TRADITIONS OF LAHORE ARE AN ENIGMA OF THEIR OWN

NO ONE BOTHERED WITH RESEARCH ON OUR PAST

The Origin of Lahore is a myth. The more we try to uncover the past, the more puzzling it really becomes. Of course people write, but people write with mere spurious references. No one goes to the origin of the truth.  In this race for uncovering the past, one comes across strange figurines, which normally are in no ones record. Preconceived debunking old Muslim Civilization is always there, for no one believes in the sophistication of past Muslim dynasties. The truth becomes self evident with proof from the past.

A trove of research material is with us but except for us ourselves, no foreign scholars to the scene to dig up our past. To prove that Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi’s Court life was full of splendour, would be against the hype about his alleged ruthlessness. One of the greatest Universities of the World was in Ghazni and people from all over the world came to research on its library. One of the most magnificent mosques in the World was in Ghazni, and so big, that it was meant to house the entire population of Ghazni in it. Reduced in height stands two of its minarets to remind us of the vision of the Sultan. The greatest research and poetry was written in those times. Sultan Muhammed Ghori’s tower as well as Qutbuddin Aibak’s tower n Delhi tells us of the aesthetic choices of those dynasties. In this way a study of Lahori figurines lead us directly into the past splendour.

Discovered with deposits of Ghaznavid coins, of Sultan Ibraheem’s  (grandson of Sultan Mahmud) dynasty are some heads with crown in shape that look like the Jesters Hats of the Western world. Really how? It came to my mind that the Western world was fond of ridiculing its opponents, and may have developed the Ghaznavid Crown, as a Jester Hat for their Court. Who knows? In fact there is more of Seljuk and Chinese influence in it. Even Chinese faces come up in Lahore’s past, of ordinary people as well as leaders in their own rights. Our guess would be Mongolian influence, the forefathers of Mughals, and probably linked to Changez Khan as well as Timruid influence on Lahore. It may very well be the truth. For little is known about those periods of Lahore. We may know more. Till then just enjoy Prince and Princesses, Kings and Queens of the past, and damn everything else to hell! Live a life of pride in our past aesthetics.