Another must-see
The Walled City of Lahore has witnessed many notable eras and empires which painted Lahore in their own ways. In the narrow meandering streets of the old city you can still find remnants of the glorious past. It is not arduous to visualise the bygone majesty by looking at the countless striking structures that are still intact while some have crumbled to grime.
Among copious stunning monuments the gates of the walled city cannot be overlooked. The Walled City of Lahore was known so because of a 9-meter high brick wall having a rampart running around it. The thirteen wooden gates gave access to the city from all sides and were closed after sunset. The purpose was to protect the city from the enemies’ assail. These gates along the wall were constructed during Mughal Emperor Akbar’s era (1584-1598). During Ranjit Singh’s (the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire 1799 to 1849) reign, the fast falling walls were rebuilt which existed till the 19th century. The Gates and Wall of the Walled City of Lahore were demolished during the British Raj. The bricks of bulldozed gates and walls were used in the construction of the Railway Station and other buildings by a contractor name Mian Sultan. Only the Roshnai Gate near the Samadhi of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh survived and still attains it originality. The additions of circular garden and circular road were made instead of the wall by the British. Historians claim that all the city gates were built on the pattern of Roshnai Gate. Some of the gates were rebuilt but in simple structures. The Delhi Gate and Lahori Gate, if taken a deep look at, reflect the colonial architecture. Only six of the thirteen ancient gates are intact till today. It is said by the historians that some gates fell apart during the war of independence and were never reconstructed. The gates we see today are Delhi, Shairanwala, Bhati, Kashmiri, Lohari and Roshnai, rest are a chapter of history now. I wish I could see the real stateliness of the city enclosed in a wall; just envision the life and defence measures in those times.
There is a girl’s school established in an old haveli. Nobody has any information about this haveli but in some history books it is mentioned as “Haveli Rani Gul Begum’
Kashmiri Gate falls between the Shairanwala and Masti Gates on the circular road and is adjacent to Delhi Gate. The Kashmiri Gate is named so because it faces the direction of Kashmir. During Mughal rule Kashmir had an immense importance and so did this gate. It is one of the gates which were reconstructed by the British in a much simpler form and has a similar architectural character as the Bhati Gate. A lofty pointed archway is flanked by solid portions on either side which are divided into panels in the Mughal manner. Although constructed with brick masonry, it has been painted. A steep path constructed with Nanak Shahi bricks leads to the main road and is known as Kashmiri Ghati (slope). There are remains of the old wall reconstructed in Ranjit Singh’s times accompanied by some worn-out buildings. The decrepit doors and balconies of these buildings still exist as proof of past glory and transformations. It is a wide-spread bazaar with narrow markets and alleyways in every corner.
Like other gates, the interior of this gate has many shops which are mostly encroachments. This is one of the main issues of deterioration of monuments inside the Walled City. Most of the Gates and monuments are encroached upon by several encroachments. As we traverse through the gates of the Walled City we start noticing the temporary stalls and vendors occupying the place. In this gate as well, there are tea, lassi, fruit and juice stalls.
There is a girl’s school established in an old haveli. Nobody has any information about this haveli but in some history books it is mentioned as “Haveli Rani Gul Begum’. This Haveli was named after one of the wives of Maharaja Ranjit Singh who lived in this place after her marriage with the Maharaja. The Maharaja at the age of 51 married this girl who was a courtesan and brought her to Lahore from Amritsar. At that time he bought her this Haveli inside Kashmiri Gate.
The area inside the Kashmiri gate is more commercialised than residential. The interesting streets are Takia Kabootar Shah, Katri Bawa and the Kashmiri Block
Another interesting fact about Kashmiri Gate is that it is located on the highest point inside The Walled City. The city was constructed over a mound and archival pictures and paintings show the gate as the highest point of the city. At the same point comes another marvel of the old times, near Kashmiri Ghati, the Bangla of Ayub Shah. It was built in the Sikh period in 1849 and was taken over by an Afghan chieftain Ayub Shah. Bangla Ayub Shah was important as “secret escape tunnels” emerged from there and headed towards River Ravi as it flowed near the gate. At present the only thing we see is a roman style veranda on the front side while the rest of the building has collapsed with the passage of time.
The area inside the Kashmiri gate is more commercialised than residential. The interesting streets are Takia Kabootar Shah, Katri Bawa and the Kashmiri Block. As we pass through the Kashmiri Block we can approach the Chuna Mandi College and the Janam Asthan of Guru Arjun Ram Das who was the fourth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and was born in Chuna Mandi in 1534. On the other side, the road leads to the Purani Kotwali Chowk where Wazir Khan Mosque is located. The gate also leads towards Asia’s biggest cloth market, Azam Cloth Market. This is an interesting and a colourful sight.
This passage is being used by tourists but unfortunately is not very popular in terms of a tourism trail. There is a lot of history to be shown in this route. The entire walled city is a labyrinth and any turning from any gate can lead you to a new location. It is better to have a tourist guide along if you are new to the place, but it’s a must visit-site.
