#lahore

[zegalba]

Birdhouse City in Lahore, Pakistan.

[one-time-i-dreamt]

I crossed the border into Lahore, Pakistan everyday to attend a college lecture about south Asian history. The border was open and safe, but a fat Labrador who worked for the intelligence still followed me and my partner around every time we crossed it back home. We evaded her with treats.

[wgm-beautiful-world]

Enchanting facade - Walled City of Lahore, Punjab, PAKISTAN

[kaalbela]

In the 16th century in Punjab, Shah Hussain, a Sufi poet and mystic met and fell in love with a Hindu boy called named Madho Lal. Though gay marriage was not legal anywhere in the world before this century, Hussain and Madho defied social conventions and lived together for six years till Hussain's death in 1599. Hussain's poetry is significantly inspired by his relationship with Madho, with some poems addressed directly to him. After Hussain's death Madho continued to live close to where he was buried in present day Baghbanpura in Lahore, and was buried next to Hussain after his death. They continue to lie buried side by side in the same enclosure to this day, and the enclosure is named Hazrat Madho Lal Hussain, embodying one soul living in two bodies.

The annual celebration called Mela Chiraghan or Festival of Lights is held in March in Lahore in order to celebrate the love of Madho and Hussain as well as Hussain's poetry. It is unknown how the ritual was established, but it dates as far back as the the 18th century: there are records of Maharaja Ranjit Singh leading a barefooted procession from the Fort to the mausoleum for this celebration. At present, the festival is conducted over three days and attracts large crowds. Cotton-seed oil lamps are lighted in the streets and houses of the city. Devotees sing and dance and read Hussain's poetry in order to commemorate the triumph of tolerance over forces of bigotry.

[mehreenkhan]

The old Lahore

Punjab, Pakistan

[maihonhassan]

vo ek hī chehra to nahīñ saare jahāñ meñ

jo duur hai vo dil se utar kyuuñ nahīñ jaatā

وہ ایک ہی چہرہ تو نہیں سارے جہاں میں

جو دور ہے وہ دل سے اتر کیوں نہیں جاتا

- Nida Fazli ~ ندا فاضلی

[paulpingminho]

[afterreight]

an old man smoking a cigarette in Lahore, Pakistan

[vintagepromotions]

Pakistani Bureau of Tourism travel poster for Akber's Fort, Lahore (c. 1950).

[vyorei]

Based Pakistan ✊🇵🇸

[kafi-farigh-yusra]

ہم ایسے بے سروساماں جہانِ امکاں میں

ہزار سال بھی رہتے تو بے نشاں رہتے

جو ہم لہو کی شہادت بھی پیش کر دیتے

جو بدگماں تھے بہر حال بدگماں رہتے

~ مشتاق عاجز

Hum esay be-sar-o-samaa'n jahaan-e-imkaan mai

Hazaar saal bhi rehtay tw benisha'n hi rehtay

Jo hum lahu ki shahadat bhi paish kar dete

Jo bad-guma'n thy behrhaal bad-guma'n hi rehtay

~Mushtaq Ajiz

[turkishmughalempress]

Shalimar gardens, Lahore Pakistan

[wgm-beautiful-world]

Interior of Sukh Chayn Mavi Mosque, Lahore, PAKISTAN

[molkolsdal]

Pakistani Christian worshippers attend Mass to mark Good Friday at St Anthony’s Church in Lahore on March 25, 2016.

Arif Ali

[mehreenkhan]

Chaand Raat🌘