Lahorites to enjoy royal dining like Mughals at Lahore Fort

LAHORE
The Lahorites will be able to experience the royal grandeur of dining like the emperors of the Mughal Era as the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) has planned to restore the centuries old, but neglected Royal Kitchen Complex at the Lahore Fort.
Once the most functionally active building t the Lahore Fort, the Royal Kitchen Complex is located in the South Western corner of the Fort but at the moment it has become a picture of negligence instead of its past glory. Experts said at present the Royal Kitchen Complex is facing serious demolition threats as its building had been ignored and never faced any type of conservation or restoration since Sikh and British rules. Experts believed that the building might cave in at any time.
Sources at the WCLA claimed that a major conservation work had been planned in 2003 with the grant of Norwegian government, but the project was delayed due to unknown reasons. At that time, the authorities to protect the monument from monsoon rains constructed pillars in the kitchen while plastic sheets were spread over its top. But unfortunately, the plastic sheets flew away with the passage of time and the Royal Kitchen once again came back in a state of dilapidation.
Archaeological experts of the WCLA said the royal kitchen was converted into a food storage during the Sikh rule while the British government changed it into a prison. They said in 1989 it was decided to convert the Royal Kitchens into an auditorium for archaeological research, but that plan also hit snags.
Presently raw vegetation, wild grass and presence of snakes and other dangerous creatures are the main features of the Royal Kitchen. The walls are hosting dozens of beehives, while the floor is flooded with stagnant rainwater. This has become the favourite spot for criminals as well as addicts who used to hide in the ignored structure of the Royal Kitchen.
Director General WCLA Kamran Lashari said this area was slightly away from the main fort and could be utilised for tourism purposes. “We have planned to first restore the structural stability of the Royal Kitchen and then convert it into a real Mughal Era kitchen serving traditional foods with great ambiance and musical show.,” he said adding this would be an attractive touristic site. He said we were trying to rehabilitate the fort into a living heritage and create attractions for tourists.
Director Marketing WCLA Asif Zaheer said the kitchen at present was in shambles with wild growth of plants and dampness. The structure of the building is dilapidated and needs to be strengthen immediately. He said it would take few months to conserve and restore it to its original glory. The teams have already started the initial documentation and the proposal has also been incorporated in the PC-1 for the Lahore Fort which we would be sending to the government in few days.
Tania Qureshi, another senior official of the WCLA, said we had a specialised team at the WCLA for conservation which had already worked on projects like Shigar Fort and Baltit Fort. These trained architects, engineers and conservationists are working on the documentation of the kitchen. “It was a no go area for the tourists and many people were unaware of the existence of these kitchens. This site is slightly outside the main fort area and we plan to open it up as proper day and night restaurant / cafe after conserving it,” she concluded.