Chauburji (Four Towers)
The story which I have today is about one of the historical monuments in Pakistan which are speedily disappearing from our sight. Chauburji is one of those monuments. The word Chauburji derives from two words Chau means "Four" and Burj means "Tower". The name Chauburji was likely given by upcoming generations due to its structure. It is a Mughal era structure which basically works as a gateway for an extensive garden. In the present time there are no traces of any garden probably because the area was flooded by the river Ravi. Untill recent years this building was in the center of a grassy roundabout but not any more.
This monument is especially one of my favorites because of its unique and elegant design. The art work on the building is amazing and I have many memories related to this structure. I was completely shocked when after so many years I saw the place. Believe me, that was not a happy shock. That was one bad and sad shock. This story is about that one bad day which I guess almost everybody faces in their lives (like I already told in my previous blog that I live in Lahore for study and work purposes).
The roads here in Lahore are always busy and sometimes there is a lost rush on the roads and mostly on signals To avoid this government had made so many underpasses and flyovers that for a new person it is like a Jungle of Flyovers going here and there for no purpose. Sometimes I too lost my way and it create so much trouble.
So back to the story I was telling about my bad day. Technically it was the night I was coming back from somewhere when suddenly I found my self completely lost I do not know whether I took a wrong turn or something else. I was just lost and the place where I reached I do not know about that too so I decided to turn back and see where I lost my way. I reached back to an intersection and realized that this is the place from where I took wrong turn. Now I started moving on another direction but after sometime this direction started feeling strange too. I said to my heart "All is Well" but deep deep down I know nothing the Hell is Well.
Suddenly I saw this massive structure which I remembered from my childhood but this time it was nothing like I remembered. The building which I had seen in my childhood is more like this.
But it was nothing like this when I saw it in the night. There was NO grassy garden. Leave grassy, there was no garden. Huge piles of soil were all over the place. The structure which once stand alone in dignity and represents the power of Mughal era was now like an old building trying to survive in its last days. This reminds me of what I heard in news that government is building a new flyover for Orange line Train and it passes near the historical places. I never thought that it was that much near. This was the last time I saw the place. Since that I am unable to find enough courage withing myself to visit the place once more.
For those who are thinking what happens with me and my bad day. So here it is what happens. I move back to the intersection and realized it was not the paths it was the intersection which was wrong. So the third time I came back from the intersection and move to the right direction. Two Times People!! I lost Two Times in that single night. Two tragedies I face on that day. First I lost my way two times and Second I saw my favorite structure in this condition.
Haaawww a bad day indeed.
Please share your memories & videos about this awesome place and inform me about your suggestions at wonderlustpak@gmail.com
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