3rd Eye - Issue 2 - March 10

3rd Eye3rd EyeIssue 2, March 2010

Glacier MarriagesOld tradition in Northern Areas for water conservation

An online photographic magazine of Pakistani Photographers’ Association (PPA)

Do You Take This GlacierTo be Your Wife?

Cover Photos: Mazhar Iqbal (Pakistani Trekker)

niotaicossA ’srehpar g ot o h P i natsi ka P

niotaicossA ’srehpar g ot o h P i natsi ka P

Cover StoryDo you Want This

Glacier Marriages - An old tradition in Northern Areas of Pakistan, for water conservation

Cover Photo: Godwin Austin Glacier

Editing and Design

Advisory Board

Published by

Issue No./Month

Muzffar H. Bukhari

Dr. Zaheer Sattar, Rahimyar KhanKamran Safdar, Taxila

Ameer Hamza, KarachiSultana Tabassum, Karachi

Suhail Akhtar, IslamabadImran Miskeen, Islamabad

Dr. Kiran Nasir, Karachi

Communication DepartmentPakistani Photographers’ Association

Head Office, Islamabadwww.flickr.com/groups/opp

Issue 2, March 2010

Photo Credit: Mazhar Iqbal

In this Issue

The WorldThrough My EyesA visit to Venice and Murano Island, Italy

Dr. Kiran Nasir

Chota MeccaA land of Saints and educated people

Muzaffar H. Bukhari

KalashThe Lost TribeA story fromThe Hindukush Mountains

Shafqat Mirza

GlacierTo Be Your Wife?

Content Editor/Layout Designer

Caroline WatsonCopy Editor

Do you Want This

Glacier To Be Your Wife?

Glacier Marriages - An old water conservation tradition in Northern Areas of Pakistan.

Muhammad Ismail Khan

Mubarik VillageAn isolated Beach Front near Karachi

Ameer Hamza6

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9

13

27

InboxLetters to Editor/Readers’ feedback on Ist Issue 3rd Eye

Ethics ofMacro Photography

Awais Yaqoob

Tips and techniques on macro photography

32

In this Issue

Sheikh Badin

Muhammad Danial Shah

A forgotten paradise of NWFP

InterviewingGR Mughal

Muzffar H. Bukhari

Kenny IrwinAn American artist by birth, andtrue Pakistani by soul.

Muzaffar H. Bukhari

Iqbal Raza KhatriA conversation with wonderful photographer from Karachi having a diversified portfolio

Interviewer: Sultana Tabassum Farooqi

FromEditor’s Desk

42

An accomplished Wildlife Photographer

35

Hill Station

45 Katasraj

Where a water pond came into existence with Shiva’s tears upon Sati’s (his wife) death

Haroon Mustafa

Complex

Interview with51

48Featuring

Dear Reader!

After inordinate but at the same time, unavoidable delays, the second Issue of 3rd Eye is finally out - in front of you. Why it took so long, is a genuine question that everyone of you might be thinking of. Well, a couple of reasons. The most important ones were; (i) delay in receipt of material from the contributors, crashing of my hard disk causing loss of about six ready-to-publish articles, (ii) malfunctioning of my Windows as a result of some virus attack, and (iii) last but not least, problems with desktop publishing software (Coreldraw). It was really like a nightmare. To cut the story short, I got this problem fixed after trying about 15 different CDs of Coreldraw. It took much of the time.

The feedback of the readers on the first Issue of 3rd Eye from across the globe was overwhelmingly encouraging. It was simply unbelievable. I, on behalf of the whole magazine team thank you all for this encouragement and commit to continue bringing more interesting and informative stuff for you in our future Issues as well.

Some of the readers were so excited that they voluntarily offered their services for the magazine. In this Issue, you will see many new names in writers as well as in the advisory board. These are the people who got inspiration from the Ist Issue. Of those, Ms. Caroline Watson from UK volunteered herself for the magazine as a Copy Editor. With her involvement, we hope to improve the quality of the magazine manifolds. Similarly, Dr. Kiran Nasir from Karachi, offered to manage a new series of international travelogues with the name of “The World Through My Eyes”. The first story “A travel to Venice and Murano Islands” under this theme is also written by her.

Some of the writeups received for this issue could not be included this time due to one reason or the other. However, all such material shall appear in the 3rd Issue of the 3rd Eye Insha’Allah. This time, we plan to do it really on a fast-track. I personally apologize all such contributors whose material could not appear this time but it will be there in 3rd Issue in any case, rest assured.

Finally, thanks to all who contributed to 3rd Eye in any form, specially to Ms. Caroline Watson, on volunteering herself for copy editing. She has been very cooperative and proactive and has literally acted as an ambassador of the magazine by referring it to a wide circle of his friends through Facebook etc. My thanks are also due to Dr. Kiran, for taking charge of the “World Trough My Eyes”, and contributing the first story of the series. She also has been helpful in talent-hunting in our efforts to tap the new writers for the magazine.

This is all from the editor's desk. Please go through the magazine, and don't forget to provide your valuable comments/suggestions. Cheers.

Muzaffar H. BukhariEditor/Layout Designer

Readers’s Feedback on Ist Issue

3rd Eye3rd Eye

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Startling & beautiful photographs that will make you see Pakistan a-new. Who knew that the world biggest fort was in Pakistan?! Or the sheer range of wildlife to be found here. This is the terrific e-magazine of the Pakistani Photographers Association. I am incredibly impressed – and I am not simply being polite. The design was extremely professional, in fact I had printed out a couple of bits to read and had it in my bag when I met a friend on Saturday. She used to work for Borders(bookstores) and she commented on the presentation and said (as I had thought) that it wouldn't have looked out of place on the glossy magazine shelf there. I hope very much Third Eye will find its way there one day. The content too, I thought, was original and professional, and the spirit it had been created from inspiring! I look forward to the next edition – please send me the link when it is out. Among almost all of the content, I liked the Bhong mosque article; the "biggest fort" was fascinating; and I definitely want to go to those mud volcanoes! I really liked the original angles – theater photography, etc, not just the usual places. Nice to have a female voice in there too, and as I really respected the book The Dancing Girls of Lahore, I enjoyed that article a lot. I could go on… - I cannot give enough praise, and have to say am impressed that you are also part of this initiative.

(Caroline Watson, London)

Excellent!, I love the fact that it has articles on anthropological and natural historical issues, history, technology, nature and especially CONSERVATION! I think the fact that conservation and a criticism of "Trophy Hunters" (fools who think killing innocent defenseless wild animals with weapons is fun! when the Holy Quran PROHIBITS killing for sport!) was excellent, and more such articles should be posted. I'd love to see more on issues such as Pollution - especially the disease of the 'Shopper' plastic bags which are destroying the terra firma. Also on illegal deforestation - and any erosion of forested areas.I really enjoyed the book review on the dancing girls of Lahore - that’s a book I'm sure to get hold of if I am able!The photos and layout is great! the lens review is faultless. More of the same please! All we need is a 'letters page' I suppose.

(Ibraar, London, UK)

First of all I will say thanks to you all, who did this. Nice one. Composition and stories are very attractive, Colors and layout is impressive. I hope you will do more for your satisfaction and for Pakistan.

(Nadeem Khawar, Lahore)

Congratulation everyone...that’s really impressive work... very good effort... and it is comparable to other photo mags...i agree to Tehreer that logo should not be with the white background... there is another suggestion that each photo should have a precise location written over it comprising few words...as it will give a more detailed overview of the place.

(Asif Mahmood)

Wow!!!! Wonderful work!!! Congratulations to all of you! I love it! Very informative articles and beautiful photos. I wish to visit all these places with my family =) Insha Allah! Our country is so beautiful! Allah bless it! PAKISTAN ZINDABAD!

(Ghazal Farooqi, Karachi

Thank you for your email. I did download the magazine and wanted to commend you on a job well done. I have recently taken up photography (I have a long way to go) but it helps a lot to learn from the masterpieces displayed in the mag.I have forwarded your mag to quite a few friends and have heard only good things about it. I also forwarded it to a British girl I met in North Pakistan and she sent back great compliments. Well done! Thanks.

(Yasir Malik , Karachi)

Inbox

Glacier to be your wife?Glacier

Do you take this

By Muhammad Ismail Khan

Photo: Hamid Khan

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A Glacier in Karakoram Mountains

Wild Flowers Near Glacier

illage elders, their heads together, intensely discuss and go on to decide arrangements for a unique marriage ceremony. The task at hand is to choose a male and a female piece of ice, setting in motion a series of rituals. Two chunks of ice, one each from a female and a male glacier, are then transported to an appropriate location. Doing so, porters carrying

the pieces shall observe complete silence. Pieces of ice will then be placed side-by-side, close enough for both chunks to eventually produce 'offspring' in the shape of fresh water – a new source of irrigation and drinking water.

No, this is not an excerpt from the folklore of a primitive tribal society; this is, in fact, a water tradition being practiced even today in the 21st century, in small villages of the Karakouram in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. Already there are many communities that have bred small glaciers in the Gilgit and Baltistan regions.

Breeding Glaciers in Ancient Times

As the stark reality of unpredictable water flow is dawning on the mountain communities of Pakistan, the age-old tradition of breeding glaciers is being revived with a fervor. Traditionally, village elders would gather to select a suitable site and large blocks of equal sizes of one male and one female block of ice were then taken from two different glaciers and carried on to the appointed location.

March 2010 13rd Eye – Pakistani Photographers’ Association

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The gender of the glacier was determined by taking into consideration factors such as the characteristics of the people living in the nearby areas, where male glaciers were thought to produce a higher yield and fertility as well as a strong male population. Female glacier areas were said to have opposite characteristics, and were the home to a significant number of beautiful women.

According to the tradition, it is vital to transport both blocks in one go, and those carrying the ice were to do so in complete silence. Once moved to another location, the blocks of ice would be allowed to accumulate snow in the winter, thereby increasing in size and density. In summer, they were covered with a canopy to shield them from the heat of the sun. A few years later the blocks of ice would be transformed into new glaciers, providing a new source of irrigation and drinking water for the community.

Ancient Tradition Comes to Life

Only last year, a community-based organization known as Parbat Social Welfare Organization (PSWO) in Chilas, Ddistrict Diamir, transplanted glacier seeds in six different locations. Continuous drought-like situations in many villages in the district forced villagers to think of innovative ideas to harness water.

A social activist, Mr. Manawar Khan, after reading about this tradition, motivated a bunch of volunteers from PSWO to initiate the breeding of glaciers as a sustainable alternative to offset water scarcity in the villages. He constituted a committee to look for an appropriate location in the mountains; the committee members identified six such locations. Searching a location where snow and ice could not melt for eight to ten months of the year was not an easy task. The surveyors had to sit and wait long hours at various parts of the mountains to check the intensity of sunlight and length of shadows over them.

This was followed by another technical part of the project: identification of male and female glaciers and arranging for their

March 201023rd Eye – Pakistani Photographers’ Association

Baltoro Glacier from Paju Peak

Glacial morain of Malongdati Glaicier

Photo: Mazhar Iqbalhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/pakistanitrekker/4016315536/


Goodwin-Austin Glacier towards Concordia

A view from Memorial to K2 Base Camp and Skyang Kangri


Photo: Waseem A. Khan, WWF-P

Photo: Muzaffar H. Bukhari

transportation. In this case, PSWO volunteers traveled 230 kilometers to Bagrot Valley near Gilgit, from where they transported male and female glaciers in separate vehicles all the way to Babusar in Chilas. These were then transported non-stop to Babusar, Babusar Shoti, Batogah, Plaelot, Shregalihador and Gohar Abad. The volunteers carried pieces of ice on their backs up to the locations that were more than 14,000ft thousand feet above sea level. At the breeding locations, volunteers had already dug up sixty-feet60ft-round and nine-feet9ft-deep ditches. They then placed male glaciers in the hole, swiftly followed by the female ones, the union of two producing a whizzing sound, confirming to the experts that the marriage had been consummated!

The Only Option

Although the practice of breeding glaciers was dying out, rapidly vanishing glaciers and water springs provided a new impetus for drawing on the traditional wisdom of the communities. "I moved here some 20 years ago along with many other families, as at that time this was a very fertile village with abundance of water for growing wheat and fruit trees. Today the glacier that was feeding water to the village has dried up, and during the last couple of years we have not been able to grow anything. Our trees are dying and some of the families have already moved out," says 70-year-old Gul Hafiz, a resident of Dadrapuke village in Ghizer (Oral Testimony Panos SA, 2003).

The huge frozen water bodies have shaped peculiar traditions among people frozen in time for centuries. They nurtured their social norms, beliefs, customs and the means of livelihood in harmony with nature, learning from the nature and bestowing on nature their own exuberance.

Other than building channels over mountain ridges to steer water from springs and streams, the only way they could think of harnessing a sustainable source of water was to develop a glacier, since lifting water up on high and rugged terrain was a rather difficult proeposition. Even with today's sparsely available power infrastructure, it is an unaffordable wish. In numerous villages throughout

An Un-named Glacier at Khunerab Pass

Passu Glacier

Photo by: Muzaffar H. Bukhari

Photo: Hamid Khan

These blocks of Snow were transported in separate vehicles from Bagrot Valley near Gilgit, to Babusar in Chilas, covering a distance of about 230

A Glacier on Khunjerab Top


the region people planted glaciers, and a few hundred meters down the hill they would construct a little pound or dam from where water could be channelled to the terraced fields and gardens. Every family would then use stored water one by one, with village headmen keeping a watch on the timely and effective use of available water resources for irrigation and drinking purposes.

Gang Singhe that overlooks the town of Skardu is one such hand-bred glacier. There are many folk tales associated with this glacier, which from a distance looks like the shape of a horse. Many in the valley believe that the year the head of this horse-like glacier retreats away from the rest of the body, a member of the royal family will pass away. Strangely enough, such this has actually happened during the last eighty years or so.

Global Warming Threatens Pakistan's Glaciers

Changing weather patterns are massively impacting the livelihood of these nearly one million people, whose basic mainstay is substance agriculture based on growing wheat, maize, fruits, and raising livestock.

"Glaciers are melting. From what I can estimate, they have retreated a mile or so. In my village, Minapin, I recall walking over glaciers. The snowfall in December

and January used to turn into glaciers and the summer heat would melt them gradually. The rain in summer, which carries moisture, falls over, hastening the melting process. Now, the most dangerous thing about glaciers is that in June and July we have stronger sunshine causing the glaciers to melt faster, and we don't have snow stored as much as it should have been, besides the gradual melting procedure is no more there, meaning faster melting. So rivers rise unexpectedly creating floods –, thus many human settlements on riverbanks are no more there,” says Aga Yahya, a well-known community activist from Minapin village in Nagar (Oral Testimony Panos SA, 2003).

Devastating Impact on Local Agriculture

An increasing population is exerting stress on the limited 2% percent cultivable land of Pakistan's 72,400 sq. km, of which 1% percent is currently under cultivation while and the remaining 1% percent can only be utilized if the water- supply potential is harnessed. Irrigated land usually consists of small terraced fields, which normally rely on glacial melt for water.

Glacial morain of an unnamed Glacier at Khunerab Pass


Passu Glacier


Photo: Hamid Khan

Shispar Glacier as seen from Abdigar

Photo: Hamid Khan

Trekking on Biafo Glacier


Fruit trees also constitute an important part of the local agriculture; some of the important fruits are apricots, almonds, grapes, cherries, apples, peaches, walnuts and mulberries. In recent years, fruits and nuts have become an important source of income for the villagers. The farming activities thus depend a lot on irrigation, as rainfall is low and erratic, and over the years farmers have been using increasing amounts of water to irrigate their crops, thus affecting the downstream flow of water. At the same time, sustained deforestation, degradation of pastures, declining woodland and biodiversity, soil erosion and unorganized urbanization, as well as mining practices, plus the phenomena of global warming, are all taking their toll on mountain watersheds in the upland.

Soaring populations both in the mountains and on the plains continue to press demand for fresh water, and conflicts over water rights are a real threat in the mountain as well as in the plains. Effective conservation of mountain ecology and promotion of sustainable harvesting of water is emerging as one of the major challenges facing us in the upcoming years. Our ability to feed growing numbers of people largely rests on an economy based on judicious use of water for life. The lowland regions serve as vital catchments for the Indus River, upon which much of the country's agriculture and hydroelectricity depends so heavily. Around 90% percent of the lowland flow of the Indus originates in the mountains of the Karakouram and Western Himalaya. The mountains of Northern Pakistan are thus in the true sense 'water towers' for the rest of the country.

The World's Highest Battleground

The region contains the most significant glacier systems outside the poles, including the 72-kilometre-long Siachan glacier, famous for reasons other than being a water reservoir. The armed conflict between India and Pakistan since the late '80s has placed this glacier on the world map as the world's highest battleground. One can imagine the subsequent depletion and damage to the fragile glacier caused by over a decade of bombings. Other well-known glaciers situated in the region like Biafo, Hispaer, Batura, Baltoro, Gasherabrum and Chomolungma Chogolungma are also reportedly retreating at a high rate due to multiple reasons including global warming.

Although naturally formed, large glaciers are a gift from God and there might be no way we could recreate the centuries -old processes of gradual accumulation. However,, breeding glaciers could be more than a symbolic option – ; it will generate interest and public awareness for the sustainable use of rapidly vanishing water dripping from the mountains.

An Un-named Glacier at Khunerab Pass

A Glacier in Khunjerab National Park


March 2010

5


The author is a development professional and an analyst, from Skardu, having

background in tourism, media and policy development.

He is also a former elected representative (2005-08) from the Asia Pacific region on the 'Board of Directors of the Mountain

Forum.

3rd Eye – Pakistani Photographers’ Association

ubarak Village may be the most popular beach name in Karachi after French Beach but not many beachgoers actually are allowed in. We were allowed to and we had our day.

Mubarak Village belongs to an obscure pseudo-Islamic sect called Zikri, made famous by Zikri Daku of Lyari fame. The Zikris often called the Mahdavia are a branch of Islam concentrated in Makran, Balochistan (Pakistan and Iran), that follows the teachings of Muhammad Jaunpuri. Zikris do lot of things differently to orthodox Muslims. For one, their Hajj does not occur in Makkah but in fact they have their own Kaaba at Koh-e-Murad (Mountain of Desire) located in Turbat, in Baluchistan. However, www.wikipedia.org suggests that Zikris perform Hajj at both places - in Mecca as well as at Koh-e-Murad. Secondly, their prayers take place in a room called Ibadat Khana and they don't have to pray namaz; in fact they prostrate and perform their own prayer called Zikir-e-Elahi . Muslims belonging to other sects are not welcome in here as they consider their places of worship pak (clean) and as only Zikris themselves are considered 'pak', only they may enter. But being primarily Baluch, they may allow mehmaans (visitors) for the sake of respect, if not religion. .

MText and Photography:

Ameer Hamza

The author is a Karachi-based, frequently published freelance photo journalist, and a travel

photographer. He is also Regional Head of PPA, Sindh Region. His

work is mainly focused on people, culture, archeology, and travel

documentaries. His work is exhibiting online at

http://www.flickr.com/ameerhamza/ and he can be reached at [email protected].

An Isolated Beach FrontMubarik Village


Our purpose wasn't religious by any stretch of the imagination. We were very curious about the beach and the people who lived there so one day we just went there. And we were stopped at the gates. Generally, as per their community rules, they disallow men-only contingents to enter as they fear that men and boys will tease their womenfolk. But we went past the gates courtesy of our friend, Iqbal bhai.

The beach was spot clean - something I had never seen in Pakistan. We have lots of wonderfully located beaches but all are extremely polluted and one may not bathe in them. Here, at Mubarak Village, waters are clean and shades of emerald green may be seen amidst blues and whitish brown sands and the rocks. Fishing is good and locals being extremely fine fishermen find time to do so. They even load to the brim and go out at sea to do heavy fishing.

Pretty faces of Mubarik Village

Their favourite spot is Churna Island, a one-hour boat ride from the village. Monsoons, of course, put that passion to rest. Waters are so clean that fishermen can easily spot fish under water. However, when I visited that place, I could not see any fish despite the fact that there is a sizeable presence of fish in that area.

Apart from the clean waters and extremely good fishing ground, Mubarak Village happens to be a wonder fu l t r ea su re t rove fo r photographers who want to shoot portraits. The kids are just wonderful, confident and photogenic. They wear some really heavily embroidered dresses. Culturally one can find a rich Baluch heritage within the confines of Karachi (though locals claim that Mubarak village saddles Baluchistan; and, in any case, they belong to Baluch tribe called Kurd). Most of them are politically inclined towards Bhuttos and, therefore, are a staunch PPP vote bank.

Mending the mangled net ain't easy as our country's politicians would tell you. At Mubarak village things get a bit easier under a nicely framed hut.

3rd Eye – Pakistani Photographers’ AssociationMarch 20107

Mubarak Village also has few huts which may be rented for a night for as little as 500Rs. One may also receive permission for a visit to the actual enclosed village. As women do not observe purdah there (this applies to most agrarian Baluch tribes) prior permission is necessary to avoid any embarrassment.

A trip inside Zikri village is anything but common. Their homes - built in a peculiar fashion and almost all of them of wood -are unique. The style of windows is very different. Inside, cleanliness is spot on. At one home we found tremendous amount of carpets, clothes, pillows, chadors and other items. On enquiring we were informed that this was the jahez (dowry). But our informer quickly added that close relatives and friends often share the burden and so the family of bride can relax a bit. But marriage remains an expensive once-in-a-lifetime item. The couple is expected to pass their good and bad times and not complain, a common trait in all traditional set-ups. And the divorce is the end of many relationships. In such a tight-knit traditional society anything and everything off the expected track is fatal.

At Mubarak Village begging is not permitted and visitors are requested not to entertain any beggars, all of which are invariably school-going kids. They beg for ice cream, for cake, a biscuit or a sweet. They may ask you for a 10Rsnote. Don't give them any money; if you wish to help give them food to eat. All items are gracefully accepted by people who are g e n u i n e l y p o o r a n d overwhelmingly illiterate.

Well, it is shining hard and fast and the skin seems to be turning a bit darker than it usually is. It is a clear indication that we must either leave or retreat to the hut. We leave.

Huts on sea shore.

An inside view of a Zikri House

A complex structure using wood, sea shells, and other items marks a place for worship.

Detail of the Baluch design pattern on a girl's kurta

83rd Eye – Pakistani Photographers’ Association July 2009


t was May 2009. I was invited to attend the World Congress of Nephrology (WCN) in Milan, Italy. Being a doctor, I got the chance to visit different countries. Being an avid lover of nature, my focus always is to capture the beauty Allah Almighty has bestowed upon us humans. Thinking of going to Italy only brought one name to my mind - Venice, the city of canals, palaces and gondolas, the city of love and the lovers.

Venice (Venezia, Venesia), titled by The New York Times as the most beautiful city built by man, is a city located in northern Italy. The city stretches across 118 small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea. Famous for its canals, the city is connected by more than 400 bridges.

The World Through My Eyes

A visit to Venice & Murano Island, Italy

I

"If doing was as easy as knowing what doing good, chapels would have been churches and Hovels humble palaces of princes"

William Shakespeare - "Merchant of Venice"

Text and photography:

Dr. Kiran Nasir

Dear reader,

We are starting new theme for 3rd Eye - “The World Through My Eyes” , on regular basis. Under this theme, we will include one peace of writeup and related pictures for the travel to any location across the globe - by anyone. This idea is a brain-child of Dr. Kiran Nasir, our respected member of PPA from Karachi, who is a consultant nephrologist by profession, and a photographer by passion.

The first story of the series is about Venice and Murano Island, Italy, contributed by Dr. Kiran herself. So let’s see Venice and Murano through her eyes.

Venice: The City of Canals

The Merchant of Venice, one of the most famous works by William Shakespeare, set in the well-known lagoon town, is perhaps one of his most discussed and controversial creations; and, because of it, he was accused of anti-Semitism by many people. Moreover, it is no coincidence that Venice is used as the background for the story. Venice

is the town of merchants, the symbol of a concrete world based on power and trading. Today's Venice is more than ever a city devoted to art, in all its forms. Venice makes you a believer in fairy tales. Cars are banned, so the only way to get around this 1,500-year-old city is by foot or by water. For this reason it is also known as the "City of Lovers" because the absence of cars allows people to take long and serene walks, reached only by the sound of water washing the shores. It lacks the amusements typical of most large cities, there are no huge discos - but it is rich in places where you can eat the typical Venetian "cicchetti" (small portions of food usually served with aperitifs) and drink an excellent "spritz", maybe listening to some great musicians playing jazz.

Church of San Mary & Donato

The Glass Museum of Murano Island, The Museo Vetrario

Gandola - The sybmol of Venice


From these vantage points, you'll be awed by the magical beauty. It is filled with palaces and art, fine shopping and excellent food. Relax in Piazza San Marco, visit the basilicas, and wander the alleyways and bridges. Consider an off-season trip to have more of the city to yourself. Anywhere you want to reach, you need to walk so wear comfortable walking shoes.

Restaurants in Venice are famous for their culinary skills, especially for their fish specialities. Beware of the prices and the hidden charges.

The classical Venetian boat is the Gondola, although it is now mostly used by the tourists, or for weddings, funerals, or other ceremonies. The gondola is the only boat in the world which, being just 11-meters long and weighing more than 600kg, can be steered with agility and easiness by just one person and with only one oar. It has become, for millions of tourists, the very symbol of Venice.

Old and Rusty - But Beautiful

Two Gandolas near the shore


Music on the gondola ride is magic. Most Venetians now travel by motorised waterbuses -Vaporetti, which ply regular routes along the major canals and between the city's islands. Many gondolas are lushly appointed with crushed velvet seats and Persian rugs. Gondoliers typically charge between 80-100 Euros for a 35-minute "giro" or excursion around some canals. The city also has many private boats. Visitors can also take the private water taxis between areas of the city, and to visit different islands. They charge you a fortune, but give privacy and luxury. If you visit Venice, then it's a must to visit The Murano Island. Murano is the most famous of the Venetian Islands, and the most visited, courtesy of the famous glass masters that produce the popular "Murano Glass". The people of Venice have been making crystal and glass since the 10th Century. Fans of glass should also plan a visit to the Glass Museum of Murano, The Museo Vetrario, where you can see exquisite pieces and understand more about the process and history of glassmaking in Venice. You should also consider the nearby Church of Saints Mary and Donato (Santi Maria e Donato church), which boasts a magnificent mosaic pavement laid down in the 12th Century.What made Murano's glassmakers so special? They were the only people in Europe who knew how to make glass mirrors. They also developed or refined technologies such as crystalline glass, enamelled glass (smalto), glass with threads of gold (aventurine), multicoloured glass (millefiori), milk glass (lattimo), and imitation gemstones made of glass. Original Murano

glass, hand-blown by authentic glass masters, i s g e n e r a l l y v e r y expensive. Murano is still an exporter of traditional products like mirrors and glassware, and its factories produce modern items such as faucet handles, glass lampshades, and electric chandeliers.

One of the main reasons behind the charms of Venice is the fact that it seems to be floating upon the waters of the

lagoon. However, the dark truth is that the city is actually sinking and has been for centuries. Venice has always lived on borrowed time; it is a city that should not exist - a whimsical maze of heavy marble palazzo and churches built upon ancient wooden piling sunk into a salt marsh. It is a wonder that Venice

survived to the present day to face a threat that may finally end the life of this faded beauty: rising sea levels due to global climate change and warming.

The Glass Museum of Murano Island, The Museo Vetrario

Murano traditional Vase

Murano’s traditional vase

Italian Glass Work

Murano Glass Chandlers & Mirrors



A unique Land of Saints and Educated people

Chot

a Mec

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couple of years ago, a question was asked on the Tariq Aziz Show (formerly called Nilaam Ghar) – a famous and the longest quiz program of Pakistan Television:“Do you know where in Pakistan the literacy rate is as high as 100 percent?” I am not aware whether or not somebody could answer the question; what I do know however, is that I am proud to have my roots coming from that place – called Jabbi Sayyedan, also known as Chota Mecca.

AThe author is a development professional, an eco-tourist, and an amateur photographer, with particular interest in wildlife

and nature photography. He can be reached at [email protected]

Jabbi Sayyedan and Sandgala as seen from Sar

Jabbi Sayyedan and Sandgala as seen from Kerni Gali

Text and photos by: Muzffar H. Bukhari


Situated in a remote part of Azad Kashmir, within the proximity of famous Pir Panjal range in the Himalayan mountains, Jabbi Sayyedan is a small beautiful town of District Haveli (6,200ft above sea level) with an estimated population of about 2,000. The name “Jabbi Sayyedan” is given due to the fact that the population of the village consists solely of 'Sadaat-e-Naqvi' – descendants of Hazrat Syed Imam Naqi (who was tenth out of the total twelve Imams of Ahl-e-Bait).

Having a good cover of poplar trees together with fruit trees of apple, apricot, peach, walnut, and pear, the village offers stunning views from the neighboring places – particularly when seen from the heights of Sundgala, a small settlement at hilltop.

Jabbi Sayyedan is a unique place and probably the only village in whole of the Azad Kashmir which was settled by a Wali

Allah/Saint, Hazrat Syed Umar Shah Bukhari, and home to many other renowned saints like Syed Molvi Ala ud Din Bukhari, Syed Saifullah Shah Bukhari, Pir Syed Sikandar Shah Bukhari, Syed Akram Shah Bukhari, Pir Ghani Shah, and Syed Mir Hasan Matto, to name a few. Jabbi Sayyedan is locally called Chota Mecca for its religious sanctity/spiritual base, and is widely known throughout Azad Kashmir for its very high literacy rate.

HHD

Snow-capped peaks of Pir Panjal Range in Indian Held-Kashmir

Apricot blossom in Spring

Apricot tree - full of fruits

Hazrat Umar Shah sahib was an established Islamic scholar, who had command over Arabic, Persian and Urdu languages. He has the honour of having written the first ever commentary (Tafseer) of the Quran in Persian in the history of Islam. It is stated that about 200 years ago, the then Raja of Poonch State gifted the land of Jabbi Sayyedan on lease to Hazrat Sahib in recognition of his spiritual status and the miracles associated to him.

The people of Jabbi Sayyedan are very intelligent and educated. Their religious background is probably the most important factor for an unprecedented literacy rate (100%) prevailing in the village. Saadat-e-Jabbi are into diversified professions and are scattered throughout the country. Many of them are teachers, Islamic scholars, and writers. Other professions include: public service employment, medical, law and justice, armed services, banking, journal ism, nuclear science, development, showbiz, fine arts, and information technology. A small number of people are into agriculture as well.

How to reach there:

Jabbi Sayyeden is accessible from Islamabad via road through four different routes. One is Islamabad/Rawalakot/Khaigala/Hajira/Abbaspur/Mehmood Gali/Forward Kahuta. The second route is: Islamabad/Kahuta/Azad Pattan/Palandri/Trarkhal/Hajira Abbasspur/Mehood Gali/Forward Kahuta. The third route is: Islamabad/Murree/Kohala/Dhirkot/Bagh/Dulli/ Lassdanna/Mehmoood Gali/Forward Kahuta. And the fourth route follows the third one except that from Lasdanna Top one should take a road turning left leading to Forward Kahuta via Shero Dhara/Haji Pir/Aliabad and Halan Shumali. This is the most beautiful route as the snake-like winding road passes through high mountains and thick forests. One can enjoy the magnificent view of Pir Panjal Range while travelling on this route. Buses, coasters and Toyota vans ply between Islamabad and Forward Kahuta on a daily basis following the first route. No vehicles ply on other three roads directly from Rawalpindi/Islamabad. From Forward Kahuta one can hire jeep to go to Jabbi via Soli.


Panaroma of Lassdanna - Haji Pir Road near Sherodhara

Haji Pir Pass and Keran Top as seen from Haji Pir - Aliabad Road

Wild flowers on Aliabad-Hajipir Road

Places of Tourist Interest

Sandgala: A small village on a hilltop (about 7,300ft above sea level) that offers fantastic scenery to the eyes of visitors. Its lush green meadows, and view of Pir Panjal range to the north-east, make this place a tourists'

paradise. Sandgala is also famous as a p lace of meditation of Hazrat Syed Jalalud Din Bukhari (Rehmat-ullah Allaih), also called “Jahania Jahan Gasht” for his extensive travelling all over the wor ld . An Urs i s celebrated in his memory every year at his Ziarat (the place having thick bunch of trees where Hazrat Jahania

Jahan Gash used to sit for meditation and prayers during his stay at Sandgala). Sandgala is at a 30-minute jeep ride from Jabbi Sayydan. If we opt to hike, it may take up to one hour to reach Sandgala top from Jabbi Sayyedan.

Neelfarry: This is a dhoke (a summer living place of the locals) of Jabbi Sayyedan and situated at an elevation of about 8,800ft. People who have livestock come to this place and stay here every year from May to September. Neelfary's meadows are extremely beautiful and their views reminiscent of the beautiful Windows Vista Wallpapers. Another attraction of Neefarry is Ghuch, a delicious wild fruit that grows on small bushes in areas situated at an elevation of more than or equal to 8,000ft.


Shero Dhara and Bissali Tops as seen from Neelfarry

Keran and Bedori Tops from Sandgala

Sungala Ziarat - Place of meditation of Hazrat Jahanian Jahan Gasht

Sar: Another one hour hike from Neelfarry (at an elevation of 9,200ft) will take you to a beautiful pond known as Sar. Sar means lake in the local language. The lake is 3-6ft deep and has an area of about 1km². The source of the water comes from melted snow from adjacent mountains, and also rain water. Sar is extremely beautiful place. Its lush green meadows are like no other. From here one can view Keran Top (10,848ft) towards the north-east, Kahuta town towards the west, and a long range of snow-clad peaks of Pir Panjal mountains in the south-east. The summer capital of Indian-held Kashmir (Srinagar) is located on south-eastern side of Sar.

Keran Top is at a hiking distance of about two hours from Sar. It has an elevation of about 10,848ft. It is the second highest peak in the neighboring areas. The highest peak is Bedori Top (12,229ft). The view from Keran Top is very open. Many important places of Indian-held Kashmir like Uri sector, Qazi Nag Range, Shamsa Bari Range, part of Poonch city, and Pir Panjal Range can be seen from here. The areas in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir that can be seen from Keran Top are: Khurshidabad, Neza Pir, Qabroun Wali Dheri Top, Kerni Gali, Hajipir Pass, Sandgala, Jabbi Sayydean Soli, Forward Kahuta, Basahan Sharif, Hallan Shumali, Khardi, Shero Dhara Top, Bassali Top, and Mehmood Gali.


Pir Panjal Peaks as seen from Sar Lake

Sar Lake with Keran Top in Background

Local guys playing Cricket at Sar in the foothills of Pir Panjal Mountains

Bedori Top in May


Bedori Top

With the elevation of 12,229ft, Bedori is the highest peak in the adjacent areas of Pakistani-administered Kashmir. Bedroi is at a hike of about four to five hours from Keran Top. Most of the track is straight, following the skyline of the Keran Ridge. However, the last part of the track is really difficult as it is a steep climb of about two-three hours that starts from the second Bedori peak. Due to the low quantity of oxygen in the air at this place, the hike is very difficult and people with asthma or heart problems can have severe trouble while attempting to reach the last summit.

Camping at Kuthnard during Trek to Bedori

Last Summit of Bedori Top Trek

A panorama of Keran, Bedori, and Pir Panjal Range

Being the highest peak in an area of about 20 km², Bedori Top offers a very wide horizon of view. The Pir Panjal Range in Indian-held Kashmir is very near from this place, and looks like a snow wall touching the sky. If you are lucky enough to find a cloudless and haze-free sky, you can see many places from here including Mangla/Jhelum and many others that are also visible from Keran Top.

Bisali and Shero Dhara as seen from 2nd Bedori


A trekker, at 2nd Bedori Top

View of Nullah Betard, Soli and Jabbi from Top ridge of Sorda


Sorda:

Sorda means narrow in the local language. It is a place on Kahuta/Khurshidabad Road where the gap between two mountains is just a few meters. The Nullah Betard passes from this narrow gap and ultimately joins the River Poonch 15km downstream in the Indian-held Kashmir.

The locals tell an interesting tale about Sorda. They say that in old times, a giant used to live in nearby Sorda. Once he became angry on the local community for some reason and started blocking the Nullah's flow by throwing huge stones and clay in it at a point where the two mountain ridges were very close. His intention was to stop the Nullah's flow so that the water level may rise and people living upstream of Betard would drown into it. A Sufi saint also lived there. When he came to know about it, he came on the spot and hit hard with his stick the ridge that was blocked with and clay that stones. The stick cut through the ridge and a narrow passage was made that allowed water to pass through it. Apparently the story is unbelievable, but after seeing the place, one might not find it difficult to believe it, looking at the structure of the place and the narrow gap between two mountain ridges that allows water to pass through.

A small cut in the ridges that allows water to flowA small cut in the ridges that allows water to flowA small cut in the ridges that allows water to flow

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View of Nullah Betaard and Digwar Town - the bordering village at the Line of Control in Poonch Sector

Chirdikot:

A small town on Kahuta/Abbasspur Road at an elevation of about 5,500ft. A blacktopped road branches off from Palangi on Forward Kahuta/Abbasspur Road, and turning left here provides an alternate access route to Abbasspur via Chirikot. This route is used in winter by the commercial transporters for commuting Forward Kahuta/Abbasspur when heavy snowfall in Mehmood Gali blocks the regular route.

This road remains open throughout the season as it passes through low-lying areas where very little or no snowfall occurs in winter. One unique feature of Chirikot is that it offers the best and the closest view of Poonch citiy in Indian-held Kashmir. Apart from the city, the runway strip of Poonch Airport, village Digwar, some parts of Pir Panjal Range in Indian-held Kashmir, and Bedori Top, Keran Top, and Sandgala in Azad Kashmir are also visible from various points on this road.

Zooming in on Poonch City in Indian-Held Kashmir

Tongeri, alongwith Nullah Betard. The snow-clad peaks of Pir Panal range and Kahuta town are also visible


Cham:

Cham means waterfall in the local language. The Cham is located at an elevation of 6,130ft and about 15km from Jabbi Sayyedan via Soli Kalamula/Hillan Road. The road from Soli to Kalamula is blacktopped, whereas the rest of the road is a jeep track. The water at Cham falls into a narrow place half covered by a big boulder. Since the water falls from a very high point, it produces a big noise and sprinkles hundreds of thousands of water drops in the air which touch one's face gently when one stops nearby. In the afternoons of sunny days, these water droplets act like a prism and make a beautiful rainbow. The rainbow's location and angle changes if one changes the point of view. It is undoubtedly a dazzling scene, which takes one to a totally different world of absolute purity, free of all kind of hurries and worries.

Hillan:

A few kilometers from Cham, is the beautiful valley of Hillan in the foothills of the Pir Panjal peaks. Hillan is a Y-shaped

valley at 6,697ft, covered with Chir a n d D e o d a r forests. It has a great similarity w i t h N e e l u m Valley. The line of control (LOC) is j u s t a f e w kilometers away from here, and the famous summer s t a t i o n o f

Gulmerg (Indian-held Kashmir) is situated at a distance of just 40km from Hillan. Due to its close proximity with the LOC, the area is heavily guarded by Pak Army. Non-residents are rarely allowed to enter this valley. Photography is strictly prohibited. However, if you have some army connections, then no area is out of bound for you.


Rainbow at Cham

A 270 degree panorama of Hillan Valley

A Young Photog in Hillan

It is undoubtedly a dazzling scene, which takes one to a totally different

world of absolute purity

Thick Forest of Aliabad

Aliabad

Having a thick cover of Chir, Conifer and Deodar forests, Aliabad (6,610 ft) is a small army station located at a distance of about 20 km from Forward Kahuta on Kahuta - Haji Pir Road. The area is lush green and due to thick forest cover, the temperature is very pleasant in summer. Winter

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season witnesses heavy snow-fall in this area and the road remains blocked due to snow for most of the time during December to March.

Aliabad is in foothills of Haji Pir Pass and a sensitive area with security point of view. Photography is not allowed near the army installations.

Over looking Aliabad from Reza Camp.

Zooming in on Haji Pir Pass Hajipir Pass and Keran Top

Looking at Qazi Nag Range in Indian-Held Kashmir - from West of Haji Pir Pass

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Situated at an elevation of 8,631 ft, and at a distance of about 15 km from Aliabad, Haji Pir is a historical pass that provides connectivity to Uri in Indian-held Kashmir. It is another army base and therefore a very sensitive area in terms of security. A barrier is placed by the Pakistan Army at the entrance of the Pass, where every visitor (and

particularly the non-resident) undergoes a detailed search. Photography is strictly prohibited and one cannot take camera beyond this point.

Haji Pir pass was captured by the Indian Army in August 1965 in response to an ill and haphazardly planned Operation Gibraltar by Pakistan Army. However, the area was returned to Pakistan by India following the signing of the Tashkent Agreement on 10 January 1966.

A 25 km blacktopped road from here leads to Bhedi. Uri in Indian-held Kashmir is another 7 km away from Bhedi. A jeepable track from Bhedi leads to Uri but this route is currently abandoned.

Haji Pir pass provides a wonderful and wide open view of Keran Top in Azad Kashmir, and the whole Qazi Nag Range in Indian-held Kashmir. Haji Pir is called so

because right on the Pass there is the shrine of Hazrat Haji Pir, a Sufi saint from the Bukhari family. Every visitor to this area stops at this shrine to offer Fateha (pray for the eternal peace of the buried). Every year an Urs (annual celebration) is also held in his memory, attended by a large number of people from near and far.

View of Indian-Held Kashmir from Haji Pir Pass

Lassdanna:

At a distance of about 20km from Haji Pir Pass, Lasdanna is a beautiful station on top of a hill at an elevation of 8,473ft. The place offers captivating scenes and a wide-open view of the surrounding area and its natural beauty. From Lasdanna, three roads branch off the main road: i.e. Lasdanna Mahmood Gali/Forward K a h u t a ; L a s d a n n a / H a j i Pir/Aliabad/Forward Kahuta; and L a s d a n n a / To l i p i r R a w a l a k o t . Lasdanna to Tolipir is a jeepable track.

A few kilometers short of Lasdanna is the Shero Dhara - a peak with an elevation of about 10,ft. You can reach Shero Dhara Top through a one and a half hour hike from the main Lasdanna-Haji Pir Road. The top is the second highest peak in the neighboring area - the highest peak is Bissali which is another one and a half hour's hike away from here. One can have a 360-degree wide view of the area from this top. Bedori Top, Keran Top, Sar, and a long range of Pir Panjal mountains are visible from this place.

A rest house is available at Lasdanna for stay. The room charges are very nominal - Rs.600 per night. Reservation is made through the Tourism Officer, AK Tourism Department, District Bagh.

Lasdanna - in April

View of Bedori, Keran and Pir Panjal Range from Shero Dhara Top

Shero Dhara and Bissali Tops from Lasdanna Rest House Lasdanna Top and Dhulli Nullah as seen from trek to Shero Dhara

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Wildlife:

Jabbi Sayyedan used to be very rich in terms of wildlife three/four decades ago. However, continued habitat destruction, and a tremendous decline in forest cover in the area, on account of increased population and urbanization, caused severe damage to flora and fauna, leading to drastic reduction in the wildlife species. Major mammalian fauna found in District Haveli are: Common Leopard, Black Bear, Musk Dear, Fox, Rhesus Macaque, Asiatic Jackal, and Wolf. Apart from this, there are many sightings of lions reported by the local community of the area. Many people living near forest-covered areas, complain that lions do come every year from the Pir Panjal mountains and eat their

livestock in the fields. Many residents of Jabbi Sayyedan claim that every year in winters lions visit the burial places of a number of saints buried in the graveyard of the village. They believe that this wild beast does it as a gesture of showing respect for those saints. However, there is no scientific evidence of the Lion's presence in the region. The last remnant of the Asiatic Lion, which in historical times ranged from Greece to India through Persia, lives in the Gir Forest National Park in the Indian State of Gujrat, where about 359 lions are reported to live in a 1,412 km² sanctuary. People of Jabbi Sayyedan, in fact, often confuse common leopards with lions.

Avian fauna of Jabbi Sayyedan and the surrounding areas include: Kashmir Rollar, Streaked-Laughing Thrush, Blue Rock Thrush, Nielgari, Yellow-Billed Chough, Pied Bushchat, Oriental White Eye, Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Red-vented Bulbul, White-cheeked Bulbul, Common Stonechat, Himalayan Griffon Vulture, Shikra, Golden Eagle, and Himalayan Monal. In good old days, Golden Pheasant was also found in the forests of Hillan Valley.

Staying:

Unfortunately, no adequate staying arrangements are available in or near Jabbi Sayyedan as yet. The nearest available tourism rest house is at Lasdanna – about 40 km from Jabbi Sayyedan. Though there is a forest rest house at Forward Kahuta (12kmshort of Jabbi Sayyedan), it is not available for general public use, since it is under the Army's use since long. There are a few small hotels in Forward Kahuta, but their environment and food is highly unhygienic. If you are interested to visit this area, camping would be the best option.

Yellow-Billed Blue Magpie

A Juvenile of Pied BushchatRehesus Macaque or Rehesus Monkey


alash is located approximate 36 km, two hours drive away on the south side of Chitral City, in the foot of Hindukush mountains near Afghan Border. The road is very rough and scenic. Chitral consists of three valleys namely Bumburet, Rumbur, and Birir. The total population of this tribe, in all three valleys, is approximate 4,000. They have a unique culture, which is different from the other tribes living in the surrounding area. They speak Kalash language but majority of them can speak and understand Urdu and Pashtoo as well. According to Kalashis, some of the soldiers of Alexander the Great (B.C 327) who got fed up with fighting and bloodshed, deserted and hid themselves in these mountains. The present Kalashis are said to be the descendants of those Greek soldiers. Researchers from Greece regularly visit this place. They have setup many schools and health units in this area. Greece has also provided aid and built a museum in Bumburet. The high mountains of Hindukush have helped preserve their culture and traditions for centuries. In the late 70s, a road was built connecting Kalash valley to Chitral city, which was a blessing for the locals as well as the tourists. After the road's construction, the tourists began to visit Kalash quite frequently and this beautiful valley, its local community, and the mysteries associated to the people and culture of Kalash became known to the outer world.

K

Kalash Kalash Kalash The Lost Tribe

Text and Photography:

Shafqat Mirza

K

Kalashi women wear long black embroidered gowns, and on their heads they wear an ornamental cap, and a hair band decorated with shells and beads. They wear a number of necklaces made of yellow, red and white beads. Usually they visit Chitral with the same dress but they wear shalwar qamiz while traveling to other parts of the country and also use it as a night suit. Normally one woman owns three to four dresses at a time but they wear a new dress on their festivals. Kalashi men wear shalwar qamiz and Chitrali cap with feathers on front side.

The women go to “bashalani” for child birth and stay there for ten days. They also go there during their menstruation period and stay there for four days. During this period, and childbirth, women are not allowed to go home. Her family sends food to her during this time.

Usually girls get married between the age 15 to 20. They are allowed to choose their life partners by their own free will. If a girl wants to get married with someone she will go to his home and start living with him for a couple of weeks; after that she will come back to her father's home. The boy then shall ask for her hand in marriage and will gives the bride's father, goats, cows and money. A married woman is allowed to change her husband and marry another man. In this case, the new husband has to pay the former husband, double the number of goats, sheep, cows, and money etc that the former husband had given to the father of the woman at the time of his marriage. This custom is called Dongrak in local language. There are three main festivals in a year. First one is called Chillam Joshi (spring) which is held at the start of the spring season, from 12 to 15 May. The second one is called Uchau (autumn) which is held from 20 to 23 August and the final one is called Chaumus (winter) in mid of December of every year. The reason for calling it as Chaumus lots of goats are altered on this occasion. In the word Chaumus. “mus” means meat. The people also enjoy music, and dance during these festival.


Bashalni - Where Kalashi women go to give birth to children

Jewelry worn by local Women

Kalashi girl in typical dress

In their early age, Kalashis are very beautiful with blond hairs and light eyes. However, due to severe climatic conditions of the area and a tough lifestyle, their beauty starts diminishing from the age of 20.

The area is very fertile and plenty of water is available. The people grow wheat, maize, walnuts, apricots, apples, peaches and grapes. There are number of trees of mulberries, which are dried and used in the winter season as fuel wood. They make wine with grapes at their homes and most of Kalashi men and women drink it.

Music and dance is so much into their souls that Kalashi dance and sing even on deaths. Fifty years back they used to leave the dead bodies in wooden coffins in graveyard. However, now they have started burying the dead bodies because people lately started steeling the skeletons and ornaments of the dead bodies from the coffins and selling the same to foreigners for the want of money. Nevertheless, still some open wooden coffins along with bones can be seen in graveyards.

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Remains of human body in a Kalashi Graveyard in

A Landscape in Kalash

Delicious Chitrali Apples

Over the time more than three thousand people have converted to Islam; these Muslims are called “Sheikhs.” After becoming Muslim the women stop using their traditional dress and men remove feathers from their caps. If any Kalash converts to Islam, he is not allowed to stay in the same village of Kalashis but they start living nearby. The main doors of all Muslims are closed whereas doors of Kalashis remain open and they welcome visitors. They offer them local grapes wine and dry fruit. Due to frequent interaction with the international as well as domestic tourists, and improved accessibility of the area, the cultural dynamics are vulnerable to change in near future. According to a careful estimate, in next 20 years Kalashi culture and traditions will die out because of education and their interaction with other parts of the world. Most of young and educated Kalashis don't like their customs.

The literacy rate in the valley is very high and there is hardly any child who is not school going. There are number of schools and one intermediate college in the area. Many children are studying in big cities like Peshawar, Islamabad and Lahore.

How to get there

By Air: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) operates one flight on daily basis form Islamabad to Chitral. The flying time is 45 minutes and return fare for one person is approx Rs. 9,600. Jeep charges from Airport to Bumburet are between Rs.1,200 to 3,000. However, public transport from Chitral to Bumburet is also available. You can reach Bumburet from Chitral on public transport at a nominal fair of Rs. 70/- per person.


Upon reaching airport one must go directly to PIA office in Chitral city to re-confirm his seat for return flight.

By Road:

One can opt to go by road as well. From Islamabad, the route will be; Islamabad - Mardan - Malakand - Chakdara - Timargara - Dir - Lawari - Chitral - Darosh - Ayun - Bumburet.

Where to Stay

There are approximately 24 small and medium size hotels located in Bumburet, which are very economical. You can easily get one double bed room with attached bath between Rs. 300 to 800. If you are with family then the best place to stay is PTDC Motel which charges Rs. 1900 to 2400 per night. No matter where you stay, it is recommended that you dine at PTDC Motel, as the food there is hygienic compared to other hotels. Guides are also available at a nominal rate of Rs. 100 per day.

A Kalashi School

A beautiful stream in Kalash

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For those, traveling to Chitral by Road, a table is presented to show different towns en-route to Kalash Valleys and the travel time required for moving from one place to another. The travel times are applicable for self-driving vehicles.

The author is a development professional, and a hobbyist photographer who has been

traveling to north side of Pakistan since last 14 years for hiking and photography. This article is based on the direct

knowledge he gained from the locals, and his own

observations. He has visited there multiple times, and has developed very good relations with the locals. It helped him a

lot in write this. He can be reached at

[email protected]

Lawari Top in July

From To Road condition Duration

Islamabad Mardan Motorway 2 hour

Shergarh

Sakha Kot

Dargai

Malakand

Batkhela

Timergara

Timergara Dir Black-top Road 1.5 hour

Lawari Top

Darosh

Darosh Ayun 80 % is mateled road, 20 %

track is jeep able

1 hour

Ayun Bumburet Maintained Jeep able track but

cars can also travel

1 hour

Mardan Block-top Road 2 hour

Dir Well maintained jeep able

track.

Cars can be used too

4 hours

hat is Macro Photography?

E s s e n t i a l l y i t m e a n s t a k i n g photographs of really small things. Macro photos are shot at 1:1 or at higher magnifications like 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x etc. 1:1 means life size picture of the subject i.e at 1:1 magnification your subject will cover whole imaging area (film or sensor) of digital camera. This is usually applicable on DSLR cameras and magnification ratio is determined by the lens you use. In Point and Shoot cameras there is so called macro mode that helps user to focus at close d i s tance bu t i t has fa r l ess magnification than 1:1

W

Focus stacked two photo to keep both bugs in sharp focus. Lens used: 100 macro lens

Ethics of

MacroPhotography

Macro Photography - tips and techniques


The author is a founder member of PPA. He started photography as a hobby in 2004. He has evolved as a professional photographer providing freelance photography services to several organizations. Nature, miniatures, ancient monuments , mosques, and people are his favourite subjects.

Ladybug shot using Canon 100mm macro lens with external flash

Going Macro

Macro Lenses: DSLR users can buy macro lenses. There are a number of options available which will give you true 1:1 pictures. Canon's MP-E65 mm creates images at 5:1 ratio – that means a single grain of rice will cover whole film area!

Extension tubes: Extension tubes are hollow tubes added between the lens and the DSLR to help achieve higher magnification ratio.

Reverse Lens: Reversing the lens in front of the DSLR with the help of an adapter will allow you to take close-ups without spending a lot in macro gear, but it has its limitations. With this technique point-and-shoot users can also achieve higher magnification.

Close-up Filters: These are screwed onto the front of the zoom lens to give some boost in magnification ratio.

Tips and Tricks

Here are few critical things to master for the best macro results.Focus

Focusing is the toughest job in macro – the higher the magnification the greater chance of being out of focus. Auto focusing is usually not possible due to higher magnification. To overcome this issue I usually set my lens to manual focusing and set the focus to the desired magnification on the lens, then move back and forth to achieve focus and hold where the desired spot is in perfect focus.

Tip: Use a mono pod – this is going to increase your keeper ratio dramatically by keeping the camera steady at the focus point and reducing motion blur.

Lightning: As depth of field (DOF) is extremely shallow at large aperture, one has to use aperture as high as F8 – this significantly increases the demand of light. External flash is going to be extremely helpful here, as it is going to illuminate the subject very well. It will also eliminate chances of motion blur caused by camera shake.

Tip: Use off shoe cord and diffuser for your flash for more natural and pleasing results.

Choosing the best lens for Macros

If you don't have any experience in macro photography and hardships it brings, I recommend you start with the reverse lens option. If you are a point-and-shoot user get an adapter for your camera model and put any of the compatible lenses made for DSLR/SLR (ideally in 50mm range with large aperture) in front of your camera lens and try to take photos with techniques mentioned above. This option is great for budget DSLR shooters too.

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For DSLR users looking to buy a macro lens, if you shoot a lot of insects, etc, get 100mm or another above-range macro lens. If you are limited to flowers, etc, a 50-60mm range will be just fine. The image-stabilized macro lens by Canon or VR macro lens by Nikon are also in the market but they are tested useless for high

magnification shots. Sigma and Tokina are g r e a t t h i r d - p a r t y o p t i o n s . T h e y a l l provide 1:1 or 1X magnification and you can add extension tubes if you want to increase magnification. These lenses are great for portraits too. Prices

range from 400$ to 1000$ depending on the focal length and image-stabilization options.

Macro Shot of An Ant taken with 50mm Reverse lens on a point and shoot camera

People who want to rock the world at 5X magnification should get Canon's MP-E65. This specialized lens costs around 800$ and lack focusing at infinity this makes it useless for other purposes.

Final words

Macro photography is an extremely vast topic with tons of things to talk about including m a t h e m a t i c s a n d endless accessories. The above article is based on my own observations, experience and the techniques. For any further questions contact me at +923455400315, or visit my website www.awaisyaqub.com.

The man who showed Window to

3rd Eye: Tell us something about where did you grow up, and how long have you been doing the photography etc.

GR: I was born in Gujranwala on 24th July 1976 and was a student of accounting in my college times.. Since my childhood, I have been fond of colors around me. I can recall my observations of going after the birds and listening their songs, watching's the flying kites and bubbles of the early mon-soon rain. Countless such experiences are in my memory. I learnt Calligraphy and tried a painting by my ownself but the school studies never let me get time for this. I got my first camera A “Yashica electro 35” in 1989 when I was in class 8 and took the first few pictures of my life. It was a sunrise reflection in a pond near my house in Gujranwala.

3rd Eye: Did you have a formal education in photography? If yes, from where and when?


GR MughalInterviewing

The Wildlife of Pakistan

GR: I don't have any formal education in photography and I learnt everything from books, magazines, internet and from my friends in the field.

3rd Eye: You were a student of Accounting? What motivated you to adopt photography as a profession?

GR: I am a nature-lover by nature. Imagine a student, sitting in his room solving mathematical puzzles of accountancy and suddenly some bird comes on the wall and utters few notes and the student leaves everything behind and goes out to watch the bird. He forgets everything when he seas a beautiful sunset. Well I used to work hard but I could not kill my feelings for nature and close my ears and eyes from the phenomena of nature. I had no other choice but to do something to witness the beauty of nature and share it with others. I was feeling suffocated as if somebody is killing me slowly hence I decided do photography essentially for my own soul.

W

Interviewer: Muzaffar H. Bukhari

hile talking about wildlife photography in Pakistan, the first name that comes to the people’s mind is none other than Ghulam Rasool Mughal - an accomplished, and widely known nature / wildlife photographer in Pakistani photographers community. He is not only an outstanding photographer, but also a very good bird watcher, and his bird identification capabilities are unquestionable.

In Ist week of March 2010, Mr GR Mughal held a solo exhibition of his work on nature and wi ldl i fe photography in a gallery in Karachi. This display was rightly titled as “The Window to Wildlife of Pakistan”. The exhibition got an overwhelming response from the general public as well as the photographic community of Karachi.

At this occasion we managed to have an interview session with him. The interview aimed at letting the readers of the 3rd Eye know more about him. So here we go.

GR and his “shooting gun” - 600 mm F:4 L USM

3rd Eye: What genre of photography did you adopt in the beginning of your carrier?

GR: In the beginning, I was fond of photography…every type of photography but I used to love the nature and landscapes. Professionally I survived in photography by doing general photography which to shoot as per client's demand. It ranges from wedding shoots to commercials and assignments of all sorts.

3rd Eye: Why did you choose to become a wildlife photographer?

GR: Because I used to spend time chasing the birds in the gardens and listening their songs…I could never feel so much peace and satisfaction as I felt when going for birding. Actually I am a nature photographer who loves every type of life but does wildlife photography especially.

3rd Eye: What is the source of your learning about wildlife photography?

GR: My brotherly friend Dr. Ahmad Shahzad, who gifted me many books of the birds of Pakistan and taught me about the wildlife of Pakistan, its uniqueness in geography, flora and fauna. He played the key role to motivate me.

3rd Eye: Who are your competitors in Pakistan? How do you rate them?

GR: I don't know who are the competitors so I cannot rate them at all.

3rd Eye: If you could shoot with another photographer who would it be and why?

3rd Eye: What genre of photography did you adopt in the beginning of your carrier?

GR: In the beginning, I was fond of photography…every type of photography but I used to love the nature and landscapes. Professionally I survived in photography by doing general photography which to shoot as per client's demand. It ranges from wedding shoots to commercials and assignments of all sorts.

3rd Eye: Why did you choose to become a wildlife photographer?

GR: Because I used to spend time chasing the birds in the gardens and listening their songs…I could never feel so much peace and satisfaction as I felt when going for birding. Actually I am a nature photographer who loves every type of life but does wildlife photography especially.

3rd Eye: What is the s o u r c e o f y o u r learning about wildlife photography?

GR: My brotherly friend Dr. Ahmad Shahzad, who gifted me many books of the birds of Pakistan and taught me about the wildlife of Pakistan, i ts uniqueness in geography, flora and fauna. He played the key role to motivate me.

3rd Eye: Who are your c o m p e t i t o r s i n Pakistan? How do you rate them?

GR: I don't know who are the competitors so I cannot rate them at all.

3rd Eye: If you could shoot with another photographer who would it be and why?

GR: It would be Jay Maisel because of his un-paralleled style of capturing the last rays of available light, and Frans Lanting for his un-compromised nature photography.

363rd Eye – Pakistani Photographers’ Association March 2010

Beautiful beach of Balochistan

3rd Eye: You seem to be focused only on avian fauna, as we don't see other forms of fauna in your pictures. Why so?

GR: Its just because of chance that you could not see my whole photography.

3rd Eye: If you are restricted to do either avian photography or landscapes? What would be your choice, and why?

GR: I would go avian photography at first and landscape at second

3rd Eye: What do you feel is the most challenging thing about wildlife photographing?

GR: To capture the essence on the bird. A shot which actually describes the bird's individual qualities in the wild. For example; a seed eater or a fish hunter

3rd Eye: Have you ever had a "close encounter" with a dangerous animal in an attempt to get the perfect photo?

GR: Yes; it happened when I was photographing the blue faced barbet in Margalla Hills, a female wild boar with kids came in my way charged towards me then suddenly I picked up a big stones and crashed it over the stony pathway and the loud sound of the hit distracted that female and I was saved on that day.

3rd Eye: What do you think of the wildlife photography at present and where do you see it in next five years?

GR: Wildlife photography is the most desirable form of photography right now to create awareness and educate the people about its beauty and the charisma. I want to have a production house platform to do work for educating the general public. I want to see myself established in wildlife photography to represent the true picture of Pakistan's unique bio-diversity.

3rd Eye: How many wildlife shoots you do you in a year - on average?

GR: 40 to 50

3rd Eye: What is your favourite wildlife place, and why?

GR: Khunjarab and Deosai plains. The wildlife and the species you see there are very much restricted in those areas. Top of the world, above tree line, perfect wilderness

3rd Eye: Which is your most favourite picture from your own portfolio, and why?

GR: A mating pair of white winged redstart that I captured in Khunjerab National Park. The courtship of this bird is so unique in style and it was snowing at that moment. Normally, this species lives and is restricted above the tree line. That rare scene made the image kind of “Picture of the tour” indeed.


3rd Eye: What are the basic essentials of wildlife photography?

GR: Patience, peace from inside, observation and lot of knowledge about the subject so that you may improvise the behavior of the particular subject. Extreme physical fitness and the art of using camouflage and good equipment to work with in extreme weather conditions are also extremely important.

3rd Eye: Do you do any research prior to going out on the field? How important it is.

GR: It is more important than doing photography itself, I think

3rd Eye: Is it important to study a lot about species' behavior to get the perfect shot?

GR: Yes of course, it is very much important to study and know everything about the specific species because you cannot get the best shot of that species if you do not know the habits and the ways of your subject.

3rd Eye: Many people believe that "the gun matters more than the man behind the gun". What is your view on this? Please elaborate for our readers.

GR: Though, the man behind the gun matters more than the gun but then the “gun” should be a gun. You cannot fire a canon ball with an air gun.

3rd Eye: What equipment you generally take along with you when you are in the field?

GR: Well it depends whether I am going on a car of walking in hills. Usually, I take only two cameras with two lenses and a tripod only to do my job when I am trekking but I carry the whole stuff when I am traveling in a car.

3rd Eye: What brand of camera and lenses you personally like, and Why?

GR: I like Canon because it is much easy and user friendly and the pro-controls can be accessed even without moving your eye from the scene. Apart from that, fast and accurate focus, power and speed of frames offered by Canon produce images of unmatched quality.

3rd Eye: If you had to choose one lens which one would it be and why?

GR: Well that depends what I am going to shoot….for birds photography, I would go for 800 mm or 600 mm but for mammals and large animals I would prefer to use 400 mm lens. For landscapes I would go for 16-35mm and 70-200 mm.

3rd Eye: Other accessories required for wildlife shooting?

GR: A fast and dependable camera body, a sufficient focal length of the lens, a lot of battery power and storage capacity. A sturdy tripod and drab colored clothes with a head cover according to the location

3rd Eye: Do you plan on buying any new equipment and if so what do you have your eyes on?

GR: Well right now I don't intend to buy any other equipment but I will buy a new camera body, Canon EOS 1D Mark IV with Canon EF 800 mm Lens.

3rd Eye: Are you a freelance photographer, or you work for some organization?

GR: Well I work for WWF-Pakistan. However, I do other assignments as well as a freelance photographer.

3rd Eye: From the carrier point of view, what are the future prospects for a Wildlife Photographer in Pakistan?

GR: Well, photography as a whole is not yet recognized in our art institutions and the prospects are limited till the time photography is duly regarded as a form of art. Wildlife photography is much more challenging, demanding and at times, dangerous as well due to the criminal and un educated people in our society.

3rd Eye – Pakistani Photographers’ Association38 March 2010

3rd Eye: Is there a place where you wanted to go, but haven't had the chance yet? Any particular subject you wanted to shoot, but haven't had the chance?

GR: Korambar and Baroghal Lakes for photographing life cycle of migratory birds and to the Chitral mountains to photography the Asiatic lynx and snow-leopard

3rd Eye: How important is Photoshop in your final images?

GR: It is important for color corrections, spot removals and preparing the images for presentations and printing purposes. It plays a key role in the whole process because starting from downloading to presentation or printing, it is the Photoshop that I use.

3rd Eye: What is your most used Photoshop tool, plug-in, etc.?

GR: Camera raw image converter, Color Levels, Healing brush and Nik 3.0 plug-in filter.

3rd Eye: Do you think you have mastered Crash-Art workflow, can you briefly describe for our readers your photographic workflow after a shoot in wild?

GR: Well: my workflow has generally six steps. (i) download the images in a folder using Adobe Bridge, (ii) review the whole lot carefully in adobe bridge and tag the selected photos for final selection, (iii) group the final images in different sets depending on nature of the images,

March 201039


(iv) open each group in Adobe Camera Raw Converter and check for white balance, dust spots and other details, (v) convert the desired images into PSD format, and (vi) finally save the copy of the selected images in JPG format.

3rd Eye: Which wildlife Photographer inspires you! And why?

GR: Frans Lanting for its creative control over the diverse subjects of wildlife photography.

3rd Eye: What photographic organizations do you belong to?

GR: PSA-Photographic Society of America, and Pakistani Photographers’ Association.

3rd Eye: What would you be, if not a wildlife photographer?

GR: A painter or wildlife researcher.

3rd Eye: What are your political views?

GR: Democracy, rule of law, and a uniform education system for every individual of the society.

3rd Eye: What is the biggest issue of Pakistan, and what is the way forward to resolve that?

GR: Lack of quality formal and technical education, and poor governance. The resolution is; quality educa t ion for a l l , and s t r i c t accountability mechanism to be in place.

3rd Eye: What is the particular thing you are still learning?

GR: How to take better wildlife pictures and how to store, manage and retrieve the data so that you don't end in piles of photographic data except having good access over the images in a systematic way

3rd Eye: What or who is the greatest love of your life?


GR: I have to think on it but I cannot find one because I love nature in all of its forms. Whether it is a beautiful eye or it is an emerging leaf bud in the spring, I love everything.

3rd Ear: What is your greatest fear?

GR: My fear is this that Pakistan as a whole is going towards decline in quality education and it is prone to corruption. The society has no respect for nature and wildlife so I might not be able to work and produce as much I want and pray for. I cannot go alone with my stuff to really wild areas because I remain afraid of dacoits (I was even looted once, near Gujranwala - just 5 km off the GT Road). But the biggest fear of all is the absence of the people who really love and respect this art and if Pakistani Government did not own it, I will be left with no choice but to do something else for my survival. You can say that wildlife photography is the biggest risk that I took and still limping along with it.

3rd Eye: If you could have lunch with anyone who is famous who would it be?

GR: Don't know…No answer

3rd Eye: Your favourite film(s) of all time?

GR: Dances with wolves, Legends of the fall, Alaska, Life is beautiful, The shooter and The "Bourne" series, are my all time favourites.

3rd Eye: First thing you would do if you won the lottery?

GR: I would buy another camera set and a house for my living and then a vehicle to go in the wild areas. Buy a big land, develop it into a natural forest or farm house and live there in the company of Nature.

3rd Eye: Which five words would your friends use to describe you?

GR: Dependable, trustworthy, thoughtful, friendly and straight- forward

3rd Eye: What ambition have you not yet achieved?

GR: A well composed coffee table book, a wildlife film about Pakistan

matching the in terna t ional standards, and photographing the snow leopard in his hunting grounds.

3rd Eye: What would you like to be doing in 5 years from now?

GR: I will be working on film and photography projects on self -finance basis and running a wildlife stock agency in Pakistan. A permanent photography art gallery with loads of wildlife books and soulful atmosphere

3rd Eye: If you could live anywhere on this awesome planet where would you build your dream home?

GR: Probably I would not leave this place until and unless, I am forced to do so. In that case, I would live in Canada.

3rd Eye: Ever risked your life for a photograph?

GR: I was in Naltar Valley and to take a photo of Naltar Lakes Complex in one shot, I slipped

down straight from a rock and got injured my left leg and finger tips of both hands. With bleeding fingers and trembling legs, I completed the sequence. I would have died in an instance, had i not left the camera and held the sharp edge of the rock.

3rd Eye: Your unforgettable experience in the field, and why it is so?

GR: It was during Makran Coast

Assignment. I was traveling along the beach,

from west bay Gwadar to Jiwani. I saw few

Humpback Dolphins playing in the waves

very close to the beach. I was improvising

their surfacing movements to capture one

good shot. After 45 minutes of continuous

chase in the waves with my lens, I was almost

exhausted but in the last moment, a young

Humpback Dolphin came into my frame,

made a big splash and jumped out and landed

into the sea. This jump made a 180 degrees

rotation and I was lucky enough to capture it

in 14 frames with high speed camera. I turned

off the camera after that and started shouting

loudly…It was the most memorable moment

of my life.

3rd Eye: What advice do you have for

somebody who wants to become a nature and

specifically wildlife photography?

GR: Observe the subject before you take

pictures, Don't think that you have taken the

best shot so keep on trying for the best shot

which satisfies you. Wear relatively grey

clothes without flourescent or sharp colored

markings. Talk less and listen more. Eat less

and see more.

3rd Eye: What is the minimum required

gear to start with wildlife shooting?

Please consider the budget factor as well.

GR: Any camera with at least 300 mm

lens and a tripod.

3rd Eye: Do you have your own website

or blog? Can you share the link for our

readers?

GR: www.ghulamrasool.com

3rd Eye: And the last but not the least, if

you are assured that your one wish will

be fulfilled, what it would be……?

GR: This interview shouldn’t have been

this much long…(laughter)

3rd Eye: Thanks for your time GR.

March 201041


The exhibition “Window to Wildlife of Pakistan” in photographer’s own words:

"This exhibition is A journey of transforming my soulful experiences into reality. Whether it was the lonely starlit night in the deserts of Cholistan or the eagles flying over frozen rivers of Baltistan, the first light falling on the snow covered Himalayas or the vast fields of millions of wild flowers in Deosai, whether it was the song of the nightingale in the early hours of twilight in Hingol or the sound of the gushing springs in Palas valley, countless such close experiences with nature spoke to my heart saying; ' its all here'…telling me that the answer of all my questions is written here…I just had to, ponder and contemplate and reflect them for others to know the truth. I have a firm belief that these signs of nature are in fact telling us everything related to very reason of our existence and the ultimate destiny awaiting us.”

oing through Indus Highway from Dera Ismail Khan to Peshawar, the Sheikh Badin Hill lies on the east of Pezu at an altitude of 1,400m above sea level, a 2-hour drive

from Dera Ismail Khan and an hour's rough drive from Pezu. The only road from Pezu is very rough and steep and requires a 4-wheel drive vehicle. You can also get a ride from Pezu - very rough Toyota classic cars take almost 600Rs one-way. For hikers, it takes 6 to 8 hours from the oasis town of Paniala, full of splendid views, and this is recommended.

It is said that the mountain Sheikh Badin was named after Hazrat Baha-ud-din Zakariya, a great Sufi saint of his times from Multan, who went there for preaching Islam; while some people say that the hill is named after Pir Sheikh Bahauddin, whose tomb is right on the hill top and attracts devotees from the vicinity throughout the year. Later on, the name changed from Sheikh Bahauddin to Sheikh Badin.

Sheikh Badin Hill has quite interesting historical importance,. It happened to be one of the cantonments of the British era. The British came here somewhere around in 1861 and left in 1914.

Sheikh Badin

National Park A forgotten paradise

Text and Photography:

Muhammad Danial Shah

A view from Hilltop

Signboard of Sheikh Badin National Park

Google earth Map of the Park


The hill station has one rest house, known as Daak Bangla (in the local language), built more than 100 years back. It comprises of a few rest rooms with mountainous-view windows and a veranda. The old furniture and some accessories are still present but nothing has been done so far to restore them.

A jail was also made for the prisoners by the British, which has one main jailer's room, six small and four big jails.Still in its shape, it is now a major attraction for the tourists.

The station lacks water supply, therefore the British built four pools

with channels from the mountains around which collect rain water for drinking and other purposes. The pools have some great system for filtering the water, made in that period. There is a single well, right next to the pool which is said to be the storage place for ice. The hill station also has a squash court.

Dak banglow at the Park

Inside view of the Jail at Sheikh Badin Hill

Views from Veranda of Dak Bangla

The water pond


The author is a student of Business Administration, and a travel photographer

from Karachi, who is also into write travelogues, and short stories. In

photography, his focus is on travel and culture. He can be reached at

[email protected]

website: www.edanial.com

The valley has very less population of Pathans, comprises of 25-30 houses, one primary boys and girls school and four masjids. The oasis town of Paniala lies to the south-east of the hill. Towards the west is the Lucky Cement Factory - locals say that the factory pollution is destroying the environment of the hill.

Sheikh Badin also has a variety of wildlife in a nearby jungle, and a National Wildlife Park known as Sheikh Badin National Park that has leopards, jackal, wolf, chakoor and titer (pheasant and partridge).

Cold breezes always blow throughout the year: winters are quite cold, while summers are chilled.

People from the vicinity visit the hill station to camp around and enjoy the weather. A single shop has cold drinks, biscuits and snacks that are double the original price. Water has to be taken yourself as its difficult to get water on the hill. It is said by locals that the Government plans to build a carpeted road, a PTDC motel, a Gomal University Summer Camp Campus and a chair lift from Paniala.

Zig-zag track leading to Sheikh Badin Hill

A few local faces

Water channel at Sheikh Badin Hill

The park at Sheikh Badin Hill


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Rows of pillars, crowned by a ribbed dome.

The Ramachandra temple is situated to the east of the Hari Singh Haveli and is closed from all sides except for an entrance on the east. The double-storied structure has eight rooms of various dimensions on the ground floor and a staircase at the south leading to the first floor. The temple has two jharokas (balconies) that have been severely damaged.

The Hanuman temple is on the wes tern ext reme of a h igh rectangular enclosure with entrances on the south and the north. The temple's ceiling is undecorated and

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atas is derived from katakshel, which in Sanskrit means chain of tears. Katas is some 18km from the modern city of Chakwal (Punjab). The Katas site houses the Satgraha, a group of seven ancient temples, remains of a Buddhist stupa, several medieval temples, havelis and some recently constructed temples, scattered around a pond considered holy by Hindus. The temples at Katas are mostly constructed on square platforms, and the elevation of these shrines seems to form a series of cornices with small

453rd Eye – Pakistani Photographers’ AssociationMarch 2010

Text By: Haroon MustafaPhotography: Muzaffar H. Bukhari

Photo: Haroon Mustafa

Damaged balconies in one of the temples

lime-plastered. The Shiva temple is also built on a square platform. Its entrance is a recessed round arch with faint cusps and a rectangular opening to the north.

The Katasraj temple complex is believed to date back to the Mahabharata era. There are stories about the Pandavas spending time there during their long exile. The lake in the complex is believed to have magical powers and is thought to be where

Yudhisthira defeated the Yaksha with his wisdom to bring his brothers back to life.

Many legends are associated with the temples, some of them involving Shiva himself. Legend says that the five Pandava brothers - heroes of the Sanskrit

fourteen years they spent in exile. Before coming to this place they were told that the place was holy and that they may find some mysteries. When they arrived they were tired and one of them drank water and he died. The second brother drank it and he also died. It was only when four brothers had drunk the water and died, that at last the leader or elder brother came near to the pond and after a while he heard a voice. The voice told him that if he could answer four questions correctly, all the brothers would regain life. The brother answered all the questions and his four brothers got life again.

Another legend involves the death of Shiva's wife Sati. \The story goes that when she died Shiva cried so much and for so long that his tears created two holy ponds - one at Pushkar near Ajmer (Rajasthan, India) and the other at Kataksha (this literally means "raining eyes" in Sanskrit). It is from this name that the word Katas is derived. Another version of the legend mentions the two pools at Katasraj and Nainital (Uttarakhand, India).

An alternative telling of the legend involves the death of Shiva's horse Katas. In the story, the two holy ponds (Pushkar and Kataksha) are created by Shiva's tears when his horse dies... Another version of this legend mentions the pools at Katasraj and Nainital. People bathe here and seek forgiveness as Hindu belief holds that bathing in the pond (especially on certain occasions) causes the forgiveness


View of Katasraj Complex from a temple’s top

Water pond, made out of Shiva’s Tears on his wife’s deathTourists at Katasraj complex


of sins and helps attain salvation. Many people also believe that this will come from bathing in the pond at any time. The depth of this holy pond is still a mystery, but according to locals the depth of this pond is approximately 300ft and kills at least one person per year.

March 2010

The author is into Information Technology business, and a hobbyist photographer, based at

Islamabad. He can be reached at [email protected]

A wider view of Katasraj complex

Archeological beauty of Katasraj complex

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katasraj_temple

enny Irwin is an American artist born to a large family in 1974. Kenny is an artist by birth, with particular interest in; calligraphy, ball pen drawing, robotic art, sculptures, light show & Pakistani Starfleet Series including dozens of other art mediums.

Although an American by birth and nationality, Kenny is a true Pakistani by soul. His love to Pakistan and its culture seems to be more than that of an ordinary Pakistani. He does believe in Pakistani culture very much. In his own words; “It has been a part of me ever since I was practically born. How this has happened is a mystery. When I was about six years old, my father played Pakistani music in his car for me. As he did so, something clicked and I felt as if something was missing so far, that was a part of my soul.”

As Kenny grew, so did his art as well. Pakistani influence has been in his art to one degree or another throughout his life. Along with this came his reversion to Islam despite going to eight years of catholic school. Around the turn of the century Kenny invented The Pakistani Starfleet Series and developed it further more over the years. Today the series comprises more than 1,000 drawings, adjoined short stories & long stories. You can see his more recent work at

Kenny has also created two Pakistani Starfleet short films on youtube,

Kenny explains the premise of The Pakistani Starfleet story as: "An alien invasion plagues the world where the greatest military powers cannot stop the alien invasion until out of the most unexpected corner of the globe the Pakistani people rise up withtechnology gifted to them by crash landed aliens they helped befriend centuries ago".

Kenny’s Bic Ball point pen drawings have similar influence with traditional and futuristic aspects.

Kenny has been drawing with nothing but a bic ball point pen for the last few decades. Much of the subject material is captured from his own dreams. Today there are well over 1,000 total drawing in which some have been featured at the AVAM, Baltimore.

Pakistani influence is present all of his work including; drawing, robotics, sculpture, art installation, painting and much more.

www.flickr.com/photos/kennyirwin/sets/72157604476547192/

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-08XJuhnECQ.

wwww.flickr.com/photos/kennyirwin/sets/72057594097496478/

Featuring Keny IrwinFeaturing Keny IrwinThe man behind the “Keny Ka Pakistan”The man behind the “Keny Ka Pakistan”

KFeatured by:Muzaffar H. Bukhari

Pakistan Starfleet Series

Ball point drawing by Kenny


Kenny has been wearing custom designed tailored shalwar kameez since last decade and have also designed many Pakistani fashions. This has inspired many Pakistanis to take another look at their heritage and too appreciate it more. He has even invented Pakistani tailored snow clothes made from Gortex f o u n d a t :

Kenny is considered in the top 700 most famous artists and entertainers on the web.

Photography is another major interest of Kenny where he focuses on nature & historical as well science and the unique & interesting subjects.

Kenny has produced a light show for Christmas celebration that has become the largest most elaborate residential light show in all of North America topping out at 7,001,150 lights in 2008. Similar to the elaborate truck art traditions of Pakistan, America has a similar elaborate light art tradition that takes effect every year on houses and vehicles everywhere during the holidays. Kenny’s l i g h t a r t i s c a l l e d R o b o - C h r i s t m a s .

About 22,000 people from around the globe come to see it and walk the grounds that feature millions of lights and hundred of giant artworks and effects.

As a gesture of his love for Pakistan, its people, culture and arts, Kenny is sponsoring a monthly photo contest run by Pakistani Photographers’ Association (PPA) over its flickr group www.flickr.com/groups/opp. The photo contest with the name of Kenny Ka Pakistan has being

www.flickr.com/photos/kennyirwin/2297143013/

www.robochristmas.com.

www.robochristmas.com.

Kenny's light show, and other artwork have been featured by many magazines, and websites including; Sweden's Home & Garden magazine, ,

, , and www.eNgadget.com. Moreover, his Microwave art show on the Youtube ranked the top 700 best shows on the Youtube 2006-2009.

www.Gizmodo.comwww.Kotaku.com www.Digg.com

www.microwaveshow.com


Successfully run by PPA since last one year at flickr. It is worth while to mention here that it is the only photographic contest at flickr run by any Pakistani group that offers One-year flickr pro-account to the winners of the contest every month. So far 11 contests have been held, and 10 awards distributed to different winners. The result of 11th contest is yet to be announced.

The themes of the contest are given by Kenny, whereas the selection of winner is done by a panel of PPA’s senior photographers in consultation with Kenny. So far many interesting themes have been announced, including: Traditional is also Modern, Pakistani Robots, Focus on Swat, Independence, Education, Ramadan and Eid, Underwater Pakistan, Pakistani Birthdays, and Pakistan - through 10 Photographs.

We hope that this partnership of PPA with Kenny will long last and he will continue sponsoring the contest like he has been so far.

Kenny’s notable distinctions Sr.No. Distinction Year

1 Artwork featured at AVAM, Baltimore

2008-09

2 Artwork & light show featured on HGTV

2004

3 Artwork & light show featured on TLC

4 Won best of competition Bloomfield hills association state wide Michigan Art Competition

1992

5 Won best of Show Coachella valley wide art contest

1986

March 2010 3rd Eye – Pakistani Photographers’ Association50

A conversation with a wonderful photographer from Karachi whose diversified portfolio provides inspiration even to professional photogs.

Iqbal KhatriMeet

Dear Readers,

3rd Eye is pleased to introduce Mr. Iqbal Khatri, (IK) a well-known photographer, from Karachi, who has superb ideas that he executes in the perfect manner. Whether it is portrait, landscape, sunset or architecture, he is the best in all of them. His photo stream at flickr is a must see thing for those who are looking for diversified work done very professionally.!

Here is a conversation between IK and Sultana Tabassum Farooqi, specially for the readers of 3rd Eye.

Sultana: Kindly tell us something about yourself. And what do you do for living?

Well, I was born in Karachi and settled here with my family. I am a father of five children. Basically I am a businessman of garments and tailoring materials.

Sultana: Do you remember when did you start photography?

Since my childhood. I remember that my father bought me a camera (made in West Germany) first time, when I was tooyoung - I even do not remember the name of it. I started taking photos of my family and friends in the beginning; then in early '80s my interest in photography developed and I started outdoor photography (landscapes and portraiture) with new concepts and different aspects of daily life and since then I never go outside without my companion [camera] as I always love to click.

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Interviewer: Sultana Tabassum Farooqi

Beautiful carving - Shahjehani Masjid, Thatta


Photo: Ameer Hamza

Sultana: Did you study photography?

No, I have never done any study of photography, it's already in my blood. I totally believe in my own experiments though I consider myself as 'self-motivated' rather than 'self-taught'.

Sultana: Why is photography important to you?

Photography is very important for me. I cannot live without it as it's a tool of self-expression. I can easily express my feeling through it.

Sultana: Who or what influenced you to become a photographer?

Nothing!

Sultana: Do you believe in the expression "A picture is worth 1,000 words"? If yes, why do you believe?

Yeah, I do believe in it. It's 100% true! Because sometimes it's difficult to express our feelings in words but it's an easy way to convey your message to others through a photograph.

Sultana: Do you have a favourite photograph?

Yes, I have many of my favourite photographs but the one which I like the most is from Thar Desert.

Sultana: Alright! So you have been to Thar Desert, tell me something about that.

Yeah! I have visited the Thar Desert of Pakistan twice. The Thar Desert is just a unique place for its way of culture, people and lifestyle.

Inshallah! I will go again to take some more great shots of their daily life. I wish to visit the great Thar Desert of India too.

Sultana: Do you think that society would have been different if photography were not invented?

Hmmm … It's a difficult one! But I think - yes! Society would have been different without photography.

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Beautiful beach of Balochistan

Sultana: Do you think that a person must possess talent to capture emotions and expression in the picture?

Yes, I believe that the talent is possessed inside the person.

Sultana: Does the price of a camera affect the quality of the picture?

It's all about the time. In the past, we had only b/w film or slide film snaps but now we are on digital. Sometimes, I think the quality of the picture depends mostly on the photographer, the best gear is nothing without a perfect photographer.

Sultana: What makes a good photographer in your opinion?

In my opinion, the spirit, senses, emotions and the environment make one a good photographer.

S u l t a n a : W h a t d o y o u e n j o y photographing the most?

Most of the time I like to take portraits to capture people's expressions and also historical places, which I think may vanish in time.

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Women’s life at Thar Desert


Sultana: In your opinion, what makes photography an art?

Photography is totally an art. Because you draw an image in your mind before clicking the shutter button.

Sultana: Do you believe that film photography will in the end be totally replaced by digital photography?

Everything is changing rapidly by time, but there are many people who still love to take shots with their 35 mm film rolls. But it's true that digital photography made life easier. Now we do not need to wait for the developing and processing - we can see the results then and there on the LCD.

Sultana: Do you prefer using film cameras over digital ones?

Film cameras are more fun than digital ones! So, I always prefer using film cameras over digital, but as I said digital cameras have made life very easy.

Sultana: How do you see your son (Ali Raza) as a photographer?

Mashallah! He is very talented and has a good motive and passion for photography and is a deep observer too. And I am sure that a bright future is waiting for him.

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A heard of bulls on a morning walk.

A unique way of ploughing the fields.


Sultana: I noticed that you mostly show different cultures, traditions and people of our country. Tell me, what makes you wish to capture pure Pakistani culture in this way?

I love my country, its culture, and traditions very much. We have lovely people with beautiful culture and simple lifestyle. I always want to show the beauty of Pakistan, through my photographs.

Q19: Has photography ever got you into a trouble?

Every photographer of this world who does usually street photography or is a journalist can get into troubles. And, I

also faced troubles sometimes. But here, I would like to share one of my experiences with you.

One day I was taking some pictures of Mohata Palace with one of my friends, Mr. S.M. Rafiq. Suddenly we saw a few people were cutting an old beautiful tree inside the premises. We started taking pictures to be witness of the situation and asked them why they were doing this. And that was a moment when we were caught into trouble.

They thought that we are from some media or press and getting coverage that could result in a big trouble for them. We had a long debate with them and then we decided to leave the place immediately to avoid a bad situation. As we left the place we noticed that two of them were following us on the bikes to our next destination - Jahangir Kothari, Clifton. We were a bit frightened of them but when they saw us taking pictures of other places they realized that we were just photographers, nothing else, and would not create any problem for them and they left from there. And that was the moment I feel that I was really in trouble.

Sultana: What would you like to suggest to the newcomers in the field of photography? Do you have any message for them?

I would like to suggest to them to be positive in their work and work hard to achieve success in the field of photography.

Sultana: Thank you so very much Mr. Iqbal for being here and for sharing your views and personal experiences with us. On the behalf of 3rd Eye and PPA I wish you all the best in your future. Thanks again.

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Corridors of Shahjehani Masjid, Thatta

A Pansaari Store (selling spices and herbs)


3rd Eye - Issue 2 - March 10

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Transcript of 3rd Eye - Issue 2 - March 10