LAHORE (of  Pakistan )

Hello my name is Arij & Welcome to my site. In this site
I have just tried to explore the city of Lahore. I hope
you will enjoy. Thanks for visiting.

History Of Lahore.

Lahore is undoubtedly ancient. Legend had it that it was founded by Loh, son of Rama Chandra, the hero of the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. Some others think that the name means Loh-awar, meaning a "Fort as strong as Iron".
It waxed and waned in importance during the Sultanate.
But, Muslim rule began here when Qutub-ud-din Aibak was crowned in Lahore in 1206 and thus became the first Muslim Sultan of the subcontinent.

It reached its full glory under Mughal rule from 1524 to1752. It was Akbar's capital for the 14 years from 1584 to 1598. He built the massive Lahore
Fort on the foundations of a previous fort and enclosed the city within
a red brick wall boasting 12 gates.
Jahangir and Shah Jahan (who was born in Lahore) extended the fort, built palaces and tombs, and laid out gardens. Jahangir loved the town and he and his wife Nur Jahan are buried at Shahdara. Shah Jahan was born in Lahore and added buildings. The last of the great Mughals, Aurangzeb (1658-1707), gave Lahore its most famous monument, the great Badshahi Masjid and the Alamgiri gate way to the fort.

During the eighteenth century, as Moghul power dwindled, there were constant invasions. Lahore was a suba - a province of the Empire. There were subadars, provincial rulers with their own court. These Governors managed as best they could though for much of the time it must have been a rather thankless task to even attempt. The 1740s were years of chaos, and between 1745 and 1756 there were nine changes of Governor.
Invasions and chaos in local government allowed bands of Warring Sikhs to gain control in some areas. Lahore ended up being ruled by a triumvirate of Sikhs of loose character and the population of the city invited Raja Ranjit Singh to invade. He took the city in 1799. Holding the capital gave him some legitimacy; he became Emperor. The Sikh period was bad news for the protection of ancient buildings. Some survived, misused and knocked about a bit and a few new ones were added. Nevertheless, descriptions of Lahore during the early 19th century refer to it as a "melancholy picture of fallen splendor."

The British added a great many buildings, plenty of "Moghul Gothic", as well as some shady bungalows and gardens. Early on, the British tended to build workaday structures in sites like the Fort, though later they did start to make an effort to preserve some ancient buildings. The Lahore Cantonment, the British residential district of wide, tree-lined streets and white bungalows set in large, shaded gardens, is the prettiest cantonment in Pakistan. Since Independence in 1947, Lahore has expanded rapidly as the capital of Pakistani Punjab. It is the second-largest city in the country and an important industrial center.

Modern Lahore.

Lahore is still growing, and Just like any other city, there is incessant redevelopment. Old buildings become replaced by modern concrete architecture. Modern sites of Interest include the Minar-i-Pakistan which
marks the spot where the Pakistan Resolution was passed on 23rd March 1940.
It is located in lqbal Park. The tomb of the philosopher and poet is in the Hazuri Bagh beside the Badshahi Masjid.
The Wapda House building is, an example of a modern office block, with a glass dome and a roof garden. Behind is the Punjab Assembly Hall and before both, the modern Summit Minar are more interesting.

Out side the museum, not far away, Zamzama, the 18th century fire piece immortalized by Kipling as "Kim's Gun", takes up surprising length of space in the middle of road.

Ask any Lahori today what Lahore is, what it is all about.
You will only get a warm smile, his dark black eyes shining with mischief
and a blunt statement with an air of unquestionable certainty "Lahore
Lahore hai" (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 prominent 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 Sub-Continent.

Created by arij ali.

Lahore Museum.

Lahore Central Museum, was originally the" Industrial Art Museum of the Punjab".
Lahore was important because of the key position of Punjab
in the Indian Empire.
Recently annexed, efficiently administered in less than 30 years there had been
progress in irrigation,
land settlement and forestation.

The British were also keen to foster, develop and support local craftsmanship.
Many projects were undertaken.
There are Gandhara, Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Indus valley and Islamic collections,
wonderful paintings from Moghul times and from the Punjab Hills, and many wonderful examples of handicrafts, rugs and carvings

The Museums most famous exhibits include a Koran
which is a thousand
years old,
and several sculptures including the emaciated fasting Siddhartha from Taxila, the miracle of Sarasvati, and the green goddess, Athena .