A MUGHAL DOOR STILL STANDING IN THE CITY,
THE GRAND TRADITION OF THE CITY OF LAHORE

Lahore is full of surprises. But in the wrong hands and the commercialization process, things are really going wrong. A number of Afghans have actually bought most of the inner city and bureaucracy is helpless in front of their hoarded wealth and plans. But the face of Old Lahore still comes out here and there.

There are many houses with old door in them still standing. Many are of British period and some of the Sikh period. Hardly any of the Mughal period or the Ghaznavid Seljuk period. Although some of them still survive to this day in collections. Here is one not only with Mughal engraving but also a Shikar gah on them. Exquisite. The owners refuse to entertain people for it. The most beautiful carved doors were of Jahangeer’s mausoleum but somebody stole them. Maybe we see them one day somewhere in Afghanistan.

The interesting part is that wooden doors of Delhi are quite different from wooden doors of Lahore. Else where city culture reflects aesthetics. Compare Aurangabad, Delhi and Lahore. Different doors but vision same. A blog on Ghaznavid doors is due!