Digital Editor Halima Ahad shares her deep connection to Lahore, highlighting the charming elements to the city in her article and dissertation writing
Pakistan is a breathtakingly beautiful country. From bustling cities to stunning mountains, it is hard not to fall in love with what it has to offer. As a British Pakistani myself, although I have never been, I truly feel like a part of my heart has been left there. Through my dissertation, I was very grateful to be given the opportunity to research Pakistan’s capital Lahore, my own culture, and find out what inner beauty the city holds including its people as well as its cultural and gastronomic delights.
In total there are five provinces across Pakistan: Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh and the Islamabad Capital Territory. Each of these ethnicities brings something unique and exciting to the country. My ethnicity originates from Punjab, specifically from the capital of the country: Lahore. Lahore is the second largest city of Pakistan and the capital of Punjab. The city has an array of old architecture, most famously the Badshahi Mosque and the Lahore Fort, as well as modern elements such as commercial and industrial areas. Its population currently stands at 14 million.
It was really fascinating and exciting to explore the different dishes the city has to offer and write these up in my historical romance story
As well as this, the city holds numerous gastronomic treats for its tourists and citizens alike. Lahore is most famously known for its rich food as the city offers an array of choices. For my dissertation, it was really fascinating and exciting to explore the different dishes the city has to offer and write these up in my historical romance story. One favourite of mine, which I wrote during the first meeting between my main characters, was Gol Gappe. The street food snack consists of a deep fried potato shell which is filled with a savoury mix of finely diced potatoes, onions and chickpeas and often spiced with tamarind sauce, chilli powder and chaat masala.
One example of Lahore’s famous dishes is Halwa Puri, a famous breakfast dish which consists of savoury chickpeas, potato curry, deep fried puris (bread) and halwa (semolina). This dish brings together the elements of the city with its adversity and finishes off with some sweetness. The street food and curries of Lahore really bring the city together. When I think about my future travels to the city, one thing which I definitely look forward to is the gastronomic treats which will be available to me.
The city also boasts an array of markets and bazaars where numerous beautiful jewellery pieces and garments are on offer for tourists
The city also boasts an array of markets and bazaars where numerous beautiful jewellery pieces and garments are on offer for tourists. This is another thing I have loved writing about in my dissertation: the descriptions of the stunning cultural clothes which are mainly worn around the city. Women usually wear kurtas casually: long, collarless tops or tunics usually paired with shalwars (loose trousers) or churidars (tight pants). Another thing which I heavily wrote about in my dissertation was lehengas, defined as a three piece ensemble with the long skirt (the lehenga), a blouse top (the choli) and a scarf draped along with the two (the dupatta).
Overall, what Lahore has to offer tourists and citizens alike is wonderful and stunning. Researching the city for my dissertation has been nothing but rewarding and I cannot wait to visit the city itself very soon and to experience all of these things for myself.
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