The Punjab: Moving Journeys
(Part Three)
Cities of the Punjab: Lahore
Cities
of the
Punjab: Amritsar
Daily life
on Expedition
Moving to Britain
Women’s perspectives
The polar huts
The huts the men built were home for the shore party for the duration of the expedition.
It was here that all of the Expedition’s life could be found. You would see the men
repairing and checking equipment, writing up diaries and papers, collecting scientific
records, playing cards, smoking, having a hair cut from Anton - the ponies’ groom - or
simply occupying their time.
Here are the ‘tenements’, the five bunks which were home to Cherry-Gerrard (l), Bowers
(standing), Oates (middle), Mears (top r), and Atkinson (bottom r).
Cities of the Punjab: Lahore
In 2005, Sir Neil Cossons, Chairman of English Heritage, visited Scott’s huts. He writes, “I
“I
was
would
struck
like
byto
how
research
timeless
thethey
thirteen
are. Their
gatestimber
of Lahore
wallsFort
were
and
never
takebuilt
my to
children
last and
there…the
are
saying goes that one
who
doessigns
not see
Lahore,
been born.
Member
fromproud
the Muslim
showing
of the
harshhasn’t
environment.
Yet“they
still stand
as oneWomen’s
of the fewWelfare Association, 2008
human landmarks on Antarctic landscape. It was in these huts that Scott’s men lived,
Lahore
workedwas
andthe
relaxed
provincial
duringcapital
the long
of the
Polar
Punjab
winter
and
- init preparation
served as a cultural
for the journey
and educational
South. A centre for Northern India;
having
hundred
more
years
schools
ago you
andwould
colleges
have
than
smelt
anybread
otherbaking,
city including
heard the
Delhi.
piano
It was
or watched
considered
onethe
of ‘Paris of the East’ in the
1930s
and slide
was ashows.
commercial
centreaswith
vibrant
café cultureshelves
populated
by intellectuals
Ponting’s
And today,
youaface
the untouched
of familiar
foods – and film stars. Over time the
city
home
diverse
peoples,
faiths and
Thistransported
is evident from
many
mosques, shrines, temples,
Tatebecame
and Lyle
sugartoand
Coleman’s
Mustard
- youcultures.
are simply
backits
into
another
gurdwaras
time.”
and churches. Lahore and the Punjab are commonly associated with Muslims and Sikhs however the region
also has a rich Hindu heritage.
Food
Thomas Clissold, the Expedition’s cook, is baking bread surrounded by his supplies. In the polar
huts the men dined on a wide variety of foods. For example, the menu for the dinner to
celebrate Midwinter’s Day in 1911 ran to several courses. This was in stark contrast to the
monotonous rations eaten by the sledging teams, an unchanging diet of biscuits, tea and
pemmican (preserved meat).
The Mosque of Nazir Khan, Lahore by H H Johnston, 1930
Anarkali's tomb, Lahore by T R J Ward, 1908
Menu for the Midwinters Day 1911 – Cape Evans McMurdo Sound
Consomme - Seal
Roastbeef & Yorkshire pudding
Horse Radish Sauce
The Mughals and Lahore:
Many Mughal rulers chose Lahore as their capital city. Some of the city's most famous monuments were
commissioned by Emperor Aurangzeb, the last Mughal Emperor. He was responsible for the Alamgiri Gate (named
after him) next to the Lahore Fort and the imposing Badshahi Mosque built in 1673. Lahore has one of the oldest
markets in South Asia; Anarkali bazaar dating back 400 years. The market is named after a tomb located nearby. The
legend - that continues to be told in films and stories - is that Emperor Akbar’s son Prince Saleem fell in love with
Anarkali, a former slave and Akbar’s courtesan. Akbar disapproved of the relationship and it is believed that Anarkali
was buried alive in a wall located within the bazaar. The building currently occupied by the Punjab Records Office is
thought to be Anarkali’s tomb. In 1857 this tomb also served as St. James’s Church under the British.
Landmarks
Zamzama Gun:
The Zamzama Gun outside Lahore Museum is a popular landmark. It is also known as Kim’s Gun; made famous by the
writer Rudyard Kipling who also wrote Jungle Book. The history of the gun to an extent reflects the history of Lahore the famous saying was ‘whoever owned the Zamama gun had control of Lahore’.
The Zamzama Great Gun at Lahore, Punjab
by Vincent Clarence Scott O’Conner, 1910-1920
Lahore Fort:
The old walled city of Lahore had 13 gates. The Lohari Gate is one of six that exists today; its name comes from the
word loha, meaning iron, reflecting the presence of blacksmiths around this area. In 1947, during partition, the
Shahalmi district in Lahore, a predominantly Hindu locality, was the scene of communal violence and the Shahalmi
Gate was destroyed.
The Lowari gate, Lahore by W Howe-Greene, 1930
“Lahore is a very ancient city. Hindus and Sikhs were convinced that Lahore would never ever be partitioned into
Pakistan. In 1947 when it happened, people were shattered.” Member from the UK Punjab Heritage Association,
2008
Leisure in Lahore
“The most entertaining thing for me to do in Lahore is to hire a tonga (horse carriage) and drive along the quiet
roads in the Cantonment area. I remember tonga rides years ago when I was young; it’s a shame that there are now
traffic restrictions on this vehicle.” Member from the Muslim Women’s Welfare Association, 2008
The Society’s photographs of Lahore illustrated leisure and sporting activities. The community groups enjoyed
revisiting the pleasant memories that these triggered.
Sport:
Pehlwani (wrestling) is thought to be a combination of a regional and a Persian form of wrestling. Wrestling’s
popularity, as seen in the wrestling themed mural in the 1935 photograph of the street outside Jamma Musjid
(mosque), continues today.
“In Lahore the Muslim wrestlers were very strong and to illustrate this they would often be pictured with Lions.
Punjabi wrestlers were very famous back then and included Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims.” Member from the UK
Punjab Heritage Association, 2008
A wrestling scene can be seen on the image below circled in white.
A street scene outside the Jamma Musjid in Lahore by W Howe Green, 1935
Polo came to India with Mughal Emperor Babur. It virtually disappeared with the decline of the Mughal Empire but
was re-discovered by the British when they encountered the game in Manipur which borders with Burma. The name
polo may have come from the Tibetan word pulu, meaning ball.
Polo is still played in Gilgit and every July, the Shandur Pass in northern Pakistan hosts a festival played on the highest
polo ground in the world, at 3738 meters above sea level.
Gilgit Polo Team. Photograph taken on the 'Gilgit Mission'
of Colonel W S A Lockhart and Colonel R G Woodthrope,
1880 - 89
Football – native team, North India, 1915
Gardens:
The Shalimar Gardens are located along the Grand Trunk Road. They were built by the Emperor Shah Jahan in1642
and are the only surviving gardens built by the Mughals in Lahore. Emperor Jehangir’s Mausoleum is in a garden
located outside Lahore on the banks of the River Ravi. It is thought that his widow Nur Jahan designed it was built by
his son (Shah Jahan) in 1637 and. The Shalimar Gardens and Lahore Fort are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Shalimar gardens, Lahore by P E Vernon, 1926
Cities of Punjab: Amritsar
“Amritsar, as the holy city of the Sikhs has importance and a character distinct from all other places. It is a large city as
Delhi, and for ages has been a great trade-center, lying on the main caravan routes from Central Asia and Kashmir. The
streets show a mixture of races, and for color and picturesqueness the bazaars equal those of Lahore. Nearly every
man wore a chudda (shawl) of either vivid red, green or orange and if we had remained another day I should have
succumbed to the prevailing mode, assumed a bright-red shawl, and with it the theatrical pose and stride, the flap and
fling of loose ends of drapery.” Excerpt from Winter India: Travel and adventures of an American woman in the India of
the Raj by Eliza R Scidmore, 1903
Amritsar was founded in 1574 and over the centuries it has been the focus of conflict for strategic and economic
power.
power.
Sikh temples at Amritsar in Punjab by Bourne & Shepherd, 1880 - 90
A fakir of Amritsar in street scene by P E Vernon, 1926
In 1947 Amritsar became part of India, whilst Lahore became part of Pakistan, each standing on opposite sides of the
new border just 55km (32 miles) apart.
While Lahore continued to maintain its status as a great cultural and
commercial capital of Pakistan, Amritsar witnessed sharp decline following
partition as the trade routes that once went through and fed it were cut off
by the newly created border often referred to as the Radcliffe Line. In
addition many of the businesses chose to relocate away from the sensitive
border area. The city also suffered from the loss of Muslim labourers who
migrated to Pakistan and from the lack of investment in the district.
Amritsar has recovered from the impact of Partition and remains a sacred
place for the Sikhs. It is the spiritual and cultural centre of the faith and
home to the Golden Temple, an impressive symbol that represents and
celebrates this.
Outer Gate - Golden Temple, Amritsar by G Roseveare, 1915
Moving to Britain
South Asian migrations to Britain
“I think we are fortunate to belong to two places. We were
born in one culture and felt a part of it and then were given a
chance to see another one where our children are born. Now
it is our responsibility to make them fully aware of our past.”
Member from the Muslim Women’s Welfare Association,
2008
Members of the Muslim Women’s Welfare Association, 2008
The history of South Asian migration to Britain dates back 400 years. Some of the earliest settlers were lascars (Indian
seafarers) in the 18th and 19th centuries. They were recruited by the East India Company as cheap labour and often
left stranded in England once they were no longer required. Personal servants and ayahs (nannies) often accompanied
British officials returning to Britain in this period as well.
A small number of Indians such as Nehru, Gandhi and Jinnah also took advantage of the educational facilities in
Britain. Initially, the entrance exam for the Indian Civil Service could only be taken in London. Many South Asians also
migrated to places such as East Africa and the Caribbean in the 19th century as indentured labourers (bonded
workers).
During the inter-war period another group of Indian settlers established themselves in Britain. These were pedlars
from a gypsy tribe known as Bhatras. The community traditionally came from the Sialkot district of Punjab; they
travelled extensively to make a living, trading goods and lending money at exorbitant rates. British travelling salesman
were less willing to give credit and so these pedlars gained a proportion of this trade in the British countryside.
However, it was in the period following the Second World War that the majority of the South Asians living in Britain
arrived. The post-war period was a time of change and many cities were undergoing large-scale reconstruction. This
resulted in labour shortages that were fulfilled by economic migrants from places like Ireland, Italy and the new
Commonwealth countries.
Many of the South Asian community living in Britain today have links to the Punjabi regions in India and Pakistan. The
relocation following the partition in 1947 resulted in some people opting to leave the country altogether. For many of
the migrants that came in the 1940s and 1950s this was a temporary solution, however, the community gradually
grew and became settled. Popular places for work were Southall, Ilford, Birmingham, Manchester, Coventry, Cardiff,
Glasgow and Leicester.
The Nationality Act (1948) gave every Commonwealth citizen the right to settle in Britain if they wanted to do so.
However, this act was tightened and revised three times between 1962 - 1965; each revision created stricter entry
requirements and a fall in the number of migrants.
The Punjabi community in Britain:
The UK 2001 Census estimates that Punjabi Sikhs number around 330,000, representing a third of the Indian
population residing in Britain. This figure does not include other Indian Punjabis which would also include Hindus,
Christians, and Jains as the census does not have data about regional links or languages spoken by individuals. No
specific figures are available for Muslim Punjabi’s as they are counted as a national group under ‘Pakistan’.
The Punjab remains a place that many of the community partners still identify with to some degree. Pakistani Punjabi
participants were more inclined to identify with Pakistan, whereas Indian Punjabi’s tended to identify with the Punjab
more directly. The explanation for this may lie in that many of the Indian Punjabi’s taking part in workshops were Sikhs
and their spiritual links are more specifically tied to the Punjab as opposed to other locations in India. However, it
became apparent during workshops that Punjabi’s from both sides of the divide were keen to address their collective
histories, personal migrations and identities:
“I lived in Pakistan when I was a kid; the most important thing to me in my life is my religion and having lived here
(in Britain) I’ve been able to make a choice about my religion and practicing it. I feel this country has given me that,
rather than a place where everybody does the same thing; you pray because it’s the done thing. Here you can
explore, live the way you want to live, and that’s why I have this attachment and loyalty.” Member from the
Cartwright Hall Young Ambassadors Group, 2008
“Now our kids are here, they are in good jobs. Our hearts are where our children are; they are with us in the UK now
so our hearts are here with the family.” Member from the Undivided India Ex-Servicemen’s Association, 2008
Punjabiness and Britishness – thoughts on identity
“One of the ways people deal with trauma and dislocation is by looking forward. You don’t look back. If you look
back it constantly holds you back.” Member from the UK Punjab Heritage Association, 2008

Reflections on Britishness:
“The first thing that people ask you is ‘Where are you from?’ They
hear us talk and try to put us in a box, they cannot….they think
your Indian, they get that wrong; I say ‘I’m a Muslim and wear a
hijab.’ You don’t want to be harassed, so you say you are from
England, you don’t say you’re British do you? We say we’re from
England. They look at you and they say no?!“ Member from the
Cartwright Hall Young Ambassadors, 2008
Member from the Cartwright Hall Young Ambassadors, 2008
“I don't have religion; I don’t have a deep heritage. It says British on my passport but there isn’t much British in me.
British doesn’t really exist. English still not so much. I would say Yorkshire!” Member from the Cartwright Hall Young
Ambassadors, 2008
“For me living here, it’s a question of my identity. I’m very English, I live here, this is my home and I speak the
language…it’s my search for my Englishness that has led me to search for my Punjabiness. If you are living in the
Punjab there’s no need to talk about your identity; but the mere fact that I live in England, in Notting Hill where
there are so many cultures, there is suddenly a need for me to say ‘Where are you from, who are you, what’s this
thing you are wearing on your head?’ Member from the Sangat Group, 2008
 Reflections on Punjabiness:
“You talk about the Punjab as if it was a separate country! Someone came along and split it up and drew the line in
the wrong place. If the whole of the Punjab stayed in India, we would not be talking about it today.” Member from
the UK Punjab Heritage Association, 2008
“Partition is the whipping up communal sectarian politics, it
divides, and you can see it building up, and how it’s working. To
stand outside that viewpoint, to say something different you would
have to be a brave person. I’ve read the things the Sikhs did during
partition that make you shudder, and I’ve also read similar things
about Muslims. Everyone seems to talk about partition as a Sikh or
Muslim or Hindu. You never get to talk about it as though you are a
human or my neighbour.” Member from the UK Punjab Heritage
Association, 2008
Members of the UK Punjab Heritage Association, 2008
“I went to a veterans re-union party, you have all the veterans on one side, Sikhs, Muslims and the Gurhkas, talking
amongst themselves, in a language I couldn’t even understand. Then you have the generations below where they
are split (not mingling); and that is what independence means to me, it has created a grudge, amongst people…kind
of boundaries, a psychological wall.” Member from the UK Punjab Heritage Association, 2008
“Partition created an opportunity as well because a lot of displaced people came here. When my father came here
in the 70s I remember that we had a lot of ‘This is your uncle and he is a Muslim’ because when we came here there
were not many Asians, so that kind of group forming, that united stand to support each other was a part of growing
up.” Member from the UK Punjab Heritage Association, 2008
Women’s perspectives
“Today’s children know of their rights. Today’s girls would never tolerate the things we did in our days.” Member
from the Muslim Women’s Welfare Association, 2008
The Society’s collection contains few images of Punjabi women. One reason is that women were likely to be at home the cultural practice of purdah (seclusion) was common among some communities. The few photographs that were
available, including those of European women visiting the Punjab, generated much discussion about a number of
issues.
Themes such as women’s plight historically, and the impact of religious and social ties came up frequently. Women
traditionally were not educated and were generally perceived to be a burden, especially unmarried or widowed
women. Reform societies, such as the Hindu Bramah Samaj, did attempt to bring about change during this period
although they faced much opposition. Here are a selection of quotes that illustrate these conversations and differing
opinions.
A buffalo cart and street scene in Punjab by P E Vernon, 1926
Dancer by unknown photographer, c1920s
Women’s role in the family and society
“Girls had no say in their marriage. But now the girls feel they have a right to say yes or no.” Member from the
Muslim Women’s Welfare Association, 2008
“I think a woman still has to compromise. In my house it is the same as it was a hundred years ago. Our children
were born here but my husband and children have the same attitude that things will be done as they wish and I
have to sacrifice my wishes.” Member from the Muslim Women’s Welfare Association, 2008
Marriage
“My husband died a year and a half ago. He was the decision maker and the head of my household. Now I have to
decide on my own. I feel as if nobody is above me and I feel uncomfortable in my situation.” Member from the
Muslims Women’s Welfare Association, 2008
“We always discuss that society is against women but we seem to forget that this society is the creation of women.
We suffer from both sides; from the excesses of our husbands and also from the advice given by our mothers and
sisters.” Member from the Muslims Women’s Welfare Association, 2008
“I have two daughters. My advice to them is to be truthful and be on the side of the right. I no doubt, suffered
quietly in my thirteen years of marriage but now my husband has come to realize that I was right. I would give them
full support and would not ask them to suffer quietly.” Member from the Muslims Women’s Welfare Association,
2008
On migrating from India and Pakistan
“We have spent nearly 25 years travelling from one place to another...our life has gone by like this. You would never
imagine how disrupting it has been. Our children’s’ education was ruined.” Member from the Muslims Women’s
Welfare Association, 2008
“I was scared… scared of the quietness compared to the noise in Pakistan.” Member from the Muslims Women’s
Welfare Association, 2008
Hill women at Sipi fair at Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh, 1890-00
This photograph generated discussion about the role of women in society and the caption (which referenced the sale
and exchange of the women) was also questioned. Closer inspection of the varied ages of the women and their
clothing suggests that this may not be a sale but a labour exchange or gathering that has been misrepresented by the
photographer.
“Human beings being sold back then…really shocking, no way we would allow that to happen, but I suppose it is
happening now; young girls from Russia…what are we doing about it?” Member from the Bradford Young
Ambassadors, 2008
Credits
Exhibition
Vandana Patel and Dr Pippa Virdee (De Montfort
University, Leicester)
With thanks to our community partners:
Cartwright Hall Young Ambassadors, Bradford
Coordinators: Sofia Maskin and Nicola Fox
Salma Ahmed, Amrin Bhatti, Simon Cantrill, Fizza Ilyas,
Hafsah Javed, Tanzeela Javed, Sabah Mahmood, Aneela
Maqsood, Zakiya Maskin, Carl McBride, Sedhaf Naz,
Lucas Uren
Muslim Women’s Welfare Association, Illford
Coordinator: Shahida Sarwar
Noreen Akhtar, Fauzia Aslam, Nasreen Azra, Zebun
Bashir, Abida Beghum, Parminder Kaur, Nadia
Khan,Yasmin Khan, Samina Malik, Ila Mehta, Munazza
Naqvi, Sumera Naz, S Nazish, Kausar Perveen,
Mushyeda Shah, Naghma Shaikh, Aneela Sheikh
North Hertfordshire Sikh Education Council
Coordinators: Harwinder Singh and Paramdip Khera
Jasdeep Kaur Dhillon, Kuldeep Dhillon, Oupkar Ghatore,
Bonita Theara, Jamie Theyara, Kieran Theara, Marcus
Theyara, Roseanne Theyara
Sangat Group
Coordinator: Parminder Chadha
Amarjit Chandan, Harbakhsh Singh Grewal, Kuldip
Puwar, Jasbir Jessie Rayat, Naseer Sheikh, Ajit Singh
UK Punjab Heritage Association
Coordinator: Verinder Singh
Amajit Chaggar, Kamaldip Singh Dhatt, Davinder Dhillon,
Harbakhsh Singh Grewal, Atter Kalsi, Inderjit Kaur
Jasvir Kaur, Meerat Kaur, Amrit Maan, Amandep Madra,
Joga Singh, Kamaljit Singh, Parmjit Singh, Dr Pippa
Virdee
The Undivided India Ex-Servicemen’s Association
Bhajan Singh Bahia, Gulzara Singh Bir, Rajinder Singh
Dhatt, Harbans Singh Gahunia, Moktiar Singh Rai,
Simitar Singh
Special thanks to:
The Anglo Sikh Heritage Trail for their support and
assistance.
Farina Alam, Rashid Ashraf, Steve Brace, Parminder
Chada, Gerard Greene from Redbridge Museum,
Paramdip Khera, Cara Lucas, Amandeep Madra, Rinku
Mitra, Jamie Owen, Cliff Pereira, Irna Qureshi, Nicola
Reynard, Simon Rudd, Harpreet Sanghera, Paramjit
Singh, Professor Ian Talbot, Sara Wajid, Joy Wheeler,
Neil Williams, Staff of the RGS-IBG Foyle Reading Room
Education resources to accompany the exhibition are
available at www.unlockingthearchives.rgs.org
For full details of the Society’s work please go to
www.rgs.org
All other material copyright of the Royal Geographical
Society with IBG unless stated otherwise
Design
www.foildesign.com
Online Reproduction:
Vandana Patel and Halima Khanom
The exhibition was first shown at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) in 2008. This exhibition is part of the
Crossing Continents: Connecting Communities project funded by
Access to the Society’s Collection is kindly supported by Rolex