17 January 2010, 10:10 am
Lahore gardens and parks:
Lahore is well-known as the City of Gardens. There were many gardens in Lahore during the Mughal era, and although some have since been destroyed. The gardens follow the familiar charbagh model with three descending terraces. The Lawrence Gardens were established in 1862 and were originally named after Sir John Lawrence, late 19th century British Viceroy to India. The gardens were organized in an area covering 112 acres. The many other gardens and parks in the city include Hazuri Bagh, Iqbal Park, Mochi Bagh, Gulshan Iqbal Park, Model Town Park, Race Course Park, Nasir Bagh Lahore, Jallo Park, Wild Life Park, and Changa Manga, an artificial forest near Lahore in the Kasur district, Bagh-e-Jinnah, a 141 acre. The result was Sukh Chayn Gardens, a beautiful housing society full of lush green parks and gardens.
Iqbal Park is a large area of green space which is located at the heart of Lahore city in Pakistan. This park contains the Lighthouse of Pakistan which is known as the Minar-e-Pakistan. Lahore also has a safari park covering more than 200 acres. The park has safaris for different animals. The safaris with tigers, lions, rhinos, elephants, bear, apes, African and Indus plane animals cover an area of 80 acres.
The Gardens are spread out in typical Mughal style and are surrounded by high walls with watch-towers at the four corners. Originally, the gardens were spread over seven ascending terraces, but only three remain now which cover an area of about 42 acres. The brick-work of the floors of the three terraces have been repaired according to their original designs which differ on all three terraces. There is a marble pavilion under which water flows and cascades down over a carved marble slab creating a water-fall effect. Across the water-fall is a marble throne. At the end of the second terrace is a beautiful structure called Sawan Bhadon, a sunken tank with niches on its three sides. Water cascades down from it in sheets in front of the niches, producing the sound of falling rain. In the olden times, small oil lamps were placed in the niches which reflected myriad colors, through the water.
Chhanga Manga is a man-made forest 68 km from Lahore.
There is a lake, and a miniature railway which winds its way through its forest. Chhanga Manga has 12,510 acres of plantations. It is a popular picnic spot spread over 50 acres with a lake and row boats, motor boats, children's park, swimming pool, cafeteria, canteen and rest-houses.
The Park is 28 kms from Lahore. It can be visited by road and by rail. A rail-car leaves for Jallo Railway Station every half hour. Spread over an area of 450 acres, It has expanses of lawns, a forest research centre, a children's park, zoo, a small museum and a gift shop.
Wah Gardens is located 12 km west of Taxila on G.T. Road. Lawrence garden (Bagh-e-Jinnah) enclosed by the green Bah-e-Jinnah, Liaqat Hall, originally the frere hall was once the Town Hall where colonial days, concerts and social events were held reqularly.
Lal Sahanra National Park is 36 km east of Bahawalpur, an ideal place for recreation and research. A natural fresh water lake and thick green forest add beauty to the place.
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