It's Oldest Colonial Building In Lahore |Tollinton Market

It was the evening of 5th October when we came back from the zoo, we had brunch at Anarkali Bazar. We four friends were very hungry as we hadn't eaten anything since morning. Soon after eating we thought we will visit Lahore Museum.But on going to the Lahore Museum, it was found that Lahore Museum has closed at half past four. Right next to the Lahore Museum, there is a huge building called Tollinton Hall.

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It's Tollinton Market which is named after Henry Phillips Tollinton who was assistant commissioner of Lahore and also worked in revenue department. Also, his efforts led to completion of this hall in 17th century.

It's the oldest colonial building in Lahore which was built in 1864 for very first Greater Punjab exhibition 1864. This market was an exhibition center to show the British prowess.

The building was built on gothic Victorian style. This time, when I entered in the building. I found that a exhibition type thing is going on inside the hall. A guard was sitting outside besides the door. He allowed us to go inside.
There was a person who was sitting behind desk, he asked our identity cards and scanned our faces from a camera, attached to computer. Then, he allowed us to visit and wander in the hall.

The very first thing which we all saw were the posters of national heroes. As you know, it's very common to pay tribute to heroes of nation.
Tollinton Market kept on changing it's command and heads. This time, Tollinton Market is under control and supervision of National College of arts Lahore. That's why, you will see artistic fusion and artistic magic on every wall.
This Market is compromised of three sections. The one main hall which is joined with two consecutive halls. Only the central hall was opened for visitors. Although the other joining halls were also opened but no visitor was allowed to go inside. In the middle of the hall, there was a beautiful and small fountain which was flowing water. Only two people were sitting on desk and having some chit-chat.

I diverted my attention to art pieces on the wall. These art pieces reminded me of my sister @minahilrana who is also an artist. I wished for a minahil to become that much big artist that one day I will also visit exhibition of her artwork like this.

Colors were creating magic on canvas. Surely, a true artistic eye who has taste of art and has love for art can explain the worth of these art pieces. People like me, cannot really define the nuanced details of art pieces.

In one glass section, there were pencils for those artists who created magical realm with their imagination. Artists only have these pencils and have creative minds with which they do wonders. They left normal people in moment of astonishment.
This art work touched my heart and even skipped one beat of my heart as I went back to my childhood times. The time, when I used to play outside of my home. At that time, children used to engage in outdoor activities but now every other children is stick to mobile screens. Children of this age has already missed so many things. They have missed so many moments which they can live lively.

This art work is bit tricky and psychological. Every eye defines artwork in his/her own words. What I get from this art is that, depression. You can see this person is laying down in bath tub but engaged in thinking. Might be overthinking!

There were so many canvases on the walls but I just captured few of them. I was curious to see what's going on in the other two halls. I opened the forbidden door, although I read that visitors are not allowed. You are asking, what I saw?
I saw many artists, carpenters and workers who were working to renovate the hall and to decorate the hall. In middle, there was a big stone head of a human. It was huge, almost equal to size of a room. It was artistic.

It was time to go out of the hall but I didn't wanted to go out of that hall.
I wish I will go there another time. There is always a next time. I am planning to visit Lahore in coming days. My university's tour will also go to Lahore to see the history.

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