Delhi Gate ( ur, , translit=Delhī Darwāzā) is one of six remaining historic gates of the

Walled City of Lahore The Walled City of Lahore (Punjabi language, Punjabi & ur, , ''"Inner City"''), also known as Old City, forms the historic core of Lahore, Pakistan. The city was established around 1000 CE in the western half of the Walled City, which was for ...

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

. Delhi Gate and the adjacent

Shahi Hammam The Shahi Hammam (Urdu and pa, ; ''"Royal Baths"''), also known as the Wazir Khan Hammam, is a Turkish bath, Persian-style bath which was built in Lahore, Pakistan, in 1635 Common era, C.E. during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan. It was built by ...

were restored in 2015 by the Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan.

Background

The Delhi Gate was originally built during the Mughal period, and is now known as the

Chitta Gate The Chitta Gate ( ur, ; ''"White Gate"'') is a gateway located in the Walled City of Lahore, Pakistan, dating from 1650. The gate was once the Lahore's original "Delhi Gate," and the city's main entry-point. Etymology The gate derived its curre ...

, about 100 metres west of the new Delhi Gate. The gate was named after

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...

since the gate opened east, in the general direction of that city. During the Mughal era, the gate served as the main gateway to Lahore, and its doors were shut every evening. The surrounding area includes several buildings of historical significance including the 17th century

Wazir Khan Mosque ; ''Masjid Wazīr Khān'') is a 17th-century mosque located in the city of Lahore, capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab. The mosque was commissioned during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a part of an ensemble of buildings tha ...

, and

haveli A ''haveli'' is a traditional townhouse, mansion, manor house, in the Indian subcontinent, usually one with historical and architectural significance, and located in a town or city. The word ''haveli'' is derived from Arabic ''hawali'', mean ...

s. "The original 13 gates around the city of Lahore were built by the third

Mughal emperor The Mughal emperors ( fa, , Pādishāhān) were the supreme heads of state of the Mughal Empire on the Indian subcontinent, mainly corresponding to the modern countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Mughal rulers styled t ...

Akbar Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar (25 October 1542 – 27 October 1605), popularly known as Akbar the Great ( fa, ), and also as Akbar I (), was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Hum ...

in the mid 1600s. These thirteen gates provided access to the city of Lahore which was once enclosed within a thirty feet high fortified wall, built by the same Mughal emperor". Delhi Gate also served as Union Council 27 (UC 27) in Tehsil

Ravi Ravi may refer to: People * Ravi (name), including a list of people and characters with the name * Ravi (composer) (1926–2012), Indian music director * Ravi (Ivar Johansen) (born 1976), Norwegian musical artist * Ravi (music director) (1926–201 ...

of Lahore City District.

History

The gate was once part of Lahore's city walls, which were torn down by the British after the

Sepoy Mutiny The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the for ...

of 1857. The gate itself was also destroyed by the British, but was reconstructed in the 19th century under the

British Raj The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent; * * it is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or Direct rule in India, * Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...

. Following the

Partition of British India The Partition of British India in 1947 was the change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: India and Pakistan. T ...

, the gate housed a girls' school. The gate is mentioned by

Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work. ...

in his 1891 short story "The City of Dreadful Night." Lahore's famous Zamzama Gun was originally placed at Delhi Gate, but was relocated by the British to a site in front of the

Lahore Museum The Lahore Museum ( pa, ; ur, ; ''"Lahore Wonder House"'') is a museum located in Lahore, Pakistan. Founded in 1865 at a smaller location and opened in 1894 at its current location on The Mall in Lahore during the British colonial period, La ...

Structure

The gate is a two-story structure which use to have space for ten to twelve shops. The gate's rooftop can be accessed by a staircase. The gate opens up into a Bazaar heading to the Wazir Khan Mosque and further leading to Shah Alam Market and ''Suha Bazaar''. The famous spice market ''Akbari Mandi'' is also located next to Delhi Gate.

Restoration

undertook a project to renovate the gate that was funded by the government of Norway. Goals of the project were to conserve not only the gate, but also the nearby 17th century

, as well as the adjacent

Gallery

File:Delhi_Gate_23_(WCLA).jpg, The gate is now illuminated by accent lighting following restoration. File:Dehli_Darwaza_-_interior.jpg, The gate's interior features several cells which are used as shops. File:00-Delhi_Gate_Lahore-_By_@ibneazhar_(2).jpg File:Gates of walled city.jpg File:Delhi_Gate_3_(WCLA).jpg, Within the gate's vicinity are several shops and stalls. File:Delhi_Gate_(WCLA).jpg, Delhi Gate's night market. File:Grand_entrance_of_Delhi_Gate.jpg, Entrance to the gateway is illuminated at night. File:Dehli_gate_lahore_walled_city.jpg

References

External links

Walled City Has thirteen gates on Archived website
{{Walled City of Lahore Gates of Lahore