cover story

1. Walled Wonders
...an ongoing debate
If you asked the local, the Walled City of
Lahore would seem to be not far from one of
the wonders of the world – for most, it isn't
that far off either.
Having been present for more than a
thousand years, this Walled City (and all
related terminology) have been an attraction
for not just tourists but even Lahoris looking
for a weekend getaway.
At one end, it appears to be obvious that the
historical ensemble of the Badshahi Masjid
and Wazir Khan Masjid, and simply the
name "Food Street" are all more than
enough to make it show up in the "Top Ten
Places to Visit in Pakistan".
However, there have been critics claiming
that the reasons for its continuing popularity
in recent years may be different.
2020 marks the completion of a decade that
brought along more than just "new" to the
market – it introduced a revival of the old.
This is usually assumed in terms of fashion
and accessories but in fact, extends to a
modern rendition of the arts. People have
switched to preferring archaic styles, an
antique touch to architecture, alongside
contemporary. These have become the
modern-day "aesthetic" that people
enthusiastically look for, aptly making old
the new...new?
This historically monumental area has also
been working it's magnetic charms on
people pertaining to the arts –
photographers, artists, sculptors, food
connoisseurs, you name them.
Rashid Maqbool, a writer for Lahore Daily,
took this further to argue that not only has
the historical significance of the Walled City
been "reduced to a subject of common art"
but has also become a "trend" to follow,
especially for the youth.
Maqbool's criticism is deemed harsh by
most, however, considering many
individuals do value the history of the
region. Also, according to Parveen Naz, a
senior arts professor at NCA, it isn’t entirely
incorrect for the youth to attach a more
aesthetic aspect to it. “Nothing has to be
solely appreciated in terms of its age and
timeline. The artistic eye always sees
through very different lenses. There is no
instrument to measure the value of
something; as long as something worthy is
given appreciation, it doesn’t matter what
aspect of it appeals to the individual eye.”