Lahore has been a capital of Punjab for the last 1,000 years. It still is the capital of Pakistani Punjab. Dirty, brutish, harsh, but also the cultural hot spot of Pakistan, Lahore was once a remarkable city. One could easily have claimed that Lahore "was the pearl of India". Today, though, that claim would look pretty off the track. Nevertheless, with more than 800 historical buildings - both falling and fallen - Lahore is a favourite place for heritage buffs.

For me Lahore has always been a place worth visiting. Though the manners of most Lahoris are best not described here, Lahore has an attraction that defies logic - and explanation. The shrine to its patron saint, Hazrat Data Ganj Baksh (RA), is the first place one must visit while in Lahore. In fact, many Pakistanis visit the city for this reason alone.