Posted on: 2 December 2010

View of Lahore - 1825

Watercolour of a view of Lahore, Punjab, by an anonymous artist working in the Delhi style, c. 1825. Inscribed on the front in Persian characters: 'Taswir' ['naqshah']' i dar al-saltanat Lahaur' (Picture of the seat of government Lahore); on back in English: 'The City of Lahore.'
Lahore has been subject to many different ruling dynasties over the centuries but it came to prominence under the Mughals after Babur defeated the Sultan of Delhi, Ibrahim Shah Lodi, at Panipat in 1526. As Emperor Akbar's capital city from 1584 to 1598, came the construction of some of the finest monuments in the Mughal Empire. Akbar 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 both extended the fort, built palaces and tombs, and laid out gardens. During the 18th century, as Mughal power dwindled, there were constant invasions until the Sikh ruler, Ranjit Singh, invaded and took the city in 1799 and became Emperor. Since Independence from the British 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.

Source : British Library


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Very interesting!

Google's latest search engine will be called 'Amita' ! : )

Thanks Amita! That was amazing to know!!

@Amita :I have heard that Karachi name has been derived from the name of "Kush",another son of Lord Rama.Is that true ???...Kindly enlighten us.....

Ms. Amrita, Jahangir's tomb is not in the Lahore Fort. Please correct yourself and what temple are you talking about? Any reference? I live in Lahore but I never heared that there is any temple in Lahore Fort.

RBSI - thank you. One day I would love to visit Lahore. I have many associations with the city, in particular Government College. :) With all due apologies - I am inclined to take the myth of Lahore from Lav with a pinch of salt. The region in which the Ramayana took place was not quite that far north west, from what I can recall. Of course, I may be wrong, but at this point I have my doubts. As for Karachi being associated with Kush, I don't find that even in myth! The name Karachi derives from Kolachi, i think.

Dear Amita: I think Rohini is right in questioning both the myth about Lahore and the name Karachi. Also, Farrukh is right in saying that Emperor Jahangir's tomb is not inside the Lahore Fort. I have never been there but I have studied the map of the city. Now I have a question. The four minarets around the Badshahi Masjid seen in ths painting do not seem to have cupolas. Were they destroyed by someone and rebuilt afterwards?

Amita: Thank you, but there still are corrections to be made. First, Professor Rushbrook Williams writes that "in 1013 Lahore, then called Panchalnagar, was in the hands of a Brahmin King of Kabul, from whom it was wrested by Mahmud of Ghazni, whose famous slave, Malik Ayaz, was Governor here." Second, according to the map of Lahore, Nur Jahan's tomb is also on the way to Shahdara (Jahangir's tomb) and most probably outside the Fort. Perhaps a resident of Lahore (like Mr Farrukh Manzoor) could tell us more about that. Thank you.

Farrukh: Is'nt the bagh laid out by emperor Jehangir near the tomb of Daata Durbar? I belive it is the place where annual festival of singers to search for new talent is held ?

Farrukh: I have liked your comment only so you may get a notification and you may be able to revert to our query.