Stunning Images of Punjab’s Rich Heritage

The territory known as Pakistani Punjab today has been host to complex societies since the dawn of the Indus Valley civilization in the Bronze Age. Along with Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, this is one of the earliest cradles of civilization in human history. As such, this is a region with many ancient buildings and monuments, albeit most of the one’s that remain preserved today are remnants of the very recent Muslim empires of the sub-continent.
The most prominent of these buildings are from the Mughal Era. A type of Indo-Islamic architecture developed in the 16^th, 17^th and 18^th centuries. The style is a combination of styles from India, Persia and Turkey. The style remains popular today, especially for mosques. Local architecture remains open to modern influences from abroad, but Mughal architecture remains influential.

Baha-ud-Din Zakariya Mosque

The Baha-ud-Din Zakariya mosque dates back to the 13th century. It was built in the memory of Sufi mystic Bahauddin Zakariya. It is located in Multan – which is also known as the city of saints because of the many Sufi mystics it attracted during the 11th and 12th century.

Delhi Gate Lahore

During the Mughal era, the Delhi gate served as the main entrance to the Walled City of Lahore. Back then its doors were shut every evening. It was destroyed by the British after the 1857 uprising, but was reconstructed in the 19^th century.

Delhi gate, Lahore

Walled city, Lahore

Bahria Grand Mosque, Lahore.

Designed and inaugurated by the renowned Nayyar Ali Dada in October 2014, the Grand Jamia Masjid is considered the seventh largest mosque in the world, and boasts a capacity of 70,000 worshippers.

Wazir Khan Mosque, Lahore.
The Wazir Khan Mosque and the nearby Shahi Hammam baths were commissioned during the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan. Construction of the mosque was completed in 1641. The mosque is named after its builder Nawab Wazir Khan, Governer of Lahore and one of Shah Jehan’s court physicians.

The pool in the mosque’s courtyard is used for ritual Islamic washing, or wudhu. Below the courtyard is the tomb of 14^th century Sufi Saint Syed Muhammad Ishaq Gazruni. Enclosing the saint’s tomb was one of Wazir Khan’s motivations to build the mosque.

Faisal Mosque, Islamabad

Construction of the Faisal mosque began in 1976 after a $120 million grant from Saudi King Faisal, whose name the mosque bears. Its design is unique in the sense that it does not have a traditional dome. Instead, it is shaped to resemble a Bedouin tent.

Naya Daur

Naya Daur Media (NDM) is a bi-lingual progressive digital media platform aiming to inform and educate Pakistanis at home and abroad. Subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow us on Facebook   Twitter and Instagram

Visit our Urdu website