Eighty percent, of families living in walled city Lahore for generations has left the place and settled in other areas of city. I always saddened with this huge migration.
My grandfather was born in adjacent streets of wazir khan mosque some ninety years back, he got matriculation from shera wala gate school. I have inborn love for this area. All of his brothers and sister left the place decades ago.
In Childhood, whenever my Nani (grandmother) has to do shopping for marriages, she used to bring me along to walled city. Rang mahal, Kahsmiri bazaar, Dabbi bazaar and suha bazaar, i have earliest memories of these places. There was Dahi bhala shop near footsteps of Sunheri mosque, which still exists. My nani who used to wear burqa at that time, we both sit on steps of shunheri mosque and enjoy Dahi Bhala of that spot. i also remmebered my nani used to ask that shopkeeper Betcha (Child) ki plate should be less spicy.
Also one of my best friend and his parents used to live near Azam cloth market. I, was visiting his place from early 2000. The area never sleep and always crowded with peoples around. They left the place some ten year back. His family is very hospitable,we have great memories at his place.
Recently, i got the chance to visit walled city o again at evening time; surprised to see the street, in which my friend used to live was totally surrounded with silence; when, i further went inside the street noticed that every house was locked from outside. We also did not see any single person in his street.
Later my friend told me that all old resident of the street have left long ago, some houses were converted in godowns and some could not able to sell as the streets widths is very narrow and not suitable for godowns.
Efforts have done to save the outlook of streets, elevation of houses, wooden balconies and door's by walled city authorities Lahore. But the people who were the real custodian of the culture and tradition of this place has left the area and living in other party city long ago. The hub of culture destroyed the historical values are only stories now which will be also buried soon under the new turned godown town.
