The reign of Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal emperor, is considered the “golden age” of Mughal architecture since it was particularly developed and perfected during this time.
Strong infrastructure, painstaking attention to detail, and symmetrical, balanced architecture were hallmarks of that era.
One such instance is the Shalimar Gardens in Lahore, which are appropriately referred to as the “City of Gardens” and have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Several Islamic mystics, poets, and painters have visited it in the past, and it still draws a large number of locals and tourists today.
Location Details
The Shalimar Garden is situated beside the Grand Trunk Road, approximately 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) east of the Walled City of Lahore’s Delhi Gate. Close to Lahore’s Bhaghbanpura.
Popular spots close to this Mughal garden in Lahore are the following:
- The University of Engineering and Technology, which is 5 kilometers away
- The Lahore Zoo, which is 8 kilometers away.
- New Metro City Lahore: 10 minutes.
- The Badshahi Mosque is 8.6 km away.
- Lahore Fort: at a distance of 8.5 km
- Minir-e-Pakistan: at a distance of 9.4 km
Interesting Background Shalimar Gardens Lahore
The Mughal royal family constructed the Shalimar Gardens in Lahore mostly as a place for them to host guests, though a sizable section was accessible to the general public.
The ancient Shalimar Gardens in Kashmir, which were constructed by Shah Jahan’s father, Emperor Jahangir, had an impact on the gardens’ design.
The waterworks of Lahore required significant engineering to produce artificial cascades and terraces, in contrast to the gardens in Kashmir which relied on naturally sloping landscapes.
The Shalimar Gardens were intended to be a miniature of an earthly utopia, a Charbagh “Paradise garden” in the Persian style.
Despite being translated as just “garden,” the word “bagh” actually denotes a poetic link between heaven and earth as well as a peaceful coexistence between humans and the natural world.
“We value the sun, moon, and air, among other natural components found in the bagh.”
Shah Jahan’s historian, Muhammad Saleh Kamboh, claimed that the Shalimar Garden in Lahore was designed with inspiration from the gardens of Kashmir and that a broad range of trees and flowers coexisted there.
The location was selected due to its reliable water source. Mulla Alaul Maulk Tuni and Khalilullah Khan, a noble from Shah Jahan’s court, collaborated to oversee the project.
The majority of the work was completed under Ali Mardan Khan, who also had a 100-mile canal built to transport water to the location from the Kashmiri foothills.
The Arain Mian Family Baghbanpura was the original owner of the Shalimar Gardens. In order for the gardens to be constructed, the Emperor Shah Jahan received the site of Ishaq Pura from Mian Muhammad Yusuf, the head of the Arain Mian dynasty at the time.
Shah Jahan gave the Arain Mian family control over the Shalimar Gardens in exchange, and the gardens were maintained by them for more over 350 years.
Architecture & Design of Shalimar Gardens
Three breathtaking terraces in the gorgeous Shalimar Gardens tell the story of the creativity and vision of the royal artisans, engineers, architects, horticulturists, and hydrologists who worked under the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan.
Terraces
Constructed on naturally tiered terrain, each of the three terraces is carefully raised between 13 and 15 feet above the others. The center terrace has the appearance of a thin rectangle, while the top and bottom terraces are formed like squares.
Shalimar Bagh has three levels with lush green grass, exquisite flower gardens, and lovely fountains. The historical park, which occupies around 16 hectares, has the most intricate waterworks of any garden built during the Mughal Empire in the subcontinent.
These beautiful gardens have a style that is evocative of the traditional Timurid gardens built in what is now Central Asia between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries.
Shalimar Bagh’s three terraces are separated by several areas by fountains, just like those expansive gardens. In addition, each part has raised brick walkways on either side that offer guests a captivating perspective of the elaborate architecture and surrounding greenery below.
Clear water flows onto the central terrace from a wide marble path, then gathers to form a massive pool beneath the seating pavilion.
The garden’s charm and tranquility are further enhanced with the addition of four additional water cascades.
Bestower of Life
Translating to “Bestower of Pleasure,” Farah Bakhsh is the highest level of the quaint garden complex. The Emperor’s harem once stood on this terrace.
The king himself occupied the intermediate level, known as Faiz Bakhsh, which translates to “Bestower of Goodness.” “Bestower of Life,” or Hayat Bakhsh, is the name of the lowest terrace. The public was occasionally let in as well as the noblemen. This level served as Shalimar Gardens’ primary entrance.
Shalimar Garden boasts an astounding feat of engineering and architecture with its 410 fountains. There are 105 fountains on the highest terrace, 152 on the middle level, and 153 on the lowest terrace.
Baradaries
In addition to its rich vegetation and elaborate water features, this Lahore garden has some striking structures that showcase the characteristic Mughal artwork.
The Baradaries, which were constructed so that the emperor and his noblemen might enjoy the coolness produced by the fountains, the stunning Sawan Bhadun pavilions, Naqar Khana, Aiwan, Aramgah, Khwabgah, and Diwan-e-Khas-o-Aam are a few of the most noteworthy buildings inside Shalimar Gardens.
Water features
Of all the Mughal gardens, the Shalimar Garden has the most water features. It has four hundred and forty fountains that flow into large marble pools called haūz. The walled garden’s water features and thick vegetation keep it cooler than the surrounding areas.
This is a comfort during Lahore’s scorching summers, when temperatures can reach as high as 120 °F (49 °C). The fountains are dispersed as follows:
There are 410 fountains in the Gardens overall, with 105 on the upper level terrace, 152 on the middle level terrace, and 153 on the lower level terrace.
The Great Marble Cascade and Sawan Bhadoon are two of the five water cascades in the Gardens.
Authenticity
In general, the property preserves the original shapes, layouts, designs, and contents of both complexes as well as the component layouts, characteristics, and aspects connected to the 16th and 17th-century Mughal creative and aesthetic expressions.
In order to preserve the originality of the workmanship, modern conservation and restoration work must revive and employ historic methods and materials.
The original purpose of these royal complexes has been replaced by public visitation and tourism, and the larger setting of both complexes now accommodates the traffic circulation and functional needs of the modern city of Lahore. Nevertheless, authenticity of function and setting has been undermined over time.
Lastly, Requirements for Management and Protection
Protected by the Antiquities Act (1975), the World Heritage property was managed by Pakistan’s Department of Archaeology until 2005.
At that point, control over the property was transferred from the federal to the provincial levels, with the Directorate General of Archaeology, Punjab (DGoA,P) assuming general management duties.
With project financing provided by the Government of Punjab through the “Five Year Programme for Preservation and Restoration of Lahore Fort” and “Five Year Programme for the Preservation and Restoration of Shalimar Gardens,” which were both launched in 2006-2007, the DGoA,P is operating within the parameters outlined in the two Master Plans established for Lahore Fort and the Shalimar Gardens.
The Punjab Heritage Foundation is attempting to provide a steady source of funding for the DGoA, P. In addition, a Technical Committee is supervising conservation activities and developing a “conservation plan” based on the priorities outlined in the Master Plans, while a Steering Committee directs the implementation of planned projects.
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