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ROHTAS
FORT
This awesome fortress
was built around the middle 16th century by the Afghan King Sher Shah
Suri with the dual objective of preventing the return of the exiled Mughal Emperor
Humayun to India and controlling restive
local tribes. It is perhaps the
most imposing historical edifice in Pakistan. What a view from its
battlements!
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KHEWRA
SALT MINES
The world's second
largest salt mine is located at Khewra in the Punjab. Salt was
discovered here during Alexander the Great's India campaign in
about 325 B.C. A labyrinth of deep passages, high caverns and fascinating brine lakes,
the mine is a must for any visitor to this part of Pakistan. Check out this
magnificent photo set.
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KATAS
TEMPLE COMPLEX
Barely
90 minutes drive
from Islamabad lies this ancient and sprawling temple complex which was the preeminent centre of Hindu pilgrimage in this
part of India before the partition in 1947. It even features in the
great Indian epic "Mahabharata". Sadly in a crumbling state now, this charming place attracts a number of
Pakistani and foreign sightseers every year. Fortunately, it is under
restoration under a joint Indo-Pakistan project.
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CHILLIANWALA
A small
remote locality in rural Punjab, located about 200 kilometers from Islamabad,
Chillianwala was the scene of a
famous and bloody battle in January 1849 between the advancing
British army and the Sikhs who ruled over Punjab prior to its
total annexation by the British Empire that same year. Several photos from
the British War Memorial Cemetary can be found here.
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GENERAL
NICHOLSON's OBELISK
This towering monument,
built in honour of the legendary British General John Nicholson, who
was killed while storming Delhi during the Indian
Mutiny of 1857, never ceases to fascinate me when I
drive past it on the grand trunk road. See for yourself the photos I took outside and inside
the obelisk.
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KHANPUR
LAKE
Just 40 kilometers
from Islamabad, Khanpur Lake has got to be one of the most scenic
places on our planet. If you're looking for Nirvana on Earth,
then look no further
than here!
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GLIMPSES OF OLD RAWALPINDI
Islamabad's older
and
larger (and rather ugly) twin sister, Rawalpindi doesn't offer much in
terms of culture and living comfort, but it does have many quaint
old buildings dating from the British colonial era and those bygone
pre-partition days when it was a predominately Hindu and Sikh
town.
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ST. CATHERINE'S CONVENT WORKSHOP
Photos taken in October 2006 at
a workshop run by the Catholic Church in Rawalpindi where young
women from the neighbourhood are being trained in needle-work skills
to help them gain some financial independance.
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ISLAMABAD AND SURROUNDINGS
I took several photos
of various places in Pakistan's capital city Islamabad over many
years. This collection includes major landmarks in Islamabad, including the imposing Faisal mosque on the left and
scenic spots overlooking the city.
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MOTHER
TERESA VISITS ISLAMABAD
A few years before her
death, legendary Mother
Teresa of Calcutta visited St. Fatima's Catholic Church in Sector F-8/4 in
Islamabad. Living just three minutes walking distance down the road, I
went to satisfy my curiosity and - lo and behold - I was rewarded with some
great photos of this remarkable woman which I'm sharing exclusively with you
here.
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IT'S
HIKING SEASON!
A large set of photos
from a great hike in the Margalla hills near Islamabad in which I participated in
April 2006. Some spectacular views here! The photo set of the
Khanpur to Islamabad hike, which is my favourite, and which was
held on March 25th, 2007, will be coming soon.
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