Anarkali Tomb Lahore

This tomb has its own past history. people love to go there. although there is not enough visitor's traffic, but still people love it.

The tomb was said to be built by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir for his love Anarkali, who as per legend, was caught by Emperor Akbar for exchanging glances with Jehangir, at the time known as Prince Saleem. Anarkali was reportedly a concubine of Emperor Akbar, and this action reportedly enraged the Emperor Akbar so much, that he had Anarkali interred alive in a wall. When Prince Saleem ascended the throne and took the name "Jehangir," he is reported to have ordered the construction of a tomb over the site of the wall in which Anarkali was reportedly buried.

Anarkali or “Pomegranate Blossom” was the nickname of an attractive girl who was brought up in Akbar’s harem and was suspected by the emperor of carrying on an intrigue with prince Salim, afterwards the emperor Jahangir. The story of Anarkali tomb Lahore is variously told, but it would appear that the girl was barbarously executed in the year A.D. 1599. When Salim came to the throne, he strove to make some amends for the tragedy by building a large tomb over her grave. This tomb stands in the grounds of the Punjab Secretariat to the south of the old city, and has passed through vicissitudes which have concealed all its original decoration. It is hexagonal on plan, with a domed octagonal tower at each corner, and is crowned by a central dome on a tall cylindrical drum. After 1851 Anarkali tomb was used as a Christian church, and for this purpose the arched openings in the eight sides were wholly or partially walled in, a gallery (now removed) was constructed in the interior with an external staircase, and the whole structure was whitewashed internally and externally. The large monolithic marble gravestone had already been moved out of the building in the Sikh period, when the tomb was turned into a residence, amongst the occupants being General Ventura, the famous Italian officer of the Sikh Government. The stone was subsequently replaced by the British within the Anarkali tomb, but in one of the side bays, not in its original central position. It has been stated that the actual grave was also moved to the present site of the gravestone, but digging in 1940 in the middle of the building revealed the former still intact five feet below the present floor, in its proper place. From accounts of the discovery, the grave would appear to be of plastered brickwork. The building was also used as the Punjab Record Office. The gravestone bears well-cut inscriptions which include the date of the death of Anarkali with the words “In Lahore” and the date of the construction of the Anarkali tomb (A.D. 1615). It also bears the ninety-nine attributes of God, and a poignant couplet, obviously composed by Jahangir himself, which may be translated thus: “Ah, could I behold the face of my beloved once more, I would give thanks unto my God until the day of resurrection.” Elsewhere on the marble are the words: “The profoundly enamoured Salim, son of Akbar”. It is for these inscriptions, and for the vast size of the building which reinforces their sincerity, that the Anarkali tomb is noteworthy, rather than for any special architectural quality.

A most popular Story about Anakali , Someone felt in love with her. She was brought there, and her he married her, his name was Saleem.

It is now believed that Nadira Begum (named "Anarkali" due to her red like complexion  like a “pomegranate” in full bloom)  died in mysterious circumstances when Akbar was away in Deccan.  There are different versions exist on her death. In which one account is her natural death when Emperor Akbar was visiting Deccan and he ordered to build a tomb  In other accounts, which are not verily proved by historian is being poisoned by other courtiers after receiving orders from Prince Salem (Jehangir) when she was  concubine of Akbar too and the mother of Danial (Jehangir's brother) .  And the most popular version is of this s that when emperor was in Deccan, Prince Salim made advances on the beautiful woman, and on learning of this the emperor ordered that she be buried alive so that any misunderstanding between the emperor and the prince be removed.  Here, we cannot ignore the fact that court historian had also recorded the natural death of "Danial"s mother.  A note from a British traveller William Finch, who visited Lahore in 1608, three years after Prince Salim ascended the throne as Emperor Jahangir. “The King (Jahangir), in token of his love, commands a sumptuous tomb to be built of stone in the midst of a four-square garden richly walled, with a gate and diverse rooms over it,” wrote William Finch. But he failed to provide any other detail and this can be in result of his imagination. The tomb of Anarkali is one of the most significant buildings of the Mughal period. It is an ingeniously planned octagonal building. Circular in shape and roofed by a lofty dome, the tomb once surrounded a garden, called Anarkali Garden, but during the last couple of hundred years it has been put to several uses. Under the Sikhs, the mausoleum was occupied by kharak Singh. Later it served as the residence of General Ventura, the Italian General of Ranjit Singh’s army. Under the British, The tomb was converted into Church (a protestant Church) in 1851 right after 2 years of British Control on Lahore. Few years later, it was converted to St. James' Church in 1857 till 1891. Since then, it has been used as Punjab Archives Museum with an amazing treasure for those interested in the history of British Punjab.