Heera Mandi
ہیرا منڈی
Shahi Mohallah
Neighbourhood
Heera Mandiہیرا منڈی is located in Lahore
Heera Mandiہیرا منڈی
Heera Mandi
ہیرا منڈی
Coordinates: 31°35′10″N 74°18′35″E / 31.586167101203753°N 74.30980680775039°E / 31.586167101203753; 74.30980680775039
Country Pakistan
ProvincePunjab
CityLahore
Administrative townRavi
Union council30 (Taxali Gate)
Government

Heera Mandi (Urdu and Punjabi: ہیرا منڈی, lit. 'Diamond Market'), sometimes referred to as Shahi Mohallah ("Royal Neighbourhood"), is a neighbourhood and bazaar located in the Walled City of Lahore. It is specifically known as the red light district of Lahore, Pakistan.[1][2]

It is named after which later got the name 'Hira Singh Di Mandi', meaning Hira Singh's food grain market. This later got transformed to the modern name Heera Mandi.

It is located inside the Walled City of Lahore, near the Taxali Gate,[3] and south of the Badshahi Mosque. The market had historically been the centre of the city's refined tawaif culture since the 15th and 16th centuries.[4]

Etymology

The area's name is traditionally described on Heera Singh's son, Dhian Singh Dogra. who was the Prime Minister of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Historical background

The market was originally the centre of the city's tawaif (concubine) culture for the Lahore's Mughal era elite during the 15th and 16th centuries.[4] It was opened by Mughals and the women were mainly from Afghanistan and Uzbekistan to perform classical Indian dances such as Kathak to entertain Mughals..[5]

Heera Mandi became first associated with prostitution during the invasion of Ahmad Shah Abdali. His troops set up brothels with the women they had captured from the towns and cities they sacked during their invasion of the Subcontinent.[6]

British colonial rule solidified Heera Mandi's reputation as a hub for prostitution. Within the market, women and khwajasara (transgenders) offered traditional and classical dances. From the British colonial period till the past few years, it remained a centre of prostitution in Lahore.[7] Many Hijras, members of Pakistan's transgender community, frequent the area and are involved in the area's dance culture.

Prostitution

The brothel houses were further developed by the British in old Anarkali Bazaar for the recreation of the British soldiers during the British Raj. After that these were shifted to Lohari Gate and then to Taxali Gate.[3]

The place is also considered as a symbol for the city of Lahore during the Mughal period.Over time,during the day, Heera Mandi is much like any other Pakistani bazaar and is known for its good food, wide range of Khussa (traditional Mughal footwear), and shops for musical instruments and dance. At night, the brothels above the shops open. Sometimes the words 'Heera Mandi' themselves are considered to be offensive informal talks.[8]

Crackdown on Prostitution

During Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq's reign, an operation was conducted against music and dance houses, which were alleged to be dens of prostitution. The operation served to spread the practice throughout the city.[3] In recent times, the area has become known for prostitution again,[3] though the practice in the neighbourhood is in decline with the rise of online escort services.[4]

Civic administration

The neighbourhood forms part of Taxali Gate's Union Council 30.

Cultural portrayal

Heera Mandi is referred to in the Bollywood movie Kalank.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Jalil, Xari (30 April 2017). "FADE FROM RED: THE DIAMOND OF LAHORE HAS DULLED". Dawn. Retrieved 2022-07-15.
  2. ↑ Qureshi, Tania (23 April 2017). "Heera Singh's Mandi". Pakistan Today. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Butt, Zohaib (2010-08-19). "Heera Mandi: Scarlet secrets of Lahore". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
  4. 1 2 3 "How Facebook is killing Lahore's Heera Mandi". Dawn. Agence France-Presse. 23 August 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  5. ↑ "Women were brought from Afghanistan and Uzbekistan".
  6. ↑ Kochhar, Aashish (3 March 2021). "Heera Mandi: Red-Light Area with a Royal Past". LivehistoryIndia.com. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  7. ↑ Grimes, William (July 20, 2005). "In Shadows of a City of Pleasure, Courtesans Grow Old". The New York Times newspaper. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  8. ↑ https://www.sangatreview.org/blog/2020/07/10/the-dancing-girls-of-lahore-selling-love-and-saving-dreams-in-pakistans-pleasure-district-by-louise-brown/

Further reading

  • Saeed, Fouzia (2001). Taboo!: The Hidden Culture of a Red Light Area. Karachi: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-579412-0.
  • Saeed, Fouzia (2006). "Chapter 6: Good women, bad women: prostitution in Pakistan". In Gangoli, Geetanjali; Westmarland, Nicole (eds.). International Approaches to Prostitution: Law and policy in Europe and Asia. The Policy Press, University of Bristol. pp. 141–164. ISBN 978-1-86134-672-8.*Brown, Louise (2006). The Dancing Girls of Lahore: Selling Love and Saving Dreams in Pakistan's Pleasure District. Harper Perennial. ISBN 978-0-06-074043-6.
  • Khan, Noor Mohammad (2009). Some Time On the Frontier-A Pakistan Journal. CreateSpace. ISBN 978-1-4404-1597-5.
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