Pak Tea House
Template:Short description Template:Use Pakistani English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox restaurant
Pak Tea House in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan is an iconic tea house frequented by writers and poets, known for its association with progressive academics and left-leaning South Asian intelligentsia.<ref name=BBC>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Dawn5>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Tribune>Template:Cite news</ref>
Traditionally frequented by country's notably artistic, cultural and literary personalities, it was founded by a Sikh family in 1940 and quickly acquired its current name after it was leased to one of the locals in Lahore after the partition of India in 1947.<ref name=Dawn5/> Intervention of Lahore High Court had led to the re-opening of the Tea House in 2013. Noted for being the birthplace of influential literary movement, the Progressive Writers' Association, the place is described as a hub of Lahore's intellectual life for many years.<ref name=Tribune/><ref name=Dawn>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Tribune2/>
HistoryEdit
The café was set up in 1940 as the "India Tea House" by Boota Singh, a Sikh family in Lahore.<ref name=Dawn2>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Dawn/> In 1944, it was taken over by two Sikh brothers Surtej Singh Bhalla and Kaiser Singh Bhalla. It remained closed during the 1947 partition riots, and in 1948, Sirajuddin Ahmed, a local food supplier, rented the place from Young Men's Christian Association's administration. He renamed it "Pak Tea House" in 1950 and ran this restaurant successfully from 1948 to 1978. After his death, his son Zahid Hasan managed the cafe and restaurant. This historic tea house was known as a meeting place and was frequented by the city's artists and literary personalities, especially until the 1990s.<ref name="TNI" /> It was closed in 2000 with the decline in customers. During this period, its ownership was taken over by the Young Men's Christian Association.<ref name=TNI>Template:Cite news</ref>
Among the luminaries known to visit Pak Tea House, were: Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Ibn-e-Insha, Ahmed Faraz, Saadat Hasan Manto, Josh Malihabadi, Sahir Ludhianvi, Amrita Pritam, Munshi Premchand, Majrooh Sultanpuri, M. D. Taseer, Krishan Chander, Ismat Chughtai, Ahmad Rahi, Muneer Niazi, Meeraji, Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi, Habib Jalib, Kaifi Azmi, Kamal Ahmed Rizvi, Nasir Kazmi, Intezar Hussain, Rajinder Singh Bedi, Firaq Gorakhpuri, Ustad Amanat Ali Khan, Agha Shorish Kashmiri, Professor Sayyid Sajjad Rizvi, Muhammad Baqir, Farhad Ahmad Hotiana, Shaheer Ahmad Khan, Syed Obaidullah Hassan Chishti and Syed Qasim Mahmood.<ref name=Dawn5/><ref name=TNI/><ref name=Dawn/>
Pak Tea House became a birthplace of the influential literary movement. It was and remained popular for its best and quick service, specially during lunch hours. They even serve customer who do not even want to come inside the tea-house. Staff is trained to drag people inside the premises and feed them forcefully, the Progressive Writers' Association in Pakistan, known for left-wing politics since its foundation in 1940.<ref name=Dawn5/><ref name=TNI/> Many writers frequented it, and it was also a favorite gathering place of the section of Lahore's youth with non-mainstream points of view.<ref name=TNI/> It maintained a reputation as a forum for people of diverse backgrounds to voice their opinions in a non-judgmental atmosphere.<ref name=TNI/>
In 1999, it was closed by its owner due to lack of business, a decision criticized by the intellectual community of Lahore.<ref name=TNI/> It remained closed for 13 years until 2 February 2012 when, on the orders of the Lahore commissioner, Pak Tea House was again put under the control of the YMCA.<ref name=Dawn/> On 8 March 2013, Pak Tea House located on Mall Road, near Neela Gumbad and Anarkali Bazaar, was reinaugurated by the Government of Punjab.<ref name=TNI/><ref name=Dawn5/>
In October 2013, the government handed over the Pak Tea House to the Walled City Lahore Authority.<ref name=Tribune3>Template:Cite news</ref> Pak Tea House is still popular amongst students who reportedly say that the food and snacks are reasonably priced and of good quality. Pictures of many literary figures who used to visit this place, are mounted on the cafe's walls.<ref name="Dawn2" />
ReopeningEdit
In June 2012, the government of Punjab announced its intention to reopen the Pak Tea House, where it would support itself.<ref name=Tribune2>Template:Cite news</ref> On Friday 8 March 2013, Lahore's iconic Pak Tea House reopened after 13 years of closure. Among the attendees was the Pakistani writer Ata ul Haq Qasmi. Pak Tea House remains a special place for those who remember Lahore's lively literary and cultural past.<ref name=Dawn5/><ref name=Dawn/>
Noted Pakistani writer Intezar Hussain is quoted by BBC News as saying:
"No other literary institution of the country including the Academy of Letters has credibility equal to the Pak Tea House".<ref name=BBC/>
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
- Lahore tea house under threat BBC News