Pakistan is a rich and varied country in its own right. It is ancient and modern also. Besides the several historic and cultural sights that Pakistan has to offer, there is geographical and environmental diversity that makes Pakistan truly a destination for all seasons. Indeed Pakistan today presents a rich mosaic of nearly 60 centuries of continuous, eve changing history and culture in settings which range from the beaches of Karachi to the deserts of Thar and Cholistan, and from the green plains of the Punjab to the majestic and challenging mountains of the Hindukush, Himalayas and the Karakoram ranges. And then there are the cities, Peshawar, Lahore, Multan and Thatta, the folkloric histories of which have the ability to charm both the casual tourist as well as the visitor with special interest. The rich diversity that Pakistan offers the visitor is evident as you travel within Pakistan.
Visitors to Pakistan have often noted that in some places of the country you get the feeling that time has come to standstill since ages. In the gently undulating foothills of the mighty Karakorams and in the middle reaches of the towering Hindu Kush Mountains, there is a timeless beauty that is hard to surpass elsewhere. In these two mountain ranges you can experience a Pakistan version of the mythical Shangrila.
It is in these mountains that you have Gilgit, linked with China, in ancient times and in new, by the fabled Silk Route, the world’s highest oldest and toughest mountain road. This road was used for centuries by caravans from China which carried fabulous silk and other oriental merchandise to Arabia and Europe, Gilgit is also the place where the game of polo was born. Centuries ago it was played there at night with balls of fire. Today it is still played there at more or less the same site it has been played at far all these years. In these ranges too is Nanga Parbat, which at 26000 feet is one of the highest peaks in the world. Here too is the Khyber Pass, the route that most foreign invades used to enter the subcontinent from the North. Through this pass came at one time or another the might Mongols, the Turks, the Huns the Moghuls, and other.
The sense of history does not end there. In the foothills town of Chitral you will find that the inhabitants are the descendants of the Macedonians that rode with Alexander the Great when that great conqueror led his armies through the plains of Pakistan centuries ago. Here you will see the Kafir Kalas, called many a pagan tribe because they practice ancient Greak prayer rituals. But after a single look at the Kafirs you will say that this is the legendary land of health and beauty their unlined faces are just as serene at seventeen as at seventy. And all of this can be observed against the majestic backdrop of the 25290 feet high Trichmir Peak.
The reason that these regions in the north of Pakistan are said to be beyond the reach of time is that they are snowbound for most of the years, so modern life has not affected the way of life. In fact most of the inhabitants have not seen the outside world at all. Even the dialects they speak are all but extinct. To be there is indeed to take a trip beyond time, into land of great natural beauty and splendor.
Over the centuries the land that is now called Pakistan has been the cradle of many civilizations. The ruins at Harappa and Mohenjodaro are evidence of the high level of civilization of the people who lived there almost 5000 years also in the down, as it were of human history. Several centuries later, the Greeks led by the indomitable Alexander, left their footprints – indelibly as it turns out in the sands of north of Pakistan.
Soon after Alexander came the rise to prosperity of the great Gandhara civilization, an ear devoted mainly to Buddhist art and architecture. And with the passing of those years came Muslim rule of the subcontinent and the majestic grandeur of the Mughals.
They build the Badhahi Mosque, laid out the exotic Shalimar Garden and erected magnificent mausoleums for their families and the loved ones.
Traveling through Pakistan today, one can easily pick up the threads of history . One can experience it in the museums, the ruins, the shrines and bazaars. And can relive it in the stories and legends that still surround these places of beauty. In Karachi for instance, one could visit the Mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam the founder of the Nation of PAKISTAN.
The mausoleum is built entirely of white marble, it has an impressive dome that holds a huge crystal chandelier of Chinese origin. Then there is the quaint Bohri Bazar whole narrow streets and yelling hawkers make an unforgettable sight. And you should not leave Karachi with out visiting National Museum, whole Gandhara Art collection is said to be the finest in the world. Then you could visit Moenjodaro the ‘ Mound of Dead ‘ which was discovered in 1922 and opens up a fascinating window of life of the people who lived there around 2000 B.C.
Old Persia comes to life in Lahore, at the Shalimar Garden designed by the Persian land-escapist Ali Mardan, There are marble pavilions, a marble waterfall and more then 400 fountains, all in area of 42 acres. Emperor Shah Jahan ordered the construction of this Garden of Heaven in 1642 . Also in Lahore is the Anarkali Bazar, named after a pretty dances who was put to death by Emperor Akbar for having an affair with his son Prince Salim, who later became the Emperor Jehangir. Jehangir’s tomb is also in the city as is Wazir Khan’s Mosque which was constructed under the stewardship of the Governor of Lahore in 1643. But the most rewarding sight of all in Lahore is probably Lahore Fort a marvel of Mughal architecture begun in the 11th Century and completed finally by the end of the 16yth Century. Among the emperors who contributed to its splendour were the emperors, Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jehan. Here too is the beautiful Palaces of Mirrors, Shah Jehan’s quadrangle, and the pearl Mosque.
Overlooking the fort is the Badshahi Mosque the world’s largest which was constructed during the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb. Pakistan famous poet-philosopher Dr. Mohammad Iqbal lays buried outside the mosque.
Some 18 mile from Rawalpindi is the ancient seat of Oriental culture, Taxila. It was first mentioned in the literature as a satrapy of the Achemenian empire in the 6th century B.C. It was later invaded by Alexander the Great and passed through the control of subsequent rules until it came under the rule of Ashoka the Great, who molded the city into a center of learning philosophy and art. The city prospered during the creative Gandhara period that followed shortly after, but came to a catastrophic and pathetic end when it was attacked by the White Huns.
Today Taxila is a archaeologist’s paradise with a museum and historic sites scattered within a radius of a few miles. In Pakistan today one can indeed relive the past, transport oneself into bygone era of great kinds who were both warriors and philosophers, men in whole lifetimes rich and majestic histories unfolded. Sand not only is the visitor hound to the spellbound by the stories of the past, he will also be overwhelmed by the splendid natural beauty of the countryside which can be tranquil at times and awe-inspiring at others.
Visitors to Pakistan have often noted that in some places of the country you get the feeling that time has come to standstill since ages. In the gently undulating foothills of the mighty Karakorams and in the middle reaches of the towering Hindu Kush Mountains, there is a timeless beauty that is hard to surpass elsewhere. In these two mountain ranges you can experience a Pakistan version of the mythical Shangrila.
It is in these mountains that you have Gilgit, linked with China, in ancient times and in new, by the fabled Silk Route, the world’s highest oldest and toughest mountain road. This road was used for centuries by caravans from China which carried fabulous silk and other oriental merchandise to Arabia and Europe, Gilgit is also the place where the game of polo was born. Centuries ago it was played there at night with balls of fire. Today it is still played there at more or less the same site it has been played at far all these years. In these ranges too is Nanga Parbat, which at 26000 feet is one of the highest peaks in the world. Here too is the Khyber Pass, the route that most foreign invades used to enter the subcontinent from the North. Through this pass came at one time or another the might Mongols, the Turks, the Huns the Moghuls, and other.
The sense of history does not end there. In the foothills town of Chitral you will find that the inhabitants are the descendants of the Macedonians that rode with Alexander the Great when that great conqueror led his armies through the plains of Pakistan centuries ago. Here you will see the Kafir Kalas, called many a pagan tribe because they practice ancient Greak prayer rituals. But after a single look at the Kafirs you will say that this is the legendary land of health and beauty their unlined faces are just as serene at seventeen as at seventy. And all of this can be observed against the majestic backdrop of the 25290 feet high Trichmir Peak.
The reason that these regions in the north of Pakistan are said to be beyond the reach of time is that they are snowbound for most of the years, so modern life has not affected the way of life. In fact most of the inhabitants have not seen the outside world at all. Even the dialects they speak are all but extinct. To be there is indeed to take a trip beyond time, into land of great natural beauty and splendor.
Over the centuries the land that is now called Pakistan has been the cradle of many civilizations. The ruins at Harappa and Mohenjodaro are evidence of the high level of civilization of the people who lived there almost 5000 years also in the down, as it were of human history. Several centuries later, the Greeks led by the indomitable Alexander, left their footprints – indelibly as it turns out in the sands of north of Pakistan.
Soon after Alexander came the rise to prosperity of the great Gandhara civilization, an ear devoted mainly to Buddhist art and architecture. And with the passing of those years came Muslim rule of the subcontinent and the majestic grandeur of the Mughals.
They build the Badhahi Mosque, laid out the exotic Shalimar Garden and erected magnificent mausoleums for their families and the loved ones.
Traveling through Pakistan today, one can easily pick up the threads of history . One can experience it in the museums, the ruins, the shrines and bazaars. And can relive it in the stories and legends that still surround these places of beauty. In Karachi for instance, one could visit the Mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam the founder of the Nation of PAKISTAN.
The mausoleum is built entirely of white marble, it has an impressive dome that holds a huge crystal chandelier of Chinese origin. Then there is the quaint Bohri Bazar whole narrow streets and yelling hawkers make an unforgettable sight. And you should not leave Karachi with out visiting National Museum, whole Gandhara Art collection is said to be the finest in the world. Then you could visit Moenjodaro the ‘ Mound of Dead ‘ which was discovered in 1922 and opens up a fascinating window of life of the people who lived there around 2000 B.C.
Old Persia comes to life in Lahore, at the Shalimar Garden designed by the Persian land-escapist Ali Mardan, There are marble pavilions, a marble waterfall and more then 400 fountains, all in area of 42 acres. Emperor Shah Jahan ordered the construction of this Garden of Heaven in 1642 . Also in Lahore is the Anarkali Bazar, named after a pretty dances who was put to death by Emperor Akbar for having an affair with his son Prince Salim, who later became the Emperor Jehangir. Jehangir’s tomb is also in the city as is Wazir Khan’s Mosque which was constructed under the stewardship of the Governor of Lahore in 1643. But the most rewarding sight of all in Lahore is probably Lahore Fort a marvel of Mughal architecture begun in the 11th Century and completed finally by the end of the 16yth Century. Among the emperors who contributed to its splendour were the emperors, Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jehan. Here too is the beautiful Palaces of Mirrors, Shah Jehan’s quadrangle, and the pearl Mosque.
Overlooking the fort is the Badshahi Mosque the world’s largest which was constructed during the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb. Pakistan famous poet-philosopher Dr. Mohammad Iqbal lays buried outside the mosque.
Some 18 mile from Rawalpindi is the ancient seat of Oriental culture, Taxila. It was first mentioned in the literature as a satrapy of the Achemenian empire in the 6th century B.C. It was later invaded by Alexander the Great and passed through the control of subsequent rules until it came under the rule of Ashoka the Great, who molded the city into a center of learning philosophy and art. The city prospered during the creative Gandhara period that followed shortly after, but came to a catastrophic and pathetic end when it was attacked by the White Huns.
Today Taxila is a archaeologist’s paradise with a museum and historic sites scattered within a radius of a few miles. In Pakistan today one can indeed relive the past, transport oneself into bygone era of great kinds who were both warriors and philosophers, men in whole lifetimes rich and majestic histories unfolded. Sand not only is the visitor hound to the spellbound by the stories of the past, he will also be overwhelmed by the splendid natural beauty of the countryside which can be tranquil at times and awe-inspiring at others.
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