Story of the City of Lights

 

KARACHI (The City of Lights)

Karachi, the city of lights, home to a diversely cultural society is the economic hub of Pakistan. The largest city of Pakistan hosts multilinguistic people, majorly Muslims, from all over the country. It is this diversity which brings unique smell and flavour to the city. Karachi is rich in unique destinations, adventure spots, Halal food and anything one can think of as a traveller. Here are the six most exciting places to visit including Mosque, Halal eatery, museum, and couples vacation ideas for you.

1.    Sea view or Clifton

When you first visit Karachi, it is the best place to start. Sea view or Clifton beach is Karachi's main attraction. Since it is situated in the residential area, anyone can easily go by bike, car or public transport. You can also call it a beach on a budget. Even if you visit Karachi for a short time you can visit this place.

This best romantic place for couples is a 24/7 beach. Camel and horse riding, dirt bikes, buggy trips, beach parks, and snacks on the road are also the reason why the sea view is still crowded.

2.    Mazar-e-Quaid

This complex is the resting place of the founding father of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. It is in the heart of Karachi with its lush green gardens. This tomb is one of the most visited tourist attraction places for both foreigners and locals. The tomb is normally quiet and peaceful with tourists who come to pay respect.

Yahya Merchant, a great architect, designed this mausoleum and the construction of the mausoleum was done with white marble in the late 1960s.

Location: M.A Jinnah Rd, Central Jacob Lines Ghm، Karachi, Karachi City, Sindh

3.    Masjid-e-Tooba

Masjid e Toobah or the Tooba Mosque also known as Gol Masjid was built in 1969 in the area of Defense Housing Authority. The Mosque is a famous tourist attraction because of its attractive infrastructure. It is known as the world's largest single dome mosque, and the 18th largest mosque with a capacity of 5,000 in the prayer hall.

To increase your curiosity, it is made of white marble alone. The dome is 70 metres in diameter and does not have central pillars. The interesting point of the mosque is that you can hear the person speaking at the other end of the mosque because the engineers have kept acoustics in mind during the construction.

Location: Old Korangi Rd, Sabir SRE Karachi Cantonment, Karachi, Karachi City, Sindh 74000

4.    Jinnah House Museum

The Jinnah House Museum also remembered as Flag Staff House was acquired by the Father of the Nation, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, in 1943. After him, his sister, Fatima Jinnah, lived here till 1964.

The house was restored in 1985 and converted into the Jinnah museum. To this date, it is full of most of the original furniture and possessions of the Jinnah, representing the daily life of a Great Leader.

Location: Fatima Jinnah Road, Karachi, Pakistan

Opening Days: Saturday through Tuesday, and Thursday

Opening Hours: 9 am – 1 pm, 2 pm – 4 pm. Friday 9 am – 12 pm

5.    Chaukhandi tombs

If history and mystery fascinate you than while your tour to Karachi this World Heritage Site by UNESCO is a must-see place. About 29 km east of Karachi, far from the hustle-bustle of the city lies the city of the dead Kings, Queens, and the religious personalities of the ancient times.

The exquisite carvings on the gravestones above the ground represent the statuses of the people lie below the ground. Furthermore, the carvings on the stones also represent the sex of the person. For example, a horseman carving with arms, sword, shield, bow, and arrow represents a male grave. Whereas necklaces, bracelets, rings, and anklets represent a women’s grave. It is believed that some of the graves are as old as 17^th or 18^th century BC.

Location: N-5 Near، Landhi Town, Karachi, Karachi City, Sindh

6.    Halal Eatery

As Pakistan is a Muslim majority country so everything available to eat on the streets or restaurant is Halal. The variety of the dishes and the mixture of diverse cultural tastes in one city will surely amaze your taste buds. Some of the delicious delicacies you can enjoy will be available at;

1.       Famous food street of Karachi

2.       Burns Road

3.       Waheed kay kebab

4.       Malik ki Nihari

5.       Agha ki Sajji

6.       The sweet Rabri of Delhi Rabri House

The average price for these meals is around Rs.600/- per head or $3.75. This is surely an economical and quality ride for your taste buds.

I can assure, you will enjoy your time in Karachi.

Please share your memories & videos about this awesome place and inform me about your suggestions at wonderlustpak@gmail.com

Story of a Beautiful Destination

Paye Meadows

"Siri Paye"- a name which you can commonly hear in the country of Pakistan. Siri Paye are actually two "Fairy Meadows" in the valley of Kaghan. The lush green mountains and a vast series hills represents a majestic and poetic view. The path to reach these meadows is also very rough and only a 4 wheeler car or a jeep can reach this place.

Paye Meadows

Scenic beauty of this place, summer season especially, attracts thousands of tourists from all over the country. The meadows also contain small lakes where water collects during summer season.

In spite of this great beauty it is still hidden from the world and a very few international tourists visit the place. 

I hope that travelers from all over the world visit this majestic beauty of a majestic country.

Please share your memories & videos about this awesome place and inform me about your suggestions at wonderlustpak@gmail.com

Story of a Gifted Mosque

 

Faisal Mosque (Islamabad)

In the capital city of Pakistan, there is a mosque which is so elegant in its design and so beautiful in its appearance that no Mosque in the world matches such beauty. This Mosque is named as Faisal Mosque.

Faisal Mosque is located in the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad near Margla hills. The city itself is one of the top beautiful capitals of the world and the Mosque is like a Jewel in the crown.

Its history goes back to 1976 when the construction begins. The funds of $120 million for the construction was granted by Saudi King Shah Faisal thus both the mosque and the road leading to it was named after him.

Faisal Mosque

Untill 1993 it was the largest Mosque in the world with the capacity of 100,000 worshipers in the main hall and 200,000 worshippers in the surrounding areas. The design of the Mosque is inspired by a Bedouin tent. It is a unique piece of architecture and was designed by a Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay.

Inside Faisal Mosque

Faisal Mosque is also the National Mosque of Pakistan. The structure of the Mosque consist of four minarets and eight-sided shell shaped sloping roofs without any traditional domes.

It is one of the most visited Mosques of the country. Every day hundreds of tourists attract towards this place.

Please share your memories & videos about this awesome place and inform me about your suggestions at wonderlustpak@gmail.com

Story of a Strong Fort

Rohtas Fort

Rohtas Fort is located near the city of Jehlum in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. It is a 16th century fort that still holds its magnificence, significance and grace. This fort is such a powerful structure that it was never stormed by force.

Rohtas Fort is constructed on the orders of Sher Shah Suri, a Pashtun, ruler between 1541 to 1548. The fort is unique in its style and according to UNESCO it is the exceptional example of the Muslim military architecture of Central and South Asia. The main purpose of the fort is to defend the area from the local Gakhar Tribes and to stop the path of the Mughal Empire. Due to its military architecture it was not very famous among Mughal Kings.

Unlike Mughal forts this fort do not have beautiful gardens, fountains, masterpiece buildings & beautiful palaces. It is purely a Battle Garrison and a few buildings that are present in the fort like Queen's Palace are constructed during Sikh rule in the region. There are total 12 gates in the fort. The walls of the fort are high and strong enough to tolerate the hardships of the time.

Today there is a museum along the side of one of the gates of the fort which has coins, swords and other artifacts of that era. The fort also have long stairs that goes deep towards underground Baoli. It is a wonderful place to visit if you have interest in History.

Please share your memories & videos about this awesome place and inform me about your suggestions at wonderlustpak@gmail.com

Picture credit goes to Anonymous Photographer.

Story of a 1st Century Buddhist Monastery

Takht-e-Bahi(Throne of Origin /High Spring)

This story is about one of the most important and well preserved Buddhist Monasteries of the Gandhara period. The Monastery is located in the Mardan city of the province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. This place was once the heart of the Gandhara civilization.

As per local people the name Takht-e-bahi is because of the two wells on the hill or because of the nearby springs

 The history of this place dates back to 1st Century AD. This was proved through various inscriptions which had the name of Gondophares who was a Parthian King of the Suren family. After Gondophares the monastery remained in the control of Kujula Kadphises who was the first Kushan King.

According to researchers the place remained in use until 7th century AD. The location of this Monastery helped alot in retaining its ancient structure as compared to other Buddhist Monasteries of that period because it is located almost 500 feet atop of a small hill. Therefore, it remains safe from many destructive invaders who came to this region. 

Precisely the Takht-e-bahi complex consisted of a Stupa court, Monastic chambers, a Temple complex and Tantric monastic complex. which were used for various religious purposes.

It is also one of those places which even many Pakistanis are not aware of. I strongly recommend to visit this place as it is one of the ancient places in Pakistan.

Picture Credit goes to Anonymous Photographer.

Please share your memories & videos about this awesome place and inform me about your suggestions at wonderlustpak@gmail.com

Story of the Sacred Hindu Temples

Katas Raj Temples

Today's Blog is about a complex of  temples built in the 11th century located near Salt range in the province of Punjab. The temples were built around a pond which is also very sacred in the Hinduism. These temples complex with other buildings include temples of  Ramchandra, Hanuman, Shiva and a Gurdwara.

According to legends two ponds were created by the tears of Shiva after the death of his wife Sati. One is in Katas raj temples and the other one is in Pushkar. Another significant attachment related to these temples were the five Pandava brothers,mentioned in Mahabharata, who spend most of their time at this site during their exile.

 Katas raj is one of the oldest religious Hindu sites in Pakistan. Before 1947 these temples were continuously visited by the Hindus. But after the partition of the subcontinent local Hindus migrated towards India and this place slowly vanishes in the pages of history. 

Recently in 2017 government ordered to renovate these temples and put them back to their former glory which I guess is a positive step towards the saving of the Indo-Pak cultural heritage. 

Today hundreds of people visit these temples and imagine what life was like during the glory days of this place.

Please share your memories & videos about this awesome place and inform me about your suggestions at wonderlustpak@gmail.com

Story of a Fort Lost in the Desert

Derawar Fort

Pakistan is rich in cultural and historical heritage. Some of these cultural sites disapear in the pages of History while some are still finding their path into the future.

 Derawar Fort is one of the magnificent structure standing alone in the Cholistan Desert, Bahawalpur state of Pakistan. The fort was actually built by Rai Jajja Bhatti, a Rajput King of the area. But it was captured by the Nawab of Bahawalpur, Sadeq Muhammad Khan 1 in 1733 who than gave this fort the shape which today we can see.

Derawar Fort is in square shape with visible forty bastions. It has an elegant look and has a unique appearance as compared to other forts. The fort has a water pool, rooms for the royal family, a small jail and a network of underground tunnels that leads to the Nawab's Palace and other forts. 

Unfortunately due to the negligence of the government and the related authorities derawar fort is on the verge of collapse. Rooms and structures within the Derawar Fort which once represents the glory of the ruling periods of Nawabs are now long gone. The fort is deteriorating so fast that the places or underground tunnels which a decade ago can be seen, are now gone.

After all these damages still the fort attract many tourists and they imagine the days of glory which this fort passed over centuries.

Please share your memories & videos about this awesome place and inform me about your suggestions at wonderlustpak@gmail.com

Picture credit goes to: Anonymous photographer.