Heera Mandi
Encyclopedia
Heera Mandi meaning "Diamond Market", also known as Shahi Mohalla
(meaning: The Royal Neighbourhood) is a red-light district
and a bazaar
located in Taxali Gate
, Lahore
(Punjab), Pakistan
. The women here offer traditional and classical dances and was originally the center of the city's tawaif
culture in the Mughal era
. Today, it is a centre of prostitution in Lahore under the veil of dances, such as mujra
, a branch of classical South-Asian sensual dancing. While many Hijras
also frequent the area and are involved in this dance culture.
Heera Mandi is located in the northwest corner of the Walled City of Lahore
, next to Roshnai Gate
, Badshahi Masjid, Lahore Fort
, and Hazuri Bagh
.
During the day the place is much like other Pakistan
i bazaar
s and is also known for its good food, wide range of Khussa (traditional Mughal footwear) and the shops for musical instruments.
, Heera Mandi was famous for dancing and music. People used to go here for a visual and musical treat. Beautiful girls (called kanjiries) used to sit in stall shaped balconies, called kothas, and ply their trade, the oldest profession in the world. The place was perhaps even more famous for singing and dancing. However, slowly the aesthetic pursuit became less arty and more tarty. Once prostitutes were hired by wealthy families to teach their children culture and social behavior. All that is left of a colorful street with music and the echo of ghungroo
s.
houses were first 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. They seemed to have spent more time at Taxali Gate than other places. Thus they settled in Heera Mandi, and traces of that can still be found.
Mahallah
Mahalla or Mahallya or Mohalla is an Arabic language country subdivision or neighbourhood term. Used in the South Asia as Mohalla.* Mahalla * Mahalla * Mahalle * El-Mahalla El-Kubra...
(meaning: The Royal Neighbourhood) is a red-light district
Red-light district
A red-light district is a part of an urban area where there is a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, adult theaters, etc...
and a bazaar
Bazaar
A bazaar , Cypriot Greek: pantopoula) is a permanent merchandising area, marketplace, or street of shops where goods and services are exchanged or sold. The term is sometimes also used to refer to the "network of merchants, bankers and craftsmen" who work that area...
located in Taxali Gate
Taxali Gate
The Taxali Gate, is one of the gates of Walled City of Lahore, Pakistan. Also known as the Taxal, or royal mint, it was built during the reign of the mughals. There is a very famous shoe market located here known as Sheikupurian Bazar. There are a variety of foodstuffs available in and around this...
, Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
(Punjab), Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. The women here offer traditional and classical dances and was originally the center of the city's tawaif
Tawaif
A tawaif was a courtesan who catered to the nobility of South Asia, particularly during the era of the Mughal Empire.The tawaifs contributed to music, dance, theatre, film, and the Urdu literary tradition.-History:...
culture in the Mughal era
Mughal era
The Mughal era is a historic period of the Mughal Empire in South Asia . It ran from the early 15th century to a point in the early 18th century when the Mughal Emperors' power had dwindled...
. Today, it is a centre of prostitution in Lahore under the veil of dances, such as mujra
Mujra
Mujra is a form of dance originated by tawaif during the Mughal era. incorporated elements of the native classical Kathak dance onto music such as thumris and ghazals or poems of those from other Mughal cultures such as Bahadur Shah Zafar. Mujra was traditionally performed at mehfils and in...
, a branch of classical South-Asian sensual dancing. While many Hijras
Hijra (South Asia)
In the culture of South Asia, hijras or chakka in Kannada, khusra in Punjabi and kojja in Telugu are physiological males who have feminine gender identity, women's clothing and other feminine gender roles. Hijras have a long recorded history in the Indian subcontinent, from the antiquity, as...
also frequent the area and are involved in this dance culture.
Heera Mandi is located in the northwest corner of the Walled City of Lahore
Walled City of Lahore
The Walled City of Lahore, also known as the "Old City," or "Anderoon Shehr ," is the section of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, that was fortified by a city wall during the Mughal era.-Origins:The origins of the original Lahore are unspecific...
, next to Roshnai Gate
Roshnai Gate
The Roshnai Gate is one of the thirteen gates within the Walled City of Lahore in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Its extended height and width is testament to its use by emperors' caravans of elephants.- External links :*...
, Badshahi Masjid, Lahore Fort
Lahore Fort
The Lahore Fort, locally referred to as Shahi Qila is citadel of the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located in the northwestern corner of the Walled City of Lahore...
, and Hazuri Bagh
Hazuri Bagh
Hazuri Bagh is a garden in Lahore, Pakistan, bounded by the Lahore Fort , Badshahi Mosque , the Samadhi of Ranjit Singh and the Roshnai Gate...
.
During the day the place is much like other Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i bazaar
Bazaar
A bazaar , Cypriot Greek: pantopoula) is a permanent merchandising area, marketplace, or street of shops where goods and services are exchanged or sold. The term is sometimes also used to refer to the "network of merchants, bankers and craftsmen" who work that area...
s and is also known for its good food, wide range of Khussa (traditional Mughal footwear) and the shops for musical instruments.
History
In the Mughal eraMughal era
The Mughal era is a historic period of the Mughal Empire in South Asia . It ran from the early 15th century to a point in the early 18th century when the Mughal Emperors' power had dwindled...
, Heera Mandi was famous for dancing and music. People used to go here for a visual and musical treat. Beautiful girls (called kanjiries) used to sit in stall shaped balconies, called kothas, and ply their trade, the oldest profession in the world. The place was perhaps even more famous for singing and dancing. However, slowly the aesthetic pursuit became less arty and more tarty. Once prostitutes were hired by wealthy families to teach their children culture and social behavior. All that is left of a colorful street with music and the echo of ghungroo
Ghungroo
A Ghungroo, also known as Ghunghroo or Ghunghru or Salangai is one of many small metallic bells strung together to form Ghungroos, a musical anklet tied to the feet of classical Indian dancers. The sounds produced by Ghungroos vary greatly in pitch depending on their metallic composition and size...
s.
Origin of name
The name heera means diamond in urdu and was used by locals to describe the beauty of the girls in the market. The people called the courtesans who worked in the area as "heeras" diamonds. The name eventually stuck and the market was called heera mandi.Beginning of Prostitution
The brothelBrothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
houses were first developed by the British in old Anarkali Bazaar
Anarkali bazaar
Anarkali bazaar is a famous bazār in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is one of the oldest surviving markets in South Asia, dating back at least 200 years...
for the recreation of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
soldiers during the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
. After that these were shifted to Lohari Gate
Lohari Gate
The Lohari or Lahori Gate is located within Walled City of Lahore in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Lahori and the bazaar behind it comprises the oldest arterial route in the Walled City built by Akbar the great. Qutbuddin Aibak, the first Muslim ruler of the Subcontinent is buried just outside this...
and then to Taxali gate. They seemed to have spent more time at Taxali Gate than other places. Thus they settled in Heera Mandi, and traces of that can still be found.