Introduction
If there is one
route that provides
you with the real
flavor of Lahore,
acquaints you with
its antiquity and
 enables you to
relish its
traditional
character, it is the
Walled City
Rahguzar. Traversing
this route, you will
find a legendary
city with its
amazing urban
morphology—an
organic form which
has been evolved
over centuries as a
result of
interaction of old
families,
time-honored values
and traditional
trades rooted in the
soil of this ancient
urban centre. It is
a universe which
within itself
carries a multitude
of experiences. For
those who reside
here, it is a
wonderful shelter
providing a sense of
security and privacy
in the cluster of
dense habitations.
The organic texture
of the zigzagging
streets presents a
labyrinthine network
familiar to the
residents as the
back of their hand
but somewhat of a
maze to the
newcomer. Armed with
our specially
prepared maps you
should have no
difficulty in
navigating this
complex townscape
and to relish the
best that it has to
offer—from its
fabulous havelis
embellished with
their jharoka-like
balconies to the
awesome historic
jewels of mosques
and hammams, from a
variety of
traditional wares to
the mazars of
celebrated sufis.
You will be able to
find your way into
cul-de-sacs deep
into the heart of a
mohallah, or tread
the path of narrow
winding streets
opening into
semi-public spaces
or public squares.
You will gain
insight into the
intimate world of
mohallah clusters,
their semi-private
spaces usually
reserved for the
interaction of
families and friends
away from the prying
eyes of strangers.
You will be able to
experience the
densely built up
urban form, the flat
roofs interconnected
to provide elevated
passageways, an
eloquent reminder of
an age-old solution
catering to the need
for independent
interaction of women
and children.
As you travel the
various guzargahs,
you will become
aware of the
picturesque
composition of roofs
designed to
facilitate a whole
way of life for
women and children.
These are
semi-outdoor spaces
protected by parapet
walls to allow for
performing household
chores in the open,
especially if the
covered space in the
house is limited.
The rooftops are
inhabited even
during the night,
since they are the
open air bedrooms
for sleeping when
you need respite
from the intense
heat of the
Punjab—the floors of
the roofs watered to
provide cooling and
filled with
sweet-smelling Chambeli and Motia
(fragrant flowers).
The Walled City is
an irregular
trapezium in shape
and consists of
approximately 460
acres of land. One
and a quarter mile
in length, three
quarter mile in
breadth, it has a
circumference of
three miles. The
Mughal wall that
once encircled the
city, and because of
which the city is
referred to as the
Walled City, is
attributed to
emperor Akbar, an
acclaimed master of
defense strategy.
The original 30'
high wall was
punctured by 13
entries, which were
known as darwazas or
gates. Roshnai
Darwaza (the "Gate
of Splendour"), at
one time acted as
the main entrance to
the fort; Taksalee
Darwaza, so called
because of the royal
mint, located in its
proximity; Bhati
Darwaza (also 'Buttee'
Darwaza), named
after the ancient
Rajput tribe 'Bhattis';
Mori Darwaza named
because of its being
an outlet for refuse
(Punjabi 'Mori' or
drain); Lohari
Darwaza, which the
19th century
historian Syed
Muhammad Latif tells
us is a corruption
of Lahori and is
thus named after the
city itself;
Shahalmi Darwaza is
named after Mughal
ruler Muhammad
Mo'zaam Shah Alam
Bahadur, who died in
Lahore in 1712; Mochi Darwaza, being
a corruption of 'Moti'
or pearl, and named
after Moti Ram, a
mansabdar (noble) of
Emperor Akbar, who
resided in the
vicinity; Akbari
Darwaza is named
after Emperor Akbar;
Dehli Darwaza, named
so since it is
located in the
direction of the
road to the Mughal
capital of Delhi or
Dehli; Yakki Darwaza,
a corruption of 'Zaki'
a martyred saint of
Lahore Khizri
Darwaza (or 'Kiddree'
Darwaza), now known
as Sheranwala
Darwaza, was
originally named
after Khizr Ellias,
the patron saint of
running water, since
at one time the gate
was close to the
ferry point on a
branch of Ravi;
Kashmiri Darwaza is
so named due to it
being located facing
the
 direction of
Kashmir; the
thirteenth gate the Mustee Darwaza (a
corruption of
Masjidi) is named
after Begam Shahi
Masjid (or Maryam
Zamani Mosque) in
it's vicinity.
A second defensive
wall and a 40' wide
moat was constructed
by the Sikh ruler,
Ranjit Singh. During
the British period,
in order to make the
control of the city
more effective, the
Mughal wall was
reduced to half its
original size and
many of its gates
reconstructed. Today
however, in some
cases the name is
just a reminder of a
gateway that once
stood there.
The tour of the
Walled City (Undroon
Shahr or Inner City
as it is locally
referred to) has
been worked out to
familiarize you with
more interesting
parts of the
original old town.
Since the most
easily identifiable
elements are the
gateways which
provide access to
various bazaars
named after them,
the sub-routes
designated as
guzargahs—after the
ancient guzar or
districts—will take
you through all
gateways and related
bazaars. Finally
returning to the
starting point—the
famous Cooco's
Restaurant.
We suggest that you
enter the area
through Taksalee
Gate, located at the
northwestern edge of
the Walled City.
There is no gateway
in evidence, only
its appellation
signifying the area.
You can park your
vehicle near Cooco's
Restaurant, a
restaurant run by a
famous artist which
retains the original
ambiance of the old
city is located near
Roshnai Gate. From
this point you might
like to proceed on
foot. You could take
a rickshaw or a
tonga (the local
horse carriage), but
in view of the
narrowness and
congestion of
streets, a vehicle's
accessibility—however
small it might be—to
all bazaars is
doubtful.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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