The artistic wealth of India is still scattered over the countryside, or remains unpublished or unnoticed or away from reach of people and circulated only in private collections. The conventional history of Indian art has to be explored. The main lines of its framework or the parameters of studying that were decided forty years ago, needs to be vastly extended, diversified and reconceived for better interpretation of Indian Art.

In India, the situation is very much complicated because of the fact that at all times in India, arts at different levels of sophistication have existed alongside each other in each area.

As every artistic tradition in India, may be its sculpture also takes roots on the ground of certain visual and aesthetic presence of ideas. This reflects the emotional & psychological needs and imaginative prepossessions of the people for whom the art is targeted. And for better understanding of the meaning of cultural wealth of India, there is no any other way out than studying Indian sculpture.

In various places of India, the marvelous Indian art finds its expression in many forms. Some of these art forms are ravaged by time, pillaged and plundered by conquering of invaders and colonial lords for their own benefit, left behind represents India`s historical legacy. But these amazing art pieces evoke a sense of awe and wonder in it. India is full of a diverse medley of numerous aesthetic traditions that give its art and architecture the vitality, which can inspire even today.

Unfortunately, very little of this heritage is known to us. It survives without any security in small towns and obscure villages, rarely photographed, and documented only in a few infrequently read texts. Indian Sculpture shows several of images & forms that present India`s historical record in a way that is both illuminating and evocative for us.

Surviving after every odd, artifacts and monuments of Indian art frequently provide the best clues for understanding of how a civilization may have developed and matured or stagnated, or lead to the phase of decline.

One driver from Murree, who earns up to Rs. 15, 000 a month, has spent Rs. 30, 000 to get his truck repainted. Two years ago, he and his brother spent about Rs. 200,000 to have the stem-to-stern bodywork done, which included hardwood doors, steel-covered wooden walls around the truck bed and chains around the edges. He considers this to be a legitimate cost of doing business.

The drivers believe that these expenses are well worth it. They say that no self-respecting merchant would trust his goods in the bed of a shabby looking truck. Customers reason, that if a driver can’t afford to be garish, maybe his is not a very good driver. One driver says that the police also look more sternly at a poorly decorated truck. “If I could not make it colourful,” he says, “I would be stopped by the police.” According to him if the truck is not in good condition, the police will not like his truck.

But for one truck-detailing shop in Rawalpindi, its the makings of a very good business. He employs twenty two craftsmen. He states that some decoration serves a purpose beyond mere aesthetics. For instance, he relates, that the massive jutting structure above the cab, may slow down the truck at high speeds. It also helps to hide excess goods from the prying eyes of police.

Truck art has become an important branch of Pakistani folk arts. The lorries are decorated, painted and repaired in various workshops around the country. One of the collection of workshops where Pakistani trucks are constructed, repaired and decorated, is located at the busy link road between Rawalpindi’s bus terminal and Grand Truck Road which connects Peshawar via Pindi with Lahore. At this workshop, mechanics deal with the machines, welders repair bodyworks and carpenters, commonly called “bodymakers”, construct the wooden bodies of the trucks that are finally painted and decorated with images, little mirrors, ornamental fittings, glittering reflectors and sounding chains. These old trucks are repaired again and again. Drivers and transport agencies put all their pride into the decoration of their lorries and trucks. There are two types of paintings on these trucks: the “simple paintings” which still leaves some space between the images and the second is “disco painting” in which every square inch is covered with pictures and ornaments. On the exhibit are portraits of national heroes, imaginary landscapes with wood covered hills and quiet lakes and beautiful women. The sides of the cabin are often covered with a kind of mosaic of metal reliefs intersected with small painted ornaments, and sometimes the doors are made of finely carved wood. Truck sides are the most important exhibition areas for paintings.

Side wooden panels are divided into small segments by iron struts to frame a number of different pictures. These pictures feature landscapes, women faces, birds, tigers and flowers.On the back of the truck there is one large motif: a portrait, a mythical figure, a building, and an animal. These are painted onseparate wooden planks that are taken off when loading or unloading the truck. Only when the planks are inserted in the correct order, do the pictures appear proper. A simple painting is ready in two days while the disco painting takes longer time. The painters of these are masters of their art and do not need models for painting. They are given a free hand in what they do, and the paintings are generally accepted by the owners. Nobody raises any objection to paintings of beautiful roses and birds or to a portrait of cricket star Imran Khan.

Not only new trucks are painted but many trucks that have lost their brilliance are painted anew also. Moreover, the truck is also painted if there is a change of hands and the new owner wants to see his name on the sides of the truck. After the painter-artists are done, the decorators take over with their accessories like messages added which consist of little badges with various slogans.

Well connected by air, Skardu is easily accessible. You can take a flight from Islamabad to reach Skardu. There are two benefits of travelling by air to Skardu. First, it saves a lot of time and the second; the air travel offers some stunning views of the Skardu Valley. As you take the road from the airport to the town, you are engulfed by the beautiful views.

If one thing that catches your attention as you enter Skardu are its colourful bazaars. You can rummage through the various shops that dot the bazaars. Pattu is an ideal shopping item in Skardu. Pattu is basically a hand woven woollen cloth. Satellite Town, as the western end of the bazaar is called house a number of hotels and restaurants.


Skardu is the place to explore. You can visit Narsok from Skardu. Narsok is a beautiful destination away from Skardu. Some of the wonderful places to see and tour in Skardu are the Buddhist Rock, which is the only rock with Buddhist carving. It is located on the Sadpara road. There are a number of lakes in Skardu that you can visit. Some of the beautiful lakes that you can tour are Sadpara Lake, Kachura Lake and Upper Kachura Lake. These lakes provide wonderful opportunities for boating and fishing.

You can also travel to Shigar Valley, which is the gateway to Karakoram Range. Khaplu Valley is other beautiful place that you can visit on your tour to Skardu.

Skardu offers basic accommodation facilities. You can stay at hotels and guesthouses run by the Pakistan Tourism or stay in private hotels and rest houses. Accommodation is also available at Sadpara, Shigar Valley and Kachura Lake.

Skardu is about 241 kilometres from Gilgit. It takes about 6-8 hours to reach Skardu from Gilgit.

Next is “Okre Maker” Haq Nawaz. This work has been going on since ancient times. It is an old craft of design making on ” Khussa”. Now a day this art is used in “calligraphy”. Haq Nawaz has been associated with this craft for 30 Years and he has learned this art from ” Ustad Naiz Ahmed Bhatti”. He has won Lok Varsa, Multan Art Council and National craft council awards.

Next is the carpet maker expert Shaukat Pervaiz where a servant is busy working on a hand loom. Shaukat Pervaiz told us that he has been associated with this art for 60Years and their ancestors have been doing this work for centuries. The art of carpet making is the identity of Iranian & Afghan Culture. Multan has always been a great passage. Therefore this craft has take up local impressions 7 so got into the new, present shape. Shaukat Pervaiz told us that the carpets made by hand are sold quite expensively and I often say that it is prepared by extremely poor men and bought by extremely rich. In Multan, carpet up to 2000 Sq. Foot is prepared by hand.

Next is the shop of Glittering Laces called “Gota Kinari’, where we found Tehmina Rafique. She has also inherited this art and taught more than 1000 girls students. this work is done by the fine thread of gold or silver. Multan is famous for it and this art has flourished a lot.

Next is the shop of “Multani Khussa”, where Ustad Allah Buksh is busy in making Khussas. The craft made of leather for wearing is a part of great culture. It is said that this art came into existence after the invasuin of Alexander the great. So in the same respect, the history of Multani Khussa is very old in which the goat skin is used. Ustad Allah Baksh told us that his ancestors have been associated with this craft for seven generations and he is making these Khussas for 80 Years.

Next is Muhammad Zubair who is associated with the art of jewelry making. For centuries this art has continued in Multan, Muhammad Zubair has also inherited this art & his family has been in jewelry making for four generations. He has also written more than 50 books on the designing of jewelry. He learnt this art from his father Muhammad Shafi.

Next we found the shop of “Zar Dozi” where Khalil Ahmed Sayal is present. He learnt this art from his father and his mother was also associated with it. There are many experts of Zar Dozi in Multan. He has been representing Multan in ” Lok Varsa” Since 1985.

Next is Ustad Abdul Rasheed who is into the craft. Where things out of ivory & camel bone are prepared In Multan and especially desert regions women wear jewelry of these. In addition to jewelry, table lamp, lockets & other things are also made. Ustad Abdul Rasheed told us that at first work was done on ivory but now it is done on camel’s bones. He has been in this business for 8 Years.

Next is the Presidential Award winner impressionist Malik Ashiq & Son Abdul Rehman. This art has been in this region for centuries. In 1910 Ustad Abdullah Naqaash introduced the Islamic touch to this art by making lamps of camel’s skin. In Agra, India, the ” Naqaash” of this family are still working. A hall in Serena Hotel Faisalabad has been named after his father and is declared the best hall of Asia.

Then we have the expert of “Kaashi” Muhammad Wajid who also inherited this craft. This craft came to the sub-continent from Iran and Middle East. Muhammad Wajid told us that in 1986, his father Allah Divaya got the Agha Khan Award for his work. he also worked at the Shrine of Hazrat Shah Rukn-e-Alam. Multan is Famous for the work of blue, turquoise tiles. He also worked on Bhong Mosque. He also got Lok Varsa & art Council Award.

Then there is the expert of pottery making Ustad Ibrahim. pottery making is an old craft that has continued for generations in their family. He told us that he has been doing this since the age of ten years.

Next is the expert Ustad Ajmal Chistti of Glass-Work. Its is an old tradition, Pieces of Glass are joined to from a specific design on different buildings and for designing utensils or pottery. He has been in this profession for 32 Years and kearnt it from Ustad Shaukat Hussain. he had also worked in Afghanistan & Japan and won many awards.

Then there is Muhammad Arshad “Pattoli Maker” Gold jewelry is made more beautiful with beads & wires and thread. He is engaged in this work for 32 years.

Next is the famous Painter,Artist and Calligrapher Ali Ijaz Nazami. Now he is working on this which has a modern touch to it. He has also won numerous awards. Then we have printer Waheed who makes print on women clothes, these are mad e of special wood. He has been in this field for 3 generations. Then there are carving expert Muhammad Zaman Qamar,” Chitr Kari” is done on gold, Silver & Copper. He told us that 99 names of Allah Almighty are written on a ring that is about the size of a pin. He also won many awards.

The craft men of Pakistan’s first ever Craft Bazaar are quite happy for they have got a place where the people who appreciate or love their work can visit them but they hare demanding from the Government of Pakistan that they should loan on simple conditions so that this art progresses by keeps & bounds. The Craft Bazaar Multan Pakistan is the only Bazaar or market where the facilities are provided for the crafts men to express their art and skill. We hope that in the same way, in other national cities, Craft Bazaar for crafts men are built to keep the arts & crafts alive & to let them prosper.

First time in the history, the comprehensive guide to the Multani Art/Craft work in front of all the world. Latest Art/Craft Pictures are ready to download.

Pirak

Architecture and material culture

The excavaotor records three phases of unbroken occupation in Pirak, In the first period, structures of unburnt brick associated with a large platform were found. A major part of the pottery was a coarse ware decorated with applique bands and fingertip impressions. Both terracota and unburnt clay figurines of horses and camels were found, along with numerous bones of both the species. Terracota button seals of circular, square or curved forms were common. The second period also showed a similar assemblage with large numbers of terracota and clay figurines, which include not only Bactrian camels and horses but also human figures, including riders. Along with numerous tools of copper and bronze, first pieces of iron are also found. The third period (c.1000-800 BCE) produced a greater quantity of iron and a continuation of all the elements of the earlier periods. Along with three varieties and two varieties of barley, rice and sorghum were also found here, which is the first recorded appearance of these two cereals in this region.

Tomb of Jahangir

The entrance to the mausoleum is through two massive gateways of stone and masonry opposite each other (to the north and south) which lead to a square enclosure known as the Akbari Serai. This enclosure leads to another one, on the western side, giving full view of the garden in front of the mausoleum, which is traversed by four-bricked canals proceeding from the centre, and in which many fountains were placed which are now in ruins. The corridor around the mausoleum is adorned with a most elegant mosaic, representing flowers and Quranic verses.

The interior of the mausoleum is an elevated sarcophagus of white marble, the sides of which are wrought with flowers of mosaic in the same elegant style as the tombs in the Taj Mahal at Agra, India. On two sides of the sarcophagus the ninety-nine attributes of God are inlaid in black. Beautiful ‘jalis’ admit light in various patterns.

Once known as Serai of Aurangzeb, the Mosque forecourt would be thronged by the cavalcade of the emperor when he came to offer his Friday prayers at the grand mosque. Hazuri Bagh provided the stage on which the pomp of the Mughal emperor was showcased, his train a throng of mace-bearers, omerah, grandees and nobles. The traveler Francois Bernier recorded that the way from the citadel, would be lined by hundreds of soldiers in their dazzling uniforms making a glittering passage for the emperor.

The entrance to the mosque with its lofty plinth, makes it imperative to climb its 22 steps to reach the platform, and provides a foretaste of the grandeur within the mosque enclosure.

The Mughalised attractive marble baradari adorning the Hazuri Bagh was put together on the orders of Ranjit Singh in 1818 to celebrate the capture of the famous Koh-i-Noor Diamond from Shah Shuja of Afghanistan. Its Mughal character is beholden to the material removed from Mughal monuments and reused here.

The pavilion was constructed in 1818 and originally consisted of a basement and two storey above ground. Elegant carved marble pillars support the baradari’s delicate cusped arches. The central area, where Ranjit Singh held court, has a mirrored ceiling. Both the garden and the baradari, originally a 45-foot, three-storey square with a basement approached by fifteen steps, suffered extensive damage during the fratricidal Sikh wars and was only reclaimed and laid out according to the original plan during the British period. On 19 July 1932, the uppermost story collapsed due to heavy rainstorm and lightning. Because of a paucity of funds the top storey was never restored; however, the first floor marble fretwork balustrade, which had also been severely damaged, was rehabilitated three years later.

From contemporary illustrations the design of the top storey is evident: a chamber punctured by cusped arch openings, set in the middle of a large terrace and well set back from the edge of the ground floor roof.

The Baradari was the focus of regal displays during the Sikh rule. Although the takht (or throne) was the citadel, Ranjit Singh used the venue of the baradari for conducting functions of state. After his death, the pavilion continued to be utilized by his successors.

By Bushra Zulfiqar

As I entered the bustling city, high red minarets of Baadshahi Mosque instantly captivated my attention. This was Lahore, the heart of Pakistan on an early October afternoon. Scorching heat and humidity was still in and out of the air, thanks to the globally warmed and heated climate. As our car passed

by the shrine of the famous Sufi saint Hazrat Datta Ganj Baksh, my young sisters excitedly exclaimed ‘look….Datta Darbar, let’s go to pay our respects’ and as impulsively as it was, we went. The driver had trouble parking the car in an otherwise wide, well constructed road as the sea of people, rickshaws, motorcycles, cars, buses and trucks was in high tides. The next struggle awaiting us before we could set foot into the Darbar was to hand over our pairs of shoes to the administration members and get our number card to be able to claim them on our way back. Thanks to one young fellow who spotted us and chanted ‘welcome to Datta Darbar baji, please come this way’ and nervous by the waves of heat and humans, we silently followed his instructed procedure and made our way inside the long white corridor leading to the area allocated for women.

As I stepped on the white marble floors, my gaze froze at the sight of the green tomb. The first word that came to my mind was peace, absolute and un-deniable. The Darbar offers all the serenity, tranquillity, spiritual soothe and console of the Sufi ideology. Love, the love of God and all His creations irrespective of any class, race, gender and religious discriminations, tolerance, positive thinking and self purification with an unconditional faith in the Almighty are the key propagations and teachings of this great Sufi saint known all over the world as Datta. His shrine is fully reflective of the sacred light of his love for the Lord and just like a prism does, that light of divinity is reflected back towards every eye viewing his green tomb, every eye within. Hundreds of pigeons in an extremely heated up Lahore afternoon remain clunged to the ceilings and walls of the shrine and for as long as I observed, none of them fluttered their wings even once. Pigeons, an interesting and extincting breed who remain metaphors of love, in both real and spiritual realms. I stood there in awe of the pigeons, trying to absorb every ray reflected back towards me that suddenly my senses brought me back to the real life around me. I felt an abrupt disconnect from the spiritual elevation I was experiencing just like the sudden flip of a coin.

There were many of them, hundreds of thousands of women from every age group. Dressed in burqas, veils, shalwar qameez, some were holding onto their babies, some had come in small groups of three to four though literally each head was covered. Some were feeding their children, some were spitting, some were lying on the floor meaninglessly looking through faces and some had lifted their hands and duppattas in reseverance and prayer. The smell of sweat was merged with food (langar) being served at several points and many had taken refuge under the fans installations with heaped plates in their hands. There were loud speaker warnings about the pick pockets and jewelery theft which had become a common crime at this shrine. The shrine which reflected the beauty and sacredness of God’s love suddenly became a classical reflection of all our social evils. This contradiction unnerved me for a moment and I felt a sense of loss, deep loss. The Datta Darbar bleed with all cruel life realities stretched all over the geographical, social and individual space of its visitors. Some of them had come in search of self, others in search of food and shade and some for a look out on money and marketable assets of others. The serene sight of a Sufi tomb turned into that of life, life in it’s full circles that has been rounded by long years of intensified experiences of love and losses, pride and prejudice, animosity and hatred, promises and betrayals, being and not being altogether in the morning, noon and night of life.

As I made my way out of the Datta Darbar, I felt exhausted and guilty, drained after having witnessed a glimpse of the ugly life realities experienced by a landslide majority of this country. I find it hard to disagree with that their state of life is our collective failure as a country, society, nation and more so as humans. The consistent class divide has always been an integral part of our economic structure, social fabric and political process. We like to build up on the weaknesses of others, we exploit the helplessness and vulnerabilities of other humans, we like to keep our esteems and egos high and tall and crush the self respect of others. This dimension of an individual and social realization disturbed me, deeply. As we got back in the car, my young sisters chirped ‘it was so much fun, let’s go for a good lunch now’. I felt too tired to respond

Although sometimes erroneously dated to 1865,the house was built in the last decade of the nineteenth century and was designed by Moses Somake had the habit of signing his buildings by inscribing his name in an obscure place and if you took the trouble you will find his name etched on an inner face of the porch.

This double-storey bungalow is Somake first known commission and was built during the last decade of the nineteenth century while the single storey annexe is a later  addition .You will notice that Somake has lavished most of his attention on the façade facing Fatima Jinnah Road(Bonus Road),which was the main thoroughfare at the time.

The bungalow lay neglected until 1985 ,when ,as a result of representation by Heritage Foundation, it was acquired by the Government of Pakistan ,restored and declared a national monument .as Quaid-e-Azam House Museum. The house provides an exciting and appropriate setting for relics of the founder of the nation ,at the same time brings to life the nostalgic aura of the colonial period.