The End: Day 4: Leaving Lahore

/ - VardaN

So Day 4 was all about traveling and seeing Lahore! We had been given 3 options for our city tour that was organized by the THAAP organizers – Walled City, Mughul Buildings, Colonial Buildings – I chose for myself Walled City, simply because I had never ever seen it in my life. Before leaving for Lahore, I had made myself a long list of places I wanted to see again, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to see much of them. I satisfied myself with the idea that I have already seen half of them! But the walled city was an experience I wasn’t going to miss. My tour guide was to be Taimur again, and Mansoor – another wonderful guy who I had the privilege to meet during the conference (Best of luck for your masters)! Anyways I was picked up at around 10 am by Mr. Taimur, and then we set off for the Vandal’s house, from where we were to leave for the tour. I was the only one who had opted for the walled city! From there we went off straight for the Delhi Darwaza!

Inside the Darwaza

Here we were also joined by Mansoor, and then we started the walk… note to newbies : Don’t ever even think of taking your car inside the walled city! That would be a disaster that you would recall for decades ! Anyways so we start our walk! And the first thing that we do is to visit the Shahi Hamam. You can find on the left side as soon as you cross the doors. Once inside, you would be taken away by the intricate details and mosaic work. The original structure has been damaged immensely with the original shape of  the Hamam hardly recognizable.

The Map showing the walled City

 

A Typical Door.. See how the floor level has been raised so that now the original form of the Hamam is hardly recognizable

The interior of the dome

Interiors of the Shahi Hamam

At the outside however, the entire boundary wall of the Hamam has been encroached (Taimur is very sentimental about it … )

The encroached boundary wall

Then we visited the roof…. And I am glad that we did! Because the sight was spectacular!

The beautiful roof

The walk then continued…..

and we headed off to the Wazir Khan Masjid! The Masjid is the most spectacular detailed and the finest work that you would ever see! The panels with the mosaic work – each unique – is so colorful and lively, that the whole mosque thats the form of an art gallery, instead of some sombre structure!For a long time we just kept on discussing that why is it that such a beautiful structure lacks the..from my point of view, completly unjust.. respect and admiration that the Badshahi Masjid has received for so long!

The view of the courtyard and the liwan

The beautiful minaret

Corner Details in the mosque

View towards the entrance from the Liwan

My two guides.. Mansoor and Taimur

And then we walked to the Sunhari Masjid (I have no nice pictures of it.. since it was almost prayers time and I had to rush out)

The Sunhari Masjid

 

From here we took a rickshaw and headed to the Lahori Gate.. and my kind guides told the driver to take the alley ways to get there and avoid any sort of main road.. that was the most scariest, exciting and hilarious event of my life and I am sure that nothing will top that!

Lahori Gate

Here we were suppose to meet the rest of the people that were enjoying other sites in Lahore! The guide of the other group was Mr. Sajjad Kauser, a professor from NCA. I fell in love with this man, he was there throughout the conference, and was great support to me, for reasons that even he doesn’t know. You see during the question and answer session, someone asked me a question, and I was answering it, not sure if I even make sense, and it was his nod during my answering that encouraged me on! I thank you for your nod Mr. Sajjad! Thankyou!

From here we headed off to the Center of Conservation and Research.. I hope I got the name right ..its a beautiful brick building, whose interiors are even more amazing!

The interiors of the Center

After this, the trip ended, and me Taimur and Mansoor headed back in a chingchi (to the inexperienced it is completely impossible for me to explain what that is) and headed to our car! Mansoor parted ways from here, and me and Taimur made a stop at Feica’s. See I wanted to have Parre wali Lassi , a true delicacy of Lahore which is heavy and is not advisable to take if you are suppose to handle heavy machinery after wards. Me and Taimur had a bet that I wouldn’t be able to finish it… I won that bet! But honestly it wasn’t all that great! I give it a 3 star rating! Lunch was at Tabak, apparently they serve the best food in the city – it was a 3 star rating for me too! Taimur’s justification for this was that you just don’t get great food in Lahore at this hour! Anyways, from here we rushed back to the Vandal’s since Dr. Anila needed to be dropped in time for her flight.. and she only had like an hour left to make it to the airport!

My flight was at 9.. so till then, I made a last minute call on people’s home, and finally said my Goodbye to the city and my host! I have to admit this was one hell of a journey for me! I got a chance to meet some of the most greatest people in the world, I got a chance to make new friendships – friendsships which continue even after this end, to get acquainted with some really wonderful people, to share some great memories, to do some great sight seeing, and I am truly thankful for THAAP for giving me this chance. After this experience I am a bit in completely in love with Lahore! I love you Lahore!

 

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  1. Pingback: 2012: Already filled with Promises! « The Gypsy World

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