Ryehah Shah | Ronak of Lahore

Ryehah Shah is a self-taught artist from Islamabad, Pakistan, whose passion for drawing and sketching began in childhood. She specializes in fine-liner illustrations- particularly floral, botanical, and architectural sketches- created with black fineliner pens and occasionally enhanced with watercolor accents. Beyond illustration, she explores design by crafting elegant invitation cards, diaries, calendars, and journals, as well as handmade pieces such as tea coasters, hand-painted nameplates, and paper-crafted children’s storybooks.

In this artwork, Ryehah Shah captures the vibrant spirit of Lahore’s old bazaars, a city renowned for its culture and heritage in Pakistan. The scene highlights the “ronak” (liveliness) of open-air markets, where bustling streets and detailed architecture echo the continuity of Islamic artistic traditions. Through this piece, she reflects on a time before modern life when people lived deeply rooted in community and traditions. The mosque rising in the backdrop and the historic bazaar serve as symbols of connection: places where cultural knowledge was exchanged, traditions met innovation, and human bonds were woven through daily interaction, keeping us anchored to our heritage and religion at the same time.