Written by: Aown Ali
Posted on: January 07, 2020 | 
| 中文
Summer Palace at Lahore Fort (photo credits to Wikimedia Commons)
Whilst visiting Lahore Fort, the tour guides often mention the secret passageways and hideouts under the Fort’s magnificent structure. But the basement chambers of Lahore Fort had largely been a forgotten subject for our archeologists and historians until recent years. These extended series of multistory chambers attest to the sheer grandeur and architectural genius used to construct the Fort.
The vast complex of underground chambers offered a comfortable environment for Mughal nobility, particularly during summers. But besides being a summer house, these underground structures provide a sound embankment toward River Ravi, and a solid platform for multiple upper stories.
Mughal Jali (Net) Widows (photo credits to the writer)
Work on this innovative idea began in the reign of Akbar (circa 1556-1605). Though the basements were a simple solution for the threats caused by the river like flooding and erosion, it proved highly sophisticated in terms of engineering. According to research on the underground archeology of Lahore fort, Emperor Akbar devised the idea to build 2-3 stories of labyrinth-style, interlinked basements along the river side. Such a feat was never before done in India. Most of the interconnected substructure is located under the Shah Burj quadrangle, in North Western rim of the fort.
After Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan extended work on the project by building chambers, colonnades and courtyard gardens in their respective periods. Archeologist Rustam Khan found that the upper story of the basement chambers was mainly used for residential purposes, second story for storage and guards, and the third or ground level was a passageway through River Ravi.
Oral histories boast of the Mughal’s extreme opulence and lavish parties held in these underground palaces. Particularly, the Summer Palace located directly under the Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace), came with the wonders of ventilation and natural lighting, though it was completed in the mid-15th Century. While it’s interesting to imagine these basements during better times of the Empire, one cannot help but think of what it was like to hide in the secret compartments, watching through the windows as enemies lay siege to the Fort.
Secret Escape Tunnels (photo credits to pakistantoday)
The available research tells us that till end of the Sikh period (1849), the basement chambers had largely been used for residential purposes, with Sikh wall frescos supporting the evidence. Later, during British rule, the interior of the fort changed altogether. British rulers added numerous additions and white washing to the fort, and it is said that the basements were mostly used to store liquor during the Colonial Era.
On the Hathi Pair (Elephant Feet) stairway, we find a secret door, now the only entrance to the basement, which was devised during British period. During World War II, the area was handed over to the Civil Defence Department, which continued to occupy it till the early 70s. Almost all main arches were bricked up in order to shape rooms. White washing also seriously marred the Mughal era frescos.
Hathi Pair Starway (photo credits to the writer)
The basement chambers were finally handed over to the Federal Archeology Department in 1974. Until the late 70’s, the archeology department worked to remove decade-old layers to discover wall paintings and frescos. Nowadays, general visitors are allowed in the basements on the weekdays, and every Saturday night at the History by Night Tour. However, there is still a lot of renovation work currently taking place.
Much has changed inside the Lahore Fort since the creation of the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA), a recently-established government body which oversees restoration and conservation work in Lahore’s Old City. It sees a formidable challenge in maintaining this world heritage site. It works with the Punjab Archeology Department (PAD) and the Agha Khan Cultural Services (AKCS) on the Fort, but there is very little cooperation between these three organizations.
The Arches of the Basement (photo credits to the writer)
The basement of the fort remains inaccessible, and the deteriorating condition of this architectural gem hidden from the public eye, unless one is able to gain access of the premises with special permission from the WCLA, or a bribe to the guard.
Although small steps of conservation work have been done in the last few years, the three bodies have not fully restored the basement chambers of Lahore Fort. Most of the area is vulnerable to increasing water logging, a clear threat to the strength of the structure. No one denies the significance of the basements, as they are the few remaining insights into the old world. And if this structure is lost, it could result in a grave loss for Pakistan’s national heritage.
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