In the brief history of the city a mention has been made of the gates in the citadel of Lahore, emperor, Akbar the great, built the original city wall 12 to 13 gateways. The ravages of time played havoc with this wall which is almost extinct now. The city itself, considered to be one of the most beautiful in the Indian subcontinent also did not escape pillage and plunder. During Shah Jahan reign according to an account by a Spanish monk, the city was large and capacious. It was expending and people had sort of gardens houses outside. The city streets and bazaars were well ordered, decorated pavilions of various colours and large gateways. The streets were over crowded and it was difficult to cross on a horse or camels and only in wider streets camels and elephants were seen moving the small crafts.
As all ready mentioned, the wall has disappeared but sume gate ways are in existence and if one discusses Lahore and its culture, it means the down town and old walled city. It will therefore, be only appropriate to walk through this historical city giving brief glimpses of the city, streets and bazaars houses monuments as they appear today.
The details of gates are as under:-
- The Delhi Gate: There is no particular reason for naming the gate as such except that it was so called due to its opening towards Delhi, on the high road from Lahore and in that direction. Marching on the circular road from Shah Almi, Mochi Gate, just opposite Landa Bazaar one takes a left hand turn and travels towards the walled city. The old area outside Delhi Gate under occupation of gardens ditch can no longer be seen in stead, on both sides, there are under cloth shops, kitchen wares, plastic wares, opticians, bangle sellers and so on.
- The Roshnai Gate: The Roshnai Gate or a “gate of light”. This is between the royal mosque and the citadel. Being the principal entrance from the fort to the city, it was most frequented by the omerahs, courtries, royal servants and retinues and the quarters about here were profusely lighted up at night it was called “gate of light” or gate of splendour. The work for the entrants gust as the light house for the see traverller.
- The Kashmiri Gate: The Kashmiri Gate so named, because it faces the direction of kashmire. The kashmiri caste is living here such as Bhat now a days.
- The Masti Gate: The name is the corruption of Masjid or pertaining mosque of Mariam Zamani, mother of Jahangir, is in its immediate vicinity, hence its name masti gate.
- The Khizri Gate: The khizri gate as the river in former times flowed by the city wall, and the ferry was the near this spot. The gate was therefore, named khizri gate, after the name of Khizar (elias) the patron saint, according to the Muhammeden belief of running waters and streams and discover of the water of immortality. Ranjit Singh kept; here to domesticated lions in a cage, and the gate came to be called Sheranwala, or the lions gate. People now called it by both names the khizri and the sherawala gateway.
- The Yakki Gate: The original name was zakki gate that being the name opf a martyr saint who according to tradition fell fighting against Mughal infidels from the north, while gallantly defending his city, his head was cut off at the gate, but the trunk continued fighting for some tme, and at last fell in a quarter of the city close by one tomb of this champion was consequently built at the spot where the head had fallen, and another at the place where the tunk lay. Both are revered by the faithful to this day.
7: The Akbari gate: The Akbari gate named after Muhammad Jalal-ud-din Akbar, who rebuilt the town and citadel. Close to this gate the emperor also founded a market, which after his name, is called “Akbari Mandi”.Here corn of every description is sold.
8: The Mochi gate: The Mochi gate, the name is the corruption of Moti, a pearl it was called so after the name of Moti Raam, an officer of Akbar, who resided here at that time. This gate is so popular for the big prosessions and political meetings.The resulotion of Pakistan is consernd with this gate. All the basic necessities of life are easily available now. So this gate is very essential for marketing.
9: The Shah Almi gate: The Shah Almi gate, named after Muhammad Moazzam Shah, Alm Bahadur Shah (the son and successor of Aurangzeb), a mild and munificend emperor, who died at Lahore on the 28th February 1712.
Now a days, the gate has demolished but its blazzing signs are shinning in the face of decoration pieces and toys, sculpturs etc, and this is one of them.
10: The Lahori gate: The Lahori gate called also, the gate was named after the city of Lahore.It is said that when Malik Ayaz rebuilt the town, in the time of Mohamed Jaznavi,the quarter of the city first populated was about this gate, which together with the Lahori Mandi or the Lahore Market was named after the city.In addition,this gate is link with Anar Kali after crossing the road, which is the busiest bazaar of Lahore, Pakistan even the foreigner whenever come to Pakistan, they must see the Anar Kali bazaar.
11: The Mori gate: The Mori gate is the smallest of the gateways, and as its name implies was in old times used as an outlet for the refuse and sweeping of the city. More information about this gate we have for you, it is the center of lahori gate ahd Bhatti gate. When Raja Japal had been quarling with Malik Ayaz,Sultan Mehmood Ghaznzvi to ordered to his army that entered in the city because they have no another way for coming,then,he ardered to demolished the wall and entered in the city and after some time, the English period was amendmended to this gate.
12: The Bhatti gate: This is most popular gate than the others that is exist since Malik Ayaz.When Mehmood Ghaznavi defeated the Raja Japal,the caste of Bhatt(Bhatti) had been surving here and they said if this gate is known by our name, we are agree to settle here,now this place is empty to this caste.This gate is very famous about cooking(pakwan),that has become identity, for some distance here a historical mosque, is called “Onchi Masjid).The bazaar-e-haqima(papar mandi)is the reason of this gate’s papularty ,that is center of herbal.
13: The Taxali gate: The Taxali gate so called from the taxal, are Royal Mint, having been in its neighbourhood during the period of the Mahomedan Emperor. Archaeologists have conjectured, not without some grounds,that the name bears an allusions to the ancient city of taxila,noted for one of the most meritorious acts of Budhas alms giving,when he bestowed his head incharity and identified by general cunning ham with the ruins of shah-ki-dheri,in Rawal Pindi.However,this may be,it is clear that the name must have been derived from the Takkas,who where once the undisputed masters of the Punjab and who still exist in considerable numbers in the hills between the Jehlum and Ravi.
Text by Ghulam Naqashband and Photos by Sajjad Butt
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