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Attractions
Thirteen
Gates of Lahore:
Northern Gates:-
- The Raushnai Gate (gate of
light). It is between the royal mosque and the citadels.
Being the principal entrance from the fort to the city, it
was most frequented by the Omerahs, courtiers, royal
servants, and retinues; and as the quarters about here were
profusely lighted up at night, it was called the "gate
of light" , or, "gate of splendour"
- The Kashmiri Gate, so called
because it faces the direction of Kashmir.
- The Masti Gate, the name is
the corruption of "Masjidi," the pertaining to a
mosque. The mosque of Mariam Makani, mother of Akber, is in
its immediate vicinity. Hence its name.
- The Khizri Gate. The river
in former times flowed by the city walls, and the ferry was
near this spot. The gate was, therefore, named Khizri, after
the name of Khizr Elias, the patron saint, according to the
Mahomedan belief, of running waters and streams, and the
discoverer of the water of immortality. Ranjit Singh kept
here two domesticated lions in a cage, and the gate came to
be called "Sheranwala" or the " lions'
gate". Pepole now call it by both names, the "
Khizri" and the "Sheranwalla" gateway.
Eastern Gates:-
- The Yakki Gate. The original
name was "Zaki," that being the name of a martyr
saint, who, according to tradition, fell fighting against
the Moghal infidels from the north, while gallantly
defending his city. His head was cut off at the gate, but
the trunk continued fighting for some time, and at last fell
in a quarter of the city close by. One tomb of this champion
was consequently built at the spot where the head had
fallen, and another at the place where the trunk lay. Both
are revered by the faithful to this clay.
- The Dehli Gate, so called
from its opening on to the high road from Lahore to Delhi.
- The Akbari Gate, named after
Mahomed Jala-ud-din Akbar, who rebuilt the town and citadel.
Close to this gate the Emperor also founded a market, which,
after his name, is called "Akbari Mandi".
Southern Gates:-
- The Mochi Gate. The name is
the corruption of Moti, a pearl. It was called so after the
name of Moti Ram, an officer of Akbar, who resided here at
that time.
- The Shah 'Almi Gate, named
after Mohomed Mo'azzam Shah 'Alam Bahadur Shah (the son and
successor of Aurangzeb), a mild and munificent Emperor, who
died at Lahore on the 28th February 1712.
- The Lahori Gate, called also
the Lohari gate. The gate was named after the city of
Lahore. It is said that when Malik Ayaz rebuilt the town, in
the time of Mahmud, the quarter of the city first populated
was about this gate, which, together with the Lahori Mandi,
or the Lahore market, was named after the city.
- The Mori Gate is the
smallest of the gateway, and as its name implies, was in old
times used as an outlet for the refuse and sweepings of the
city.
Western
Gates:-
- The Bhatti Gate, named after
the Bhatis, an ancient Rajput tribe who inhabited these
quarters in old times.
- The Taxali Gate, so called
from the Taxal, or royal mint, having been in its
neighbourhood during the period of the Mahomedan Emperors
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