Lahore Lahore Ay!

I am a longtime third-generation resident of Lahore and I just wanted to use this letter as an opportunity to say how lucky I am to be a resident of this beautiful city. As the weather is now changing for the better, from the sweltering summer months to cooler mornings and gently breezy evenings, one looks on with relish as the evening crowds swell the traffic. Granted that the threat of COVID – 19 is still present, despite a drop in infections, and the emergence of a familiar winter foe returning in the form of dengue; with the prospects of dangerous winter smog also hovering over the Lahore horizon, one can be forgiven for being oblivious to all this because of all the festivity that is on offer. One is pleased seeing the copious amounts of beautiful lights that are dotting all public buildings in Lahore as well as a few homes of the well-heeled on account of Eid Miladun Nabi tomorrow (October 19); most of these were put up almost a week in advance of the holiday. To all this dazzle, will soon be added the bustle of the wedding season as well as the fact that with the change in weather, people along with their families rush to dot the restaurants and malls that now seem as indistinguishable from the Lahore skyline as its fabled gardens and historic buildings. Even welcome is the return of cultural activities after the lull enforced by COVID – 19 and the holy month of Muharram. And all this festivity and partying will go on indefinitely till the onset of spring and when the temperatures will begin to warm up come March next year. Truly Lahoris love to party and Lahore Lahore Ay!

Writen by Raza Naeem | Lahore