The news of the completion of some conservation work by Unesco at the historical Shalamar Gardens, Lahore, is nothing short of exhilarating.
For years, the 17-century monument has been in dire need of proper upkeep. There was once a plan to reactivate the gardens’ hydraulic system which pumps water to the dozens of fountains, but then the perennial paucity of funds scuttled it.
The Shalamar (also called Shalimar) in Lahore would have met a similar fate had it not been for Maharaja Ranjit Singh (d.1839). The Punjab ruler was very fond of the annual festival of lights, Mela Chraghaan, linked to the nearby shrine of Madho Lal Hussain which both Muslims and non-Muslims revered equally. The festival used to take place
inside the Shalamar Gardens. It was only in the 1960s that better sense prevailed and the holding of the festival inside the historical gardens was banned.
In fact, whatever remains of Lahore’s Mughal heritage owes largely to the efforts of Ranjit Singh who after his initial vandalism was prevailed upon to safeguard the Mughal monuments for posterity.
Unesco has now taken the lead in conserving this heritage after listing the Lahore Fort and Shalamar as World Heritage monuments. The Punjab government must push the international body to also put Jehangir’s tomb on the list. At the moment, the tomb lies in ruins across the river in Lahore. Dubbed as the forerunner of the Taj Mahal, the tomb complex also houses the mausoleum of Asaf Khan who was Jehangir’s prime minister and the father of Mumtaz Mahal.
Related posts:
- Shalamar Gardens losing to encroachments Vendors have marred the beauty of Shalamar Gardens – included...
- British era grills at Lahore Fort replaced The PAD officials said these changes have been made for...
- Thousands of encroachers defacing historical sites in Lahore The SC bench consisting of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry...
- Lahore Fort, Shalamar Gardens to be restored ...
- Mural repair, conservation begins this month The technical committee and structural consultant of the UNESCO-run project...