If you are a collector or a hobbyist, or simply love to pick up memorabilia from those, often-little kiosks you meet in the streets whichever place in the world you visit, then you would know very well the importance of souvenir shops. These shops not only help boost tourism, local or otherwise, but also promote a soft image of the country. Keeping such targets in view, the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) recently set up two souvenir shops — one inside the Delhi Gate and the other at Shahi Hamaam. Each shop is named Craft Ghar, or the house of crafts.

These are intelligently curated shops that offer a diverse collection.

Located right beneath the arch of the Delhi Gate, with the Royal Trail and Shahi Hamaam on one side and the piquant aroma of spices emanating from the well-known spice market on the other, the Craft Ghar attracts visitors who can’t wait to buy some collectibles as souvenirs of their experience of the old city of Lahore. The souvenirs are of infinite variety, to use a Shakespearean phrase — from indigenously produced mugs, cups, table coasters, and key chains to T-shirts with “Lahore” printed on them.

The front wall of the shop is covered with truck-art themed products made by Gul Khan, a local craftsman. These include models of trucks, hanging door plates with chamak-patti designs, mugs and ceramic plates.

For those looking for pottery, especially vases, this is the go-to place. You can also find framed paintings of historical buildings and printed cushions.

If you are into floral patterns, you will get plenty at the Craft Ghar inside the Shahi Hamaam. Travellers can pick thermal water bottles which are hand-painted.

What’s more, the products are reasonably priced, starting from a few hundred rupees and going up to a couple of thousands, depending upon their finesse.

Tania Qureshi, a WCLA official, tells TNS how the shops were designed with the aim to support indigenous art and artisans. Most of the products available here are handmade. A part of the shop is decorated with handiwork by two sisters who are based in Mochi Gate.

Historically, souvenirs have played an important role for travellers. Records of the ancient Egyptians suggest that Roman travellers would bring souvenirs from their homes wherever they went, and they would return with scores of handicrafts and artworks from the places they had explored or colonised. Over time, the increasing demand for mementoes by tourists led to the establishment of souvenir shops which had the capacity to sell similar objects to a number of visitors.

The significance of a souvenir may be highly subjective or personal. A buyer may build their own fanciful stories around a souvenir, or they may assign an emotional memory to it. But broadly, these items are deemed to be emblems of the unique local cultures you come across wherever you go.

Globally, souvenir shops have become a multi-billion-dollar market. Though, its growth is often dependent on the growth of tourism. Where tourism is down, there will be little chance for souvenir shops to survive.

According to Qureshi, the WCLA plans to open more souvenir shops in the city. These will be set up in the vicinity of historical monuments. Up next is the one at the Lahore Fort.

The number of items available for sale is also being increased, says Qureshi. This should benefit the local artists and craftsmen. So, the next time you visit androon shehr, don’t forget to stop by at these beautiful stores where you are most likely to find something or the other of interest.

The writer has a BS in English literature from the University of the Punjab