(Thirty-Five Years in The East by John Martin Honigberger)
In the year 1845, five years following the passing of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, Lahore was struck by a devastating cholera epidemic. This deadly disease made its way slowly from middle Asia, through Kabul and Peshawar, as reported in the Delhi Gazette, which warned of its impending arrival in the East Indies. I had received ample notice about the approaching disaster.
The outbreak was a horrifying sight, as it mercilessly claimed the lives of countless individuals. At the outset, the Hindus and Sikhs transported the bodies of the deceased through the Taxili Dervazeh gate, located near the river Ravee. They used to either cremate the corpses or cast them into the river. However, as cholera spread and the number of deaths escalated, the bazaars' passages were obstructed, necessitating a government order to carry the dead through other gates. Consequently, both Sikhs and Hindus, like the Muslims, were carried through various gates of the city.
The peak of the epidemic saw over eight hundred deaths daily, a staggering toll on a population of about 70,000. Fortunately, the six weeks during which the disease raged passed swiftly. Nonetheless, one cannot overlook the immense suffering that its prolongation would have inflicted on its unfortunate victims.
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