Heritage Magazine Issue #28
Transcription
Heritage Magazine Issue #28
ourHeritage 1 2 ourHeritage www.waseemjewellers.com [email protected] ourHeritage 3 CONTENTS ourHeritage A HOME OF RICH HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE 06 ISSUE 28 Joy of Spring The spring season is a symbol of renewal and transformation. The ice and snow subside, chilly temperatures rise to a more moderate and bearable degree. 14 Lahore From the top of Double-Decker Bus Princess of Hope Scientifically Proven With balloons, beads and straws as her tools, she creates a learning environment, which feels more like a celebration, and less like a conventional science lesson. Sri-Lanka 02 It is a mixed bag of treats…from casinos to wildlife parks to exotic food, colourful shops and a great nightlife Point Of Focus The importance of D I Khan cannot be over looked at any cost because this unique city has 4 to 5 access points and can become a very attractive and prosperous centre of industrial and economic activity. Gwadar Situated on the coast of Arabian Sea, Gwadar is your ultimate getaway destination. The breathtaking views and pristine crystal clear blue water beaches transport you to a world of relaxation and tranquillity. Fruit of Paradise 4 ourHeritage If I had to mention a fruit that descended from paradise, I would say that it is because the paradisiacal fruits do not have pits 34 Students as Link Between Cultures 38 Majestic Snow Leopard 42 Are you emotionally intelligent? 44 Wonders of Salt Range 52 Pakistan’s Literary Giants 54 The Sweetness of Gur 58 From Jamrud to Turkham 06 The excitement is unmatched. The sights are ancient. The fun is doubled. The Princess of hope is a mud carved naturally occurring statue like structure which bears resemblance to the Silhouette of a standing woman. 18 02 10 14 18 24 28 32 Snow Leopard has been a legendary and sort of mysterious animal, mostly we heard of it, in tales and watched in movies and to see it with naked eyes was an exciting thing. After a journey of about two and half hours from Lahore towards Islamabad on Motorway (M2), we enter in the dramatic landscape of rugged hills and strange rocks of different colors and shapes. The sweetness in life comes not from gold nor from a flashy city life; it comes from tasting a piece of gur. 10 Our Heritage is an in-house magazine of Hashoo Group-Hotel Division. No part of it may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Views expressed are those of the writers and not necessarily those of Editorial Board. Responsibility of the contents of the advertisements lies with advertisers. Our Heritage is published by Pakistan Services Limited for Hashoo Group-Hotel Division. This magazine has been prepared by Events, Marketing & Communications Department, Pakistan Services Limited For advertisements and articles for this magazine, marketing-related proposals, joint promotions and cobranding etc. with Hashoo Group Hotels, please contact Vice President Events, Marketing & Communications Department NESPAK House, Ground Floor, Ataturk Avenue G-5/2, Islamabad, Pakistan Tel: +92-51-2272890-98 • Fax: +92-51-2274812 Email: [email protected] EDITORIAL BOARD Andrew Ashmore Tahir Mahmood Khan Arslan Ahmed Editor’s Note E-mail: [email protected] Hashoo Hotels’ awards-winning in-house magazine “our Heritage”, enables the readers to learn about our heritage sites, historical values, traditions and cultures, ecology, and the latest trends of Pakistan. This magazine has been instrumental in promoting Pakistan’s positive image at the international level. E-mail: [email protected] I am very thankful to my team members, contributors, and the management of Hashoo Hotels for their outright support. E-mail: [email protected] The readers’ valuable suggestions have also played a pivotal role in further improving the quality of the magazine. E-mail: [email protected] TAHIR MAHMOOD KHAN E-mail: [email protected] EDITOR, OUR HERITAGE E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] ourHeritage 5 6 ourHeritage ourHeritage 7 The spring season is a symbol of renewal and transformation. The ice and snow subside, chilly temperatures rise to a more moderate and bearable degree. The flowers that wilted away leaving a barren land and numerous trees that stood bare in the frigid months flourish into their former majesty. By: Maria Vibrant and fragrant flowers rise from a slumber. It is hard not to admire Mother Nature’s pictureperfect presentation of the season that lies in limbo between the winter and summer months. The sloth like behavior people become accustomed to in winter, fades at the arrival of spring, as it energizes and refreshes each individual helping everyone to pick up the pace and become as lively as they once were. Friends and family rejoice, picnics and outdoor games in the park become the norm, inviting an active lifestyle that was subdued in the preceding months. For those unfortunate souls that suffer from allergies, spring presents itself as a battlefield for the immune system. It is essential to take proper steps to defend one’s self by taking adequate amounts of vitamin C and allergy medicine. In spring nature awakens and adorns itself with a floral spectacle, plants and trees sprout new leaves and flowers bloom. A profound effect can be seen on the wildlife as well. An array of flower species grow from bulbs, Daffodils, Tulips and Hyacinths stand out with their graceful petals and eye catching colors. Various other species bloom in the season such as: Agapanthus, Amaryllis, Crane Fasnacht Carnival - Switzerland 2 ourHeritage flowers, Cherry blossom, Heather, Orchids, Peony, Rose and many more. Roses are some of the most popular in the world, recognized as a symbol of beauty and love, it comes as no surprise, as they come in numerous colors, sizes, attributes, and they are aesthetically appealing, having the most alluring fragrance known to man. Roses were considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians; they have been found in tombs and were used as offerings for Isis. When it comes to gift giving, roses are the primary choice around the world. They are cultivated all across the globe and Netherland is the leading exporter of roses. Spring time brings with it an energetic vibe, the number of daylight hours increases and many countries around the world celebrate festivals and events in the season. Fasnacht Carnival - Switzerland Each year, since more than about 700 ago, the residents of Basel in Switzerland gather 4AM on Monday in mid February and celebrate the colorful mardi-gras like carnival. Fasnacht also take center stage in Luzern (6 days from 23 February 2017); Zurich and other places all over Switzerland on different dates. Thousands of Swiss dressup in fancy costume to join the parade - some with their musical instruments in joyful cacophony, with a prayer chasing away the winter and welcoming the arrival of the spring. Las Fallas - Spain Las Fallas in Valencia, Spain starts on March 1 with an extravagant display of booming fireworks (mascletà). It continues every day till March 19. The celebrations are extensive and even on days leading to the festival, the atmosphere is lively and music is in the air. Las Fallas honors St. Joseph and the traditional celebrations revolve around the massive paper mache puppets (fallas). Entire Las Fallas - Spain neighborhoods take pride in making these puppets, they may depict characters relating to political satire. A lot of time, energy and money is spent in these creations. Wood paper and wax is used to make them. The celebrations continue with parades, food stalls, firecrackers and the party spirit climaxes on the final day with spectacular firework. A bonfire is staged and the fallas are set fire to, thus the fiesta comes to a dramatic end. The celebrations take place in spring with nature itself in full bloom, instill an air of vitality in not just the land, but in all the living beings too. The desolation of winter fades in this season nature’s life cycle is most visible from death to rejuvenation. ourHeritage 3 Songkran Festival - Thailand It is a three day water festival linked to the Thai New Year and is celebrated in mid-April, it is the most popular celebration in the country. Everyone stepping out to the streets during the Songkran festival will inevitably be drenched in the water. According to tradition, the Thai people consider this a time to pay respect to their family, neighbors and the elderly, they reflect upon themselves and cleanse their soul. They bring food to the monks; bathe Buddha statues in water. For good fortune and prosperity, the youngsters pour scented water on the hands of the elderly. Elsewhere on the streets is a playful atmosphere where Thais engage in water battles with locals and tourists alike, water pistol fights, water balloons and buckets of water in every directions are to be expected. As the temperatures rise, this festival is set conveniently allowing everyone to cool off and have lots of fun. Cherry Blossoms - Japan In Japan, people follow a tradition every spring where friends and family gather for picnics beneath the breathtaking cherry blossom trees. The immense and fleeting beauty of nature, evident in this season symbolizes life’s transitional nature for the Japanese. Weather conditions vary and therefore cherry blossom season arrives at different times across Japan. When the Cherry Blossoms or Sakura are in bloom, the people of Japan go out for parties, gatherings and barbeques to celebrate the elegance of the plentiful trees. Cherry Blossoms - Japan 4 ourHeritage Holi Festival - India The Annual Pakistan Flower Show It is organized by the Horticultural Society of Pakistan and is held annually in February at Sea View Park, Karachi. It presents artfully created flower décor, installations, arrangements and a variety of exotic flowers and plants are exhibited. This extravaganza was first held in 1948. Songkran Festival - Thailand A large audience is attracted to this show. Competitions are held for amateur and professionals so they may display their unique creations. The main purpose of this show is to create awareness of the importance of a clean, green environment and inspire people to learn more about plants and flowers. The visitors feel uplifted by spending time in such a pleasant and serene environment, it is an escape from the humdrum of daily life for all those who attend and participate. Holi Festival - India In March, the first full moon signals the start of Holi This popular Hindu festival is surrounded by many legends and tales. Its vibrant, fun filled nature makes it a great tourist attraction. You see people splattered in vivid colors, laughing, dancing and having a wonderful time. Holi celebrates the end of winter’s grip. People light bonfires, symbolic of celebrating the triumph of good over evil. The ash is sacred, and its application to the forehead is believed to ward off evil. This is a day for friends and family to rejoice, a time when even strangers are included in the celebrations and no one is left out ourHeritage 5 Lahore From The Top Of A DoubleDecker Bus By: Khuzaima Fatima Haque The excitement is unmatched. The sights are ancient. The fun is doubled, and the journey is an extremely memorable one. Sightseeing Lahore with a tag line true to its core Lahore Lahore hai is one of the best additions to the cultural landscape of the city. A joint venture of the Government of Punjab and the Tourism Development Cooperation Punjab Sightseeing Lahore is a tour that takes its travellers around thirtysix spectacular landmarks spread over Lahore on an open roof-top double-decker bus, the first of its kind in Pakistan with a total capacity of sixty-seven people – forty-nine people can sit on the upper deck and eighteen on its lower deck. The aim of starting this wonderful venture has been fourfold. Firstly, “We wanted to introduce an international practice of tours by bus within cities,” explains Nayyer Qasim, Manager Operations, Sightseeing Bus Service, TDCP. All over the world this is quite the norm but Pakistan till November 25th, 2015 lacked this service. Thus nearly two months back, the government and TDCP joined hands to introduce one of the most memorable rides in Pakistan. Secondly, the bus service 6 ourHeritage also aims to promote a softer image of Pakistan on the international front – something we direly need at the moment. The third aim of the project was to promote domestic tourism as well as attract foreigners to local destinations. Lastly, one of the most important goals was to introduce and let the new generation of Pakistan know about the history of the city and inculcate a feeling of pride in them about this. Since the bus ride covers destinations connected to the British era, the Mughal era and the modern times, youngsters are especially encouraged to take this trip to get to know about the rich heritage and cultural importance of the city they are part of. The bus ride is a regular feature of Lahore’s cultural scene now. At the moment, regular rides take place between 8:30 to 12 on weekdays. These are specifically run for educational institutes including schools, colleges and universities. A subsidized rate of only five thousand rupees is charged for a total of sixtyfive students. On their return to the Terminal 1, the students are quizzed over the information that the guide has given them. The ride is made extremely interactive and fun-filled for the youngsters. For regular tourists, a total of 8 trips are made by the buses every weekend and six on weekdays. The morning trips are non-stop one and half hour long rides, while the evening trips run between 5 and 6:30 in the evening allow an hour long break at the food street. Here the travellers are dropped off at Terminal 2 situated at the Fort road and allowed to roam about the streets of old Lahore, have dinner or snacks at the food street and explore the rich heritage of the old city or admire its architecture by night. The charges are quite nominal and some of the lowest as compared to the city tours conducted in the world. Adults are charged two hundred rupees while children under ten can travel for free and students get a discount of fifty percent on showing their student identity card. The management must also be given full marks for the security measures that it has undertaken. The terminals are situated in very secure premises that are guarded by security guards and secured by scanning machines. Then there is no room for a hop on and hop off facility. Additionally, if foreign tourists decide to take the ride, the management provides security guards onboard with the fleet. Before every ride, the Traffic Police is asked for route clearance and if need be the route is diverted if there is any trouble on the road. The Police force is also kept affront of all activities and called in if the management feels the need for its presence. As colourful as the landscape and culture of Lahore, the double decker buses themselves are a sight to hold. Showcasing the landmarks of Lahore on a bright red background, the bus itself adds to the excitement and colour of the ride. “The design on the buses has been locally designed and was later sent to international vendors to print,” adds Qasim. The unique selling point of this ride is the commentary of the tour guide, a rather smart youngster who takes pride in explaining the details of the landmarks, interspaced with jokes about the Mental Hospital that is part of the route taken by the bus. “Did you know that Lahore Zoo is the fourth oldest zoo in the world? Why is Ferozpur Road called so? Who is Lahore named after? Did you know that the Mall Road was called the thandi sarak (the cold road) and the temperature on it always stayed 5 degree less as compared to the rest of the city because of the shade of the trees that lined the road?” says the guide in his loud voice. Ask him anything about Lahore and he has a ready answer for you. The bus ride starts at Terminal 1, a rather beautifully designed colourful terminal with a couple of wooden benches for its travellers who can be seen waiting quite eagerly for the ride to begin near the football ground at the Punjab Stadium in Lahore. Then it follows the famous canal and then moves towards the old city passing through the Mall Road. On its way the guide explains the weekly practice of the special tradition of dhamal at the Shah Jamal’s Mazar every Thursday night by two national artists Pappu Sai and Gunga Sai and their teams. The Lawrence Garden with the Quaide-Azam Library and the reason for building the halls that served as ourHeritage 7 ball rooms in the British era and that later formed the library area is also explained in detail. Later on, the history of the Halls Road and the hall that the British constructed for their social gatherings is also explained. The Diyal Singh Mansion and its importance in history is also revealed to a rather surprised audience. The Governor House, 8 ourHeritage the Chief Minister’s Secretariat and the Charing Cross are other landmarks that are mentioned during the trip. The guide explains that the General Post Office was built to commemorate Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee and replaced the telegraph office of the Anarkali Bazaar. He also tells of the Tollington Market that was built in 1964 as the Punjab Exhibition Hall and remodelled by Sir Ganga Ram and now has been recently restored and converted as Lahore Heritage Museum. The Kim’s Gun and the recently built Bird House right next to it are two landmarks from two different eras that must not be missed. The Mazar of Hazarat Al-Hajveri Data Ganj Bakhsh and Badshahi Mosque are two other important sites on the way. The Lahore Fort, a World Heritage Site is also seen from the bus. The guide then also explains in very patriotic terms the historical importance of the Minar-e-Pakistan and the significance of its design as a blend of Mughal, Islamic and modern architecture. This is the point where the driver takes a U-turn and this is from where the return journey starts. The ride back to Terminal 1 is made all the more exciting with national patriotic songs and cultural melodies blaring out of the bus’s stereo system. As the trip comes to a close one can feel the national spirit evoked and that learning about one’s cultural heritage is a lesson learnt for life. Each one of the traveller seems thoroughly entertained and all the more wiser and knowledgeable than he or she was before they took the ride. ourHeritage 9 Princess of Hope The Princess of hope is a mud carved naturally occurring statue like structure which bears resemblance to the Silhouette of a standing woman. It is found in the Hingol national park area and lies on the Makran coastal highway in Baluchistan. The name Princess of hope was given to this structure by Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie on her visit to this area while acting as the UN ambassador of goodwill in 2002. By: Dr. Babur Zahiruddin. 10 ourHeritage I have traveled across the length and breadth of Pakistan, from the Khunjerab pass to the desolate areas of Balochistan from the Broghil pass near the Wakhan Corridor to the vast sandy beaches of Makran. The more I travel across the beautiful regions of Pakistan, the more I realize how little I know about the vast expanse of the beautiful wilderness, breath-taking scenery and eye catching views that exist in abundance, just waiting to be explored. This time my training assignments took me to Karachi from where over the weekend I made a programme to visit Hingol national park. As I was making this programme for Baluchistan many people discouraged me from going there citing reasons of law and order situation and the hostility of the local population. The reason for this caution and fear is obvious as the area beyond coastal highway in Balochistan does not feature well in the news. Secondly the Makran Coastal highway is located quite far away from the centre of Karachi and at a distance of 250 km and a five hours drive. I brushed aside all these apprehensions and worries and made a firm resolve to visit Hingol Natioanl Park and pay my respects to Princess of Hope. It was early Sunday morning when I replied to the call of the Moazzin after that I got dressed, had my breakfast in the PNS Karsaza Mess and waited for my driver to come and pick me up which he did at about 7:00 am. The morning traffic was light and I made my way across the empty streets of Karachi. I opened my car windows to sniff the aromatic aroma of the early October cool breeze coming from the sea. My driving took me to the national highway N-25, which can be accessed from HUB in Lasbela district near Karachi which is the border belt between Sindh and Balochistan. Crossing HUB you go past the Gadani beach which is famous for its ship breaking industry and you can also go to Wander and Somiani beaches. The Makran Coastal Highway starts about 10 kms short of a place called Uthal a city of Lasbela district with a clear blue sign indicating the direction. While N-25 continues due north, the Makran Coastal Highway branches off towards west (left). Much before the village of Sangal, you will find dirt track leading to Chandargup towards your left. Chandargup is the highest mud volcano in the area and revered by the Hindus for their pilgrimage. Another important place to visit is a Hindu temple called Nani Mandir (Hinglag Mata), which is off the main highway by 6 kms. In order to visit Nani Mandir you must have a good sturdy 4x4 vehicle as normal cars cannot reach this Mandir because of the poor road condition. Nani Mandir is an important Hindu pilgrimage site. The visit or the pilgrimage to this site is also called ‘Nani Ka Haj’. Continuing my journey on the Makran Coastal Highway after crossing the Hingol River, I reached the Kund Malir Beach. From here the coastal highway moves directly up north entering into the BUZI Pass. Flanked by the mud-mountains, the road starts to turn towards west (left). From here one would first come across the Sphinx and then the Princess of Hope. Going further west, the road started to descend towards Rudeni Band and would finally lead to the Ormara seaport. The same road continues west towards Gwadar, but that is a long drive ahead. For a day’s journey, one should not go beyond Ormara, unless arrangements for a nightstay at Ormara are made in advance. All of you must have heard about the beaches of Thailand and Caribbean, but let me assure you that the beaches of Makran Coastal Highway ourHeritage 11 are far more fascinating and beautiful than the ones mentioned above. These are pristine crystal clear blue water beaches which are in isolation and wilderness and no inhabitation is visible for miles and miles ect for a few fishing villages. Furthermore, I found that Balochis, like all Pakistanis are very hospitable by nature. I did not encounter many people on my way to the Kund Malir beach. On the beach itself, I met many fishermen who were extremely friendly and generously offered me some of their catch which I politely declined. The coast of Makran has muddy hills with very fast moving winds blowing throughout the year. These fast winds cut through the muddy hills and mountains and can result in a natural rock formations shaped like a standing lady (PRINCESS OF HOPE) or sphinx. The huge man made Sphinx in Giza, Egypt is viewed by countless tourists from across the globe with awe and praise for those who made it. But there is one natural feature in the remote area of the Makran coastal region of the Balochistan province of Pakistan that resembles much the same as the Egyptian Sphinx and is worth a visit. compare it with the Makran Coastal Highway beautiful scenery. Other than the amazingly smooth road, the Makran Coastal Highway bears stunning natural rock formations on both sides and it’s a pleasure to watch these as you drive past. A stainless carpet-like road surrounded by mountains with camels sauntering on both sides of the track, the Makran Coastal Highway is sheer joy to drive on. It is not difficult to forget that you’re just a couple of hours away from Karachi. The freshness of air, ozone filled environment, creates the setting for a long enjoyable drive which remains fresh in your memory for times to come. For those who have seen the American Grand Canyon and the Egyptian Pyramids, you can form a rosy sketch in your mind and It is recommended that since the journey is quite long and there are no shops / Khokha after Zero Point (at the start of the Makran Coastal 12 ourHeritage Highway), you should plan your journey in advance be well-equipped with all necessary arrangements specially food, snacks, water and have your vehicle tank topped up at HUB. Another peculiar feature of this area is that mobile signals fade out as soon as you reach Zero Point so make a brief stopover at Uthal and make your necessary calls before leaving that area. So next time you are in Karachi for business or pleasure make sure to visit Hingol National Park and pay your respects to the Princess of Hope on the Makran Coastal Highway. ourHeritage 13 Y ALL C I F I T IEN N E V PRO SC With balloons, beads and straws as her tools, she creates a learning environment, which feels more like a celebration, and less like a conventional science lesson. If one ever happens to walk in on one of these sessions, one would most likely see students blowing up balloons to design rockets as they animatedly discuss Newton’s laws. Or perhaps hear them talk about atoms and molecules to understand how they can peel back the layers of the world and look into things that make things. This is Lalah Rukh Fazal-UrRahman, co-founder at Science Fuse, a social enterprise based in the UK and Pakistan. Science Fuse intends to change the way science is perceived, practiced and narrated across classrooms in Pakistan. It aims to bring science alive in classrooms and to stretch the STEM-learning experience beyond textbooks and monologues. Instead, curiosity, questions and creative chaos are the fuels that drive their learning sessions. 14 ourHeritage While Lalah Rukh was studying Biotechnology at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, she started working as a science communicator at a social enterprise committed to promoting an interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education among young learners in Norway. For the last five years, her work involved putting together STEM adventures for young learners By: Khuzaima Fatima Haque and teachers across classrooms in Norway. “I soon realized I had a huge passion for telling science stories and for making people feel very, very passionately about science,” says Lala Rukh. Three years back she had an opportunity to share this excitement with school going kids organize a two-week long STEM summer camp open to students of private schools. Alongside this they visited three low-income schools to conduct STEM workshops with them and invited their students for a week long pro bono camp held at The Aman Foundation. The programs were a huge success and were loved immensely by parents, children and the schools they worked with. However Lalah Rukh’s work place decided not to invest in further projects in Pakistan as they were still trying to stabilize themselves in Norway. This is when Science Fuse came into being. in Pakistan. She partnered with her workplace in Norway to organize an interactive science workshop with students at The Garage School – a charitable institute based in Nelum Colony in Karachi. This time her bags were filled with things to blow giant soap bubbles and explode water bombs. For four hours a group of thirty students got an opportunity to think and work like scientists, while having fun at the same time. When it was over they were all asking the same question: ‘when will you be back?’ Clearly it didn’t matter which part of the world she was in, giving children a chance to combine science learning with play equally exciting for children everywhere. “My experience with children in Pakistan compelled me to convince the organization I was working at in Norway to help me test a full-fledged summer program in Karachi. They came on board and we collaborated with some of the leading schools in Karachi to “I realized I couldn’t give up just now. I felt it was particularly important to continue with these efforts in Pakistan as tragically most school-going kids in our country experience science as a mere collection of facts that they are made to memorize and recall during exams. They grow up thinking that science is some abstract nonsense that doesn’t have much relevance to anything they can directly see or touch. We’re also a country where science doesn’t occupy much space in popular culture,” adds Lalah Rukh. Having said that, so how has been the response from parents, educationists and school administrations where Science Fuse workshops have been conducted? “From the very first workshop we conducted at The Garage School in Karachi, the students’ response has been overwhelmingly great. Their enthusiasm has been the driving force behind our continued efforts to take Science Fuse ahead. Also despite the fact that Pakistan doesn’t have many informal STEM learning environments, we’ve felt ourHeritage 15 that parents, educators and school administrations understand the importance of introducing and nourishing such concepts. It is however difficult at times to convince parents and some educational organizations in the country that learning can take many different forms, it ISN`T only about finding out Learning Tree and many more.” “I believe that science isn’t just a subject you teach or learn at school; it is in fact our ticket to understanding the universe. It’s vital that we not only change our children’s perception towards science but, also, through the since the last two years. However in this short time span they have managed to collaborate with some of the biggest names within the field of education in Pakistan. Currently they are planning collaborations with The Children’s Literature Festival, AKU Education Board and Lawrence College Murree. Apart from catering to private school students they have also reached out to students from charitable/public schools such as The Garage School, Sabina Khatri’s Kiran School and DCTO Academy in Lyari, The Reading Room Project and Humaira Bachal’s Dream Model School. “Over the next ten years we see ourselves new facts,” explains Lalah Rukh. “We have been immensely lucky to have Haque Academy as our collaborating school for many programs over the last two years. Their help and support has enabled us to bring our programs to a great number of students in Karachi from some of the biggest schools in the country such as Atchison College Lahore, Bayview School, Convent of Jesus and Mary, Karachi Grammar School, The 16 ourHeritage process of teaching science, allow them to see themselves and the world differently,” adds Lalah Rukh. Thus Lalah Rukh herself and a colleague, Rizwana Khalid form the core designer team. Their responsibility is to design, test and take the new activities/experiments to the classrooms. At present, Science Fuse is a relatively young social enterprise and have only been operating in Pakistan inspiring the next generation of scientists and thinkers in Pakistan. We wish to promote a culture of critical thinking and a love for science amongst children, youngsters and even adults in the country,” adds Lalah Rukh. On their lists of to do things is developing entertaining science shows, drama characters and storytelling sessions which will engage young minds with science in an informal environment. Science Fuse will also be testing their teacher-training workshops very soon. “So far our work and philosophy have met with great interest and enthusiasm as very few people are working within the field of science communication in Pakistan. We hope that we can inspire more schools to join hands with us and especially incorporate these programs as part of their regular school routine,” adds Lalh Rukh. The success of Science Fuse lays greatly on its team members. Lalah Rukh’s husband and Co-Founder of Science Fuse, Faseeh Shams handles the management of the financial side. He also manages the design and all the business aspects of Science Fuse. “I wanted to become a part of something that would enable me to give back to my home country. I also find the idea of combining science education with fun greatly inspiring and exciting to work on,” explains Shams’s motivation behind joining Science Fuse. Meanwhile, three of our team members Bilal Mustafa, Habiba Mansoor and Rizwana Khalid have recently joined the team and are spearheading the organization’s activities in Lahore. Bilal is a lawyer by profession; Habiba works at Nestle and Rizwana has done her MPhil in International Relations. Additionally, Javeria Chaudary is based in Oslo, Norway. She helps develop new programs focusing on integrating mathematics with the other sciences. Another valuable member of the team based in Karachi is Farah Arif, who has been working as an assistant at the sessions. Farah’s father delivers water tankers to homes in DHA and her mother is strongly against her efforts for pursuing further education. However, her father’s support has enabled her to come work for Science Fuse and she has been a great resource. Arif is the most enthusiastic and hardworking member of the team. “My father delivers water in a tanker to Lalah Rukh’s house. That is how I met her and she invited me to tag along to a summer camp she was conducting for children in a school and help her teach there. I eagerly went along because this was a chance to learn something new. I sat amongst children who came from a very elite class. It was awkward at first because they spoke so well and I felt out of place but I soon started to really enjoy this new job of mine. She gave me a lot of responsibilities and it felt great take them on. Lalah Rukh makes me believe I can be a good teacher one day and I think I have started believing that too,” says Arif. While Pakistan doesn’t have many informal learning environments, parents, educators and school administrations understand the importance of introducing and nourishing such concepts. However, a little coaxing is always required because not everyone here is equally familiar with innovative ideas being tested out around the world in the field of education. So best of luck to the team of Science Fuse! Trust me, today, Pakistan needs it more than any other country! ourHeritage 17 Āyubōvan!! By: Maria Tahir Āyubōvan!! (Salutation wishing the recipient a long life) Sri Lanka seems impossibly near to Pakistan yet after years of planning, I finally managed a two week trip to Sri Lanka: the best possible way to kick off the new year: not only is it safe, it is a mixed bag of treats… from casinos to wildlife parks to exotic food, colourful shops and a great nightlife. The sea itself is somehow bluer, and the tiny winding streets happier and the trees taller and prouder than any I have seen. More importantly, unbelievable blend of Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, and Muslims, of temples mosques churches and cathedrals, of shops cafes teashops spas and beaches, is never-endingone can be standing in a temple which caters for both Hindus and Buddhists. It is the most heart-warming thing I have ever seen. When you drive through Colombo, you see colourful shops, grand old hotels, palm trees and King Coconut all along the same road. Colombo itself is a fun place to be for shopping. Shopping is surprisingly reasonable for the quality stuff one finds on every corner, especially the wonderfully touristy shops offering colourful elephant knickknacks and glorious beach flip flops of every kind. Colombo itself offers a myriad of fun things to do which include eating at the Ministry of Crab the restaurant itself was also voted one of Asia’s 50 best restaurants last year, shopping at the Arcade and Odels and going to the Mount Lavinia beachside restaurants. Colombo hosts the Gangaram Temple which is also worth a visit, for its museum, Budhist and Hindu shrines. There is some truly amazing seafood to be found. The local food itself is very exotic, hoppers are a staple that one gets used to very easily. Taking a roadside break and recharging with a fresh thambili (king coconut). For just 18 ourHeritage Rs 20 you’ll get a super refreshing drink. Don’t forget to scoop out the delicately sweet coconut flesh after you’re finished. Sri Lanka is famous for some legendary sacred religious sites, including Adam’s Peak and the temple I chose to go to, The Temple of the Tooth in Kandy built in 1595 to hold the single most sacred object in all of Sri Lanka the tooth of the Buddha. After seeing so many stupas and dagobas, this was truly amazing. You have to go inside, the building is beautiful, the carving so intricate and colourful- truly beautiful. The tooth is supposed to have reached Sri Lanka in the 4th Century and has faced a lot of violent history. The temple is beautiful and one finds a sanctuary in every corner of its lotus filled halls. The north began after Kandy. I spent a night therein a hotel that reminded me of Gone with the Wind more than anything else—with fish so fresh you could still taste the sea in it—and the next day we entered Elephant country. We drove up along narrow highways full of electrified wire to keep the elephants in their corridors. My next stop, after visiting the elephant orphanage at Pinnawala, going to the Turtle Hatcheries on the Galle Road and enjoying a fun boat safari on the Madu River, was the Galle Fort. To my eternal regret, I spent very little time at both the orphanage and the hatchery and I would recommend that a whole day is given to the orphanage especially. Galle Fort is full of old Dutch churches, teeming with seafood, decaying Malay-style houses, nuns on bicycles, and untouched seaside. It has a slow, old world charm filled with tropical showers and scenic antiquated buildings left over from colonial times. It is quite satisfying to walk around the fort, allegedly the oldest functioning fort in the world. One of the best things you can plan for at Galle, is a whale and dolphin watching trip, something rare anywhere in the world. Sleepy Galle Adams-Peak is a haven for grown-up backpackers, with Dutch colonial architecture, jewellery shops, ice cream parlours and an almost complete dearth of nightlife. I think I fell asleep at 9 pm. Colombo’s antiquated yet meltingly romantic trains (with bare interiors and surplus passengers clinging to the side) run straight down the coast. Buy a ticket from any of the colonialera train stations; then hop aboard. Sri Lanka is refreshingly simple and yet complex at the same time. Its focus on religious and social integration as well and a modern cosmopolitan feel to Colombo. Temple of the Tooth in Kandy ourHeritage 19 20 ourHeritage ourHeritage 21 22 ourHeritage ourHeritage 23 POINT OF FOCUS DR. BABUR ZAHIRUDDIN The recent fast pace of economic development in Pakistan has opened up new avenues for trade and development in which the network of motorways and roads will play a very important part in the future development and economic prosperity. C.P.E.C (China Pak Economic Corridor) on which work has begun on a fast pace will revolutionize the lives of average Pakistani’s and will be a game changer in the region. If you study the route map of C.P.E.C which are 1700 km long starts from Khunjrab pass on the Pak China Border and ends up at Gwadar the sea port on the Arabian sea. The aim and purpose of this article is not to emphasize on the merits of CPEC but to bring to the attention of the readers to a very important point of focus on this route which is Dera Ismail Khan. This neglected, backward and isolated city is going to be the future hub of economic activity in Pakistan as it lies more or less on the mid way point of C.P.E.C. The road from Gwadar, Kalat, Zhob, Loralai, Qilla Saifullah will pass through D.I Khan on the left and right bank of Indus via main route and the loop lines. 24 ourHeritage The importance of D I Khan cannot be over looked at any cost because this unique city has 4 to 5 access points and can become a very attractive and prosperous centre of industrial and economic activity. Apart from the above midway point the city of D.I Khan is connected to Bannu via the Indus highway, which further connects it to the provincial capital of Peshawar via Kohat and Darra Adam Khel. Another road connects D. I. Khan to Mianwali through Chashma Barrage. The third major road connects it to Bhakkar in Punjab, situated on the eastern bank of the River Indus. The fourth major access route is from South Waziristan to Tank to Kolachi and D.I Khan can also be accessed from D.G Khan. This time my training schedule took me to D. I KHAN a place which has always intrigued me and here I found answers to my many queries about which I wrote an article in the Heritage Magazine few months back captioned “ THE JIGS SAW PUZZLE” The word “DERA” is derived from the Balochi word Derā which means “encampment”. Dera Ismail Khan thus means the residential town of Sardar Ismail Khan Baloch. People of Dera Ismail Khan as well as Dera Ghazi Khan are also known as Derawal or Dervi. Historically the Jerajat were established at the time when in the 15th century, Baloch tribal immigration took place from Makran, Qalat, Chagi and Sibi Balochistan, to Indus Valley. The Delhi Sultanate and later Mughal Empire ruled the region. The Multan region became predominantly Muslim due to missionary Sufi saints whose Dargahs (SHRINES) dot the landscape of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Dera Ismail Khan was founded towards the end of the fifteenth century by Sardar Ismail Khan Baloch, son of Sardar Malik Sohrab Khan Dodai Baloch, who named the town after himself. The original town was swept away by floods in 1823, and the existing buildings are all of relatively modern construction. The present town stands four miles away from the permanent channel of the river. Dera Ismail Khan town stands on a flat stretch of land with a slight slope towards the river, but it is badly drained. It is surrounded by a thin mud walls with nine gates, enclosing an area of about 500 acres. The cantonment, which lies southeast of the town, has an area of 44 square miles, excluding the portion known as Fort Akalgarh on the northwest side. Bilot Fort The local trade of Dera Ismail Khan was of little importance in the past, but some foreign traffic with Khorasan passed through it. Powindah (nomadic) caravans of Afghan merchants traversed the town twice a year on this road from India, with the increasing security of the Gomal route, these caravans started increasing in numbers. D.I. Khan was once famous for its lacquered woodwork, glass and ivory ware, mats and sarongs but this time I could not find any local made handicrafts in the bazaar. Chasma Right Bank Canal (CRBC) is the major canal that provides water for irrigation. D. I Khan proudly boasts of a multi lingual society where Saraiki, is official and spoken language of dera ismail khan along with Pushto, Balochi And Punjabi. Although the city is relatively new, rebuilt following the 1823 floods, many of its original structures remain, the original wall is still visible around the old city. A popular tourist destination is a preIslamic fort called Bilot, 30 miles (48 km) from the Dera Ismail Khan towards Chashma highway and the dilapidated ruins still can be seen on the hill. ourHeritage 25 A sacred Sikh shrine is located in D.I. KHAN and Guru Baba Nanak visited this place during his fourth itinerary. At the site where he stayed a Dharamsala was built by his devotees. It is a large building whose main gate opens in to the Chota Bazzar. Inside this door there is a double-storey square building, where Prakash (Bright Light) used to take place. There are residential rooms around this building for pilgrims. Inside the DARBAR there is a Thara Sahib (pious seat) where Guru Nanak Dev Ji once sat. The Government Higher Secondary School No. 3 is now currently housed in this building. This Dharamsala was maintained by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) before 1947 and presently it is in the hands of the Auqaf department. The banks of the Indus River are an attractive place for tourists. On the right side of Rehmania Street, the house of a Hindu Zamindar – Bakaai Mahal is a very old building of D. I. Khan containing more than 80 rooms. I tried to visit this building but the main entrances were locked. One of the most famous products of the district is the “Dhakki Date”, which is exported to the Middle East, United States, and Europe. Dhakki Dates Like other cities and towns of the Saraiki-speaking belt, Dera Ismail Khan is famous for a dessert delicacy called Sohan (HALWA). Shops selling this sweet are primarily situated in Topawaala Bazaar, the old and the best Halwa is produced and sold by three shops which are situated in the main bazaar. The city is also known for a traditional dish called Sohbat. There is virgin and barren land in abundance in an around D.I Khan which at this time may be purchased at a throw away price but with the passage of time when CPEC comes of age and economic zones are made along CPEC the land price of D.I Khan region will shoot up like a mercury thermometer in summers. Nowadays D. I. Khan is increasingly exporting another type of dried date called Choora. The majority of Choora are produced in Dhakki, Mitrah Abad, Kathgarh and Saidu Wali. Kathgarh is a village situated in Tehsil Pahar Pur, about 43 km from D. I. Khan near Pahar Pur. There are also coal mines in the village of Kathgarh, on the edge of CRBC Canal. The main bazaars of the city all converge in one area, called Chowgalla Bazar (literally meaning “4 intersections”). Major bazaars include Topanwala Bazaar, Bhatiya Bazaar, Muslim Bazaar, Commissioneri Bazaar, Kalan Bazaar And Bakhiri Bazaar. Chowgalla Bazar 26 ourHeritage ourHeritage 27 Gwadar idden Treasure H The Picturesque Where to stay Situated on the coast of Arabian Sea, Gwadar is your ultimate getaway destination. The breathtaking views and pristine crystal clear blue water beaches transport you to a world of relaxation and tranquillity. of Hinglaj Mata. Going further west, the road starts to descend towards Rudeni Band, through Ormara and finally Gwadar. The 5-Star Zaver Pearl Continental Hotel offers panoramic views of the city and scenic coastline. The serenity of Gwadar coupled with the comforts of a 5 star hotel ensure a perfect escape. Zaver offers an array of both traditional and international restaurants, spacious and luxurious rooms, fully equipped conference halls as well as an outdoor pool, pampering spa treatments and a fitness centre to How to get there You can either take a flight from Karachi or take a scenic drive down the Makran Coastal Highway with its eye-catching views and picturesque beaches on the one side and the grandeur of majestic mountains on the other. Cruising along the highway, you pass through the Hingol National Park, the largest in the country, the world famous Mud Volcanoes, the breathtakingly beautiful Kund Malir Beach, Princess of Hope, Natural Sphinx and Temples 28 ourHeritage Zaver Pearl-Continental Gwadar Kund Malir Beach Gwadar is 2 km from deep water sea sports activities. It is 10 km from Virgin Beach, 14 km from Gwadar International Airport and 30 km from the Water Sports Park. Akra Dam is 35 km away. What to do Gwadar is perfect for all the adventurous souls out there. With activities ranging from jet skiing and speed boating to scuba diving and desert safaris you are sure to never be bored. The major attractions include: Zaver Pearl-Continental Gwadar cater to all of one’s needs. The well-decorated rooms are equipped with a flat-screen TV, personal safe and a well-stocked minibar. Suites include a private balcony opening on to the Gwadar port and the Arabian Sea. The cuisine options vary from Chinese at Tai-Pan Restaurant to Western fine dining at Jason’s Steak House. The Nadia Coffee Shop is renowned for its delicious Continental and Pakistani dishes. Car rentals and day trips can be arranged at the tour desk. The hotel also provides a beauty salon, business centre and meeting rooms. Zaver Pearl Continental, • Hingol National park: It is the largest park of its kind in Pakistan and allows one to observe wildlife in all its glory or go swimming in the underground Hingol river • Gwadar port • Princess of Hope: It is named after Angelina Jolie while she was on a visit to the area as the UN Goodwill Ambassador in 2002, the Princess of Hope is a naturally occurring mud carved statue bearing resemblance to ourHeritage 29 a standing woman. • Natural Sphinx • Zalzala Koh or Zalzala Jazeera: The island appeared overnight after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake • Gorab beach Zalzala Koh or Zalzala Jazeera • Kund Malir Beach • Local boat making yards, which depict the ancient craft of Gwadar’s locals • Mud volcano: It is also known as Baba Chander Kup amd is believed to be one of the largest mud volcanoes in the world. Every year thousands of Hindus gather to attend a four-day ritual starting with Baba Chander Kup, a live volcano spitting out Mud from thousands of years, before moving on to Hinglaj Mata Mandir in Hingol Park. Mud Volcano Local Boat Making Yards 30 ourHeritage ourHeritage 31 FRUIT OF PARADISE By: Dr. Babur Zahiruddin About a year ago, I wrote an article THE WONDER FIBRE in the “ourHeritage” Magazine which was very much appreciated by the readers and I got many calls asking about the various beneficial aspects about the use of ISABGHOL. Greatly encouraged by this response, this time I would like to dilate upon a common edible commodity which is also known as the FRUIT OF PARADISE. Most of you visit the market to buy dry fruits but very few of you bother to bring this fruit of paradise home for consumption. I myself have been consuming this fruit for the past 30 years as a sweet appetizer but I did not know about the great medicinal and health benefits of this fruit of paradise till date when my research led to this fact that cases of A.R.M.D (Age Related Macular Disorders) that the medicinal properties of figs are very beneficial to A.R.M.D patients and Protection against Macular Degeneration. I as a consultant ophthalmologist now prescribe and advise my patients of A.R.M.D to consume this fruit of paradise. Reference of this fruit of paradise can be taken from SURA 95, of the THE HOLY QURAN which is named AL-TĪN (Arabic for “The Fig”), as it opens with the oath “By the fig and the olive. Within the Hadith, SAHIH UL-BUKHARI records that The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stating: 32 ourHeritage If I had to mention a fruit that descended from paradise, I would say that it is because the paradisiacal fruits do not have pits...eat from these fruits for they prevent hemorrhoids, piles and help in gout. The common FIG (Ficus carica) is a species of flowering plant in the genus Ficus. It is the source of the fruit which is also called fig. It has been sought out and cultivated since ancient times, and is now widely grown throughout the temperate world, both for its fruit and as an ornamental plant. The fig tree is a deciduous large shrub, growing up to a height of 7–10 metres. It has fragrant leaves which are 12–25 cm long and 10–18 cm across. The botanical specification of fig plant is very complex as it comprises of an inflorescence which consists of a hollow fleshy structure called the SYCONIUM, which is lined with numerous unisexual flowers. The flower itself is not visible outwardly, as it blooms inside the INFRUCTESCENCE. Although commonly referred to as a fruit, the fig is actually the INFRUCTESCENCE or scion of the tree, known as a false fruit or multiple fruit, in which the flowers and seeds are borne. The small orifice (ostiole) visible on the middle of the fruit is a narrow passage, which allows the specialized fig wasp Blastophaga psenes to enter the fruit and pollinate the flower, where after the fruit grows seeds. The fertilized female wasp enters the fig through the scion, which is a tiny hole in the crown (the ostiole). She crawls on the inflorescence inside the fig and pollinates some of the female flowers. She lays her eggs inside some of the flowers and dies. The edible fruit consists of the mature SYCONIUM containing numerous one-seeded fruits (druplets). The fruit is 3–5 cm long, with a green skin, sometimes ripening towards purple or brown. The sap of the fig’s green parts is an irritant to the human skin. The fig plant can tolerate seasonal drought, and the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Apart from this fresh fig also contains adequate levels of some of the anti – oxidant vitamins such as vitamin A, E and K, which have a protective affect from cancers, diabetes degenerative and infectious diseases. It is important to wash figs in cold water and then mop and dry those using soft cloth and tissue then one may eat fresh figs whole or peeled. climate is especially ideal for the plant. If situated in favorable surroundings, old specimens when mature can reach a considerable size and form a large dense shady tree. It thrives in both sandy and rocky soils. As the sun is really important for its growth some varieties are more adapted to harsh and wet climates. Common fig tree is mostly a PHREATOPHYTE (a plant with a deep root system that draws its water supply from near the water table.) that lives in areas with standing or running water, grows well in the valleys of the rivers and ravines saving no water, having strong need of water that is extracted from the ground. The deep-rooted plant searches groundwater, in aquifers, ravines, or cracks in the rocks. The fig tree, with the water, cools the environment in hot places, creating a fresh and pleasant habitat for many animals that take shelter in its shade in the times of intense heat. and ripens in the late summer or fall. The main crop is generally superior in both quantity and quality to the BREBA crop. Figs can be eaten fresh or dried, and used in jam-making. Most commercial production is in dried or otherwise processed forms, since the ripe fruit does not transport well, once picked the shelf life is short. Dried figs are a rich source of dietary fiber and essential minerals, like manganese, while vitamin K and numerous other minerals are in moderate content. Figs contain diverse phytochemicals, including polyphenols such as gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, syringic acid, catechin, epicatechin and rutin. The Health benefits of figs are that it is low in calories, excellent source of minerals, vitamins and anti-oxidants such as carotenes, lutein, tannins, and chlrogenic acid. Fig fruit is an important food source for much of the fauna in some areas, and the tree owes its expansion and survival to those that feed on its fruit. Research has suggested that chlorogenic acid helps lower sugar levels and controls blood-glucose levels in type II Diabetes Mellitus. Two crops of figs are potentially produced each year. The first or BREBA CROP develops in the spring on last year’s shoot growth. In contrast, the main fig crop develops on the current year’s shoot growth Dried figs also contain Calcium, copper, potassium manganese, iron, selenium and zinc and the B-complex group of vitamin such as niacin, pyridoxine, folates and pantothenic acid. In some people eating fig fruits may cause elicit allergic reactions ranging from vomiting, diarrhea and itching of skin and mucus membranes. Those people who have allergy to figs may exercise caution in eating figs. It is a sweet way to lose weight as figs are a good source of dietary fiber. Fiber and fiber-rich foods may have a positive effect on weight management. The leaves of the figs have repeatedly been shown to have antidiabetic properties and can actually reduce the amount of insulin needed by persons with diabetes who require insulin injections. Some studies have shown that they have good effect on the Cardiovascular system as they have been shown to lower levels of triglycerides (a form in which fats circulate in the bloodstream). So next time when you go to the market please ensure that the purchase of fig fruit is on the top priority of your shopping list. EAT FIGS AND STAY HEALTHY….. ourHeritage 33 Students as Links between Cultures The Value of Academic Cooperation Worldwide By Atle Hetland Millions of students go abroad to study every year. Most countries are net-sending countries while others are net-receiving countries. The push and pull factors are similar to those that get migrant workers to leave their home country to seek greener pastures abroad, for a period of time or for many years. Pakistanis foreign workers go to countries in the Middle East, Spain, Italy, other European countries and further afield. Some students go to U.A.E., Malaysia and other countries in the region. But most go much further, to Western Europe, and also to countries in the south and east of Europe, and North America and Oceania. 34 ourHeritage “I studied in Norway in the late 1970s and 1980s. It took me 12 years to complete my Ph.D. level degrees and then I worked for a couple of years before returning home”, said a Pakistani who has since held senior posts in the NGO-sector in Pakistan, before retiring a few years ago. “My wife too came for several years since I stayed so long. In those days, there were very few courses in English so we had to spend time learning the local language”, he said. But I suppose that if one wants to go to France, French is a requirement, unless it is just a short study visit, or a specialized research stay with colleague who know English.” “We should remember that English in not the mother tongue of many European countries. Local students learn English as a foreign language, and earlier, students and teachers were a bit shy speaking English; some were even better in German. Today, that is different, and there are many degree courses in English even in countries where English is not the mother tongue. That makes it easier for foreign students”, he said. “My wife knows more correct Norwegian than I do, and has better in everyday vocabulary, too, since she worked in a kindergarten for some time”, he said. “Today with English as ‘lingua franca’, many don’t bother to learn much of the local language either. Yet, it is always important if one wants to get outside the university environment and discover more of the local culture”, said his wife. ”We have forgotten some by now, but we can still speak it. I also enjoyed my stay in Norway very much. The way the studies were organized was very free and most of the responsibility for the learning process was pushed over on the students. This was certainly good at postgraduate level. I remind them of this when I visit Norway every few years. But also there, they have become more ‘standardized’ now.” Much has changed since the Pakistani couple went to Norway thirty years ago. Today, recruitment, preparation and financing are much more formalized and many more students go abroad. There are many organizations and companies the field; they help students and universities, and they make money for themselves, too. Sometimes, universities enter into linkages with overseas universities, and exchange of students is cone component. The United States Education Foundation in Pakistan (UNESFP) is a large organization playing a key role in recruitment of students; it handles the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship Program and other facilities, sending more than 600 scholarship holders to USA every year, mostly for longer stays of 2-3 years, including doctoral research and advanced degrees; but some go for short visits. Recently, community colleges have also been included so that students can go for more practical courses. “When I was selected, it was a dream come true”, said a kindergarten teacher from Quetta. She said that her mother encouraged her very much to go for it, being a teacher herself and not having had the chance to go abroad. “I was more than excited when I was chosen”, said a 23-year old lad from Peshawar, working for an NGO dealing with security issues. “I come from a poor economic background, and would not have been able to pay for it myself. I too was encouraged to go by my parents. Without that, it would have been impossible to do”, he said. They are both single, and have to come back and settle into their home culture and traditions when the one-year course is over. Australia Education Organization (AEO) is another large organization sending students abroad, mostly to Australia and neighbouring New Zealand, but also other countries, especially UK, Canada, USA, Malaysia, and other countries. “Our scholarships are not full-financing, but cover between 20 and 80 percent of the cost. It is all merit based”, said the manager of AEO, who has been in the organization since he and his colleague started it more than 20 year ago. “Now we also organize English language tests, such as IELTS”, he explained. “It is a fact that many of those we help to study abroad will stay on in the country where they studied”, he said. “However, since science and professional skills are universal, there is nothing we can do about that. Some may return home for some years or permanently. Or, they may have a foot in more than one country. I think that is going to be even more common in future. They will not only be carriers of one culture, but two or three cultures.” “I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to work in this field. ourHeritage 35 Nothing is more important than education, and that also includes exposure and gaining universal skills and understanding”, stressed the AEO manger, who is an accountant trained in Pakistan. “My exposure has been gradual and I have learnt on the way, visiting many of the universities abroad that AEO sends students to”, he said. “I would like to say that when we select our students, about 400 every year, we focus on their academic qualifications, their personal ability and even their family background. We interview the candidate as well as the parents”, he explained. “We like to know that the parents are supportive of their children in case they may have a problem abroad. It is a pleasure to study abroad, but there can also be difficulties, and it is important to have good support when that happens”, said the manager. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is a well established public organization sending students 36 ourHeritage and researchers to Germany. There are now over 400 DAAD scholars in Germany, but there are around 3,000 Pakistani students in total in Germany. “Not all should go to Englishspeaking countries. Besides, everyone knows that Germany is very advanced in many fields”, said a political science student working on his doctoral dissertation at a top German university. “When I first arrived at my university in a smaller city, after a four-month course in German language in the capital Berlin, my main supervisor welcomed me by saying that this was going to be the best time of my academic life; there will be generous funding, excellent libraries, lectures and seminars, good supervisors, smart fellow students from all over the world, and enough time to do serious work - and have fun. I envy you and I know you will do well. Don’t just study all the time, have fun, too.” “He was right. Now, I have done more than half of my time, and I have come to love my German university, the country, and DAAD, which gave me this opportunity”, said the young Punjabi. “But since I have not (yet) married here, I am still free to return to Pakistan”, he smiled, being back in Pakistan on a short home leave. “DAAD also provides funding of research cooperation and interuniversity linkages”, he said, already thinking of how to stay in touch with Germany in his future carrier in Pakistan. I have had the opportunity of attending research cooperation with France”, said a Pakistani researcher in environmental studies and climate change. “I don’t know French, but nowadays, most young French academics are quite good in English, so French isn’t absolutely needed. I went to France since Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission has promoted cooperation with France so that we also have knowledge of science and research in the Francophone world. “The Anglophone world is today dominant. But we must not become so ‘one-eyed’ that we don’t see other countries. Sometimes, I envy the smaller countries; they use their own language even at top scientific level in their countries, along with English and perhaps another world language. Look at Scandinavia; that is what they do.” “I think we in Pakistan should also use Urdu much more than we do at university level, and that has recently been recommended by the government”, said the Pakistani researcher. But he added that it is important to be comfortable in at least one world language, too, at that usually means English. In future, Chinese may be handy too, but that’s for our children”, he added. “Foreign studies are important as part of a top university education. I would advocate that we follow the example of the smaller European countries, such as Norway, where it is a strong recommendation that all undergraduate students spend at least one out of the six semesters abroad.” “Candidates with such backgrounds will have gained more than can been learnt from books as regards cultures and understanding. They would have a much wider perspective than if they just stayed at home.” “And when we go abroad we also learn to talk about our own country, and find out what others would like to hear. We become ambassadors and carriers of culture”, said the Pakistani researcher. I hope that in future, we will see more foreign students coming to Pakistan, and researchers, too, men and women, he added. The USEFP administrator underlined the same. When Pakistanis go to America, they are ambassadors of Pakistan, and people get to know them as individuals and good human beings. That is important when there is so much negative news about extremism on TV, including about Pakistan.” “And when Americans come to Pakistan, they don’t just remain TV-stereotypes anymore either. And ordinary students and teachers are not responsible for foreign policies of their home country.” “When we say that students are links between cultures, we mean that learning and forging academic and scientific links is only a part of what they do. As important is the friendship and personal links they establish, often to last throughout their lives.” ourHeritage 37 MAJESTIC SNOW LEOPARD By: Tahir Imran Khan Somewhere in 2005, we were descending down from Khunjerab Pass after a memorable trip with some foreigner friends, Siddique told me that there is a Snow Leopard’s cub with the security staff at the post of Dhee ( Deih ). Snow Leopard has been a legendary and sort of mysterious animal, mostly we heard of it, in tales and watched in movies and to see it with naked eyes was an exciting thing. 38 ourHeritage Our friends were also extremely thrilled and we jumped out of the comfortable vehicle to watch the animals. The beautiful cub was a darling sweetheart and was looking as innocent as a Persian cat would be. Margaret immediately took it and cuddled in her lap without any fear or terror as the impression of an adult beast would be, especially in its natural habitat. We were told that the scientific name of Snow Leopard is Panthera Uncia and higher classification is Uncia. It’s a carnivorous animal and an adult’s weight is 27 to 55 kgs in average and at maximum 75 kgs in males. The length of a snow leopard from head to the base of the tail is 30 to 50 inches with a remarkably long tail from 31 to 39 inches. Snow leopards’ tails are long and flexible, helping them to maintain their balance, which is important in the rocky terrain they inhabit. Their tails are also very thick due for storage of fat and are very thickly covered with fur which allows them to be used like a blanket to protect their faces when asleep. Being large cats, their eyes are pale green or grey while they have long, thick fur which varies from smoky grey to yellowish tan, with whitish under parts. They have dark grey to black open rosettes on their bodies, with small spots of the same color on their heads and larger spots on their legs and tails. Their ears are small and rounded, all of which help to minimize heat loss. Their paws are wide, which distributes their weight better for walking on snow, and have fur on their undersides to increase their grip on steep and unstable surfaces; it also helps to minimize heat loss. It is estimated that around 3,500 to 7,000 wild snow leopards remain in the mountaineous regions of central Asia, including the high mountain ranges of Pakistan. In addition, there are between 600 and 700 snow leopards in zoos around the world. Its being near to extinct and at present included in endangered species of animals, native of the mountain of Central & South Asia with few sightings is Pakistan. Attempting to import a snow leopard hide into the USA is punishable by a fine of up to a $25,000. In Nepal such trade could mean a 5-15 year jail sentence. None of us was well attentively listening to such technical details as the beauty of the lovely cub was extremely mesmerizing and everyone was longing to take it in lap and make a memorable photograph with it. This first encounter with this charming animal was outstanding and developed my interest in Snow Leopards. The books and internet information told that it’s a shy animal and its range is quite wide and an animal ourHeritage 39 sighted in one country may appear in another season in some other country. As it lives in cold areas only, therefore in summers it may live in areas from 2700 to 6000 meters above sea level while in winters, the animals come down in search of food & fodder, hence may descend to an altitude of 2000 meters. Later on, while preparing tourism development plan for Norther Areas (present GB), Yasir Hussain, a young and dynamic officer told that a snow leopard was found and caught near Khunjerab and sent to USA to raise in better environment and would be returned to Pakistan after proper care and when it would be able to live independently. The animal was named as LEO and sent to the Bronx Zoo in America with an agreement that proper facilities would be developed at Naltar and LEO would be back in 40 ourHeritage its original country land. It was interesting to know that this was the same animal which we saw during our trip and as now LEO is a celebrity animal with its international fame, an association with such a figure was exciting to boast in friend’s circles and while talking on wildlife. After this wonderful friendly sighting of the young LEO (named afterwards), my second sighting of another snow leopard was depressing and disappointing. We were on a trip to hike the Mukshpuri Peak above Dunga Gali, a lovely tiny village in Galliat region near Murree. Usman Hanif, one of our friends is a highly reputed wildlife photographer. He suggested us to start hike from Nathiagali to visit Lalazar Wildlife Park en route to climb Mukshpuri. He told that Lalazar Wildlife Park is the only place in Pakistan with a Snow Leopard in captivity. There was a pair of beautiful local common leopards in a large captivity and that was a lovely sight as the leopards were in quite a good area and in natural environment. We were thrilled and looking forward to see the Snow Leopard but it was extremely surprising and unacceptable to see a beautiful and adult Snow Leopard in an iron cage which was not bigger than a bird’s cage, which we usually have at home. The story of this leopard is also surprising as we were told that WWF got information that some political figure has kept a Snow Leopard at his house in Dunga Gali. They asked the owner to handover the leopard to WWF so it was shifted to the park but without any proper planning or arrangements. Therefore, the animal which was well kept and well fed, though illegally, was shifted to concerned authorities but now the majestic animal was in worst condition as there is hardly any place for it to comfortably roam around. Lovely ?) and can be seen at Belie post on Karakoram Highway while driving from Passu to Sost. Sundar is an Urdu or Hindi word for beauty so the animal is named very rightly as Sundar but its care and feeding seems miserable and if the conditions remained similar, it may not survive very long. Its impressive tail, which has a great role in Snow Leopard’s life, is only used to sway flies and the poor animal looks sad and weak to pose for common visitors, who used to throw stones or yell at the animal to get its attention while making photographs. In October 2015, Noman, Adnan and Amjad came from Karachi with a plan to visit Hunza Valley which is matchless in autumn season. We drove via Babusar and had a great time en route. New tunnel at Atabad and the quality of the newly constructed road from Raikot Bridge to Khunjerab Pass is marvellous. The memory of 2005 trip of sighting a captured snow leopard cub was in mind and I told the story to friends, who considered me a lucky person to touch a snow leopard in real. We reached at a post between Sost and Dhee and to my extreme surprise; the local staff told about the new activity and showed us another animal which was an orphan baby captured three years ago. The animal is put in a cage and the post staff takes care of beast. Now it’s a good sized animal, the cage of whom is lying cruelly on the road side. It was unbelievable as a lot of NGOs work in the region and then there are organizations including WWF and IUCN and it has not been noticed by anyone. The Snow Leopard at Dunga Gali, called as Sundar was a disappointing sight but atleast the surroundings and environment was comparatively better while this unfortunate poor soul is in most ugly and unfavoring condition. Again, the only activity here is a photograph to show friends as one of the tour’s highlights, which further make the animal disturbed and uncomfortable. This magnificent animal is named as Louly (Lolly or Reports say that government is trying to bring back LEO to Pakistan but after my awful experience of watching snow leopards in cage at Dunga Gali and Gojal, I firmly believe that we should not bring LEO back till we have the proper captivity with appropriate facilities for the lovely animals. Mr. Nisar Malik of Walkabout Films is really a creative and novel person to launch multiple ideas and to promote Pakistan as a unique and unparalleled destination. His documentary on Snow Leopard is worth watching so the following words by an expert like him would be considered with great concern and respect. “Any habitat we create for the snow leopard cannot, of course, replicate the stunning terrain of their mountainous homes...Those steep cliffs and high rocky outcrops can never be recreated, but at least we can give the snow leopard a decent enclosure and provide it with proper care and dignity to live out the rest of its life in captivity “. ourHeritage 41 Are you emotionally intelligent? By: Khuzaima Fatima Haque Have you ever wondered what would happen if each one of us started to think extremely logically and make decisions based only on that. Rather than using emotions to dictate our lives, if we only make use of logical thought, the world would be a very frightening place. A vacuum of emotions would simply spell disaster. Who would like to live like that? Understanding when your dad feels angry or reading your friends facial expression is the key to a successful life. Just like happiness needs to be felt and sadness needs to be understood, all emotions may they be weak or strong need to be recognised. That is how life goes on and best of all if one learns the tricks of the trade life goes on smoothly. Here is where one’s Emotional Quotient comes into play. Ever since the 1930s, scientists have struggled to understand the importance of Social Intelligence, a rather important area of research. The ability to manage emotions effectively is a crucial part of emotional intelligence. Regulating emotions, responding appropriately and responding to the emotions of others are all important aspect of emotional management. 42 ourHeritage Without this, man stands nowhere and can lead humanity to nowhere. Technically, emotional intelligence refers to the ability to perceive, control, and evaluate emotions. Some researchers suggest that emotional intelligence can be learned and strengthened, while other claim it is an inborn characteristic. Scientists have developed several testing instruments to measure emotional intelligence, although the content and approach of each test varies. The ability to express and control our emotions is essential, but so is our ability to understand, interpret, and respond to the emotions of others. Imagine a world where you could not understand when a friend was feeling sad or when a co-worker was angry. Psychologists refer to this ability as emotional intelligence, and some experts even suggest that it can be more important than IQ. Some researchers suggest that emotional intelligence can be learned and strengthened, while others claim it is an inborn characteristic. As history records, Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer are the leading researchers on emotional intelligence. Their article, “Emotional Intelligence”, a rather impressive convincing piece of work, defines emotional intelligence as “the subset of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and actions”. Interestingly, they have marked out four branches of EI. These include, the perception of emotion, the ability of reason using emotions, the ability to understand emotion and the ability to manage emotions. Among these, the first step in understanding emotions is to perceive them accurately. These include understanding nonverbal signals such as body language and facial expressions. Second to this is reasoning with emotions. This translates into something where using emotions to promote thinking and cognitive activity is involved. Emotions help prioritize what we pay attention to and how to react to. Thirdly, there is understanding of emotions. This means that the emotions that we perceive can carry a wide variety of meanings. If someone is expressing angry emotions, the observer must interpret the cause of their anger and what it might mean. And the fourth one is the ability of manage emotions. Regulating emotions, responding appropriately and responding to the emotions of others are all important aspect of emotional management. Thus the arrangement in this model is arranged from a very basic psychological process to a much higher, more psychologically integrated process. For example, the lowest level branch concerns the (relatively) simple abilities of perceiving and expressing emotion. In contrast, the highest level branch concerns the conscious, reflective regulation of emotion. A very apt saying of David Caruso, a famous name in the field says it all: “It is very important to understand that emotional intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence, it is not the triumph of heart over head -- it is the unique intersection of both.” A way of recognizing, understanding, and choosing how we think, feel, and act. It shapes our interactions with others and our understanding of ourselves. It defines how and what we learn; it allows us to set priorities; it determines the majority of our daily actions. Research suggests it is responsible for as much as 80 per cent of the “success” in our lives. Thus the role emotions play in our lives is of immense importance. Researchers have found that even more than IQ, emotional awareness and abilities to handle feelings will determine your success and happiness in all walks of life, including family relationships. So next time before you let your anger sweep over other emotions, think about it! Thus thinkers have explained the importance of EQ is some very interesting ways. One of them refers to it as ourHeritage 43 After a journey of about two and half hours from Lahore towards Islamabad on Motorway (M2), we enter in the dramatic landscape of rugged hills and strange rocks of different colors and shapes. This is the region which is commonly known as the Salt Range. By: Aftab Rana 44 ourHeritage The Salt Range comprises two rows of low lying rugged hills that run east to west between the Soan and Jhelum rivers from the Grand Trunk Road, near Jhelum city to the River Indus, near Kalabagh. The Salt Range is a geological record of the ancient sea that once flowed over the Indus plains. Its name comes from the vast deposits of rock salt that has been left in its embrace by receding sea. These salt deposits are mined at Khewra since ancient times. The region is known as the “Museum of Geology” as the area record 600 million years of earth’s evolution. The rocks and fossils found around the Salt Range provide a complete record of the history of Earth. Layers of rock in the range have been tipped vertically or in some places are inverted, so that the older fossilstrewn layers lie on the surface. The area has a great historical significance as well. Alexander the Great passed through the Salt Range on his way to fight a battle Malot Temple. with Porus on the banks of the Jhelum River in 326 BC. In the 3rd century BC, this area became part of Ashoka’s Buddhist Empire. Towards the end of the Buddhist period, in the 6th century AD, there was a kingdom in the Salt Range called Singhapura, probably centered at Ketas. From 7th to 10th centuries, the Salt Range was part of powerful Kashmiri Hindu kingdom. Mahmood Ghazni invaded the region in the early 11th century. The local tribes converted to Islam at this time. Mughal King, Babar passed through this area when he led the expedition from Kabul to Delhi. The Motorway (M2) passes right through the heart of Salt Range and most of the places of tourist interest can be easily reached via Lilla and Kallar Kahar interchanges. This area has many interesting places but because of limitation of space I am only mentioning here some of the most important and easily accessible places. M2 Motorway passing through Salt Range ourHeritage 45 Khewra Salt Mines Khewra, the second largest salt mine in the word is one of the main tourist attraction of this area. It is located at a distance of 180 km from Islamabad and 245 km from Lahore via Motorway (M2). Salt has been mined here since ancient times and the commercial mining was started in the Mughal era. The British expanded the operation in 1872. Tourists are allowed to visit this mine very day. A tourist train runs inside the mine tunnel. There are some incredible sculptures and structures inside the mine made up of salt. There are also many souvenir shops at Khewra where tourists can buy beautiful lamps and different other decoration items made of salt. Khewra is best accessible via Lilla Interchange on Motorway. Kallar Kahar Deep inside the Khewra Salt Mines Kallar Kahar is located at a distance of 244 km from Lahore and 135 km from Islamabad. It is the most popular tourist spot of the Salt Range which is famous because of its salt water lake, fruit orchards, wild peacocks and shrine of Abdul Qadir Gillani’s two grandsons. The place finds a special mention in the Tuzk-e-Babri. Inspired by the beauty of Kallar Kahar, Babar camped here for a while when he led the expedition from Kabul to Delhi. His stone throne perched on a hillock is still there. Kallar Kahar is a charming place with a row of tourist lodges overlooking the lake which is full of migratory birds during winter months. After the construction of Motorway (M2), the access to Kallar Kahar has become easier and lots of people come here for picnic and recreation especially on weekends. There are number of restaurants and an amusement park with boating facility along the western bank of lake. Unfortunately, due to uncontrolled development along the lake there is a fear that this scenic spot will lose its beauty and charm if urgent attention is not given to 46 ourHeritage Ketas Raj properly plan and the growth of tourism infrastructure and other facility at this place. Ketas Raj Located about 35 km from Kallar Kahar on the road to Choha Sadian Shah, Ketas is a very fascinating historical site of this region. The word Ketas is derived from Sanskrit language that stands for “String of Tears” or “Weeping Eyes”. According to Hindu Mythology, Load Shiva, grieved by the sad demise of his beloved wife Satti, kept on weeping so long and so profusely that two pools were formed from the tears, one near Ajmer Sharif and the other at Ketas. It is considered the second most holy place of Hindus in Pakistan. Dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, the temple has existed since the days of Mahabharata. There is also a Buddhist site associated with Asoka and there is also a ruined fortified palace of Raja Hari Sing Nalwa. The deserted temples, fort, bathhouses surrounded a pool sacred to Shiva where thousands of Hindu devotees used to flock every April to bathe. Malot Temple The Malot Temple was built in red sandstone in the Hindu Shahi era in the 9th -10th centuries. They are situated on a spur of the Salt Range at a height of about 2,500 feet from the sea level. From the top, there is a fantastic view of the Punjab plain from the ridge of the salt range. It takes about half an hour from Kallar Kahar Interchange on Motorway to reach the village of Malot village from where it is an easy walk of ten minutes to the temple. Lakes of Soan Valley The four lakes of Salt Range Khabbeki, Ucchali, Jhalar and Namal are part of internationally recognized Ramsar sites which provide an important wintering ground for the thousands of migratory birds who come here from Siberia to spend winter months. These lakes are A waterfall at Kanhati located in the Soan Valley is in the western part of Salt Range which is accessible from Kallar Kahar within the range of two to three hour drive. To visit these lakes one can make a day trip from Kallar Kahar. Winter is the best time to visit these lakes when many species of birds can be seen here. Kanhati Garden Kanhati Garden is another charming tourist spot of Soan Valley in the western part of the Salt Range. One can reach here via Khoshab road from Kallar Kahar after a drive of about two hours. It was established by Major Whet Burn in 1933 with plantation of different fruit trees, herbs and shrubs. Kanhati is also home of varieties of bird species. The most fascinating aspect of this place is its fascinating landscape and serenity. There is a small colonial style rest house which has been recently renovated by TDCP to provide accommodation facility to the visitors. A camping site facility is also available to provide accommodation to more adventurous travelers. This place is ideal for nature study and hike in the surrounding hills. A waterfall located after crossing the small village of Kanhati is a nice picnic spot for day visitors. As a whole, the area of Salt Range has tremendous potential to promote tourism especially ecotourism and adventure tourism. In order to avoid unplanned demand driven tourism, there is a need to carefully plan the development of tourism facilities at selected places with the active engagement of local communities. Salt Range is an area where limited other industrial and business opportunities are available. By developing tourism in this region, number of small and medium enterprise activities such as hotels, restaurants, transport, handicrafts, souvenir shops, local recreational spots and tour guide services will simultaneously boost up and it will create thousands of new jobs and income generation opportunities for for unskilled and skilled workforce of this area. ourHeritage 47 48 ourHeritage ourHeritage 49 50 ourHeritage ourHeritage 51 The last curtain call for By: Khuzaima Fatima Haque The first quarter of this year saw Pakistan’s three literary giants return to their Creator. Thousands bid farewell to three of the most enlightened minds in the country. There is no doubt that the literary scene in Pakistan will never be the same without Intizar Hussain, Fatima Surayya Bajia and Naushaba Burney. Intizar Hussain was a man par excellence. Widely recognised as one of the greatest Urdu writers in history, he died at 92 years of age following a period of illness. Hussain was a prolific author, known for his novels, short stories, columns and poetry. He received worldwide recognition when he was shortlisted for the Man Booker international prize in 2013 and awarded France’s highly prestigious Ordre des Arts et des Lettres a year later. Among the National awards that he won are Sitara-i-Imtiaz, Pride of Performance, Adamjee literary award, Kamal-i-Fun award and Anjuman Farogh-i-Adab Doha’s award. Intizar Hussain was born on 7 December, 1923 in India. He migrated to the newly formed Pakistan in 1947. Fifty years later he wrote about this particular experience in a heart rendering short story titled, The 52 ourHeritage First Morning. He served various newspapers, retired from Mashriq daily in 1988 and began working as a freelance journalist and writer. Hussain’s acclaimed novel Basti, published in 1979 and later translated into English, also addressed the history of Pakistan and the Subcontinent. He was a regular literary columnist for Pakistan’s leading Englishlanguage daily Dawn. His followers eagerly awaited his weekly columns. His was a voice of moderation. Humanism was a way of life for him. Throughout his life he stood for the subcontinent’s ancient traditions of pluralism and tolerance. and readily issue him a certificate of Sufism. But Intizar Hussain called himself a fiction writer. Eminent journalist Naushaba Burney is yet another literary giant who will be missed for her in-depth journalistic powers. She passed away in Karachi on 11th of February, 2016 at the age of 83. A gold medalist from Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore, she went on to complete her Bachelors from Columbia and later on did her Masters in English from University of Oregan. Intizar Hussain had immense command over the craft of storytelling. This made him bring forth a plethora of quality literature decade after decade. Such was his craft that several of his novels including Naya Ghar and Basti were translated from Urdu into English. Some of his well acclaimed books include Gali Koochay, Kankari, Din Aur Dastan, Shehr-iafsos, Kachhuay, Khaimay Say Door, Khali Pinjra, Morenama and Sheharzad Kay Naam. Critics even call him a philosopher, a reformer Intizar Hussain Naushaba Burney was the first formally trained woman journalist of Pakistan. She helped set up the Department of Journalism at the University of Karachi and also taught there. In the early 1990s Naushaba Burney joined Dawn’s supplement section and subsequently became the editor of the newspaper’s Sunday magazine. Later on she served at the Aga Khan University Hospital’s Department of Public Affairs. She was an inspiration for all the young female journalists who learnt not only her craft but her humbleness also. She mentored several young journalists and helped them guide them toward solid career paths. She was a prolific writer who wrote on social issues. Throughout her career as a journalist, she promoted several talented artists and writers. She led a highly principled life and stood up for women issues whenever the need arose. She will be dearly missed by her readers. Fatima Surayya Bajia is a household name. Famed for her immensely popular drama serials on Pakistan Television, she embodied an era of when strong traditions of reading and writing and more so of enlightenment was the order of the day. Bajia was born on 14th of September in 1930 in Hyderabad, Deccan to a highly literary family that hailed from Badyun. Family arrived in Karachi a week after the demise of the Quaid-eAzam. Interestingly, the large family including her great-grandmother, grandparents, parents, Bajia herself and her nine younger siblings, disembarked at the Keamari Port in Karachi with baggage inclusive of 80,000 books. This was a very hard time for her family. Bajia stood resolute in the face of the humungous challenges and led her siblings search for a new life. She started making dolls, and later designed and embroidered clothes to keep the kitchen fire burning. Ultimately, she emerged as a remarkable playwright and much loved respected sister and mentor. To several others she was a motherly figure and a source of guidance and comfort. Bajia has more than 300 plays for children, women and general public to her credit. Naushaba Burney Fatima Surayya Bajia She was a very able playwright who was portrayed culture with all its intricacies and conflicts. Inspired by A.R.Khatoon, she upheld the traditions of the so-called social novels written in the Pre-partition era. Her characters were larger than life and loved by her audience. Bajia’s plays showed exhaustive rounds of complex worlds filled with interplaying family connections exposed to pressures brought on by education and collapsing of the feudal system. Her plays exhibited a life that was attractive yet which also encouraged reform in society. Her most prominent serials included Shama, Afshan, Ana and Aagahi. Additionally, not many knew of her strong fascination with Japanese literature. She wrote poetry in the Japanese-style Haiku, and claimed to have popularized it. A lot of Japanese short stories and novels were adapted by her into Urdu stage plays. This wonder lady had a special talent for creating musical programmes. Sakal bin phool was one of her most loved musical programmes. This had songs written seven hundred years back by Amir Khushru. All in all, she was a much loved, much admired creative genius who will be missed by many in all walks of life. ourHeritage 53 The Sweetness of Gur By: Daud Zia The sweetness in life comes not from gold nor from a flashy city life; it comes from tasting a piece of gur. No doubt, gur is the golden queen of Pakistan. Have you ever wondered why does one find villagers in Pakistan to be so sweet tongued and good natured? Why do we find them so sweet natured and so kind? It is gur that makes them so. Making gur and then eating it makes their lives sweet and so does it make the lives of city dwellers sweet when they get to taste it. Making of gur from sugar cane juice in Pakistan is an age old tradition. 54 ourHeritage Families upon families have been involved with this art for ages. It is taught to their younger ones as soon as they can talk and walk. Villagers involved with making of gur feel proud of owning this art since this is no small craft and one that takes up a lot of effort and hard work. Technically speaking, gur is a concentrated product of cane juice in which the molasses and crystals have not been separated. The colour of the end product may vary from a shiny golden brown to dark brown. The making of gur is very common in most of the villages of Punjab. This natural sugar in its uncontaminated form goes through a unique process that involves several steps to get the beautiful final product. It must be understood that the process of gur making is natural and no chemicals are used in converting the syrup into gur. Gur making starts from crushing the long sugarcanes and gathering a large amount of syrup. After gathering the syrup, it is poured in the huge shallow round bottom containers. It is then boiled to two hundred degree Celsius until all the water from the syrup evaporates. At this stage, this mixture is continuously stirred with a ladle almost six foot long. This takes a lot of effort on the part of the workers and they might take turns stirring the liquid. This process continues until the water is evaporated and the syrup is reduced into a concentrated liquid. During this stage, the extra material, which is in the form of foam, is separated from the refined liquid. Later on, when the syrup is about to change its form to a paste, it is then transferred to another pot where it is cooled. After this, when it starts to solidify to a point where the semi-solid product can be rolled into small villagers as well as cities. A favourite for old and young alike, gur wallay chawal is served at parties and special occasions. Gur ki roti is another specialty in which gur is mixed up with the whole flour and then is fried in hot deep or shallow oil as per requirement. Then there is the Gur ka Halwa. This is also a sweet dish in which wheat flour, semolina (suji) and gur are mixed together to make a quick and tasty halwa. A cool drink prepared from gur is quite common in summers in the country. Specially prepared to prevent the heating effects of sun, this drink is made from gur cooled further with ice. lumps of coarse pieces, it is shaped into uneven balls by hand. The gur is now ready to be eaten or taken to the market to be sold. On a medical level, gur is referred to as medical sugar. This is because it has so many natural minerals and contains moderate amount of calcium, phosphorus, and zinc that helps to purify blood. Gur has rich amounts of iron in it as well. This aids to prevent anaemia in adults and younger ones alike. Apart from being eaten up in raw form, the final product forms the basis of several sweet dishes in the country. Gur wallay chawal (rice with gur in it) is a very popular dish in Pakistan. Made with a syrup of gur, this is a special delicacy made in Gur, the sweet substitute for sugar, is commonly used in every household in the villages of Pakistan. People like to use it in tea and other desserts. So next time, you wish to add a little more sweetness to your cup of life, pick up a piece of gur and mix it with your tea or sweet dish. You will certainly not be disappointed. As compared to plain sugar, gur is a compound of carbohydrates. Thus it is digested slowly and produces energy quite slowly so that the production of energy is done over a longer period of time without any harmful effects on the human body. It is also used to treat stomach infections. ourHeritage 55 The UN Year Of By Maria Our world is faced with numerous momentous hurdles and issues, efforts are being made to address such concern on international observance periods that are established by the United Nations. On 30, Dec, 2013, the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses (IYP). The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has been nominated to declare and oversee it. This observance has paved the way for celebrating the importance of the protein, fiber and micronutrient rich pulses and legumes such as dry beans, dry peas, chickpeas, lentils and more. It helps in raising awareness of the role of pulses in eradicating hunger from world. It will help in perpetuating the efforts towards sustainability, health and a nutritious diet. The FAO plans to educate people about the benefits and value of the legumes and establishing that they are a much reliable source of food. Food production system of corporations will be facilitated so they may accommodate the use of these proteins on a grand scale, ultimately it will also help improve trade in pulses and crop rotation. 56 ourHeritage The IYP 2016 will help to highlight the pulses as a primary source of nutrients and protein. IYP Conferences and Broad discussions will be held at both regional and global level to find new and innovative ways to cultivate and grow the legumes and help pulse farmers to understand how to combat the challenges regularly faced by them. This year offers abundant opportunities to minimize the environmental footprint by altering nitrogen levels in soil thus improving the soil quality. Production of pulses emits only 5 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with beef production. According to studies, one serving of chickpeas contains 1.5 times as much iron as a 3-ounce serving of steak; this makes pulses an excellent source of protein available at much cheaper prices as compared to other sources. Developing countries can greatly benefit from improvements in pulse productivity, in addition the legumes are water efficient, and the plants in turn enrich the soil, minimizing the need for chemical fertilizers. It is believed that pulses have enormous potential to combat health conditions such as diabetes and obesity. FAO director-General, Jose Graziano da Silva states, “Pulses are important food crops for the food security of large proportions of populations, particularly in Latin America, Africa and Asia, where pulses are part of traditional diets and often grown by small farmers,”UN secretary General believes that pulses can contribute significantly in addressing hunger, malnutrition and human health. Organizations across the world are putting in their effort to make IYP a success, they hope the collaborations, festivals and discussion will bring about awareness, improvement in productivity and the methods used. The World Vegetable Center (AVRDC) is focusing on the promotion of mungbean in Pakistan. Pulse Canada is researching how the legumes will pave the way for improvement in the farming sector. From its base in Washington, D.C., HarvestPlus in Washington D.C is gearingup to tackle iron deficiencies by co-operating with farmers, NGOs and research institutes to start production of iron-biofortified beans A conference in New York, where experts in various field such as agriculture, nutrition, food policy, public health got together and conducted studies on the scientific potential of pulses. The India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA) has taken an allencompassing approach which helps with production and distribution of. The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), a research organization of the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), will make efforts in promoting the potential of the protein through a monthly blog series in Africa. Various festivals are to be held during the year in various parts of the world to celebrate The Year of Pulses, some are as follows: » díadelalenteja De Tierra de Campos is an event to celebrate a particular variety of lentils from the north of Spain. tannins found in them. This signals that they may be an effective agent in warding off serious diseases such as cancer. It also decreases the risk » Sri Lanka’s importers of various cardiovascular diseases, in affiliation with the Essential helps in reducing blood pressure, Commodity Importers and positively affects platelet activity and Trade Association will hold controls inflammation. Pulses have a festival to celebrate the year a low glycemic index and this helps of pulses on February 15th in maintaining healthy insulin and glucose levels. Progressive research Benefits of pulses studies show that the consumption patterns of aging populations which Pulses are grown and used include pulses in the diet may have throughout the world. They have further beneficial effects on health. been consumed for over 10,000 From all the facts at hand it can be years. There is undoubtedly an clearly deduced that inclusion of economic and nutritional value to these humble beans and lentils in these energy packed food sources. the diet is a healthy way to meet They provide fiber and protein along dietary recommendations, it is not with various vitamins. They are only high in nutritional value but can enriched with minerals such as zinc, also serve as a cheaper alternative iron and magnesium. Consuming a to other more popular and expensive handful quantity of beans daily can sources of proteins and minerals. It greatly affect health in a positive can also greatly reduce the struggles way. Pulses are also a source of of food shortage many developing anti-oxidants and possess antior conflict burdened countries face carcinogenic properties due to the today. phytochemicals, saponins, and Jerry Coleby-Williams, Alison Alexander and for the first time, Glen Barratt » The event will be hosted by a group of Spanish restaurants which will include lentils in its menus on March 11th 2016.It is promoted by the official regulatory board of the I.G.P Lenteja de Tierra de Campos. » On May 1, the UK National Committee is hosting the London Falafel Festival, Falafel competitions will be held between various food vendors. Daniel Young will promote the event which is planned as an outdoor food celebration. » Australia’s Felton Food Festival is scheduled to be held on October 4. It is renowned for its mung beans and chickpea crops. It will be a fun filled event that will keep guests entertained. Special guests include Costa Georgiadis, Matt Golinski, ourHeritage 57 FROM TO JAMRUD TURKHAM Dr. Babur Zahiruddin Bab-e-Khyber is a monument which stands at the entrance of the Khyber Pass in (FATA). It also is a historical land mark of N.W.F.P and now K.P.K, and is a pride for K.P.K citizens. Worth mentioning spot after you leave the Bab-e-Khuber is Teddy Bazzar. Why it is called teddy bazaar is another interesting folklore which could not be authenticated by me despite my inquiry and interaction with the locals. I visited Peshawar and Khyber agency in connection with the survey for branches of a bank and my journey took me to Khyber agency which I revisited after more than 46 years. We started our journey early in the morning from Shahkas, the traffic was light and our speed was good. This road has recently been built by F.W.O and is a mettle road, more than 60 feet wide on which you can drive in the cruising gear above 80 Kms per hour. The first check post that comes on this road is at Takhta Baig where the settled area of K.P.K finishes 58 ourHeritage and Frontier Region Khyber agency starts. You have to cross the Jamrud Nallah and go through Bab–e–Khuyber (Gate way of Khyber) with the overlooking Jamrud Fort on the right. Jamrud is located at an altitude of 1512 ft, above sea level and is 10.2 miles from Peshawar city and continues to be of strategic significance. Jamrud was conquered by Sikhs in 1836 and Sardar hari Singh Nalwa the well-known Sikh general, built this fort, it was also known as Fatehgarh. The folklore goes like this that about five decades ago when the borders with Afghanistan were open and there was free trade between the two countries, the busiest shopping point was Landikotal. There was very strict customs checking after Landikotal hence the cloth was smuggled on horseback through mountainous mule tracks and brought to this place which is now called Teddy bazaar as in those days the fashion of tight pants and shirts was very common hence this place came to be known as teddy bazaar. This is the biggest Cloth Market depot in Pakistan from where cloth from all over the world comes to this place and then made in to railway tracks and bridges by floods. For a distance you can see a very big dome like structure which is the Khyber Gulwali Stupa on the Hillock, the information about the historical aspects of this Stupa are lacking. After crossing the Stupa the next point is Charwasgai which is a bigger hamlet. Finally you reach the Landikotal cantonment area from where the road forks and on one side leads to the Khyber Rifle Mess which has got historical land marks in it and on the right side is the cantonment area and you take the bypass road and go towards Landikotal bazaar. smaller lots and sent to the rest of Pakistan for resale. On the right side a little after teddy bazaar is the shrine of Shabnam Wali Baba Ziarat which is held very sacred by the orthodox and religious locals. Next is Sur Qamar a small hamlet after which you cross the Bagiari check post which is over a small Nallah and the majestic structure of Shagai Fort welcomes you on your way. Shagai Fort was built by British forces in 1927 to oversee the Khyber Pass and to house the Khyber Rifles, and is today used by the Pakistan Army. Parangsum which in the local language means Cheetah as towards the beginning of the 17th century this area was full of wild animals in which Cheetah was in abundance. Landikotal traditionally marks the entrance to Afghanistan. It is the highest point along the pass and is a tourist destination due to the historic Khyber Pass. The beauty of this road is that the broad gauge railway line from Peshawar to Landikotal closely runs parallel to this road on the right side which passes through about 34 tunnels which may be a record at such a height and was opened on November 3, 1925. Back in 1960 this was the first port of call by all the Begum’s and youngsters who used to throng to this shopper’s paradise for shopping. The irony of fate is that this railway line which was once the envy of tourists and pride of Pakistan railways is in a deplorable and dilapidated condition. It was closed in 2006 due to washing away of Another historical turning point was the great fire somewhere in the 80’s when Landikotal bazaar was completely gutted by the blazing inferno. After you have crossed Landikotal the road zigzags and finds a descent down wards when on the left side of the road after two ravines you can A very interesting phenomenon here is that the drinking water to this fort is brought by pipes all the way from Warsak Dam via the Katta Kishta route. The drive beyond this point is a small incline as you traverse this road to climb up to Shamshad Pahari (Hillock) and Ali Masjid comes on your right side. The road from Jamrud to Turkham is full of check posts due to security reasons and next check post is ourHeritage 59 see a small citadel like structure which is called the Kassab Khana or Phansi ghat where prisoners were sent to the gallows. The locals say that it was built by Taimor Lung during his reign but I could not find any corroborative evidence. The next important landmark is the Michini Fort which is now the home of the Frontier Constabulary unit by the name of Khyber Rifles which is preserved in its original condition and maintained by the Khyber Rifles regiment. Fishing enthusiasts interested in fishing will find Michni Fort area as an angler’s paradise. The mountains on the side are the Tatara Mountains which are about 3500 to 4500 feet high which have the small town of Michni Charbag and the bye pass of landikotal meets at this place and you have the water filtration plant at Landikhana short of Turkham. A very interesting historical point is that at this filtration plant, Mineral Water is processed and exported abroad and the place where the filtration plant is situated in called 60 ourHeritage Gurk Khula. We were now at a vantage point from where we could see the valley down below which was full of trucks busses and other forms of transportation as they were lined up for export to Afghanistan. To the front is the great border crossing between and Pakistan and Afghanistan where small hand driven carts come and go from either side carrying with them veiled women and children along with their belongings as a easy mode of transpiration between the two countries. On the right side perched high up on a hill like a sentinel is Piquet No. 02 which now belongs to Pakistan and is also called the water piquet because this was exchanged with Afghanistan in return for water provided to the Afghan Piquet and the Afghan Turkham area. A very interesting phenomenon occurs here in this border area that most of your mobiles give this message welcome to Afghanistan by Ehtisalat as the phones catch Afghanistan mobiles system and go on roaming. Beware don’t use your phones as your balance will be eaten up due to the roaming charges. The ministry of tourism and the archeology department must take special interest in this area to open up new vistas of foreign and domestic tourism. ourHeritage 61 Amir Abbasi Executive Chef Islamabad Marriott Hotel Interview By: Sundus Tauqeer Amidst the hissing sound of the oil in the frying pan ready to crack the skin of potato wedges and the smell of onions being caramelized stands Chef Ammir Abbasi in his double breasted jacket and a chef hat with the label “Executive Chef” distinctly manifested on the front of his jacket. He stands in his kitchen, majestically like an enchanter, working his magic on each and every dish that the Chef puts his hands on. From his childhood, living in the beautiful hills of Murree in Pakistan the Chef’s father having an army background wanted his only son to go in the army, the chef however had other plans. As soon as he would get the whiff of clean linen and food being set up on the table signifying the arrival of guests, the chef would earnestly be seen in the kitchen learning how each and every dish was being prepared intrigued by what happens in the kitchen paying attention to the intricate details that nobody could expect from a boy of his age. 62 ourHeritage Thus starting his career in the food industry way before joining a restaurant professionally experimenting with new colors and tastes, mixing and matching tantalizing the taste buds of whoever dared savoring his hand cooked meals. Over the 17 years of his career, Aamir Abbasi has worked with the most prominent dignitaries of the culinary world at exclusive hotels and restaurants such as JW Marriot Dubai, OB Foods- Café Aylanto – Pakistan, United Nations Club Islamabad, Tamimi Global TAFGA- KSA, Pearl Continental Hotels Pakistan, Park Hyatt Jeddah and Tawadu International- Jeddah. His expertise lies in Pakistani, Italian, Seafood, Mediterranean and Fusion cuisines. He has played a significant role in innovating many contemporary restaurant cuisines, his current project for developing Pakistani cuisine as “Modern Pakistani Cuisine” speaks for itself. He has a HACCP training certification from SGS and Basic Food Hygiene certification from Dubai under Chartered Institute of Environmental Health UK by Johnson Divercy. he only learnt how to sing the A for apple B for ball song when he was in 6th Grade. He stresses that education is important but passion, patience and hard work can beat the odds! These were the ingredients to his success. Being able to cook the most complicated of dishes the Chef himself finds his personal favorite to be the very simple Daal Gosht It doesn’t end here. Chef Aamir is also a senior member of ‘’Emirates Culinary Guild” UAE and Associate Member of Chef’s Association of Pakistan. Amongst his many achievements, Chef was awarded “Young Talent Award” in 2010 by the Chef’s Association of Pakistan. He is also the member of Saudi Arabian Chef Table Circle (SACTC) and was nominated for best recipe award in 2009 from north region by UNILEVER Pakistan. Chef Aamir Abbasi has been awarded recently as “Campaign Chef of the Year 2016’’ by UNILEVER Pakistan. Becoming a good chef can be a plausible choice if you have the right personality” says the Chef while explaining the constant pressure the chefs have to bear in the kitchen standing on their feet for long hours, surviving hot fumes, cuts and burns, working on weekends, holidays and almost every other time when it’s a holiday for the rest of the world. He however finds himself to be the only chef who finds his way back in the kitchen only a few hours after going home, states the passion driven Chef. When asked about his education, the Chef laughed it off explaining that when he listens to his kids sing the ABC song, he finds it funny because prepared by his mother. He calls his mother and asks her to prepare his favorite dish anticipating the delicious aroma hours before he has even reached his home town. However on an average weekend, the Chef likes to dine at his all-time favorite restaurant Ziggolini’s at the Marriot to relish the Risotto. ourHeritage 63 Lowari Top By: Imran Shah Chitral is connected to Peshawar and Islamabad through Lowari pass, a high mountain pass , located almost at 3000 m (10, 500 feet), that is closed in winters due to heavy snowfall from December till end of April. 64 ourHeritage prime minster Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and inaugrated on the 8th of September 1975 but in 1976 with the change of government, the work on the tunnel was stopped. It is a 8.5 Km long tunnel and its completion would reduce the 14 hours road travel to Peshawar as well as it would also provide with the all weather accessbility to south Pakistan, that is not accessible during the winter months through the pass. Lowari pass was the only crossing for all the traffic between Chitral and south Pakistan so the locals in winters, when the pass is closed, they used to make it by foot and often fallen prey to deadly avalanches, so many precious lives were spared while crossing this cold hell. Lowari pass is also known as Hell road among the truck drivers who move across the pass with their bedford trucks, on the perilous zig-zags of the pass. Peshawar. Untill 2005, in winters when the pass was under heavy snow, the locals had to cross it by foot or to travel across Kunar province of Afghanistan and the hostile tribal region of Bajaur and Mohmand agencies, in order to reach Peshawar and Islamabad. In 2005, the pending work on Lowari tunnel was restarted, as a matter of fact, the Lowari tunnel project was inititated by the former Pakistan Lowari pass played a significant role during the Great Game days, especially the famous Chitral fort siege also known as Chitral expedition, when Chitral fort was besieged by a Pushtoon invader “ Umra Khan” from Afghanistan, the fort was relieved through Lowari pass from Peshawar and Shandoor pass from Gilgit by Colonel James Kelly. Chitral, the north western remote corner of Khyber Phuktunkhwa province of Pakistan, famous for its beautiful mountain peaks, scenic valleys and the ancient Kalash tribes, living in the 3 Kalash valleys, for centuries. Chitral is a famous tourist destination among the foreign tourists as well the tourists from south Pakistan , who resort to the region to enjoy the scenic beauty, serenity and peace, however, the region is very busy during the festival days of Kalash tribes, who live in the 3 valleys of Kalash, some 45 Km drive from the main town. On the other hand, the foriegn tourists visit Chitral for climbing and trekking, as a matter of fact, Chitral is blessed with high mountain peaks, that attract the foreign and locals trekkers and climbers, so Lowari pass is the only passage for them, while coming from Islamabad and ourHeritage 65 66 ourHeritage ourHeritage 67 68 ourHeritage ourHeritage 69 70 ourHeritage ourHeritage 71 72 ourHeritage ourHeritage 73 74 ourHeritage