Lohari Gate
Published: 07/10/2009
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 will, 12-13 gateways. The ravages of time played havoc with this wall which is almost extinct now. The city, itself, considered to be one of th4e most beautiful in the Indian sub-continent, also did not escape the pillage and plunder, During Shah Jahan’s reign according to an account by a Spanish Monk, the city was large and capacious. It was expanding and people had sort of garden houses outside. The city streets and bazaars were well ordered, decorated pavilions of various colors and large gateways. The streets were over-crowded and it was difficult to cross on a horse or camel and only in wider streets camels and elephants were seen moving the small carts. Mughals lost to the Afghans who subsequently handed over to Sikhs, and unfit as they were to rule the country, the city was spoiled and ruined. During Sikh period economic conditions worsened. The population deserted and this place of culture reached its lowest ebb. As already mentioned, the wall has disappeared but some gateways are in existence and if one discusses Lahore and its culture it means the downtown and the old walled city. It will, therefore, be only appropriate to walk through this historical city giving brief glimpses of the city streets, houses, bazaars, and monuments as they appear today.
The main gates still in existence are Bhati Gate, Lohari Gate, Dellhi Gate, Sheranwala Gate and Kashmiri Gate. Entering the city through the Lohari Gate one has either to come through the over-crowed Anarkali Bazar or approach via Circular Road from Lower Mall and Bhati side sniffing a lot of cor dung and road dust and that too if you have a good luck to escape the pushes and beats of the tongas, carts, rickshaws, taxis, hand carts and other two wheelers. Right in front of Lohari Gate where used to be a garden around, laid by the British, one finds concrete and cement plastered buildings, shops, khokhas and stalls. On the right garlands and flower sellers. On the left is the optician market and fruit sellers sitting just under the doorway/gate. The gate is over 20 feet in width, about 20 feet in height and on upstairs some occupants permanently residing.
This gate was rebuilt for the third time in 1864 by Sir Robert Montgomery, the then Governor of Punjab. Moving into the bazaar on the right side one finds grocery shops and stores of dry eatable stuffs. On the left there are quite a few shops which sell kababs.Cutlets and cooked food. The bazaar has some really good eating points with Shaikh Chatkhara House outstanding, where almost all the items, which are cooked and sold in Lahori style. Nearby there are sweetmeat shops with oven hot bread and Nan Kulchas. The Lohari bazaar after reaching the Bokhari chowk crossing turns left, to ‘Lohari Mandi’ which on its right side has the famous ‘Haji Nehari House’ and on the left meat and a few grocery shops. The bazaar and city streets present a really deplorable scene. These are stinking and smelling. It is really very difficult for an outsider (especially visiting the city for a the first time) to breathe properly. On both sides of the bazaar open sewerage drains carry filth and refuse which includes everything.Across the Lohari Mandi one turns left to Chowk Jhanda but just before that on the right side is ‘Kucha Kharasin’. ‘Kharas’ is a word, which, is used for a ‘Grinding Mill’. In the olden days grain was ground in this area by using the bullocks which pulled the grinding mill but these days these are operated with electric motors. There you get the fresh and pure wheat floor or ‘basin’ of grams or whatever you like. Turning left from Chowk Jhanda is an area of about one kanal which although filled with lot of paraphernalia provides a space to the residents for their marriages, and the roccasios and a space to get together. From here the street leads us towards the west and we reach the famous Victoria Girls High School which was haveli of Nau Nihal singh. This lofty haveli was one of the most magnificent buildings of Lahore City. It was built by nau Nihal singh s/o Maharaja Kharak Singh, as his private residence. It has numerous spacious chambers, halls and balconies. The roofs are decorated with mirrors. The walls are richly and tastefully ornamented with glasses and artificial flowers. After occupation of the British and even till date it is used as Girls School. The façade of Haveli has been recently spoiled where cheap painters tried to renovate at the stucco tracery work. In front of the Haveli there is another open space which is called “Maidan Bhaian wala” from where following Kucha Shah Inayat one enters Bhati Gate Bazar. On the left of Bhati Gate, which takes the visitor to the Police Station and outside, rightwards is the Shrine of Data Sahib, and, on left Mori Gate.From Kucha Shah Inayat moving up north the bazaar is dirty and full of heaps of rubbish. Quite stingy, filthy and foul smell leads one to the Faqir Khana Museum. This museum belongs to the Faqir Family who worked as ‘Wazir’ and ‘Hakim’ of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. This old city museum has quite a few antiques, portraits, furniture pieces and other art works since those times. The building, which was constructed in traditional style with small bricks till about 15 years back, was in its original condition. Unfortunately the custodians have got it rapaired in cement plaster, whitewashed and spoiled its original architectural character. The same road goes up to Tibbi Police Station and in the same premises is located old Tehsil of Lahore and you are just in Chowk chakla now given a different name of Novelty Chowk or taranam Chowk. Just close to the gate of Police Station is the Tibbi gali, which used to house quarters of courtesans, where people used to go for a good time. Unfortunately this is now is a very bad state of decay. From Chowk Chakla westwards one finds Bazar Sheikhupurian which is now Shoe Market and some other shops.On the right side moving eastwards one passes through the main bazaar i.e. Chakla which leads upto ‘Pani Wala Talab’. On both sides of this bazaar there are residential quarters and some singers and dancers reside upstairs. The shops are mostly small hotels and music instruments makers such as Dholak, Harmonium and tabla. Half way through this bazaar on your left is the Roshanai Gate, which leads you to the Fort and Badshahi Mosque through Hazoori Bagh. From ‘Pani Wala Talab’ coming downwards one follows Gumti Bazar. Interestingly on our visit we found artificial jewellery makers who were finishing the Bangles with hand and to most perfect precision. For one hundred bangles he would charge only Rs.100/-. This bazaar again leads towards Lohari Mandi and both sides of the bazaar are full of cloth merchants and shoemakers, fruit sellers and small hosiery shops. In between Lohari and Gumti there is the small old Masjid, Bohr Wali.In contrast to the description narrated in the Mughal period the maintenance of the buildings appears to be quite shabby and poor. The people were generally ill dressed with pulled and drawn faces. The feeling was that they are in depression. Most probably the hygienic conditions are effecting generally health conditions. However, one of the significant aspects of attitude of residents on questioning was their hospitality. Every person would invariably ask for a cup of tea, drink or any other service. An insider revealed that Lahore has no parallel of its stingy mornings and aromatic evenings.
Lohari Gate
