Long take of sorrow, grief and tolerance
Haveli Alif Shahi is an over three hundred year old heritage house which was converted into an Imam Bargah in 1861
The Walled City of Lahore, the real Lahore I must say, is enriched with monuments, havelis (historic homes), markets, intangible culture and architecture. Along with all these lively features we cannot ignore the history it holds within itself, the history of so many eras. I see ages old values and traditions being carried out inside the Walled City with the same zeal and spirit, whereas the greater Lahore is deprived of it.
Let me take you to an interesting place inside Delhi Gate. This gate is one of the thirteen gates of old Lahore which were built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar; some time in the 1600s. Where this gate holds the Royal Trail and impressive monuments like Shahi Hammam, Wazir Khan Mosque and Lahore Fort, it has a good number of Havelis too. As you go down the Royal trail, the fourth turn on the right is a street called Gali Surjan Singh and Koocha Charkhgran. This street is one of the preserved streets because of its rich history and presently well maintained. It is also the UNESCO award winning street in 2014. As you meet the end of the street you will see a huge Haveli with the name of Alif Shah.
Haveli Alif Shahi is an over three hundred year old heritage house which was converted into an Imam Bargah in 1861. This house was preserved by the authority in 2011 and comes with in the Royal Trail Project. This haveli is one of the most respected havelis in Walled City as it holds the Moharram and Safar processions. The processions from 7th till 10th of Moharram lead out of this Haveli. The Haveli’s courtyard is now an Imam Bargah where you will see hundreds of mourners in Moharram and Safar (the Islamic months). They are accompanied by the symbolic coffins, Tazia and the Zuljanah. As you go into the courtyard you will also see a strange red tree. It is the Nochandi Jumerat (Thursday) tree. It is believed that if an over aged woman prays there on the first Thursday of an Islamic month she would get married soon. After getting married she is supposed to feed the people there with Langar (free food), put red paint on the tree and burn a few oil lamps as a gesture of thanks. You will come across several such places if you start visiting the old houses inside the Walled City of Lahore. The processions from this haveli are leading since 1861 when it was converted into Imam Bargah. These processions then join the main procession of Moharram that leads to Nisar and Mubarik havelis inside Mochi Gate and then to the Karbla Gamay Shah.
It is interesting to know the history of Moharram processions and Walled City of Lahore. History books state that the Sikhs and Hindus also participated in the processions of Moharram by putting up Sabeels and Langar (stalls of free water and food). Lala Mela Raam and Bhai Jawahar Singh were the known ones. The first Ashura procession in Lahore is believed to date back to the early 1800s when Syed Ghulam Ali Shah, popularly known as Gamay Shah, started a mourning march from Mochi Gate in the company of the pious woman Mai Aghia. When Gamay Shah and Mai Aghia started their journey of tears for the first time people laughed at them, but today the same procession is the biggest in South Asia. That was the time when Maharaja Ranjeet Singh was ruling Lahore. History states that few people went to the Maharaja complaining about the procession and mourning of Gamay Shah. Subsequently the Maharaja called Gamay Shah to the royal court and punished him by putting him into the dungeon inside Lahore Fort. Maharaja that night could not sleep due to nightmares and horrific thoughts. The next morning he along with his courtier Faqir Syed Aziz ud Din went to Gamay Shah in the dungeon and asked Gamay Shah the reason of his procession and mourning. Gamay Shah questioned the Maharaja that could he overcome the grief of losing his Guru and other people who were killed by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir, on which the Maharaja said no. Gamay Shah then said that how could he forget the atrocities of Yazid towards the grandson and family of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)? He said the procession was meant to demonstrate sorrow over the martyrdom of the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) family. On the explanation the Maharaja was convinced and he apologised to Gamay Shah and released him. The respect of Gamay Shah amplified with this incident and the small procession changed into a bigger one. Mai Aghia, a pious lady of Mochi Gate, also joined Gamay Shah and so this tradition developed in the Walled City of Lahore. It is said that after a year of this incident Gamay Shah passed away and was buried at the same place where he lived and meditated. Later the place was made as Karbla Gamay Shah when Nawab Ali Raza Qazalbash and Sir Nawazish Ali Qazalbash purchased the land, made the shrine of Gamay Shah and devoted the rest of the place for the Imam Bargah. The Qazalbash family also built many other Imam Bargahs in Lahore and they were known for this reason. Till now the Qazalbash family is looking after the Karbla Gamay Shah.
For over 1,300 years the tragedy of Karbala has moved anyone who has heard about it, be they Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Parsi, Christian or any other religion
The Walled City of Lahore has changed over the passage of time but the route of this procession remains the same that was led by Gamay Shah and Mai Aghia. Till today the route starts at Nisar Haveli on 9 Muharram, and moves through Mubarak Haveli, Mohalla Chehl Bibian, Imambargah Syed Wajid Ali Shah, Chowk Nawab Sahib, Koocha Qazi Khana, Imambargah Maulvi Feroz Ali, Koocha Miskeenan, Mohalla Peer Gillanian, Imambargah Syed Rajab Ali Shah, Chauhatta Mufti Baqir, Chowk Kotwali, Kashmiri Bazaar, Sonehri Masjid, Dabbi Bazaar, Gumti Bazaar (Rang Mahal Chowk), Said Mittha Bazaar, Tehsil Bazaar, Bazaar Hakimaan, Ucchi Masjid and Bhaati Chowk, concluding at Karbala Gamay Shah on the eve of 10th Muharram. Later, a chehlum procession originates from Haveli Alif Shah on 20 Safar that marks forty days since the date of Hazrat Imam Hussain’s (AS) martyrdom.
For over 1,300 years the tragedy of Karbala has moved anyone who has heard about it, be they Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Parsi, Christian or any other religion. This is one incident that makes everyone mourn. The Walled City has always been a place where harmony among religions, especially during Moharram, is seen since the ages and it continues till now. I must say this place is an example of tolerance and religious harmony.
