Badshahi Mosque Lahore

Sorry folks, it has been a really busy few weeks, and I have not been able to post on the usual Thursday.  However I am thinking as long as I can manage one post a week I should be OK, so here it is.

A few years ago my middle son decided to go to Pakistan for the first time, with his granddad. Whilst he was there he was given a tour of north Pakistan, which is exceptionally beautiful, a bit like the Swiss Alps in Europe, but with less snow and more remote.

One of the towns he visited was Lahore, a very old city famous for the Pakistan and India border crossing exhibition. Here is a link to it...

Back to the point. He was given a flying visit of Lahore and had the opportunity to visit the Bahshahi Mosque, built in 1671 by Aurangzeb the Mughal Emperor of the time. It is the second largest mosque in Pakistan and the fifth in the world.  Here is the picture taken by my son, that inspired me to paint it in water colour.

As you can see by the date it was taken  in 2010.  I have not been there myself, but would love to sample the atmosphere especially in its quieter moments, so I decided to paint this painting without people present. Here are the stages. 

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I know it looks quite dark but just imagine coming in through the dark room and seeing this beautiful building in front staring at you, beckoning you to come and explore. I hope that one day I will get a chance to visit this majestic place. Until then I will just admire it in photos.

Here is a short video for you to take in the architectural magnificence of this place. It really is a amazing work of art. You know where to click.


Love and Peace

Samira :)

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