Heera Mandi

The Heera Mandi (Diamond Market), also called Shahi Mohallah (Royal Neighborhood) , is a famous red-light district of the old Taxali Gate of Lahore, Pakistan. Historically, the Heera Mandi was a centre of cultural activity, where courtesans trained in fine arts played influential roles in the social and cultural fabric of the Indian subcontinent. They were educators, poets, singers, dancers and intellectually sound women. During the British Raj, Heera Mandi was turned into a red-light district, an area where prostitutes work, by the British rulers, who used their influence to relegate the status of the tawaifs (courtesans) of Heera Mandi into prostitutes. The tawaifs played an important role in the Freedom Movement against the British and provided both financial and moral support to the freedom fighters, along with taking part in political activities.

History

The Heera Mandi was first called the 'Shahi Mohallah' or Royal Neighborhood in the 17th century. It was called that because many princes and nobles of the Mughal dynasty used to come there. At that time there were only Tawaifs (dancing girls) and courtesans there. They were there to amuse the people. Later, some women from other parts of Indian Subcontinent were also brought to perform classical Indian dances such as Kathak to entertain Mughals. During the rule of the Sikh king Ranjit Singh, prostitution [Vaishyavirti] also was common. Many brothels were opened there. Ranjit Singh renamed this place 'Heera Mandi'. It was named for an officer, Heera Singh, who lived there. Some historians think that he named it for the beautiful girls (prostitutes) who lived there. They were like precious diamonds.

British times

When the British Raj came to power in this region, Christian missionaries asked for the Heera Mandi to be moved away. They thought the activities there were 'sinful'. The British government tried to move it, but they were forced to move it back because people did not like this idea. Later, after the 1870s, the British also added some special brothels there for British soldiers. This area was made famous in Rudyard Kipling's novel Kim (printed in 1901).

Modern times

After the India-Pakistan partition in 1947, the Heera Mandi went on as before. Later, under the harsh Islamic puritanical rule of the military dictator General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, a big operation was started to 'clean' the area from prostitution and crime. Many brothels were moved or closed by force. However, once again, people did not like this move. Many of the brothels and other businesses were re-opened.

Even though prostitution is supposed to be illegal in Pakistan, the Mandi still exists. It is also famous for some very good food shops nearby, where many people including foreign tourists come to just eat and watch the shows.