What is Basant?

Basant which is Sanskrit for Spring, is a centuries old festival, which was celebrated originally in pre-partition India when Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs would come together and share the celebrations of the commencement of the spring season. However, since partition, with most Hindus and Sikhs being based in India and Muslims in Pakistan, the Basant festival has developed a different meaning. That being said, it still is a sight to behold for most onlookers and celebrated with the same zeal and fervor as it was decades ago.

How to celebrate Basant in Pakistan?

Basant is celebrated enthusiastically throughout Pakistan. However, the city of Lahore, which is the fashion capital of the country, leads the festivities and is the most energetic during this magnificent holiday period. People travel from different parts of the country to witness and participate in this joyous occasion and leave aside any differences that were felt previously and start afresh with love and friendliness in their hearts. Token gifts are distributed by elders to the children to purchase candy, toys and kites and everyone is dressed in vibrant colors of green, yellow and often loud and fluorescent shades of pink.

The kite flying festival during Basant is the highlight of the holiday. People swarm the city of Lahore in droves and you get to witness (and also purchase) masterfully crafted kites which are expertly flown by fellow enthusiasts. The objective is to slice the strings of the competitors’ kites and the last kite standing is declared the winner. It is quite a show and normally lasts for five to six hours. If you would like to explore and gather souvenirs, you can always stop by the food streets that are the hallmark of the city to try some of the local delicacies that will literally inflame your senses with the sumptuous tastes and the delightful aromas.

If you are not a huge fan of kite flying, do not fear – the city has various other pleasures to assuage your intellectual curiosity. There are numerous music shows, pet shows, horticultural exhibitions and art competitions that you can enjoy. And if you are one who takes pleasures in the finer things in life, do not miss the poetry competitions in the city where age old poets’ works along with contemporary poets finest verses are regaled by various celebrities (you can acquire a translator for very low costs).

By Veselina Dzhingarova

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Islamabad is the city of bigwigs of Pakistan and is powered by a number of sectors including real estate, tourism, business and the financial hub. Let’s look at few sure signs, which point towards broader economic growth for the federal city and the country alike.

Tourism is Booming

Besides being home to Federal Government employees, Parliament House and several Politicians, the city is also a magnet for tourists. Islamabad is the only name that comes into your mind, when you want a peaceful place to unwind your tired soul. The city is becoming something more than a 9 a.m-5 p.m. city, as it adds more to its charm. The city hosts a number of tourist attractions like Margalla Hills, Saidpur Village, Daman-e-Koh, Lake View Park, Shakarparian and Pir Sohawa which attract hundreds and thousands of tourists every month. Though consolidated numbers of the tourists visited Islamabad in the first quarter of 2013, but the data indicates that Islamabad topped the country in terms of hotel occupancy level throughout 2012 and in Q1 of 2013 as well.

The government is very much interested in further boosting the numbers of tourists to Islamabad. So, it has taken a number of initiatives to enhance the country’s position in global markets. Several new hotels, shopping malls and parks have been planned to develop in Islamabad. Government is also focusing on tourism because it is considered that tourism can indirectly boost real estate sector and Pakistan government is intended to give a boom to real estate sector.

Property Prices are increasing

Certainly, you do not need any statistical proof to figure it out that property prices in the federal city are increasing. A number of residential projects and commercial developments were launched by the end of 2012 and are scheduled to start later in 2013 to entice local and international inventors. It is because government and developers are well aware of the fact that Islamabad is one of the most desired areas in Pakistan to buy properties to live in or to earn profit in the long run. The increasing demand and the peaceful environment of the capital are the two basic reasons behind Islamabad real estate getting expensive gradually. Several state of the art residential communities like Gulberg Islamabad, Bahria Town and Bani Gala are launched in previous few years to give various choices to property buyers and investors.

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The federal capital of Pakistan enjoys a calm and strategically important location in the North of Punjab. With fresh and green environment and a lot of plantation done in the past, the city has an aura of its own that changes shades with changing weather. If you intend to get the best of Pakistan by visiting just one city, you should visit Islamabad. Here are some attractions of the city.

Pir Suhawa

For those who wish to get out of the happening life of Islamabad that is burdened with government related complicated matters,  Pir Suhawa could be their haven. This tourist spot is 45 min drive away from the Capital and crowns Margalla Hills at a height of more than 3000 feet. Several restaurants with their grand decks offer you a chance to see Islamabad from the calm, quite and indifferent hues of Pir Suhawa.

Other than offering a chance to look at the regions greenest and best plan city from the hilltop, you can also enjoy the crisp sunlight, haunting sunset, great food and music there. For a one-day and least tiring trip to a great holiday spot, Pir Suhawa tops the list for many travellers and locals.

Saidpur

This 500 year old village rests at the base of Margalla Hills and is located just a few minutes drive away from Islamabad’s Supermarket. The area surrounding Saidpur has a history that spans over 1000s of years and has been home to the world’s famous civilizations such as Greek, Mughal, Gandhara, Ashoka, and Buddhist.  You can find many temples Hindu temples and ponds here that were built by Raja Man Singh in the late 16^th century. Today, Saidpur village makes a famous tourist spot of Islamabad and receives many visitors.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) remodeled the village in 2008 by giving it a quaint look and feel. With reconstruction of temples, little fixing of the mud houses, and horse drawn carts, the village illustrates the glory and antiquity of the Pothohar region. To entertain the increasing number of visitors who are drawn to spending their weekends at Saidpur, the CDA has added some recent attractions and fixed the old ones, including restaurants and cafes, Sufi tombs, Gurdwara, Hindu temples, and Nomad art Gallery.

Murree

Murree is the most visited summer resort of Pakistan and lies about one hour drive away from the capital. The place is known best for its green hills and snowy winters. As compared to many hill stations in Pakistan, Murree is the most developed one. The hill station offers its well kept and facilitated vicinity to a number of visitors throughout the year. Murree makes headline each time it snows there as this is when the place gets filled with thousands of visitors from Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar.

The busy Mall Road, Nathia Gali, Doonga Gali, Kashmir Point and Ghora Gali are some of the popular spots in Murree. During your stay in Islamabad, you must not miss to spend one full day and night in Murree and that too during the snowfall.

Islamabad offers various accommodation options to the visitors as the city is home to many fine hotels and guest houses. You can also consider short stay accommodation and choose from the available flats in Islamabad. Before you finalize your trip, check with the Islamabad Consulate about the weather conditions as well as political temperature of the capital.

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