The Diary Game - November 26, 2025 - Exploring Lahore’s Heritage: Badshahi Mosque, Badshahi Fort & Data Darbar

_Cover

Today is going to be a long journey because I was supposed to visit Lahore from Sahiwal. My brother had suggested that we visit Badshahi Mosque, Badshahi Fort, and Data Darbar. Lahore is approximately 265 kilometers away from us, so we had to leave early in the morning to reach there quickly and spend as much time as possible. We left here at dawn and reached Lahore at about 8:30.

As soon as we reached Lahore, there was a huge rush and traffic jam, due to which it took us almost two hours to travel in Lahore itself. Then, after two hours, we got off the bus and reached the Thokar Stap. From here, the first thing we had to do was go to MOFA, where we had to get one of our certificates verified. For this, we used the famous service In-Drive here. We ordered an In-Drive rickshaw through the mobile application and sat on it, and headed towards MOFA.

_{Book Indrive}

Unfortunately, when we reached there, we found out that the tokens had stopped being issued because tokens are available until 11 am, after which the mail goes out, and tokens are no longer available. So when we reached there, our time had passed, and we sat there in a depressed state.

Meanwhile, we started feeling a little hungry. We thought we would eat something, but there was no good restaurant here where we could have our lunch. But at one place, we saw a salad seller who was selling salads in packets, which included carrots, radishes, and cucumbers. He had prepared 50-50 packets. We bought two of those packets and enjoyed them.

_{Having Salad}

While enjoying this salad, we also went for a drive and again stumbled upon the stop because we would find good restaurants here, and we would also head towards the Badshahi Mosque from here, so we stumbled upon it again in about 15 to 20 minutes.

Because we were hungry and we had eaten salad earlier, so that we could satisfy our hunger, we saw a Quetta restaurant here where parathas are very famous. Wherever you see a Quetta restaurant, you must try their paratha once because it is very delicious. So we ordered tea and paratha, and both brothers sat there and enjoyed it.

_{Lunch With Lacha Paratha}

We bought two tickets for the Orange Train from here. After buying two tickets, we sat on the Orange Train and reached Anarkali Bazaar. A metro bus leaves from Anarkali Bazaar, which takes us straight to Azadi Chowk. There is a Minar-e-Pakistan Badshahi Mosque in Azadi Chowk itself, so we sat on the other side and reached Azadi Chowk directly.

_{Anarkali Orange Train Astation}

As soon as we reached there, we saw that the main gate of Minar Pakistan was closed because there was a TLP meeting there, due to which they had closed it. We were very sad because we had traveled so far, and we were not allowed to enter because from there we had to go to Badshahi Mosque and Badshahi Fort to the shrine of Allama Iqbal, so we had to leave from there in the other direction.

Through the second gate, we went straight to the Badshahi Mosque. This mosque is very famous and was built during the Mughal era. We visited the entire mosque and took some good photographs. There is a very large and open stage of the Badshahi Mosque, where they had covered it very well because there was a TLP meeting due to which we could not even go outside the Badshahi Mosque to the other Badshahi Mosque, so we settled ourselves here and enjoyed it.

_{Badshahi Mosque}

Since we couldn't go outside, when we stood and looked out of a window of the Badshahi Mosque, we could see the Badshahi Fort in front of us, which was built during the Mughal period. At that time, it was also closed because it was not allowed to go there, so we sat in the window and took some pictures to keep as a memory.

If we look out the other window on the other side of the same window, we can see the shrine of Allama Iqbal, which is located just to the right of the steps of the Badshahi Mosque. We stood there and recited Fateha at his shrine and prayed for the repose of his soul.

_{Badshahi Qila}

After visiting here, we took a rickshaw and went straight to Data Darbar. Data Sahib was also a scholar who had worked hard for the religion of Islam. A shrine has been built here in his memory, and his grave is here. It was our first time visiting him, so as soon as I entered, I was amazed to see how good the arrangements here are and how beautifully it has been made.

As soon as we reached Data Darbar, we said "Fatih" and as soon as I said "Fatih" and went near the Darbar, the caretaker there garlanded me with flowers, which they do out of love and devotion.

_{Darbar Data Saab}

A beautiful mosque has been built right next to the Data Darbar. That mosque is also a historical mosque, and its architecture is also very beautiful. Its courtyard is also open. About 40 to 50 thousand people can easily offer prayers at a time.

We also know this mosque by the name of Data Sahib because Data Darbar is located right behind it, and it is very beautifully built. Both its interior and exterior are beautiful, and the marble stone placed at the bottom keeps it cool even in the heat.

_Mosque

_{Darbar Data Saab Mosque}

After visiting all the places, it was quite some time, and it was starting to get dark, so we decided to return from here and sat in a rickshaw and reached Anarkali stop. From there, we bought tickets from the metro station and went straight to Thokar, and from there we booked two Faisal Mover tickets, which would take us to Sahiwal.

_{Back To Thokar Stop}

By the time we reached here, an hour had passed, and we bought two tickets from the counter, and those tickets would take us to Sahiwal in about 15 minutes. In the meantime, we went to the market here to buy something to eat because the journey is about three hours.

_{Faisal Mover Bus Stop Lahore}

We visited 24/7 Mart, and from there we bought some snacks, which included biscuits, etc. After buying all these things, we went to Faisal Mover's waiting hall, and after going there, we waited for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, our bus was on time, and we went and took our seats.

_{Shopping At 24/7 Mart}

As I told you, our journey was quite long, so we bought things in the industry so that we could end our journey while enjoying them. The battery of both our brothers' mobiles was about to die, so we took out the power bank from the bag and put both the mobiles on charge. After putting the mobiles on charge, we enjoyed these snacks.

_{Back To Home With Snacks}

During the next one, Faisal Mover Bus Service also provided us with cold drinks. We enjoyed it too, and thus we ended our journey. I hope you all enjoyed stopping here and seeing the Faisal Mosque, Badshahi Mosque, and Data Darbar. Thank you all very much for stopping here. May Allah bless you.

All images are my own capture through Oppo F15, Vivo Y200, and a DSLR Camera.

Thank You!