He established the Sikh Empire that lasted from During his time a lot of importance was given to the landed aristocracy and he relied upon their loyal support to retain power.
However, after his death, political chaos ensued and two of his successor maharajas were assassinated in the succession struggle. The British rule saw a series of measures being introduced including the introduction of western education, a new revenue system and the establishment of a new administrative system. However, the increasing resentment of the people towards their colonial masters brought Punjab at the center of the rising rebellion.
The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre of took place in Amritsar and following the Pakistan Resolution of , Punjab was at the heart of the independence struggle of modern day Pakistan.
One gets the impression as if the city was designed and developed according to a plan akin to that of temple architecture. In the heart of the city was the seat of the king similar to the house of the deity and the residential areas of communities developed almost status-wise.
Close to Qila Mubarak were the Mohallas of the Khatris, Aroras, Baniyas along with the big Havelis of the nobility, The first settlers of Patiala were the Hindus of Sirhind, who opened their business establishments outside the Darshani Gate.
The lower caste got settled on the peripheral areas of the Patiala city now known as Chur Majris. As in all the medieval towns, there were separate localities of dancing girls.
Dharampura Bazar was one such in Patiala, which was frequented by the ruling elite. In the late nineteenth century, the ruling class having been granted huge Jagirs became rich and started constructing huge mansions with sprawling lawns. Some of the buildings though shabbily maintained, stand as mute evidence of that feudal glory. Maharaja Narendra Singh fortified the city of Patiala by constructing ramparts and ten gates around the city.
Some of these gates have been demolished to facilitate the flow of traffic. Inside the walls, besides the residences, there are Mandis and Bazars and a visitor with meagre amount in his pocket can still indulge in the luxury of purchasing traditional goods famous for their art and beauty such as embroidered Juti and Phulkari.
This preeminent position it holds in Pakistan as well. Lahore is the city of poets, artists and the center of film industry. It has the largest number of educational institutions in the country and some of the finest gardens in the continent. The city as we know it today, reached its peak of glory during the Moghul rulers, especially in the reign of Akbar the Great, who made it his capital. His son, Jehangir, is buried in its outskirts and his mausoleum is one of the places frequented by tourists and Lahorites alike.
Close by is the mausoleum of the famous Moghul Empress, Nur Jehan, who is known for introducing the rose plant and for initiating several cultural movements in the Sub-Continent. Akbar the Great held his Court In Lahore for 14 years from to , and built the Lahore Fort, as well as the city walls which had 12 gates. Some of these still survive. At that time the river Ravi, which now lies a few miles away from Lahore, touched the ramparts of the Fort and the Mosque.
A stream still flaws there and is known as the"Old River". The Sikhs ruled it in the 18th and 19th centuries, and though it was their capital, they had a habit of damaging the Muslim monuments and took little interest in gardens. It is said that they took enough marble from the Moghul monuments of Lahore to build the Golden Temple at Amratsar twice over. Most of the gems that decorated the palaces and the forts were also taken out.
British were responsible for the desecration of many of Lahore's tombs and monuments. At one stage the Attorney General maintained an office at the Shah Chiragh Mosque, dak bungalows were built for the weekends at Shalamar Gardens. Anarkali's tomb was used as an office and later consecrated as a place of worship called St. Adrew's Church. It can also be conjectured that Lahore was an industrial center in the Moghul period.
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