Taken at a luncheon where some honorable minister couldn’t eat in the heat: Thanks to load-shedding of course.

Courtesy: Daily Express (or was it Aajkal :s)

The Lights Come on at Saidpur Village – March 2009, originally uploaded by swami bhaktividenta prabhupaada.

A trip to Saidpur Village is like heading back into history – a narrow winding road leading up to the landmark Hindu temple at its entrance, stacks of hay, terraced mud houses and the Margalla Hills overlooking them all combine to turn the clock back.

Having been cuddled up in the comfy lap of the Margallas for centuries, the village provides a vivid account of what it actually used to be in yesteryears, long before Islamabad came into being through a photo museum set up inside the renovated temple.

Aptly put by Imran Naeem of Daily Times

With some eateries around .. plan a visit this weekend with your family :> The weather’s at your side too ~

See more pics of the village by clicking here.

Wait not .. jump into Saidpur asap – at your own expense obviously ;)

As I was reading Daily Times this morning, I come to know through a report of theirs that butchers have set their asking prices already.

Rs 1,500-1,800 for slaughtering goat,
Rs 5,000-7,000 for bull,
Rs 9,000-10,000 for camel

Woah.

I’ve seen many households where they just give the asking price without any bargaining and then later cry over the meat being ruined by these seasonal butchers. If you haven’t advanced booked one, thoroughly inspect the chosen butcher candidate. Check the utensils he’s carrying, if it’s an axe (kulhari), bid him farewell right there, on the spot. He’s not meant for your cutie lil animal.

If you’ve enough manpower at home, follow the footsteps of Hadhrat Muhammad Mustapha SAWW. Gain extra sawaaab. If you are feeble-heart kind … stay indoors please.

Message for Eid:

Before keeping the legs aside … do remember the families around who haven’t tasted seen mutton/lamb/Beef since months. Probably it was last eid they saw it.

Image Courtsy: Sbmoot

Hazrat Syedna Pir Meher Ali Shah (R.A)

Situated near Margalla Hills, Islamabad, Golra Sharif is a shrine of the Sufi Saint Pir Meher Ali Shah.

Prior to the arrival of Hazrat’s ancestors Golra Sharif was just a small village in the suburbs of Rawalpindi.

The area extending from Hasan Abdal to the neighborhood of Taxila, a settlement traced back to 2000 years, is custodian of a rich cultural heritage of pre-Islamic period. Even today the archaeological remains dotting the area furnish evidence of the splendid cultural and religious traditions of Buddhist era. Eminent historians of the world agree that it was here that Greek wisdom and Indian civilization meshed together to bring about a synthesis which influenced cultures and art movements everywhere.

With the passage of time, it was overrun by many foreign invaders, such as Greeks, Persians, Afghans, White Huns, Mughals, Sikhs and the British.

With his rule extending from 1747 to 1773, Ahmad Shah Abdali emerged as one of its last period rulers. After his death his son Taimur Shah ruled the area till 1793. he had to face tremendous pressure from the Marhattas and Sikhs, and by the British at river Sutlaj. when the Afghan ruler, Ahmed Shah Abdali, died and his subedar in Punjab, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, took advantage of the power vacuum and proclaimed his autonomy, it became a part of Sikh Kingdom. From 1818 to 1849, the area remained under the Sikhs till it was annexed by the British.

This was the period of great political upheaval and instability. Some of the communities, known as marauding tribes, were addicted to violent crime and internecine warfare. They levied black-mail tax on the roads south of the Margalla Pass. Morality and virtue were on a rapid decline. Absence of values had created a social abyss – a spiritual “waste land”, and the government too was based on injustice and tyranny. In such a holocaust, God in His Divine Mercy deputed Muslim saints to guide the people and to show them the path of righteousness.

A celebrated Punjabi Naat of Hazrat (R.A)

The following Naat is the most well-known of Hazrat’s writings in verse. It has a grandeur equalled by few other Naats in any language. It’s concluding verse in particular is unmatched in it’s beauty and emotional appeal.

Translation:

Why is it that the yearning for the Loved One (i.e., the Holy Prophet) is especially strong today?

Why is my heart sadder today than even before?

Why does longing penetrate every tissue of mine?

And why are the eyes shedding tears like a shower of rain?

His shining face appeared to me in a vision,

And fragrance emanated in profusion from His tresses;

I fainted from the sight of these visions;

The hordes of his eyes overpowered me.

His face shines like the full moon;

A brilliant light radiates from his brow;

His hair is black, and his eyes are bewitching and intoxicated.

His two eye-brows are like cross-bows,

Hurling darts of pointed eye-lashes (in all directions);

His lips are red like rubies of Yemen;

His white teeth like a string of pearls.

I am not sure whether I should call his face the essence of life;

Or life of the entire universe;

The truth is that it is (like) the glory of God,

From which all other (worldly) glories originated,

[ Note : This refers to the Holy Prophet's well-known hadith: "Allah created (everything from my light, and I am from the Light of Allah"]

This face (of the Prophet) emerged from the Faceless One (i.e., Allah);

The Faceless One manifests Himself through this face.

The Colourless (Reality) has been revealing itself through this image,

Ever since Unity exploded into Diversity.

It is this face (of the Holy Prophet) that guides (mankind) to the path of Faceless One (i.e., Allah);

Nay (not the path only but) to the Ultimate Reality Itself.

However, understanding this (secret) is beyond the capacity of the simpletion;

Only the select few succeed in discovering and capturing the Pearl (of Truth).

May this Face (of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H)) remain before my eyes,

In my last moments (of life) and on the Resurrection Day!

Then (also) in my grave, and at the time of crossing the (razor-sharp) Bridge (on the Judgment Day as a test to separate the virtuous ones from the sinners);

Only then shall the fake ones become pure (in the sight of Allah).

Thou (O Holy Prophet) hast been blessed (by Allah) with the promise to grant thy desire (in full);

And we (thy humble followers) have full faith in Allah’s assurance that thou shalt be happy with the Bounty of Allah.

[Note: Reference here is to verse 5 of Surah XCIII of the Holy Quran: "And presently (i.e., in the Hereafter, as also in this world) thy Lord shall grant unto thee (O Prophet ! rich and abundant reward) so that thou shalt be well-pleased].

The Gracious One (we hope) shall declare us successful (in the test of earthly life);

Because we have correctly understood the Divine words: “Intercede and thy intercession shall be accepted”.

[Note: Here the reference is to the Prophet's divinely inspired hadith (hadith-e-Qudsi), in which Allah reassures the Prophet (P.B.U.H) with the words i.e., his intercession for the forgiveness of sinning believers shall be accepted by Allah on the Judgment Day].

Be gracious enough to remove from thy face the sheet of Yemen (O Prophet !),

And grant us a glimpse of thy endearing face.

Repeat once again those sweet words,

Which thou hadst uttered in the valley of Hamra.

Come (once again) from thy cell to Mosque,

For everyone longs for a glimpse of thy image full of light;

(And) denizens of both the worlds (i.e., this world and the Hereafter) are laying their eyes in thy path -

Human beings, angels, the houris and the fairies.

For the ones yearning and pining (for a glimpse of thine);

Who are ready to sacrifice (their lives) for thy sake;

For these slaves ready to sell themselves out without any price (in thy path);

May those moments of bliss come back once again!

Glory to Allah, who created thee (O Holy Prophet!) in the most beautiful, the best, and the most perfect mould.

Who is (the humble) Meher Ali to chant thy praises;

How (presumptuous and) impudent his eyes are to aspire to the heights of thy love!

Source: www.thelightofgolrasharif.com

Sehri posts from previous Ramzan, Delight 1 and Delight 2 =)

Image Courtesy: DailyLife

IMG_8025, originally uploaded by mafimushkala.

Himmat marda’an =))

SHANAAKHT – A Nomad Forum for the Arts brings you SHALI a telefilm from the powerful series Aseer Shahzadi produced by HUM Television.
Written by Attiya Dawood, well knownwriter, activist and poet, SHALI will move your hearts and make you think and hopefully do something for these distressed and troubled souls.

A touching story pertaining to abuse against women in our male dominated society with regard to child marriages. The issues presented in these plays are of universal concern, with women being the victims of these evil practices. Sensitive issues are brought forward to make people realize the severity of the prevailing injustices to females. Shali, the 14 year old protagonist, a mere child living in the city’s slums, has no clue what it entails to be married.

Cast includes Suhaee Abro, Shazia Qamar, Rashida Yaqub, and Aslam Shaikh. Directed by Danish Nawaz.

Schedule:

Date: Tuesday, March 25 – 2008
Time: 6.30pm (doors will close at 6.15 sharp)
Duration: 50 minutes
Donation: Rs. 100 (Shanaakht members) Rs. 200 (non-members)
Venue: Nomad Gallery – 383, 8th Avenue, F-8/3, Islamabad

Note: There are a limited number of seats available…kindly call/ mail or visit to book your seat.

Nomad timing: 10am – 6pm (Monday closed)

Shanaakht membership is open, contact the Nomad reception for details.

Nageen Hyat
Director, Nomad Gallery
# 383, Eighth Avenue, F-8/3, Islamabad. Tel: 051 – 2262502

Shali in Islamabad on 25/3/08 @ NOMAD, originally uploaded by *abro*.

Refer to the original picture for more by the print media.

Only today did I notice that Pappasallis prints the words ‘Since 1989′ on its pizza boxes.

And all at once, I felt like the year 2008 is a really long way away from the first time I ate out with my family at this fancy Italian restaurant and ordered asparagus soup, much to the disgust of my cousins.

Man. ‘Since 1989.’

Of course, a simple calculation revealed to my mathematically slow-witted mind that Pappasallis is in fact only 19 years old. Which is younger than I am – so young that if it were a person it would be writing angst-filled poetry about its A Level exams right about now.

19 years is a lot for a restaurant though, and any thoroughbred Islamabadi can testify to Pappasallis’ long-standing success. But the lettering on the pizza box made me feel like it was 19 hundred years old. I imagined this whole epic saga where Pappasallis and Mammasallis had been history since the olden days, and the restaurant had been run by successive generations of pizza-dough-spinning Babysallis’ right up to the present.

In fact, if you squint and try very hard not to think clearly, it almost looks like it’s ‘Since 1898′.

Or maybe that’s just me. Tee hee.

My friend e-mailed me this image, and I think it’s priceless. =D

Santa Claus is a man who believes in going local wherever he may be. During the Christmas season in Australia, for example, you’ll find him at a barbecue on the beach, wearing bermuda shorts and flipflops.

And in Islamabad, you might see him riding a camel down the street.

This particular Christmas party in Islamabad has been visited by Santa every year for nearly a decade now – and he arrives on a camel each time! After he arrives, he hands out presents to the children, and partygoers can sit with him on the camel and have their picture taken. (I’m wondering what the camel’s name would be, seeing as each of Santa’s reindeers has a name. Rajput? Sandstorm? Thar? Marvi?)

Now, Santa is world-famous for being a master of stealth, but this takes the cake. Next December, I for one am going to keep my eyes peeled for any sign of a big, jolly bearded man in a red suit riding a camel up and down the streets of Islamabad.

All photos thanks to Monica Michele on Flickr.