What is the Shahi Mohalla?
The Shahi Mohalla, nowadays known as Heera Mandi, is the oldest red-light district in Pakistan. Located in the Walled City of Lahore, the place remains a part of history that is now forgotten. Walking through the unkempt and dark alleys will lead you to what the modern-day Shahi Mohalla is. What used to be the sound of classical music has now been replaced with Bollywood songs. There are still dancers and sex workers who reside in those areas, but the whereabouts and activities of the area are not secret.
History of the Area
The Shahi Mohalla, though, like its name, was a symbol of royalty in the 16th century. During the Mughal rule in India between 1584 and 1598, Lahore was the capital of the subcontinent. A lot of construction was carried out in this area during this period. The Shahi Mohalla was built near the Taxali Gate as a residential space for servants and attendants of the emperor. Soon after, the area became the home of the royal courtesans, commonly known as tawaifs.
The tawaifs were professional entertainers of the royal court. They were immensely talented and trained in traditional and classical dances, known by some as mujras, along with being singers. Their training was conducted by highly respected ustaads or teachers of their time. Their performances were also quite exclusive to the elite, mainly including nawabs or emperors. The presence of these wealthy men from the city at the events in the Shahi Mohalla was a symbol of class.
The tawaifs or “dancing girls” were also skilled in royal etiquette and possessed immense knowledge about arts and culture, so the elites would send their children to live with the tawaifs at a young age to learn propriety as well as gain knowledge about art. The tawaifs did not perform sex work just because of their position as entertainers but were highly respected. They would perform by choice for their elite audience, not by force.
However, during the 18th century, the stronghold that the Mughal Empire had on India began to weaken as foreign invaders, such as Nader Shah from Iran and Ahmad Shah Abdali from Afghanistan, attacked different parts of the country. During this time, the tawaifs lost their royal patronage and migrated to other cities. Brothels were made in India after the Afghan attacks during which women were abducted. Two brothels were set up by the troops–Dhobi Mandi and Mohalla Dara Sheikh. Dhobi Mandi is still present today. These brothels closed when the Afghans were ousted from Punjab by the Sikhs in 1762.
Then Maharaja Ranjit Singh came to power and reintroduced the tawaif culture to Lahore. The tawaifs did not live in the same luxury and extravagance as they did during the Mughal era, but their association with the royal court was again established. The mohalla was turned into a market after the death of Ranjit Singh in 1839, known as “Heera Mandi,” which, when translated, means “the diamond bazaar.”
It was believed by the people that the diamonds in this market were the tawaifs who were the soul of the place. Then, as the British rule exemplified, the elite men who came to Heera Mandi began asking the dancers and musicians for sexual favors. The entertainers were struggling to survive under British rule and ultimately started accepting such requests in exchange for gold, silver, and money. Their royal patronage and respect were lost during this time.
Nowadays, the term “tawaif” is a derogatory term. The luxury, respect, and sense of etiquette associated with the tawaif culture have been lost in time. Heera Mandi now stands as a mere red-light district.
The Shahi Mohalla is now just a mohalla (neighborhood) with broken buildings and barren shops that attract small crowds. The sex workers who reside in this area can barely afford basic necessities. The diamond bazaar is just a red light district–ignored and villainized by the rest of the world, known only as a hub of prostitution and nothing more. The beautiful and rich period of the area can no longer be associated with what is left of it.
In the 1950s, there was still some respect attached to the neighborhood. In the present day, the area is taboo while its residents are the victims of derogation and poverty. It is sad to witness how the Shahi Mohalla lost its culture, history, beauty, and traditions during the colonial period, never to be restored even after the independence of Pakistan.
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Zara Zahid Khan is a law student at the Lahore University of Management Sciences. She is a freelance writer who enjoys writing about legal and political issues.