WAGHA BORDER CERMONEY

WAGHA BORDER

WAGAH, Pakistan, May 28, 2003 - The crash of serious boots, angry looks, violent snorts and a final military greeting -- the goose-stepping of Pakistani and Indian soldiers creates a daily spectacle at the Wagah border post, where thousands meet each evening to watch the flag-lowering spectacle. "They show their irritation and their purpose, but it always stays formal," an officer of Pakistan's Rangers border guards said of the ceremony performed in a absolutely coordinated daily ritual for almost 56 years. A long white line, borne of the 1947 partition of Britain's Indian empire, defines the border between the antagonistic neighbors and two heavy gates, about two meters (yards) apart, lie across either side. On the Indian side, some 2,000 audience take their seats behind the border post after being let in through a path running alongside the border for 50 meters (yards) under the rounded moustaches of the Pakistani Rangers. Opposite, around 1,000 Pakistanis take their seats on also side of the Baab-e-Azadi (Gate of Freedom). The gate was built in August 2001 by Pakistani powers that be in homage to the thousands of Muslims killed during the mass migration to their new land in 1947. Cries of "Pakistan Zindabad" (Long live Pakistan) interchange with shouts of "Jai Hind" (Long live India). The Indians play war music, the Pakistanis play religious music. The Indians sing and dance. Pakistanis stay in their seats, men on one side and women on the other. But some are energetic in their own way: Mehrdin, 75, a vegetable vendor in Lahore, comes every day dressed in the national colour green, sporting a long white beard and transport a large Pakistani flag under the noses of tenderly booing Indian audience. A long guttural cry signals the end of the jollity: Pakistani Rangers in charcoal shalwar kameez (a traditional unit of long smock over trousers), without weapons, starts the ceremony. It is repeated identically on the Indian side. Pounding the ground with long strides, a Ranger goose-steps hurriedly towards the gate for a brusque exchange of mimicked threats with his Indian colleague. A second joins them, then a third in a bizarre rumba punctuated by glowering glares and warrior moustaches. The gates open. Two officers approach each other and after briefly coming face-to-face shake hands. Both soldiers can then start to lower the Pakistani and Indian flags fixed high on poles planted at the foot of the gates. Silence falls. Only the clacking of boots and the snorts of the soldiers can be heard. Carefully folded, the flags are passed away by the goose-stepping soldiers. Both officers return to the white border line. A final handshake. Not a single glance exchanged. The gates are slammed shut and on both sides, a trumpet announces the end of the spectacle. "I came because it's good to mark our difference. It's good for Pakistan to show it is strong," said Tariq, a youth from Lahore who came with his friends to watch the performance for the first time. Intimidated, the group of youths only relaxed when asked whether they had any desire to cross the border. "Right now, if we could!" Tariq and his friends replied in chorus.

GWADAR

GAWADAR

Gwadar (Urdu: گوادر) is located on the southwestern coast of Pakistan, on the Arabian Sea. It is strategically located between three increasingly important regions: the oil-rich Middle East, heavily populated Pakistan and the economically emerging and resource-laden region of Central Asia. The Gwadar Port was built on a turnkey basis by China and signifies an enlarging Chinese footprint in a critically important area. Opened in spring 2007 by then Pakistani military ruler General Pervez Musharraf, in the presence of Chinese Communications Minister Li Shenglin, Gwadar Port is now being expanded into a naval base with Chinese technical and financial assistance. Gwadar Port became operational in 2008, with the first ship to dock bringing 52000 tonnes of wheat from Canada. Minister of Ports and Shipping Sardar Nabil Ahmed Khan Gabol officially inaugurated the port on 21 December 2008.^[2]. China has acknowledged that Gwadar’s strategic value is no less than that of the Karakoram Highway, which helped cement the China-Pakistan nexus. In addition to Gwadar serving as a potential Chinese naval anchor, Beijing is also interested in turning it into an energy-transport hub by building an oil pipeline from Gwadar into Chinese-ruled Xinjiang. The planned pipeline will carry crude oil sourced from Arab and African states. Such transport by pipeline will cut freight costs and also help insulate the Chinese imports from interdiction by hostile naval forces in case of any major war. Commercially, it is hoped that the Gwadar Port would generate billions of dollars in revenues and create at least two million jobs.^[3] In 2007, the government of Pakistan handed over port operations to PSA Singapore for 25 years, and gave it the status of a Tax Free Port for the following 40 years. The main investors in the project are Pakistani Government and People's China's plan to be engaged in many places along oil and gas roads is evident.

HISTORY

The Makran region surrounding Gwadar was occupied by an ancient Bronze age people which settled in the few oases. It later became the Gedrosia region of the Achaemenid Persian empire. It is believed to have been conquered by the founder of the Persian empire, Cyrus the Great. The capital of the satrapy of Gedrosia was Pura, which is thought to have been located near the modern Bampûr, in Iranian Balochistan. During the homeward march of Alexander the Great, his admiral, Nearchus, led a fleet along the modern-day Makran coast and recorded that the area was dry, mountainous, and inhabited by the "Ichthyophagoi" (or "fish eaters"), an Greek rendering of the ancient Persian phrase "Mahi khoran" (which has itself become the modern word "Makran"). ^[5] After the collapse of Alexander's empire the area was ruled by Seleucus Nicator, one of Alexander’s generals. The region then came under "local rule" around about 303 BC. The region remained on the sidelines of history for a millennium, until the Arab-Muslim army of Muhammad bin Qasim captured the town of Gwadar in 711 CE and over the intervening (and nearly equivalent) amount of time the area was contested by various powers, including the Mughals (from the east) and the Safavids (from the west). The Portuguese captured, sacked and burnt Gwadar in 1581,^[6] and this was then followed by almost two centuries of local rule by the various Balochi tribes. The city was visited by Ottoman Admiral Sidi Ali Reis in 1550s and mentioned in his book Mirat ul Memalik (The Mirror of Countries), 1557 CE ^[7]. According to Sidi Ali Reis, the inhabitants of Gwadar were Baloch and their chief was Malik Jelaleddin, son of Malik Dinar. In 1783, the Khan of Kalat granted suzerainty over Gwadar to Taimur Sultan, the defeated ruler of Muscat. ^[8] When the sultan subsequently retook Muscat, he was to continue his rule in Gwadar by appointing a wali (or "governor"). This wali was then ordered to subjugate the nearby coastal town of Chah Bahar (in modern-day Iran). The Gwadari fort was built during Omani rule, whilst telegraph lines were later extended into the town courtesy of the British. In the 1900s, the Gwadar enclave was transferred to Pakistan, after Aga Khan III paid £3 million and gifted Gwader to Pakistan, and it was then made part of the Balochistan province. In 2002, the Gwadar Port project (of building a large, deep-sea port) was begun in the town. The government of Pakistan intends to develop the entire area in order to reduce its reliance in shipping on the port of Karachi. In addition to expanding port facilities, the Project aims to build industrial complexes in the area and to connect the town via a modern highway to the rest of Pakistan. By the end of 2004 the first phase had been completed.

GEOPOLITICAL IMPORTANCE

he Gwadar deep-sea port emerges as a place of great strategic value, enhancing Pakistan's importance in the whole region, extending from the Persian Gulf through the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia and the Far East. Gwadar is located on the southwestern coast of Pakistan, close to the important Straits of Hormuz, through which more than 13 million bpd of oil passes. It is strategically located between three increasingly important regions of the world: the oil-rich Middle East, heavily populated South Asia and the economically emerging and resource-rich Central Asia. The construction of the Gwadar deep-sea port is just one component of a larger development plan which includes building a network of roads connecting Gwadar with the rest of Pakistan, such as the 650 km Coastal Highway to Karachi and the Gwadar-Turbat road (188 km). This network of roads connects with China through the Indus Highway. Pakistan, China, Kazakhistan, Kyrgizstan and Uzbekistan are developing extensive road and rail links from Central Asia and the Chinese province of Xinjiang to the Arabian Sea coast.

The Pakistani Government has initiated several projects, with majority financial and technical assistance from China, to develop Gwadar's strategic location as a goods transit and trade point. The primary project is the construction of a deep-sea port at Gwadar to enable high-volume cargo movement to and from the landlocked Central Asian states. The new port will also encompass conversion facilities to allow for the movement of natural gas as a part of plans for a termination point for the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan natural gas pipeline. The secondary project is a coastal highway connecting Gwadar to Karachi, whose $200 million cost will be completely financed by the Chinese. Gwadar will serve as a port of entry for oil and gas to be transported by land to the western regions of China. The project's fate is tied to the decentralization of government in Pakistan.^[10] If an agreement is brokered with the Baluch, the Pakistani military will gain a strategic depth southwest from its naval base in Karachi that has long been vulnerable to blockade by the Indian Navy. China is going to be the beneficiary of Gwadar's most accessible international trade routes to the Central Asian republics and Xinjiang. By extending its East-West Railway from the Chinese border city of Kashi to Peshawar in Pakistan's northwest, Beijing can receive cargo to and from Gwadar along the shortest route, from Karachi to Peshawar. The rail network could also be used to supply oil from the Persian Gulf to Xinjiang. Pakistan's internal rail network can also provide China with rail access to Iran. Rail access will however be hampered somewhat by differences in gauge: China and Iran - 1435 mm; Pakistan - 1676 mm; Central Asia - 1524 mm.

ECONOMIC FORECASTS

The government declared Gwadar port a "Special Economic Zone" in the budget, 2003-2004. All banks will open their branches, five star hotels has already been be built and are operational, offshore banking will be started, factories, warehouses and storage will be set up, the tourism industry will be promoted in the area, an export processing zone will be set up, making Pakistan a very attractive place for direct foreign investment, and Gwadar port a regional hub of trade and investment activities.

DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

OMAN

Oman has offered $100 million aid for the development of social and infrastructure facilities in Balochistan. Out of $100 million, Oman has provided $7 million for extending of runway at Gwadar Airport, construction of jetties, upgradation of Gwadar Hospital, provision of 100 engines to fishermen and construction of power house. Oman is also financing construction of Gwadar-Hoshab Road, water supply scheme in Gwadar area and construction of irrigation dams.^{[citation needed]}

Pakistan and Oman have signed a number of agreements including Avoidance of Double Taxation, Promotion and Protection of Investment, Cultural, Technical and Educational Cooperation, Agreement on cooperation between Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry and FPCCI, Maritime Boundary Agreement and Agreement to establish Pak-Oman Joint Investment Company.^{[citation needed]}

Around 70,000 Pakistani citizens work in Oman.^{[citation needed]}

PAKISTAN

Pakistan through networking of roads is linking Gwadar with Karachi and the north to enable the Central Asian States to use Gwadar as a port for their trade. Water supply is being improved, seven jetties are being constructed and local fishermen are being given motor engine run boats. The local hospital is also being upgraded. A number of electric power generation projects are also being carried out in Gwadar and in its surroundings. The Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO), a subsidiary of the Wapda, has geared up the work for building the power transmission line. It is expected to be completed soon.

AIRPORT

Gwadar has a big airport for commercial aircrafts. There is a need for the expansion of the airport and enlargement of its runway to facilitate the landing of wide body aero-planes. CAA has been directed to upgrade the Gwadar Airport for the landing of jet planes by the end of 2004. Gwadar port will be open air and after its inauguration the jet planes shall be landing at the Gwadar airport. A sum of 2.3 million dollars is being utilized from Omani grant. The Pakistan government and the Civil Aviation Authority are also contributing additional Rs563.35 million for this purpose. the the above mantions are all like lie becoz i am blonging from pakistan and the airport of Gwadar build by simply not like that wrote above there only 4 flights operating an a week except 2 international flight Gwadar muscat Gwadar there no any passengers load becoz fair is very very high, i dont know which resons while Karachi- to lahore 800 km by air maile the fair is 4000/= but Gwadar to karachi 380 air mile the fair is 5700/6800 this is a this is the kidding... for us

DRY PORT

A dry port in the Sino-Pakistani border town of Sust, 200 km north of Gilgit, was constructed in 2004 at a cost of Rs 90 million. Soon, President Musharraf announced that the state of the art facility would be linked to Gwadar via the Karakoram Highway. According to the president, this provides parts of China with the shortest access to Pakistani deep sea ports, and the Middle East.

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR ABOUT GWADAR

Gwadar I am blonging from Gwadar but name of Gwadar many people black mailing to others the people of Gwadar simply are innocent persons they not know geeting there rights becoz MNA,s Sanoters all outsider from Gwadar and GPA and GDA all emplyees selected by own pernolly by MNA, Sanoters all Gwadar people unemplyees at least 2500 educated loacl youngist in Gwadar but you can c in GDA/GPA they are all out sider like Turbat/Panjgur this is the wicknis of our representaives they do not do any things about Gwdaar peoples. Media not know fully information about Gwadar they only came get intereive from un-local persons instead of local person at Gwadar..

RICE ZONE

Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP)-apex body of the rice exporters in the country- has decided to establish a rice zone in Gwadar to fetch the opportunities in the area after the construction of new port. The establishment of warehouses will provide extraordinary facilities to rice exporters especially for those who export rice to Iran as the Iranian border is only at a distance of three hours from Gwadar.rs and other plants have been installed in addition to a 50 MW power-house. 33 km railway line from Taftan to Saindak has also been laid. The Chinese company MRDL has so far invested $25 million (Rs 1.5 billion) on the project.

TRANS-AFGHAN GAS PIPELINE

The 1400 km Trans-Afghan Gas Pipeline (TAP) from Turkemenistan to Gwadar(Pakistan), a long-dormant project that would pump Turkmen natural gas to markets in South Asia, may finally be poised to begin at a cost of $3 billion. The Government has announced that a massive defense facility will be constructed in the city in order to guarantee the security of the area. The Government has also announced that a new shipbuilding centre will be built at Gwadar, with an as-yet unspecified international partner.

FOOD TRICKS IN ENGLISH

Note: Scanning text and preparing images for the web often results in loss of image quality.
Actual print quality of the book will always be better than what is being shown below.

Cooking Tricks

Cooking Tricks

Chicken Karahi Recipe

Ingredients

½ Kg. chicken
3-4 tomatoes –chopped ( optional)
1 onion chopped
3-4 whole green chilies
¼ tsp crushed black pepper (Kali Mirch)
½ tsp. salt (according to taste)
3 tbs. oil
1 tsp garlic (Lehsan) paste
½ tsp. ginger (Adrak) paste

Instructions

Remove skin of tomatoes.
In a pot add chicken, Garlic (Lehsan), Ginger (Adrak) and salt. Cover and cook on low heat till the water from the chicken have dried and chicken is half cooked.
Add oil, tomato, green chili and onion. Cover and continue cooking. When the water dries and chicken is tender add the Black peppercorn (Kali Mirch), stir and remove from heat.
Serve with boiled rice.
Serving: 2 persons

TIKKA BOTI RECIPE

Ingredients

½ kg cubes of beef
2 tbs. raw papaya (grinded)
½ tsp. ginger (Adrak) paste
½ tsp. garlic (Lehsan) paste
½ tsp. salt (according to taste)
2 tbs. yogurt
1 tsp chili (Lal Mirch) powder or
1 tbs. chopped green chilies

Instructions

Mix together all the spices, yogurt and papaya and coat the beef cubes with it.
Leave to marinate for 5-6 hours preferably overnight.
Grill/barbeque over charcoal.
Serve with Mint (Podina) chutney, yogurt and onion rings and Naan.
Serving: 2 to 3 persons

Biryani Recipe

Ingredients

1 to 2 kg mutton or chicken (preferably bony & fatty)
1 kg basmati rice
100 to 150 grm. Yogurt
3 to 4 tsp. salt (according to taste)
1 medium onion
6 garlic (Lehsan) cloves
1 tbs. ginger (Adrak) paste
12-16 green cardamom (Chhoti Ilaichi)
1½ to 2 tbs. garlic (Lehsan) paste
16-20 cloves (Laung)
1 cup oil, preferably ghee
2-3 tbs. Kewra
½ tsp. yellow food colour
1 tsp. sugar
1 pinch saffron (Zafran)
½ tbs. lemon juice

Instructions

Add mutton, salt and garlic (Lehsan) cloves in a pot with 2 glasses of water. If you are using chicken you can do with only one glass of water or less.

Cook on low flame till the meat is tender and the water dries.

Take one medium onion slice it and fry it in about 1 cup of oil/ghee till it is light brown. Add the rest of the spices, yogurt and fry it little and then add the meat.

Simultaneously soak the rice in water for half an hour.

Boil the rice with 1 tbs. of salt and ½ tbs. of lemon juice till it is ¾ cooked. Drain the water and keep it aside.

Transfer a little rice to a pot and on top of that add some of the meat masala combo so as to make layers of rice and masala keeping rice layer at the bottom and top.

Sprinkle on it a solution of Kewra, yellow food colour, 1 tsp. of sugar and a pinch of Saffron (Zafran) soaked in a tbs. of milk or water.

Keep it covered and on a low flame for about 10 minutes keeping the pot tightly closed to steam cook (dum).

When the rice is done, the biryani is ready.
Serve with salad or Garlic (Lehsan) chutney and Raita.

LAHORE HISTORICAL PLACES

Historical Places

Lahore Fort

The massive walls of Lahore Fort, built by Akbar in the 1560s, tower over the old city of Lahore, and the huge rectangle they define, 380 by 330 meters (1,250 by 1,080 feet), is filled with buildings from a variety of periods. A complete tour of the fort takes about two hours. The entrance to the fort is through Alamgiri Gate The inscription outside the Fort tells that Jehangir built it in 1618.

Shalimar Gardens

Three miles east of Lahore are the famous Shalimar Gardens laid out by the Mughal emperor hah Jehan in 1642 AD. The Gardens are spread out in typical Mughal style and are surrounded by high walls with watch towers at the four corners. Originally, the gardens were spread over seven ascending terraces, but only three remain now, which cover an area of about 42 acres.

Shish Mahal

Shish Mahal, or Palace of Mirrors, which stands on the fort's north side, is by far the most splendid. It consists of a row of high domed rooms, the roofs of which are decked out with hundreds of thousands of tiny mirrors in the fashion of the traditional Punjabi craft of "Shishgari" (designs made from mirror fragments). A fire-brand lit inside any part of the Palace of Mirrors throws back a million reflections that dizzy the eye and seem like a galaxy of far-off stars turning in an ink-blue firmament.

Kim's Gun

Out side the museum, not far away, Zamzama, the 18th century fire piece immortalized by Kipling as "Kim's Gun", takes up a surprising length of space in the middle of road.

Sikh Holy Places

Present in the Lahore Region are the following Sikh sites:

Nankana Sahib

Guru Nanak (1469 - 1539 AD) was born at Rai Bhoeki Talwandi now known as Nankana Sahib situated in Punjab province of West Pakistan. Nankana is located about 75 kilometers west-south-west of Lahore and 39 km southwest of Sheikhupura. Nankana Sahib is connected to the district town by rail and road.

Gurdwara Janam Asthan

This shrine in Lahore represents the home of Baba Kalu and Mata Tripta, father and mother respectively of Guru Nanak Dev, (where the Guru was born). It was established by Baba Dharam Chand (1523-1618) son of Baba Lakhmi Das and Grandson of Guru Nanak Dev.

Gurdwara Bal Lila
Gurdwara Bal Lila is another magnificent shrine, about 1.5 furlongs east-south-east of Gurdwara Janam Asthan. It is said to have been built initially by Rai Bular.

Diwan Kaura Mal
Diwan Kaura Mal had this Gurdwara built in 1748. It was reconstructed by Maharaja Rangit Singh, who also enlarged and properly lined the sarovar Nanaksar. It present three-story domed building was raised during the 1930's and 1940's and was completed shortly before 1947.

Chuharkana - Sacha Sauda
It is about 20 kilometers Northeast of Talwandi Rai Bhoi (it is now a railway station on the Sheikhupura-Faisalabad section of Pakistan Railways).

Gurdwara Dehra Sahib
Gurdwara Dehra Sahib symbolizes the Sikh tradition and marks the martyrdom of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji (1563 - 1606). This shrine was built in the memory of Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru who compiled the Adi Granth, the principal part of Sikh scriptures.

Kartarpur

Some writers say that the Guru founded Kartarpur (city of the Creator) after his third Udasi. thers believe that he started the habitation of Kartarpur in 1516 right after he came back from his first travel in 1515.

Gurdwara Patti Sahib
It is also called Gurdwara Maulvi Patti and lies midway between Gurdwara Janam Asthan and Gurdwara Bal Lila. It is along the road leading from Janam Asthan to the railway station.

Gurdwara Janam Asthan Ramdas
In Chuna Mandi area stands the ancestral home and birthplace of Siri Guru Ram Das Ji who was born here on 24th September 1534.

Samadhi of Maharaja Ranjit Singh
The ashes of the great Sikh ruler of Punjab, Maharaha Ranjeet Singh, and of his four wives and several slave girls lie in a dome adjacent to the Hazoori Bagh.

Gurdwara Shaheed Bhai Taru Singh Ji
There is another holy place by the name of Gurdwara Shaheed Bhai Taru Sing Ji which is situated near Naulakha Bazar.

Gurdwara Rohri Sahib And Chaki Sahib

Eminabad is near Lahore. Here the Sikh yatris pay homage to the Gurdwara Rori Sahib and Chaki Sahib.

Shahid Gang

Another small gurdwara close to the Lahore Railway Station known as Shahid Gang has been preserved by Pakistan as it was when occupied by the Sikhs.

Minar-e-Pakistan

Minar-e-Pakisan is a new landmark in Lahore and stands in the Iqbal Park to commemorate the date when a resolution was passed there back in 1940 demanding the creation of a separate homeland for the Muslims of this sub-continent. The Minar is a blend of Mughal and modern architecture and stands 60 meters tall.

Tombs

Allama Iqbal's Tomb

Outside the Badshahi Mosque, near its steps, lies the Tomb of Allama Iqbal, the poet-philosopher of the East. The mausoleum is a blend of Afghan and Moorish styles of architecture and is constructed entirely of red sandstone which was quarried and brought from Rajasthan.

Jehangir's Tomb

The tomb of the fourth great Mughal Emperor, Jehangir, lies three miles north-west of Lahore across the River Ravi. It has a majestic structure made of red sand-stone and marble. The outer entrance to the tomb opens out into a court-yard which was used as a caravan Serai during Mughal times. An entrance to the right leads into a Mughal garden with exact geometrical pattern balancing each side. The marble tomb is approached from four corridors leading from the garden.

Noor Jehan's Tomb

The Empress Nur Jehan, "Light of the World", was the only empress whose name appeared on the coins of the Mughal empire. She was buried in 1845 AD at Shahdara (Lahore) outside Jehangir's mausoleum across the railway line.

Qutub-ud-Din Aibak

He was appointed Governor of India in 1191 AD by Muhammad Ghauri. He established the Slave Dynasty on the death of Muhammad Ghauri in 1206 when he assumed independence of his reign and was followed by nine other slave kings. He was a patron of the building art and is known to have erected some monumental stone buildings in Delhi and elsewhere. A very avid player of polo, he died in Lahore in 1210 AD while playing the game. His tomb can be visited in Anarkali Bazaar.

Tomb of Asif Khan

In the courtyard near Jehangir tomb lies buried his brother-in-law, Asif Khan, father of Shah Jehan's beloved Queen Arjumand Bano. He lies in a tomb that today shows little of its former splendor.

Shrines

Shrine of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh Ali Hajvery

The shrine of this renowned saint of Lahore (d. 1071 C.E.), is close to the junction of the Lower Mall and the Circular Road. Data Sahib was a great Sufi saint whose well-known work, "Kashf-ul-Mahjub" has been translated from original Persian into several European languages and is considered a classic. His grave is surrounded by a beautiful mosque.

Mosques

Badshahi Masjid

The Imperial or the Badshahi Mosque is across the courtyard from Alamgiri Gate of the Lahore Fort. The Mosque, which is made up entirely of red sandstone was built by Emperor Aurangzeb, the last of the great Mughals, in a record time of two and-a-half years. Its construction was completed by 1674 AD.It has a beautiful gate-way which measures 21.33 metres in length and a courtyard that measures 161.5 x 160.6 metres and is said to be the largest mosque courtyard in the world for outdoor prayers. The marble domes cover seven prayer chambers. Four lofty minarets stand at the four corners of the mosque, each with an outer circumference of 20 metres, soaring up to 54 meters.

Golden Mosque or Sunehri Masjid

The founder of the mosque was Nawab Shah Bhikari Khan, son of Raushan-ud-Daula Turrabaz Khan, deputy governor of Lahore during the reign of Muhammad Shah and the viceroyalty of Mir Noin-ul-Malik. Golden Mosque is situated in the Kashmiri Bazaar. It was built in 1753 AD. It is remarkably beautiful with three golden domes. The mosque is elevated on a higher plinth, surrounded by old bazaars. Because of its color the mosque glitters in the sunshine as if it is a golden miniature place to bow before the Almighty Allah.

It has a beautiful gate-way which measures 21.33 metres in length and a courtyard that measures 161.5 x 160.6 metres and is said to be the largest mosque courtyard in the world for outdoor prayers. The marble domes cover seven prayer chambers. Four lofty minarets stand at the four corners of the mosque, each with an outer circumference of 20 metres, soaring up to 54 meters.

Pearl Mosque

Moti Masjid or Pearl Mosque, beyond the audience hall, was for the exclusive use of royal ladies. It is carved from marble having the luster of pearls. Nearby "Naulakha", a marble pavilion is inlaid with floral motifs and precious gems.

Wazir Khan's Mosque

Wazir Khan's Mosque is in the old city, 300 meters from Delhi Gate. This unique mosque is one of the most beautiful in Pakistan. It was built in 1634 by Hakim Ali-ud-din, popularly known as Wazir Khan, who was governor of the area during the reign of Shah Jahan. The Mosque is justifiably famous for the colorful fresco and tile decoration which adorns both the interior and exterior of the building.

LAHORE BASANT

LAHORE BASANT FESTIVAL
View of Lahore on Basant Night

Basant is a true Lahori celebration of colors, flowers, kites, fragrances, of love & of a sweet youthful time called Spring. Each March brings the colorful blooming of Lahore, the city of Gardens.Whole of the city is decorated with colorful sponsor banners and lights allalong the canal, the Mall Road and Main Boulevard, Gulberg. All majorlandmarks are lit up to show grandeur of Lahore’s rich architecture and itsMughal & British Colonial heritage.

Queen Noor Jehan’s brother, Asif Jah’s Haveli; all lit up for
Basant

Friends and family gather at common places to celebrate reunions and partyfor most of the Basant Night. Starting from the sunset, flood lights are litup all over the city’s skyline as people start off with white-kite flying.BarBQs are served with traditional Lahori dishes as the cries of “Bo Katas” &Dhol (traditional drums) echo throughout the next day.

Friends & Family celebrate Basant :

People from different cultures and countries are welcomed by their hosts.Many foreign dignitaries, diplomats from the federal capital, Islamabad areinvited over to different Basant events in Lahore.

A Kite Shop in Lahore

Basant has become the biggest drawer of tourists for this historic city andPakistan’s cultural capital. Most of the suburbans book roofs in the old cityespecially for this event. From 5-star hotels to Golf Clubs, from Banks toTelecom companies; all become a part of Jashn-e-Baharan (Celebration of theSpring) by arranging functions of their own in different vicinites of thecity.

A local McDonald’s celebrates Basant

For a Lahori, Basant is a blend of joy, happiness, love and celebration; amoment of rejoicing with loved ones and that of just chilling out.

Lahori Food

The word ‘Lahore’ is almost synonymous with food. Lahori Khabay or Lahori Food is something that has become a culture blended in delights from Desi cuisine to Western culinary.

For Lahoris, eating out is the favourite past time and food in itself is considered a celebration. You can experience this when you venture out on the city streets in the evening. There’s not a single locality without its own specialities. Road sides are lined up with small desi cafés; Khokay or Dhabas serve local delicacies from Chicken Tikka to Mutton Nihari and all of them never are devoid of hungry customers You can have a seat on those wooden benches or char-pais while enjoying fresh from the kitchen with hot n’ crispy bread; Tandoori-Roti. Add to it a chilled drink of Sprite or Desi Soda and you won’t have to worry about any digestion problems.

Gowalmandi Food Street, Lahore

In addition to these small scale outlets, Lahore boasts of specialities that are nowhere to be found except in this city of delights. Some of the most popular food points are named after their owners and founders. These include Ustad Phajjay kay Payay; Asif’s Nihari; fried fish at Sardar Machhli and Bashir Dar-ul-Mahi; Bhayay-kay-Kebab at Model Town; Butt kay Chanay; Yousuf Falooda; Benzair Kulfa and the list goes on and on.

The latest trend in Lahore has resulted in mushroom growth of European style Coffee Shops and Delis. Some of the most popular ones include Masoom’s Café, Coffee Tea & Company, Café HideOut and Moods Café. Another very popular place is the Cuckoo’s Den. Housed in centuries old haveli in Lahore’s old red light district, Cuckoo’s offers an experience from its views of the grand Badshahi Mosque, all lit up in lights and glory at night.

Although, these local cafés and eateries are not to be missed out, the best part of Lahori Khabay are its Food Streets. Lahore’s two main attractions are its two food streets; the one at M.M.Alam Road and the original desi Gowalmandi Food Street in Old Lahore.M.M.Alam Road has evolved from just a small commercial street in a posh district to an avenue lined up with designer restaurants, trendy boutiques and chic Coffee shops. Here, you can have the best of Desi food at Salt n’ Pepper Village; Continental and Afghani food at Freddy’s Café; Portuguese at Nando’s; Mexican at Gun Smoke and exclusive Italian cuisine at Café Aylanto. Chinese is now considered the second most favorite cuisine of Lahorites. Many Chinese restaurants serve exclusive food in all price ranges. These include Taipan, Pearl Continental Hotel; Dynasty, Avari Hotel; Hsuin Kuang; Thai food is a relative new comer served best at Lemon Grass and Pearl Continental Hotel’s Royal Elephant. Avari Hotel’s Fujiyama still is the one Japanese reataurant serving everything Japanese from Sushi to Chicken Terriyaki prepared on your own table counter!

One of our authors, Shirazi tells about Gowalmandi Food Street;

“The best place to stat is at the Food Street in Gowalmandi, a good mixture of past architectural glories and present culinary delights. I could not recognize the old Gowalmandi I was familiar with during my stay in 1970s. It has changed so much after commissioning in 2000. Gowalmandi Food Street gained popularity as a food centre after independence when Kashmiri immigrants settled here. With them came a new types and traditions of food. A trader of the street says, “apart from variety of cuisine, Gowalmandi Food and Heritage Street has come up as a singularity in Lahore.”

Anarkali Food Street