“The Ghost of Lahore Fort”
Lahore Fort, also known as Shahi Qila, is a historic monument in Lahore, Pakistan. The fort was built by Emperor Akbar in the 16th century and served as a residence for the Mughal emperors until the 18th century. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Pakistan’s most visited tourist attractions. However, the fort is not only known for its historical significance but also for its alleged haunting by the ghost of a woman.
The legend of the ghost dates back to the Mughal era when the fort was a place of great power and intrigue. According to the story, the wife of a Mughal emperor was accused of committing an offense and was sentenced to be buried alive within the walls of the fort. The woman’s screams and cries were heard throughout the night as she begged for mercy, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. As the last bit of dirt was thrown on her, the fort walls shook with her final scream, and the ghost of the woman has haunted the fort ever since.
Over the years, many visitors to the fort have claimed to have seen or felt the presence of the ghost. Some have reported seeing a ghostly figure dressed in white, while others have heard the sound of a woman crying or screaming. Some visitors have even reported feeling an inexplicable chill in the air or being touched by an unseen presence.
To learn more about the legend and its impact on visitors, I spoke with Mr. Asif, a local tour guide who has been leading tours of the fort for over a decade.
“When I first started working as a tour guide, I didn’t really believe in the ghost story,” Mr. Asif said. “But then I started noticing that a lot of visitors were asking about it, and some of them even seemed scared. So, I started doing some research and talking to other guides, and I realized that the legend is a big part of the fort’s history and attracts a lot of tourists.”
Mr. Asif explained that while there is no concrete evidence to support the claims of the fort’s haunting, the legend has become an integral part of the fort’s story and adds an extra layer of mystery and intrigue for visitors.
“I’ve had visitors who are skeptical of the ghost story, and others who are convinced that it’s true,” he said. “But regardless of what they believe, the legend adds an extra dimension to their experience of the fort. It’s like they’re part of the story, and it makes their visit more memorable.”
As for Mr. Asif himself, he remains skeptical about the ghost but acknowledges the impact that the legend has on visitors.
“I’ve never personally seen or felt anything supernatural in the fort,” he said. “But I respect the beliefs of those who do, and I think it’s important to acknowledge the role that the legend plays in the fort’s history and culture.”
There are different versions of the legend, and none of them provide a specific name for the woman who is said to haunt the Lahore Fort. Some versions of the story claim that she was the wife of Emperor Jahangir, while others suggest that she was the wife of a governor or a high-ranking official. However, it is important to note that the legend is just that — a legend — and there is no historical evidence to support the claim that a woman was buried alive within the walls of the Lahore Fort.
The legend of the ghost of Lahore Fort is a fascinating and enduring aspect of Pakistan’s cultural heritage. While there is no evidence to support the claims of the fort’s haunting, the legend continues to attract visitors from all over the world, adding an extra layer of mystery and intrigue to an already remarkable historical monument.
