134 GARDENS OF THE PLAINS LAHORE 



tion chiefly on account of the different specimens 

 one comes upon of Nakkashi work, that is, of the 

 inlaid tiles so largely used in their decoration. 



The whole land may be deep in dust, its details 

 lost in the all -pre vailing biscuit- coloured Punjab 

 background. There comes a shower of rain, and 

 unnoticed domes and ruined gateways gleam 

 again with the marvellous hues of their few 

 remaining tiles ; a touch of sharp, vivid green 

 among brown sunbaked bricks ; the purple 

 glaze of a little dome shaded by feathery, dust- 

 grey tamarind trees ; some lilies on a lemon 

 ground, seen in the cool shadow of a vaulted 

 portal ; or the turquoise of a gay garden arch. 

 The mosque of Wazir Khan, the finest example 

 of Nakkashi work at Lahore, remains complete : 

 an enchanting building, among whose flower- 

 decked tiles the warning motto runs, " Remove 

 thy heart from the gardens of the world and 

 know that here is the true abode of peace." 



Zebanissa Begam, Aurungzeb's daughter, a 

 poetess and artist, was not behind the other 

 royal ladies of her family in her garden building, 

 as the Chau-Burji (Four Towers) proves. It is 

 only a gateway covered all over with turquoise, 

 amber, and azure tiles. Only three of its four 



