Lahore, cultural capital of Pakistan
|
|
Lahore, cultural capital of Pakistan |
Badshahi Mosque, Lahore
| Lahore, cultural capital of Pakistan |
| With Karachi as the business
city and Islamabad the seat of the government, Lahore is Pakistan's
cultural capital. It is also the city in Pakistan most visited by
tourists. This was our second visit to the city after our short stay in
May before our loop in India and Nepal. This time around we had quite a
number of practical things to do : to fix the computer and to maintain the
car. Lahore will remain in our memories as the cities where the local
people have tried their best to make us feel at home (including some
people at a Toyota dealership who wanted to change the whole of Troopie's
front suspensions !). We got a surprise cake for our 3rd wedding anniversary
and paid an amazing number of visits to McDonalds after suffering of lack
of beef consumption in India.
|
|
|
| Badshahi Mosque & Lahore Fort, Lahore |
| Lahore is home to the last
and largest of Moghul mosques, Badshahi Mosque. Completed in 1676, it is
one of the last examples of Moghul art. Capable of holding 60,000 people,
it is one of the largest mosques in the world. The mosque is home to the
mausoleum of the poet Allama Iqbal who first came out with the idea of an
independent Pakistan. It is also said that the name Hindustan, the area
covering all of the former British India is to be found in his works. His
works can thus be used as the source of partition as well as the source of
unity of India and Pakistan ! It is remarquable to notice that people in
both countries do not speak of independence but of partition.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inside the Badshahi Mosque, Lahore
|
|
"In 1991 the mosque gained
international attention when hard-line mullahs protested at the visit of
the Princess of Wales : her skirt was considered too short and the
director of the mosque was criticised for presenting HRH, a non-Muslim,
with a copy of the Holy Quran and allowing her into sacred precincts while
immodestly dressed. The case went to court and ended with the litigant
mullahs being ordered to stop wasting the judge's time" (Lonely
Planet Pakistan)
|
|
|
|
The Naulakha, Marble Pavilion, Lahore Fort
|
| Besides the Shalimar gardens,
our last visit in Lahore was that of the Jehangir Mausoleum. Set in
elegant gardens (and impressive lawn mowing devices) this mausoleum is an
area of peace of quiet in an otherwise busy city.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jehangir's beautifully decorated and peaceful mausoleum. Lahore
|
|
|
|
Lahore's notorious lawn mowers
|
We are doing well !
 |
||
| Lahore to Quetta | Back to Trip page | South Punjab |
