Another marvel following the Shahi Hammam
If we talk about the history of this place, Masjid Wazir Khan was built under orders of Hakim Ilm ud Din the then prime minister of 5th Mughal King Shah Jahan. The Mosque at that time was located in the middle of Walled City of Lahore
I am so happy for our heritage being conserved. The Chowk Wazir Khan will open on the 16 March after nearly a year and a half of conservation and rehabilitation work. The Chowk Wazir Khan, the historic forecourt adjoining the Wazir Khan Mosque. has been undergoing a thorough rehabilitation and conservation effort since 1 October 2015, funded by the US embassy, and is in its final stages. The Mosque was commissioned by the Governor of Punjab, Ilm ud din Ansari (Wazir Khan), under the reign of Shah Jahan and was completed during the years 1634-35, adding another precious stone to the bejewelled trail of the Shahi Guzargah (starting from Delhi Gate Lahore up till Lahore Fort). The same trail also houses the Shahi Hammam, Dina Nath Well, Sonehri Mosque, Mariam Zamani Mosque, Janam Asthan Guru Arjun Ram and the Lahore Fort. Asia’s biggest cloth markets also fall on the same trail, the Azam and Pakistan Cloth Markets. Packed with these historic monuments, the Shahi Guzargah or the Royal Trail has the prestige of being the heart of Lahore’s cultural heritage. This one trail engages most of the visitors and tourists who wish to see the true heritage and culture of Lahore.
However due to the encroachments of makeshift commercial outlets, girded by corrugated steel, the Shahi Guzargah has in its recent history lost the use of the Chowk Wazir Khan, which has been run through with these retail shacks, and thronged by local citizens who seized the open space, employing it as a market. Since ages the Mosque and the Chowk could not escape from the shackles of these encroachments and unwanted structures. The space was occupied as a vehicle parking, resting place for people and storing the luggage carts, etc. The entire look was damaging the jewel of Lahore, the Wazir Khan Mosque. Also, due to the lack of this space which was created specifically for the purpose of introducing a sense of openness to the surroundings, the Shahi Guzargah had lost its only area of respite amidst the narrow trail full of commuters in quick transit. Because of this it did not lend itself particularly to the slower-paced attitude of the casual visitor who might want to visit these jewels from the Mughal era in a more leisurely way. In April 2012 the authority for Walled City Lahore got Shahi Hammam and Wazir Khan Chowk cleared of the encroachments. Meanwhile the same authority with the help of Aga Khan Trust for Culture planned to conserve the open space outside the Mosque, so that the beauty of the Mosque is not injured any further. Beside other consolidation and repair works of the mosque structure, it was also decided to repair the shops and hujras, and restore the original floor levels of Shah Jahan period in front of main entrance of the Mosque. All this work has now been completed in the recent conservation and surely it was an uphill task.
The clearing out of the Chowk and its restoration to something more closely resembling its original form will now present the locals and tourists both with an open vista where they can stop and enjoy the splendour and magnificence of the surrounding monuments. The Chowk will also now be able to resume its historic function as a space for social interaction, where people can meet before prayer, perform religious poetry, or use handmade religious merchandise sold in the eastern facade’s embedded chambers (hujras). Conservation of this Chowk now signifies a milestone in the resurgence of the Shahi Guzargah/Royal Trail and the wider context of the Walled City, as a focal point in the itinerary of tourists and locals keen to get a more intimate feel for this historic city. This will surely become a tourist hub now and i think that regular social activities in this area will make it a lively point of the Royal Trail.
If we talk about the history of this place, Masjid Wazir Khan was built under orders of Hakim Ilm ud Din the then prime minister of 5th Mughal King Shah Jahan. The Mosque at that time was located in the middle of Walled City of Lahore. It is said that Hakim Ilm Ud Din selected this place after thorough research and declaring it a centre of the city. This Mosque is known as masterpiece of Mughal Architecture due to its style, solid structure, profusion and delicacy of its decorative motifs. Another important feature of this mosque is the presence of Hujras and shops on its eastern and northern sides which were constructed to make the Mosque sustainable through income generated by these hujras and shops. The most interesting feature of this grand Mosque was the open space or the Chowk outside it which we hardly find in any other Mosque located inside the Walled City today. In the old times, as per historic accounts, this Chowk was the hub of cultural activities which includedbethak system (small gatherings), food stalls and other temporary stalls which would sell the traditional or cultural items. With the passage of time the levels of road on northern side and open area on eastern side of Mosque were raised and hujras and shops of the Mosque were filled and blocked. The open space that was once reflecting the hustle and bustle of the walled city life was completely damaged.
I am glad this is another achievement of Lahore after the conservation of Shahi Hammam (The Royal Bath) which also won the UNESCO award of merit in 2016. I am hopeful that this conservation will also bring another award to the historic city of Lahore.
