Gates of Lahore

A strong brick wall of great strength bound the city Lahore. There were 13 gates for entering the city. These gates were made of wood and iron, they were closed in the evening. Below is the brief description of these gates.

1) Raushnai Gate

It is located in North. The " Raushnai gate " Or " Gate Of Light " is located between the Royal palace and citadel. There is a very famous gali / street commonly known as the shahi mahala. The name shahi has been given after the Shahi Qila. People living here are simple. There are various food shops located around the gate. Now-a-days people are making good use of gate as they have established a public call office under the gate.

2) Bhatti Gate

It is named after the Bhattis, on ancient Rajput tribe, which invaded the quarters in old times. The most popular market here is the Hakiman wali bazar as the name suggests there are a number of Hakim shops here. A museum is also located near Bhatti gate, where there are a number of ancient remains of different old times.

Old house of famous poet and philosopher (Allama Mohammad Iqbal) is also located in Bhatti gate. He used to live here when he was doing his graduation. An old school named Victorian school is also located here; it is given the name Victoria after the name of Queen Victoria. People of Bhatti gate are lively and they love to eat heavy and good food mainly Sri pai, halva puri and lasi. The favorite sport among the people here is wrestling. Famous wrestler Kala Maro also belongs to Bhatti gate.

3) Mori Gate

It is the small of all gates of this great old city. It was an outlet for the refused and sweepings of the city. It is known for its big fish market and surgical goods, that is the biggest surgical market of Lahore. Another specialty of this gate is furniture polish commonly known as " Lakh ". It is the best polish for wooden furniture and the one produced here is known for its quality. People of this gate love to fly kites and a big kite market is also located here. During the Basant season there is a tough competition among the shopkeepers about the quality and sale of kites.

4) Lahori Gate

This gate is commonly known as the Lohari gate. When the city was rebuild by Malik Ayaz during the time of Mahmud, the quarter of the city first populated was about this gate, which together with Lahori mandi was named after the city.

A beautiful mosque names as Muslim Masjid is also located near this gate. Biggest optical market of Lahore is also located here. Many flower shops are situated here, in which flowers of every kind and specie are available. The people here are co-operative and lively. They love to eat heavy food. The tomb of Qutb-Ud-Din Aibak is also situated in Lahori gate, adjacent to Anarkali bazar.

5) Shah-Alam Gate

This gate is named after Shah Alam Bahadur Shah Zafar ( the son of successor Aurangzeb). This is the biggest electronic market in Lahore. This is the known to be the biggest retail market of electronic goods. Rang Mehal is situated in this gate and in Rang Mehal " Sua bazar " is located which is well known for its jewelry shops.

The Soneri Masjid is also located in this area, the name soneri has been given to the Mosque as the tombs of this beautiful mosque are Golden ( soneri) in color. Lal Masjid is also located in this area. The 'Kulfis' of this area are really delicious in taste and are very famous among the Lahoris. 'Potoras' of this area are well known for their taste and quality.

6) Mochi Gate

The Mochi gate, the name is the corruption of the Moti, a pearl. It was called so after the name of Pandit Moti Ram, an officer of Akbar, who resided here at that time.
 

The most popular place of Mochi gate is the Lal Haveli. Mochi gate is known to be the " Heart of the Lahore city ". It is the biggest political place of Lahore and many political processions have taken place here.

The people of this area love to fly kites. It is a big market of dry fruits and fireworks of every kind are available here. Rafiq Sweet House is the well-known sweet shop of the area. The owner of this shop started his business here with only one shop and now there are 12 branches of Rafiq Sweet House. Among the foods available here " Kebab’s "  of this area are a real specialty.

7) Akbari Gate

The Akbari gate named after ' Jala-Ud-Din Muhammad Akbar ' , who rebuilds the town and the citadel. Close to this gate the emperor also founded a market, which was named " Akbari Mandi ". It is the biggest retail market of Lahore, in which food grains of all kinds are available.

8) Delhi Gate

The Delhi gate is named as Delhi gate because of its opening on the high road from Delhi to Lahore. A big cloth market is located around Delhi gate. It is a big retail market of clothes. A variety of other shops are also located near the Delhi gate, known as " Chota bazar ".

9) Yakki Gate

The Yakki gate, originally known as " Zaki Gate" , that being the name of a saint. Who, according to a tradition, fell fighting against the " Tataraies " who invaded Lahore. Zaki Pir  fought them with great courage and bravery . During the fight his head was cut off from his body at the gate but his body kept on fighting for some time, and at last fell in the quarter of the city closed by. One tomb of this great saint is build where his head fell and the other tomb is where his body fell.
 

There is school for blinds situated near Yakki Gate. There are a number of havelis located in and around the gate. A number of temples are also located in and around Yakki Gate.

10) Sheranwala Gate

It is also known as "  Khiziri gate ",  the river in former times followed by the city walls and the ferry was near this part. The gate was, therefore, named as Khiziri after the name of Khizz Elias, the patron saint according to the Mohammedan belief. 

Ranjit Singh kept here two domesticated lions in a cage, and the gate came to be called as " Sheranwala gate"  Or " Lion's gate".

11) Kashmiri Gate

The kashmiri gate, so named, because it faces the direction of Kashmir. A big retail market of children shoes is located in this gate. 

There is a big beautiful girl's college is also located here. This college is built in an old haveli of a shah which is a beautiful example of Mughal architecture. The door is not there but remains could be found.

 12) Masti Gate

The Masti gate , the name is the corruption of " Masjidi " or pertaining to a mosque. The mosque of Mariam Makhani, the mother of Akbar,  is in its immediate vicinity. The people here love to eat heavy food and there are many shops of foodstuffs located here. 

Milk shops of this area are very famous and the milk available here is full of taste as they add many things to it, which make its taste a lot better than the original milk.

13) Taxali Gate

The Taxali gate so called from the " Taxal ", or Royal mint, having being in its neighborhood during the period of the Mohammedan emperors.

There is a very famous shoe market located here known as Sheikupurian Bazar. There are a variety of foodstuffs available in and around this gate. In which most famous are Sri Pai of Fazal Din commonly known as " Phaja". Among sweet stores Taj Mehal and Shahbudin Halwi are famous.