Forgotten Heritage: A Case Study of Temples in Wachowali Bazaar, Lahore

Abstract

This paper discusses the remains of a number of temples found in Mohalla Wachowali within the walled city of Lahore. These temples
were described in 1886 by Kanhaiya Lal, in his book ‘Tarikh-e-Lahore and are compared with the state of these temples today through
photographic documentation. As ‘sites of memory’, these temples enable the mapping of the dialogue between the material heritage of
the Old City and the ideological narratives around history. These remains show the result of intangible narratives on the built form of the
city, providing a counterpoint to the heritage conservation efforts currently underway. It discusses the inter linkages of material heritage
with ideology and memory, and what implications it has for archaeological study within dense urban environments.