Gawalmandi

Residential neighborhood in Lahore, Pakistan

Gawalmandi is a residential town located in the central part of the city of Lahore, Pakistan.^[1]

It is regarded as the cultural centre of Lahore. The famous Gawalmandi Food Street of Lahore is located here.^[2]^[3]^[4] Gawalmandi is a fusion of two words Gawala meaning Milkman and Mandi meaning Market. Gawalmandi used to be one of the largest buffalo milk producing markets in Punjab, until a large number of Punjabi Gujjar started settling here after 1947. However, Hindus have largest number of shops in Gawalmandi Area.^[4]

Gawalmandi is the hub of Gujjar family and many UK Gujjar nationals can derive their ancestry directly from these families. Formerly known for wrestlers and thugs, the culture in Gawalmandi shifted highly after the Zia regime as more and more people started pursuing higher and even post graduate education. Gawalmandi has significantly high literacy rate now.

Historical places

The area of Gawalmandi is surrounded by four road making a shape of irregular trapezium. 3 out of four roads are named after Lords of British Empire:

Lord Nisbet
Lord Chamberlain
Lord McLeod

At the end of Nisbet Road and just at the junction of Qila Gujar Singh neighbourhood. The main square is called Maulana Zafar Ali Chowk.^[5] Lahore's third largest flea market is located at Gawalmandi chowk.

King Edward Medical University, which is the second oldest medical college in the Indian subcontinent is also located here. Mayo Hospital,^[2] which is the largest tertiary care hospital in region is located here as well, situated between Gawalmandi and the famous Anarkali bazaar.

The tomb of Shah Abdul-Maali is located within the vicinity of town as well as one of the oldest mosque called "Mai Laado" (Elder lady Laado) is located near Mayo Hospital, Lahore.

References

^ "Towns & Unions in the City District of Lahore (see Gawalmandi LISTED under Data Ganj Bakhsh Town)". National Reconstruction Bureau, Government of Pakistan website. Archived from the original on 9 February 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Gawalmandi Food Street and Mayo Hospital". Lahore City History website. Archived from the original on 27 October 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
^ Gawalmandi, Lahore on Google Maps website
^ ^a ^b Suhail Yusuf and Muhammad Umar (9 December 2014). "Gawalmandi: A taste of history". Dawn newspaper. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
^ Moiz Abdul Majid (22 January 2020). "Lakshmi Chowk: Ode to a Changing Lahore". Youlin Magazine. Retrieved 12 September 2023.