Mori & Lohari
Gates Guzargah
 This guzargah
combines the route
through Mori &
Lohari gates. The
bazaars that link
these two gates are
traversed in the
form of a 'U'.
To arrive at Mori
Gate—so called since
it is the location
of an outlet for
refuse 'Mori' or
drain—from Bhati
Gate, you will need
to turn left (east)
on Circular Road,
and turn left
(north) again at
Mori Gate. No gate
exists at this
location. All you
will find is a
narrow, crowded
street leading into
the Walled City. At
the beginning of the
route you will
encounter, on your
right (east) the
shrine of Hazrat
Sakhi Manzoor
Hussain Shah
Qalandari Lahauri
alias Baba Mittiwali
Sarkar and Masjid
Jamal Mustafa on
your left (west).
Mori Gate
Proceeding north on
Mori Gate Bazaar,
past Kucha Darzian
(the tailors' row)
to view the
celebrated Victoria
Girls School, which
has recently been
restored, you should
take a turning on
the left (west).
This street is
called Kucha
Naunehal Singh which
leads you past Raja
Ranjit Singh's Mahal
to the school once
known as Haveli
Naunehal Singh.
Representative of
the Sikh Period
architecture, it
consists of several
large halls and
chambers. It was
built as residence
of Kunwar (Prince)
Naunehal Singh,
successor of
Maharaja Ranjit
Singh—the same
Naunehal Singh, who
died due to the
collapse of a
gateway, mentioned
below in this
rahguzar in
connection with
Dehli Gate Guzargah.
Apart from being a
centre of intrigue
during the
inter-Sikh wars,
some say that the
mansion witnessed
the gruesome murder
of Rani Chand Kaur,
or Rani Jindan (Chandan)
as she is also
known, by her
attendants. During
the British Period,
the building was
utilized as a girls'
school. The building
has been refurbished
in recent
years—perhaps
over-restored as is
the case with many
restoration
works—and continues
to be used for the
education of young
women.
The space on the
west of the school
is still an open
space known as Maidan
Bhaiyan Walla, which
provides a much
needed breather
amidst the congested
urban fabric. It is
worth going a few
steps west beyond
Maidan Bhaiyan Walla
to enjoy viewing a
few extant historic
residential
structures with
their intricate
woodcarving and
projecting
balconies.
Retracing your
steps, if you
proceed north on
Mori Gate Bazaar,
you will arrive at
the famous crossing
known as Chowk
Jhanda, named after
Pir Jhanday (Jhanda)
Shah mentioned above
under Guzargah 2—Bhati
Gate. Although the
buildings in the
area have been
largely rebuilt, the
survival of an old
tree is beholden to
the reverence and
esteem in which Pir
Jhanda (Saint of the
Flag) is held—the
vir is reputed to
have sat under the
shade of this tree,
a location marked
with a jhanda
(flag). Here too you
will be able to
locate a few
historic structures
from 19th and early
20th century,
reminiscent of those
that once abounded
in the area. The
area is part of the
grain market that
once flourished
here.
Chowk Jhanda,
considered by some
to be pre-Mughal,
contains a well from
Akbar's period, but
it is now blocked
up. The square also
has a close
association with the
famous saint Hassu
Teli Suhrawardy. The
saint had conducted
his trade in corn
and oil from the
chowk. In memorium
oil lamps are lit by
devotees on
Thursdays in a shop
in the square's
southeast corner,
known as Hassu
Teli's Baithak
(abode).
Branching off from
the main bazaar a
few metres north
from Chowk Jhand a
are A warn i Bazaar,
Said Mitha Bazaar
and a narrow street
leading to Masjid
Panch Pir.
Proceeding on Awami
Bazaar you will find
a few buildings that
lend the street a
special character.
At the corner of Pir
Bhola Street, on
your right (east) is
a 4-storey structure
with delicate wooden
fretwork balconies.
Next to it stands
the spectacular,
4-storey high Lal
Haveli (aka Daru
Haveli), built for
the favourite
courtesan of a
Kashmir ruler.
Flanking the Lal
Haveli is another
fine, 3-storey
building.
Before returning to
Chowk Jhanda you
might like to take a
few steps into Said
Mitha Bazaar to
experience the
general ambiance.
Lohari Gate
Proceeding south on
Lohari Mandi Bazaar,
you will find kucha
khurasian on your
left (east). Since
kharas denotes
grinding mill, in
Kucha Kharasian, as
is to be expected,
you get fleshy
ground flours of all
kinds—from wheat
(ate) and gram flour
(besan) to corn (makki)
and rice (chaival)
flour. Even though
today flours are
produced by
mechanical means,
this is the mohallah
where once grinding
was carried out by
using bullocks and
even the
hand-operated chakki.
Further south on
Lohari Mandi Bazaar,
at the corner of
Islam Gali, on your
left (east) you will
find Mandir Nihal
Chand, in a
comparatively
reasonable
condition. The three
storey structure
with its distinctive
tower dates from
1876. It was built
on the horse &
elephant stable of
Ranjit Singh's
successor Maharaja
Kharrak Singh, whose
haveli was in the
vicinity.
On the left (east)
again you will find
the famous Haji
Nihari House,
popular as an eatery
for the speciality
it offers—nihari—at
one time a breakfast
dish to provide
sustenance
throughout the day.
It is certainly
worth a try if you
like this particular
meat delicacy. One
does wish, however,
that the area was
cleaner to allow one
to enjoy the fine
offerings available
here
Almost opposite Haji
Nihari House, is a
distinctive house
with a cusped
doorway, decorative
chajjas and
balconies, reputed
to have once been a
pleasure-house and
an abode of singers
and dancers.
Chowk Lohari, also
known as Chowk
Bukhari, once
carried the name of
Chowk Chakia (the
Square of the
Courtesans). Lohari
Mandi area itself is
believed to be among
the oldest parts of
the old city—after
the destruction
caused due to the
battle between
Mahmud Ghaznavi and
the Raja of
Kallinger, the city
was reduced to
ashes. However, when
reconstruction took
place (in 1042) by
order of Mahmud
Ghaznavi's governor
Malik Ayaz (whose
tomb is situated at
the northern end of
Shahalmi Bazaar), it
was from Lohari
Mandi Mohallah
(quarter) that work
is reputed to have
been initiated.
From the crossing of
Chowk Lohari/Bukhari,
it is possible to
either go to the
bazaar called Sutar
Mandi (northeast) or
to Bukhari Bazaar
(southeast). You
should returnhalfway
from Bukhari Bazaar;
however, venturing
into Sutar Mandi
will be rewarding.
Close to Mazar Pir
Mubarik Ali Sahib
and in cul-de-sac
Katra Barkat All
will be found some
fine historic
structures. Chowk
Sutar itself is a
fine urban space and
beyond it, on your
left (west) will be
found mid-19th
century Dharamsala
Sanathan.
Proceeding north on
Sutar Mandi Bazaar,
near Kucha Sheikhan
you will find an
early 19th century
Mosque Imam Din,
named after the
Kashmir ruler during
Ranjit Singh's
reign. The mosque is
approached by a
steep flight of
steps.
Retracing your steps
to Chowk Lohari you
should proceed south
on Lohari Gate
Bazaar. If you have
gotten used to
eating off roadside
stalls, there are
quite a few eating
locations here
selling Lahori-style
delicacies—a
well-known outlet is
Shaikh Chatkhara
House. Also
available in the
bazaar are kulchas
and nans (kinds of
bread) which are
available piping hot
straight out of the
oven. They are safe
to eat and are
definitely worth
tasting.
Just before Lohari
Gate/you will find
Kucha Kababian (aka
Allama Iqbal Street)
on your right
(west), close to
which is located a
3-storey Sikh-period
structure, Baithak
Katiban—Abode of
Calligraphers.
Although the
building dates from
early 19th century,
the calligraphy
centre was
established here in
1925 by Tajuddin aka
Zarreen Qalam
(Golden Pen).
Lohari Gate Bazaar
terminates in the
two-storey Lohari
Gate. The ponderous
character of the ga
teway is believed to
be close to the
original gate. It is
likely that the
Mughal footprint of
enormous bastions
flanking the gateway
were retained with
addition of European
imagery on the
superstructure. Its
reconstruction in
1864 by Robert
Montgomery (Lieut.
Governor 1859 to
1865) is recorded on
the marble plaque
fixed above the
archway.
After his conquest
of Lahore, a
triumphant Ranjit
Singh with his
colourful retinue is
reported to have
entered the city
through this gate
when he arrived from
Wazir Khan's
Baradari.
Exiting through
Lohari Gate you will
find an Opticians'
Market on your right
(west) and garlands
and flower sellers
on your left (east).
Although Latif
asserts that Lohari
is a corruption of
Lahori, others
believe that it was
named because of the
Lohari Mandi—the
ironsmiths'
quarter—that was
located in the area.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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