Lahore, Waqah Border

Waqah Border, Pakistan side

The Wagah border, often called the "Berlin wall of Asia", is a ceremonial border on the India–Pakistan Border where each evening there is a retreat ceremony called 'lowering of the flags', which has been held since 1959. At that time there is an energetic parade by the Border Security Force (B.S.F) of India and the Pakistan Rangers soldiers. It may appear slightly aggressive and even hostile, but it's historic and traditional memorial best kept between the 2 nations who used to be 1.

The Entrance Gate

Crowds singing and cheering their National Anthem

Male and Female are having separated seats

Exclusively Female seats, lower seats are meant for special guest and family

Seated just at the border of 2 nations, seeing the 2 brotherhood with love and hate relationships, a reminder of Cain & Abel story from the Holy Book. Together we are reunite brother, but, I opined that there wont be any reunion between the 2 brothers, not now, not in the near future. 

In May 2005, Pakistan allowed the import of five specified food items, free of tax via Wagah border to tide over shortages in the domestic market; eventually, in an unprecedented move, on 1 October 2006, trucks carrying goods crossed the Wagah border for the first time since the independence of Pakistan and India over 60 years ago. On the other side of the wall is the seat for the India side, waving a flag and shouting "Hindustan hamare".

The trumpet being blown to begin with the ceremony, followed by a Pakistani Rangers ready to take over the stage from the patriotic singers.

With over 8000 people visiting the border on an average day just on the Indian side, governments have started developing Wagah as a tourist destination, improving tourist and custom facilities. The Indian government plans to develop a global tourist complex at the Wagah-Attari border, which lies 30 km away from Amritsar. It's so emotional view to witness a strong shout of "Pakistan zindabad", patriotism!

The gate is being open on both sides at the same sequel and perfect timing.

The marching and a parade for goose stepping ceremony

As the relations between the two nations improved, the joint talks to tone down the sunset ceremony were held between BSF and Pakistan rangers, and the two later started "reorienting" their personnel involved in the ceremony, effects of which were seen by November 2006, when the evening ceremony at the border was considerably less aggressive than in previous decades on both sides.

In July 2010, as part of a move initiated by India, both countries agreed to tone down the aggressiveness exhibited by soldiers during the gate closing ceremony because the soldiers hurt their feet and knees performing the goose-stepping every day. The ceremony is closed by bringing down the flag, folded it and handed over to the flag keeper and the gate is closed. The whole event finished right at sunset time. 

Food street: a visit to Lahore will not be complete without enjoying wide selections of Pakistani food at their famous street. I remembered my "chotta bhai" recommendation that it a must to be at the food street to savour chicken tikka. Times always a huge boundary in my case! Always a trouble to finish the visit list. As for my visit to Lahore, I must say that it is full of satisfaction as I manage to complete a must visit list within a productive day.

Lahore Fort

Lahore Fort is accessible from the Badshahi Mosque as it seats just opposite. During mughal glory days, Badshahi Mosque was used for a grand Friday prayer by the Emperor.

Hazuri Bagh Pavillion in front of Lahore Fort

The Lahore Fort, locally referred to as Shahi Qila is a citadel of the city of Lahore. Its unique trapezoidal composition is spread over 20 hectares of land space. It was built by Mughals and its base structure was built during the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar, (1556–1605). Akbar was a Secular Emperor of Hindustan (India). The fort was regularly upgraded by subsequent rulers, having thirteen gates in all. However, some said it was built first before the Mughals period, in 800B.C, but award should still goes to the Mughals as the fort manifests the rich traditions of Mughal architecture. Some of the famous sites inside the fort itself include; Sheesh Mahal, Alamgiri Gate, Naulakha pavilion, and Moti Masjid.

Diwan-e-Aam, hall of Public Audience

Mughal Canon

Naulakha Pavilion seen behind the roses

The Fort timeline, information obtained from Wikipedia:-

• From evidence found in archaeological digs, the Archaelogist  gives strong indications that the fort was built long before 1025 AD.
• 1241 AD - Destroyed by Mongols. 
• 1267 AD - Rebuilt by Anushay Mirza Ghiyas ud din Balban.
• 1398 AD - Destroyed again, by Amir Tamir's army.
• 1421 AD - Rebuilt in mud by Sultan Mubark Shah Syed.
• 1432 AD - The fort is occupied by Shaikh Ali of Kabul who makes repairs to the damages inflicted on it by Shaika Khokhar.
• 1566 AD - Rebuilt by Mughal emperor Akbar, in solid brick masonry on its earlier foundations. Also perhaps, its area was extended towards the river Ravi, which then and until about 1849 AD, flowed along its fortification on the north. Akbar also built Doulat Khana-e-Khas-o-Am, the famous Jharoka-e-Darshan (Balcony for Royal Appearance), Masjidi Gate etc.
• 1618 AD - Jehangir adds Doulat Khana-e-Jehangir
• 1631 AD - Shahjahan builds Shish Mahal (Mirror Palace).
• 1633 AD - Shahjahan builds Khawabgah (a dream place or sleeping area), Hamam (bath), Khilwat Khana (retiring room), and Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque).
• 1645 AD - Shahjahan builds Diwan-e-Khas (Hall of Special Audience).
• 1674 AD - Aurangzeb adds the massively fluted Alamgiri Gate.

Old Kangah built before the Mughals

Alamgiri Gate by Aurangzeb

Diwan-e-Khas (Hall of Special Audience) by Shah Jahan

Shish Mahal by Shahjahan

Ladies Quarters

The elephant entrance

The fort is located at the strategic of Lahore city between the Mughal territories and the strongholds of Kabul, Multan and Kashmir was the reason why the old mud-fort was replaced and fortification with solid brick masonry. The structure is dominated by Persian gardens influence that deepened with the successive refurbishments by subsequent emperors. The fort is divided into two sections. First is the administrative section well connected with main entrances which comprises larger garden areas and Diwan-e-khas for royal audiences. The second is a private and concealed residential section, divided into courts in the northern part, accessible through 'elephant gate'. It also contains Shish Mahal (Hall of Mirrors of Mirror Palace), and spacious bedrooms and smaller gardens. On the outside, the walls are decorated with blue Persian kashi tiles. 

The Mughals garden

Lahore, Badshahi Mosque

Tour date: October 2011
Badshahi Mosque and it's surrounding attraction

The Badshahi Mosque or the 'King's Mosque', commissioned by the sixth Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1671 and completed in 1673, is the second largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia and the fifth largest mosque in the world. Epitomising the beauty, passion and grandeur of the Mughal era, it is Lahore's most famous landmark and a major tourist attraction.

Capable of accommodating 5,000 worshippers in its main prayer hall and a further 95,000 in its courtyard and porticoes, it remained the largest mosque in the world from 1673 to 1986 (a period of 313 years), when overtaken in size by the completion of the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad. Today, it remains the second largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia and the fifth largest mosque in the world after the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) of Mecca, the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque) in Medina, the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca and the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad.

The interior finishes of mimbar hall having similar decorations with Taj Mahal. I took many shoots at the Main Prayer Hall which is divided into seven sections by means of multi-foil arches supported on heavy piers, three of which bear the double domes finished externally in white marble. The remaining four sections are roofed with flat domes. The interior of Main Prayer Hall is richly embellished with stucco tracery (Manbatkari), fresco work and inlaid marble.

"If I could dream to have a grandeur hall just like the way where I was standing above, in my own home, I would be smiling throughout the sleep. Even when I awake I could have for the record those dream in my camera :)". That was on my silly thought for sometimes now. 

I took assistance from the PC hotel driver (sat with me in above photo) to capture a photo of me with Minar-e-Pakistan from the Badshahi Mosque. The outstanding minar was constructed in 1960, completed in 1968 with a roof height of 62 metres @ 203ft. A minaret, located in Iqbal Park Lahore was built in commemoration of the Lahore Resolution. The minaret reflects a blend of Mughal and modern architecture, and is constructed on the site where on March 23, 1940, seven years before the formation of Pakistan, the Muslim League passed the Pakistan Resolution, demanding the creation of Pakistan. Interestingly, the site is also where Nehru and the Indian National Congress declared Indian independence from Britain in 1929.

Another beautiful building seated within the area is the Samadhi of Ranjit Singh is the mausoleum of the Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh. It is located near the Lahore Fort and Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan. Construction was started by his son, Kharak Singh on the spot where he was cremated, and was completed by his youngest son, Duleep Singh in 1848. As I rushed back to the hotel to check out and had my lunch, I decided to skip the tour in detail inside the mausoleum. Suffice with below photo evidencing my visit.

The architecture and design of the Badshahi Mosque closely resembles that of the smaller Jama Mosque in Delhi, India, which was built in 1648 by Aurangzeb's father and predecessor, Emperor Shah Jahan. Its design was inspired by Islamic, Persian, Central Asian and Indian influences. Like the character of its founder, the Mosque is bold, vast and majestic in its expression. I wishes to share more photos of the mosque as it was too beautiful to keep it intact inside my Mcbook. Hope you shall enjoy looking at it as much as I enjoyed taking each one of them.

It's not only a resemblance of Jama Masjid of Delhi, but a Taj Mahal. What I can concluded is that everything in here is just another piece of art and great architecture vision of Emperor Shah Jahan.