LAHORE, India, second city and capital of the Punjab, on the left bank of the Ravi, 298 miles northwest of Delhi by rail. The native city covers an area of 640 acres, surrounded by a brick wall 30 feet high, flanked by bastions, and approached by 13 gates. The streets are extremely narrow, and the houses have in general a mean and gloomy appear ance; but these only appear by contrast with the magnificent structures by which they are dominated. the northeast side especially the mosque of Aurangzeb, with its plain white marble domes and simple minarets, the mauso leum of Ranjit Singh, with its rounded roof and projecting balconies, and the desecrat.,d facade of the Mogul palace, stand side by side in front of an open grassy plain, exhibit ing a grand coup The citadel or fort stands on a slight but commanding eminence. The European quarter and the Mean Meer cantonment (three miles distant) lie to the south and east. Among modern buildings are the Punjab University, the Oriental College, Aichison Chief's College, Mayo Hospital, Vic toria Jubilee Hall, school of art, Anglican cathedral, etc. It was at one time a great cen
tre of the decorative arts — gold and silver ware, glass and enamel work— but most of these have gradually declined or vanished, and was famous for its superb cloths made of Bokhara thread. The North-West Railway workshops employ 5,000 men; the other indus tries include soap, acids, printing, leather, cot ton and woolens, furniture, bricks and tiles: and the city is the centre of a rich agricultural district. A municipality was organized in 1867, a water supply was introduced in 1881 and a drainage system in 1883.
In 1524 Lahore became the seat of the Mogul Empire, under which it reached its greatest splendor. Before passing into the hands of the British it was the capital of the Sikhs. Pop. about 228,687 (60 per cent Mo hammedan). Lahore division (commissioner ship) has an area of 17,154 square miles, and a population of 4,656,629. The Lahore dis trict has an area of 3,704 square miles; pop. about 1,250,000.