Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Indus Valley Civilization

Indus Valley Civilization
The Indus Valley civilization was among the few urban civilizations, which was the one of the greatest cultures of the ancient worlds. Its many great cities with paved streets, well-arranged and planned houses and good drainage system were much remarkable.  In fact they were the first people of the world  that known the concept of town planning and living in hygienic surroundings.
This Civilization was home the largest of the four ancient urban civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, South Asia and China.
Major sites of  this civilization have been mostly discovered in Pakistan. Ahmed Hassan Dani is a Pakistani archaeologist , who  is one of the foremost  authorities on South Asian Archaeology and history. He was the first Muslim graduate of the Banaras Hindu University, He worked in 1945 together with Mortimer Wheeler  on  Mo-en jo daro  excavation.
          
  In 1922, archaeologists discovered first  site of Indus Valley Civilization (IVC), known as Mo-enjo Daro(Sindh).  Harappa (Punjab)was discovered in 1923, Kot Diji (Sindh), Gumla -seven miles from Dera Ismail Khan.
Water plays an important role in the life cycle..Majority of early civilization flourished along the river valleys. The inhabitant  of IVC dwelt on the bank of Indus River so it is also called Indus River valley civilization.
The Indus, Nile, Tigris, Euphrates and other long rivers have been the regions of much organized civilizations, along these rivers people made settlements

Mo-enjo Daro:
Moenjo Daro is the ancient Indus valley city. It means mount of the dead.It was built around 2600BC and lasted about 1700BC. It was the administrative center of the civilization. It is located 25 km southwest of Larkana  in Sindh.
One can claim that Moen jo Daro was the one of the planned, developed and advanced cities of its times.
Harrapa:
Harappa is another center of IVC, Moenjo Daro and Harrapa, both cities were remarkable in their planning and constructions. These cities are believed to be the town capitals. Harrapa was center of trade as well.Harrapans cast tools and weapons in bronze.


Mehargarh:

It lies on the Kachhi Plain of Balochistan.It is located in the west of Indus river valley.
This city has its history and root in Neolithic Period  about 7000BC to 3200BC. It was the city of mud brick houses and discovered in 1974. People had cultivated here barley, wheat and dates. They had herd of goats , sheep and cattles.

Monday, December 30, 2013

Major Rivers in Pakistan


Major Rivers Of Pakistan 

Water is the most common liquid on Earth. It covers about 71.4% of the Earth Purewater has no smell, taste, or color. Lakes, oceans, and rivers are made of water.

Water, a finite commodity, has a direct bearing on almost all sectors of economy. In Pakistan its importance is more than ordinary due to the agrarian nature of the economy. Pakistan has the widest irrigation system in the world. There are five major rivers of Pakistan which are filled by several small rivers. The most widely spread canal  system is of great importance and supplement to the agriculture of the country. Among the available resources of water in Pakistan, the river water is the biggest one. There are five major Rivers Of Pakistan
The Indus: 
The creation of the embryonic Indus river system, the main source of surface water in South Asia, most likely began 50 million years ago when the Indian plate, Gondwanaland, first collided with Eurasia, Angaraland and
formed the Himalayan Mountains in the Mesozoic era. The Indus River system comprises of three major reservoirs, 16 Barrages, 2 head-works, 2 Siphons across major rivers 12 inter link canals, 44 canal systems(23 in Punjab, 14 in Sindh, 5 in Khyber  and 2 in Balochstan) and more than 107000 water courses. The aggregate length of the canals is about 56073 km. It originates from singikahad near Manshwar Lake. Important engineering’s Tarbela Dam and Gazi Brotha Hydro Power Project.

The Chanab:
The Chenab river originates in the Kulu and Kangra districts of the Himachal pardesh, provinces of India. The two chief Streams of Chenab—the Chandr and the Bangr—rise elevation of 16000 feet. These join at Tandi in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Feed by inumerable tributaries on the long journey from its headwaters, the river gains immense power region above Kashmir. In enters Pakistan through Sialkot near Diawara village.

The chenab flows through the alluvial plains of the Punjab province. It is then joined by the Jehlum Riverat at Trimmu, 64 km downstrons of Trimmu, the river Ravi joins it. The Satluj joins Chenab upstream of Punjnad and finally at above 64 km below Punjnad it meets of river Sindh at Mithankot. The river Chenab has Marala, Khanki, Punjnad, Trimmu and Qadirabed Barrage and Marala



River Sutlej:
The  longest of the rivers that give Punjab (meaning “Five River”) originates in western Tibet in the Kailas mountain ranges. Flowing Northwest and West – South West through Himalayan gorges, it crosses Himachal Pardesh state (India) and enters the Punjab plains in Hoshiarpur district, Punjab state.
Continuing Southwest in a broad channel, it relieves the Beas River and from 105 km Indo-Pak border before entering Pakistan and joining the chenab river west of Bahawal Pur.


The Jhelum:
It is a large eastern tributary of the Indus. It rises from a deep spring of Vernag, in the Indian-held Jammu and Kashmir state. The river moves North-West ward from the Northern slope of the Pir Panjab range to
Wular Lake. At Mazaffarabad, the Jhelum joins the Kishanganga river and then bends Southward forming part or the border between Azad Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa. Near Mangla, it breaks through the Siwalik range into broad alluvial plains. At Jhelum town the river turns South-West ward to Khushab .The Mangla Dam is one of the biggest dams of Pakistan built on Jhehlum river and its reservoir irrigates about 3,000,000 acres of land and has an installed capacity of 300 MW of electricity.

The Ravi:
The Ravi is the smallest of the five main eastern tributaries of Indus. It rises in the Himalauans in Himachal Pardesh (India) and flows west – Northwest past Chamba, turning Southwest at the boundary of Jammu and Kashmir. It flows past Lahore and turns west near kamalia, emplying into the chenab

The Indus River basin is the most important yet heavily degraded river system in Pakistan. Ecological degradation in the basin is fast increasing, and threatens the livelihoods of millions who depend on its rich ecosystem.
The construction of dams on the Indus, both for irrigation and power generation, as well as the construction of drainage systems for agricultural run-off, are the major causes for the downward spiral of the Indus basin. The largest dam on the Indus is Tarbela Dam, which forced almost 100,000 people to leave their lands and homes. The World Bank-sponsored Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) Project is one of the main drainage systems in the delta. These projects are part of a wider set of infrastructure projects, the so-called Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS), which is the world’s largest irrigation system.

Affected communities in the Indus delta have been actively protesting the devastating impacts of the existing water development projects. International Rivers and other civil society organizations and networks are working with these communities to promote alternatives to the planned large dams.
The Indus System of rivers In the Indus basin comprises of above mentioned five rivers. The are all combine into one river near  Mithan Kot in Punjab, and flow into Arabian Sea

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Fashions

Fashions-------- Clothing in Pakistan


Fashion is a general term for a popular style or practice, especially in clothing , body piercing, make up footware, Furniture or different accessories especially in clothing.
Fashion is an outcome of culture. Culture is everything that the members of a society creates based on its economic, political, and social system
Fashion refers to a distinctive and often habitual trend in the style in which a person dresses or to prevailing styles in behaviour. Fashion also refers to the newest creations of textile designers
Kailash Dress



Kailash Dress


Kailash Dress


Kailash Dress


Kailash Dress

Kailash Dress

The economy and technology are also important parts of fashion. As an example, during the late middle ages, the primary industry was the textile sector and England's wool was its single most important export.
Politics also plays a significant role in defining fashion. In most cultures people use fashion to make a statement about authority. Strong protectionism permeated the political climate in the US during the 1930s, which triggered the Great Depression, and resulted in restrictions on consumption for things such as clothing.
Fashion also represents different social class structures. Today, because society is less stratified and more democratic, there is less distinctive fashion between the different socioeconomic brackets. 
Each culture has different values, and these change often. This leads fashion to change and vary depending on where it stands in a particular time and place.
Balochi Dress

Balochi Dress

Balochi Dress

Balochi Dress


Balochi Dress



Balochi Dress

Balochi Dress


There many major current fashion capitals but these are acknowledged to be Paris, New York, London, which are all headquarters to the greatest fashion companies and are renowned for their major influence on global fashion. Fashion weeks and other fashion reated gathering are held in these cities, where designers exhibit their new clothing collections to audiences. A succession of major designers such as Coco Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent have kept Paris as the center most watched by the rest of the world,
Sindhi Dress



Sindhi Dress

Sindhi Dress

Sindhi Dress


Sindhi Dress




Sindhi Dress


Modern peoples have a wide number of choices available in the selection of their clothes. What a person chooses to wear can reflect his or her personality or interests. The terms fashionista  and fashion Victim    refer to someone who slavishly follows current fashions.


Punjabi Dresses

Punjabi Dresses





Punjabi Dresses

Punjabi Dresses


Punjabi Dress

Punjabi Dress

In recent years, Asian fashion has become increasingly significant in local and global markets. Countries such as China, Japan, India, and Pakistan have traditionally had large textile industries, which have often been drawn upon by Western designers, but now Asian clothing styles are also gaining influence based on their own ideas.
Pushtoon Dress


Pushtoon Dress

Pushtoon Dress


Pushtoon Dress


Pushtoon Dress

Pushtoon Dress


The term clothing refers to the ethnic clothing  that is typically worn by individuals in the country. Pakistani clothes express the Pakistani culture, the Demographics of Pakistan regional Cultures which include Punjabi, Balochi,Pashton, Sindhi, Kashmiri, Pothohari, Siriaky,and many others.Dress in each regional culture reflect weather conditions, way of living and distinctive style which gives it a unique identity among all cultures.
Kashmiri Dress

Kashmiri Dress



Kashmiri Dress




Kashmiri Dress


Kashmiri Dress



Kashmiri Dress



With the passage of time Pakistanis are adapting modern dress and cultural clothing, especially in big cities. Due to long  shared history with India, there is unique similarities in the dressing pattern when we would compare different area of both countries.

Friday, December 20, 2013

Top Historical and Visiting Places


Top Historical and Visiting places in Pakistan

Pakistan is a country in that you simply would find a number of historical places that signify the unique traditions and culture of the country. These places are of extraordinary importance to people interested in history, at the same time they might act as an attraction for tourists. The tourism industry of Pakistan flourishes due to the existence of beautiful historical sites in the country.

Lahore Forte and Badshahi Masjid

s the name suggests, this fort can be found in the city of Lahore – in fact, it’s one of the prized buildings of the walled-city of Lahore or Old Lahore. Although the origins of the fort are older, the present structure has been said to have been built by the Mughal emperor Akbar. The Fort itself acted like a geo-strategic site that met Kashmir, the Afghan areas, and Multan. Decorated with Mughal architecture, the Fort complex includes such architectural marvels as Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors) and Badshahi Mosque.
Badshahi Mosque is the second largest Masjid in Pakistan after the Faisal Masijd in Islamabad. The architecture and design of Badshahi Masjid is closely related to the Jamia Masjid Dehli in India, which was built by the father of Aurangzeb, the predecessor emperor of Shah Jahan.

Minar-e-Pakistan
Literally meaning the “Tower of Pakistan,” the Minar was completed
throughout a span of eight years from 1960 to 1968. The monument is situated on the same grounds where the famous Lahore Resolution was passed in 1940. The Resolution demanded separate states for the Muslims of the then-India, thus fusing the development of Pakistan with the minaret. Such continues to be its importance that after Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee found Pakistan, he visited the tower which washed away any misconception of India’s reluctance in accepting Pakistan like a state.

Quaid’s Residency
Situated in Ziarat, a hill station in Balochistan province, the Residency was where Pakistan's founder Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah spent the last days of his life. The ailing Jinnah was recommended a rest and Ziarat was the best choice for its fragrance and fresh mountain air. There, the Residency, a wooden structure, provided the founder with the perfect retreat.

Fairy Meadows / Nanga Parbat
The best place to view the royal beauty of Nanga Parbat in Pakistan. Fairy Meadow is a field near Nanga Parbat. Most of the visitors who come to see
Nanga Parbat stay at Fairy Meadows. Fairy Meadows are located close to the base camp with impressive views of the huge mountain.
The Kailash Valleys 
Kailash is the most beautiful place in Pakistan. The Kailash Valleys is also known as Heaven on the earth. Kalash Valley is home to Kafir-Kalash, which a primitive pagan family. Kailash Valleys is popular for mountaineering, trekking, fishing and hiking. In Kailash men wear largely traded traditional goat-skin tunics and the women wear beautiful embroided black clothes.

KATASRAJ TEMPLE
Katasraj temple is a Hindu temple which is dedicated to the Lord Shiva, it is situated in katas village which is a part of district Chakwal in Punjab. It is not one but a combination of many temples among them few were built around 9 centuries ago and main temple is said to have existed since the times of Maharashtra. The temple which has many Hindu legends
attached to it is parked near a lake, the lake is said to have healing powers but the lake is not a good condition at the moment. This is historic place however the temples are kind of abandoned at the moment. The temples are a blink away from being nominated for the World heritage site.

KHYBER PASS
Within the territory of the Hindukash Mountains lies a mountain pass which connect Pakistan with Afghanistan through Peshawar and Kabul. Khyber Pass is among the oldest pass in the world and connect the Asian
countries with each other. The pass was used by the Aryans, Alexander the great, Mahmud Ghaznavi and Muhammad Ghori in their process of the invasion. The pass exists at an altitude of more than 1000 meters.



MOEN JU DAROMOEN JU DARO
By the time the Egyptian and many other major civilizations existed on the globe of earth, the same time another civilization existed whose name is still unknown. The people of this civilization were settled around the Indus 
valley and after their discovery they were given the name moen ju daro which means mound of dead. , the ruins of moen ju daro exist in the Larkana district of Sindh. The remains of this Indus civilization are now a World heritage site and are among the world’s best archeological find. The inhabitants of moen ju daro were very intelligent; the best demonstration of their skills can be seen through what is left of their civil engineering and urban planning.