Holiday in Pakistan (3): Lahore
Lahore is the second largest city in Pakistan – the first is Karachi – with a population of over 13 million (one and a half times that of London). As the capital of Punjab province, Lahore is considered the most liberal, progressive, and cosmopolitan city in the country.
Under the control of numerous empires throughout its history, including the Hindu Shahis, Ghaznavids, Ghurids, and Delhi Sultanate in the medieval era, Lahore reached the height of its power and splendour under the Mughal Empire between the late 16th and early 18th century, serving as its capital. It boasts wonderful and diverse architecture from the Mughal Dynasty, Sikh Empire, and British Raj. It was in Lahore that Indian independence was first announced in 1929 and the resolution calling for the establishment of Pakistan in 1940.
On Monday, we left our hotel at 9 am and took the new Chinese-funded metro, running overground through the different neighbourhoods of Lahore, to obtain a sense of the city as it exists today. We visited a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Shalimar Gardens, built in the 17th century as a Persian style paradise garden, with extensive engineering to create a canal from river Ravi to support over 100 water features. Sadly none of the water features were in operation during our visit because they were being cleaned in preparation for celebrations of the end of Ramadan.
From the Shalimar Gardens, we travelled to the tomb of emperor Jahangir, a remarkable blend of Mughal and Persian architectural styles, featuring intricate tile work, frescos and calligraphy. We were advised that site had been the subject of much renovation recently, but a lot more work needs to be done before it can rival the Islamic architecture of Uzbekistan or Iran. More tourists and more funding will in time make this an even more impressive location.
In the afternoon, we drove to the town of Wagah on Pakistan’s border with India. This is famous for the colourful Wagah border ceremony that takes place every late afternoon – in our case at 5 pm for 30 minutes – with great pomp and circumstance.
It is preceded by at least an hour of patriotic music broadcast at almost painful levels of volume. Then the performing soldiers must be the tallest men in the whole nation and their high-stepping and arm-waving can only remind one of the Monty Python Ministry of Silly Walks. We witnessed the energetic and theatrical performance put on by the guards of both sides as the border closed for the day. It was a weird and even comical display of fervent patriotism and I confess that I declined to wave the Pakistani flag or cheer the soldiers’.
Back in Lahore, we went the Western Union office for local currency (the staff were busy breaking their Ramadan fast so we’re not available) and a boutique store for a traditional shalwar kameez provided as part of the tour price (I declined the offer) before having a good dinner at the Avari Hotel. We were back at our hotel at 10.10 pm, very tired but very happy.