In All Things Pakistan, a look at Fauzia Minallah’s coffee-table book on Islamabad sends Mast Qalandar off on a trip to neighbouring Saidpur, home to black goats, unglazed pottery and a Hindu temple:
People often describe Islamabad as a city without a soul. Actually, Islamabad’s soul is not to be found in the city itself, but on the fringes of the city. In the little hamlets and hills. Fauzia Minallah, an Islamabad based artist, has recently published a delightful coffee-table book titled ‘Glimpses into Islamabad’s Soul’. She describes many such places in and around Islamabad with long history and heritage, myths and folklore.
One such village is Saidpur, situated just off the Margalla Road, hardly a 5 five minutes drive from the upscale neighborhoods of Islamabad. I knew Saidpur only as a place one ordered garden-manure from. You didn’t have to go there. You just called the guy on his cell phone and he would have a Suzuki-full of manure delivered at your doorstep – literally, sometime.
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You have a very cool blog. I will become a regular reader. I blog at http://www.moneyforthecrown.blogspot.com Stop by sometime.
Take care
RJ.
Hey, Richard. Likewise, enjoyed your site. Would be great to hear from you if you have any suggestions for stories/ideas out of Mountain View (with a South Asia focus, of course). Keep in touch anyway, Namita