Lahore
(1999 est. pop. 7 million). Lahore is the capital of the Punjab province of Pakistan and is the country's cultural and industrial center and its secondlargest city. There are contrary views as to the origin of its name. According to folklore, Lahore was established by Loh, the son of Rama, the renowned hero of the Hindu epic the Ramayana. However, others believe it derives from the word loh-awar, which means a fort as strong as iron and which refers to the fort built to protect the city.
Historically, Lahore has played a significant role in the region. It has been the capital of Punjab province for almost a thousand years. The city first achieved this status during the Ghaznavid dynasty (977–1187). It continued as such under the rule of Muhammad of Ghor as well as under several sultans of Delhi. Qutb-ud-din Aibak became the first Muslim sultan in the area after being crowned in Lahore in 1206. From 1524 to 1752, the Mughal dynasty (1526–1857) raised the level of prominence of Lahore by adding considerably to its architecture and size. Akbar (reigned 1556–1605) was responsible for overseeing the construction of the Lahore Fort, which was built over an old fort. In addition, he had a red-brick wall with twelve impressive gates constructed around the city. Shah Jahan (1592–1666) and Janhangir (reigned 1605–1627) contributed palaces, tombs, and gardens to the city landscape and enlarged the fort. The last great Mughal, Aurangzeb, had the famous monument the Badshahi Mosque built along with the Alamgiri gateway to the fort.
The eighteenth century witnessed constant invasions throughout the region, which laid Lahore open to capture by Ranjit Singh (reigned 1801–1839) in 1799. His control over Lahore afforded him the legitimacy that he needed to become emperor. Unfortunately, the Sikh era was not kind to Lahore; the existing structures were not well maintained, and few new ones were built. When the British arrived in Lahore in 1849,they initially constructed practical facilities for the administration of the capital. Later, however, they worked to preserve some of the ancient structures and eventually added their own Victorian style of architecture, named Mughal-Gothic, to the city.
The Budshahi Mosque in Lahore. (CORBIS)In 1940, Lahore was the site of a significant Muslim League session during which the Lahore Resolution was proposed. This resolution called for a separate state for the Muslim population of India, leading to the creation of Pakistan on 14 August 1947. Lahore is now a major industrial and cultural center and home to several leading institutions of higher education. Its mix of numerous styles of architecture, from ancient to modern, is a significant tourist attraction.
Houman A. Sadri
Further Reading
Alter, Stephen. (2000) Amritsar to Lahore: Crossing the Border between India and Pakstan. Columbia, MO: South Asia Books.
Mizra, Jasmin. (2002) Between Chaddor and Market: Female Office Workers in Lahore. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Tahir, M. Athor. (1999) Lahore Colours. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
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