Architectural heritage of Anarkali Bazaar reflects Mughal, British eras

Bazaar is popular among women for items such as clothes, bangles, henna, shoes and other accessories

LAHORE: Anarkali Bazaar, one of the oldest bazaars of South Asia, has two parts: Old Anarkali and New Anarkali.

The old Anarkali is known for traditional food items while the New Anarkali is famous for traditional items such as dresses, shoes, jewelry, bangles, sports goods and handicrafts. Within the New Anarkali, there are individual market areas such as Bano Bazaar, Dhoni Ram Lane and Paan Gali.

The bazaar is also popular among women for items such as clothes, bangles, henna, shoes and other fashion items. The bazaar, located in central Lahore, the second most populous city of the country, is famous for its architectural heritage from the Mughal and British colonial eras. Stepping into the bazaar, the streets become more crowded while passing of motorcycles presents a picture of its own.

There is a blend of length and breadth of Pakistan welcoming all visitors with smiling faces, attracting them towards their products - the haggling between the shopkeepers and customers is a worth watching scene.

However, what makes Anarkali special is its authentic look and atmosphere. It is a place that captures the indigenous bazaar life of Lahore. A street vendor sells dates close to a local mosque with a blue dome (Neela Gumbad) that is a local landmark.

Women customers, with shopping bags, stop at a popular restaurant to enjoy some ‘Dahi Baray’ (traditional yogurt snack), ‘Fruit Chaat’ (spiced fruit salad) or fresh fruit juice. Some historians have raised doubts about the accuracy of the story of Anarkali, and her tomb as there is nothing mentioned about her in Mughal Emperor Jahangir's autobiography and other royal accounts from that period.

However, according to other accounts, the Bazaar was named after a slave girl who was immured by Mughal Emperor Akbar for having an affair with his son, Salim. The bazaar is spread around the tomb of Anarkali and the surrounding areas are known by the tomb of Anarkali.

In history, Salim wanted to keep the place around the tomb alive. Therefore, he laid the foundation of bazaar so that people could remember the place and history of the area. A page copied from an old book on Lahore by Syed Mohammad Latif describes the story of how Akbar allegedly ordered the immurement of Anarkali when he saw a reflection of her smiling at Salim (afterwards Jahangir) in a mirror.

Anarkali was made to stand at a designated spot, and bricks were laid all around her until the space was completely enclosed. The note claims that Salim grieved over Anarkali's death, and when he became the emperor, he had an immense superstructure built over the sepulcher.

On the side of it is a Persian couplet purportedly composed by Jahangir: ‘Ah! Could I behold the face of my beloved once more; I would give thanks unto my God until the day of resurrection.’ Anarkali is said to have died in 1599 AD.

However, in recent times, modern shopping malls have opened in the city from designer Shalwar Kameez boutiques to western brands and restaurant chains. The places are popular among the nouveau riche, also colloquially known as the ‘Burger crowd’.

Half of the shop owners are working in the area for generations as their forefathers ran businesses or shops and now they are looking after their legacy. Along the shopkeepers, many street vendors are also selling their products with efficiency and profitable talent.

Sagheer sahib, who has been selling sweet yams for almost three decades, told APP that as far as the maintenance of this historical bazaar is concerned, former prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto took keen interest in the beauty of the Bazaar. He added that former Punjab chief minister Pervaiz Elahi also addressed the difficulties of the market to keep the bazaar on track. However, since then, no government official has visited the bazaar or checks the standards of the facilities, he further said.

Wazir who has been working in the market for about 55 years said that he has seen many political families visit the bazaar for shopping, such as the family of Nawab Amir Mohammad, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Chaudhry brothers, because it has been the only full-fledged bazaar in the city. “The bazaar makes you to fall in love with old-patterned shops and the people working here.” The jubilancy of first time visitors seeks the attention of everyone as one can see them enjoying every moment.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2019.