Dehli & Yakki
Gates Guzargah
 Because of the
proximity of these
two gates, a tour
route traversing the
bazaars linking the
two gates has been
devised. The
guzargah begins at
the entrance to
Dehli Gate, en route
going past important
sites and bazaars,
and the exit is
through Yakki Gate.
From Akbari Gate,
traveling northeast
on Circular Road,
and going past the
mazar (shrine) of
Hazrat Sakhi Shah
Ghous Qadri (see
Chapter 9, Sufi
Rahguzar for
details) a turning
to the left (west)
leads you to Dehli
Gate.
It is also possible
to proceed to the
east gateway of the
Lahore Citadel from
Dehli Gate by
proceeding northwest
beyond Chowk Wazir
Khan along Chowk
Kotwali. Proceeding
in Guzargah 9 and
following Kotwali
Walla Bazaar, Chuna
Mandi Chowk and
Chuna Mandi Bazaar
via Masti Gate
Bazaar, you will be
able to reach the
east ramparts and
Akbari/Masti Gateway
of the Citadel.
Dehli & Yakki
Gates
Constructed during
the British Period,
Delhi or Dehli Gate
is one of the few
extant gateways. Its
architectural
character is of the
same vintage as
Lawrence &
Montgomery Halls
(1861-66) in
Lawrence Gardens.
The deep, lofty
2-storey archway,
well set back from
Circular Road,
presents its
neo-classical
facade, including
pilasters,
pedimented windows
and decorative roof
balustrading.
Several attached
rooms were
originally utilized
as magistrate's
court and police
offices—no doubt
designed to keep the
unruly natives in
check! When Akbar
built it, the gate
was the most
important of gates,
facing as it did
towards Dehli, the
Mughal capital.
Among the most
well-known of
bazaars, Dehli Gate
Bazaar is extremely
crowded, but it is
among the most
interesting of the
Walled City bazaars.
Much of the old
feeling and ambiance
can be experienced
here, perhaps more
than in other
bazaars of the city.
Many historic
structures of
considerable
architectural merit
dating from
late-18th and 19th
century can be found
lining the street,
complete with finely
carved wooden
jharokas and
balconies. Shops
lining both sides of
the length of the
bazaar offer a
multitude of
wares—whether
household goods,
fabrics and
ready-made garments,
or rehal (stands for
the Holy Quran) and
hookahs and tobacco,
they can all be
found here.
The first important
monument is located
almost immediately
after the gate. This
is the 17th century
Shahi Hammam (for
details see Mughal
Rahguzar) built by
Wazir Khan, subehdar
(governor) of the
Punjab during
Shahjahan's reign,
mentioned earlier.
Shahi Hammam is
increasingly gaining
importance as a
venue for musical
evenings during the
festival of basant—the
advent of spring
during the months of
February and March.
Proceeding
northwest, just
after Shahi Hammam,
if you turn left
(southwest), you
will enter Tung
Bazaar (tan^ =
narrow) and Gur
Mandi, chock-full of
groceries including
mounds of spices. It
is an engaging
experience just to
walk through it!
From Dehli Gate
Bazaar you can also
go directly to Yakki
Gate Bazaar if you
take a turning to
the right, just
before Chowk Wazir
Khan, goingpast
Haveli Alif Shah in
Kucha Din Muhammad
and through Kucha
Mehar Ghous.
Dehli Gate Bazaar
directly leads to
Chowk Wazir Khan,
which is marked by
deep-vaulted, Mughal
gateway referred to
as Chitta Darwaza
(White gateway), so
called because of
lack of
ornamentation and
decoration on this
doorway in contrast
to the profusely
decorated mosque
beyond the chowk or
crossing. Chowk
Wazir Khan was
originally conceived
as a forecourt and
is referred to as
filait Khana in
historical sources.
It was originally
extremely
spacious—not
surprising, since it
was designed to
accommodate the
large retinue of the
emperor during
Friday prayers.
Subsequently
however, shop
structures
constructed here
have constricted the
original space and
compromised the
splendor of the
chowk.
As you proceed in
the same direction,
you will encounter
another vintage
gateway and along
with it the
appetizing aroma of
freshly baked bread
(nans and kulchas)
from the nearby
tandoor. Beyond the
gateway you might
like to refresh
yourself by tasting
the milk dishes
being offered in a
small restaurant,
along with green tea
and snacks.
It is the opening
between the two
gateways that today
leads to the yard
leading to the
mosque itself.
Luckily, in spite of
many makeshift
structures, in this
yard the original
architectural
character can be
experienced due to
the historic
surviving buildings
bordering its
periphery.
A shrine belonging
to the 13th century
saint Syed Saif Suf
Faiz Bakhsh located
in this area was
integrated into the
chowk. It was Sultan
Contractor who, on
the urging of Major
Macregor, DC Lahore,
built the shrine of
Syed Saif Suf (1850)
at the same time as
he constructed Dina
Nath well. To step
into the front yard
of the mosque
bordered by historic
buildings, is even
today a rewarding
spatial experience,
representative as it
is of the
architectural and
spatial character of
the historic Walled
City.
Beyond Chowk Wazi r
Khan is situated the
spectacular Masj id
Wazir Khan. In order
to enjoy visiting
this mosque, you
might like to refer
to the Mughal
Rahguzar where it is
discussed in detail.
In the courtyard of
this celebrated
mosque you will find
the shrine of a much
revered 13th century
Sufi saint Syed
Ishaq Gazruni or
Sabz Pir as he is
popularly referred
to (for details see
Sufi Rahguzar).
At the time of
construction of the
mosque, Wazir Khan
had built shops
lining the stretch
of bazaar between
the mosque and Dehli
Darwaza. He also
built the Shahi
Hammam mentioned at
the beginning of
this guzargah along
with a serai for
travelers. Today,
theharnmam is still
extant, though the
serai is no longer
traceable. The
destruction of the
bazaar, serai and
the Mughal period
Dehli Gate is
attributed to later
Sikh rule. At the
time, on the orders
of Kanwar Naunehal
Singh to clear the
area surrounding
Dehli and Akbari
Darwazas, most of
the havelis of
Mughal grandees,
including that of
Fidai Khan (the
architect of
Badhshahi Mosque),
located in the
vicinity were
destroyed. The work
was carried out
under the
supervision of
Monseiur Allard, a
French adventurer
and later general in
the Sikh army.
The destruction of
the mazar boundary
of saint Shah
Muhammad Ghous as
well as that of an
ancient mosque was a
source of much anger
among the local
Muslim population.
It is said that the
death of Maharaja
Ranjit Singh on the
same night saved the
shrine from being
pulled down. Later,
the death of the
successor Kunwar
Naunehal Singh, due
to the collapse of a
wall as he was
returning after
lighting the funeral
pyre of his father
Kharrak Singh, is
attributed to the
disrespect shown to
Shah Muhammad Ghous
shrine.
The location of the
Dehli Darwaza built
by the British is of
much controversy
since historian
Abdullah Chughtai
believes that at the
time of
reconstruction the
original location of
the Mughal darwaza
was disregarded.
Chughtai also
believes that due to
the change of
location of the
gateway, many more
Mughal buildings
must have been
destroyed to make
way for the new
Dehli Darwaza.
From Chowk Wazir
Khan, it is possible
to go directly to
Yakki Gate if you
take a turning to
your right (east)
which takes you
through Chauhatta
Wasti Wagat and
Chauhatta Qazi. If
you continue on this
route you will go
past Kucha Kund
Rawan, which leads
to Yakki Gate
Bazaar. Although
there are some shops
en route it is
largely a
residential area.
Travelling southeast
along Yakki Gate
Bazaar leads you to
the gate. Just
inside Yakki Gate
are the two shrines
of Pir Zaki Shaheed
in one of which his
head and in the
other his body is
buried.Taksalee & Bhati Gates Guzargah
Mori & Lohari Gates Guzargah
Shahalmi Gate 1 & 2 Guzargah
Mochi & Akbari Gates Guzargah
Dehli & Yakki Gates Guzargah
Sheranwala Gate Guzargah
Kashmiri & Masti Gates Guzargah
Roshni Gate Guzargah
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