A video shared by a Pakistani influencer featuring present-day Heeramandi in Lahore has garnered significant attention on social media, Hindustan Times reported. The area recently made headlines due to Sanjay Leela Bansali’s OTT debut of the same name, and the video showcases it as a "food hub for local cuisine and history enthusiasts."
Posted on the Instagram page The Orange Wall, the video provides a virtual tour of present-day Heeramandi, Lahore, also known as the Old City and Androon Sheher. The caption accompanying the video reads, "To those who can’t visit in person, here is a virtual tour of present-day Heeramandi, Lahore. Known now as the Old City and Androon Sheher, it is still holding on to the grandeur and magnanimity of days gone by. Broken, worn down in some places, but still full of life. It is now a food hub for local cuisine and history enthusiasts, alike."
The viral video begins with a captivating performance by a singer and then proceeds to take viewers on a virtual tour of Heeramandi, featuring puppet shows, a horse carriage ride, and tantalizing food.
Shared earlier this month, the video has amassed nearly 4.1 lakh views and around 47,000 likes. Instagram users had diverse reactions to the post.
One user inquired, "What is the area called now?" The influencer responded, "Food Street, Old Lahore, Androon Sheher." The user further asked, "Does it still have haveli? Like shown on the show?" To which, the influencer replied, "Ah yes, there are still countless havelis preserved. Some have been turned into public offices, universities, and heritage sites. We will cover them all soon!"
Another user commented, "That puppet show was probably my favourite thing, gotta preserve the arts!"
However, not all responses were positive. One individual questioned, "Why are people promoting this place?"
Heeramandi was once renowned for its courtesans during the Mughal era (1500s—mid-1800s) but later became a red-light zone during the British era. Following a police crackdown in 2009, the area's brothels were shut down, marking the end of an era.
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