“The timeless in you is aware of life’s timelessness. And knows that yesterday is but today’s memory and tomorrow is today’s dream.”
― Khalil Gibran
(Chau meaning four, burji meaning tower) – is the gateway remains of an extensive garden built in Mughal times in Lahore. The creation of this garden is attributed to Mughal Princess Zaibun Nisa in the 17th century, according to the inscriptions on the gateway.
Zaibun Nisa was the eldest child of Emperor Aurangzeb. She was a poet, who wrote under the pen name “Makhfi” which means the “Hidden One”. She was known for her wisdom and counselled her father in the matters of state.
Chauburji, the gateway, consists of four towers and is adorned with the brilliant tile work with which the entire entrance was once covered. During a severe earthquake in 1843, the north-western minaret collapsed and cracks appeared in the central arch. Now restored as much as was possible, the gateway looks quite as it might have been during the time of its Mughal patroness. Since then it has seen many seasons and generations pass by, the city of Lahore has changed from a Mughal retreat to an agricultural span to now a metropolis.