Lahore

Lahore
Lahore; ?????; ??????
	Metropolitan Area
	Clockwise from the top: Lahore Fort, Shalimar Gardens, Lahore Museum, Badshahi Mosque, Quaid-e-Azam Library, Minar-e-Pakistan.
	; Emblem
	; Emblem
	Lahore Location in Pakistan Lahore Lahore (Pakistan) Lahore Lahore (Asia)
	Coordinates: 31°32?59?N 74°20?37?E? / ?31.54972°N 74.34361°ECoordinates: 31°32?59?N 74°20?37?E? / ?31.54972°N 74.34361°E
Country	Pakistan
Province	Punjab
District	Lahore
Metropolitan corporation	2013
Named for	Lava
Zones	10
Government
• Mayor	Mubashar Javed
• Deputy Mayors	9 Zonal Mayors
Area
• Total	1,772 km2 (684 sq mi)
Elevation	217 m (712 ft)
Population (2017)
• Total	11,126,285 (provisional)
• Density	20,205/km2 (52,418/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Lahori
Time zone	PKT (UTC+5)
Postal code	54000
Dialing code	042
GDP/PPP	$40 billion (2008)

Lahore (Urdu: ??????, Punjabi: ????; /l??h??r/) is the capital city of the Pakistani province of Punjab, and is the country’s second-most populous city after Karachi. The city is located in the north-eastern end of Pakistan's Punjab province. Lahore is one of Pakistan's wealthiest cities with an estimated GDP of $58.14 billion (PPP) as of 2014, Lahore is the historic cultural centre of the Punjab region, and is one of Pakistan's most socially liberal, progressive, and cosmopolitan cities.

Lahore's origins reach into antiquity. The city has been controlled by numerous empires throughout the course of its history, including the Hindu Shahis, Ghaznavids, Ghurids, and Delhi Sultanate by the medieval era. Lahore reached the height of its splendour under the Mughal Empire between the late 16th and early 18th century, and served as its capital city for a number of years. The city was captured by the forces of Persian Emperor Nader Shah in 1739, and fell into a period of decay while being contested between different powers. Lahore eventually became capital of the Sikh Empire in the early 19th century, and regained much of its lost grandeur. Lahore was then annexed to the British Empire, and made capital of British Punjab. Lahore was central to the independence movements of both India and Pakistan, with the city being the site of both the declaration of Indian Independence, and the resolution calling for the establishment of Pakistan. Lahore experienced some of the worst rioting during the Partition period preceding Pakistan's independence. Following independence in 1947, Lahore was declared capital of Pakistan's Punjab province, and is now the largest Punjabi city in the world.

Lahore exerts a strong cultural influence over Pakistan. Lahore is a major centre for Pakistan's publishing industry, and remains the foremost centre of Pakistan's literary scene. The city is home to the annual Lahore Literary Festival, considered to be one of South Asia's premier cultural events. The city is also a major centre of education in Pakistan, with some of Pakistan's leading universities based in the city. Lahore is also home to Pakistan's film industry, Lollywood, and is a major centre of Qawwali music. The city also hosts much of Pakistan's tourist industry, with major attractions including the famed Walled City, numerous Sikh shrines, and the Badshahi and Wazir Khan mosques. Lahore is also home to the Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Etymology

The origins of Lahore's name are unclear. Lahore's name had been recorded by early Muslim historians as L?har, L?h?r, and Rahwar. Al-Biruni referred to the city as Loh?war in his 11th century work, Qanun, while the poet Amir Khusrow, who lived during the Delhi Sultanate, recorded the city's name as L?han?r. Medieval Rajput sources recorded the city's name as Lavkot.

One theory suggests that Lahore’s name is a corruption of the word Rav?war, as R to L shifts are common in languages derived from Sanskrit. Rav?war is the simplified pronunciation of the name Iravaty?war - a name possibly derived from the Ravi River, known as the Iravati River in the Vedas. Another theory suggests the city's name may derive from the word Lohar, meaning "blacksmith."

According to Hindu tradition, Lahore's name derives from Lavpur or Lavapuri ("City of Lava"), and is said to have been founded by Prince Lava, the son of Sita and Rama. The same account attributes the founding of nearby Kasur by his twin brother Prince Kusha, Historic record shows, however, that Kasur was founded by Pashtun migrants in 1525.

History

Early

No definitive records exist to elucidate Lahore's earliest history, and Lahore's ambiguous early history have given rise to various theories about its establishment and history. Hindu mythology, states that Keneksen, the founder of the mythological Suryavansha dynasty, is believed to have migrated out from the city. Early records of Lahore are scant, but Alexander the Great's historians make no mention of any city near Lahore's location during his invasion in 326 BCE, suggesting the c

Release Date :

12:00am on Friday 19th March 2010