It feels like its been ages since I’m living in Canada. I love and admire this country that has embraced me with open arms and warmth. Yet I hear the word Pakistan and my heartbeat fastens and the adrenaline gushes in my veins. After all its Pakistan we’re talking about.
The resilient and most incredible nation in the world, that has been seeing blood, terror and dead bodies of its men, women and children for past so many decades and yet if you step on any street in any city, you’d feel this is some piece of heaven. Yes our hearts are shattered but our souls are still in tact. We still enjoy little moments of happiness after and before death strikes.
So as a proud Pakistani I’d been thinking about the goodness that is all actually made in Pakistan or belongs to Pakistan. Here is a list of six little but amazing things that I believe spell Pakistan!
1. Pakola
What else could compete with the green goodness that is contained in the little green bottle or can. No its not what turned Bruce Banner into Hulk but it definitely has the potential, with the rich cream soda flavour and sweetness. Ive tried so many different kinds of cream soda, but trust me nothing comes close. And the best thing, it doesn’t give you the typical acidic feeling that one might experience after consuming other types of soda. Wish there was a better marketing strategy and this thing could give Coca-cola and Pepsi a run!
2. Urdu
Yes it roots back to the times of subcontinental India, but it is something that draws a line between the two neighbouring countries. “Yes its not Salwaar(Traditional pants); it is Shalwaar!” And it is definitely not Hindi. Urdu is made up of so many other languages but that is our national language and we are proud of it.
3.Truck art
Since the independence in 1947, Pakistan runs basically on trucks and buses to transport people as well as goods. These trucks and buses are decorated with some of the most spectacular pieces of art that is famous worldwide. These art forms vary from delicate detailing on the outside of the truck to amazing mirror and lights work and poetic calligraphy.
4.Pathaan ki chai
And since I mentioned trucks, truck art is incomplete without a dhaaba and Pathaan ki chai i.e. doodh patti(Milk & tea leaves). It is basically a staple of the road side cafes aka dhaabas on the highways or trunk roads that usually cater to these hard working truck drivers when out on the road, and in the cities to people who just want to have a cup of tea. This chai is special because it is brewed with loads of milk for hours and is sweet enough to give you a sugar rush. Most of these road side dhaabas were and are owned by the hardworking tribal people from the north of Pakistan, hence the name.
5. Peshawari Ice cream
I remember the first time I went to Pakistan from Dubai and I had this horrible craving of Peshawari ice-cream and my brother got me three litre packs of it, that I licked to the last drop within an hour. Yes that’s how good it is. You’d forget Ben & Jerry’s, Haagen Daz and Baskin-Robbins when this hand-made, buttery, sweet white heaven melts on your tongue and you feel the tiny butter spots on your palate. It actually was a Karachi special and later on took over the rest of the country. Named after the roots of its inventors, it is not your typical Vanilla or White chocolate flavoured ice cream though it is quite similar in the colour and texture- Update your bucket lists folks!
5.TV Drama
I grew up in Karachi with only two television channels, but the best part of it was even those two channels could draw an audience all over the world, because of the dramas that were aired. And now there are a good hundred or so television channels for news, entertainment, food, religion, music and what not. And still Pakistani television dramas top the charts. There was a jolt few years ago when the Indian soap serials started to steal the limelight. But from Tanhaaiyan, to Meri Zaat Zarra e Benishaan, to Mera Naam Yousuf hay to Humsafar, Pakistani dramas remain unbeatable!
1 Comment
perfect ..!