Pakistan is a land of rich cultural heritage nurtured here since time immemorial. The geographical strategic position of the land rightly titled it as the crossroad of the civilisations. Pakistan has been the abode of world's most ancient civilisations including Mehergarh, Moenjodaro, Harhuppa and Gandhara.
The Northern Areas of land reflect the grandeur of Gandhara and a variety of cultural impacts and influences this area had been experienced through centuries. We are lucky that most of the past cultures are preserved in one way or the other. The rock inscriptions and caricatures created thereon are the explicit manifestation to this effect.
As part of the glorious cultural heritage found in shape of rocks treasure of art and culture along with history, an exhibition titled 'Talking Rocks' has been opened at National Art Gallery on June 4. The visual show comprises photographic images as well as few original rocks with inscriptions of ancient times. Credit of research, discovery and documentation of this heritage goes to Professor Dr Harald Hauptmann, a German archaeologist of international eminence, researcher and historian who has been glued to his mission since 1979.
The exhibition represents rock inscriptions found from vast areas of northern part of our country. It includes both the banks of Indus river in uphill areas in the vicinity of Hindukush range, some part of western Himalayas and Korakoram. Most of the inscribed rocks are stretched from Indus Kohistan to Baltistan and thereon reaching as far as laddakh and Tibet.
The primitiveness of the rock's inscription dates back to Epipalaelolithic, which is also known as Neolithic age to the 16th century A.D. The deciphering and decoding methodology of the rocks inscription revealed numerous wonders of the historical past. The people's carvans with merchantile activities, cultural exchanges, religious travelling with special reference to Bhuddaism and other modes of peoples inspirations are reflected through these rocks carvings.
The 'Talking Rocks' are indeed an appreciable accomplishment of its curator. It also provides our indifferent attitude towards our cultural and past heritage. Instead of our talent and archaeologists, it is a German genius who has been working hard in discovering and deciphering the heritage of rocks inscriptions lying in the northern parts of our land.
Conscientious people ask as to when our men sitting at the helm of affairs would put their efforts towards the preservation, conservation and perpetuation of our ancient heritage. And when the time would come when a strong sense of belonging towards our ancient past would be established for our own sake and for posterity as well.
TRAVELLING COLOURS OF PUNJAB: The hub of cultural activities and innovative pursuits Punjab has always been fostering new trends and ideas in literature, architecture and fine arts. This summer the Punjab Council of the Art, prime institution of promoting the fine arts in the province has come up with a unique exhibition of arts, which one part travelled from of the province to the other for greater understanding, cohesion and integrity.
The exhibition, which initiated its travelling on May 19 from Faisalabad and thereafter visited Bahawalpur, D. G. Khan, Sahiwal and Sargodha has finally reached Rawalpindi. The June 9 was the day it was inaugurated at Rawalpindi Art Council by Senator Raja Zafar-ul-Haq.
The exhibition area was offering a look of festivity full of colours, shades and lights. Over 50 artists, senior and seasoned along with budding and promising ones are represented in the show. A variety of content, styles, genres, mediums and technique speaks the creative talents of our artists. All sorts of viewers could get sublimation out of an art piece of his/her choice.
One could enjoy paintings in realism, abstraction, semi-abstraction, impressionism, still life, landscape, figurative work, portraiture, traditional and creative calligraphy and of course the most exquisite pieces of miniature. The artists represented in the exhibition include Abdul Khaliq, Abid Khan, Azeem Iqbal, Akber Ali, Ambreen Zafar, Andleeb Rana, Anila Zulfiqar, Aqib Sharif, Arif Khan, Aisha Siddiqi, and many more.
The artistic accomplishments by the senior artists reflect their persistent endeavours in achieving the new heights of excellence while the budding and promising artists also seem toeing their line, trends and styles but with individualism. Raja Zafar-ul-Haq while commenting on the exhibition appreciated the hard work done by the artists.
He referred to the glorious past of our land full of artistic expressions. He hoped that our new generation will also make the creative traditions alive and achieve yet more excellence in all the areas of development especially the fine arts. Most of the viewers were opined that such exhibition may not be restricted to a single province but also travel all over the country to foster yet more sense of national cohesion, integrity and interaction.
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