Shalimar Gardens, Lahore

Coordinates: 31°35′09″N 74°22′55″E / 31.58583°N 74.38194°E / 31.58583; 74.38194

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore
Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List

Type	Cultural
Criteria	i, ii, iii
Reference	171
UNESCO region	Asia-Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription	1981 (5th Session)
Endangered	2000–2012

South wall pavilion on first level

The Shalimar Gardens (Punjabi, Urdu: شالیمار باغ‎), sometimes written as Shalamar Gardens, is a Mughal garden complex located in Lahore, Pakistan.^[1] Construction began in 1637 AD^[2] (1046 AH) and was completed in 1641 AD (1051 AH). The project management was carried out under the superintendence of Khalilullah Khan, a noble of Shah Jahan's court, in cooperation with Ali Mardan Khan and Mulla Alaul Maulk Tuni. The meaning of the word 'Shalimar' remains a mystery, but it is probably of Arabic or Persian origin as asserted by Anna Suvorova in her book 'Lahore: Topophilia of Space and Place'.^[3] The Shalimar Gardens are located near Baghbanpura along the Grand Trunk Road some 5 kilometers northeast of the main Lahore city. Shalimar Gardens draws inspiration from Central Asia, Kashmir, Punjab, Persia, and the Delhi Sultanate.^[4]

History

Inside Shalimar Gardens

Shalimar Gardens in 1895

The site of the Shalimar Gardens originally belonged to the Arain Mian Family Baghbanpura. The family was also given the royal title of 'Mian' by the Mughal Emperor, for its services to the Empire. Mian Muhammad Yusuf, then the head of the Arain Mian family, gave the site of Ishaq Pura to the Emperor shah jahan, after pressure was placed on the family by the royal engineers who wished to build on the site due to its good position and soil. In return, Shah Jahan granted the Arain Mian family governance of the Shalimar Gardens. The Shalimar Gardens remained under the custodianship of this family for more than 350 years.

In 1962, the Shalimar Gardens were nationalised by General Ayub khan because leading Arain Mian family members had opposed his imposition of martial law in Pakistan.

The Mela Chiraghan festival used to take place in the Gardens, until General Ayub khan ordered against it in 1958.

Architecture

The Shalimar Gardens are laid out in the form of an oblong parallelogram, surrounded by a high brick wall, which is famous for its intricate fretwork. This garden was made on the concept of Char Bhagh. The gardens measure 658 meters north to south and 258 meters east to west. In 1981, Shalimar Gardens was included as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the Lahore Fort, under the UNESCO Convention concerning the protection of the world's cultural and natural heritage sites in 1972.

Three level terraces of the Gardens

The gardens have been laid out from south to north in three levels of terraces, which are elevated by 4–5 metres (13-15 feet) above one another. The respective names of the three terraces have been listed as follows:

The middle level terrace of the garden, known as the Faiz Bakhsh terrace

The upper level or the third terrace named Farah Baksh meaning Bestower of Pleasure
The middle level or the second terrace named Faiz Baksh meaning Bestower of Goodness
The lower level terrace named Hayat Baksh meaning Bestower of Life

Fountains

From this basin, and from the canal, rise 410 fountains, which discharge into wide marble pools.It is a credit to the creativity of Mughal engineers that even today scientists are unable to fully comprehend the water systems and thermal engineering from architectural blueprints. The surrounding area is rendered cooler by the flowing of the fountains, which is a particular relief for visitors during Lahore's blistering summers, with temperature sometimes exceeding 120 °F (49 °C). The distribution of the fountains is as follows:

The upper level terrace has 105 fountains.
The middle level terrace has 152 fountains.
The lower level terrace has 153 fountains.
All combined, the Gardens has 410 fountains.

The Gardens have 5 water cascades including the great marble cascade and Sawan Bhadoon.

Buildings of the Gardens

The buildings of the Gardens include:

Sawan Bhadun pavilions
Naqar Khana and its buildings
Khwabgah or Sleeping chambers
Hammam or Royal bath
The Aiwan or Grand hall

Aramgah or Resting place
Khawabgah of Begum Sahib or Dream place of the emperor's wife
Baradaries or summer pavilions to enjoy the coolness created by the Gardens' fountains
Diwan-e-Khas-o-Aam or Hall of special & ordinary audience with the emperor
Two gateways and minarets in the corners of the Gardens

Trees of the Gardens

Some of the varieties of trees that were planted included:

Almond Apple Apricot Cherry Gokcha Mango Mulberry	Peach Plum Poplar Quince Seedless Sapling of Cypress Shrubs Sour & sweet oranges
Numerous other varieties of odoriferous (fragrant) and non odoriferous and fruit giving plants

Gallery

Shalimar Gardens Gallery
East wall corner of the second level terrace
Minaret on the west wall corner of the second level terrace
A Mughal style structure inside the gardens

References

↑ Google maps. "Location of Shalimar Gardens". Google maps. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
↑ Shalamar Gardens Gardens of the Mughal Empire. Retrieved 20 June 2012
↑ http://tribune.com.pk/story/327000/the-meaning-of-shalimar/
↑ http://mughalgardens.org/html/shalamar.html

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shalimar Gardens (Lahore).

World Heritage Sites in Pakistan

Heritage sites	Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and Neighbouring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta Rohtas Fort Taxila

Tentative sites	Badshahi Mosque Wazir Khan Mosque Tombs of Jahangir, Asif Khan and Akbari Sarai Hiran Minar and Tank Ranikot Fort Shah Jahan Mosque Chaukhandi tombs Archaeological Site of Mehrgarh Archaeological Site of Rehman Dheri Archaeological Site of Harappa Archaeological Site of Ranigat Shahbazgarhi Rock Edicts Mansehra Rock Edicts Baltit Fort Tombs of Bibi Jawindi, Baha'al-Halim and Ustead and the Tomb and Mosque of Jalaluddin Bukhari Tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam Banbhore

Mughal Empire

Emperors	Babur Humayun Akbar Jahangir Shah Jahan Aurangzeb (Alamgir) Muhammad Azam Shah Bahadur Shah I Jahandar Shah Farrukhsiyar Rafi ud-Darajat Shah Jahan II Muhammad Shah Ahmad Shah Bahadur Alamgir II Shah Jahan III Shah Alam II Akbar II Bahadur Shah II

Battles and conflicts	Battle of Panipat (1526) Battle of Khanwa Battle of Ghaghra Siege of Sambhal Battle of Panipat (1556) Battle of Thanesar Siege of Chittorgarh Siege of Ranthambore Battle of Tukaroi Battle of Raj Mahal Battle of Haldighati Siege of Kandahar Mughal–Safavid War (1622–23) Siege of Orchha Mughal–Safavid War (1649–53) Battle of Samugarh Battle of Khajwa Suppression of Tilpat rebellion Ahom–Mughal conflicts Siege of Purandhar Tibet–Ladakh–Mughal War Mughal–Maratha Wars Siege of Bijapur Siege of Jinji Child's War Siege of Golconda Battle of Karnal Third Battle of Panipat Battle of Buxar Siege of Delhi

Architecture	Taj Mahal Gardens of Babur Fatehpur Sikri Tomb of Salim Chishti Humayun's Tomb Red Fort Lahore Fort Jahangir Mahal Lalbagh Fort Akbar's Tomb Agra Fort Chawk Mosque Shalimar Gardens Achabal Gardens Jahangir's Tomb Bibi Ka Maqbara Badshahi Mosque Shahi Bridge Shah Jahan Mosque, Thatta Sheesh Mahal Sunehri Masjid Tipu Sultan Mosque Wazir Khan Mosque more

Adversaries	Ibrahim Lodi Rana Sanga Sher Shah Suri Hemu Maharana Pratap Malik Ambar Gokula Pratapaditya Shivaji Lachit Borphukan Khushal Khattak Sir Josiah Child Guru Gobind Singh Henry Every Nader Shah Hector Munro

See also	Cuisine Culture Flag Gardens Language Military Painting Persians Tribe Weapons Timurid dynasty family tree

Successor states	Marathas Durranis Mysore Sikhs Bengal Awadh Hyderabad Carnatic Rajputs Jats Bangash Pathans Rohilkhand

List of cultural heritage sites in Punjab, Pakistan

Forts	Derawar Fort Lahore Fort Rohtas Fort

Tourist attractions	Shalimar Gardens, Lahore Hazuri Bagh Bagh-e-Jinnah, Lahore Kamran's Baradari

Monuments	Minar-e-Pakistan Hakimon ka Maqbara Islamic Summit Minar Nicholson's Obelisk Tomb of Muhammad Iqbal Chauburji Tomb of Bibi Jawindi Tomb of Jahangir Tomb of Nur Jahan Tomb of Lala Rukh House of Abdus Salam, Jhang Shrine of Jalaluddin Bukhari Shrine of Nuriya Shrine of Baha'al-Halim Tomb of Jani Khan Tomb of Nadira Begum Tomb of Ali Mardan Khan Cypress Tomb

Government buildings	Governor's House National College of Arts Quaid-e-Azam Library Lahore High Court building

Religious sites	Tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam Data Durbar Complex Badshahi Mosque Katasraj temple

Museums	Lahore Museum Javed Manzil

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