass work, all worked in gold. It is now government property used as Victoria Girls' High School.
Mai Jindan was the mother of the infant Sikh ruler, Dulip Singh. The Haveli of Mai Jindan dominates the eastern section of the Moti Mosque Quadrangle. This two-storey haveli was originally a Mughal structure but it is considered a Sikh haveli now because of the many additions by the Sikhs.
Another surviving haveli, known for the grandeur of its opulent façade is the Mubarak Haveli, just off Bazaar Hakeeman inside Bhati Gate. It was here that the Koh-e-Noor Diamond was recovered from a trapped Afghan king. The haveli was built by Mir Bahadur Ali, Mir Nadir Ali and Mir Bahar Ali, sons of a well-known 'tabeeb' and 'hakeem' during the time of Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah. It took three years to build and when the three brothers moved in, Bahadar Ali's wife gave birth to a son. This was seen as a good omen and the haveli was named Mubarak Haveli.
One of the most impressive places in Lahore is the Badshahi mosque built for the devoted Aurangzeb in 1673, by one of his brothers. This magnificent mosque is built from red sandstone and white marble and as many as sixty thousand people can offer prayer together. The Badshahi mosque also has a very special place in Islam as it contains some of the relics of Prophet Muhammed, such as a green coat, white trousers, a green turban and his footmark embedded in the stone. It also has some relics from his immediate family members like Hazrat Ali and daughter Fatima. The mosque complex also houses the mausoleum of the poet Allama Iqbal. A tablet of white marble on the outer face of this entrance has the following inscription (besides the Kalima): "The mosque of Abu Zafar Mohiuddin Muhammad Alamgir, the Ghazi King, completed under the superintendence of the humblest servant of the household, Fidai Khan Koka, in 1084 AH". The arched entrance opens on a large quadrangle paved with solid bricks, where each namazi's space is marked with a black border. Its exterior walls are painstakingly decorated with sculptured panels. Each corner is marked by a square tower capped with a red sandstone turret with a white marble cupola. To the west of this square is the mosque, with three domes built of marble. With its numerous chambers and halls, its minarets and domes, which freely use inlaid marble, this mosque emanates a calm that is surprising, considering its mammoth size. Built by the last of Great Mughals, Aurganzeb, it is among the largest mosques in the world. No doubt Aurangzeb, well-known for his piety, was fulfilling an urge to pay the most impressive tribute to God in the form of a grand mosque. Inspired by the Jamia Mosque of Delhi and Agra, which predate it, the Badshahi Mosque is even more massive than they are.
Outside the Badshahi Mosque in the Hazuri Bagh on the southeast of the main gateway of Badshahi Mosque stands the imposing tomb of Allama Iqbal, Pakistan's national poet. It took thirteen years to complete this structure. It was designed by Nawab Zain Yar Jang Bahadur, the chief architect of Hyderabad. The mausoleum has two gates with teak frames inlaid with marble. The inlay of the tomb, done in lapis lazuli, the most expensive architectural stone in Afghanistan, is a gift from the Afghan government. On the inside walls of the mausoleum are written six couplets of a ghazal of the poet from Zabur-e-Ajam which epitomize the message of Iqbal.
But more than its buildings and architecture, it is the warm, friendly and hospitable people of Lahore and the hustle and bustle of the city, which spin a magic web around any visitor. Shopping in the Anarkali bazaar for the famous Pakistani salwar kameezs are a must-buy. Named after the famous tragic figure of the Mughal period, Anarkali, whose remarkable mausoleum lies on the close by the Lower Mall, Anarkali Bazaar has been a favorite of shoppers for decades. The area outside Lohari gate of the Walled City was named after her and for several decades after the annexation of the Punjab, it was occupied by the British. Anarkali Bazaar is the most fascinating of the city's many bazaars. The alleys and lanes of this bazaar are full of exciting wears, especially traditional crafts like leather wear, embroidered garments glass bangles, beaten gold and silver jewelry, and silk creations.
Lahore's cuisine is delectable, fragrant and delicious. Its barbeques and kebabs are unrivalled in taste and presentation. The old city of Lahore, which is largely intact is full of surprises in every corner. The Mohalla Kakezaiya or mohalla of the Caucasians still lives on. Lahore became a melting pot and meeting ground of many cultures which has left its influence in the cuisine. For authentic Pakistani taste, turn to wayside shops like Paradise Canteen which serves the tastiest curries, Payas, Batairs and Biryani in town or visit Nanbai shops like Abdul Rehman’s in Old Anarkali, Mian Restaurant, Baghdadi in Shadman Market, Labha and one or two outlets in Sadar, Main Market Gulberg, Liberty, Khan Baba is popular for its Pakistani dishes well-cooked in ‘Desi ghee and its piping hot Barbecues. The most common sweet is barfi , which is made of dried milk solids and comes in a variety of flavors. Other sweetmeats include rabri or thickened milk, gulabjamuns, shahi tukda and a variety of other dairy based sweets.
Most flights from European and Asia arrive in Karachi, though a few also go to Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and Gwadar (Baluchistan). Much more interesting is taking an overland route. A railway links Lahore with the Indian railway system through Amritsar, and another from Quetta crosses briefly into Iran. After the Grand Trunk Road, the most famous road into Pakistan is the Karakoram Highway, over the 4730m (15,514 ft) Khunjerab Pass from Kashgar in China; roads also run from India and Iran. A bus service between Delhi and Lahore, operating four times a week, is now up and running. Sea passage is a possibility, with cargo ships calling at Karachi from either the Middle East or Bombay.
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Lahore, currently the capital city of the province of Punjab in Pakistan has been the cultural center of Northern India extending from Peshawar to New Delhi for thousands of years. Lahore is a city of culture, of history, of an unsurpassed charm that is unique from every other city. The city has stood witness to generations of cultural, intellectual, musical and literary evolution, which has gradually resulted in a potpourri that is evident in Lahore’s rich cultural heritage. Lahore is famous for its renowned poets, artists and craftsmen. Apart from being the cultural and intellectual centre of the country, the city is home to some of the most stunning architecture dating back to the Mughal period. For more than two centuries, beginning from about 1524 AD Lahore has been the favored capital and a thriving cultural centre of the great Mughal Empire. The Mughal Emperors have left the city with a legacy of magnificent palaces, perfectly manicured gardens and majestic mosques.
Legend has it that Lahore was founded four thousand years ago and named after Luv, son of Lord Rama. Lahore came under Muslim rule in the early years of the 11th century, and became a focus of attention for Islamic culture. Strategically positioned on the main trade routes of South Asia, Lahore has seen the birth and death of many dynasties, having been ruled by several of them. Muslim rule began here when Qutub-ud-din Aibak was crowned in Lahore in 1206 and reached the apex of its glory during the Mughal rule from 1524 to 1752. The Mughals, who are known for their fine aesthetic sense, have given Lahore some of its grandest architectural monuments. Akbar ruled the country from Lahore for 14 years from 1584 to 1598. The Lahore Fort was built by him; he also surrounded the city with a red brick wall. Emperor Jahangir and Shah Jahan further extended the fort, built palaces and tombs, and laid out gardens.
The last of the great Mughals, Aurangzeb built Lahore’s most famous monument, the massive Badshahi Masjid and the splendid Alamgiri gateway to the fort. The mughals were followed by the British who came into power in 1849 and constructed many monuments and bungalows in Mughal-Gothic style. The Lahore Cantonment is perhaps the best example of the British style of architecture with wide tree-lined boulevards and sprawling bungalows. Every section of the city has a story to tell, which is apparent in the monuments, the bazaars, the old buildings lining the Mall and in the people of Lahore.
Spread over fifty acres, Lahore Fort is located in the northwest corner of the Walled City. The fort was built by Mughal Emperor Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar during Akbar's reign between 1556 and 1605. Succeeding Mughal emperor including the Sikhs and the British all added to the original construction, making it a unique structure which represents a complete history of the architectural influences in Lahore. The fort boasts of two imposing gates on the east and the west sides. The western gate, known as Alamgiri Gate, a magnificent double-storey gate is presently used as the main entrance.
Alamgiri Gate was built by Emperor Mohiuddin Aurangezeb Alamgir in 1673, faces the grand Badshahi Mosque while opening into Hazuri Bagh. Garden of Public Audience or Maidan Diwan-e-Aam is located on the southern section and is the most important element of Mughal court ceremonial spaces. It was destroyed during the Sikh occupancy and Inter-Sikh wars and many cells were destroyed to construct artillery and infantry barracks when the Mughal fort served as a British cantonment. Diwan-e-Aam lies on the northern side of the garden and is the focal point of all activity. The Diwan-e-Aam is constructed on a raised platform surrounded by a stone railing with a marble jharoka dominating the centre. Daulat Khana-e-Khass-o-Aam is well designed and acts as a transition from the highly public area of the Diwan-e-Aam to the private residential apartments of the Emperor’s harem. The original ornate walls and embellishments are destroyed by the imperceptive Sikh painting sketched on top and British stark whitewashes having buried most of the Mughal art. In spite of the loss of surface decoration, evidence of the delicately embellished architecture can be seen in the dainty latticed jharokas and finely sculpted arches. The small but beautiful Makatib Khana is located in the northwest corner of the Maidan Diwan-e-Aam. It was designed by one of the most accomplished Mughal architects—Abdul Karim titled Mamur Khan, a favorite of both Jahangir and Shah Jahan.
One of the earliest structures of the period is Jahangir's Quadrangle which was begun by Akbar and completed by Jahangir in 1618. Jahangir's Quadrangle consists of private imperial apartments and a harem. It offers some of the prettiest view, overlooking the vast countryside.
Mashriqi and Maghribi are twin two-storey, separate havelis located at either side of Jehangir's Quadrangle. These mansions were especially built for the favored members of the royal household may it be a favorite concubine, the queen mother or a favorite daughter such as Jahan Ara Begam.
These havelis are exquisitely detailed with great attention given to its design. The columns on the portico, the carved brackets, the dainty arches are all embellished with delicate designs all over. These historically significant havelis are currently a part of a group of havelis known as Chuna Mandi Havelis. From its sprawling courtyards to its royal baths and from its arched hallways to its zenana gardens, the building is breathtakingly beautiful. But, perhaps what is far more important is that the haveli is well looked after and is being utilized as a college and every corner has been put to constructive use. It currently houses the Government Fatima Jinnah College for Women Conservation work on the haveli was carried out by the Lahore Development Authority before it was converted into a college. The college is fascinating and it is not surprising to find students sitting in a math class that is bang next to a royal bath, or crossing a dark alley that would lead them to their department. The roof tops exhibit the old city and one can spot the Lahore Fort, Badshahi Mosque and the Minar-e-Pakistan.
The Sikh rulers of the Punjab have left their stamp on Lahore in its music, painting, architecture and dance. Nau Nihal Singh’s magnificent haveli is counted among the most majestic buildings of the city of Lahore. Nau Nihal Singh who once used it as his private residence added numerous specious chambers, halls and balconies. The roofs are embellished with paintings and stained glass work, all worked in gold. It is now government property used as Victoria Girls' High School.
Mai Jindan was the mother of the infant Sikh ruler, Dulip Singh. The Haveli of Mai Jindan dominates the eastern section of the Moti Mosque Quadrangle. This two-storey haveli was originally a Mughal structure but it is considered a Sikh haveli now because of the many additions by the Sikhs.
Another surviving haveli, known for the grandeur of its opulent façade is the Mubarak Haveli, just off Bazaar Hakeeman inside Bhati Gate. It was here that the Koh-e-Noor Diamond was recovered from a trapped Afghan king. The haveli was built by Mir Bahadur Ali, Mir Nadir Ali and Mir Bahar Ali, sons of a well-known 'tabeeb' and 'hakeem' during the time of Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah. It took three years to build and when the three brothers moved in, Bahadar Ali's wife gave birth to a son. This was seen as a good omen and the haveli was named Mubarak Haveli.
One of the most impressive places in Lahore is the Badshahi mosque built for the devoted Aurangzeb in 1673, by one of his brothers. This magnificent mosque is built from red sandstone and white marble and as many as sixty thousand people can offer prayer together. The Badshahi mosque also has a very special place in Islam as it contains some of the relics of Prophet Muhammed, such as a green coat, white trousers, a green turban and his footmark embedded in the stone. It also has some relics from his immediate family members like Hazrat Ali and daughter Fatima. The mosque complex also houses the mausoleum of the poet Allama Iqbal. A tablet of white marble on the outer face of this entrance has the following inscription (besides the Kalima): "The mosque of Abu Zafar Mohiuddin Muhammad Alamgir, the Ghazi King, completed under the superintendence of the humblest servant of the household, Fidai Khan Koka, in 1084 AH". The arched entrance opens on a large quadrangle paved with solid bricks, where each namazi's space is marked with a black border. Its exterior walls are painstakingly decorated with sculptured panels. Each corner is marked by a square tower capped with a red sandstone turret with a white marble cupola. To the west of this square is the mosque, with three domes built of marble. With its numerous chambers and halls, its minarets and domes, which freely use inlaid marble, this mosque emanates a calm that is surprising, considering its mammoth size. Built by the last of Great Mughals, Aurganzeb, it is among the largest mosques in the world. No doubt Aurangzeb, well-known for his piety, was fulfilling an urge to pay the most impressive tribute to God in the form of a grand mosque. Inspired by the Jamia Mosque of Delhi and Agra, which predate it, the Badshahi Mosque is even more massive than they are.
Outside the Badshahi Mosque in the Hazuri Bagh on the southeast of the main gateway of Badshahi Mosque stands the imposing tomb of Allama Iqbal, Pakistan's national poet. It took thirteen years to complete this structure. It was designed by Nawab Zain Yar Jang Bahadur, the chief architect of Hyderabad. The mausoleum has two gates with teak frames inlaid with marble. The inlay of the tomb, done in lapis lazuli, the most expensive architectural stone in Afghanistan, is a gift from the Afghan government. On the inside walls of the mausoleum are written six couplets of a ghazal of the poet from Zabur-e-Ajam which epitomize the message of Iqbal.
But more than its buildings and architecture, it is the warm, friendly and hospitable people of Lahore and the hustle and bustle of the city, which spin a magic web around any visitor. Shopping in the Anarkali bazaar for the famous Pakistani salwar kameezs are a must-buy. Named after the famous tragic figure of the Mughal period, Anarkali, whose remarkable mausoleum lies on the close by the Lower Mall, Anarkali Bazaar has been a favorite of shoppers for decades. The area outside Lohari gate of the Walled City was named after her and for several decades after the annexation of the Punjab, it was occupied by the British. Anarkali Bazaar is the most fascinating of the city's many bazaars. The alleys and lanes of this bazaar are full of exciting wears, especially traditional crafts like leather wear, embroidered garments glass bangles, beaten gold and silver jewelry, and silk creations.
Lahore's cuisine is delectable, fragrant and delicious. Its barbeques and kebabs are unrivalled in taste and presentation. The old city of Lahore, which is largely intact is full of surprises in every corner. The Mohalla Kakezaiya or mohalla of the Caucasians still lives on. Lahore became a melting pot and meeting ground of many cultures which has left its influence in the cuisine. For authentic Pakistani taste, turn to wayside shops like Paradise Canteen which serves the tastiest curries, Payas, Batairs and Biryani in town or visit Nanbai shops like Abdul Rehman’s in Old Anarkali, Mian Restaurant, Baghdadi in Shadman Market, Labha and one or two outlets in Sadar, Main Market Gulberg, Liberty, Khan Baba is popular for its Pakistani dishes well-cooked in ‘Desi ghee and its piping hot Barbecues. The most common sweet is barfi , which is made of dried milk solids and comes in a variety of flavors. Other sweetmeats include rabri or thickened milk, gulabjamuns, shahi tukda and a variety of other dairy based sweets.
Most flights from European and Asia arrive in Karachi, though a few also go to Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and Gwadar (Baluchistan). Much more interesting is taking an overland route. A railway links Lahore with the Indian railway system through Amritsar, and another from Quetta crosses briefly into Iran. After the Grand Trunk Road, the most famous road into Pakistan is the Karakoram Highway, over the 4730m (15,514 ft) Khunjerab Pass from Kashgar in China; roads also run from India and Iran. A bus service between Delhi and Lahore, operating four times a week, is now up and running. Sea passage is a possibility, with cargo ships calling at Karachi from either the Middle East or Bombay.
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In the strange city of Lahore
It was always tea-time in Lahore
Good old days when we all love to read Hatim Tai Delhi mai, Hatim Tai Labnan mai, Hatim Tai london mai, Ameer Hamza Maidanai Jung mai and all about Shansha-i-Afrasayab, Umr-o-Ayyar , Buzurj Mehar etc. It was the same famous urdu writer A Hamid now taking us to the ancient Lahore, a city which resembles Baghdad of Harun Rashid or Bazara-i-Hameedia of Damasqus or Khan Khalieli of Cairo , shadows of history,romance and nostalgia down to the memory lane of past 5000 years !
Lahore Lahore Aye: It was always tea-time in Lahore
By A Hamid
My old Lahore is Lahore as it was on the eve of partition and in the first few years after independence. The pre-Pakistan Lahore is vivid in my memory. I remember walking through the narrow bazaars of Shah Alami where the agreeable smell of foodstuffs and produce was always in the air. So narrow were some of the streets that I once saw a tonga getting stuck in one of them. The scene changes. I am standing outside Lohari Gate. A slim young man with blond curly hair wearing a brown suit shakes my hand: he is the Hindi poet Raj Baldev Raj.
As you entered Anarkali, to your left was a Sikh-owned sweetmeat shop whose lassi was much prized. The only hotel in Anarkali I remember is Nizam Hotel and its big sign. Close to where the Lahore Hotel stood, there was a Hindu-owned hotel whose name I do not recall. Actually, it was more a dhaba than a hotel. There were tiny wooden cabins where customers sat and where I once saw the famous humorist and newspaperman Haji Laq Laq. In Gowalmandi Chowk, if one approached it from the Islamia College side, there was another hotel with a sign that said, “Drinking permitted on the premises.” I never went inside. Another place I remember was a teashop on Fleming Road where tea used to be prepared on coal-fired braziers, the owner sitting cross-legged on a jute mat. There were a couple of tables and chairs inside the shop. The magazine Shahekar, where Raj Baldev Raj and I worked, had its office in a street facing that teashop and it was convenient for us to come here for a hot cup. The mixed tea –called dhood patti these days – served there was delicious.
I can recall every Lahore hotel and restaurant from the early days of Pakistan. Let me begin with Pak Tea House. When I first saw it, I noticed that its sign had been crudely painted over. The word India had been replaced with Pak. I don’t know how Pak Tea House became the hangout of Lahore’s writers. In late 1947 or perhaps mid-1948, four brothers - Alim, Siraj, Sadiq and Hamid - who were refugees from India got India Tea House and Cheney’s Lunch Home allotted in their names. Sadiq got the Cheney’s Lunch Home, though it was Hamid who ran it, while Siraj and Alim ran what they renamed Pak Tea House. Alim was the keeper of my secrets because some girls used to phone me here. He was a man of literary taste and if Nasir Kazmi or Shohrat Bokhari arrived late some morning, I would drink my first cup of tea with Alim, which he would prepare with great aplomb. A small radio on the counter used to be tuned to the listeners’ request programme from the Lahore station.
Off and on, some professors from Government College,Lahore and a few students, including girls, would drop in for a cup. Everyone minded his or her own business and if a girl came looking for her friend, nobody showed any sign of jealousy. The regulars included Ashfaq Ahmed, Munir Niazi, Anjum Roomani, Qayyoom Nazar and Sajjad Baqar Rizvi. We would spend most of our time here, only going for a walk through Anarkali or down the Mall now and then. The violence of partition was still very fresh in our memories and people would talk about the horrors they had seen. I remember Nasir Kazmi saying, “There used to be a shady neem (margosa) tree in our courtyard in Ambala and it would bear fruit in spring that we would eat with great relish. On the roof-top, I had pigeons of every variety. Before we left, I set all the birds free, but when I took a last look at our home before turning the street corner, I found all of them perched on the parapet.”
Coffee House across the street had its own crowd, mostly made up of lawyers, politicians and journalists. The atmosphere was intellectual and journalistic. Conversation used to revolve around politics and newspapers and their editorial policies. The leading lights of Coffee House were Maulana Chiragh Hasan Hasrat, Abdullah Butt, Riaz Qadir, Jamiluzzaman and Meem Sheen. Sometimes, Hamid Nizami would saunter in. Before Pakistan, it was India Coffee House but India had been painted over with the word Pakistan.
While Nasir Kazmi would walk across from Tea House to chat with Riaz Qadir, I would stay away because - having known the far superior coffee of Rangoon, Pondicherry and Singapore - I did not like the coffee with the burnt taste it served. Abdullah Butt’s wit was famous. He was a sparkling conversationalist, as was, of course, Hasrat. Once when Hasrat’s order had been delayed inordinately, the manager asked him if it was the white-bearded waiter he had placed his order with. “Maulana,” replied Hasrat, “when I placed my order, his beard was black.” The Coffee House is long gone and it is only the memory of the place and those who frequented it that a few of us still retain.
Then there was the Nagina Bakery which was the hangout of Lahore’s intellectual heavyweights such as Maulana Salahuddin Ahmed, Dr Syed Abdullah, Dr Ashiq Hussain Batalvi, Bari Alig and Abdullah Qureshi. It did not survive for long after partition. The famous Lahore restaurant Lorang’s on the Mall was a cool and sophisticated place. It served the best tea in town and was one of Hamid Nizami’s favourite haunts. Its closure was a sad day for the city. Shezan was an aristocratic place and so was its clientele. The Pak Tea House crowd stayed away from these places. Anwar Jalal Shamza lived right behind Shezan and he it was who had designed the Shezan lettering that is still in use. The S was identical to the S with which he signed his paintings. There was also Stiffles, which was a popular bar before partition. It is the same site that made way for Casino and Lord’s in the 1950s and 1960s. In the Regal Chowk, there stood the famous Standard, owned by a Hindu gentleman everyone called Paul. Across the road was another popular restaurant of the 1960s: Gardenia. Where Wapda House now stands, once stood Metro, where there was ballroom dancing on weekends. The famous cabaret dancer, the lovely Angela, used to perform there. To beat the prohibition, beer was served in teapots. None of the restaurants that I have written about are any longer in existence. Today there is not even one decent tea place in Lahore, which says something about the city and how it has changed. Who would say it has changed for the better?
A Hamid, distinguished Urdu novelist and short story writer, writes a column every week based on his memories of old Lahore. Translated from Urdu by Khalid Hasan
Good old days when we all love to read Hatim Tai Delhi mai, Hatim Tai Labnan mai, Hatim Tai london mai, Ameer Hamza Maidanai Jung mai and all about Shansha-i-Afrasayab, Umr-o-Ayyar , Buzurj Mehar etc. It was the same famous urdu writer A Hamid now taking us to the ancient Lahore, a city which resembles Baghdad of Harun Rashid or Bazara-i-Hameedia of Damasqus or Khan Khalieli of Cairo , shadows of history,romance and nostalgia down to the memory lane of past 5000 years !
Lahore Lahore Aye: It was always tea-time in Lahore
By A Hamid
My old Lahore is Lahore as it was on the eve of partition and in the first few years after independence. The pre-Pakistan Lahore is vivid in my memory. I remember walking through the narrow bazaars of Shah Alami where the agreeable smell of foodstuffs and produce was always in the air. So narrow were some of the streets that I once saw a tonga getting stuck in one of them. The scene changes. I am standing outside Lohari Gate. A slim young man with blond curly hair wearing a brown suit shakes my hand: he is the Hindi poet Raj Baldev Raj.
As you entered Anarkali, to your left was a Sikh-owned sweetmeat shop whose lassi was much prized. The only hotel in Anarkali I remember is Nizam Hotel and its big sign. Close to where the Lahore Hotel stood, there was a Hindu-owned hotel whose name I do not recall. Actually, it was more a dhaba than a hotel. There were tiny wooden cabins where customers sat and where I once saw the famous humorist and newspaperman Haji Laq Laq. In Gowalmandi Chowk, if one approached it from the Islamia College side, there was another hotel with a sign that said, “Drinking permitted on the premises.” I never went inside. Another place I remember was a teashop on Fleming Road where tea used to be prepared on coal-fired braziers, the owner sitting cross-legged on a jute mat. There were a couple of tables and chairs inside the shop. The magazine Shahekar, where Raj Baldev Raj and I worked, had its office in a street facing that teashop and it was convenient for us to come here for a hot cup. The mixed tea –called dhood patti these days – served there was delicious.
I can recall every Lahore hotel and restaurant from the early days of Pakistan. Let me begin with Pak Tea House. When I first saw it, I noticed that its sign had been crudely painted over. The word India had been replaced with Pak. I don’t know how Pak Tea House became the hangout of Lahore’s writers. In late 1947 or perhaps mid-1948, four brothers - Alim, Siraj, Sadiq and Hamid - who were refugees from India got India Tea House and Cheney’s Lunch Home allotted in their names. Sadiq got the Cheney’s Lunch Home, though it was Hamid who ran it, while Siraj and Alim ran what they renamed Pak Tea House. Alim was the keeper of my secrets because some girls used to phone me here. He was a man of literary taste and if Nasir Kazmi or Shohrat Bokhari arrived late some morning, I would drink my first cup of tea with Alim, which he would prepare with great aplomb. A small radio on the counter used to be tuned to the listeners’ request programme from the Lahore station.
Off and on, some professors from Government College,Lahore and a few students, including girls, would drop in for a cup. Everyone minded his or her own business and if a girl came looking for her friend, nobody showed any sign of jealousy. The regulars included Ashfaq Ahmed, Munir Niazi, Anjum Roomani, Qayyoom Nazar and Sajjad Baqar Rizvi. We would spend most of our time here, only going for a walk through Anarkali or down the Mall now and then. The violence of partition was still very fresh in our memories and people would talk about the horrors they had seen. I remember Nasir Kazmi saying, “There used to be a shady neem (margosa) tree in our courtyard in Ambala and it would bear fruit in spring that we would eat with great relish. On the roof-top, I had pigeons of every variety. Before we left, I set all the birds free, but when I took a last look at our home before turning the street corner, I found all of them perched on the parapet.”
Coffee House across the street had its own crowd, mostly made up of lawyers, politicians and journalists. The atmosphere was intellectual and journalistic. Conversation used to revolve around politics and newspapers and their editorial policies. The leading lights of Coffee House were Maulana Chiragh Hasan Hasrat, Abdullah Butt, Riaz Qadir, Jamiluzzaman and Meem Sheen. Sometimes, Hamid Nizami would saunter in. Before Pakistan, it was India Coffee House but India had been painted over with the word Pakistan.
While Nasir Kazmi would walk across from Tea House to chat with Riaz Qadir, I would stay away because - having known the far superior coffee of Rangoon, Pondicherry and Singapore - I did not like the coffee with the burnt taste it served. Abdullah Butt’s wit was famous. He was a sparkling conversationalist, as was, of course, Hasrat. Once when Hasrat’s order had been delayed inordinately, the manager asked him if it was the white-bearded waiter he had placed his order with. “Maulana,” replied Hasrat, “when I placed my order, his beard was black.” The Coffee House is long gone and it is only the memory of the place and those who frequented it that a few of us still retain.
Then there was the Nagina Bakery which was the hangout of Lahore’s intellectual heavyweights such as Maulana Salahuddin Ahmed, Dr Syed Abdullah, Dr Ashiq Hussain Batalvi, Bari Alig and Abdullah Qureshi. It did not survive for long after partition. The famous Lahore restaurant Lorang’s on the Mall was a cool and sophisticated place. It served the best tea in town and was one of Hamid Nizami’s favourite haunts. Its closure was a sad day for the city. Shezan was an aristocratic place and so was its clientele. The Pak Tea House crowd stayed away from these places. Anwar Jalal Shamza lived right behind Shezan and he it was who had designed the Shezan lettering that is still in use. The S was identical to the S with which he signed his paintings. There was also Stiffles, which was a popular bar before partition. It is the same site that made way for Casino and Lord’s in the 1950s and 1960s. In the Regal Chowk, there stood the famous Standard, owned by a Hindu gentleman everyone called Paul. Across the road was another popular restaurant of the 1960s: Gardenia. Where Wapda House now stands, once stood Metro, where there was ballroom dancing on weekends. The famous cabaret dancer, the lovely Angela, used to perform there. To beat the prohibition, beer was served in teapots. None of the restaurants that I have written about are any longer in existence. Today there is not even one decent tea place in Lahore, which says something about the city and how it has changed. Who would say it has changed for the better?
A Hamid, distinguished Urdu novelist and short story writer, writes a column every week based on his memories of old Lahore. Translated from Urdu by Khalid Hasan
Lahore Hotels and City Guide
Known as Pakistan's 'City of Gardens', Lahore is the provincial capital of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. According to legend, Lahore was founded by Lao, son of Lord Rama of the Hindu epic Ramayana. Today, this lively city boasts of modern industries, magnificent Mughal architecture, beautiful landscape and colourful festivals. Although Lahore is one of Pakistan 's most modern cities and an important commercial centre, the city has not lost its traditional allure.
Lahore came under Muslim rule in the early 11th Century and one of its leaders, Qutb-ud-din Aybak, was the first Muslim Sultan of the Indian subcontinent. During this period, the city emerged as the nucleus of Islamic culture and trade. From 1524 to 1752 Lahore was part of the Mughal Empire, and this period saw the city reach its pinnacle. Some of the famous Lahore attractions of today - the massive Lahore Fort, the Badshahi Masjid and the Alamgiri Gate - were constructed during this time.
In the 18th and 19th Centuries Lahore was ruled by the Sikhs, making it the capital of Punjab . For many years Lahore was under the British rule and in 1947, British India was partitioned in to two states, India and Pakistan, and Lahore became a part of the latter.
Today, Lahore is an important finance and trade centre as well as the journalistic hub of Pakistan. Massive industrial sites are in operation throughout the day. The city is world famous for its multitude of popular Lahore attractions, including large forts, museums, mosques and shrines and colourful bazaars. After a busy, yet rewarding day of sightseeing, visitors can indulge in delectable cuisine served at some of the best Lahore restaurants.
Visit Lahore and soak up its cultural and historic wonders while enjoying this great city that offers something to everyone.
Lahore Facts
Lahore Population: 6,373,000 (Source: UN Population Division 2000 estimate)
Pakistan Population: 162,419,946 (July 2005 estimate)
Currency: Pakistani rupee
Time Zone: GMT plus five
Language: Punjabi is the most widely spoken language in Lahore . English is also used as a secondary medium of communication.
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History of Lahore City
Overview
The city of Lahore had existed during the ancient times. References to this city can be found in Ptolemy’s Geographia, which is written about AD I50. It refers to it as ‘Labokla’ and locates it with reference to the Indus, Ravi, Jhelum and Chenab rivers.
The Muslims conquered Lahore in 713 CE under the leadership of Muhammad bin Qasim, who was dispatched by the Umayyad Khaleefah Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik to make inroads to India. Muhammad bin Qasim conquered Punjab, and most of the present Pakistan from Kashmir to the Arabian Sea.
Later, Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni placed it under the rule of his governor, Malik Ayaz. When Sultan Qutub-uddin Aybak was crowned in 1206, he became the first Muslim Sultan of the subcontinent. From 1524 to 1752 Lahore was part of the Mughal Empire.
During Akbar’s rule, Lahore was the capital of the empire from 1584 to 1598. During this time a massive fort, the Lahore Fort, was built on the remains of an older fort in the 1560s. This fort was later extended by Jahangir, a Mughal emperor who is now buried in the city. Shah Jahan, his son, was born in Lahore and is famous for building the world-renowned Taj Mahal in India. He, like his father, extended Lahore Fort and built many other structures in the city, showering more affection on his hometown than any other city. The last of the Mughals, Aurangzeb, ruling from 1658 to 1707, built the city's most famous monuments, the Badshahi Masjid and the Alamgiri Gate next to the Lahore Fort.
With the decline of the Mughal Empire, Lahore was captured by Sikh ruler Ranjit Singh, who declared himself Maharajah of the Punjab. Ranjit troops to desecrate many of the city’s beautiful Islamic shrines, including the Badshahi Mosque. Sikhs ruled Lahore from 1799 to 1849, making it the capital of their empire. However the last Anglo-Sikh war resulted in a British victory, bringing Lahore under the rule of the British crown.
The famous Lahore Resolution was passed in the city in 1940 that called for the creation of a separate Muslim state. Pakistan came into existence in 1947 with the end of the British Empire.
The city of Lahore had existed during the ancient times. References to this city can be found in Ptolemy’s Geographia, which is written about AD I50. It refers to it as ‘Labokla’ and locates it with reference to the Indus, Ravi, Jhelum and Chenab rivers.
The Muslims conquered Lahore in 713 CE under the leadership of Muhammad bin Qasim, who was dispatched by the Umayyad Khaleefah Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik to make inroads to India. Muhammad bin Qasim conquered Punjab, and most of the present Pakistan from Kashmir to the Arabian Sea.
Later, Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni placed it under the rule of his governor, Malik Ayaz. When Sultan Qutub-uddin Aybak was crowned in 1206, he became the first Muslim Sultan of the subcontinent. From 1524 to 1752 Lahore was part of the Mughal Empire.
During Akbar’s rule, Lahore was the capital of the empire from 1584 to 1598. During this time a massive fort, the Lahore Fort, was built on the remains of an older fort in the 1560s. This fort was later extended by Jahangir, a Mughal emperor who is now buried in the city. Shah Jahan, his son, was born in Lahore and is famous for building the world-renowned Taj Mahal in India. He, like his father, extended Lahore Fort and built many other structures in the city, showering more affection on his hometown than any other city. The last of the Mughals, Aurangzeb, ruling from 1658 to 1707, built the city's most famous monuments, the Badshahi Masjid and the Alamgiri Gate next to the Lahore Fort.
With the decline of the Mughal Empire, Lahore was captured by Sikh ruler Ranjit Singh, who declared himself Maharajah of the Punjab. Ranjit troops to desecrate many of the city’s beautiful Islamic shrines, including the Badshahi Mosque. Sikhs ruled Lahore from 1799 to 1849, making it the capital of their empire. However the last Anglo-Sikh war resulted in a British victory, bringing Lahore under the rule of the British crown.
The famous Lahore Resolution was passed in the city in 1940 that called for the creation of a separate Muslim state. Pakistan came into existence in 1947 with the end of the British Empire.
Sense of the City: Lahore
Badshahi mosque, Lahore
The gorgeous Badshahi Mosque, the fort, the Shalimar Gardens, all made by the Moghul emperors, are themes that inspire writers
Bapsi Sidhwa
Bapsi Sidhwa is the author of four novels, including Ice Candy Man (Cracking India in US edition), which was named a New York Times Notable Book in 1991. In the same year, she received the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, Pakistan's highest national honour in the arts. Born in Karachi and raised in Lahore, she now lives in Houston, Texas.
I've spent most of my time in the city of Lahore, a city of about eight million people.
It forms the geographical location of most of my work, most of my writing.
Lahore is an intensely romantic city.
Its ambience lends itself to romance and it arouses an intensity of feeling which craves expression.
Lahore also forms the location of many of the writers' works - they are known as the "pavement pounders" who wandered the streets of Lahore, including Kipling.
And these writers would frequent the tea houses and coffee houses and huddle in each different place with a different set of admirers.
They would write of their relationships which were formed in the tea houses and of their adventures within the city of Lahore.
Perhaps the most famous in the West is Rudyard Kipling who was an insomniac, and he walked through the old city, which forms the heart of Lahore, and which really took place during the Moghul times.
And he narrates his adventures there - most famously in Kim.
And the Zam-Zammah, which he talks about - the little British urchin boy sort of climbs onto the gun, the Zam-Zammah.
Lahore, as a very gracious, ancient city, has an ambience which just lends itself to writers
And the gorgeous Badshahi Mosque, the fort, the Shalimar Gardens, all made by the Moghul emperors, are themes that inspire writers and they are locations that writers use.
Of course one of the themes which comes out most frequently and which was started off by the famous short story writer, Manto, involved the tragedies that happened during the partition of India into India and Pakistan when huge migrations took place.
Naturally the writer is automatically drawn to the dramatic, and these provided very dramatic moments.
Lahore, as a very gracious, ancient city, has an ambience which just lends itself to writers.
More than just describe the city with great affection and love, they also talk about the people that a city like that and an atmosphere like that creates.
In Lahore poetry is woven within the fabric of each person's life
Lahore as a city inspires the arts in all their forms.
Some of the most famous singers have come from Lahore and just the general population seems to be bursting with artistic energy, so that the little motor-scooter rickshaws, the lorries, the trucks, all of them are splashed with decorations and colour.
It is a city that inspires painting, song, writing, and of course the literature incorporates all these aspects of the city.
There are so many musharas which go on in Lahore, which are sort of poetic evenings dedicated to various poets, reciting their poetry.
These are a very popular form of evening entertainment.
Poetry is not distanced from the writer as it is perhaps in the West where poetry is confined to colleges, almost, and schools.
In Lahore it is woven within the fabric of each person's life.
I think each city has its own spirit, and Lahore's spirit is, I think, a creative energy
In the course of an ordinary conversation people will suddenly recite a couplet from a ghazal or a couplet from a Punjabi poem about legendary romantic characters.
But they all lend themselves to a mysticism, an undercurrent of mysticism, and conversations with God.
Allama Iqbal, the most famous poet of the Indian subcontinent, in fact, was inspired to write "shikwa", which is the complaint to God, because of the ambience of Lahore.
Just to exist in Lahore is a sort of inspiration.
I think each city has its own spirit, and Lahore's spirit is, I think, a creative energy.
So it will continue to inspire writers, and people born in Lahore will be writers, just naturally.
Sense of the City can be heard on the BBC World Service programme The World Today until Friday 8 August, and includes Orhan Pamuk talking about Istanbul, Romesh Gunesekera on Colombo, and Zadie Smith looking at London.
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Sites of Interest
[edit] Lahore Fort
Alamgiri Gate - Main Entrance to Lahore Fort, with Hazuri Bagh Pavilion in foregroundThe Lahore Fort, locally referred to as Shahi Qila citadel of the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located in the northwestern corner of Lahore, adjacent to the Walled City. Some of the famous sites within the fort are Sheesh Mahal, Alamgiri Gate, Naulakha pavilion, and Moti Masjid. The fort is 1,400 feet long and 1,115 feet wide. In 1981, the fort was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the Shalamar Gardens.
[edit] Historic Mosques
[edit] Badshahi Masjid
Badshahi MasjidThe Badshahi Masjid (Urdu: بادشاھی مسجد), or the Emperor's Masjid, was built in 1673 by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in Lahore, Pakistan. It is one of the city's best known landmarks, and a major tourist attraction epitomizing the beauty and grandeur of the Mughal era.
Capable of accommodating over 55,000 worshipers, it is the second largest Masjid in Pakistan, after the Faisal Masjid in Islamabad. The architecture and design of the Badshahi Masjid is closely related to the Jama Masjid in Delhi, India, which was built in 1648 by Aurangzeb's father and predecessor, emperor Shah Jahan.
[edit] Wazir Khan Mosque
Gateway to Wazir Khan's Masjid, LahoreThe Wazir Khan Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan, is famous for its extensive faience tile work. It has been described as "a mole on the cheek of Lahore." It was built in seven years, starting around 1634-1635 A.D., during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan. It was built by Shaikh Ilm-ud-din Ansari, a native of Chiniot, who rose to be the court physician to Shah Jahan and later, the Governor of Lahore. He was commonly known as Wazir Khan (the word wazir means "minister" in Urdu language). The Masjid is located inside the Inner City and is easiest accessed from Delhi Gate.
[edit] Data Durbar Complex
View of Jamia HajveriaData Durbar is the tomb of Hazrat Syed Abul Hassan Bin Usman Bin Ali Al-Hajweri, the famous Sufi saint of South Asia, where hundreds of thousands of people come each year to pay their respects and to say their prayers. It is located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The large complex also includes Jamia Hajveria, or Hajveri Masjid.
[edit] Others
Other well known Masjids inside the Walled City are Suneri Mosque, Masjid of Mariyam Zamani Begum, and Doongi Masjid.
[edit] Havelis
There are many havelis inside the Walled City of Lahore, some in good condition while others need urgent attention. Many of these havlis are fine examples of Mughal and Sikh Architecture. Some of the famous Havelis inside the Walled City include:
Mubarak Haveli
Chuna Mandi Havelis
Haveli of Nau Nihal Singh
[edit] Other Landmarks
Shahi Hamam
Smadhi of Ranjit Singh
Tomb of Malik Ayaz
Alamgiri Gate - Main Entrance to Lahore Fort, with Hazuri Bagh Pavilion in foregroundThe Lahore Fort, locally referred to as Shahi Qila citadel of the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located in the northwestern corner of Lahore, adjacent to the Walled City. Some of the famous sites within the fort are Sheesh Mahal, Alamgiri Gate, Naulakha pavilion, and Moti Masjid. The fort is 1,400 feet long and 1,115 feet wide. In 1981, the fort was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the Shalamar Gardens.
[edit] Historic Mosques
[edit] Badshahi Masjid
Badshahi MasjidThe Badshahi Masjid (Urdu: بادشاھی مسجد), or the Emperor's Masjid, was built in 1673 by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in Lahore, Pakistan. It is one of the city's best known landmarks, and a major tourist attraction epitomizing the beauty and grandeur of the Mughal era.
Capable of accommodating over 55,000 worshipers, it is the second largest Masjid in Pakistan, after the Faisal Masjid in Islamabad. The architecture and design of the Badshahi Masjid is closely related to the Jama Masjid in Delhi, India, which was built in 1648 by Aurangzeb's father and predecessor, emperor Shah Jahan.
[edit] Wazir Khan Mosque
Gateway to Wazir Khan's Masjid, LahoreThe Wazir Khan Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan, is famous for its extensive faience tile work. It has been described as "a mole on the cheek of Lahore." It was built in seven years, starting around 1634-1635 A.D., during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan. It was built by Shaikh Ilm-ud-din Ansari, a native of Chiniot, who rose to be the court physician to Shah Jahan and later, the Governor of Lahore. He was commonly known as Wazir Khan (the word wazir means "minister" in Urdu language). The Masjid is located inside the Inner City and is easiest accessed from Delhi Gate.
[edit] Data Durbar Complex
View of Jamia HajveriaData Durbar is the tomb of Hazrat Syed Abul Hassan Bin Usman Bin Ali Al-Hajweri, the famous Sufi saint of South Asia, where hundreds of thousands of people come each year to pay their respects and to say their prayers. It is located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The large complex also includes Jamia Hajveria, or Hajveri Masjid.
[edit] Others
Other well known Masjids inside the Walled City are Suneri Mosque, Masjid of Mariyam Zamani Begum, and Doongi Masjid.
[edit] Havelis
There are many havelis inside the Walled City of Lahore, some in good condition while others need urgent attention. Many of these havlis are fine examples of Mughal and Sikh Architecture. Some of the famous Havelis inside the Walled City include:
Mubarak Haveli
Chuna Mandi Havelis
Haveli of Nau Nihal Singh
[edit] Other Landmarks
Shahi Hamam
Smadhi of Ranjit Singh
Tomb of Malik Ayaz
Gates of Lahore
Surviving Gates
Name Picture Description
Bhati Gate The entrance to the "Bhati Gate" is located on the western wall of the old city. The area inside the gate is well known throughout the city for its food. Just outside of "Bhati Gate" is the Data Durbar, the mausoleum of the Sufi saint Ali Hajweri (also known as Data Sahib Ganjbaksh). Every Thursday evening Naat Readers and Qawawals (who perform Qawwali) gather here to read Naat and perform religious Qawwali.
Delhi Gate The "Delhi Gate" was once the main and only road that led from Lahore to Delhi. The gate was built during the Mughal era. Although the gate suffered greatly in the 1947 riots, it has since been renovated and today is in its former glory.
Kashmiri Gate The "Kashmiri Gate" is so named because it faces the direction of Kashmir. Inside the gate, there is a shopping area called "Kashmiri Bazaar" and a beautiful girls' college. This college, built upon an old haveli belonging to a shah, is a beautiful example of Mughal architecture.
Lohari Gate The "Lohari Gate" is very close to "Bhati Gate." Like many other gates, it was built to keep enemies out. Although it is now surrounded by shops and stalls, it still has great architectural significance. In Urdu, loha means "iron," and the gate is named Lohari because many lohars (blacksmiths) workshops were based just outside this gate.
Roshnai Gate The "Roshnai Gate," also known as the "Gate of Lights," is located between the Lahore Fort and the Badshahi Mosque. As the gate was one of the main entrances into the city, it was constantly visited by Omerahs, courtiers, royal servants and retinues. In the evenings, the gate was lit up, hence its name. The gate was also referred to as the "Gate of Splendour." It is the only gate that is in good condition and still retains its original looks.
Shairanwala Gate The "Shairanwala Gate," also known as the "Gate of the Lions," was made by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. After its completion, Singh placed two live lions (or Shers) in cages at the gate as a symbolic gesture to warn any invader.
Name Picture Description
Bhati Gate The entrance to the "Bhati Gate" is located on the western wall of the old city. The area inside the gate is well known throughout the city for its food. Just outside of "Bhati Gate" is the Data Durbar, the mausoleum of the Sufi saint Ali Hajweri (also known as Data Sahib Ganjbaksh). Every Thursday evening Naat Readers and Qawawals (who perform Qawwali) gather here to read Naat and perform religious Qawwali.
Delhi Gate The "Delhi Gate" was once the main and only road that led from Lahore to Delhi. The gate was built during the Mughal era. Although the gate suffered greatly in the 1947 riots, it has since been renovated and today is in its former glory.
Kashmiri Gate The "Kashmiri Gate" is so named because it faces the direction of Kashmir. Inside the gate, there is a shopping area called "Kashmiri Bazaar" and a beautiful girls' college. This college, built upon an old haveli belonging to a shah, is a beautiful example of Mughal architecture.
Lohari Gate The "Lohari Gate" is very close to "Bhati Gate." Like many other gates, it was built to keep enemies out. Although it is now surrounded by shops and stalls, it still has great architectural significance. In Urdu, loha means "iron," and the gate is named Lohari because many lohars (blacksmiths) workshops were based just outside this gate.
Roshnai Gate The "Roshnai Gate," also known as the "Gate of Lights," is located between the Lahore Fort and the Badshahi Mosque. As the gate was one of the main entrances into the city, it was constantly visited by Omerahs, courtiers, royal servants and retinues. In the evenings, the gate was lit up, hence its name. The gate was also referred to as the "Gate of Splendour." It is the only gate that is in good condition and still retains its original looks.
Shairanwala Gate The "Shairanwala Gate," also known as the "Gate of the Lions," was made by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. After its completion, Singh placed two live lions (or Shers) in cages at the gate as a symbolic gesture to warn any invader.
Demographics
The Walled City of Lahore covers an area of 256 ha with a population of 200,000. The city walls were destroyed shortly after the British annexed the Punjab in 1849 and were replaced with gardens, some of which exist today. The Circular Road links the old city to the urban network. Access to the Walled City is still gained through the 13 ancient gates, or their emplacements.
The convoluted and picturesque streets of the inner city remain almost intact, but the rapid demolition and frequently illegal rebuilding taking place throughout the city is causing the historic fabric to be eroded and replaced by inferior constructions. Historic buildings are no exception, and some have been encroached upon. The few old houses in the city are usually two or three stories tall, with brick façades, flat roofs, richly carved wooden balconies and overhanging windows.
The convoluted and picturesque streets of the inner city remain almost intact, but the rapid demolition and frequently illegal rebuilding taking place throughout the city is causing the historic fabric to be eroded and replaced by inferior constructions. Historic buildings are no exception, and some have been encroached upon. The few old houses in the city are usually two or three stories tall, with brick façades, flat roofs, richly carved wooden balconies and overhanging windows.
Origins of Walled City of Lahore
The origins of the original Lahore are unspecific. According to carbon dating evidence of archaeological findings in the Lahore Fort, the time period may start as early as 2,000 B.C.E. Lahore had many names throughout its history. Mohallah Maulian represents one of the two most probable sites of the original Lahore. Sootar Mandi (the yarn market) inside Lohari Gate, had been called Mohallah Chaileywala Hammam located in Machli Hatta Gulzar, just off Chowk Chalka, Lahore's original red-light area.
As late as 1864, the Lohari Mandi area had been known among the old folk of the Walled City as kacha kot, the mud fort, a name derived from the gradient of the land, the water flow, and the formation of mohallahs, kuchas, and kattrahs. The curve of Gali Pir Bola merges with Waachowali Bazaar, the Lohari Bazaar merges with Chowk Lohari Mandi, and Chowk Mati merges with Papar Mandi, giving a sense of a mud fort. Along Lohari Bazaar, a short distance from Chowk Chakla, the street opens slightly, revealing a half-buried archway of pucca bricks and mud.
The famous mud fort may have been built by Malik Ayaz, the first Muslim governor of Lahore. Lohari Gate served as the main entrance to Ayaz's mud fort. Chowk Sootar Mandi constituted one important center of Kacha Kot. The lay of the streets also suggest the boundaries. At the time of Mughal Emperor Akbar, the original wall of the Walled City of Lahore stood, on the western side, to the right of Bazaar Hakeeman in Bhati Gate. On the eastern side to the left of Shahalam Gate, curved eastwards and formed a "kidney-shaped" city that depended on the flow of the curving River Ravi. Thus the Lahore of the kacha kot era has continued to expand in three major leaps of expansion, each with an almost 400-year gap. The eras of Raja Jaipal of Akbar and of Maharaja Ranjit Singh mark the high points of that expansion.
The expanding of the mud fort had its origins in three factors:
1. the way the Ravi has flown and how and when it has been changing its course,
2. the existence of the Lahore Fort and how power has flowed from the rulers, and
3. the manner the population and economy of the old original Walled City has changed over time, grown, or even shrunk, depending of invasions, droughts and famines in the countryside.
The story of kacha kot has been determined by those factors. The oldest buildings in the entire Walled City exist in this area, among them the old exquisite mosque known even now as Masjid Kohana Hammam Chaileywala. A huge hammam may have stood during the kacha kot period. The tomb of Pir Bola (Gali) still exists. Little remains of the original mud fort.
As late as 1864, the Lohari Mandi area had been known among the old folk of the Walled City as kacha kot, the mud fort, a name derived from the gradient of the land, the water flow, and the formation of mohallahs, kuchas, and kattrahs. The curve of Gali Pir Bola merges with Waachowali Bazaar, the Lohari Bazaar merges with Chowk Lohari Mandi, and Chowk Mati merges with Papar Mandi, giving a sense of a mud fort. Along Lohari Bazaar, a short distance from Chowk Chakla, the street opens slightly, revealing a half-buried archway of pucca bricks and mud.
The famous mud fort may have been built by Malik Ayaz, the first Muslim governor of Lahore. Lohari Gate served as the main entrance to Ayaz's mud fort. Chowk Sootar Mandi constituted one important center of Kacha Kot. The lay of the streets also suggest the boundaries. At the time of Mughal Emperor Akbar, the original wall of the Walled City of Lahore stood, on the western side, to the right of Bazaar Hakeeman in Bhati Gate. On the eastern side to the left of Shahalam Gate, curved eastwards and formed a "kidney-shaped" city that depended on the flow of the curving River Ravi. Thus the Lahore of the kacha kot era has continued to expand in three major leaps of expansion, each with an almost 400-year gap. The eras of Raja Jaipal of Akbar and of Maharaja Ranjit Singh mark the high points of that expansion.
The expanding of the mud fort had its origins in three factors:
1. the way the Ravi has flown and how and when it has been changing its course,
2. the existence of the Lahore Fort and how power has flowed from the rulers, and
3. the manner the population and economy of the old original Walled City has changed over time, grown, or even shrunk, depending of invasions, droughts and famines in the countryside.
The story of kacha kot has been determined by those factors. The oldest buildings in the entire Walled City exist in this area, among them the old exquisite mosque known even now as Masjid Kohana Hammam Chaileywala. A huge hammam may have stood during the kacha kot period. The tomb of Pir Bola (Gali) still exists. Little remains of the original mud fort.
Walled City of Lahore
The Walled City of Lahore, also known as the "Old City," or "Anderoon Shehr and has 13 gates which defends us by the evil invaders (اندرون شهر)," is the section of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, that was fortified by a city wall during the Mughal era.
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