Written by: Mahnaz Shujrah
Posted on: August 23, 2022 | 
| 中文
Mazaar of Pir Bahadur Shah in old Ichra
Lahore is a city full of mystery and mysticism. There hides a story around each corner and alley, with layers of history embedded within the walls and woodwork. The oldest part of this city lies in Ichra, with a recorded past of more than two thousand years. Settled on a mound on the banks of an ancient river, Ichra was the original Lahore, and it precedes the Walled City and Lahore Fort. In fact, the gates of the Walled City of Lahore are named after the places they face, and Lahori Gate, one of the oldest gates, faces Ichra. Today it is known for its famous pathooray chanay nashta (breakfast) and its lively bazar, but the area has so much more than what meets the eye or reaches Google maps.
Old houses in Ichra
A tour of Ichra was organized by Hast o Neest, an NGO based in Lahore that works to promote traditional studies and arts. Organized and led by Taimoor Khan Mumtaz and Hafiz Bilal, the walking tour was open to the public, free of cost, but had a limited space of 40-50 people. It was an immersive experience, as members of the community were invited to showcase their heritage. The tour guide, Syed Faizan Naqvi, enriched the audience with countless myths and stories. As a gesture of appreciation, the attendees were requested to bring plants to present to the different hosts at each stop.
The first stop of the tour was a visit to one of the oldest mosques in Lahore, Jamia Fathia, functioning since the past 147 years. The complex includes the mosque along with a madrassa, where boys come to hifz (memorize) the Quran. The Principal, Mian Muhammad Affan, is a descendent of the founder of the madrassa, and his family personally supervises the affairs of the institution and provides the bulk of the funding for it. Jamia Fathia has a well-established reputation both in the subcontinent and beyond amongst Muslim scholars. It was repeatedly stressed that the Ichra community was free of any kind of sectarianism, and had a tradition of being diverse and tolerant. For instance, during Partition, when there were riots and bloodshed in Lahore, Ichra remained peaceful, and the neighbors helped each other relocate or resettle across borders.
Original antique gallery in old Ichra
We also met Comrade Tanveer Ahmad Khan, a researcher and writer, who spent 30 years doing in depth research on Ichra. His book titled, “Dou Hazaar Saal Purana Shehr Ichra” is expected to be published in September 2022. He emphasized that rigor and passion are required for research, and that it is important to write history from an unbiased point of view. In his words, “maine na ghar basaya na ghar banaya” (I neither raised a family nor built a house), expressing his dedication towards his work. His book covers many priceless sources, including oral histories of community members who are not amongst us today. The older parts of the city have countless havelis and buildings, much of which are now hidden behind new constructions. However, a closer look can reveal some gems for those interested.
The streets of Ichra
Continuing through androon Ichra (interior of Ichra), we soon reached a clearing, leading to a shrine and a graveyard. We had reached “Shahon ka Qabaristan” (Graveyard of Shah’s), and the most significant tomb was of Pir Bahadur Shah Sahib. The shrine was an enclosed structure with a green dome, resting under the shade of a grand tree, reaching up higher than the buildings in its vicinity. Legend has it that when the army of Ranjit Singh was conquering Lahore and pressed on towards Ichra, they arrived at this very place where Pir Bahadur Shah was present. Bahadur Shah stopped the forces of Ranjit Singh and forbade him from proceeding any further with his army, and the Sikh ruler obliged and turned his army around from that spot. Stories of the resilience demonstrated by the Pir still live on in the fourth and fifth generations of the residents of the area.
Shahon ka Qabaristan (Graveyard of Shah's)
One of the places that I found most interesting was Janj Ghar in old Inchra. Janj Ghar is basically a public building which was meant to host the family of a bride or groom, who came from a different city or village for the marriage festivities. It was almost like a community center, as it was run by the collective efforts of the residents. It could accommodate several families, with the men and women in separate quarters, and included arrangements for meals. The Janj Ghar in old Ichra was established in 1940 by Lala Shabdial Chadda, and the plaque demarcating the complex can still be seen above the outer entrance. Today the structure no longer functions as a marriage house, and instead it is home to several families living close together. While much of the structure is still intact, certain facets are deteriorating due to lack of maintenance and negligence by the government.
The tour ended at Syed Pir Ghazi Shrine in Ichra, a large, serene complex with a shrine and an old graveyard. Just nearby are two of Lahore’s oldest temples, Chand Raat Mandir and Bheru ka Asthan, both of which are surrounded by mythical stories and realities. Often there are historically interesting buildings and sites right before us, but we are oblivious of them. It is important to conserve our rich architectural heritage, in order to stay connected with our roots and our past for they are the source of our identity.
Bheru ka Asthan
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