The Forbidden Streets of Lahore
Image Credits: M Arif/ White Star "Hun mein ek kuri nu ithe lawaya hai""Unaou ne pant paye si te banyan, sara mahalla vekh diya paya ji, aj kal te sharam haya di gal hi koi nai" A mid-age rikshaw driver tells me that his previous passenger was a young girl and as per him, her dressing was not appropriate. I tried to figure out a reply but then again, would it make it any better? I am on my way to "Shahi Mohalla" located in the Walled City of Lahore. As far as the history books go the walled city covers as far as thirteen gates of the land which was once home to greatest dynasties on planet Earth. It seems rather odd as to how the scenery to my right changes from cleanly paved roads to sand dunes of dirt. My walled city chaperone tells me that the roads are built for the local and foreign elite who wish to wine and dine in newly built restaurants of "Shahi Mohalla", the same restaurants which were once home to the dancing girls of Lahore. My Left stands forfeited by the looks of the captivating Mughal architecture, I think I am in Badshahi Mosque`s shadow, the closer I get to the mosque, a wave of self-righteousness ponders over me. "Kithe Jaana tussi?""Bus athe Taxali Gate te utar diyo menu" As I mention "Taxali Gate", the driver looks at me for a while, maybe it's the same look he would have given to the girl before me or perhaps a deeper look. I can feel that the minaret on my left is about to generate a call to prayer, Azaan while the restaurants on my rights sharpen their utensils to prepare food till midnight. The get ready to welcome all kinds of guests if only the guests knew what happened in these narrowly built state of the art structures not long ago. My quest to explore "Heera Mandi" may be a waste of time, no one likes to talk about cultural taboos like the one I am about to explore. "Chacha ji, university di kaam si, kuch tareekh de hawale nal dusso ge?" I am about to ask some bold questions to a man thrice my age who sits right in front of the minaret. He has covered his head with a prayer cap, maybe so the mosque administrators approve of him sitting on the sidelines of the regal Badshahi Mosque. "Pucho beta, ki gal hai?" "Chacha ji, hun vi log aate hain dance vekhan vaaste? I mention dance and avoid the word 'prostitution', maybe I wanted to have a normal conversation with the man. It was not long ago when cultural dance turned into "sex work" in the same streets I stand today. "Aaj kal da men nahi pata sahb, pehle tou vadhya log aande se, sara din awan jawan" It's amazing how he addressed me as 'sahb' soon after he called me 'beta' earlier. "Police bara tang kitta sahb ji, aye bechari kurian nu pakar ke thane vadh dete, enha da koi vali varis nai si, vadhya vadhya log aa ke, apna shouq pura karke ghara nu jande si, te kurian vechari ruldi" I asked the poor old man whether the government has done anything in the past few decades, any rehabilitation work. Unfortunately, his reply sounded as the whole area was disenfranchised by the government. These brothel owners have been allowed to operate under the pretext of bribes, collusion with district officials and under the supervision of those who visit the so-called 'dancing girls'. "Tussi ay sab likho ge sahb ji" I realized that I had mentioned a university assignment earlier but that was not the case, this trip was for an article I was working on. Read the full article
