Heera Mandi ہیرا منڈی | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 31°35′10″N 74°18′35″E / 31.586167101203753°N 74.30980680775039°E | |
Country | ![]() |
Province | Punjab |
City | Lahore |
Administrative town | Ravi |
Union council | 30 (Taxali Gate) |
Government |
Heera Mandi (Urdu and Punjabi: ہیرا منڈی, lit. 'Diamond Market'), is a neighbourhood and bazaar located in the Walled City of Lahore. It is specifically known as the red light district of Lahore, Pakistan.[1][2] It is believed to have been originally named 'Hira Singh Di Mandi', meaning Hira Singh's food grain market. Later, this transformed to the modern name Heera Mandi as it evolved into a ‘red light district’ for the city.
Heera Mandi is located inside the Walled City of Lahore, near the Taxali Gate,[3] and south of the Badshahi Mosque.[4] Heeramandi, originally a song and dance community rooted in the tawaif culture during the Mughal period, first evolved into a hotspot for prostitution during the Durrani invasions. Following British colonization, Heeramandi gradually transformed into a red-light district.[5][6]
Tribune
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).dawn
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).