Pashtun classical dancer marries dance forms of the subcontinent to tell a story of peace and positivity By Zulfiqar Baig ISLAMABAD: Be it the ghunghroo on his feet, the nimble movement of his hands or the Anarkali Kurta which flows with him as he pirouettes ever so gracefully; for Islamabad-based folk and fusion dancer Khanzada Asfandyar Khattak, every aspect of his …

Yamga Wakhani Museum is a treasure trove of artefacts, pottery, musical instruments and various objects invented by or remained in use of the Mubarak Wakhani Farman Ali Mubarakkadam Ibn Abdullo, popularly known as Mubarak Wakhani, was a multi-faceted personality — a philosopher, poet, musician, astronomer, art teacher, and Sufi (mystic) scholar — from Badakhshan, Tajikistan. Born in 1839 in a small village …

Situated in the center of Kazakhstan, ALZHIR (Акмолинский лагерь жен изменников родины, “the Akmola camp of wives of traitors to the homeland”) was a notorious prison for thousands of women during its nearly two decades of operation. Behind the barbed wire, the women had to renounce their family and loved ones in order to submit to the will of the “leader of all nations.” …

Herald Report  Something remarkable is taking place around the Shigar and Khaplu forts of Baltistan. Immersed in the breathtaking scenery of the Karakoram Mountains — some of the highest in the world — and steeped in four centuries of folklore and legends, community heritage and culture are being revitalised, according to a report published on AKDN website.  Remote communities are …

Anthropologist Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro takes us to an invaluable site in the Indus-Kohistan region. While traveling along the Karakorum Highway, one comes across many rock art sites that need to be promoted as potential tourist destinations. Sadly, they escape the attention of the authorities. Rock art tourism plays a significant role in the local economy of communities in many of …

 The winners will share $1 million prizes which recognizes all parties involved in the conception, design, and realization of a project News Desk The six winning projects of the 2019 Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA) were acclaimed on Friday (Sept 13) at a ceremony held at Kazan’s Musa Jalil State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, Tatarstan. Tatarstan State Counsellor …

The winners, who will share $1m, are: Bahrain’s Revitalisation of Muharraq, Bangladesh’s Arcadia Education Project, Palestinian Museum; Tataristan’s Public Spaces Development Programme ; Alioune Senegal’s Diop University Teaching and Research Unit, and UAE’s Wasit Wetland Centre   News Desk Six projects have won the 2019 Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA). The winners of the 2019 award were announced at Kazan, Tatarstan, Russian …

A documentary by an award-winning Pakistani filmmaker shows the lives of traditional musicians, musical instrument makers and the challenges they face by Omair Ahmad Indus Blues is an aural and visual delight, and it is no wonder it is winning, and being nominated for, a slew of awards. A 75 minute documentary on the folk musicians of Pakistan by the young filmmaker …

Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro on the heritage and folklore of the people of Punial in Gilgit-Baltistan by Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro   Punial valley of Ghizer district of Gilgit-Baltistan is known for its oral history, folklore, visual culture, looming Hindu Kush mountains, verdant and sprawling villages, nullahs (side valleys) full of pastures, gushing Gilgit River coursing through Punial valley and, of course, the …

Little is known of the lives of Sogdians in China, even though the Chinese connections of Sogdian elites played an important political, economic, and cultural role in the lives of people in the region at the time, writes Jin Xu. by Jin Xu Before the Arab invasion, Sogdians were known traders who benefitted from bringing Chinese luxury goods to Iran, …