Bahawalpur Diaries: Dusty Roads, Royal Ghosts, and a 19.83°C Breeze

the moment i stepped off the bus in bahawalpur, the air hit me like an old friend-dry, warm, and just a little too honest. it was 19.83°c according to my phone, but with that 23% humidity, it felt like the city was whispering, "don't get too comfortable."

i heard from a chai vendor near the derawar fort that the locals call this "postcard weather"-not too hot, not too cold, just enough to make you want to wander. and wander i did.

*derawar fort was the first stop, and honestly, it looked like something out of a dream that forgot to end. crumbling walls, endless desert, and zero tourists. someone told me that the royal family used to throw parties here that lasted for days. i believe it. the acoustics in those old halls? chef's kiss.

next, i wandered into the bahawalpur museum. not gonna lie, i expected dusty glass cases and faded labels. but the place had personality. a local kid volunteering there whispered that the mummy on display is actually haunted. "she moves at night," he said, wide-eyed. i didn't sleep much after that.

for food, i trusted the drunk advice of a rickshaw driver who swore by Al-Sadiq Restaurant. he wasn't wrong. the biryani was so good i almost cried into my plate. someone else told me that the chef used to cook for the nawabs. if that's gossip, it's delicious gossip.

if you get bored, multan and lahore are just a short drive away. but honestly? bahawalpur doesn't need backup plans. it's got enough charm to keep you busy for days.

pro-tip:* bring a scarf. the wind here doesn't mess around, and neither do the fort ghosts.

i just checked and it's still 19.83°c there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. because bahawalpur? it's not here to impress you. it's here to remind you that some places don't need filters.

for more on the region, check out the official tourism site or read up on derawar fort's history if you're into that sort of thing.