137-541: The Lahore Fort ( Punjabi , Urdu : شاہی قلعہ , romanized: Shāhī Qilā , lit. 'Royal Fort') is a citadel in the city of Lahore in Punjab , Pakistan . The fortress is located at the northern end of the Walled City of Lahore and spreads over an area greater than 20 hectares (49 acres). It contains 21 notable monuments , some of which date to the era of Emperor Akbar . The Lahore Fort
274-593: A cohesive narrative; each can be viewed in isolation. Though begun under Jahangir, the Picture Wall was decorated throughout the 1620s, and may have been completed under the reign of his son, Shah Jahan. The Picture Wall was badly neglected and suffered from disrepair and damage. Conservation works at the site began in 2015 by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and Walled City of Lahore Authority , which together have also restored other Lahore landmarks such as
411-576: A descendant of Prakrit. Punjabi emerged as an Apabhramsha, a degenerated form of Prakrit, in the 7th century AD and became stable by the 10th century. The earliest writings in Punjabi belong to the Nath Yogi -era from 9th to 14th century. The language of these compositions is morphologically closer to Shauraseni Apbhramsa , though vocabulary and rhythm is surcharged with extreme colloquialism and folklore. Writing in 1317–1318, Amir Khusrau referred to
548-449: A gold coin dated 1025 CE belonging to Mahmud Ghaznavi . The coin was unearthed at the depth of 25 feet (7.6 m) from the lawn. The cultural layers were continuous to the depth of 15 feet (4.6 m) indicating that the fort was inhabited by people even before his conquest. Other pre-Mughal objects unearthed in the excavation included terracotta depicting mother goddess, horses, bulls and other figures of Hindu origin. The fort, along with
685-589: A liberal approach. Through Persian, Punjabi also absorbed many Arabic-derived words like dukān , ġazal and more, as well as Turkic words like qēncī , sōġāt , etc. After the fall of the Sikh empire , Urdu was made the official language of Punjab under the British (in Pakistani Punjab , it is still the primary official language) and influenced the language as well. In the second millennium , Punjabi
822-406: A mixture of contemporary traditions at the time of its construction, with a sloping-roof based on a Bengali style, and a baldachin from Europe, which makes evident the imperial as well as the religious function of the pavilion. The marble shades of the pavilion are capped with merlons to hide the view from the grounds. Emperor Jahangir ordered the construction of the massive "Picture Wall", which
959-420: A myriad of subjects, including elephant fights, angels, and polo games that do not form a cohesive narrative; each can be viewed in isolation. Though begun under Jahangir, the Picture Wall was decorated throughout the 1620s, and may have been completed under the reign of his son, Shah Jahan. The Picture Wall was badly neglected and suffered from disrepair and damage. Conservation works at the site began in 2015 by
1096-407: A perceived preciousness to the religious structure. It was an established practice among Mughal emperors to name the mosques after generic names for gemstones . The mosque, built between 1630–35, has three superimposed domes, two aisles of five bays, and a slightly raised central pishtaq , or portal with a rectangular frame. This five-arched facade distinguishes it from other mosques of
1233-404: A perceived preciousness to the religious structure. It was an established practice among Mughal emperors to name the mosques after generic names for gemstones . The mosque, built between 1630–35, has three superimposed domes, two aisles of five bays, and a slightly raised central pishtaq , or portal with a rectangular frame. This five-arched facade distinguishes it from other mosques of
1370-653: A quadrangle with the famous Sheesh Mahal , and Naulakha Pavilion. Both are attributed to Shah Jahan, although the Naulakha Pavilion may be a later addition possibly from the Sikh era. The white marble Moti Masjid, or Pearl Mosque, also dates from the Shah Jahan period. Emperor Aurangzeb , built the Alamgiri Gate, whose semi-circular towers and domed pavilions are a widely recognised symbol of Lahore that
1507-465: A similar class with three-arched facades. The interior is simple and plain with the exception of ceilings that are decorated and designed in four different orders, two arcuate, and two trabeated. After the demise of the Mughal Empire , the mosque was converted into a Sikh temple and renamed Moti Mandir during the period of the Sikh rule under Ranjit Singh's Sikh Confederacy . He later used
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#17327658748941644-401: A similar class with three-arched facades. The interior is simple and plain with the exception of ceilings that are decorated and designed in four different orders, two arcuate, and two trabeated. After the demise of the Mughal Empire , the mosque was converted into a Sikh temple and renamed Moti Mandir during the period of the Sikh rule under Ranjit Singh's Sikh Confederacy . He later used
1781-706: A word will be pronounced, and vice versa. Tone is often reduced or rarely deleted when words are said with emphasis or on their own as a form of more exact identification. Sequences with the consonant h have some additional gimmicks: The consonant h on its own is now silent or very weakly pronounced except word-initially. However, certain dialects which exert stronger tone, particularly more northern Punjabi varieties and Dogri , pronounce h as very faint (thus tonal) in all cases. E.g. hatth > àtth . The Jhangvi and Shahpuri dialects of Punjabi (as they transition into Saraiki ) show comparatively less realisation of tone than other Punjabi varieties, and do not induce
1918-401: Is a citadel in the city of Lahore in Punjab , Pakistan . The fortress is located at the northern end of the Walled City of Lahore and spreads over an area greater than 20 hectares (49 acres). It contains 21 notable monuments , some of which date to the era of Emperor Akbar . The Lahore Fort is notable for having been almost entirely rebuilt in the 17th century, when the Mughal Empire
2055-430: Is a large section of the outer wall which is exquisitely decorated with a vibrant array of glazed tile, faience mosaics, and frescoes. The embellished wall stretches over much of the fort's northern and western walls and measures approximately 1,450 feet (440 m) by 50 feet (15 m). The wall contains 116 panels, which depict a myriad of subjects, including elephant fights, angels, and polo games that do not form
2192-482: Is a tendency with speakers to insert /ɪ̯/ between adjacent "a"-vowels as a separator. This usually changes to /ʊ̯/ if either vowel is nasalised. Note: for the tonal stops, refer to the next section about Tone. The three retroflex consonants /ɳ, ɽ, ɭ/ do not occur initially, and the nasals [ŋ, ɲ] most commonly occur as allophones of /n/ in clusters with velars and palatals (there are few exceptions). The well-established phoneme /ʃ/ may be realised allophonically as
2329-436: Is always written as نگ . Like Hindustani , the diphthongs /əɪ/ and /əʊ/ have mostly disappeared, but are still retained in some dialects. Phonotactically , long vowels /aː, iː, uː/ are treated as doubles of their short vowel counterparts /ə, ɪ, ʊ/ rather than separate phonemes. Hence, diphthongs like ai and au get monophthongised into /eː/ and /oː/, and āi and āu into /ɛː/ and /ɔː/ respectively. The phoneme /j/
2466-512: Is an iconic sight of the Lahore Fort built in 1633 during the Shah Jahan period that is made of prominent white marble , and known for its distinctive curvilinear roof . It cost around 900,000 rupees , an exorbitant amount at the time. The structure derives its name from the Urdu word for 900,000, Naulakha . The Naulakha Pavilion served as a personal chamber and was located to the west of
2603-595: Is considered to be the greatest artistic triumph of the Lahore Fort. Unlike the Red Fort and Agra Fort , Lahore Fort's ramparts were made of brick rather than red stone. The monumental Picture Wall is a large section of the outer wall which is exquisitely decorated with a vibrant array of glazed tile, faience mosaics, and frescoes. The embellished wall stretches over much of the fort's northern and western walls and measures approximately 1,450 feet (440 m) by 50 feet (15 m). The wall contains 116 panels, which depict
2740-520: Is identical to the Urdu alphabet , however various attempts have been made to create certain, distinct characters from a modification of the Persian Nastaʿlīq characters to represent Punjabi phonology , not already found in the Urdu alphabet . In Pakistan, Punjabi loans technical words from Persian and Arabic , just like Urdu does. Punjabi is the most widely spoken language in Pakistan ,
2877-417: Is notable for having been almost entirely rebuilt in the 17th century, when the Mughal Empire was at the height of its splendor and opulence. Though the site of the Lahore Fort has been inhabited for millennia, the first record of a fortified structure at the site was regarding an 11th-century mudbrick fort. The foundations of the modern Lahore Fort date to 1566 during the reign of Emperor Akbar, who bestowed
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#17327658748943014-655: Is the entrance of the Lahore Fort. It was built by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1674. It has two semi-circular bastions where lotus petal design adorns its base. It opens to the Hazuri Bagh and faces the Badshahi Mosque . The gate is one of Lahore's most iconic monuments, and once featured on Pakistani currency. Restoration work was completed in March 2020 by Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan with funding from
3151-425: Is the entrance of the Lahore Fort. It was built by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1674. It has two semi-circular bastions where lotus petal design adorns its base. It opens to the Hazuri Bagh and faces the Badshahi Mosque . The gate is one of Lahore's most iconic monuments, and once featured on Pakistani currency. Restoration work was completed in March 2020 by Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan with funding from
3288-408: Is the first building built by Shah Jahan in the fort. At present, its decorations have vanished except for a trace of the marble which once might have beautified the façade. Jahangir's Quadrangle occupies the northeastern corner of the fort. Though named for Jahangir, construction on the site began during the reign of Akbar but was completed in 1620 under Jahangir. Akbar's syncretic style is noted in
3425-406: Is the first building built by Shah Jahan in the fort. At present, its decorations have vanished except for a trace of the marble which once might have beautified the façade. Jahangir's Quadrangle occupies the northeastern corner of the fort. Though named for Jahangir, construction on the site began during the reign of Akbar but was completed in 1620 under Jahangir. Akbar's syncretic style is noted in
3562-755: Is the most widely-spoken first language in Pakistan, with 88.9 million native speakers according to the 2023 Pakistani census , and the 11th most widely-spoken in India, with 31.1 million native speakers, according to the 2011 census . It is spoken among a significant overseas diaspora , particularly in Canada , the United Kingdom , the United States , Australia , and the Gulf states . In Pakistan, Punjabi
3699-452: Is very fluid in Punjabi. /j/ is only truly pronounced word-initially (even then it often becomes /d͡ʒ/), where it is otherwise /ɪ/ or /i/. Unusually for an Indo-Aryan language, Punjabi distinguishes lexical tones . Three tones are distinguished in Punjabi (some sources have described these as tone contours, given in parentheses): low (high-falling), high (low-rising), and level (neutral or middle). The transcriptions and tone annotations in
3836-629: Is widely used in the TV and entertainment industry of Pakistan, which is mainly produced in Lahore . The Standard Punjabi used in India and Pakistan have slight differences. In India, it discludes many of the dialect-specific features of Majhi. In Pakistan, the standard is closer to the Majhi spoken in the urban parts of Lahore. "Eastern Punjabi" refers to the varieties of Punjabi spoken in Pakistani Punjab (specifically Northern Punjabi), most of Indian Punjab ,
3973-709: Is written using the Shahmukhi alphabet , based on the Perso-Arabic script ; in India, it is written using the Gurmukhi alphabet , based on the Indic scripts . Punjabi is unusual among the Indo-Aryan languages and the broader Indo-European language family in its usage of lexical tone . The word Punjabi (sometimes spelled Panjabi ) has been derived from the word Panj-āb , Persian for 'Five Waters', referring to
4110-648: The Av- of Avon . The historical Punjab region , now divided between India and Pakistan, is defined physiographically by the Indus River and these five tributaries . One of the five, the Beas River , is a tributary of another, the Sutlej . Punjabi developed from Prakrit languages and later Apabhraṃśa ( Sanskrit : अपभ्रंश , 'deviated' or 'non-grammatical speech') From 600 BC, Sanskrit developed as
4247-625: The Doulat Khana-e-Khas-o-Am , Jharoka-e-Darshan , and Akbari Gate . Many Akbari structures were modified or replaced by subsequent rulers. Emperor Jahangir first mentions his alterations to the fort in 1612 when describing the Maktab Khana . Jahangir also added the Kala Burj pavilion, which features European-inspired angels on its vaulted ceiling. British visitors to the fort noted Christian iconography during
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4384-432: The Doulat Khana-e-Khas-o-Am , Jharoka-e-Darshan , and Akbari Gate . Many Akbari structures were modified or replaced by subsequent rulers. Emperor Jahangir first mentions his alterations to the fort in 1612 when describing the Maktab Khana . Jahangir also added the Kala Burj pavilion, which features European-inspired angels on its vaulted ceiling. British visitors to the fort noted Christian iconography during
4521-529: The Aga Khan Trust for Culture Following its restoration, the space will house the Lahore Fort's museum. Āth darā , an elevated pavilion with eight openings, was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh for use as his court. It is located near the gate of the Shah Burj quadrangle and shares a wall with it. The structure is made of marble and red sandstone. The ceiling is decorated with colourful mirror-work, and Kangra style frescoes depicting Krishna are present on
4658-469: The Aga Khan Trust for Culture Following its restoration, the space will house the Lahore Fort's museum. Āth darā , an elevated pavilion with eight openings, was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh for use as his court. It is located near the gate of the Shah Burj quadrangle and shares a wall with it. The structure is made of marble and red sandstone. The ceiling is decorated with colourful mirror-work, and Kangra style frescoes depicting Krishna are present on
4795-598: The Aga Khan Trust for Culture and Walled City of Lahore Authority , which together have also restored other Lahore landmarks such as the Wazir Khan Mosque and Shahi Hammam . Detailed documentation of the wall using 3D scanner was completed in July 2016, after which conservation work would start. The Sheesh Mahal (" The Palace of Mirrors "; Urdu : شیش محل ) is located within Jahangir's Shah Burj block in
4932-602: The Delhi Sultanate . The re-built fort was destroyed in 1398 by the invading forces of Timur , only to be rebuilt by Mubarak Shah Sayyid in 1421. In the 1430s, the fort was occupied by Shaikh Ali of Kabul It later remained under the control of the Lodi dynasty until Lahore was captured by the Mughal Emperor Babur in 1526. The present design and structure of the fort trace its origins to 1575 when
5069-465: The Hazara region , most of Azad Kashmir and small parts of Indian Punjab such as Fazilka . These include groups of dialects like Saraiki , Pahari-Pothwari , Hindko and the extinct Inku ; common dialects like Jhangvi , Shahpuri , Dhanni and Thali which are usually grouped under the term Jatki Punjabi; and the mixed variety of Punjabi and Sindhi called Khetrani . Depending on context,
5206-677: The Koh-i-Noor . Located directly beneath the Sheesh Mahal and Shah Burj quadrangle is the Summer Palace, also known as the Pari Mahal , or "Fairy Palace." The palace is a labyrinth of chambers that date from the Shah Jahan period. They were used as a residence during hot weather months, as they were cooled by effective ventilation systems that channelled cool breezes into the palace. The palace's flooring system also helped cool
5343-758: The Majha region of the Punjab. In India , Punjabi is written in the Gurmukhī script in offices, schools, and media. Gurmukhi is the official standard script for Punjabi, though it is often unofficially written in the Latin scripts due to influence from English , one of India's two primary official languages at the Union -level. In Pakistan, Punjabi is generally written using the Shahmukhī script, which in literary standards,
5480-515: The Maryam Zamani Mosque and the larger Alamgiri gate opens towards Hazuri Bagh through the majestic Badshahi mosque . Influence of Hindu architecture is seen in the zoomorphic corbels. The Naulakha Pavilion is an iconic sight of the Lahore Fort built in 1633 during the Shah Jahan period that is made of prominent white marble , and known for its distinctive curvilinear roof . It cost around 900,000 rupees , an exorbitant amount at
5617-418: The Pari Mahal , or "Fairy Palace." The palace is a labyrinth of chambers that date from the Shah Jahan period. They were used as a residence during hot weather months, as they were cooled by effective ventilation systems that channelled cool breezes into the palace. The palace's flooring system also helped cool the space - its floors were made of two layers that were separated by a layer of water pumped in from
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5754-549: The Shah Jahan period are characterized by luxurious marble with inlaid Persian floral designs, while the fort's grand and iconic Alamgiri Gate was constructed by the last of the great Mughal emperors, Aurangzeb , and faces the renowned Badshahi Mosque . After the fall of the Mughal Empire , Lahore Fort was used as the residence of Emperor Ranjit Singh , founder of the Sikh Empire . The Sikhs made several additions to
5891-503: The Sheesh Mahal , in the northern section of the fort. The pavilion served as inspiration for Rudyard Kipling , who named his Vermont home Naulakha in honour of the pavilion. The structure was originally inlaid with precious and semi-precious stones . It reflects a mixture of contemporary traditions at the time of its construction, with a sloping-roof based on a Bengali style, and a baldachin from Europe, which makes evident
6028-434: The Wazir Khan Mosque and Shahi Hammam . Detailed documentation of the wall using 3D scanner was completed in July 2016, after which conservation work would start. The Sheesh Mahal (" The Palace of Mirrors "; Urdu : شیش محل ) is located within Jahangir's Shah Burj block in the northern-western corner of the Lahore Fort. It was constructed under the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1631-32 by Mirza Ghiyas Begh,
6165-413: The h consonant itself and any voiced consonants appended with [h] (Gurmukhi: ੍ਹ "perī̃ hāhā" , Shahmukhi: ھ "dō-caśmī hē" ); usually ṛh , mh , nh , rh and lh . The five tonal plosives also become voiceless word-initially. E.g. ghar > kàr "house", ḍhōl > ṭṑl "drum" etc. Tonogenesis in Punjabi forfeits the sound of [h] for tone. Thus, the more [h] is realised, the less "tonal"
6302-503: The voiceless retroflex fricative [ʂ] in learned clusters with retroflexes. Due to its foreign origin, it is often also realised as [s] , in e.g. shalwār /salᵊ.ʋaːɾᵊ/ . The phonemic status of the consonants /f, z, x, ɣ, q/ varies with familiarity with Hindustani norms, more so with the Gurmukhi script, with the pairs /f, pʰ/ , /z, d͡ʒ/ , /x, kʰ/ , /ɣ, g/ , and /q, k/ systematically distinguished in educated speech, /q/ being
6439-545: The "Pearl Mosques", is a mosque dating from the Shah Jahan Period that is located on the western side of Lahore Fort, closer to Alamgiri Gate. It is situated in the northwestern corner of Dewan-e-Aam . The white marble structure is among its prominent extensions (such as Sheesh Mahal and Naulakha pavilion ) to the Lahore Fort Complex. Moti in Urdu language means pearl , which designates
6576-405: The "Pearl Mosques", is a mosque dating from the Shah Jahan Period that is located on the western side of Lahore Fort, closer to Alamgiri Gate. It is situated in the northwestern corner of Dewan-e-Aam . The white marble structure is among its prominent extensions (such as Sheesh Mahal and Naulakha pavilion ) to the Lahore Fort Complex. Moti in Urdu language means pearl , which designates
6713-779: The 1981 and 2017 censuses respectively, speakers of the Western Punjabi 's Saraiki and Hindko varieties were no longer included in the total numbers for Punjabi, which explains the apparent decrease. Pothwari speakers however are included in the total numbers for Punjabi. Punjabi is the official language of the Indian state of Punjab , and has the status of an additional official language in Haryana and Delhi. Some of its major urban centres in northern India are Amritsar , Ludhiana , Chandigarh , Jalandhar , Ambala , Patiala , Bathinda , Hoshiarpur , Firozpur and Delhi . In
6850-475: The 19th century from the Medieval Punjabi stage. Modern Punjabi has two main varieties, Western Punjabi and Eastern Punjabi , which have many dialects and forms, altogether spoken by over 150 million people. The Majhi dialect , which is transitional between the two main varieties, has been adopted as standard Punjabi in India and Pakistan for education and mass media. The Majhi dialect originated in
6987-684: The 2011 census of India, 31.14 million reported their language as Punjabi. The census publications group this with speakers of related "mother tongues" like Bagri and Bhateali to arrive at the figure of 33.12 million. Punjabi is also spoken as a minority language in several other countries where Punjabi people have emigrated in large numbers, such as the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada. There were 670,000 native Punjabi speakers in Canada in 2021, 300,000 in
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#17327658748947124-631: The Alamgiri Gate, whose semi-circular towers and domed pavilions are a widely recognised symbol of Lahore that was once featured on Pakistani currency . The Mughals lost the fort to the Afghan Durranis , who in turn briefly lost the fort to Maratha forces before being recaptured by the Durranis. The fort was then captured by the Bhangi Misl - one of the 12 Sikh Misls of Punjab that ruled Lahore from 1767 until 1799. The fort fell to
7261-407: The British military. Excavations in 1959 in front of Diwan-i-Am led to the discovery of a gold coin dated 1025 CE belonging to Mahmud Ghaznavi . The coin was unearthed at the depth of 25 feet (7.6 m) from the lawn. The cultural layers were continuous to the depth of 15 feet (4.6 m) indicating that the fort was inhabited by people even before his conquest. Other pre-Mughal objects unearthed in
7398-474: The British period. The surviving pavilion was used as an office for Faqir Syed Noor-ud-din, a trusted Governor of Ranjit Singh. The architectural style of the Sehdari pavilion is typical of the Sikh period. Frescoes decorating the pavilion portray floral designs, birds, and Hindu religious themes. The Maktab Khana ("Clerk's Quarters") originally known as Dawlat Khana-e-Jahangir , was constructed in 1617 under
7535-418: The British period. The surviving pavilion was used as an office for Faqir Syed Noor-ud-din, a trusted Governor of Ranjit Singh. The architectural style of the Sehdari pavilion is typical of the Sikh period. Frescoes decorating the pavilion portray floral designs, birds, and Hindu religious themes. The Maktab Khana ("Clerk's Quarters") originally known as Dawlat Khana-e-Jahangir , was constructed in 1617 under
7672-455: The Jahangir period, with paintings of the Madonna and Jesus found in the fort complex. In 1606, Guru Arjan of the Sikh faith was imprisoned at the fort before his death. Jahangir bestowed the massive Picture Wall , a 1,450 feet (440 m) by 50 feet (15 m) wall which is exquisitely decorated with a vibrant array of glazed tile, faience mosaics, and frescoes. On the spandrels of
7809-683: The Jahangir period, with paintings of the Madonna and Jesus found in the fort complex. In 1606, Guru Arjan of the Sikh faith was imprisoned at the fort before his death. Jahangir bestowed the massive Picture Wall , a 1,450 feet (440 m) by 50 feet (15 m) wall which is exquisitely decorated with a vibrant array of glazed tile, faience mosaics, and frescoes. On the spandrels of the large arched panels below Jahangir's Khwabgah (the Imperial Bedchamber) are azdahas or winged dragons from ancient Persian mythology, cup-bearing angel figures herons, cranes and other flying birds. Many of
7946-517: The Jahangir-era additions to the Lahore Fort. The vaulted ceilings in the pavilion feature paintings in a European-influenced style of angels which symbolize the virtuosity of King Solomon , who is regarded as the ideal ruler in the Quran , and a ruler with whom Jahangir identified. Angels directing djinns are also painted on tiles in the ceiling, which also reference King Solomon. Kala Burj
8083-401: The Jahangir-era additions to the Lahore Fort. The vaulted ceilings in the pavilion feature paintings in a European-influenced style of angels which symbolize the virtuosity of King Solomon , who is regarded as the ideal ruler in the Quran , and a ruler with whom Jahangir identified. Angels directing djinns are also painted on tiles in the ceiling, which also reference King Solomon. Kala Burj
8220-568: The Moti masjid was repurposed as a Gurdwara called Moti mandir, and later used as royal treasury. The Sehdari pavilion, or "Three-doored" pavilion, was added to the fort during this period, as was the Ath dara or "Eight-doored" pavilion. The fort's Naag Temple and Loh temple were also constructed during Sikh rule, while the Mai Jindan Haveli was extensively modified. Kharak Singh Haveli
8357-547: The Mughal Emperor Akbar occupied the site as a post to guard the northwest frontier of the empire. The strategic location of Lahore, between the Mughal territories and the strongholds of Kabul , Multan , and Kashmir necessitated the dismantling of the old mud-fort and fortification with solid brick masonry. Lofty palaces were built over time, along with lush gardens. Notable Akbar period structures included
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#17327658748948494-483: The Mughal garden at Shalimar was designated as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1981. While relaying the deteriorated floor of Akbari Gate in April 2007, three floors in the fort were unearthed belonging to the British, Sikh and Mughal periods. The floor of the British, Sikh and Mughal periods was constructed with bricks, burnt bricks and pebbles respectively. The latter either built during Jahangir's or Shah Jahan's era
8631-571: The Ravi River. Cool water perfumed by roses flowed through an elaborate system of 42 waterfalls and cascades throughout the palace. The palace was historically only accessible from the overlying Sheesh Mahal, though a new entrance was built by the British near Hathi Pul, or "Elephant Stairs." Its walls were decorated with intricate frescoes and marble inlay that have been severely deteriorate by layers of subsequent white-washing and centuries of dampness. Passage tunnels also exist that lead from
8768-504: The Royal Norwegian Embassy, the Walled City of Lahore Authority , and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture . Punjabi language Europe North America Oceania Punjabi , sometimes spelled Panjabi , is an Indo-Aryan language native to the Punjab region of Pakistan and India . It is one of the most widely spoken native languages in the world with approximately 150 million native speakers. Punjabi
8905-609: The Sikh era, along with the entire upper level that was also added during the Sikh era. The collection of buildings surrounding the quadrangle situated between Jahangir's Quadrangle and Khilawat Khana is referred to as Shah Jahan's Quadrangle. In contrast to the Diwan-i-Aam, the Diwan-i-Khas served as a hall where the Emperor would attend to matters of the state, and where courtiers and state guests were received. The hall
9042-431: The Sikh era, along with the entire upper level that was also added during the Sikh era. The collection of buildings surrounding the quadrangle situated between Jahangir's Quadrangle and Khilawat Khana is referred to as Shah Jahan's Quadrangle. In contrast to the Diwan-i-Aam, the Diwan-i-Khas served as a hall where the Emperor would attend to matters of the state, and where courtiers and state guests were received. The hall
9179-463: The United Kingdom in 2011, 280,000 in the United States and smaller numbers in other countries. Standard Punjabi (sometimes referred to as Majhi) is the standard form of Punjabi used commonly in education and news broadcasting , and is based on the Majhi dialect . Such as the variety used on Google Translate , Standard Punjabi is also often used in official online services that employ Punjabi. It
9316-570: The United States found no evidence of a separate falling tone following a medial consonant. It is considered that these tones arose when voiced aspirated consonants ( gh, jh, ḍh, dh, bh ) lost their aspiration. In Punjabi, tone is induced by the loss of [h] in tonal consonants. Tonal consonants are any voiced aspirates /ʱ/ and the voiced glottal fricative /ɦ/ . These include the five voiced aspirated plosives bh , dh , ḍh , jh and gh (which are represented by their own letters in Gurmukhi),
9453-489: The archaeological survey office. The Jahangir Quadrangle is bordered on its northern edge by Jahangir's sleeping chambers, the Bari Khwabgah , which was largely reconstructed during the British era. The Sikh-era Sehdari pavilion, or "Three-doored" pavilion, is located to the east of the Bari Khwabgah . A second Sehdari pavilion was located to the west of the Bari Khwabgah , but was subsequently destroyed during
9590-426: The archaeological survey office. The Jahangir Quadrangle is bordered on its northern edge by Jahangir's sleeping chambers, the Bari Khwabgah , which was largely reconstructed during the British era. The Sikh-era Sehdari pavilion, or "Three-doored" pavilion, is located to the east of the Bari Khwabgah . A second Sehdari pavilion was located to the west of the Bari Khwabgah , but was subsequently destroyed during
9727-601: The army of Ranjit Singh , who took Lahore from the Bhangi Misl in 1799. During their occupation of the fort, the Sikhs made many additions to the fort and repurposed portions of it for their own use. The famed Hazuri Bagh garden and its central baradari were constructed during Sikh rule to celebrate the Maharaja's capture of the Koh-i-Noor diamond. Ranjit Singh used the fort's Summer Palace as his own residence, while
9864-480: The building for the state treasury . When the East India Company took over Punjab in 1849, they discovered precious stones wrapped in bits of rags and placed in velvet purses scattered inside the mosque, along with other inventory. Mughal Emperor Akbar built two gates. Akbari Gate was built in 1566 and is now called Maseeti Gate. Located at the western end of the fort, the Alamgiri Gate
10001-411: The building for the state treasury . When the East India Company took over Punjab in 1849, they discovered precious stones wrapped in bits of rags and placed in velvet purses scattered inside the mosque, along with other inventory. Mughal Emperor Akbar built two gates. Akbari Gate was built in 1566 and is now called Maseeti Gate. Located at the western end of the fort, the Alamgiri Gate
10138-465: The city had remained under the control of Ranjit Singh's family until the fall of the Sikh Empire in 1849. The British occupied the fort after their conquest of Lahore, and made several modifications to it, primarily involving conversion of existing buildings for colonial use including hospitals and barracks for the British military. Excavations in 1959 in front of Diwan-i-Am led to the discovery of
10275-429: The construction. Sheesh Mahal was reserved for personal use by the imperial family and close aides . During the Sikh Empire , Shah Burj became Ranjit Singh 's favourite place, who built a harem on top of the Sheesh Mahal. This was also the place where he would display his prized possession, the Koh-i-Noor . Located directly beneath the Sheesh Mahal and Shah Burj quadrangle is the Summer Palace, also known as
10412-704: The devoicing of the main five tonal consonants ( bh , dh , ḍh , jh , gh ). The Gurmukhi script which was developed in the 16th century has separate letters for voiced aspirated sounds, so it is thought that the change in pronunciation of the consonants and development of tones may have taken place since that time. Some other languages in Pakistan have also been found to have tonal distinctions, including Burushaski , Gujari , Hindko , Kalami , Shina , and Torwali , though these (besides Hindko) seem to be independent of Punjabi. Akbari Gate The Lahore Fort ( Punjabi , Urdu : شاہی قلعہ , romanized: Shāhī Qilā , lit. 'Royal Fort')
10549-466: The eleventh-most widely spoken in India , and also present in the Punjabi diaspora in various countries. Approximate distribution of native Punjabi speakers (inc. Lahndic dialects ) (assuming a rounded total of 157 million) worldwide. Punjabi is the most widely spoken language in Pakistan , being the native language of 88.9 million people, or approximately 37% of the country's population. Beginning with
10686-419: The era when the empire was at its artistic and aesthetic zenith . The fort is located in the northern part of Lahore 's old walled city. The fort's Alamgiri gate is part of an ensemble of buildings, which along with the Badshahi Mosque , Roshnai Gate , and Samadhi of Ranjit Singh , form a quadrangle around the Hazuri Bagh . The Minar-e-Pakistan and Iqbal Park are adjacent to the northern boundary of
10823-488: The examples below are based on those provided in Punjabi University, Patiala 's Punjabi-English Dictionary . Level tone is found in about 75% of words and is described by some as absence of tone. There are also some words which are said to have rising tone in the first syllable and falling in the second. (Some writers describe this as a fourth tone.) However, a recent acoustic study of six Punjabi speakers in
10960-433: The excavation included terracotta depicting mother goddess, horses, bulls and other figures of Hindu origin. The fort, along with the Mughal garden at Shalimar was designated as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1981. While relaying the deteriorated floor of Akbari Gate in April 2007, three floors in the fort were unearthed belonging to the British, Sikh and Mughal periods. The floor of the British, Sikh and Mughal periods
11097-418: The far-north of Rajasthan and on the northwestern border of Haryana . It includes the dialects of Majhi , Malwai , Doabi , Puadhi and the extinct Lubanki . Sometimes, Dogri and Kangri are grouped into this category. "Western Punjabi" or "Lahnda" ( لہندا , lit. ' western ' ) is the name given to the diverse group of Punjabi varieties spoken in the majority of Pakistani Punjab ,
11234-555: The favourite recreations of the Mughal court. The Mosque of Mariyam Zamani Begum was built adjacent to the forts of the eastern walls during the reign of Jahangir. While the mosque likely served as a Friday congregational mosque for members of the Royal Court, it was not financed by Jahangir, although it likely required his approval. The foundation of this mosque was laid by the Empress Mariam-uz-Zamani in
11371-623: The five major eastern tributaries of the Indus River . The name of the region was introduced by the Turko-Persian conquerors of South Asia and was a translation of the Sanskrit name, Panchanada , which means 'Land of the Five Rivers'. Panj is cognate with Sanskrit pañca ( पञ्च ), Greek pénte ( πέντε ), and Lithuanian Penki , all of which meaning 'five'; āb is cognate with Sanskrit áp ( अप् ) and with
11508-474: The fort commenced in the year of his coronation, 1628, and continued until 1645. Shah Jahan first ordered the construction of the Diwan-i-Aam in the style of a Chehel Sotoun - a Persian style 40-pillar public audience hall. Though construction of the Shah Burj commenced under Jahangir, Shah Jahan was displeased with its design and appointed Asif Khan to oversee reconstruction. Shah Jahan's Shah Burj forms
11645-460: The fort trace its origins to 1575 when the Mughal Emperor Akbar occupied the site as a post to guard the northwest frontier of the empire. The strategic location of Lahore, between the Mughal territories and the strongholds of Kabul , Multan , and Kashmir necessitated the dismantling of the old mud-fort and fortification with solid brick masonry. Lofty palaces were built over time, along with lush gardens. Notable Akbar period structures included
11782-420: The fort with a syncretic architectural style that featured both Islamic and Hindu motifs. Additions from the Shah Jahan period are characterized by luxurious marble with inlaid Persian floral designs, while the fort's grand and iconic Alamgiri Gate was constructed by the last of the great Mughal emperors, Aurangzeb , and faces the renowned Badshahi Mosque . After the fall of the Mughal Empire , Lahore Fort
11919-481: The fort, the Sikhs made many additions to the fort and repurposed portions of it for their own use. The famed Hazuri Bagh garden and its central baradari were constructed during Sikh rule to celebrate the Maharaja's capture of the Koh-i-Noor diamond. Ranjit Singh used the fort's Summer Palace as his own residence, while the Moti masjid was repurposed as a Gurdwara called Moti mandir, and later used as royal treasury. The Sehdari pavilion, or "Three-doored" pavilion,
12056-471: The fort. Though the site is known to have been inhabited for millennia, the origins of Lahore Fort are obscure and traditionally based on various myths. The first historical reference to a fort at the site is from the 11th century during the rule of Mahmud of Ghazni . The fort was made of mud and was destroyed in 1241 by the Mongols during their invasion of Lahore. A new fort was constructed in 1267 at
12193-566: The fort. It then passed to the control of the East India Company after they annexed Punjab following their victory over the Sikhs at the Battle of Gujrat in February 1849. In 1981, the fort was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its "outstanding repertoire " of Mughal monuments dating from the era when the empire was at its artistic and aesthetic zenith . The fort is located in
12330-443: The forts of the eastern walls during the reign of Jahangir. While the mosque likely served as a Friday congregational mosque for members of the Royal Court, it was not financed by Jahangir, although it likely required his approval. The foundation of this mosque was laid by the Empress Mariam-uz-Zamani in the year 1611 and the construction was completed on the order of her son Jahangir in her honor. Shah Jahan 's first contribution to
12467-415: The grandfather of Mumtaz Mahal , and father of Nur Jahan. The ornate white marble pavilion's walls are decorated with frescoes and are inlaid with pietra dura and complex mirror-work known as Āina-kāri . It is among the best-known monuments of Lahore Fort and forms the jewel in the fort's crown. The distinctive Shah Jahani style is reflected in the extensive use of white marble, and hierarchical accents of
12604-643: The hands of the British Raj , and its appointed agents and executors. Beginning in World War 2, the Summer Palace was used as a storehouse for the British Civil Defence Department , and remained in use by Pakistan until 1973. The building's structural integrity was affected by its use as a storehouse. As of 2014, the Walled City of Lahore Authority has assumed control of the space in order to undertake restoration works with
12741-437: The hands of the British Raj , and its appointed agents and executors. Beginning in World War 2, the Summer Palace was used as a storehouse for the British Civil Defence Department , and remained in use by Pakistan until 1973. The building's structural integrity was affected by its use as a storehouse. As of 2014, the Walled City of Lahore Authority has assumed control of the space in order to undertake restoration works with
12878-442: The imperial as well as the religious function of the pavilion. The marble shades of the pavilion are capped with merlons to hide the view from the grounds. Emperor Jahangir ordered the construction of the massive "Picture Wall", which is considered to be the greatest artistic triumph of the Lahore Fort. Unlike the Red Fort and Agra Fort , Lahore Fort's ramparts were made of brick rather than red stone. The monumental Picture Wall
13015-670: The interior walls. Khilwat Khana was built by Shah Jahan in 1633 to the east of the Shah Burj Pavilion, and west of the Shah Jahan Quadrangle. It was the residence of the royal ladies of the court. The plinth and door frames are made of marble with a curvilinear roof. In the northwest corner of the Khilawat Khana stands the Kala Burj ("Black Pavilion"). The pavilion is the most significant of
13152-403: The interior walls. Khilwat Khana was built by Shah Jahan in 1633 to the east of the Shah Burj Pavilion, and west of the Shah Jahan Quadrangle. It was the residence of the royal ladies of the court. The plinth and door frames are made of marble with a curvilinear roof. In the northwest corner of the Khilawat Khana stands the Kala Burj ("Black Pavilion"). The pavilion is the most significant of
13289-445: The jewel in the fort's crown. The distinctive Shah Jahani style is reflected in the extensive use of white marble, and hierarchical accents of the construction. Sheesh Mahal was reserved for personal use by the imperial family and close aides . During the Sikh Empire , Shah Burj became Ranjit Singh 's favourite place, who built a harem on top of the Sheesh Mahal. This was also the place where he would display his prized possession,
13426-540: The language spoken by locals around the area of Lahore as Lahauri . The precursor stage of Punjabi between the 10th and 16th centuries is termed 'Old Punjabi', whilst the stage between the 16th and 19th centuries is termed as 'Medieval Punjabi'. The Arabic and Modern Persian influence in the historical Punjab region began with the late first millennium Muslim conquests in the Indian subcontinent . Since then, many Persian words have been incorporated into Punjabi (such as zamīn , śahir etc.) and are used with
13563-521: The large arched panels below Jahangir's Khwabgah (the Imperial Bedchamber) are azdahas or winged dragons from ancient Persian mythology, cup-bearing angel figures herons, cranes and other flying birds. Many of the scenes displayed on this 'Picture Wall' illustrate the court life of the Mughal sovereigns, their sports and their pastimes. One of the finest panels shows four horsemen playing the noble game of Vaughan, nowadays known as polo . Most prominent are those relating to elephant fights, which were one of
13700-574: The latter three arise natively. Later, the letters ਜ਼ / ز , ਸ਼ / ش and ਫ਼ / ف began being used in English borrowings, with ਸ਼ / ش also used in Sanskrit borrowings . Punjabi has also had minor influence from and on neighbouring languages such as Sindhi , Haryanvi , Pashto and Hindustani . Note: In more formal contexts, hypercorrect Sanskritized versions of these words (ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨ pradhān for ਪਰਧਾਨ pardhān and ਪਰਿਵਾਰ parivār for ਪਰਵਾਰ parvār ) may be used. Modern Punjabi emerged in
13837-602: The most rarely pronounced. The retroflex lateral is most commonly analysed as an approximant as opposed to a flap . Some speakers soften the voiceless aspirates /t͡ʃʰ, pʰ, kʰ/ into fricatives /ɕ, f, x/ respectively. In rare cases, the /ɲ/ and /ŋ/ phonemes in Shahmukhi may be represented with letters from Sindhi . The /ɲ/ phoneme, which is more common than /ŋ/, is written as نی or نج depending on its phonetic preservation, e.g. نیاݨا /ɲaːɳaː/ (preserved ñ ) as opposed to کنج /kiɲd͡ʒ/ (assimilated into nj ). /ŋ/
13974-425: The north and accessible through elephant gate. It also contains Sheesh Mahal, spacious bedrooms and small gardens. The exterior walls are decorated with blue Persian Kashi tiles. The original entrance faces the Maryam Zamani Mosque and the larger Alamgiri gate opens towards Hazuri Bagh through the majestic Badshahi mosque . Influence of Hindu architecture is seen in the zoomorphic corbels. The Naulakha Pavilion
14111-401: The northern part of Lahore 's old walled city. The fort's Alamgiri gate is part of an ensemble of buildings, which along with the Badshahi Mosque , Roshnai Gate , and Samadhi of Ranjit Singh , form a quadrangle around the Hazuri Bagh . The Minar-e-Pakistan and Iqbal Park are adjacent to the northern boundary of the fort. Though the site is known to have been inhabited for millennia,
14248-415: The northern-western corner of the Lahore Fort. It was constructed under the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1631-32 by Mirza Ghiyas Begh, the grandfather of Mumtaz Mahal , and father of Nur Jahan. The ornate white marble pavilion's walls are decorated with frescoes and are inlaid with pietra dura and complex mirror-work known as Āina-kāri . It is among the best-known monuments of Lahore Fort and forms
14385-451: The origins of Lahore Fort are obscure and traditionally based on various myths. The first historical reference to a fort at the site is from the 11th century during the rule of Mahmud of Ghazni . The fort was made of mud and was destroyed in 1241 by the Mongols during their invasion of Lahore. A new fort was constructed in 1267 at the site by Sultan Balban of the Mamluk dynasty of
14522-545: The palace to the fort's exterior where the River Ravi once flowed, suggesting that it may have been part of an escape tunnel designed to allow occupants to flee in case of attack. The Summer Palace remained in use during the Sikh period under the reign of Ranjit Singh . After the defeat of the Sikh empire in the Second Anglo-Sikh War , it went into the hands of the East India Company and in 1858, into
14659-411: The palace to the fort's exterior where the River Ravi once flowed, suggesting that it may have been part of an escape tunnel designed to allow occupants to flee in case of attack. The Summer Palace remained in use during the Sikh period under the reign of Ranjit Singh . After the defeat of the Sikh empire in the Second Anglo-Sikh War , it went into the hands of the East India Company and in 1858, into
14796-411: The quadrangle, as it employs column brackets carved in the form of animals. The quadrangle's layout differs from other Mughal quadrangles which are based upon the layout of a Persian paradise garden and instead is formed by concentric rectangles with a fountain in its centre. The Diwan-i-Aam was built by Shah Jahan in 1628 in a prominent part of the fort immediately south of Jahangir's Quadrangle. It
14933-410: The quadrangle, as it employs column brackets carved in the form of animals. The quadrangle's layout differs from other Mughal quadrangles which are based upon the layout of a Persian paradise garden and instead is formed by concentric rectangles with a fountain in its centre. The Diwan-i-Aam was built by Shah Jahan in 1628 in a prominent part of the fort immediately south of Jahangir's Quadrangle. It
15070-414: The scenes displayed on this 'Picture Wall' illustrate the court life of the Mughal sovereigns, their sports and their pastimes. One of the finest panels shows four horsemen playing the noble game of Vaughan, nowadays known as polo . Most prominent are those relating to elephant fights, which were one of the favourite recreations of the Mughal court. The Mosque of Mariyam Zamani Begum was built adjacent to
15207-428: The site by Sultan Balban of the Mamluk dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate . The re-built fort was destroyed in 1398 by the invading forces of Timur , only to be rebuilt by Mubarak Shah Sayyid in 1421. In the 1430s, the fort was occupied by Shaikh Ali of Kabul It later remained under the control of the Lodi dynasty until Lahore was captured by the Mughal Emperor Babur in 1526. The present design and structure of
15344-494: The son of Ranjit Singh, Sher Singh bombarded the fort in his fight against Chand Kaur . Maharaja Ranjit Singh's elder son and successor, Kharak Singh was born in the fort to his wife, Maharani Datar Kaur . The youngest son of Ranjit Singh, Maharaja Duleep Singh was born at the fort's Mai Jindan Haveli in 1838. Duleep Singh had signed the Treaty of Bhyroval in 1847 that brought the Sikh empire to an effective end. The fort and
15481-609: The space - its floors were made of two layers that were separated by a layer of water pumped in from the Ravi River. Cool water perfumed by roses flowed through an elaborate system of 42 waterfalls and cascades throughout the palace. The palace was historically only accessible from the overlying Sheesh Mahal, though a new entrance was built by the British near Hathi Pul, or "Elephant Stairs." Its walls were decorated with intricate frescoes and marble inlay that have been severely deteriorate by layers of subsequent white-washing and centuries of dampness. Passage tunnels also exist that lead from
15618-465: The standard literary and administrative language and Prakrit languages evolved into many regional languages in different parts of India. All these languages are called Prakrit languages (Sanskrit: प्राकृत , prākṛta ) collectively. Paishachi Prakrit was one of these Prakrit languages, which was spoken in north and north-western India and Punjabi developed from this Prakrit. Later in northern India Paishachi Prakrit gave rise to Paishachi Apabhraṃśa ,
15755-720: The supervision of Mamur Khan during the reign of Jahangir as a set of cloisters near the Moti Masjid. Designed by Khawaja Jahan Muhammad Dost, it was used as a passage to the Audience Hall from the palace buildings to the north. Clerks in the Maktab Khana would also record the entry of guests into the fort. It features iwans in the Persian-Timurid style on each of its four sides. Each iwan is flanked by arches. The Moti Masjid ( Urdu : موتی مسجد ), one of
15892-468: The supervision of Mamur Khan during the reign of Jahangir as a set of cloisters near the Moti Masjid. Designed by Khawaja Jahan Muhammad Dost, it was used as a passage to the Audience Hall from the palace buildings to the north. Clerks in the Maktab Khana would also record the entry of guests into the fort. It features iwans in the Persian-Timurid style on each of its four sides. Each iwan is flanked by arches. The Moti Masjid ( Urdu : موتی مسجد ), one of
16029-539: The terms Eastern and Western Punjabi can simply refer to all the Punjabi varieties spoken in India and Pakistan respectively, whether or not they are linguistically Eastern/Western. While a vowel length distinction between short and long vowels exists, reflected in modern Gurmukhi orthographical conventions, it is secondary to the vowel quality contrast between centralised vowels /ɪ ə ʊ/ and peripheral vowels /iː eː ɛː aː ɔː oː uː/ in terms of phonetic significance. The peripheral vowels have nasal analogues . There
16166-444: The time. The structure derives its name from the Urdu word for 900,000, Naulakha . The Naulakha Pavilion served as a personal chamber and was located to the west of the Sheesh Mahal , in the northern section of the fort. The pavilion served as inspiration for Rudyard Kipling , who named his Vermont home Naulakha in honour of the pavilion. The structure was originally inlaid with precious and semi-precious stones . It reflects
16303-444: The wife of Maharaja Kharak Singh . The current structure was built by the British in 1849 after their victory against the Sikhs. Kharak Singh Haveli was the haveli of Kharak Singh, the heir to Ranjit Singh. It lies in the southeast of the Jahangir's Quadrangle. It was later occupied by the British where the first and the ground floor were used as a Commandant's Quarters and godown and servants house respectively. Currently, it houses
16440-443: The wife of Maharaja Kharak Singh . The current structure was built by the British in 1849 after their victory against the Sikhs. Kharak Singh Haveli was the haveli of Kharak Singh, the heir to Ranjit Singh. It lies in the southeast of the Jahangir's Quadrangle. It was later occupied by the British where the first and the ground floor were used as a Commandant's Quarters and godown and servants house respectively. Currently, it houses
16577-439: The year 1611 and the construction was completed on the order of her son Jahangir in her honor. Shah Jahan 's first contribution to the fort commenced in the year of his coronation, 1628, and continued until 1645. Shah Jahan first ordered the construction of the Diwan-i-Aam in the style of a Chehel Sotoun - a Persian style 40-pillar public audience hall. Though construction of the Shah Burj commenced under Jahangir, Shah Jahan
16714-514: Was lexically influenced by Portuguese (words like almārī ), Greek (words like dām ), Japanese (words like rikśā ), Chinese (words like cāh , līcī , lukāṭh ) and English (words like jajj , apīl , māsṭar ), though these influences have been minor in comparison to Persian and Arabic. In fact, the sounds / z / (ਜ਼ / ز ژ ذ ض ظ ), / ɣ / (ਗ਼ / غ ), / q / (ਕ਼ / ق ), / ʃ / (ਸ਼ / ش ), / x / (ਖ਼ / خ ) and / f / (ਫ਼ / ف ) are all borrowed from Persian, but in some instances
16851-419: Was added to the fort during this period, as was the Ath dara or "Eight-doored" pavilion. The fort's Naag Temple and Loh temple were also constructed during Sikh rule, while the Mai Jindan Haveli was extensively modified. Kharak Singh Haveli was also added. The fort's northern outer wall, parallel to the picture wall, was constructed during this period. The fort's Diwan-i-Aam was destroyed in 1841 when
16988-435: Was also added. The fort's northern outer wall, parallel to the picture wall, was constructed during this period. The fort's Diwan-i-Aam was destroyed in 1841 when the son of Ranjit Singh, Sher Singh bombarded the fort in his fight against Chand Kaur . Maharaja Ranjit Singh's elder son and successor, Kharak Singh was born in the fort to his wife, Maharani Datar Kaur . The youngest son of Ranjit Singh, Maharaja Duleep Singh
17125-432: Was at the height of its splendor and opulence. Though the site of the Lahore Fort has been inhabited for millennia, the first record of a fortified structure at the site was regarding an 11th-century mudbrick fort. The foundations of the modern Lahore Fort date to 1566 during the reign of Emperor Akbar, who bestowed the fort with a syncretic architectural style that featured both Islamic and Hindu motifs. Additions from
17262-492: Was born at the fort's Mai Jindan Haveli in 1838. Duleep Singh had signed the Treaty of Bhyroval in 1847 that brought the Sikh empire to an effective end. The fort and the city had remained under the control of Ranjit Singh's family until the fall of the Sikh Empire in 1849. The British occupied the fort after their conquest of Lahore, and made several modifications to it, primarily involving conversion of existing buildings for colonial use including hospitals and barracks for
17399-456: Was built style of a Chehel Sotoun - a Persian style 40-pillar public audience hall, in a style similar to the Diwan-i-Aam at the Agra Fort . The Diwan-i-Aam was used as a hall for the emperors to hold an audience with commoners. Shah Jahan's Diwan-i-Aam was destroyed in 1841 when the son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh , Sher Singh bombarded the fort in his fight against Maharani Chand Kaur ,
17536-399: Was built style of a Chehel Sotoun - a Persian style 40-pillar public audience hall, in a style similar to the Diwan-i-Aam at the Agra Fort . The Diwan-i-Aam was used as a hall for the emperors to hold an audience with commoners. Shah Jahan's Diwan-i-Aam was destroyed in 1841 when the son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh , Sher Singh bombarded the fort in his fight against Maharani Chand Kaur ,
17673-423: Was constructed with bricks, burnt bricks and pebbles respectively. The latter either built during Jahangir's or Shah Jahan's era was the hallmark of Mughals. The fort is divided into two sections: first, the administrative section, which is well connected with main entrances, and includes gardens and Diwan-e-Khas for royal audiences. The second, a private and concealed residential section is divided into courts in
17810-415: Was displeased with its design and appointed Asif Khan to oversee reconstruction. Shah Jahan's Shah Burj forms a quadrangle with the famous Sheesh Mahal , and Naulakha Pavilion. Both are attributed to Shah Jahan, although the Naulakha Pavilion may be a later addition possibly from the Sikh era. The white marble Moti Masjid, or Pearl Mosque, also dates from the Shah Jahan period. Emperor Aurangzeb , built
17947-438: Was once featured on Pakistani currency . The Mughals lost the fort to the Afghan Durranis , who in turn briefly lost the fort to Maratha forces before being recaptured by the Durranis. The fort was then captured by the Bhangi Misl - one of the 12 Sikh Misls of Punjab that ruled Lahore from 1767 until 1799. The fort fell to the army of Ranjit Singh , who took Lahore from the Bhangi Misl in 1799. During their occupation of
18084-418: Was site of elaborate pageantry, with processions of up to one hour long occurring before each audience session. Khwabgah was the bedroom of Shah Jahan. It was built by Shah Jahan under the supervision of Wazir Khan in 1634 during his first visit to the city. Five sleeping chambers are aligned in a single row. The chambers feature carved marble screens and are decorated with inlaid white marble and frescoes, It
18221-416: Was site of elaborate pageantry, with processions of up to one hour long occurring before each audience session. Khwabgah was the bedroom of Shah Jahan. It was built by Shah Jahan under the supervision of Wazir Khan in 1634 during his first visit to the city. Five sleeping chambers are aligned in a single row. The chambers feature carved marble screens and are decorated with inlaid white marble and frescoes, It
18358-501: Was the hallmark of Mughals. The fort is divided into two sections: first, the administrative section, which is well connected with main entrances, and includes gardens and Diwan-e-Khas for royal audiences. The second, a private and concealed residential section is divided into courts in the north and accessible through elephant gate. It also contains Sheesh Mahal, spacious bedrooms and small gardens. The exterior walls are decorated with blue Persian Kashi tiles. The original entrance faces
18495-481: Was used as a summer pavilion. In the northeast corner of the Khilawat Khana stands the Lal Burj ("Red Pavilion"). Like the nearby Kala Burj, the Lal Burj was built during the reign of Jahangir, though finished during the reign of Shah Jahan. Octagonal in shape, the Lal Burj was used as a summer pavilion. It features primary windows that opened to the north to catch cool breezes. The interior frescoes date mostly from
18632-424: Was used as a summer pavilion. In the northeast corner of the Khilawat Khana stands the Lal Burj ("Red Pavilion"). Like the nearby Kala Burj, the Lal Burj was built during the reign of Jahangir, though finished during the reign of Shah Jahan. Octagonal in shape, the Lal Burj was used as a summer pavilion. It features primary windows that opened to the north to catch cool breezes. The interior frescoes date mostly from
18769-432: Was used as the residence of Emperor Ranjit Singh , founder of the Sikh Empire . The Sikhs made several additions to the fort. It then passed to the control of the East India Company after they annexed Punjab following their victory over the Sikhs at the Battle of Gujrat in February 1849. In 1981, the fort was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its "outstanding repertoire " of Mughal monuments dating from
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