Daily Times

The Walled City of Lahore is famous for its gates, streets and mohallahs. Walking through the narrow winding and twisting streets of Lahore and getting to know their manes is one way of getting familiar with the history of Walled City. There are almost twenty five hundred streets inside the walled city. You will find Koochas, Katras, Mohallahs and streets in a maze like pattern but with extremely unique and captivating names.

The vein like network becomes more interesting if you know the names of the streets. These names have been given to the streets after some personalities, incidents, stories, clans or occupants. You will see names from all religions and different clans; the reason is the settlement that took place in the walled city. As you pass by the streets, your little observation will take you into the past of that very street. The names also reflect the harmony and tolerance of the city.

Some streets have been named after the occupation of the people living there, like Koocha Qasaban, Koocha Telian, Koocha Darzian, Koocha Qandi Garan, Koocha Nezaa Maraan, Koocha Chiri Maraan, Koocha Chabay Garan, Koocha Kababian, Koocha Majawaran, Gali Surjan Singh, Gali Gol Pehalwan, Gali Raja Narindar Nath, Katri Bao Mumtaz, Koocha Kamani Lal, Gali Billa Kabootar Baz, Sheeda Halwai Wali Gali, Koocha Shankar Nath, Koocha Bhawan Shah, Gali Rani Gul Begum, Koocha Bhaiya Hari Singh, Katri Meer Chand, Gali Sabir Peer, Katri Shah Abdul Hameed, Katri Rohan Laal, Gali Molana Rohi, Gali Mama Bhanja, Dai Bholi Wali Gali and many more.

These streets were accessed through the city gates and I am sure that now there would be no one alive who had seen the opening and closing of the city gates. While reading a book on Lahore I came across an interesting person named Darogha Muhammad Ali who was the gatekeeper of the city gate.

I was taken back into those times while reading about this man who served more than 100 years as a gatekeeper. Just imagine what ups and downs this man would have seen and observed. The in and out of the people, the turmoil and riots, the happy days and the rainy ones.

Some streets have been named after the occupation of the people living there, like Koocha Qasaban, Koocha Telian, Koocha Darzian, Koocha Qandi Garan, Koocha Nezaa Maraan, Koocha Chiri Maraan, Koocha Chabay Garan, Koocha Kababian, Koocha Majawaran, Gali Surjan Singh, Gali Gol Pehalwan, Gali Raja Narindar Nath, Katri Bao Mumtaz, Koocha Kamani Lal, Gali Billa Kabootar Baz, Sheeda Halwai Wali Gali, Koocha Shankar Nath, Koocha Bhawan Shah, Gali Rani Gul Begum, Koocha Bhaiya Hari Singh, Katri Meer Chand, Gali Sabir Peer, Katri Shah Abdul Hameed, Katri Rohan Laal, Gali Molana Rohi, Gali Mama Bhanja, Dai Bholi Wali Gali and many more

It is said in the book that Darogha Muhammad Ali had witnessed the opening and closing of the Lohari Gate. It was his duty to open and close the gate. He was very young when he became the gatekeeper and served there until he breathed his last. He also witnessed the collision of the gates. Muhammad Ali was almost 100 years old when the Akbari gate was demolished during the partition riots and I am sure that it would have been heartbreaking for him. His duty was at Lohari gate since he started working as a gatekeeper and till the end of his life he used to sit near the gate.

Today we see the wooden gates in Lohari but they are not opened or closed the way they used to be in the past. Life inside Lohari gate is a lot changed and now no one can imagine returning back home before sunset.

According to the book, Darogha Muhammad Ali said that the city gates were opened at the sunrise and closed at the sunset and there was never a delay in this activity. He himself was very particular about this mechanism. Residents and locals of the city had to enter before the sunset. In case if anyone was late and couldn’t make way to home before sunset he had to go through a tough time in showing his identity and convincing the gatekeeper.

The gatekeepers were housed in the rooms of the gate and managed the in and out of the people. This way they also kept a check on who was entering the city. As there was not much population therefore the Daroghas on all the gates knew about the locals of the area.

Well this was a small incident I read and thought to share with my readers. While reading this myself I was thinking that how safe and secure the city would be at that time. I wish if we could have the same management at present in our areas.

The writer can be reached at taniashahab2016@gmail.com. She Tweet at @TaniaQureshi