ISLAMABAD, Oct 6: Rawalpindi will be the focus of the year-long activities designed by the Asian Study Group (ASG) to highlight the art, culture and architecture associated with the once major British military outpost.
With the purpose of educating people about the former Victorian town of the subcontinent the ASG arranged a ceremony at the Islamabad Club the other day which also marked the opening of the organization’s season of activities.
Locals and diplomats who thronged the club grounds gave the event festive.
They visited various stalls set up by the ASG subgroups catering to special interests of the people while live music was performed to set the mood right.
Stalls were set up exhibiting books and literature on history and civilization of the Asian region particularly Pakistan besides artifacts representing art and culture of Pakistan and various other material.
What the visitors loved the most was the eye-catching and tasty cuisine club where both desi and Japanese food were being served.
The subgroups included the Adventure Club, Archaeology and Anthropology, Arts and Crafts Cuisine Club, Performing Arts, History, and Photography and the Film Club etc.
The event also included a display of photographs exhibiting old places in Rawalpindi such as the Topi Park Lake (now Ayub Park), Station School Rawalpindi, the old State Guest House and the several ariel views of the historical city.
Inside the club auditorium a photographic presentation of the Old City, by a long time resident of Rawalpindi and a collector of old and historical pictures, Mr Mohammad Ali Akbar, carried the audience into history as life used to be in the garrison city during mid 19th century and early 20th century.
The collection of extremely rare photographs captured in black and white included, perhaps, the only available image of Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar in exile in Burma, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, churches of Rawalpindi like Scotch, Kirk and St Mary’s, statue of Queen Victoria (1904) on The Mall which was taken down in 1960s, Dalhousie Road (now Kashmir Road), Freemason’s Hall, Sandy’s Soldier Home, old Raja Bazaar from the late 1880s besides many other reminiscent photographs.
Speaking to stallholders from some subgroups about their plans to highlight the importance of the once Victorian town of the subcontinent, Nora Macgregor who had set up the arts and crafts stall said, “we are trying to involve people to take interest in art of the country through talks and displays. We will be organizing activities to highlight the culture of the Old City.”
Justin Main Thompson from the photography group said, “Pindi is like any other city to me. I have been in Pakistan for some years now and all cities seem the same.
