he Conservation Society, Lahore, decided to partake in the Independence Day celebrations in a befitting manner, but with so many events taking place across the city, it was suggested that an exhibition of paintings on Old Lahore, by a group of senior as well as young artists, would be held during the week — on August 19, to be precise. The time chosen by writer Mustansar Hussain Tarar was 3pm.

The opening event was overwhelmed by guests so much so that many a car was towed away by the traffic wardens. The exhibition shall remain open till December 2, except on holidays.

The venue was Co-opera Art Gallery and book shop, founded by the legendary Justice Rustam Kiani, graciously allowed by its secretary, Muhammad Javed. In fact, all the invitations for participation and curatorial work were handled mostly by him. Some volunteers, too, were available. This scribe, as the newly reincarnated Society’s president, and Javed as vice president, had to take on a load of work.

The show was open for participation by all who wanted to send in their works about the city much trampled by the Orange Train and Metro Bus. The list would consume more space than could be allotted in this dispatch, but it was a happy occasion to see Ghulam Mustafa, Mahboob, Saqib, Rida Fatima, Nazir, Saeed and many others, who contributed 70 of their chosen masterpieces. It was after a long time that so many had assembled in this colourful collage of plastic arts. The mediums chosen were oils, aquarelles, pastels and woodcuts. Pen and ink, and coloured pencils and conte crayons were also seen, all depicting the fabled city endangered by unauthorised players. Canvas, hardboard and paper were used mostly but some other surfaces were also noticed.

The chief guest arrived on time. All the guests already assembled had to be asked to come out of the lounging area to peek from behind the chief guest’s cutting of not the red tape but a green one (in keeping with the colour of national flag). Once everyone was queued behind, the contributing artists were asked to stay with their work so that they could answer any questions and receive appraisals.

Four large watercolours by this scribe depicting the Walled City are better left to be critiqued by the vagaries of some other dilettante. Javed’s depictions of the various sections of The Mall as well as Lahore Fort are worth mentioning because of his bold strokes with painting knife. Late Shafique was sadly missing, yet his rendering of King Edward Medical College’s white domes more than marked his presence.

Contributions by younger painters were more like a glimmer of hope. The capture of lively tongas, a symbol of Lahore, ignited nostalgia. Alas! Tongas were killed off by the motorised rickshaws, though during the last rains spell it proved its utility in rescuing the stranded people.

This was not exactly a group exhibition of visual arts; it was a gathering of lovers of Lahore in all their various shades and contributions. The idea was floated by Javed, who has held similar exhibitions at Co-opera since 1980s.

Tarar is the greatest lover of the cultural capital of Pakistan. As he untied the green ribbon, he was trying to balance the heavy load of books he had written about Lahore, to be distributed for free. He’s a loyal writer for Sang-e-Meel (Publishers). They too have generously rewarded him both monetarily and in his literary pursuits.

I am a labourer with pen, he’d say. He gave nearly every participating painter a copy of his autobiographical novels. Lahore Awargi, which means strolling through Lahore, landed in my lap. The book is likely to consume at least a month of mine, even though I too am a notorious vagabond. This is precisely why I would need to go through it critically, comparing my field trips on a rented bicycle with his travels on a Honda CD 70. Yet, in order to complete this dispatch, I had to take a break to take notes of whatever he has recorded for posterity.

His signing a copy for me was quite humbling for me, as he exaggeratedly complimented me as a painter of Lahore. The contents’ pages are, in fact, footprints of the history of the city. All of Tarar’s books have been periodically reviewed, but this one needed to be analysed.

It is divided into various chapters with subtitles. It starts with Mai Moran’s Mosque and Haveli Naunehal Singh. Even more eye-catching is the title of the book which has a beaming Tarar posing before the Wazir Khan mosque, his face flushed with the glow of ceramic tiles on the minarets of the mosque. The rest of the background is cobalt blue — the colour of Lahori skies — merging into infinity.

One of its sub-chapters is dedicated to the painters who have tried to capture the Lahore of the present and bygone eras, this scribe included. One of those laments that they have not been presented a sketch of jharokas, another relic of the past. Through this dispatch, I would like to promise them that I’ll gift them one in watercolours.

There is also a mention of Mahboob Ali who was recently awarded the Pride of Performance. Though the exhibition could be viewed during the period mentioned above, it was an opportunity to listen to the intelligent thoughts of the denizens who had seen Pakistan being founded, and had followed the crew of Bhowani Junction, or Ava Gardner.

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That Tarar lived close to the Regal Chowk — or, more precisely, in Lakshmi Mansions — is actual participation in the history of early years of Pakistan. Many important people lived in these luxurious apartments/ flats. This place was a community in itself, located at the junction of Hall Road and Beadon Road.

Molti-frosti was the first and most sought-after milkshakes. Many Parsi families made their mark there. Unfortunately, the two Hindu families later left. Kirpa Ram stayed back till the 1965 war was over. His water tap’s bill was later paid by some shopkeepers including Lahore Book Depot. There is no mention of the Goan families who lived on Beadon Road. Professor Asar too stayed there. One night, an ambulance had to be called in to pick him and his second wife in a delinquent state.

Saadat Hassan Manto also lived there. He was never as drunk as has been claimed by many jealous neighbours. In fact, Tarar corrects many wrong perceptions and impressions about Manto in his book. He even states that many famous poets have been given wrong statuses while NM Rashid and Majeed Amjad need to be resurrected. He also explains some culinary delights of the city, including nihari, reserved for Muslim guests and preferred by a Hindu guest.

Tarar remembers Zaheer Kashmiri, who was sentenced to flogging but pardoned by Zia, a rare kind gesture by the dictator.

Cartoonist Qazi Aslam too displayed his self-published book on the back of a donkey. While sifting through the exhibits, he suddenly stopped to have a detailed look at the images inspired by the remnants of the city left by the Orange Train blitz of Lahore. Created by the talented painter presently posted at the original Tollinton market, Rida who was standing by her work further explained the tragedy that had befallen the city. Tarar’s furious remarks were that this shall one day be pulled down like the Wall of Berlin, because likewise it has dissected the cultural capital of Pakistan.

Tarar’s writings and verbal expressions need to be further explored. Maybe in another dispatch. For now, suffice it to say that this was a very enlightening gathering of lovers of Lahore, all of whom expressed a desire to join the reincarnated Conservation Society, Lahore.

(This dispatch is dedicated to the lover of the city, Mustansar Hussain Tarar)

The writer is a painter, a founding member of Lahore Conservation Society and Punjab Artists Association, and a former director of the NCA Art Gallery. He can be reached at ajazart@brain.net.pk