Lahore Photo Blog

Lahore Photo Blog Goes to Insead

2011-12-05T20:59:00.002+05:00

Lahore Photo Blog went for ten days to INSEAD, Singapore campus and spent time with people from all over the world. It was a really good experience and hopefully some of the new friends will be visiting Pakistan Soon.

Pakistan's Image because of Social Media

2011-11-27T21:49:00.001+05:00

We here at Lahore Daily Photo believe that people are generally good and it is not fair to generalize everyone based on a few things people hear. It has been our aim to provide a window into what Pakistan really is, Pictures speak a thousand words and by showcasing the diversity that is Pakistan we have been able to gather an audience from all over the world learning about our country, our people, our places and our heritage.

Social Spaces are very effective because they are interactive and many people from Pakistan have effectively used Social Media to effectively portray Pakistan in much needed positive light.

Lahore Photo Blog has been nominated for Best photo blog in Pakistan Blog Awards I would appreciate it if you could go and vote for the blog. Vote on the link below and just rate (Star) the blog and comment if you have been a visitor and liked it, it will only take 2 mins, Thanks.

http://pakistanblogawards.com/2011/11/19/best-photo-blog-syed-ali-akbar-rizvi/

Political Rally

2011-11-23T00:50:00.001+05:00

Pakistani Youth going to support the cricketer turned politician Imran Khan at a landmark political rally at Minar-e-Pakistan Lahore a couple of weeks back.

Lahore Photo Blog has been nominated for Best photo blog in Pakistan Blog Awards I would appreciate it if you could go and vote for the blog. Vote on the link below and just rate (Star) the blog and comment if you have been a visitor and liked it, it will only take 2 mins, Thanks.
http://pakistanblogawards.com/2011/11/19/best-photo-blog-syed-ali-akbar-rizvi/

Pakistan Blog Awards

2011-11-21T18:56:00.003+05:00

Hello Readers,
Hope you are all doing well, I know its been a while since I have regularly updated this blog. The reason for that has been that I have moved cities and now do not have access to as many photo ops as I did while I was in Lahore. Over the Years Lahore Photo Blog has tried to depict the life of an average Pakistani City. Even though not regularly updated Lahore Photo Blog has been nominated for Best photo blog in Pakistan Blog Awards I would appreciate it if you could go and vote for the blog. Vote on the link below and just rate (Star) the blog and comment if you have been a visitor and liked it, it will only take 2 mins, Thanks.

http://pakistanblogawards.com/2011/11/19/best-photo-blog-syed-ali-akbar-rizvi/

Jaleebiz

2011-11-19T01:29:00.001+05:00

This young man is desperately waiting for the Jaleebiz to come out of the oil, Yummy. Jaleebi is a sweet, making of which is an art, the pasty dough has to be made just right, fried in oil at the right temperature, and then put in sugar syrup before being served, the thinner the Jaleebi the crispier it is.

Independence Day

2011-10-22T17:36:00.001+05:00

This is a picture I took on a domestic flight on the last Independence day. Independence day in Pakistan is celebrated on the 14th of august to celebrate Pakistan's independence from the British.

Lahore Fort - Elephant Path

2010-10-18T00:18:00.001+05:00

While I was studying in the states, I got some strange questions from my fellow students some of these questions were, Do you have cars in Pakistan or do you still ride on Elephants? Do you wear clothes where you come from or do you use leaves to cover yourselves? How did you learn English? These and some other strange questions used to catch us by surprise and we'd always smile before we answered.

Well this is actually a path next to the entrance of the Lahore Fort, The Mughals used to travel in style on "Elephants" This path was used by the elephants to enter the Fort.

Hiram Minar

2010-10-17T23:03:00.001+05:00

I have previously also posted a picture from Hiran Minaar, This is a tourist attraction about 30 mins. drive from Lahore. This is an example of the great Mughal Architecture. This resort was built by a Mughal ruler in honor of a pet "Deer".

Janjeer Matam

2009-12-28T04:59:00.002+05:00

Today is the 9th of Muharram the first month of the Islamic calendar, Muharram is a very important month for Shia Muslims because on the 10 of Muharram Imam Hussain the grandson and family (consisting of 72 people) of the Prophet Muhammed were killed by an army of between 20,000-30,000 at the Battle of Karbala on the orders of Yazid because Hussain did not accept him as Caliph and was not willing to take the oath of allegiance. in Muharram the Shia mourn their Imam and his death, a celebration of justice over evil.

I agree with wikipedia's description of Matam which is "Many of the male participants congregate together in public for ceremonial chest beating (matam) as a display of their devotion to Imam Husayn and in remembrance of his suffering. In some Shi'a societies, such as those in Bahrain, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Iraq, some male participants incorprate knives or razors swung upon chains into their matam. This practice is permissible by major Usooli Ayatollah such as Muhammad Shirazi and Sistani, however some major scholars such as Khameini have banned it in Iran temporarily, while others such as Fadlallah deem it permanently impermissible. In general however, the act is controversial."

Muharram Alam

2009-12-25T16:13:00.002+05:00

Taken during a muharram procession in Lahore, an Al'am is of spiritual significance for the Twelver Shia Muslims in India, Pakistan and other areas. An Alam with a "Panja" on top of it is considered to be a religious flag of Islam, and it is said to be carried by the Prophet Muhammed, Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Abbas ibn Ali during battles or expeditions. The battle of Karbala further glorifies its importance. An Alam is usually seen during Muharram Processions and at designated sites in Shia Mosques.

Women carrying water

2009-09-05T17:16:00.001+06:00

It is common to see women carrying water on their head in places where potable water is not available.

Art Festival

2009-02-12T17:16:00.000+05:00

This picture was taken at the World Performing Arts festival at the fortress stadium in November, Artists from all over the world participated. Art and Music is highly appreciated by a majority of people in Pakistan, but sadly events like these even with high security are the targets by subversive elements of society who deem art as an evil anti islamic activity. This particular festival had a bombing in its last few days, fortunately no lives were lost but it was enough to discourage people from attending.

Hafiz Sahib

2009-02-11T17:12:00.000+05:00

Since I started Lahore Daily I have been showing buildings and sights from lahore but not showcasing people of the city, the main reason is that people are reluctant to be photographed. I will try to show more people from the city in the future, This is Hafiz Sahib, Hafiz being a sort of title/qualification because he has memorized the Quran. Hafiz Sahib is an auto mechanic.

Tomb

2009-02-10T17:08:00.000+05:00

This is the tomb of one of the most powerful advisors and the most powerful inister of the Mughal court Asaf Khan, The Taj Mahal was built in honor of his Daughter. Sadly the building is crumbling and plants growing all over the walls because of lack of care and maintanance.

Birds

2009-02-09T17:05:00.000+05:00

Two birds sitting on top of a tree right infront of my terrace.

Lovely Blue Sky

2009-02-08T17:01:00.000+05:00

The sky looked lovely with scattered clouds all over when I took this photograph.

Food Shop

2009-02-07T16:56:00.000+05:00

There are numerous shops outside the shrines that have ready made food available so people can buy and distribute it to the poor visiting and spending their days at the shrines. Sort of like the American soup kitchens, 24 hours a day.

Door Data Darbar

2009-02-06T02:49:00.001+05:00

One of the main entrance doors at the Data Darbar, the shrine of a Sufi Saint hailing from Iran. The shrine is visited by hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world. This door has arabic caligraphy on it and is made with 24 carat cold and semi precious stones.

Minar

2009-02-05T02:54:00.001+05:00

This is one of the Minar s or Minaret at the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, the lighting at night makes it even more beautiful.

Its a Bugger

2009-01-26T01:48:00.003+05:00

A squirrel at the Farm, I'm still away from the city and it took me 20 mins. to upload this re sized image of 115 KB. I will try my best to keep uploading pictures everyday but it will be hard. Thanks for visiting and your patience with my sporadic postings.

Paan

2009-01-23T14:54:00.000+05:00

Paan is an ethnic Indian chew usually served at the end of a meal and ceremonies such as weddings, receptions. Paan can be bought in nearly every street corner in Pakistan. They are believed to help in digestion of curried foods and also act as mouth fresheners.

Emarti a sweet meat

2009-01-22T14:51:00.000+05:00

These are Emarti's a sweet meat, they are fried and then dipped in sugar syrup, at a road side stall at the food street.

Hindu Deities

2009-01-21T14:49:00.000+05:00

A display at Cuckoo's Den depicting Hindu deities.

Gola Ganda

2009-01-20T14:46:00.000+05:00

An assortment of colored syrups to pour over crushed ice in what is called a "Gola Ganda" and enjoyed by Kids.

Tile Painting

2009-01-19T14:44:00.000+05:00

Painting on ceramic tile at Cuckoo's Den Lahore.

Statue at Cuckoos Den

2009-01-18T14:40:00.000+05:00

I've mentioned Cuckoo's Den before its a lovely Art Gallery and Restaurant situated in the Old City, owned and operated by one of the most famous and controvercial artists of Pakistan Iqbal Hussain. The restaurant is in the vicinity of Lahore's red light area and has a similar theme. With amazing food and views of the Fort and Badshahi Masjid it is one of the best restaurants in the City.

Gawal Mandi / Food Street

2009-01-17T14:37:00.002+05:00

Part of the old city which used to be called Gawalmandi is now the food street with every imaginable Pakistani food available in one place.

Old City

2009-01-16T14:34:00.000+05:00

This is a building in the old city, several years ago the government decided to restore some old buildings to their former glory and establish a food street to show visitors what the city was like in the olden times. If you are in Lahore the Food Street is a must go!

Clay pottery

2009-01-15T14:30:00.000+05:00

Some clay pottery on display outside a closed shop at the Food street.

Friends I am headed to my farm in a rural area, the GPRS internet access there is not good enough to upload pictures or even browse properly I will be away for about 10 days and will get back to you when I return. In the mean time I have scheduled 10 posts to be published everyday, Take Care.

Meet Ashar

2009-01-14T23:55:00.000+05:00

Lahoris have a deep love for food, This is Ashar a connoisseur of food happily posing in front of a food stall on Lahore's famous food street, a street in the old city with restored buildings and all kinds of heart attack inducing food on the street. Hygene is not particullary looked at in these types of food places and Ashar reffers to it as "Duurrtyy Food". This particular food is called Sajji, the chicken is roasted all day in an open fire place over slow burning coal and is served with rice.

Shahi Majid

2009-01-13T23:56:00.002+05:00

This is another one of the Badshahi Mosque Also known as the Shahi Masjid, Taken prom the main entrance this captures the whole courtyard and the mosque structure.

Closeup Badshahi Mosque

2009-01-12T17:04:00.000+05:00

Another picture of the Badshahi Mosque taken from the courtyard.

Badshahi Mosque

2009-01-11T23:48:00.000+05:00

This is the view of the badshahi mosque taken from the Lahore fort right before sunset, Tomorrow I'll post a closeup taken from the courtyard of the mosque.

Fresco Closeup

2009-01-10T23:20:00.000+05:00

A Mughal era floral fresco at the Badshahi Mosque.

Minar-e-Pakistan

2009-01-09T23:52:00.000+05:00

This is the Photograph of one of the most famous monuments of Pakistan taken from the Lahore Fort, It is called Minar-e-Pakistan literally the pillar of Pakistan. It is built on the site where on 23 March 1940, seven years before the formation of Pakistan the Muslim league a political party passed the "Lahore Resolution" demanding the creation of Pakistan as a separate state for the Muslim minority of the Indian sub continent.

On another note, today was a bad day for Lahore, A series of bomb blasts shook the city starting a couple of hours earlier (aprox. 21:30 local time) till now we have had reports of at least 5 maybe 6 low intensity blasts, reports of casualties are said to be low but unconfirmed. Security Agencies and Police are telling people to be vigilant as more bomb blasts are possible.

Shame-e-Ghariban

2009-01-08T17:40:00.001+05:00

(Click to enlarge for better detail)

Today is the 10th of Muharram, Sham-e-Ghariban or literraly the evening of desolation is observed. The grandon of the Prophet Muhammed and his small but brave band of 72 followers fought a much larger (20,000-30,000) army of the tyrant Yazid. Water was denied to Imam Hussain's caravan which included small children and women on the 7th of Muharram on the orders of Yazid even though they were camped on the banks of the river Euphrates. The camp now had no supply of water and the enemy hoped to force Husayn to surrender on account of thirst.

This photograph is of a private imambargah setup in a house during the month of Muharram, it displays representations of Imam Hussain's Army's standard known as the "Alam". The standard bearer of the Imam's Army was Hazrat Abbas. Hazrat Abbas could not bear the outcry from the chidren and finally got the permission to get water keeping in mind that he was not to engage in combat of any sort.Abbas ibn Ali alone marched towards the Euphrates river in broad daylight. He succeeded in filling his water skin but on his way back, he was struck from behind and one of his arm was amputated then he was again struck and his second arm was amputated, he was the water bag in his mouth but an arrow struck the water bag and water poured out of it. The water blockade continued up to the end of the battle on Muharram 10 nigh.

Zuljana Shab-e-Ashour

2009-01-07T23:41:00.003+05:00

Today was the 9th of Muharram (9th and 10 being National Holidays) the eve before Imam Hussain's Martrydom. Tonight processions known here as Jalous could be seen all over the city with thousands of devotees taking part in them. This Particular picture shows a decorated horse. It is known as the "Zuljana" and is part of almost every procession that takes to the street tonight or tomorrow afternoon. The Zuljana is a representation of Imam Hussain's loyal horse which the Imam rode all his life and during the Battle of Karbala, The Imam had inherited the horse from Prophet Muhammed.

Matam

2009-01-06T04:12:00.000+05:00

This and the following few posts will be a series of educational posts, about something many of you have probably never heard of and will give you an insight into a people very emotional and devoted to what they believe in you can click the links in the post for further details.

Today is the 8th of Muharram the first month of the Islamic calander, Muharram is a very importnat month for Shia Muslims because on the 10 of Muharram Imam Hussain the grandson and family (consisting of 72 people) of the Prophet Muhammed were killed by an army of between 20,000-30,000 at the Battle of Karbala on the orders of Yazid because Hussain did not accept him as Caliph and was not willing to take the oath of allegiance. The next few days I intend to post pictures from Lahore which will show how the Shia mourn their Imam and his death, a celebration of justice over evil.

This picture shows devotees doing Matam.

I agree with wikipedia's description of Matam which is "Many of the male participants congregate together in public for ceremonial chest beating (matam) as a display of their devotion to Imam Husayn and in remembrance of his suffering. In some Shi'a societies, such as those in Bahrain, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Iraq, some male participants incorprate knives or razors swung upon chains into their matam. This practice is permissible by major Usooli Ayatollah such as Muhammad Shirazi and Sistani, however some major scholars such as Khameini have banned it in Iran temporarily, while others such as Fadlallah deem it permanently impermissible. In general however, the act is controversial."

Badshahi Mosque Entrance

2009-01-05T23:17:00.001+05:00

This is the grand entrance leading into the courtyard of the Badshahi Masjid (Emporor's Mosque) , The whole entrance and a lot of the interior of the mosque is decorated with beautiful floral frescos. Built by Mughal Emperor Aurengzeb in 1673 The badshahi Masjid can accomodate 55,000 worshippers and is the second largest mosque in Pakistan.

Note: For some reason most of Pakistani's are facing blogger issues for several days, Once you open a blogger page, it does not refresh for several days, in essence I can not view the latest posts on most of the blogger based blogs most of the time. I have tried clearing my cache, histories and even flushing my DNS, It could be Blogger or it could be the ISP storing pages on its servers, and serving them stale, if any of you know a solution to such an issue please let me know.

Samadhi (Shrine) of Maharaja Ranjit Sing

2009-01-04T16:06:00.000+05:00

This is the picture of the Samadhi (Shrine) of the great Sikh ruler of Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Allama Iqbal's Mausoleum

2009-01-03T17:01:00.000+05:00

This is the mausoleum of Allama Sir Muhammed Iqbal who provided the vision of Pakistan as a separate state for the Muslims of the Indian sub continent. Famous all over the world as the poet of the East his works have been translated into several languages and are studied and taught all over the world. The mausoleum is located in a courtyard between the Lahore fort and the Shahi Masjid in Lahore.

If freedom depends on belief's bargain,
In any such deal not an iota you gain,

The soul and the body here face a great clash,
Modern culture has made of us beats most rash.

Mughal Fountain

2009-01-02T18:44:00.000+05:00

One of the hundreds of fountains that are located inside the Lahore Fort. Now defunct these fountains would have been beautiful in their time. The fountain is carved out of white marble used extensively in Mughal architecture.

Lahore Fort

2009-01-01T15:14:00.000+05:00

This is the "Alamgir Gate" the main entrance to the Lahore Fort, also known as the Shahi Qilla. This fort was built during the reign of Emperor Akbar between 1556 and 1605.

Back Again

2009-01-01T15:11:00.000+05:00

Happy New year everyone, I have been away from Lahore daily photo for quite some time. The reason is that I started farming full time and rural areas in Pakistan do not have very good internet connections. My GPRS was not letting me upload pictures. I will try my best to post everyday but it will be close to impossible so bear with me for a while.

Update

2008-06-04T16:01:00.003+06:00

I would like to apologise to my regular readers for my sudden dissapering act, for those who wrote to check on me, thanks for your concerns and wishes. I had some problems I had to deal with and then my internet connection died for the past one week. I hope to get back as soon as I can, hopefully within a couple of days.

Poverty

2008-05-15T23:04:00.000+05:00

There is so much poverty that children from different households spend all day following harvesters around, after the harvest they go through the field collecting stalks of wheat which might have fallen from the harvester, in all probability they would collect less then a KG of wheat each a day through the 10-15 days of harvest, but they keep at it to feed themselves at night.

Carrying Water

2008-05-14T22:51:00.004+05:00

Some Gypsy families lived in a camp some distance from my farm, they did not have access to any water so women used to come to the farm throughout the day to pump water from the hand pump and carry it back on their heads.

Transportation

2008-05-13T23:26:00.003+05:00

A common transportation in the urban areas is this three wheel vehicle, with the front of a motorcycle and the back of a rickshaw, powered by a "Peter Engine" it is capable of carrying heavy loads.

Sunset

2008-05-12T17:16:00.001+05:00

City life in Pakistan is very crowded, with buildings all over, dust and smog and you don't get so see much of nature's colors, this bright orange sky was thus a treat at the village, almost the same colors everyday.

Sunny Fields

2008-05-11T19:23:00.002+05:00

A warm welcome to my fellow readers from the fields of "Tilwandi Bhindran" a small village 70 km from Lahore. Thank you all for visiting and commenting on the posts in my absence, blogger worked perfectly on draft mode only I overstayed my visit to the farm so missed a couple days of posts. The next week I will post pictures from the farm and the village with stories to give you all an insight into rural life in Pakistan. Even though we own land and farm in the area this was my longest stay at the farm so a lot of things were eye opening for me too. For now Enjoy this picture of a field of sunflowers, planted for its seeds which are used to make edible sunflower oil.

Books

2008-05-08T18:16:00.000+05:00

One of my favorite stops at the Sunday market, this book stall sells used books and often you can find amazing treasures at less then a Dollar.

Selling Oranges

2008-05-07T18:13:00.000+05:00

This man was curious as to why I wanted to photograph him when I asked his permission, when I told him that I was posting pictures of Lahore Daily he asked and what does that gain, very inquisitive fellow, makes his living selling seasonal fruit in his cycle converted into a mobile shop.

Tablas

2008-05-06T18:11:00.000+05:00

Known as the "tabla" these are drum like musical instruments popular in the Indian sub continent.

Frescos

2008-05-05T18:08:00.000+05:00

Like the other Mughal tombs, the walls and ceiling of Nur Jehan's tomb were also adorned with beautiful works of art from centuries back.

Studying by the grave

2008-05-04T18:05:00.000+05:00

The grave of Nur Jehan and her daughter side by side, you can notice a guy studying in the background, I noticed several people studying in the area, and one person singing sufi music.

Entrance

2008-05-03T18:01:00.002+05:00

This is the entrance to the tomb of Nur Jehan, there are four similar entrances on all sides of the Tomb.

ps. I will be going to my farm for the next 5-6 days for harvesting of wheat and will be putting blogger on auto mode for the first time, lets see how it goes, hope to see you all back soon with some pictures from rural Punjab.

Path

2008-05-02T17:58:00.000+05:00

A wooded path leads to the tomb of Nur Jehan.

The Great Empress

2008-05-01T23:05:00.000+05:00

This tomb is a short walk away from the Dilkusha Garden complex across a railway track, it is the tomb of Empress Nur Jehan, one of the most powerful women in Indian History, she is said to have ruled over Emperor Jehangir's heart, even though she was his 20th wife she was the favourite. She was the true power behind the Mughal throne. She also had the honor of being the only Empress whose name appeared on the coinage of that period.

Sarcophagus Caligraphy

2008-04-30T23:39:00.000+05:00

The only thing intact in Asaf Khan's tomb is the marble sarcophagus with Arabic calligraphy & a plain brick floor.

Ruins Closeup

2008-04-29T13:31:00.000+05:00

Closeup of Asaf Khan's tomb, you can see a small area of artwork that originally covered the whole building.

Asaf Khan

2008-04-28T20:13:00.003+05:00

This tomb belongs to Asaf Khan who was the brother in law of the emperor and a noble in his court, He was also the father of Mumtaz Mahal in who's honor Emperor Shah Jahan erected the Taj Mahal. The tomb is part of the Dilkusha Garden complex where Emperor Jehangir is buried. Due to lack of funding this historical building is all but crumbled, built around the same time as Jehangir's tomb this building is in ruin compared to the Emperor's tomb.

The Door

2008-04-27T17:09:00.000+05:00

Old doors are one of my favorite subjects to photograph, found this one at the Jehangir's Tomb.

Jehangir's Tomb Closeup

2008-04-26T14:28:00.001+05:00

Here is a closeup of the art work on the exterior of Jehangir's tomb.

Dilkusha Garden

2008-04-25T20:50:00.000+05:00

Emperor Jehangir is buried in a complex consisting of a huge Garden in the middle, his tomb to the right and the tomb of one of his closest advisers and brother-in-law Asaf Khan to the left, Asaf Khan was the father of Mumtaz Mahal in who's honor the Taj Mahal in Agra was built. This photograph is taken from the center part of the complex known as "Dilkusha Garden" and you can see the main gateway into the smaller area leading to Jehangir's Tomb.

Jehangir's Sarcophagus

2008-04-24T14:41:00.000+05:00

Inside the burial chamber of Jehangir's Tomb, you can see beautiful art work on the walls and floor, all made in white marble. The sarcophagus of the Emperor is decorated in Arabic script with prayers and the 99 names of God .

Boys will be boys

2008-04-23T16:39:00.000+05:00

Although this looks and is dangerous, it is common to see people sitting and standing on top of buses moving at 70KM/ Hour. Even though its illegal, no one bothers to check the practice.

Spreading Smiles

2008-04-22T16:35:00.001+05:00

While taking photographs in Pakistan, I have noticed many people get very happy when you take their pictures, if you take one person's photograph the other asks you to take theirs as well. Most of these people do not own camera's and some have never been photographed or own their own pictures.

A while back in an inspirational moment an Idea was floated on Global Themes by Shaykhspeara Shaira that there should be a way to take photographs of these people and distribute them and bring some smiles to people who really deserved them, I have been acting on that idea for the past month and if I take pictures of people I can later find, I get prints made and go back and give them their photographs, the best moments have been when a small child see's his photograph and smiles an innocent smile. I encourage all of you especially if you are in an area where people are not privileged enough to own cameras to try it, it barely costs anything and bring a lot of joy to people as well as to you.

Jehangir's Tomb Fresco

2008-04-21T17:33:00.003+05:00

As you enter through the main entranceway you come into the corridor leading to the burial chambers, this corridor is intricately painted and has been preserved for centuries, the walls are adorned with soothing geometric and floral fresco well known in Mughal architecture.

Jehangir's Tomb Exterior

2008-04-20T23:06:00.001+05:00

A closeup of the tomb's exterior, the main gateway in the center leads to the burial chamber.

Jehangir's Tomb

2008-04-19T23:26:00.003+05:00

Nuruddin Salim Jahangir was the Mughal emperor from 1605 untill his death in 1627, his tomb is located on the outskirts of Lahore next to the river ravi, this tomb was built by his son in the year 1637. You will remember "hiran minar" I posted about earlier the tower and the garden for the pet dear mansraj was built by Jehangir.

Punjab University

2008-04-18T23:50:00.001+05:00

The Pharmacy department at the old campus of the Punjab University.

Only Statue

2008-04-17T23:25:00.001+05:00

This statue of Alfred Woolner is the only statue which survived in Pakistan from the British era, the rest were all destroyed after partition.

Kim's Book shop

2008-04-16T23:29:00.000+05:00

The Lahore museum has an art and oriental bookshop by the name of "Kims book shop".

Lahore Museum

2008-04-15T23:14:00.000+05:00

This is a picture of the Lahore Museum, Established in 1894 this museum has a huge collection and is one of the best museums in the region. Rudyard Kipling's father John Lockwood Kipling was one of the first curators of this museum and had arranged for a job for his son in Lahore, Lahore's influence is evident in Kipling's writings, a lot of scenes from "Kim" are set around the sights near this building.

Zamzamah

2008-04-14T23:24:00.002+05:00

"He sat, in defiance of municipal orders, astride the gun Zamzamah on her brick platform opposite the old Ajaib-Gher -the Wonder House, as the natives call the Lahore Museum.Who hold Zam-Zammah, that 'fire-breathing dragon', hold the Punjab, for the great green-bronze piece is always first of the conqueror's loot." Opening from Rudyard Kipling's Kim.

Ps. Sorry for being away from the comments, I have been out of town on my farm for the past 5-6 days and didn't have access to the internet my sister has been posting posts that I had drafted before I left. The good news is I took lots of pictures on the way so the next few days are going to be a tour of some famous sights from Lahore.

Neon Coloured Lights

2008-04-13T14:39:00.003+05:00

Neon Colored Lights to attract customers to a shopping mall in the Defence Area.

Flying Low

2008-04-12T17:57:00.002+05:00

Spotted this Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A310-324/ET flying over head with its landing gear and flap down approaching the runway.

Shop on wheels

2008-04-11T17:54:00.002+05:00

This young salesman and his assistants go around the city selling onions on their donkey cart, for them their way to work is wherever there are buyers.

Rose Garden

2008-04-10T22:11:00.001+05:00

Rose Garden at the Forman Christian College Lahore.

Steeple

2008-04-09T17:08:00.006+05:00

Looking up at the steeple of one of the oldest churches in the Indian Sub Continent. The steeple is widely believed to be also the tallest a church has in the region. Built by Lt J.Hartley Maxwell of the British Bengal Engineers on 1st March 1852, The Holy Trinity Cathedral is beautiful with a lot of history, inside there are numerous plaques dedicated to the various British casualties during the the war of independence and the rest of the British Raj. Located at Sialkot a small industrial city 2 hours from Lahore.

Chinese

2008-04-08T23:51:00.004+05:00

Pakistan does a lot of business with China, and the Chinese are working on a lot of projects in Pakistan, spotted these two shopping at the Sunday market and they waved and smiled for the camera.

Spring is here

2008-04-07T23:57:00.001+05:00

After the last shower it looks like spring is finally here, temperatures are expected to reach 40 Celcius (104 F) in the next week so the spring will be short and the summer hot. Photographed at Defence Park, Lahore.

Dry Fruit

2008-04-06T23:25:00.001+05:00

Pakistan is famous for its dry fruit, here is a vendor selling, pistachios, dates, almonds, raisins, and peanuts among lots of other things.

Rain

2008-04-05T16:10:00.004+05:00

Today has been a rainy day with dark clouds over the sky.

Sharing

2008-04-04T23:57:00.001+05:00

This is what I caught on my makeshift bird feeder outside my window today.

Festival

2008-04-03T20:03:00.004+05:00

These two people own this handicrafts stall in a road side festival in Lahore, Roadside festivals with small shops and stalls selling clothes, handicrafts and food are a common site in spring. This particular stall had an assortment of wall hangings, bed sheets, table cloths and cushions in wonderful colors all made by women in the rural areas of the Thar Desert and brought hundreds of miles to the city to be sold.

Ps. Blogger issues still exit but I found a proxy that is letting me post pictures as well as view and comment on blogs, so thats good.

Problems

2008-04-02T02:01:00.001+05:00

If you have followed the last few posts you must be aware of my blogger/blogspot dilema. As of this morning I have also been shut off from http://www.blogger.com so I am not even able to post pictures. Tried using several proxies but can't seem to post from most and If I do get into the posting page I am unable to upload or host pictures. I have been on the case of my ISP since the last 2-3 days and hopefully the situation will be resolved soon, untill then I will keep on trying to find a solution via a proxy or some other alternate. Sorry Guys. Hope to be back soon.

Paying Homage

2008-04-01T23:05:00.001+05:00

Lahore is known for its Sufi Saints and Shrines, where people come from all over pakistan to pay their respects and pray. This particular shrine is called Bibi Pak Daman, said to be the shrine of the daughter of Hazrat Ali, the first Caliph of Islam. You can see several devotees holding their hands high in prayer.

Door

2008-03-31T23:10:00.002+05:00

An old hand carved wooden door and hand painted tiles spotted in the "Walled City of Lahore" also known as old city. The old city has structures dating back hundreds of years and thus I am not able to give a time period when these magnificient pieces of art were crafted but its safe to say these might be a couple centuries old.

Ps. From the comments on this and my other blog from Pakistani bloggers it is obvious that my access to blogspot hosted sites is not blocked because of sensorship issues by the Government of Pakistan, but some glitch with my ISP, Thankfully I am able to post but not view sites or comment on blogger, hopefully the situation will be resolved soon.

The Government has however blocked access to several video hosting sites as a means of protest against the hosting of Anti Islamic film "Fitna" by Greet Wilder.

Steam Engine

2008-03-30T23:58:00.001+05:00

Here is one for the railway enthusiasts, Photographed at the Changa Manga, the largest man made forest plantation in Pakistan, This John Fowler steam engine built in 1927 and still in operation is the pride and joy of the forest department, which uses the railway to haul wood around the forest.

Ps. Sorry Guys I have not been able to visit other sites or comment on them for the last 2 days, reason being I can't seem to access any blogger hosted blogs. It could be a glitch with my ISP which they are denying, but most likely it is an internet censorship issue by the internet regulatory authority.

Quote

2008-03-29T23:04:00.000+05:00

This quote by the Nation's Founder Qaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah is seen in a lot of places. At a time when Pakistan is facing difficulties in its midst quotes like these hope to encourage people to stand united against forces that are bent on destabalizing the country.

Paan Shop

2008-03-28T22:32:00.003+05:00

This is a standard Paan Shop in Pakistan, you will find them in almost every locality, it's usually a small stall selling Cold Drinks, Juices, Ciggarettes and the infamous "PAAN". As you can see in the picture, hygene is not a priority.

Moon Over Lahore

2008-03-27T22:03:00.002+05:00

The moon about a week back, Inspiration: numerous CDP blogs posting moon pictures.

Governor House Entrance

2008-03-26T18:55:00.003+05:00

A few people have talked about Kipling's "Kim", so here is a site from the book, Government House where the "Sahib with the white beard" lived. As you enter the huge gates of the Governor's House this cannon is the first thing you see on the drive to the main building. No this is not the famous "Zam Zamah" it is a replica of another canon.

More Picture fom the Government house.
Sword Room
Old Guns and Trophy Head
Main Hall
Bay Window
Darbar Hall
Darbar Hall Paintings
Meeting Room
Small Dining Room
Passage to the office area

Cuckoo's Den

2008-03-25T22:42:00.002+05:00

Cuckoo's Den located in inncer city right next to the wall of the historic Lahore Fort and Badshahi Mosque from the Mughal era is one of the best restaurants in town, the building is historic and tells a story its own and the walls are adorned with Paintings depicting the life on "Hera Mandi" the nearby red light area. If you are in town this is a must go.

Yummy

2008-03-24T23:32:00.001+05:00

The neon sign for one of the most popular Ice Cream Parlours in Lahore, Called Yummy's 36 it has 36 flavors of Ice Cream served in its outlets all over the country.

Governor House Punjab

2008-03-23T23:58:00.000+05:00

This is the side enterance to the "Darbal Hall" inside Governor House Punjab, The darbar hall is used for official fungtions and oath taking ceremonies. Built by the British during the raj and known as government house, it is now used as the residence of the Punjab Governor as well as the office.

Celebration

2008-03-22T23:55:00.000+05:00

Locally Known as the "dhol wala's" meaning drummers, these people usuall groups of 2 or 3 stand at a couple of prominent locations around town dressed in yellow they will acompany the highest bidder to a wedding ceremony where usually men will dance to their traditional beat, other then the money they are given guests usually throw cash on them while they perform as alms, so they make some extra money.

Energy Crisis

2008-03-21T16:01:00.002+05:00

A residential street in total darkness. Pakistan generates most of its electricity from Hydro projects, An increase in consumption because of summer and a shortage of water due to lack of rain has brough the electric generation capacity of Pakistan to a minimum, thus we are going through 6 Hours of scheduled "Load Shedding" every day, meaning no electricity 6 hours of the Day.

Neon Lahore

2008-03-20T19:19:00.002+05:00

I was experementing with my camera, and took this while in a car on motion setting. The Gate to a posh housing society in Lahore, Defence Housing Authority Lahore is one of the hundreds of Multi-Million dollar businesses being handled by the Pakistan Army.