17 July 2022
(All research and photos by the author)
The historic town of Shahdara is in the northern suburbs of Lahore, and one can reach there after crossing the river Ravi. In the 15th century, it was the entrance gateway of the Lahore and Mughal emperors. It is mainly famous for historic Mughal architectural sites, Mughal gardens, and the Tomb of Jahangir, the Mughal Emperor, his wife Empress Nur Jehan, and his brother-in-law Abdul Hasan Asaf Khan. After the construction of these historical monuments, Shahdara town also started to expand, and before the partition of 1947, a diverse community comprising all religions was present here.
In Shahdara town, a neighborhood by the name 'Pari Mohalla' still exists. In 'Pari Mohalla' before partition Khatri clan of the Hindu community used to live here and most of them were associated with the gold business in Hindustan. They constructed some amazing residential buildings, which comprised elegant architectural elements.
