The Loh Temple is a cluster of interconnected chambers located inside the Lahore Fort, near the Alamgiri Gate. Although popularly associated with Lav or Loh, the mythical son of Rama and legendary founder of Lahore, the physical and historical evidence linking this site to that myth remains speculative. The complex includes four interconnected spaces situated in the interstitial zone between the Fort’s older western wall and the eastern wall of the Hazuri Bagh built during the construction of the Badshahi Mosque in the 1670s. The main chamber, commonly referred to as the Temple of Loh, is a roofless chamber that contains a memorial shrine. Removal of cultural fill revealed additional rooms at a depth of 4.2 meters below the Fort’s surface, exposing ritual features suggestive of both Vaishnavite and Shaivite Hindu traditions, alongside Sikh elements.

The rooms appear to have been constructed or repurposed after the mosque’s forecourt was built, occupying awkward, leftover spaces created by the new mosque alignment. Ritual traces include a havan kund (fire altar) and a possible religious edifice. Additionally, an octagonal room with vaulted ceilings and a shaft to Hazuri Bagh, is thought to have possibly served a utilitarian or ritual function. The discovery of domestic debris, British period liquor bottles, and repurposed masonry suggests varied, sequential usage through the Mughal, Sikh, and British periods. However, the origins and purposes of these spaces remain uncertain, leading scholars to propose hypotheses ranging from their role as remnants of a pre-Mughal Hindu temple to later adaptive reuse by Sikhs for religious purposes. Loh Temple’s significance seems to lie more in its layered usage and the cross-cultural traces it retains, from Hindu and Sikh rituals to British repurposing.

Work on the Loh Temple focused primarily on addressing complex waterproofing challenges due to its sunken position. A site-specific waterproofing strategy was developed, and a prototype area was selected to test its implementation. Cultural fill was removed to expose the original floor level, allowing for the placement of a French drain, which was subsequently installed in two sections. Excavations were also carried out adjacent to the courtyard to dry out the structure and facilitate further application of waterproofing membranes. In the course of this work, severely deteriorated areas were structurally stabilized. Masonry repairs were carried out on the external façade and powdered or deteriorated plasters were removed from the entrance verandah to allow trapped moisture to escape. The removal of plaster revealed underlying structural cracks, which were assessed, and plaster repair work and cornice reconstruction were undertaken. Additionally, work is currently being carried out on preserving the surface decorations that have been exposed after the removal of cultural fill.