PKR 900 | UK £6 | US $8
The Allure of
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2, APR-JUNE 2023
Shandur Polo Festival
ISSN 2754-3145
A magical journey Magical Journeys
09 25
4 | APR - JUNE 2023
09 to 34
Faiz Mahal - A symbol of peace and tranquillity
09
The Marvel of Chitta Katha Lake
15
A Wonderland of Sindh
21
The Pristine Beauty of Mahodand Lake
25
SHOGRAN A Must Visit Hill Station of Kaghan Valley
30
48 Treasure Trove
35 to 43
Walnut Wood Craft
35
Take Home Souvenir
38
A Man-made Forest
41
Cultural Emblem
43 to 71
Visiting Flagstaff House
44
The Prominence of Wazir Khan Mosque
48
A Glimpse at the Tomb of Jahangir
54
Freestyle Polo
59
The Meticulous Art of Chundri
64
Cuisine
72 to 74
Kartarpura Food Street
69
The Rosy Pink Kashmiri Chai
72
72
[ M AG I C A L J O U R N E Y S ]
SHOGRAN A Must Visit Hill Station of Kaghan Valley
By Fazal Khaliq
30 | APR - JUNE 2023
Kaghan Valley is one of the most scenic tourist areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. This 160-kilometer-long valley is the most popular summer holiday resort for the thousands of tourists from the down country. The valley’s landscape features pine forests, alpine meadows, crystal clear lakes and cool mountain streams. Kunhar River, the main feature of the valley, is famous for its trout. Nestled along the banks of the river are the towns of Balakot, Kewai, Paras, Mahandari, Kaghan and Naran. Among the scenic places, Shogran is one of the most popular and loveliest tourist destinations of Kaghan Valley. Blessed with captivating all around natural beauty, the strikingly beautiful plateau is an earthly paradise for the visitors.
Surrounded by thick pine forests and with an altitude of 2,362 meters (7,747 feet), the summer climate of Shogran is very mild and pleasant. A peaceful and beautiful place to visit in Shogran is the lush green lawns of the old forest rest house.
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range also varies from dopattas and sarees to stitched or unstitched garments like qameez, kurtas and skirts. Some women wear Chundri as bridal wear, in particular for their Mehndi event, and for many years now the young and old men accompanying the groom also don colourful Chundri dopattas around their necks, thus making the occasion appear colourful and festive for both genders. Although there is no tool required for the process, in some places the craftsmen wear a metal ring with a protruded point to facilitate the lifting of cloth for tying. Repeated tying and dyeing is carried out from anywhere between two to several colours. One begins with the lightest colour and goes to the darkest. After the dyeing is over the cloth is dipped in a solution of castor oil and dried. The pattern fully appears when the knots are untied. The traditional colours used were indigo, turmeric, and alum but nowadays different type of chemical dyes are used.
In a nutshell, the basic process has the following steps: a. Washing and cleaning of materials b. Printing of the motif c. Folding of the fabric into four or more layers before tying d. Tying of the motifs
ventures are mostly organised by individuals but not taken up by the government as a tool for development or cultural conservation, which is a shame. Whether it is Chundri, or any other Pakistani handicraft, the state should actively promote them for posterity as well as for economic benefits.
e. Dipping of the textile in the lightest colour f. Removal of the knots and then dyeing in the next darker colour
About the Author
g. Renewal of the tying and dyeing with the darkest colour
Rumana Husain is a writer, artist and educator.
h. Washing of the fabric
She is the author of two coffee-table books on Karachi, and has authored and illustrated over 60 children’s books. Four of her books have won awards in Pakistan, Nepal and India. She has been a contributor to various newspapers and magazines, and written hundreds of articles, travelogues, art and book reviews, and has also conducted numerous interviews in the print and electronic media.
i. Opening the knots
The Chundri Market Lately, in Pakistan, there has been a resurgence of interest in traditional handicrafts, and Chundri has also got a boost. The social media has definitely facilitated this trend, allowing local artisans to connect with domestic buyers as well as buyers in different countries. However, these
68 | APR - JUNE 2023
[ CUISINE ]
Kartarpura Food Street By Rida Hussain
K
artarpura, one of the oldest food streets in downtown Rawalpindi, hosts an influx of visitors that throng the market for sumptuous food throughout the week. Long queues of people outside the eateries in the narrow street of Kartarpura are a regular sight with sellers speeding up to serve and pack the food to meet a large number of orders. Food Street comes in full swing at night.
Rawalpindi is a small city in the Potwar plateau near Pakistan’s federal capital, Islamabad. Hence, these cities are also called the ‘twin cities. It is among the top-rated food hotspots in Pakistan, having multiple Food Streets for the locals and tourists. The city has several Food Streets including the one at Saddar and another one at Bhabra Bazaar. But, the historic Kartarpura Food Street tops the game and is the most cherished dine-out place for the locals.
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