Shams-ud-Din Iltutmish
(1211-1236) (or Atamish, the son of Neem Khan from Ilbri clan of Turkistan)
came as the third king of the Ilbri Turks who succeeded after the death of
Qutab-ud-Din Aibak. Being the son-in-law and trust worthy general of Aibak, he
was selected as the sultan of India though the elites of the court put the
crown on the head of Aram Shah, the son of Qutab-ud-Din Aibak.
Aibak died of injuries received
during an accidental fall from a horse while playing polo in 1210 AD. He
was buried in Lahore near Anarkali
Bazaar. Qutb-ud-din Aibak's tomb is located behind Anarkali bazaar.
In the early 1970's, it was renovated at the orders of the then Prime Minister
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. In memory of, ‘Qutb-ud-din Aibak's’ the road passing in
front of this tomb named after him, the ‘Aibak Road’.
A narrow street, ‘Shah Iltutmish’
connects ‘Aibak Road’ and Anarkali bazaar, which is named after son-in-law of Qutab-ud-Din
Aibak. The, famous betel leaves market of Lahore also located on ‘Shah
Iltutmish Street.’ On this street many old pre-partition buildings are still
present. One of the old buildings really attracts me because of its beautiful
crafted wooden windows and arches. I noticed a name plaque embedded in front
wall with wording,
‘House of Khan Bahadur Sheikh Nanuck Bakhsh,
the extra Assistant Commissioner first class Magistrate Lahore and the
construction of this building started in year 1872 and completed in 1895.’
Interestingly, when I searched information
about Khan Bahadur Nanak Bakash, I came to know that, in year 1899; Allama
Muhammad Iqbal passed M.A. in philosophy from Government College, Lahore and
was awarded Khan Bahadur Nanak Bakash Medal for being the only successful
candidate in Philosophy.
