| Naulakha Pavilion | |
|---|---|
نولکھا | |
 | |
 Interactive map of Naulakha Pavilion | |
| General information | |
| Type | Public monument |
| Architectural style | Mughal |
| Location | Lahore,Punjab |
| Coordinates | 31°35′23″N74°18′47″E / 31.589827°N 74.313165°E /31.589827; 74.313165 |
| Construction started | 1631 |
| Completed | 1633 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Wazir Khan (Lahore) |
| Civil engineer | Abd al-Karim |
TheNaulakha Pavilion (Urdu:نولکھا) is awhite marble personal chamber with acurvilinear roof, located beside theSheesh Mahalcourtyard, in the northern section of theLahore Fort inLahore,Pakistan. The monument is one of the 21 monuments situated within the Lahore Fort, with its westernfaçade providing a panoramic view of theancient city of Lahore.[1]
The structure was originally inlaid withprecious and semi-precious stones and overlooked theRavi River. In 1981, as part of the larger Lahore Fort Complex, Naulakha was aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site. The pavilion is now one of Lahore's most recognizable sights, and has influenced architectural design of notable buildings, including thePakistani embassy inWashington, D.C.
When thepavilion was built in 1633 by theMughal emperorShah Jahan as a smallsummer house, it cost around 900,000rupees, an exorbitant amount at the time.[2] It is calledNaulakha because inUrdu language, the word means 'worth 9lakhsrupees'.[3] This also brought the wordNaulakha into common use to signify something precious.[4]
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The Lahore Fort was built in 1566 under the rule ofMughal emperorAkbar the Great on the location of an earlier mud-fort. The solidbrickmasonry complex was later extended and modified by subsequent emperors. Mughal emperor Shah Jahan was a romantic man who constructed Taj Mahal in Agra and after that this master piece in Lahore was built in 1633 as a small summer house costing around 900,000 rupees - an exorbitant amount at the time.[5] Naulakha Pavilion is among the buildings that were erected or reconstructed between 1628 and 1634 under Shah Jahan's rule.[6] Due to his personal interest in the design and construction, Shah Jahan's architectural traditions manifest distinctive symmetry and hierarchical accents. Naulakha Pavilion is part of theShah Burj block in the northwest section of the fort that was actually built by his predecessorJahangir.[6]
In 1927, the building was listed by the Department of Archaeology ofBritish India. In 1975, it was listed as a protected monument under the Antiquities Act by Pakistan's Department ofArchaeology, whereas in 1981, as part of the larger Lahore Fort Complex, it became inscribed as aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site.[7]
More recently, the building and its materials have started showing signs of damage and discolouration due to theair pollution. Thepollutants such assulphur dioxide and other emissions, have already affected the white marble of the nearbySheesh Mahal in the Lahore Fort Complex.[8]
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The pavilion is rectangular in shape, situated in the west ofSheesh Mahal, and is prominent because of its centrallyarched and extraordinarily curved roof typical of Bengal’sDo-chala style. This unique feature is symbolic of Shajahani architecture.[9] It reflects a mixture of contemporary traditions (at the time of its construction) of sloping-roof fromBengal, andBaldachin fromEurope. This demonstrates theimperial as well asreligious image of the subject.[10] The original roof was probably gilded.[11] The inner walls are minutely inlaid with precious and semi-precious stones[12] andsilver with delicateparchin kariornamentation are considered among the finest in the world.[11]Glazed tilemosaics have been used to decorate thespandrels of the arched openings with floral designs and images ofangels,genies, andsolomonic symbols.[13] The marble screens of the pavilion are crowned withmerlons to prevent inmates being seen from the grounds in between the Fort and the river.[14] The overallquadrangle comprises private quarters for royal family[15] and closely resemblesAgra fort.
As a unique and impressive monument of Mughal architecture,[16] the building became a source of inspiration toRudyard Kipling during his early days in Lahore. One of his novels is titledThe Naulahka (sic), written in collaboration with Wolcott Balestier, the brother of his then-fiancée Caroline.[17] The novel is about a precious necklace, which is called theNaulahka. When Kipling settled in his house inDummerston, Vermont, he named itNaulakha, after the pavilion.[18] To him,Naulakha symbolised thevirtues,peacefulness, andsolitude of theruralVermont.[19]
TheNaulakha Pavilion motifArchived 27 May 2016 at theWayback Machine was used on the reverse of thePakistani one rupee banknote, issued by theGovernment of Pakistan in 1964. Themotif was subsequently replaced with theTomb of Muhammad Iqbal in 1980s, until the one rupeeBanknote was taken out of circulation in 2005.[20] ThePakistan Embassy building inWashington D.C. is partly modelled on the Naulakha Pavilion.
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