Sights and Sounds of Pakistan: Lahore Old City Part-3

Sights and Sounds of Pakistan: Lahore Old City Part-3

Undoubtedly, the gate derives its name from the city of Lahore. Since the gate faces present Ichra, which was the actual Lahore in Hindu Raj, it is known as Lahori Gate. This gateway still exists in its renovated form and is famous for being one of the main
entrances of the city. The out way from the famous Anarkali bazar leads directly to this gate. The gate is locally referred to as "Lohari" instead of "Lahori".

Shah Aalmi Gate: This gate is named after Mohamad Moazam Shah Alam Bahader Shah, the son and successor of Aurangzaib. During the partition riots in 1947, this gate was burnt to ashes, now only the name remains.

Mochi Gate: This gate was situated between Shah Aalmi and Akbari Gate. Mochi Gate has been named in honour of Moti, a Hindu guard of the gate during the Mughal era, who guarded and looked after the gate all his life. Later the name was distorted and became
Mochi. There is a prominent grave of a saint, which in olden times, this grave was in one of the cubical of the gate.

Akbari Gate: This gate was named after the Emperor Akbar who rebuilt the town and the citadel. No traces of it exist today. However, the nearby famous market place "Akbari Mandi" takes its name from Emperor Akbar.

Sheran Wala Gate: During the reign of Ranjit Singh he had kept here two domesticated lions (Sher in urdu) and the gate came to be called Sheran Wala Gate.

Yakki Gate: The original name was ‘Zaki’ – after the name of a saint who according to tradition died fighting against the Mughals, while gallantly defending the city. It is said that even after his head was cut off at the gate, his trunk continued fighting
for some time, and then fell close by. Head and the trunk of the saint was buried at their fallen places separately and both are revered to this day. No traces of this gate are found now.

Since the gate faces the direction of Kashmir, it is called Kashmiri Gate. The gate has also been renovated and exists till date.

To be continued…

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Posted by Naveed A Bari on May 9 2012. Filed under Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry