Gulabi Bagh
As the inscription on the gateway imports, it was constructed by Mirza Sultan Beg. He was cousin of Mirza Ghiyas-ud-din a nobleman of Persia, husband of Sultan Begam, daughter of Shah Jahan. The Mirza come to India in 1649 A.D. and, through the influence of the Emperor’s son-in-saw, was appointed Mir-ul-Bahar, or Admiral of the Fleet. He was fond of sport, and it is related that, two months previous to his death, Shah Jahan had presented him with an English rifle. The royal gift proved fatal to the recipient. With it he went on a hunting excursion to Hiran Minara, or Jahngirbad, the modern Shekhupura, but died there from the bursting of the fire-arm. Maulvi Nur Ahmad author of Tahqiqat-I-Chishti, gives the 13th of Shawal 1068 A.H., (1657 A.D.), as the date of his death.
On the road to Shalimar, rather more than half way on the left, is the gateway to Gulabi Bagh, or the Garden of Rosewater.The garden no longer exists, but he splendidarched entrance of glazed tile sstill stands. This picturesque gateway is remarkable for the profusion and excellence of its colored pottery and enamelled fescoes,which are as vivid, and the decorations as perfect, as when they ever made. The era thus obtained is is 1066 A.H., or 1655 A.D.
On the front of the gateway the following Persian verses are inscribed:-
- The founder of this munificent garden, the opener of the gate of bounty,
- Is he who through (the favor of) the Lord of the firmament constructed a garden the equal of the garden of paradise.
- The pious thus prayed unto God for his eternal life.
- May Sultan Beg live honored for ever and ever.
- What a pleasnt garden, a garden so beautiful that the poppy is marked with the spot of envy
- The flowers of the sun and moon are fitted to adorn it as lamps,
- Ghazi asked reason the charonongram of the garden,
- The date given was Gulabi Bah (garden of rose-waterr).
The Kuri Bagh
Close to the mausoleum of Mauj Daria, Bukhari, is the Ahluwalaia hosue, or the house belonging to the Raja of Kapurthala. It is called by the people Kuri Bagh, or daughters garden. The house was originally built by Mr. Allard, the french Officer, in the service of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. His daughter, having died here, was interred in the garden attached to the house, which on that account came to be called Kuri Bagh. The tomb of the deceased is on a mound to the north-west of the garden, and on a slab in the floor is the following inscription:-
To Marie Charlotte, decedee le 5me Avril, 1827, fille de M. Allard de St. Topiz Chivalier de la Legion d Honneur General de la Cavalerie.
A Persian inscription over the entrance outside gives also the name of the deceased.
The Shalimar Garden
Three miles north-east of Lahore is the renowned and delightful garden of Shah Jahan, the Shalimar, or House of Joy, most appropriately called the Versailles of the Panjab. It is a magnificent of Moghal grandeur, in form an ablong parabllelogram, surrounded bya high wall of brick work, 1,200 paces in length and 800 in breadth, with three successive terraces, raised one above the level of the other by a height of 12 or 15 feet, the whole area of the garden covering 80 acres more or less. A canal, brought from a great distance, intersects this beautiful garden and discharges itself in the middle terrace into a large marble basin ; from this basin and from the canal rise 450 fountains which throw up water that is subsequently received into marble tanks, the profuse discharge of water in this way serving to render the atmosphere deliciously cool and pleasant.
On the upper terrace is a substantial pillared marble kiosk, or arcaded pavilion (Baradari) open on alludes, and rendered delightful by a string of jets d eau in front, and some on the lower terraces, which play over a cistern crossed by narrow marbel bridges in miniature.
In the center is a reservoir, bordered by an elaborate coping, and a cascade. Down this the water ripples into a pond below, whence, falling into another reservoir, it passes to the extremity of the garden. The fountains, when playing, not only add to the pictures queens of the scene, but have the effect of sensibly diminishing the heat. Pavilions and other buildings are scattered about in various places. The alcoves and summer-houses are of marble and red stone, and tastefully designed.
The garden is well stocked with magnificent fruit trees and flowering shrubs. There are beautiful groves of lemon and pomegranate trees. The avenues of oranges are laden with such an abundance of large fruit, in their season, that the branches seem ready to break under the weight. The fine tall mango trees are in flourishing condition, and yield delicious fruit, which is hawked for sale in the streets of Lahore. As aptly remarked by a recent traveler, outside all is glare and dust; within all is green foliage, white marble cool reservoir, and rippling cascade.
The garden has become the favorite resort of the European community of Lahore and Mian Mir for fetes, picnics and other parties of various kinds. The grounds are, on such occasions, artistically laid out with walks, flower beds and promenades ; the fountains play ; the branches are tastefully formed into graceful arches over the walks. The illuminations have a most admirable effect on the luxuriant foliage of the mango and orange trees, and their bright reflections in the watery sheets below spread like so many transparent mirrors, constitute a magic scene. The chateau glittering with colored lamps, seems like a fairy palace the trees, the lakes, the parts, the roofs of the marble structures, all shimmering with variegated lights. The fireworks, diffused in most singular lights and colors, float the garden in an ocean of fame.
The garden has splendid cupolas of red sand stone at the angles, from which a fine view of the surrounding country is obtained, especially to the south-east, in which direction are the village Baghbanpura and the old ruins.
The gardens, or the royal pleasure grounds of Shalimar, were laid out in the sixth year of Shah Jahan reign, or in 1634 A.D., after the plan of the royal gardens in Kashmir, by orders of the Emperor, under the management of Khalilulla Khan. The canal, or Hasli, to irrigate the gardens was brought from Madhupur, at the expense of two lakhs of rupees. It was the combined work of Ali Mardan Khan, the great canal engineer, and Mulla Ala-ul-Mulk.
The Garden of Zebun-Nisa
According to the Shah Jahan-nama of Sargham-ud-daula, when Zeb-un-Nisa, the learned daughter of Auranzeb, made a gift of her garden at Chauburji to Mian Bai, her favorite female attendant, she laid out an extensive garden at the spot where the village nawan Kot is now situated. This garden she furnished with handsome buildings and summer-houses. In the midst of it she constructed a mausoleum for herself, and in this she was interred on her death at Lahore, decorated with costly stones, and furnished with pavilions, fountains, and reservoirs. The floor was of marble, and the latticed windows were of the same material ; but Ranjit Sigh divested the building of all its valuable materials, to construct his summer-house of Hazuri bagh, and nothing of this oonce picturesque building now remains but the skeletion ; while no traces of the gardn and the building attached to it exist, except the old gateway to the east of the walled inhabited quarters and a dome on the north and south corners of it. Nevertheless, the magnitude and vastness of the dome, its high arches, and the marble floor immediately adjoining the tomb, bear ample testimony to its former greatness and richness of style, and the place is remarkbale for the historical interest it possesses.
Zeb-un-Nisa, whose assumed name was Mukhti (concealed), was the eldest daughter of Aurangzeb. She never married. Her charming diwan, or collection of poems, is a work of great merit, She died in 1080 A.H. Her chronogram was thus versified by a poet:-
Ah ! zeb-un-Nisa, by the decree of Providence.
Snddeanly became concealed from the sight.
A fountain of learingn virtue, beanty and elegance,
She was hidden as Joseph was in the well,
I asked reason the year of her death,
The invisible voice exclaimed ; The moon became concealed.
The entrance to Nawan Kot is from a gateway to the north, which leads to a long bazar. But the old principal gateway of the garden, with vaulted chambers, balconies and windows, still in perfect preservation, is to the east. This exceedingly handsome gateway is an excellent specimen of the art of enamel tiling , stone carving and painting of the art of architecture,in all its details, had then reached. The gatewy has four elegant towers, one on each side, with a cupola and twelve are twelve arched columns supporting it. The floor of these towers is lined will round with latticed stone-work portions of which still exit. There is also a tower to the north and south of the garden, covered with work of enamelled pottery of exquisite beauty. All is now in the occupation of the zemindars who have made improper use of these handsome edifices edifices.
