Pakistan Monument Islamabad

The Pakistan Monument in Islamabad, Pakistan, is a national monument representing the nation's four provinces and three territories. After a competition among many renowned architects, Arif Masood’s plan was selected for the final design. The blooming flower shape of the monument represents Pakistan's progress as a rapidly developing country. The four main petals of the monument represent the four provinces (Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh), while the three smaller petals represent the three territories (Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas). The Monument has been designed to reflect the culture and civilization of the country and depicts the story of the Pakistan Movement, dedicated to those who sacrificed themselves for future generations. From air the monument looks like a star (center) and a crescent moon (formed by walls forming the petals), these represent the star and crescent on Pakistan's flag. 

 

 

 Pakistan Monument Islamabad

 

 

Pakistan Monument Islamabad

The monument is located at the west viewpoint of the Shakarparian Hills, and is spread over a total area of 2.8 hectares. The high location makes the monument visible from across the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The foundation stone was laid on 25 May 2004 and the complex was completed by the end of 2006 for inauguration on 23 March 2007. The total cost incurred was more than Rs.580 million.

Pakistan Monument Islamabad

The structure comprises four blossoming flower petals, built of granite, representing the unity of Pakistani people. The inner walls of the petals are decorated with murals. The central platform is made in the shape of a five-pointed star which is surrounded by a water body. A metallic crescent surrounding the star is inscribed with sayings of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and poetry of Allama Iqbal.

Pakistan Monument Islamabad

Scarecrows

Scarecrows (Known as Bagar Billa - باگڑ بلا in Urdu) are used to frighten birds as well as other animals from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seeds and growing crops. The scarecrows are usually made from wooden sticks, dressed in old clothes. They are generally made in such a way to look like people standing in the fields among the crops.

Scarecrows-Bagar Billa (باگڑ بلا)

Carnival Funfair

Carnival Funfair

Village Life Painting

Village Life Painting

Dragon Bridge Ljubljana

Dragon Bridge Ljubljana, Slovenia

Metelkova Mesto

Metelkova City (full name in Slovene: Avtonomni kulturni center Metelkova mesto, 'Metelkova City Autonomous Cultural Center') is an autonomous social centre in the centre of Ljubljana, Slovenia. It is located on the site of former military barracks (the Slovenian headquarters of the Yugoslav National Army) and was squatted September 1993. The site consists of seven buildings and was 12,500 m². The squat is named after nearby Metelko Street (Slovene: Metelkova ulica), which is named after the 19th-century Slovenian Roman Catholic priest, philologist, and unsuccessful language reformer Fran Metelko.
Source: wikipedia

Metelkova Mesto

Pakistani Culture

Pakistan consists of five provinces Gilgit-baltistan, Baluchistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Punjab. There exists a great difference between the cultures and customs of five provinces. Actually Pakistani culture is an amalgam of many cultures, in which five cultures i.e Kalash culture, Baluchi culture, Pashtun culture, Sindhi culture and Punjabi culture are main cultures. The pictures here represent cultures of five provinces of Pakistan. These are the pictures of paintings displayed in Lahore Museum.

Pakistani Culture Pictures

Ploughing Painting

I took this oxen ploughing painting picture at Lahore museum. I liked this painting because it shows a part of our culture, which is now almost out of practice. I'm not sure whether it is an historical painting or just a painting shows an old method of farming, where our farmers used to plough with the help of oxen. When I was a kid we had two pair of oxen and I saw my father ploughing all the day. But now you will hardly see any farmer in the village keeping oxen.

Ploughing with Oxen Painting

Punjabi Culture

Punjab has a rich cultural heritage. This picture is showing different aspects of daily life of rural areas of Punjab.

Punjabi Culture

Girl With Water Pitcher

Bringing clean water in pitchers was a part of our tradition some time ago, when there were lack of water wells. Bringing water was the duty of women. For this purpose they had to go to common well of the village or near by river. The best times were early in the morning and after noon. Generally a woman had to carry two to four pitchers, one in her hand and the remaining on head. In the southern areas of NWFP, particularly in district karak, still women had to bring water in clay made pitchers. During in my university life in Gomal University D.I.Khan, while travailing from Peshawar to D.I. Khan, the women walking by road side in a row, with water pitchers, always attract my attention.

Girl With Pitcher

Ox Cart

Ox cart or bull cart (Bel gadi-بیل گاڈی) is an essential part of our agriculture system in Pakistan. It is a source of transportation for our farmers. They use ox carts for carrying agriculture products to home or market. Due to high level of poverty our farmers are not in the position to buy expensive tractors or other vehicles for transportation.

Ox Carts