Thursday, 14 April 2011

Daska Citie of Pakistan

 
Daska  

Daska is a growing industrial city with a population of around 300,000 in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The town is the capital of Daska Tehsil one of four tehsils of Sialkot District. It is located at 32°19'60N 74° 20' 60E 

Name


The name Daska is said to be a distortion of "Dah Kos". The term "Dah" is the Persian word for the numeral ten, and "Kos" refers to a unit of distance used in Mughal times. The town was situated some ten "Kos" between neighbouring Gujranwala, Sialkot, Pasrur, Wazirabad and Sambrial, hence Dah Kos became Das Kos in the local Punjabi language, later shortened to Daska.The principal Jatt clans of Daska and its environs include the Jatt, Mughal, Sahi, Maher, Ghumman, Nagra, Wahla, Basra, Kang, Goraya, Bajwa,Cheema and Randhawa. The Jatts are said to have originated from Scythian invaders from Central Asia. Some people have wrongly confused Jatts with Chaudries which is simply an honorific given to land owners.The Mughals are also there, they have major role in the manufacturing industry of daska.The Rajputs are represented in the local population mostly by Khokhars and Rana's. From Middle Ages, some Ghauris, originally from Afghanistan and having Hazara roots are also inhabitants of this area. A large number of Pathan (Kakars) and Afghan descendents of early ages, who had been living in Indian part of Punjab, migrated to Pakistan; and a good number of these people are living in Daska and around though it is hard to distinguish them by the language, as all of them are deeply integrated into Punjabi culture and so speak Punjabi as their mother tongue. A large numbers of Kashmiris, Maliks, Gujjars, and Thaheem are part of local population. A number of Biharis from Eastern India have reached here and have settled down as locals since 1971 and some Afghan refugees have also made this area as their home late 70's after Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. This makes Daska a land of all colours where all are living in examplery harmony. In fact Daska may be taken as a role model for the rest of the countryThe local dialect of Punjabi is the Western or Northern Dialect akin to that spoken in Sialkot. A native speaker from Daska and Sialkot District will easily recognize another native speaker of the area due its rhythmic melodious sound, the use of several distinct words and aspects of syntax.The name Daska sounds very familiar in Serbian (Croatian, Macedonian) and means batten or sill. This is maybe in connection to Alexander the Great (Alexander III of Macedon).
History
 Before the independence of Pakistan in 1947, the city of Daska was under British colonial rule. Daska became famous largely due to the exploits of Jagga Daku who was an admired rebel leader and outlaw fighting against British Imperial rule. In the Punjab he came to be admired as a hero to the masses because of his brave stand against the European rulers. Much like Robin Hood, he would loot from the wealthy and redistribute this wealth to poorer sections of society. Most of the wealthy in the area around Daska were native collaborators of the colonial British. Jagga has a prominent place in Punjabi poetry because of his bravery and generosity.Daska's role in the organized freedom movement is well documented. The nascent sense of nationalism among Punjabi Muslims evolved in the area. The people of the Punjab were a mixture of races and peoples who had been part of a number of kingdoms and territories over the course of history. The area around Daska had been part of Alexander the Great's Greek Empire, Persia's grand Khorasan, the Turkic Mughal Empire and most recently the rule of Sikhs before the arrival of the colonial British. The panoply of peoples living around Daska bear living testament to its storied past. The British Indian Empire added these people to its realm in the latter half of the 19th century unlike other parts of the British Raj which were under British rule from as early as the 17th century. The local people around Daska, especially the majority Muslim population, related little to the Indian National Congress which was primarily a party of the Hindu majority in peninsular India. It became clear that with the departure of the British, the recreation of a Mughal Empire or Muslim dominated state in South Asia was not in the cards. Daska embraced the cause of the Muslim League which was furthering the struggle of native Muslims in an independent state. The first meeting of the Muslim League in Daska was held on April 13, 1942 at Mian Lal Dian and Mian Jalal Din Ghumman's house in Mohallah Altaf Garaha.
The city has gained a measure of prominence due the large number of products which are produced there, including agricultural machines, sporting goods, musical instruments and surgical goods. The area around the city is well known for farming and cottage industries.
Mooranwalee Kothi (Peacock mansion) is a distinctive building in Daska. It was built during the 1930s by a prominent Sikh family who later migrated to India in 1947. For many decades, the building was famous in the region for its grandeur, gardens and of course peacocks. 

 Transportation 
The city is accessible by road from all major cities. The nearest railway station is about 17 km (11 mi) away (Sambrial railway station).  
Sialkot-Lahore motorway route map
A link road for Daska is also proposed for Sialkot Lahore Motorway. The proposed motorway will start from the Mehmood Booti side of the Lahore ringroad and will end near Sambrial on the Sialkot-Wazirabad road. On the way, it will serve the cities and towns of Kala Khatai, Muridke, Narowal, Gujranwala, Eminabad, Pasrur, DASKA, Sambrial and Wazirabad. A link to Motorway M-2 near Kala Shah Kaku is also proposed to connect it to the network of motorways. The project will be completed within 30 months. The big one cosultant company of the Pakistan NESPAK(national engineering services Pakistan) make its design and give alignment hope that this company also supervise road construction and length of this motorway is near about 85 km daska is a wellknown for its light agriculture machinery and auto spare parts,
A Sialkot-Lahore motorway is under construction as part of the overall vision of the NHA, National Highway Authority. Locals would like to see the linkage of Sialkot Daska and Gujranwala through a rail service which would run alongside the motorway. A 6-lane motorway from Sialkot to Lahore, the two important industrial centers of Punjab, is under construction which will give impetus to economic activities in the province. NHA recognizes this motorway as M11, however it is also known as LSM, SLM, Lahore-Sialkot Motorway or Shahrah-e-Sanat (Industrial highway). Gujrat will be linked with the Sialkot Lahore Motorway (SLM) by constructing a bridge on the Chenab river near Shahbazpur. It will reduce the distance between Sialkot and Lahore to just 45 minutes. The purpose of the mega project is to facilitate export of products grown or produced in Punjab which will have a positive impact on the country’s economy. The project will be completed by the end of 2010. The Eastbound exit at junction 2 will lead directly to Daska. 
Sialkot International Airport
Sialkot International Airport is the closest airport, 15 km away from the city centre. It currently handles only cargo but passenger flights are planned to start at the end of 2009. On September 28, 2007, Airblue operated its first test flight to Sialkot. The aircraft was an A321, (AP-BJB) with more than 30 passengers on the route between Jinnaj and Sialkot.
Pakistan International Airline (PIA) has announced its tentative flight schedule for flights between Islamabad-Sialkot-Islamabad. PIA started initially three flights weekly between Islamabad-Sialkot-Islamabad.

 


 


 


 

Monday, 11 April 2011

Vehari the Agri based city of Pnjab province

Vehari is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The city, which is the capital of the district and tehsil of the same name is located at an altitude lies about 100 kilometres from the regional metropolis of Multan and about 25 kilometres north of the river Satluj . the southernmost of the five rivers of the Punjab region. A headworks of canals is located on this river near Luddan on the Luddan-Vehari canal providing irrigation water to both banks of the river, which includes the upper fringes of the Cholistan Desert.

Agriculture

Vehari is known to be city of Cotton. The summer in Vehari is very hot, but the weather becomes much more pleasant between October and February. Light rainfall leaves the land generally arid and dusty, but the country's agricultural products include mangoes in the summer and guava and other citrus fruits in the winter. Vehari is considered the capital of cotton growing in this part of Pakistan, with dozens of cotton processing factories and cottonseed oil manufacturing plants, and sugarcane farming and processing is also common.

Transport

Vehari is located on the southern alternate route of both railway and road between Multan and Lahore, the capital of the Punjab province of Pakistan. The northern route is the main route. Both of these routes run roughly in a northeasterly direction, almost parallel to each other and only 20 to 30 miles apart at any given point. A section of the railway between Multan and Lahore is electrified on the main line between Khanewal and Lahore. The Vehari route goes to Lahore through the famous religiously renowned city of Pakpattan, where the Sufi Saint Fariduddin Ganjshakar is buried. Thousands of pilgrims come annually to Pakpattan for the saint's Urs celebration which include all sorts of festivities. Baba Fareed's poetry has been included in the religious texts of the Sikh religion.

Notable people

  • Mian Mumtaz Daultana(late), was an active member of Pakistan Movement, 2nd Chief Minister of Punjab.
  • Mian Khurshid Anwar (late), was the founder of Vehari District.
  • Tehmina Daultana, a renowned activist of Pakistan Muslim League (N), an X-minister of State.
  • Waqar Younis Maitla, former captain of Pakistan Cricket team.
  • Waseem Ahmed former captain of Pakistan National Hockey Team.
  • Major Tufail Mohammad Shaheed 2nd Nishan-e-Haider
  • Mian Taj ul Malook Qureshi(late)Ex Deputy Commissoner Sheikhupura,was the Land lord of Vehari,active member ofPakistan Muslim League (N)

Thursday, 7 April 2011

Lahore the second largest city in Pakistan

Lahore  is the capital of the Pakistan province of Punjab and the second largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi. The city lies along the Ravi River, situated approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) from Wagah border crossing and is 32 kilometres (20 mi) from the Indian city of Amritsar.
Historically, Lahore has been a center of cultural heritage for many civilizations. It successively served as regional capital of the empires of the Shahi kingdoms in the 11th century, the Ghaznavids in the 12th century, the Ghurid State in the 12th and 13th century, the Mughal Empire in the 16th century, the Sikh Empire in the early 19th century, and it was the capital of the Punjab region under the British Raj in the mid 19th and early 20th century. The traditional capital of Punjab for a thousand years, Lahore was the cultural center of Northern India extending from Peshawar to New Delhi Mughal structures such as the Badshahi Mosque, the Lahore Fort, Shalimar Gardens, and the mausolea of Jehangir and Nur Jehan are popular tourist attractions for the city. Lahore is also home to many British colonial structures built in the Mughal-Gothic style, such as the Lahore High Court, the General Post Office, Lahore Museum and many older universities including the University of the Punjab. The Lahore Zoo, world's third oldest zoo, is also situated here.
Lahore is also referred to as the cultural heart of Pakistan as it hosts most of the arts, cuisine, festivals, film making, music, gardening and intelligentsia of the country. Lahore is also known for its affiliation with poets and artists; it has the largest number of educational institutions in the country and some of the finest gardens in the continent. It is also an important religious center as it is a home to many temples, mosques and shrines like Data Durbar Complex.According to the 1998 census, Lahore's population was 6,318,745. A mid-2006 government estimate now puts the population at approximately 10 million. It is ranked 40 in the most populated urban areas in the world and the 8th largest city within the Organization of the Islamic Conference. In 2008, Lahore was ranked as a city with High Sufficiency to become a Gamma world city. In 2010 it was ranked by The Guardian as the 2nd Best Tourist Destination in Pakistan.

Origins

A legend based on oral traditions holds that Lahore, known in ancient times as Lavapuri ("City of Lava" in Sanskrit), was founded by Prince Lava or Loh, the son of Rama, the Hindu deity, while Kasur was founded by his twin brother Prince Kusha.To this day, Lahore Fort has a vacant temple dedicated to Lava (also pronounced Loh, hence Loh-awar or "The Fort of Loh").
Ptolemy, the celebrated 2nd-century Egyptian astronomer and geographer, mentions in his Geographia a city called Labokla situated on the route between the Indus River and Palibothra, or Pataliputra (Patna) mostly, in a tract of country called Kasperia (Kashmir). It was described as extending along the rivers Bidastes or Vitasta (Jhelum), Sandabal or Chandra Bhaga (Chenab), and Adris or Iravati (Ravi). This city may have been ancient Lahore.
The oldest authentic document about Lahore was written anonymously in 982. It is called Hudud-i-Alam (The Regions of the World). In 1927 it was translated into English by Vladimir Fedorovich Minorsky and published in Lahore. In this document, Lahore is mentioned as a shehr or town inhabited by infidels "impressive temples, large markets and huge orchards." It refers to "two major markets around which dwellings exist," and it also mentions "the mud walls that enclose these two dwellings to make it one." The original document is currently held in the British Museum. Lahore was called by different names throughout history. To date there is no conclusive evidence as to when it was founded. 
Some historians trace the history of the city as far back as 4000 years ago. However, historically, it has been proved that Lahore is at least 2,000 years old. Hieun-tsang, the famous Chinese pilgrim has given a vivid description of Lahore which he visited in the early parts of the 7th century AD. Lying on the main trade and invasion routes to South Asia, Lahore has been ruled and plundered by a number of dynasties and hordes.

Mughal Era

Lahore reached the zenith of its glory during the Mughal rule from 1524 to 1752. The Mughals, who were famous as builders, gave Lahore some of its finest architectural monuments, many of which are extant today.

From 1524 to 1752, Lahore was part of the Mughal Empire. Lahore grew under emperor Babur; from 1584 to 1598, under the emperors Akbar the Great and Jahangir, the city served as the empire's capital. Lahore reached the peak of its architectural glory during the rule of the Mughals, many of whose buildings and gardens have survived the ravages of time. Lahore's reputation for beauty fascinated the English poet John Milton, who wrote "Agra and Lahore, the Seat of the Great Mughal" in 1670. During this time, the massive Lahore Fort was built. A few buildings within the fort were added by Akbar's son, Mughal emperor Jahangir, who is buried in the city. Jahangir's son, Shahjahan Burki, was born in Lahore. He, like his father, extended the Lahore Fort and built many other structures in the city, including the Shalimar Gardens. The last of the great Mughals, Aurangzeb, who ruled from 1658 to 1707, built the city's most famous monuments, the Badshahi Masjid and the Alamgiri Gate next to the Lahore Fort.
During the 17th century, as Mughal power dwindled, Lahore was often invaded, and government authority was lacking. The great Punjabi poet Baba Waris Shah said of the situation, "khada peeta wahy da, baqi Ahmad Shahy da" — "we have nothing with us except what we eat and wear, all other things are for Ahmad Shah". Ahmad Shah Durrani captured remnants of the Mughal Empire and had consolidated control over the Punjab and Kashmir regions by 1761.
The 1740s were years of chaos, and the city had nine different governors between 1745 and 1756. Invasions and chaos in local government allowed bands of warring Sikhs to gain control in some areas. The Sikhs were gaining momentum at an enormous rate. In 1801, the twelve Sikh misls joined into one to form a new empire and sovereign Sikh state ruled by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Sikh reign

Samadhi of Ranjit Singh
During the late 18th century, frequent invasions by Ahmad Shah Abdali and the Durrani Empire led to a lack of governance in the Punjab region. The Sikh Misls began to gain territory and eventually the Bhangi Misl captured Lahore. When Zaman Shah invaded Punjab again in 1799 Ranjit Singh was able to make gains in the chaos. He defeated Zaman in a battle between Lahore and Amritsar. The citizens of Lahore, encouraged by Sada Kaur, offered him the city and he was able to take control of it in a series of battles with the Bhangi Misl and their allies. Lahore served as the capital city of the Sikh Empire. While much of Lahore's Mughal era fabric lay in ruins by the end of eighteenth century, rebuilding efforts under the Sikhs were shaped by and indebted to Mughal practice.
Ranjit Singh moved into the Mughal palace in Lahore's citadel. By 1812 he had mostly refurbished the city's defenses by adding a second circuit of outer walls that followed the outline of Akbar's original walls and were separated from them by a moat. The maharaja also partially restored Shah Jahan's decaying gardens at Shalimar [disambiguation needed], and British maps of the area surrounding Lahore dating from the mid-nineteenth century show that walled private gardens - many of them bearing the names of prominent Sikh nobles - continued in the Mughal pattern under Sikh rule. The Sikh court continued to endow religious architecture in the city, including a number of Sikh gurdwaras, Hindu temples, and mosques. In short, the decaying structures and architecture of Lahore was restored by the emperor. The Empire of the Sikhs was most exceptional in that it allowed men from religions other than their own to rise to commanding positions of authority. Besides the Sikh, Muslim and the Hindu feature as prominent administrators. The Christians formed a part of the

militia of the Sikhs.

British Raj

Maharajah Ranjit Singh made Lahore his capital and was able to expand the kingdom to the Khyber Pass and also included Jammu and Kashmir, while keeping the British from expanding across the River Sutlej for more than 40 years. After his death in 1839 the internecine fighting between the Sikhs and several rapid forfeitures of territory by his sons, along with the intrigues of the Dogras and two Anglo-Sikh wars, eventually led to British control of the Lahore Darbar ten years later. 
For the British, Punjab was a frontier province, because Lahore had boundaries with Afghanistan and Persia. Therefore, the Punjabis, unlike the Bengalis and the Sindhis, were not allowed to use their mother tongue as an official language. The British first introduced Urdu as an official language in Punjab including Lahore, allegedly due to a fear of Punjabi nationalism. Under British rule (1849–1947), colonial architecture in Lahore combined Mughal, Gothic and Victorian styles. Under British rule, Sir Ganga Ram (sometimes referred to as the father of modern Lahore) designed and built the General Post Office, Lahore Museum, Aitchison College, Mayo School of Arts (now the NCA), Ganga Ram Hospital, Lady Mclagan Girls High School, the chemistry department of the Government College University, the Albert Victor wing of Mayo Hospital, Sir Ganga Ram High School (now Lahore College for Women) the Hailey College of Commerce, Ravi Road House for the Disabled, the Ganga Ram Trust Building on Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam, and the Lady Maynard Industrial School. He also constructed Model Town, a suburb that has recently developed into a cultural center for Lahore's growing socioeconomic elite.
The GPO and YMCA buildings in Lahore commemorated the golden jubilee of Queen Victoria, an event marked by the construction of clock towers and monuments all over British India. Other important British buildings included the High Court, the Government College University, the museums, the National College of Arts, Montgomery Hall, Tollinton Market, the University of the Punjab (Old Campus) and the Provincial Assembly. Even today, Mall Road retains a variety of Gothic and Victorian style buildings built during the British Raj. At one end of The Mall stands the university, one of the most prestigious in Pakistan. The British also launched the city's first horse-racing club in 1924, starting a tradition that continues today at the Lahore Race Club.

Demographics

Population

According to the 1998 census, Lahore's population was 6,318,745. Mid-2006 government estimates put the population at somewhere around 10 million, which makes it the second largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi. It is considered to be one of the 30 largest cities of the world.

Language

Punjabi is the native language of the province and is the most widely spoken language in Lahore. Punjabi is the primary means of communication in both the city and adjoining rural areas. Punjabi has no official status in Lahore and some Punjabi activists has raised demands for recoginition of Punjabi. English has become increasingly popular with educated and younger people due to its official status in government and preferred language status for business. Many Punjabi speakers in Lahore are known as Majha Dialect Of Punjabi. According to the 1998 census, 86.2% or 6,896,000 of the population are Punjabis; 10.2% or 816,000 are Urdu speakers and the Seraikis, at 0.4%, number about 32,000

Culture

Lahore's culture is unique. Known as the Cultural Capital or Heart of Pakistan, the city was the seat of the Mughal Empire and the Sikh Empire as well as the capital of Punjab in Mahmud Ghaznavi's 11th century empire and in the British Empire.
Lahore has played an important role in Pakistani history. It was in this city that Pakistan's independence declaration was made. It was the largest city in the newly formed Pakistan at the time of independence and provided the easiest access to India, with its porous border near the Indian city of Amritsar only 30 miles (48 km) to the east. Large numbers of Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims lived closely in Lahore before the independence of Pakistan. The city suffered revolts, demonstrations and bloodshed at the time of independence due to the enmity between Muslims and Hindus at the time and the uncertainty which loomed over the fate of Lahore even after India and Pakistan became independent. Lahore's culture, its history, institutions, food, clothing, films, music, fashion, and liberal community lifestyle attract people from all over the country.
The people of Lahore celebrate many festivals and events throughout the year, blending Mughal, Western, and other traditions. Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha are celebrated. Many people decorate their houses and light candles to illuminate the streets and houses during public holidays; roads and businesses may be lit for days. The mausoleum of Ali Hujwiri, also known as Data Ganj Bakhsh or Data Sahib, is located in Lahore, and an annual  Urs is held every year as a big festival.
Basant is a Punjabi festival marking the coming of spring. Basant celebrations in Pakistan are centered in Lahore, and people from all over the country and from abroad come to the city for the annual festivities. Kite-flying competitions traditionally take place on city rooftops during Basant. Courts have banned the kite-flying because of casualties and power installation losses. The ban was lifted for two days in 2007, then immediately reimposed when 11 people were killed by celebratory gunfire, sharp kite-strings, electrocution, and falls related to the competition.
The Festival of Lamps, or Mela Chiraghan, is an important and popular event in Lahore. This is celebrated at the same time as Basant, every spring on the last Friday of March, outside the Shalimar Gardens.
The National Horse and Cattle Show is one of the most famous annual festivals, held in spring in the Fortress Stadium. The week-long activities include a livestock display, horse and camel dances, tent pegging, colourful folk dances from all regions of Pakistan, mass-band displays, and tattoo shows in the evenings. On August 14, the people of Pakistan celebrate the day Pakistan gained its independence from the British Raj. There are lots of celebrations in Lahore; the streets are full of people singing and dancing. Parades of the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force are held early in the morning. Concerts are held with many pop and classical singers.
The World Performing Arts Festival is held every autumn (usually in November) at the Alhambra cultural complex, a large venue consisting of several theatres and amphitheatres. This ten-day festival consists of musicals, theatre, concerts, dance, solo, mime, and puppetry shows. The festival has an international character, with nearly 80 percent of the shows performed by international performers. On average 15–20 different shows are performed every day of the festival.
Lahoris are known for their love of food and eating. While Lahore has a great many traditional and modern restaurants, in recent years Western fast food chains, such as McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Domino's Pizza, Subway Sandwiches, Dunkin Donuts, Nando's and Kentucky Fried Chicken have appeared all over the city. Recently the food streets in the historic locales of Lahore (Gawalmandi, Anarkali, and Badshahi) have attracted tourists. Food streets have undergone restorations and are cordoned off in the evenings for pedestrian traffic only; numerous cafés serve local delicacies under the lights and balconies of restored havelis (traditional residential dwellings). Some of the trendiest restaurants in Lahore are concentrated on the M M Alam Road in Gulberg. Here, dozens of high-class culinary outlets, ranging from Western franchises to traditional, ethnic, or theme restaurants, attract all classes of Lahore's citizens. New restaurants are constantly opening, and the business is extremely competitive. Many boisterous restaurants of Lahore are open late into the night. Some branches of Pizza Hut and McDonald's are open 24/7; McDonald's and KFC also offer a home delivery service. Lahore also boasts a unique restaurant housed in a 300-year-old Kothi-style dwelling of a famous artist which was once a brothel. At different times in the life of this property, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, and Muslim families have owned it. Another famous Lahore landmark is the Pak Tea House in Anarkali, long a favoured haunt of intellectuals and artists. Lahore remains a traditional center of Pakistani Chinese cuisine, demonstrated through the large presence and popularity of Chinese restaurants in the city.
The alleys and lanes of these bazaars are full of traditional wares like leather articles, embroidered garments, glass bangles, beaten gold and silver jewelry, and creations in silk. Anarkali is named after the famous courtesan of Akbar’s time, Anarkali (Pomegranate Blossom). The grave of Sultan Qutbuddin Aibak, who died falling off his horse while playing polo, is located in Anarkali on Aibak Road. Rang Mahal is part of old Lahore and today's houses a largest wholesale and retail cloth markets in Punjab. Lahore's technology markets include the Hall Road, Pakistan's largest electronics market adjacent to the Mall Road, and the Hafeez Centre, Asia's largest computer market, located on the Gulberg Main Boulevard. Pace, a shopping centre, is also located on the Main Boulevard beside the Hafeez Centre. Other well-known and popular shopping areas are the Liberty Market in Gulberg and at the Fortress Stadium, as well as malls in Gulberg, Model Town, M M Alam Road, and Cantonment. Apart from these, shopping areas are being developed in many of Lahore's new suburbs such as Bahria, Lake City, and Cantonment.
Lahore offers a variety of nighttime activities. There are popular shisha bars (offering the flavoured tobacco pipes commonly found in Middle Eastern nations), attractive food outlets, and musical concerts and shows. Alcohol is available to foreigners who request it at certain hotels, but is generally not sold in public. Lahoris are known for their exquisite taste in food, so the market has produced some of the most versatile, classy and inviting restaurants in the world. The blend of food and music at some uniquely expressive locales is exceptional. There are many shopping areas which remain open late into the night, offering an atmosphere of lively hustle and bustle (not to mention numerous bargains). There are scenic parks that are frequented by joggers, couples, children, students and seniors. Bagh-e-Jinnah (formerly known as Lawrence Gardens) is one such place; it has a large variety of gorgeous plants, trees, long and varied pathways and creative light effects. The younger crowd is generally more attracted to shops and restaurants near Gaddafi Stadium, Fortress Stadium and Gulberg. Most of the food chains are also here. The city has many significant connections with Sikhism and played an important part in the history of the Sikh Gurus. Guru Ram Das was born at Bazaar Chuna Mandi, Lahore in 1534 A.D. Guru Arjan Dev got the foundation stone of Harmandir Sahib, laid by a Muslim Saint Hazrat Mian Mir Ji of Lahore in December 1588. Guru Arjan met an untimely death when he was tortured on the orders of the Emperor Jahangir in 1606 in this city. The Gurdwara Dehra Sahib and the Ranjit Singh Samadhi are located in Lahore.

 



 

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Nawabshah (Sindh)

Nawabshah , or Shaheed Benazirabad, is a city in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is the capital of Shaheed Benazir Abad District (formerly Nawabshah District). It has a population of 1,279,825. 
Location,Geography and Climate
By road it is a 4 hours drive from Karachi to National Highway, Sakrand along the left bank of River Indus near Sakrand Taluka, Pakistan.
The city is famous for sugarcane and banana production. The climate is usually very hot and dry, with summer temperatures soaring as high as 51 degrees Celsius. Winters start late, around mid-November, lasting to around mid-February, with night-time temperatures often reaching 8 degrees Celsius. Temperatures below zero are very rare. The city is one of Pakistans hottest areas.
The highest temperatures each year in Pakistan, typically rising to above 50 °C (122 °F), are usually recorded in Nawabshah District and Sibbi from May to August. The climate is generally dry and hot, but sometimes the temperature falls to 0 °C (32 °F). On January 7, 2011 temperatures dropped to 4 °C (39 °F) in the city. 
Archeology
The mausoleum of Thul Mir Rukun is historical and archeological tomb is the property of Archeology Department Government of Sindh and is situated at 15 kilometers away from Daulatpur Taluka (Town). A road from Kazi Ahmed Town via Pabjo village leads to Thul Rukan to reach at this thousand years old archeological exemplary construction. The height of this tomb is 60 feet from ground level. Mr. Henry Cusin, the British Archeologist writes in his book "Sindh's Archeology" (Sindhi Translation "Sindh Ja Qadeem Aasaar" by Ata Muhammad Bhambro) that the bricks used in the construction of this tomb were made and prepared of Budhist Rulers' period. The line painting for the birth of Gaotam Budh was shown on the bricks clearly which are preserved and kept by the Sindh Archeological Department. He writes that the ornaments and small effigies and statues were also found when the ground was dug around the tomb.

Saturday, 26 March 2011

Tulamba

Tulamba : is a small city in Punjab, Pakistan. A native of Tulamba is referred to as a Tulmabvi. It's situated on the eastern edge of the Ravi River, between the cities of Abdul Hakeem and Mian Channu. Earlier it belonged to the district of Multan, but in 1985 Tulamba was included in the newly born district of Khanewal. Tulamba's population is nearly 50,000. Spoken language is Rachnavi Punjabi (also called Jangli).
History
Tulamba is more than 2500 years old. People say that Tulamba was here even in the era of Noah. Tulamba faced many armies as it was in the way to famous Multan. The forces coming from North and West had to pass from Tulamba to go to Multan.
On digging, five eras are discovered. The first era belongs to Moi tribe. The remaining four belong to Greek, Sasani, Budh, Hindu and Muslim civilizations. From Aplodots Sir Megas to Muhammad Ghauri, the coins of several governments were found here.
When Alexander the great invaded Indian Sub-Continent, he also came to Tulamba. In that time, Tulamba was ruled by Moi people. They were very brave and courageous, that's why Alexandar faced big difficulties here.
The ancestor of Mughals, Taimur-e-Lang also invaded Tulamba. At that time Tulamba was called Tulma.
The history of Muslims begins with Muhammad bin Qasim when he came to Tulamba in his way to Multan. The place from where he passed is now called Qasim Bazar.
Sher Shah Suri built a Fort right in the center of the city, whose boundary wall and some parts of the building are still present. The Girls High School and the offices of Town Committee are present in the Fort.
The ruins of older city are on a distance of one kilometre from the city. Though they are in a miserable condition due to rains and negligence, but their bricks are still visible. When Dr. Sayyed Zahid Ali Wasti visited Tulamba in 1967, he saw the ruins spread in the area of several miles. He saw a Fort with walls and a very high Tower. He saw a three thousand years old trench around the fort which was dig for the protection of the fort. He describes that walls were beautifully plastered with mud and floors were not solid. Yet most of his description is now unpredictable, because ruins are very much destroyed now.
Migrated Tribes from India. After partition of Sub continent, people from India came to Tulamba, Shorkot, Makhdoom Pur, Kassowal, almost all parts of Southern Punjab. These people who came from India mostly are muslims and agricultural professionals, their languages are rohtiki or heryanvi. They are Rajpoots and have any subcasts according to clan and tribes system in the subcontinent; Taga, Sarohi, Chohan, Rajpoot, Mdahr, Tooretc. Taga families are in majority in Tulamab. Also people from other casts; Chela,Hiraj Dogar, Mio Pathan(Khan,s) Blouch and clans migrated to Tulamba.
Tulamba is a historical place in Khanewal district. According to the district gazetteer of Multan, the present town appears to have been preceded by at least two previous sites, one of which was at the huge mound known as Mamu Sher, a mile or so to the southwest of the present town, and the other among the ruin which extends immediately to the west. According to some oral traditions, this was the place where Alexander had to face stiff resistance from the local people, and it was here that an arrow hit him which ultimately became the cause of his death on his way back to Athens.
The location on the east bank of the Ravi and the presence of ruins of a fort are a proof of the tradition. This place emerges in history many times. Many centuries later, it gave stiff resistance to Amir Temur while on his way to Delhi. According to his memoirs, he had halted here but was not welcomed by the local people for which they had to suffer at the hands of his commanders, Amir Shah Malik and Shaikh Mohammad who had slaughtered two thousand men who had taken refuge in the neighbouring jungles. Temur writes: "Amir and Shaikh slaughtered two thousands of these ill-fated Indians with their remorseless sabres, carrying off captives of their women and children." The city till 1947 was a stronghold of Brahmins who had resisted the invasion of Mahmood Ghaznavi. He plundered the city. For the fourth time, it was looted by Ahmad Shah Abdali in one of his incursions.
The city with such a glorious tradition of resistance against foreign invaders had produced a historian like Satya M. Roy who had to migrate to the Indian Punjab in 1947. She wrote a book on The Revolutionary Movements of the Punjab (1906–1946) which has been translated into Urdu by journalist Mahmood Zaman under the title, Punjab ki Inqalabi Tehreekein (published by Jamhoori Publications, Nila Gumbad, Lahore).
Geography and climate
Tulamba is situated on the eastern edge of river Ravi at the distance of 100Km from Multan. Its coordinates are following.
Longitude: 72°13'E
Latitude: 30°33'N
The climate of Tulamba is good. The summer season is very hot followed by a big series of rains. The winter season is very cool and often foggy. Overall the climate is good for living.

Culture, Lifestyle and Economy And Sports
Tulamba is a formal punjabi city. Usual dress is Shalwar Qameez, Dhoti (Tehband) is also popular. Old people keep Pagri or Safa on their head. All the houses are built with solid bricks and concrete. Lifestyle is modern, the use of electric and electronic equipments is common.
Major works are Farming and Trading. Many people are serving in Government in Private sector.
Popular sports are football, cricket , hockey and Kabadddi.
Crops, fruits and land ownership
The land of Tulamba is suitable for every crop. Crops include Wheat, Cotton, Sugarcane and vegetables. Fruits include Mango, Orange, etc.
There is no feudal system in Tulamba. People are free to have as much land as they want. Some people work themselves on their lands, others have workers employed to work on their lands. Near the tulamba there is a big Mango fruit farm of Mian Safdar Kamal sahu called Sahu Fruit Farm. That is very big farm it contains mangoes of different kinds and Qualities.
Around Tulamba crop land is very fertile especially in Kalupitra situated 8 km from Tulamba to the west. Here average yield of crops is very good. 3120 Kg of rice yield per acre has been recorded last year. Main crops are rice, wheat, corn, sugar cane, cotton including vegetables such as tomato, carrot, potato, raddish, cabbage, onion, bringal, ladyfinger, etc. People of Kalupitra are very hard working. They are very fond of agrifarming. Cattle farming is also very popular. Here a very good variety of buffaloes and cows is found with very good production of milk.

Friday, 25 March 2011

Pakistan - "Harmony in Diversity"


Commissioner-General of Pavilion: Masood KhanDesignThePavilion of Pakistan will be a 2000m2 replica of the iconic Lahore Fort of the city of Lahore, dating back to the year 1025 AD. The fort, rich in cultural significance andnationalimportance,has been designated a UNESCO world heritage site.Insidethepavilion, detailed multimedia presentations will allow visitors to experience the life of a typical Pakistani citizen.Traditional Pakistani dances will be performed, and visitors will also be able to enjoy Pakistani cuisine in the restaurant of the pavilion.Concept: The pavilion will merge various aspects of the best of Pakistan’s cities to showcase the country’s tradition and history, its culture and modernity. A special section of the pavilion will also be dedicated to the friendly relations between the people of Pakistan and China.