A city with novel streets

Lahore’s unique Walled City

If we talk about the streets, it is one way of getting familiar with the history of Walled City. No doubt it has strange streets. I am not talking about the built of the streets; it is the names given to the streets of the walled city

A city surrounded by gigantic gates, thirty feet high wall and tangled streets is the Walled City of Lahore. It is a strange city that cannot be explained in writing; probably it will cover millions of papers. To understand the soul and spirit of the Walled City of Lahore you have to experience the nook and corners as reading is not enough. The City was the original Lahore and the rest is all the extensions made with the passage of time. This city has the credit of witnessing the golden and dark days of history. The city’s foundations go back to antiquity as pre–Mughal structures are still found there. The mosques related to the period of Lodhi Dynasty and Ghaznavid rule exist there till today. The periods it passed through are reflected in the structure, buildings and streets. Until the colonial period the Walled City had well-defined domestic and community territories for ethnic and trade groups. The hierarchies of political power, social strata, caste, and calling were clearly represented in its physical structure, whose pattern of urban spaces and street systems was similar to those of other traditional cities in the Middle East and South Asia. The street system was structured according to progressively localised domains of privacy: a hierarchy of main spines (guzars), neighborhoods (mohallahs, koochas), streets and culs-de-sac (galis). The hierarchical network of movement created by these levels of territoriality with densely packed houses was also typical of this traditional urban form. The buildings were mainly residential, commercial, service (tavelas, fiI-khanas, carriage houses), and social and religious (mosques, imam-baras, shrines, temples, gurdwaras, dharmasalas, marriage houses), punctuated by open squares and gardens.

If we talk about the streets, it is one way of getting familiar with the history of Walled City. No doubt it has strange streets. I am not talking about the built of the streets; it is the names given to the streets of the walled city. There are almost twenty five hundred streets inside the walled city. You will find Koochas, Katras, Mohallahs and streets in a maze like pattern but with extremely unique and captivating names.

The vein like network becomes more interesting if you know the names of the streets. These names have been given to the streets after some personalities, incidents, stories, clans or occupants. You will see names from all religions and different clans; the reason is the settlement that took place in the walled city. As you pass by the streets, your little observation will take you into the past of that very street. The names also reflect the harmony and tolerance of the city.

Let’s talk about a few names of the streets here now. Some streets have been named after the occupation of the people living there, like, Koocha Qasaban, Koocha Telian, Koocha Darzian, Koocha Qandi Garan, Koocha Nezaa Maraan, Koocha Chiri Maraan, Koocha Chabay Garan, Koocha Kababian, Koocha Majawaran, Gali Mashkiyan, Koocha Rangrezaan, Koocha Naqashan, Koocha Gul Faroshan, Gali Dhobian, Koocha Charkh Garan, Gali Ghungroo Sazaan, Kharadi Mohallah, Gali Waan Wali, Gali Bandooq Sazaan, Koocha Loharaan, Mohallah Patranga, Koocha Chabak Sawaran, Koocha Naqarchian and a few I might miss, as there are so many of them.

Similarly, you will find a thousand streets which are named after different sects, castes, gods, goddesses and personalities. A few interesting ones I will mention here are Gali Surjan Singh, Gali Gol Pehalwan, Gali Raja Narindar Nath, Katri Bao Mumtaz, Koocha Kamani Lal, Gali Billa Kabootar Baz, Sheeda Halwai Wali Gali, Koocha Shankar Nath, Koocha Bhawan Shah, Gali Rani Gul Begum, Koocha Bhaiya Hari Singh, Katri Meer Chand, Gali Sabir Peer, Katri Shah Abdul Hameed, Katri Rohan Laal, Mohallah Samiyan, Syeda Mubarik Begum Gali, Koocha Faqir Khana, Jogi Mohallah, Gali Mataa Rani, Gali Panj Peeran, Koocha Loon Chakaan, Gali Gogi Tarkhan, Gali Devi Ditta, Gali Mela Raam, Koocha Imam Din, Gali Mai Gulaboo, Gali Sajjan Qawal, Koocha Thullay Shah, Koocha Kalyani Mataa, Koocha Raliya Raam, Koocha Aurangzeb, Koocha Sheikhaan, Mohallah Kakayzaian, Koocha Gogar Mishra, Koocha Chaudhriyan, Gali Mai Aga, Koocha Chughtaian, Gali Molana Rohi, Gali Mama Bhanja, Dai Bholi Wali Gali and many more to be counted on. Streets are also named after the famous Havelis located there like Aloo wali Haveli Gali and Pathar wali Haveli Gali.

The interesting pattern of streets shows that these have also been named after females. This shows the openness of the society at that time. Females were as famous as men. If you walk inside these narrow winding streets you will also come across the streets and mohallahs where people from one sect or caste live, and the tradition is still on.

To experience this uniqueness you will have to visit the walled city. The walls of the city no longer exist as they were pulled down during the British Raj, the gates were also demolished but some were reconstructed during the same period. At present only six gates Delhi Gate, Lohari Gate, Bhati Gate, Sheranwala Gate, Kashmiri Gate and Roshnai Gate exist; others were demolished with the passage of time. The existing gates do give a feel of the times of yore and one is lost in the glory of the past while walking through them.