Book Review: Lahore: A Sentimental Journey by Pran Nevile

First published in 1933, Lahore: A Sentimental Journey is a tribute by Pran Nevile to his city of birth of Lahore. This interesting book covers his early childhood in Lahore, his time at Government College Lahore, festivals, cinema, time with his friends and the glamour in the city of Lahore. The author also writes about other themes including pathshala (teaching houses), fruits, film censor boards, clothing, fashion, fraudsters of Lahore, doctors, Lahoria's love for ghee, food, nepotism in Government College Lahore, annual jalsa of Arya Samaj and Rang Mahal School.

Pran Nevile writes that the Sikh rulers converted Badshahi mosque into a workshop (xviii). Nevile remembers Nehru passing through Anarkali. He says that Lahorias aped the Sahibs (p. 5). He remembers the pathans as moneylenders (p. 11). During the Besakhi festival in Lahore thousands of people took bath in the Ravi river (p. 23). Nevile also writes that the kite flying went from China to Europe, through India (p. 28). Tea was yet to gain a foothold and it was promoted in Lahore in the 1930s (p. 134). An old Punjabi saying is: 'Eat what appeals to you and wear what appeals to the people.'

The author himself grew up in Sutar Mandi in todays old Lahore. Some of the interesting observations of the author are that early marriage was the established custom in Punjab until the 1920s (p. 64). During the 1930s the author noticed that ghagris gave way to Shalwar suits and saris (p. 81). Even during the summer months the author and his friends would wear cotton or silk suits (p. 154). Some doctors would travel to Lahore from Amritsar twice a week to attend patients (p. 120).

Other interesting themes covered in the book include gatka instructor at Government College, swimming, rowing, King's Commissioned Officer, hierarchy within the bureaucracy, temporary government officials, refence culture, salaries of VCOs and KCOs, new rich class of contractors,  emergency wallahs as brown sahibs, a large majority of India army being Punjabi and the opening of the Wagah border in the 1950s for a  cricket match.

I find this account very interesting and reader friendly!