Hiran Minar (Urdu: ہرن مینار; or "The Deer Tower") is an early 17th-century Mughal era complex located in Sheikhupura, in the Pakistani province of Punjab.
The complex was built at the site of a game reserve in honour of Mughal Emperor Jahangir's pet antelope. The Emperor is remembered for his fondness of nature,[2] and his complex embodies the Mughal relationship between humans, pets, and hunting.[3]
History
Hiran Minar was built during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir in a hunting reserve used by the Mughal royals. The reserve was built in a scrub forest, and allowed Mughal emperors to experience a sense of semi-wilderness near the imperial city of Lahore.[4]The game-reserve was used as a park where visitors could enjoy the sport of hunting.[4]
The minaret itself was built in 1606 C.E. as a monument to Emperor Jahangir's beloved pet antelope, Mansiraj, or "Light of the Mind",[5]who had been trained to lure wild animals to the tank in order to be hunted.[3] The practice of building such tomb-markers over the skulls of game animals is an ancient Persiancustom.[6]
The minaret and tank were soon accompanied by a larger pavilion, built during the reign of Shah Jahan.
MinaretEdit
The Jahangir-era minaret stands 30 metres tall,[4] and was built in 1606 C.E. as a tomb marker for the emperor's pet antelope,[4]Minraj. The sides of the minar are inscribed with a eulogy to the pet antelope.[4]
PoolEdit
A massive rectangular water-tank pool measuring 229 metres by 273 metres lies at the heart of the complex.[4] At the center of each side of the tank, a brick ramp slopes down to the water, providing access for wild game that were sought by hunters.[7]
PavilionEdit
An octagonal pavilion built during the reign of Shah Jahan is at the centre of the pool.[7] The pavilion is two-storeyed, and is topped by a rooftop chhatri that served as a stone gazebo. The pavilion's architecture is similar to the Sher Mandal at Delhi's Purana Qila,[8] built by Emperor Humayun.
The pavilion was surrounded not only by the water tank, but also semi-wilderness. The pavilion was thus likely used for recreational purposes.[6]
CausewayEdit
A causeway spans the pool to connect the minaret with the pavilion along an axis which passes through a gateway.
The complex was built at the site of a game reserve in honour of Mughal Emperor Jahangir's pet antelope. The Emperor is remembered for his fondness of nature,[2] and his complex embodies the Mughal relationship between humans, pets, and hunting.[3]
History
Hiran Minar was built during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir in a hunting reserve used by the Mughal royals. The reserve was built in a scrub forest, and allowed Mughal emperors to experience a sense of semi-wilderness near the imperial city of Lahore.[4]The game-reserve was used as a park where visitors could enjoy the sport of hunting.[4]
The minaret itself was built in 1606 C.E. as a monument to Emperor Jahangir's beloved pet antelope, Mansiraj, or "Light of the Mind",[5]who had been trained to lure wild animals to the tank in order to be hunted.[3] The practice of building such tomb-markers over the skulls of game animals is an ancient Persiancustom.[6]
The minaret and tank were soon accompanied by a larger pavilion, built during the reign of Shah Jahan.
MinaretEdit
The Jahangir-era minaret stands 30 metres tall,[4] and was built in 1606 C.E. as a tomb marker for the emperor's pet antelope,[4]Minraj. The sides of the minar are inscribed with a eulogy to the pet antelope.[4]
PoolEdit
A massive rectangular water-tank pool measuring 229 metres by 273 metres lies at the heart of the complex.[4] At the center of each side of the tank, a brick ramp slopes down to the water, providing access for wild game that were sought by hunters.[7]
PavilionEdit
An octagonal pavilion built during the reign of Shah Jahan is at the centre of the pool.[7] The pavilion is two-storeyed, and is topped by a rooftop chhatri that served as a stone gazebo. The pavilion's architecture is similar to the Sher Mandal at Delhi's Purana Qila,[8] built by Emperor Humayun.
The pavilion was surrounded not only by the water tank, but also semi-wilderness. The pavilion was thus likely used for recreational purposes.[6]
CausewayEdit
A causeway spans the pool to connect the minaret with the pavilion along an axis which passes through a gateway.
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