Never in my wildest desires had I, dwelling in India, ever imagined that I’d have the great fortune to set foot in Pakistan, particularly in these making an attempt occasions, when commerce and journey are restricted between each international locations.

But go to Lahore and Faisalabad I did lately with a pricey buddy.

Between bouts of trepidation and pleasure, we exited the Indian border at Wagah, Amritsar, from an enormous iron gate guarded by the ever-vigilant Border Security Force and entered an equally mammoth gate on the Pakistani aspect solely to be greeted with a large, welcoming Smile by a dashing Pathan soldier.

Sher Khan, our host’s garrulous driver met and ushered us with nice deference into the automobile after which we had been off into Lahore, the Paris of the East.

Wide-eyed I saved trying round, ready to see one thing completely different from India within the panorama however each village and little hut was precisely like I had left behind in my very own nation. The solely oddity was my lack of ability to decipher the quite a few boards and hoardings as a result of they had been in Urdu!

Lahore stands magnificent, royal and proud, rightfully the Jewel within the Crown of Pakistan.

Its huge clear boulevards, huge homes with elegant, tasteful facades protected by tall partitions and heavy foliage had been really harking back to a European metropolis.

The Old City has buildings with marked Hindu, Zoroastrian, Jain and Sikh affect together with gorgeous Muslim heritage. Lahori structure consists of the 13 gates via which one can enter town from numerous vantage factors. The legendary Aitchison College, the gorgeous General Post Office, Lahore Museum, Ganga Ram Hospital and Model Town, an enormous superbly deliberate residential suburb, are a salute to the terribly gifted Sir Ganga Ram, a famend civil engineer and architect in Lahore in the course of the British guidelines.

Lahoris are celebrated for his or her exceptional hospitality and our hosts received our hearts with their love, generosity and humility. They had been untiring of their open-hearted welcome and confirmed us round with indefatigable zest.

Pakistan is a dry state the place alcohol consumption and sale is forbidden by the federal government, however we had been astonished to see a large number of retailers, small and large, at each nook of town promoting and promoting tobacco, fancy cigarettes and natural, fruity vapes!

Haveli Khalil Khan, the place we had our last meal of mouthwatering, silky kebabs and the standard fermented bread, has a surprising view of the mausoleum of the Lion of Punjab, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and the statuesque Badshahi Mosque, which glows surreally at night time.

The Anarkali Bazaar and the notorious Heera Mandi, oft the topic of curiosity, have sadly confronted neglect and disuse in recent times with the latter transformed to a shabby car parking zone! As I stood mesmerized in that haunted spot, I may envision it in full regalia with plush furnishings, the sound of laughter wafting via the web curtains, the tinkle of anklets adorning the fragile ankles of the nautch women, the musicians sitting with their harmoniums and tablas and the plump, betel-spewing courtesans paying homage to the royal audiences of yore.

As we made our option to Nankana Sahib close to Faisalabad, the sacred birthplace of Guru Nanak, my buddy and I had been silent in the course of the drive, quietly in awe and marvel, to be so blessed as to set foot on that holy floor. The gurdwara is filled with grace and serenity and we had been taken round by the Sikh granthis (clergymen) who’ve made their house in Pakistan.

After 5 days of this magical journey, we bade our pleasant hosts an emotional goodbye and made our approach again, rejoicing on the uncommon alternative to go to the land of our forefathers after I recalled the oft repeated phrase: Jis Lahore nai dekhya o janmyai nai ( One who hasn’t seen Lahore has merely not lived).

Praise be to the Lord!

pallavisingh358@gmail.com

The author is a Jalandhar-based freelance contributor