A judges committee has asked the museum to return these shields. PHOTO: EXPRESS
LAHORE: Fourteen years after gifting away its historic insignia, the Lahore High Court wants them back. Two 150-year-old marble shields of Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom measuring 5.4x6.4 feet will make their way back to the court building, from where they were removed and gifted to the Lahore Museum.
The LHC has asked the museum to return these shields for putting them on display in its own museum, which it plans to open on its 150th anniversary celebrations starting in November.
The British Royal Coat of Arms was installed on the facade of the LHC building’s central wing when it was constructed in 1866. Sometime after 1947, these shields were removed and dumped in the lawn outside the chamber of the chief justice.
An LHC employee, seeking anonymity as he is not allowed to talk to media, told The Express Tribune that he joined the court 24 years ago and had seen the marbles insignia lying in the lawn.
In February 2002, then LHC chief justice (retd) Falak Sher realised the significance of these shields and gifted them to the Lahore Museum in addition to two marble pillars as well. Since then, these relics have been on display at the museum.
These shields have been prepared in two pieces each. During their removal, they were carved into three pieces that damaged the faces of the lion and the unicorn sculpted on them.
The second shield was divided into six pieces that saved the faces of the lion and the unicorn, but damaged the face of the lion statant on the crest.
These shields were fixed with cement on the front wall facing the forecourt of the museum.
Two weeks ago, a committee of LHC judges headed by Justice Anwarul Haq visited the museum and asked its administration to return these shields with other court-related relics for displaying them at the LHC’s own museum.
Lahore Museum spokesperson Muzamil Hussain told The Express Tribune the LHC administration has asked them to return the items related to it. “We are ready to return these shields and are sorting out more items from the museum’s stock to be returned to the LHC,” he added.
He added it was preferable to fix the shields back at that very place they were removed from. “They should not be taken back only to be put on display,” he believed.
The Royal Coat of Arms is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the queen in her official capacity.
The shield is quartered, depicting in the first and fourth quarters the three passant guardant lions of England. The second depicts the rampant lion and the third, a harp for Ireland.
The crest is a statant guardant lion wearing the St Edward’s Crown, himself on another representation of that crown.
The coat features both the motto of English monarchs, Dieu et mon droit (God and my right), and the motto of the Order of the Garter, Honi soit qui mal y pense (shame upon him who thinks evil of it) on a representation of the Garter behind the shield.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 3rd, 2016.
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