The wholesale world in a heritage city

Another unique part of our great legacy

The walled city of Lahore is not just about the buildings, architecture, monuments and the traditional life styles. It is also the biggest wholesale and retail market place in Asia. In the total area of 2.6 sq km, imagine how much diversity you have to see. The thirteen gates hold within themselves the world class monuments and Asia’s biggest wholesale markets. Each gate has a market of its own kind and if you wish to roam around all the markets you cannot make it in a day. Another interesting feature of the markets of old Lahore is the network with which they are linked together. If you reach Kashmiri Bazar it will take you to Kasera Bazar from where you can go to Sarafa Bazar and then the Rang Mahal and finally the Shah Alami. It is an interesting maze and surely one can be easily lost if visiting these markets for the first time.

Let me start our markets journey by taking you to the aromatic world of the Akbari Mandi located outside Delhi Gate which goes up to the Akbari Gate. It is the hub of grains, spices, herbs and chemicals and undoubtedly one of the largest spice and grain markets in Asia. This market was named after the third Mughal Emperor Akbar. This market was developed during Akbar’s period and so holds historical importance. This mandi surprisingly has more than one thousand shops. You will find more than twenty one varieties of rice in this market. Akbari Mandi was the market that paved way for the East India Company into the sub continent. This is another interesting feature of this market if we talk about it in historic terms.

If these markets are properly projected, they can surely be in a superior setting and the area can be economically uplifted. I wonder if anyone has thought of holding a shopping festival inside the walled city

Now let’s talk about fish, as it’s the season is on. In Mori Gate and Delhi Gate are the two wholesale fish markets. The market of Mori Gate was established in 1969 and there are approximately twenty five shops. The other one inside Delhi Gate is a comparatively new development with more than thirty eight shops. You will find all sorts of fish from these markets which is amazing. Despite the smell of the fish many people from greater Lahore prefer buying fish from here because of its quality, cheap cost, variety and taste. Supply of fish is made to the renowned restaurants of Lahore and also to other cities from these two markets. You can see the trading of fish early morning if you happen to visit the walled city. You will surely have to hold on your breath while passing through these markets because of the stench in the air.

Markets inside the walled city are diversified and you will feel the same while reading my lines. This is the exquisiteness of the walled city of Lahore but unfortunately most of us are unaware of these things. Well, in my opinion, our concerned government agencies are also at fault in the under marketing of these places. If these markets are properly projected, they can surely be in a superior setting and the area can be economically uplifted. I wonder if anyone has thought of holding a shopping festival inside the walled city. Trust me it will be alluring and enthralling.

Now let us come to some women’s interests, the clothes! Attention ladies, this market is waiting for you to visit it. This is the largest cloth hub where cloth is sold in retail and wholesale. Azam Cloth Market exists inside Delhi Gate and is considered among the largest cloth whole sale markets of Asia. From here cloth is supplied to Afghanistan, Iran, India and China. Nearly 12,000 shops are there. Azam Khan, a lieutenant general, had established this market in the late 1950s. Near the Azam Cloth Market is the Pakistan Cloth Market, running parallel to it but it deals in mostly in retail. This market was established after the Azam Cloth Market and nearly 1,300 shops are there. The cloth from these two markets is supplied to all elite markets of Pakistan. Trust me, you will find any type of cloth you wish for, now I am sure all ladies will push their husbands to take them there.

This market has existed for more than hundred years as before partition it was called WAAN WATTAN while now it’s named as Waan Market. This market deals in Baan, Seba, plastic baan, jute and all kind of stuff used in making traditional sofa sets, beds, chairs, and other kinds of furniture

One thing though; going there is not an easy task. You will have to park your cars outside the Delhi Gate, where there is a designated parking, and walk to all these markets. As you reach the Rang Mahal Chowk you will be welcomed by the Golden Mosque standing majestically there, and a small turn to the left will take you to the Waan Market. This market has existed for more than hundred years as before partition it was called WAAN WATTAN while now it’s named as Waan Market. This market deals in Baan, Seba, plastic baan, jute and all kind of stuff used in making traditional sofa sets, beds, chairs, and other kinds of furniture. You will see people knitting up furniture with the Waan there which is an interesting sight. To see artisans at work, Waan Market is the best example. A few yards from the Waan Market is again something for the interest of ladies, which is a crockery and house hold bazar. Kasera Bazar is the manor of utensils. You will find stainless steel, brass, copper and other house hold items like crockery, pots, dishes, vases, decoration pieces, etc, there. Kasera Bazar was established nearly 125 years ago. Almost more than 100 shops are there. Antique items of this market are also exported to other countries. The shop of Omar Butt is famous for its antiques, which you will not find anywhere else in Pakistan. The amazing part is that the way these shopkeepers sell their product itself is unique. Talking to some old shopkeepers they said that the bazar was once full of brass and copper utensils. With the passage of time and demand of people stainless steel took over the cultural crockery as well. This was something sad I heard. Now only two or three shops deal in brass and copper, all the rest have stainless steel.

This is not an end to the markets in the walled city. I will be coming with more in my next feature and more exciting stuff for men and women.

Note: This is part one of a two-part feature. The second part appeared here.