Punjab Doabs · Upper Indus–Gangetic Plain
Dal, lachha paratha with ghee, and phirni in an earthen bowl
A vegetarian dhaba in a lane of the old city, run by a family that moved from what became Pakistan. It serves a fixed short menu, which is the older dhaba model before menus grew.
Vegetarian Punjabi thali, paneer and dal
Near the Town Hall; another pre-partition family business that reopened on this side of the line.
Ajwain-heavy batter-fried river fish, sold by weight in winter
Concentrated in a few lanes and near the Majitha road; the fish is fried to order and eaten standing, and the season is roughly October to March.
Hand-stitched and tilla-embroidered juttis, sold from the workshops that make them
Buying here is buying from the maker. Ask whether the upper is hand-embroidered or machine-run; the price difference is large and not always disclosed.
Phulkari, dupattas, suit lengths and woollens, organised by commodity lane
Almost all phulkari on open sale is machine embroidery. Hand darn on khaddar is sold through cooperatives and a handful of specialists and costs several times as much.
Milk, ghee, paneer, lassi and kheer from the state dairy cooperative federation
The cooperative structure is the institutional descendant of the household churn — village societies collecting milk twice a day and pooling it.
Famous shops, markets and workshops in Punjab Doabs, and what each is known for. (6)