Christmas 2012

The year 2012 is about to end with the world celebrating Christmas, the holiday season and almost gearing up to welcome the New Year 2013.

In order to celebrate the Christmas 2012, many countries have issued stamps on the occasion. Some of the selected Christmas stamps are as under:

Royal Mail has pyblished a set of five stamps Christmas stamps designed by renowned Gruffalo children's book artist Axel Scheffler.

The five stamps feature traditional Christmas scenes and characters including Father Christmas, festive robins, Christmas Trees and a reindeer.

Merry Christmas!!

References | Daily Mail | BFDC | Philamirror | Stamps News Now | Christmas Stamps | Cyprus Stamps |
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Polo at Shandur – the highest polo ground

Horse is a mighty animal God ever created. Its loyalty and faithfulness attracted it to men, who became its best friends, and masters. The horses not only helped in transportation but also took men to war. But beside that, horses also played when their masters chose to play polo. Played all over the world, the royalties in the Indo-Pak subcontinent also played a game known as Chogan, similar to the game of polo as played today. One of the kings, Qutab ud Din Aibak died while playing polo in Lahore and is now buried in Anarkali - one of the oldest bazaars of Lahore.

While polo is played in all major cantonments of Pakistan, as it is one of the most popular sports in the army, the game at Shandur, 3,700 meters above sea level, near Chitral has a charm of its own. Polo was first played here as far back in 1936, when one Major Cobb, the British Political Agent of then Northern Areas started playing polo at night when it was a full moon, since he thought that moon looked so near the earth that a match in a moonlit night would change the very meaning of the game. Because of this the Shandur polo ground came to be referred to as the "Moony Polo Ground".

The Pakistani-bred Punjabi and Afghan Badakshani ponies, both the result of breeding from Himalayan mountain ponies and English thoroughbreds, are ridden in a wild style, with a lot of skill and at full speed.

Due to its distant location and special climatic conditions, only teams from Chitral and Gilgit participate in the annual Shandur Polo Festival, held in July each year when the snow has melted and the weather is just right for the game to go on. The match is the centrepiece attraction of the Annual Shandur Festival, and a large number of local and foreigners participate in the festivities besides enjoying a hearty polo match.

Watching Polo at Shandur in the full moon may not possible now, but it’s a once in lifetime dream for any polo player to reach to the venue and watch it being played on perhaps the highest polo ground of the world.

To commemorate the game at amid towering snow clad mountains, the Pakistan Post issued a stamp of Rs. 5 denomination in 2006.

Related Reading:

Polo at Shandur (Pakistanpaedia)

Tomb of Qutab ud Din Aibak (Pakistanpaedia)

Chitral (Pakistanpaedia)

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Inauguration of First Nuclear Science Training Institute in Pakistan

In the late fifties, when Pakistan embarked upon nuclear program, two major constraints were immediately faced: the dearth of appropriately trained manpower and the absence of even rudiments of a viable scientific and industrial infrastructure. The solution to these problems was the establishment of research, development and training centers. The first major step in this direction was the establishment of Pakistan institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH), at Nilore, near Islamabad.

Designed by world-renowned architect Edward Durrell Stone, PINSTECH blends eastern elegance with western functionality. Construction of the Institute proceeded in two stages: In the first stage, reactor building and ancillary facilities were completed with the reactor becoming critical on 21st December 1965. The second stage, consisting of various laboratories, workshop, library and auditorium, became operational in 1974. The project won the 1966 American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Professional Award for design excellence.

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On its inauguration, which was indeed a hallmark in the history of Pakistan, the Pakistan Post issued a commemorative stamp of 15 Paisa on 30th April 1966.

Today, PINSTECH is the premier scientific R & D centre of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission. PINSTECH symbolizes the will and the ability of a small developing nation to embark upon a viable nuclear program aimed at peaceful exploitation of atomic energy for socio-economic uplift. Self reliance is the basic philosophy shaping the evolution of the institute's facilities and R&D program, and has become the hallmark of its achievements.

Write up with the courtesy of official website of Pinstech

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Islamabad – the Modern Capital of Pakistan

At the time of independence, Karachi was chosen as the capital of Pakistan. However, after assuming the reins of the government in the late 50s, President Muhammad Ayub Khan decided to develop a new capital for the country, which should portray the natural beauty and and aspirations of the people of Pakistan. A site north of Rawalpindi was chosen to be named as Islamabad and the new capital city of the country. 

 Two of the early days photos of Islamabad when it was in the drawing board stage (above) and the laying down the foundation ceremony of Islamabad by President Ayub Khan at Shakarparian Hills, Islamabad. Later the Shakarparian Hills become a must visiting point by all head of the states and prime ministers from across the world to be briefed about the master plan of Islamabad and also planting a sapling. Now over a period of time, these saplings have grown tall, reminding how much time has passed since the early days of islamabad in the making.

The master plan of this modern city was prepared in 1960 by M/s. Constantinos A Doxiades, a Greek firm of Architects. Construction was started in October 1961, and the city came into life on 26 October, 1966, when the first office building of Islamabad was occupied. In 1967 Islamabad was officially made the capital, and work on the city's principal buildings, streets, and facilities was completed by the mid-1970s.

Baradari at Fatima Jinnah Park, Islamabad

In order to commemorate the big day for Pakistan, a set of two stamps was issued by Pakistan Post on 29^th November 1966. Both stamps valued at Paisa 15 and 50 , showed the Pakistan Flag with the building of Pakistan Secretariat offices in the background. On the right hand side, photos of the then president appear in uniform and in mufti.

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Islamabad since then has developed into a beautiful city and metropolis. I was a small kid in 1966 when I first saw Islamabad where my father was serving as the head of the Interpol Pakistan. I had a vivid memory of the straight road from Faizabad to Zero Point, which is presently under renovation. I visited many places like Shakarparian, where now the National Monument (photo on the right of the stamps) beautifully nestles and can be seen from far away atop the hills. 

Saidpur Village, the heritage village of Islamabad

The other places included the Saidpur Village which has now become a tourist attractive site. The Siraj Covered Market was a novel market, which has now been demolished. The capital is lush green in summers and is freezing cold in winters.

Islamabad landscape as of now [Photo]

Spectacular view of Blue Area, Islamabad [Photo]

On the eve of formal inauguration of Islamabad as the new capital of Pakistan, a set of two stamps was issued on 29th November 1966:

The stamps of Paisa 15 and 50 denomination showed the Pakistan flag, Islamabad Secretariat and portrait of President of Pakistan Muhammad Ayub Khan for Islamabad was his brainchild and he was fully involved in various phases of its planning, mapping, and development.

On 30th November 1985, a commemorative stamp of Rs. 3.00 denomination was issued on the eve of Silver Jubilee Celebrations of Islamabad.

Time flies by very quickly as Islamabad matured with skyscrapers and many beautiful malls and building dotting its landscape. On 31st December 2010, on the eve of 50th years (1960-2010)  celebrations of the capital city, Pakistan Post issued a Rs. 5.00 denomination stamp. The generally green coloured stamp  showed the view of Islamabad  & Words 1960-2010 with Black back ground. 

Photos: JalalsPages | Reference : | 1 | 2 |
Related Sites:

Islamabad – the Capital City

National Monument

Said Pur Village

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Remembering John Lennon

John Lennon – once a young lad from Liverpool, made headlines as long as he lived, and even when he was murdered by a person who wanted to have John’s last autographs and become famous. He was a musician, writer and a great performer. His fame rose to the highest when he founded the erstwhile world famous band “The Beatles.” He along with Sir Pau McCartney wrote and composed some of the most melodious melodies of all times. He married Yoko Ono and continued to sing solos when The Beatles finally dissolved in the 70s.

8th December 1980 was a bad day for the music as on that day this great musician was murdered by one Mark David Chapman. As he came out of the Dakota Building, Mark, standing close to the main door came forward and asked Lennon, “John, will you sign this”, holding an LP of Lennon. 

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Lennon replied, “Sure, no problem,” signed and then asked Mark, “Is that all you want?”. Mark replied, “Yes, thank you John.” And then took out his pistol and fired five bullets from a point blank range.

So that was an end of a great musician. I adored him too as The Beatles was and still one of my favourite bands and on 8th December 1980, I was in a wilderness when I heard the sad news on my pocket radio from BBC.

Like many, John continues to live in my heart. And many a countries have been issuing commemorative stamps (issued by Chad, Nicaragua and Guyana) to honour the great musician from time to time. Some of the stamps above are for the glory of the man, called John Lennon.

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Birth Centenary Celebrations – M A Jinnah (Part - I)

1976 marked the 100^th birthday of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. Born on 25^th December 1876 in Karachi, he was to one day change the destiny of a people and force the once mightiest empires of the world to give in and carve out from the United India a separate homeland for the Muslims of the Indian sub-continent. He had his early schooling at the famous Sindh Madrassat-ul-Islam and the Christian Mission School in Karachi. He then got admission in the Lincoln's Inn in 1893 to study law and become the youngest Indian to be called to the Bar at Law.

Jinnah entered politics in 1905 from the platform of the Indian National Congress (the same time that Muslim League was also founded by Sir Agha Khan in 1906, but Jinnah was to join the League much later). In January 1910, he was elected to the newly-constituted Imperial Legislative Council. In 1934, Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal persuaded Jinnah to assume the leadership of the Muslims. So Jinnah joined the All India Muslim League and from here he fought a tough battle with the British and the Hindus, and it was his powerful advocacy of the case of Pakistan and his remarkable strategy in the delicate negotiations that made him win a separate Muslim country for the Muslims of the United India then under the Great Britain.

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Jinnah became Pakistan’s first governor general much to the annoyance of Lord Mountbatten, for which Pakistan had to pay very dearly in the division of boundary of Kashmir (a Muslim majority area), which till date remains a bitter bone of contention between India and Pakistan. Jinnah finally bade farewell to the newly born country on 11 September 1948 and was buried in his hometown, Karachi.

Year 1976 was celebrated as the 100^th birthday of Jinnah and Pakistan Post issued a number of commemorative stamps on the occasion as shown above. 

The first set of four stamps were issued on 14th August, the independence Day of Pakistan bearing portrait of the great leader.

20th November was the holding of the Boy Scouts Jamboree in Lahore. The 20 Paisa stamp bore the portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, showing him giving Scouts Salute with the Boys Scouts Emblem in the rear. 

The third stamp was a special stamp, a Rs.10 commemorative stamp with outline of Jinnah embossed in golden colour, issued on 25th December, the birth centenary day. 

The stamp showed an outline of Jinnah embossed in golden colour. This special stamp was published at Da Carter SA, Paris (France). His photos also appeared on the RCD yearly anniversary commemorative stamps (the other portraits included Raza Shah of Iran and Kemal Attaturk of Turkey).

Many a country also joined Pakistan Post in issuing commemorative stamps to honour this great leader of the Indo-Pak subcontinent. These will be posted in a separate post shortly.

Related Reading on Jinnah:

Muhammad Ali Jinnah-The Founding Father of Pakistan (Pakistanpaedia) 

Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Wikipedia)

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Fasting Buddha - The Archaeological Heritage of Pakistan

Pakistan is unique country rich in its cultural and archaeological heritage. A heritage that has many dimensions. All over the country, one comes across relics, ruins and remains of some of the greatest civilizations and religions that once thronged this part of the world. 

The foot prints of the marching armies of the Alexander the Great, who marched into this part of the world around 326 BC can be seen here. It was here that civilizations as great as the Mehrgarh, the Indus Valley and Harappa thrived. 

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Besides the civilizations, the Buddhist religion took its roots from here. Areas around Taxila and Swat are testimony to this fact and these areas abound in the Gandhara Art. One of the surviving masterpiece of Gandhara Art is the statue of the Fasting Buddha, preserved in the Lahore Museum.

Pakistan Post while celebrating the Archeological Heritage of Pakistan, issued two stamps on 21^st July 1999, which displays the famous statue of Fasting Buddha. Priced 7 rupees each , both stamps show two angles of this unique and one of the rare artifacts of the archeological finds of the world.

Related Reading:

Fasting Buddha

Taxila - The City of Stones

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