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 Pakistan Destination of the Month
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Destination
of the Month
The people of Lahore,
when they want to emphasize the uniqueness of their town say "Lahore
is Lahore". The traditional capital of Punjab for a thousand
years, it had been the cultural center of Northern India extending
from Peshawar to New Delhi. This preeminent position it holds in Pakistan
as well. Lahore is the city of poets, artists and the center of film
industry. It has the largest number of educational institutions in
the country and some of the finest gardens in the continent.
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The people of Lahore,
when they want to emphasize the uniqueness of their town say "Lahore
is Lahore". The traditional capital of Punjab for a thousand
years, it had been the cultural center of Northern India extending
from Peshawar to New Delhi. This preeminent position it holds in Pakistan
as well. Lahore is the city of poets, artists and the center of film
industry. It has the largest number of educational institutions in
the country and some of the finest gardens in the continent.
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Akbar the Great held his
Court In Lahore for 14 years from 1584 to 1598, and built the Lahore
Fort, as well as the city walls which had 12 gates. Some of these
still survive. Jehangir and Shah Jehan, the builders of the Taj Mahal
in Agra and the Shalamar Gardens in Srinagar and Lahore, built palaces
and tombs. The last great Moghul Emperor, Aurangzeb (1838 - 1707)
built Lahore's most famous monument, the great Badshahi Mosque. At
that time the river Rftvi, which now lies a few miles away from Lahore,
touched the ramparts of the Fort and the Mosque. A stream still flaws
there and is known as the "Old River".
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Like all famous cities,
Lahore has had its ups and downs. The Sikhs ruled it in the 18th and
19th centuries, and though it was their capital, they had a habit
of damaging the Muslim monuments and took little interest in gardens.
It is said that they took enough marble from the Moghul monuments
of Lahore to build the Golden Temple at AmnIsar twice over. Most of
the gems that decorated the palaces and the forts were also taken
out.
British too were responsible for
the desecration of many of Lahore's tombs and monuments. At one
stage the Attorney General maintained an office at the Shah Chiragh
Mosque, dak bungalows were built for the weekends at Shalamar Gardens.
Anarkali's tomb was used as an office and later consecrated as a
place of worship called St. Adrew's Church.
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It can also be conjectured
that Lahore was an industrial center in the Moghul period. The famous
guns which lie in front of the Central Museum and other places were
molded in the foundries of Lahore. Their perfection shows that the
industry was quite advanced.
Within the walled city you may come
across old Havelis or the spacious houses of the rich, which give
you an inkling of the style of the rich and notables in the Moghul
reign. Efforts are being made to preserve some of the buildings,
along with their environments, but a great deal needs to be done
to maintain them for posterity.
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The British during their
reign (1849 -1947) compensated Lahore, by harmoniously combining Mughal,
Gothic and Victorian styles of architecture.
Victorian heritage is only next to
Mughal monuments. The GPO and YMCA buildings built to commemorate
the golden jubilee of Queen Victoria - an event marked by the construction
of clock towers and monuments all over India.
They built some important buildings,
like the High Court. the Government College, the Museums, the National
College of Arts, Montgomery Hall, Tollinton Market, the Punjab University
(Old Campus) and the Provincial Assembly. At one end of The Mall
stands the University - perhaps the largest center of education
in Asia. The city has built a new Campus in the quieter environments
on the Canal Bank, but the old University buildings are still functioning.
Students from all over Pakistan come here to receive education.
Their activities completely over shadow other aspects of the cultural
life.
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Moti Masjid or Pearl Mosque
beyond the audience hall was for the exclusive use of royal ladies
carved from marble having the luster of pearls. Nearby "Naulakha",
a marble pavilion is inlaid with floral motifs and precious gems.
Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors)
built in 1631 is the most richly decorated building inside Lahore
Fort. it is named for the elaborate mosaic of convex mirrors set
in Stucco work tracery and the gilded interior. Built by emperor
Shah Jehan, for his empress and his harem, fretted marble work screens
hiding the occupants from view.
Lahore offers some delightful picnic
spots. Tourists can find shady groves and green carpets at Shalamar
Gardens, Jehangir's Tomb and the Jinnah Gardens, the Jallo Park
the newly built lqbal Park and Changa Manga Forests. Boats can be
hired at the river Ravi, or at Baradari, another of the river-side
pleasure-houses built by the Mughals and an ideal place for relaxation.
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