Textile City to Cultural Capital: Local's Guide to Traveling Faisalabad to Lahore

Faisalabad—once called Lyallpur during British colonial rule—reveals itself slowly to those willing to look past its industrial facade. While most visitors fixate on its famous textile mills and bustling bazaars, I discovered a city with surprising depth during my research into traditional medicine practices.

The city's eight bazaars radiating from the historic Clock Tower (Ghanta Ghar) follow a unique wheel-like layout influenced by British urban planning. Each spoke leads to different treasures: Katchery Bazaar for traditional fabrics, Aminpur Bazaar for local handicrafts, and Jhang Bazaar where I found elderly herbalists still practicing centuries-old remedies.

One afternoon, I visited Jinnah Garden (Company Bagh) with my travel journal to document the medicinal plants growing there. A local elder approached me, noticing my interest, and shared how his family had been using specific combinations of neem, turmeric, and local herbs for generations. These informal exchanges often provide more authentic insights than any organized tour.

Don't miss Gumti Water Fountain, a surprisingly peaceful spot where locals gather in the evening. Here, I witnessed multi-generational families sharing stories—the oral tradition of knowledge transfer that parallels how traditional medicine has survived modernization.

The route between Faisalabad and Lahore offers far more than the standard highway experience most travelers choose. While the M-4 motorway provides the quickest connection, I opted for the older Grand Trunk Road (GT Road) with strategic detours into rural communities—a decision that transformed a three-hour drive into a two-day exploration.

In Sheikhupura, about halfway through the journey, I discovered the imposing Hiran Minar, a Mughal-era hunting complex built by Emperor Jahangir in memory of his beloved antelope. The site combines architectural grandeur with early sustainable water management systems that still function today—a perfect example of historical sustainability practices I document in my work.

The village of Nankana Sahib, birthplace of Guru Nanak (founder of Sikhism), offers a powerful lesson in religious coexistence. Local Muslim families have preserved Sikh heritage sites for generations. Here, I witnessed traditional healers using plant-based remedies that transcend religious boundaries—knowledge systems that don't recognize the artificial borders we've created.

For capturing these experiences, my travel camera proved invaluable—compact enough for unobtrusive documentation but powerful enough to capture the intricate details of medicinal plants and architectural elements in varying light conditions.

The rural stretches revealed farmers using regenerative agriculture techniques passed down through generations—practices that modern sustainable farming is only now rediscovering. I spent an afternoon with a family that has maintained seed diversity for centuries, protecting heirloom varieties that pharmaceutical companies are now studying for their medicinal properties.

Navigating between Faisalabad and Lahore—and the villages between—presents interesting challenges and opportunities for the sustainability-minded traveler. Pakistan's transportation infrastructure varies dramatically, from ultramodern highways to rural roads that haven't changed in centuries.

For the environmentally conscious, Pakistan Railways offers a fascinating alternative to driving. The Faisalabad-Lahore train journey cuts through agricultural landscapes inaccessible by road, with large windows perfect for observing traditional farming practices. The Business Class ticket (approximately 800 PKR/$5 USD) provides comfort without excessive resource consumption. I spent the journey documenting the changing agricultural patterns visible from the window—noting how field sizes and crop diversity decreased closer to urban centers.

When exploring villages between the cities, I used a combination of local transportation and a foldable bicycle that I've modified with reinforced tires suitable for varied terrain. This hybrid approach allowed me to reach remote medicinal plant cultivation sites while minimizing my carbon footprint.

For accommodation, look beyond international hotel chains. In Faisalabad, I discovered Raj Mahal Guest House, a heritage building repurposed with impressive water conservation systems. In the village of Nankana Sahib, I stayed with a family that maintains a traditional haveli (courtyard home) with natural cooling systems that eliminate the need for air conditioning even during warm days. These family stays typically cost 1500-2500 PKR per night including meals—a fraction of hotel prices while providing authentic cultural immersion.

Many rural homestays use traditional clay water filtration systems—technology that's been refined over centuries and provides better-tasting water than modern plastic filters while supporting local artisans who create these systems.

Lahore overwhelms the senses in the most magnificent way—layers of Mughal, Sikh, British colonial, and modern Pakistani influences create a cultural density that rivals any global city. Yet most travelers barely scratch the surface, following predictable paths through Badshahi Mosque and Lahore Fort without experiencing the city's living heritage.

Instead of starting at these monuments, begin your Lahore exploration in the lesser-known Walled City neighborhoods like Mochi Gate and Taxali Gate. Here, families maintain traditional crafts in workshops that have operated for generations. I spent a fascinating morning with a third-generation hakeem (traditional medicine practitioner) near Bhati Gate who showed me how they prepare herbal formulations using techniques documented in manuscripts from the 16th century.

For accommodations that provide cultural context, I recommend the small heritage hotels inside the Walled City rather than modern establishments in Gulberg or Defense. Haveli Nau Nihal Singh has been beautifully restored with traditional architectural cooling systems that demonstrate how sustainable design principles have existed in South Asian architecture for centuries.

Food reveals Lahore's soul more authentically than any museum. Skip the tourist restaurants and head to Gawalmandi Food Street after sunset, when local families emerge for dinner. The kababs at Bhaiya Kababi have been prepared using the same recipe since 1947, with subtle spice combinations that reflect pre-partition culinary traditions.

To navigate Lahore's complex streets efficiently, I relied on my travel daypack which proved perfect for carrying water, my documentation equipment, and collected medicinal plant samples while remaining comfortable in the heat. Its side pockets kept my water filter bottle accessible during long walks through the old city, where finding clean drinking water can be challenging.

The journey between Faisalabad and Lahore offers a unique window into South Asia's living pharmacopeia—traditional medicine practices that have evolved over millennia yet remain relevant today. This region sits at the intersection of Unani, Ayurvedic, and folk healing traditions, creating a medical synthesis found nowhere else.

In the village of Nankana Sahib, I met with hakeem Abdul Rahman, whose family has maintained detailed records of plant-based treatments since the late 1700s. His knowledge of local herbs for respiratory conditions parallels research I documented in my grandfather's village in rural Japan—demonstrating how traditional knowledge systems often develop similar solutions despite geographical separation.

What fascinated me most was seeing how these traditional practitioners have adapted to environmental changes. When certain medicinal plants became scarce due to urbanization, they developed sustainable cultivation methods in home gardens. Near Sheikhupura, I visited a family that maintains a medicinal plant sanctuary where they grow endangered species using water conservation techniques that minimize resource use.

These experiences illuminate the critical intersection of traditional knowledge and sustainability—my primary research focus. The practitioners I met don't separate medicine from ecology; they understand that healing depends on environmental health.

For those interested in this aspect of Pakistani culture, I recommend visiting the Hakeem Ajmal Khan Collection at Punjab University in Lahore, which houses rare manuscripts on traditional medicine. Call ahead to arrange access (+92-42-99231257), as the collection isn't regularly open to the public.

I documented these medicinal plants using my macro lens, which captures the minute details of plant structures essential for proper identification. This specialized equipment has been invaluable for creating visual records that complement the oral knowledge shared by traditional healers.