Shahalmi Gate 1 &
2 Guzargah
Shahalmi Bazaar
extends from south
to north through a
major part of the
Walled City and due
to its extended
nature is detailed
in two maps for the
two Guzargahs—Shahalmi
Gate I and II.
From Lohari Gate
proceeding east on
Circular Road, you
should turn left
(north) on Shahalmi
Gate—a gate named
after Emperor
Muhammad Mo'zaam
Shah Alam Bahadur,
who died in Lahore
in 1712.
There is no longer a
gate in this
location, since the
whole area was burnt
down during a fire
at the time of
partition (1947) and
the ensuing riots.
The area was rebuilt
and modernized after
the fire, due to
which it has an
urban fabric vastly
divergent from the
remaining Walled
City.
The original
Shahalmi was a
centre of wholesale
commerce, providing
an outlet for the
countryside of the
Punjab. Although the
post-partition
development is
vastly different
from the original
one, over the years
Shahalmi has become
equally valuable as
a centre of
wholesale trading,
once again supplying
every imaginable
item.
Not surprisingly,
the main bazaar is
highly congested,
and whether using a
vehicle or on foot,
one needs to be
equally vigilant to
negotiate the
chaotic traffic.
Shahalmi Gate 1
 Before entering the
gateway, across the
circular road you
will notice a
double-storey mosque
painted white. This
is the famous 'One
Night' Mosque, which
became celebrated
because of the
couplet of the poet
Iqbal:
Fired with
faith they erected
the mosque in one
night;
Though the mind is
sinful which could
not become a devotee
even after years of
meditation.
The couplet pointed
towards the tussle
between the Hindu
and Muslim
communities to
construct a place of
worship in the same
location. The
enthusiastic group
of Muslims, in one
night erected a
mosque in May 1922
and occupied the
place. The mosque,
being unauthorized,
was later
demolished, but in
1934 the present
structure was
erected by
Anujaman-e-Islamia
after obtaining the
approval from Lahore
Municipality.
The beginning of the
double carriageway
of Shahalmi is
marked by a famous
shrine—Darbar All
Shah Qalandari. From
the double
carriageway, on the
left (west) is Papar
Mandi Street leading
to Papar Mandi Chowk,
also known as Chowk
Mitti (Latif terms
it Matti ka Chowk}.
Before turning on to
Papar Mandi Street,
a famous landmark of
the locality is a
well built mosque,
known as the Lal
Masjid.
Before the chowk on
the right (north),
and camouflaged by
shops is located
Mosque Moran also
known as Mosque
Tarro Moran. This
small mosque built
in 1224 /1809 by a
courtesan of
Maharaja Ranjit
Singh is
approachable from
the bazaar by a
flight of steps.
Moran was an
extremely powerful
figure at the
Maharaja's durbar
(court), in whose
name special rupees
called Moran Shahi
were minted.
Chowk Mitti itself
is dominated at its
western corner by a
tall spectacular
British-period
Haveli Lakhe Shah.
Leading from the
crossing, a turning
to the left (south)
is a narrow,
congested street
known as Naya Bazaar
(new market), which
provides access to a
historic mosque
known as Niwin
Masjid (Low-level
Mosque), almost
400'northwest of
Kucha Dogran Baniyan
and close to Kucha
Syedan.
As you open the door
of the mosque, a
staircase provides
access to the masjid,
located well below
the adjacent ground
level, its prayer
chamber 55'xl9'
carrying a 3-dome
roof. Latif
attributes the
founding of the
mosque to Zulfiqar
Khan, a grandee who
served under the
Lodhi viceroy of
Lahore, Hiabat Khan.
The water from the
courtyard is drained
through well placed
drainage points for
its disposal through
pits.
Retracing your steps
to Papar Mandi Chowk,
proceeding north on
Kucha Pir Shirazi,
you will go past the
shrine and mosque of
Pir Shirazi. The
tomb belongs to a
14th century saint
Pir Sirajuddin,
popularly known as
Pir Shirazi, a
corruption of Pir
Siraji. He is
believed to have
arrived in Lahore in
723/1323 from
Bukhara during the
reign of Muhammad
Tughlaq.
Beyond Kucha Syedan,
a turning to the
right (east) leads
to Joray Mori Street
on which a mosque
known as U nch i
Masj id is located.
Although Joray Mori
Bazaar seems to
extend into several
directions, you
should follow the
extension that turns
left (north) from
where a turning to
the right (east),
Kucha Seth Har
Parshad, leads
directly to Shahalmi
Bazaar.
Shahalmi Gate 2
 This is an area
which abounds in a
variety of bazaars.
The new development
has obviously given
an impetus to
trading and commerce
activities, and you
might like to
explore the various
streets in the area,
if not for shopping
but to enjoy it's
special flavor.
If you carry along
the main
thoroughfare
towards north, you
will arrive at Rang
Mahal area, one of
the busiest parts of
the city. However,
in order to enjoy
some of the more
interesting bazaars
in the area, we
suggest that after
proceeding a few
metres north you
might like to turn
left (west) into
Wachowali Bazaar,
also known as
Doctor's Lane. If
you follow Wachowali
Bazaar, it makes a
'U' turn as you turn
left (south) and
then right (west);
turning right
(north) again at
Chowk Sutar and
traversing Shisha
Moti Bazaar. This
route, with its
distinctive old
bazaar air will also
allow you to view
some wonderful
historic structures
and experience its
original urban
fabric.
Turning left (west)
into Moti Bazaar you
will reach Gumti
Bazaar, from where a
few steps right
(north) takes you to
Chowk Gumti Bazaar.
The northern stretch
of Gumti Bazaar is
filled with shops
overflowing with
artificial jewellery.
Here you can also
view the finishing
of the popular and
decorative glass
bangles—an
assortment in a
multitude of designs
and colours
available at
throw-away prices.
Turning right (east)
into Pani Walla
Talab Bazaar, you go
past Pani Walla
Talab itself—a
reservoir of water
with its strong
fortified
appearance, which is
located at an
eminence. Its
importance to the
city is not only as
a source of water
supply—built to
replace the wells
which once dotted
the city—but also as
a vestige of the
foundation of the
ancient city of
Lahore. The
reservoir itself,
with a storage
capacity of half a
million litres, was
inaugurated by
Charles Aitchison
(Lt. Governor of
Punjab 1882-87),
after whom the
famous Aitchison
College is named.
As you follow the
downward incline
towards east from
Pani Walla Talab,
you will arrive at
the famous Chowk
Surjan Singh, a hub
of activity, from
where streets
radiate in diverse
directions to
provide access to
all parts of the
Walled City. Before
the chowk you might
like to turn into
the famous Choori
Market to feast your
eyes on a variety of
colourful bangles.
From Chowk Surjan
Singh, the slightly
curving street on
the right
(southeast) is known
as Hatta Bazar. From
Hatta Bazaar many
narrow bazaar
streets lead south
and you might like
to venture into
Chatta Bazaar,
Kinari Bazaar, and
Suha Bazaar—streets
that specialize in
articles primarily
of interest to
women. Suha Bazaar
is particularly
dazzling with its
array of finely
crafted gold
ornaments. If you
carry on towards the
west on Suha Bazaar,
you will arrive at
Chowk Tripolian,
which represents an
area which was once
the abode of
merchant princes.
Even today some of
the fine extant
havelis are a
memorial to the
prosperity that the
area had enjoyed.
The once powerful
minister, Jawahar
Singh, brother of
the famous Rani
Jindan (the mother
of the Sikh heir,
the infant Dulip
Singh) is reputed to
have lived in the
Gumti Bazaar area
close by. As is well
known, during the
bloody Inter-Sikh
wars, Jawahar Singh
was another tragic
figure bludgeoned to
death during the
post-Ranjit Singh
Sikh conflict.
Hatta Bazaar also
leads to Dabbi
Bazaar on the east,
where you will find
many crockery shops.
Dabbi Bazaar is a
favourite shopping
haunt of women,
where men are found
mostly as sales
persons—for here
apart from
kitchenware are
found supplies for
sewing, embroidery,
and knitting along
with a number of
beauty parlours.
Following Hatta
Bazaar travelling in
a southerly
direction, you will
once again arrive at
the wide
thoroughfare of the
main Shahalmi Bazaar
and the busy
precinct of Rang
Mahal, once among
the richest of
city's quarters,
mentioned at the
beginning of this
guzargah.
At the east of the
junction of Hatta
Bazaar and Shahalmi
Bazaar, concealed
behind small shops
is an historic
garden known as
Baoli Ranjit Singh
Bagh. Once
containing a baoli
(a stepped well), it
was much frequented
for bathing to
achieve respite from
the scorching heat
of the Punjab. The
baoli marked the
residence of the
fifth Sikh Guru
Arjun Singh (for
Guru Arjun Mal
shrine, see Sikh &
Hindu Rahguzar).
Later, the well was
filled with the
debris of Guru
Arjun's demolished
house and lay
uncared for many
years. It was
restored when an
ailing Ranjit Singh
dreamt that he would
recover only after
he had taken a bath
in the waters of the
baoli.
Beyond Baoli Ranjit
Singh Bagh is
located the famous
Sonehri Masjid which
is entered from
Dabbi Bazaar (for
description see
Mughal Rahguzar). In close
proximity to Sonehri
Masjid is situated
the shrine of 13th
century saint Sheikh
Abdul Hamid al
Hassan, popularly
known as Pir Balkhl
Shaheed.
From Shahalmi Bazaar
if you take the
turning to your left
(east) into Kasaira
Bazaar (Kasaira=utensils),
you will find all
types of utensils.
At one time it was a
profusion of brass
and copper being
hammered into
requisite shapes,
but today you are
more likely to find
a proliferation of
utensils in
aluminium, plastic
and steel.
Turning right
(southeast) from
Kasaira Bazaar will
lead you through
Kucha Chabuk Sowaran
Bazaar—apparently
named after Hafeez
Chabuk Sowar, a
cavalier belonging
to the Sikh
Sindhianwala
faction—into Chowk
Bazaar Ghazi
llmuddin Shaheed.
The well, known as
Boharwala Khoo (khoo=
well) located in
this chowk, was a
source of sweet
water for the
community, but is no
longer extant.
According to writer
Muhammad Saeed,
Kucha Chabuk Sowaran
was home to a galaxy
of scholars
including the famous
historian Dr.
Abdullah Chughtai
and his celebrated
artist brother Abdul
Rehman Chughtai.
Returning to the
main Shahalmi
Bazaar, and
travelling on Bazaar
Sadakaran (the
Singers' Row), a
street on the left
that veers south
east from the main
bazaar, you will
find the famous
Government Rang
Mahal School
constructed in red
brick. Originally
built during the
reign of Shahjahan,
it was utilized as a
thana (police
station) by the
British after
annexation.
In 1849 Rang Mahal
Mission School was
started by the Rev.
C.W. Forman of the
American Mission as
the first English
school in the
province, and in
1852 was acquired by
him from the
authorities for Rs.
1,000. In due course
the school developed
into the famous
Forman Christian
College.
Perhaps due to the
association of Mian
Nawab Khan, an old
gateway that is
still extant in the
vicinity marks the
entrance to the area
known as Kucha Mian
Nawab Khan Haveli,
even though the
haveli of the nawab
is no longer extant.
Next to it is Kucha
Gulbadan Begam, no
doubt named after
the sister of
Humayun, the author
of Humayun Nama,
whose poignant and
heartrending account
of the Timurids in
Lahore, and on the
runjustbefore
Humayun was forced
to flee Hindustan,
documented a crucial
juncture in the
history of the
Mughal Empire.
The mohallah of Mian
Nawab Khan extends
towards the east and
its extensiveness
can be gauged from
the several small
interlinked streets
which wind their way
towards Chowk Nawab
Sahib and Lakar
Mandi Bazaar (Wood
Market Bazaar),
close to Mochi Gate
and Akbari Gate.
Several small
streets on the same
side of Bazaar
Sadakaran lead to
historic mohallahs—quarters
such as Kucha Chabuk
Sowaran and Kucha
Kamangaran—and you
might like to enter
them to enjoy
whatever is now
extant of earlier,
historic structures.
Before Kucha
Kamangaran (the
makers of bow and
arrows), on the
right (west) across
the road is located
the shrine of saint
Hazrat Muhammad Mah.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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