Lahore: Topophilia of Space and Place

The book is a reconstruction of the historical and cultural images of Lahore, one of the oldest cities in the Indian Subcontinent. The author has chosen an interdisciplinary approach that combines the studies in cultural anthropology, literary and historical sources, art history and humanistic geography. The central point of the analysis is topophilia (lit. love of place), the term used to describe the strong sense of place or identity among certain peoples and groups. In the present book, the topophilia of Lahore is represented through interrelations of different types of urban locations, landscapes, architecture and artefacts on the one hand and human attitudes, rituals and manners and customs on the other. The author’s aim is to show how the historical and cultural developments of people build up the cultural landscape of the city and how the geographical place and space, in their turn, influence the behaviour and identity of Lahore’s citizens.