Shalimar Gardens: Where water, marble and moonlight tell Lahore’s oldest stories

LAHORE: In the heart of Lahore, beyond the ceaseless motion of the modern city, lies a world shaped by water, stone and imperial imagination. 

The Shalimar Gardens, commissioned in 1641 by Emperor Shah Jahan, stand today not merely as relics of the Mughal era but as a testament to a vision that sought to translate paradise into geometry and fragrance. Its inspiration came from farther north, from the famed Shalimar Gardens of Kashmir built by Shah Jahan’s father, Emperor Jahangir, in 1620. 

Enamored by their serenity, Shah Jahan longed for a similar retreat in Lahore, an intimate enclave for the royal family and select courtiers. What followed was an ambitious undertaking involving Khalilullah Khan, Ali Mardan Khan and Mulla Alaul Maulk Tuni, who oversaw the creation of an eighty-acre masterpiece at the considerable cost of six hundred thousand rupees. 

In just eighteen months, under their watchful eyes, the garden took shape along a precise north–south axis, forming one of the grandest expressions of Mughal landscape art.

Shalimar was conceived as a place where nature, architecture and leisure would merge so seamlessly that the boundaries between them would seem to disappear. 

As visitors enter, they step into a cosmos arranged in three descending terraces, each designed to represent a different aspect of the Mughal concept of paradise. 

The upper terrace, Farah Baksh, the “Bestower of Pleasure,” was once reserved exclusively for the emperor and his household. From here, Shah Jahan could stroll in moonlit stillness, surveying the garden stretched below like an earthly constellation. 

This level housed the Naqqar Khana, where ceremonial drums once announced imperial arrivals; the Aramgah, the emperor’s resting place with its marble dado and central cup-shaped fountain; the Lahori and Dehli gates that oriented the garden toward the two great cities; and the Aiwan, a hall overlooking the marble cascades, adorned long ago with frescoes and paneling. 

With the passage of time and changing eras, alterations were made, including the removal of marble screens by Ranjit Singh for use in the Golden Temple; the Aiwan remains a dignified reminder of the refined gatherings and state receptions it once hosted.

Descending to the middle terrace, Faiz Baksh—the “Bestower of Goodness”—visitors encounter the garden’s architectural heart. Here stands the Baradari, a twelve-door pavilion that seems to float upon the surrounding pool, creating a mesmerizing interplay of reflection, water and light. 

In the Sawan Bhadun pavilion nearby, the Mughals once placed lamps in intricately carved alcoves so that flames flickered before the running fountain waters, producing a spectacle of glimmering light that captivated guests. 

The royal hammam on the same level, illuminated through ceiling apertures that also aided ventilation, preserves Mughal-era frescoes and traces of its original hypocaust system, though much of it was later covered with marble and cement when the structure was repurposed for offices. 

Even today, the bathhouse offers glimpses of its former opulence, where sunlight, steam and scent once mingled in carefully crafted sensual harmony.

The lowest terrace, Hayat Baksh—the “Bestower of Life”—thrums with the garden’s most elemental energy. Here, water, breeze and earth converge in a tranquil symphony. 

Courtiers and guests once wandered these paths in the evenings, lulled by the calming cadence of flowing channels. 

The hydraulic system that animates Shalimar remains one of its greatest marvels. Fed by the Shah Nahar, also known as the Hansti canal, drawn from a distant location engineered by Ali Mardan Khan, the garden hosts an astonishing 410 fountains: 105 on the upper terrace, 152 on the middle and 153 on the lower. 

The rhythmic jets rise from marble-lined basins, creating soothing sounds and delicate mists, while long rectangular reflecting pools capture perfect images of trees, pavilions and sky. These waterworks embody the Persian and Islamic symbolism of gardens as metaphors for paradise: lush, symmetrical and alive.

Botanical life played an equally essential role in the garden’s design. Rows of cypress trees symbolized eternity, while fruit-bearing trees—almond, apple, cherry, mango, mulberry, peach, plum, quince and others—were planted for shade, texture and fragrance. Together with meticulously arranged flower beds, the flora transformed Shalimar into a sensory haven where color, scent and rustling leaves softened the bold geometry of the architecture. Terraced pavilions and gateways framed the views, creating a layered vista that shifted subtly with every step, just as the Mughals intended.

Time, however, brought changes. Empires fell, eras shifted and the garden witnessed periods of neglect and alteration. Yet Shalimar endured.

Its significance was formally recognized in 1981 when UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site, acknowledging its outstanding universal value and celebrating it as a culminating achievement of Mughal landscape artistry. Restoration efforts over the decades have sought to safeguard its fragile blend of waterworks, masonry and horticulture.

A new chapter began in June 2023, when the Government of Punjab transferred administration of the garden to the Punjab Walled Cities and Heritage Areas Authority. Under this stewardship, Shalimar has found renewed vitality. The authority now manages conservation, cultural programming, night tours, exhibitions and performances that allow the garden to be experienced as it once was—alive with music, movement and light. 

Today, visitors can make use of modern facilities, including parking, trained guides, electric golf carts, instant photography services, cafés, souvenir shops and well-maintained washrooms. Surrounding attractions such as the Gulabi Bagh Gateway, Budu Ka Awa, the Tomb of Ali Mardan Khan and the Tomb of Khan-e-Jahan Zafar Jang Kokaltash add further layers of historical intrigue.

Evening holds a special charm. As the sun sets and the WCLA lights illuminate marble pavilions, the gardens seem to awaken into its royal past. 

Fountains shimmer, dancers perform as they once might have before emperors, and shadows stretch across the terraces like soft echoes of another time. In these moments, Shalimar becomes more than a heritage site; it becomes a living narrative. 

Water continues to glide through its ancient channels, footsteps still resonate along the pathways, and under the quiet hush of night, the garden whispers its stories of royalty, artistry, devotion and the eternal human desire to shape beauty from the world.