A video shot by a Pakistani influencer of Lahore’s modern-day Heera Mandi has been going viral on social media, showing how the place, which recently made headlines with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s OTT debut with the show of the same name, is now a “culinary hub for local cuisine and history lovers.”
The video was posted on Instagram page The Orange Wall. “For those who can’t visit in person, here’s a virtual tour of present-day Lahore’s Heera Mandi. Now known as the Old City or Andoun Sheher, it still retains all the grandeur and generosity of a bygone era. Broken and worn in places, yet vibrant nonetheless, it is now a culinary hub for local cuisine and history lovers,” reads the caption accompanying the video.
The viral video begins with a beautiful performance by the singer and then takes people on a virtual tour of Heera Mandi, which includes puppet show, horse-drawn carriage rides, delicious food and more.
Check out the current Heera Mandi video:
The video was shared earlier this month and has since garnered nearly 410,000 views. Additionally, the video has garnered nearly 47,000 likes. People have responded to the share with a variety of comments.
What did Instagram users say about the video?
“What is this area called now?” an Instagram user asked, to which the influencer replied, “Food Street, Old Lahore, Andon Sheher.” The Instagram user then asked, “Are there still havelis like the ones featured on the show?” The influencer posted, “Yes, countless havelis are still preserved. Some have been turned into government offices, universities, and cultural heritage sites. I’ll show you all of them soon!”
Another added: “That puppet show was probably my favourite part. Art needs to be saved!”
But not everyone was happy with the video, like this person who wrote, “Why are people promoting this place?”
Heeramandi’s prostitutes enjoyed their heyday during the Mughal era (1500s to the mid-1800s). During the British rule, it was downgraded to a red-light district. A police crackdown in 2009 saw the closure of the area’s brothels, marking the end of the area’s brothels.
(Photo provided by AFP)
