Lahore (/ləˈhɔər/) (Punjabi: لہور, Urdu: لاہور) is the capital city of the province of Punjab, the second-largest metropolitan area in Pakistan and with a population of 10,052,000 people, it is the 15th-most-populous city in the world.[2] It is an important historical centre in South Asia. With a rich history dating back over a millennium, Lahore is a main cultural centre of the Punjab region and Pakistan, and is the largest Punjabi city in the world.[4]
Lahore, ancient Lava Puri named after Lava - son of Rama, served as the regional capital of the empires of the Hindu Shahi kingdom in the 11th century, the Ghaznavids in the 12th century, the Ghurid State in the 12th and 13th centuries and the Mughal Empire in the 16th century. From 1802 to 1849, Lahore served as the capital city of the Sikh Empire. In the mid-19th and early 20th century, Lahore was the capital of the Punjab region under the British Raj.[5]
The traditional capital of Punjab for a millennium, Lahore was the cultural centre of the northern Indian subcontinent which extends from the eastern banks of the Indus River to New Delhi.[6][7] Mughal structures such as the Badshahi Mosque, the Lahore Fort, Shalimar Gardens, the mausolea of Jehangir and Nur Jahan are some of the major tourist attractions in the city. Lahore is also home to many British colonial structures built in the Indo-Saracenic style, such as the General Post Office, Lahore Museum and many older universities and colleges.
Lahore is referred to as the cultural heart of Pakistan, as it hosts most of the arts, cuisine, festivals, music, film-making, gardening and intelligentsia of the country.[6] The city has always been a centre for publications where 80% of Pakistan's books are published, and it remains the foremost centre of literary, educational and cultural activity in Pakistan.[8] It is also home to hundreds of temples, mosques, churches and shrines.[9] The city is credited is home to some of Pakistan's leading universities including the Government College University, Forman Christian College and LUMS.[10]
Modern day Lahore consists of an old city, which is home to several world and national heritage sites, surrounded by larger suburban communities towards the southeast.[11] The city has an important cultural influence over Pakistan including through the Sufi inspired Qawwali Music, status as home to Pakistan's film industry and a popular domestic and foreign tourist destination.[12][13] More recently, the city is home to Pakistan's technology sector and is ranked as a Gamma+ world city.[14][15] The total GDP of the city is estimated at $102 billion contributed by the presence of 9,000 industrial units.[16]
Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 Origins
1.2 Hindu Rajput period and invasions
1.3 Ghaznavid Empire to Delhi Sultanate
1.4 Mughal era
1.5 Maratha reign
1.6 Afghan Durrani Empire
1.7 Sikh reign
1.8 British Raj
1.9 Independence of Pakistan
1.10 Post-independence
2 Geography
2.1 Climate
3 Civic administration
4 Economy
5 Transport
5.1 Lahore Metro
5.2 Buses
5.3 Airport
6 Religion
7 Population
8 Festivals
9 Tourism
9.1 Others
9.2 Museums [87]
9.3 Tombs and Shrines
9.4 Havelis
9.5 Other landmarks
9.6 Historic neighborhoods surrounding old city
9.7 Historic parks and gardens
10 Education
11 Fashion
12 Architecture
13 Sports
14 Notable people
15 Twin Towns and Sister Cities
16 See also
17 References
18 Bibliography
19 External links
History
Main article: History of Lahore
See also: Timeline of Lahore
Origins
Main articles: Etymology of Lahore and Origins of Lahore
A legend based on oral traditions holds that Lahore, known in ancient times as Lavapura,[17] was founded by Prince Lava or Loū,[18][19] the son of Sita and Rama, the king of Ayodhya and an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu according to the Ramayana epic. The city of Kasur was founded by his twin brother, Prince Kusha.[20] To this day, Lahore Fort has a vacant Lava temple dedicated to Lava (also pronounced Loh, hence Loh-awar or "The Fort of Loh").[21][22] Ptolemy, the celebrated 2nd-century Egyptian astronomer and geographer, mentions in his Geographia a city called Labokla situated on the route between the Indus River and Palibothra, or Pataliputra (Patna) mostly, in a tract of country called Kasperia (Kashmir). It was described as extending along the rivers Bidastes or Vitasta (Jhelum), Sandabal or Chandra Bhaga (Chenab), and Adris or Iravati (Ravi). This city may have been ancient Lahore.[23]
The oldest authentic surviving document about Lahore was written anonymously in 982. It is called Hudud al-'Alam (The Regions of the World).[24] In 1927 it was translated into English by Vladimir Minorsky and published in Lahore. In this document, Lahore is mentioned as a town being invaded by Arabic savages[25] "impressive temples, large markets and huge orchards." It refers to "two major markets around which dwellings exist", and it also mentions "the mud walls that enclose these two dwellings to make it one." The original document is currently held in the British Museum.[26] Lahore was called by different names throughout history. To date there is no conclusive evidence as to when it was founded. Some historians trace the history of the city as far back as 4000 years ago.[27] The earliest recorded mention is by the Chinese pilgrim Hieun-tsang, who gave a vivid description of Lahore when he visited the city in AD 630.[28] Lahore has been ruled and plundered by a number of dynasties and hordes.[29]
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