Faiz Palace of Khairpur, Sindh

The province of Sindh in Pakistan is culturally a very rich land which has tremendous historical background. Sindh has numerous amazing features which highlight the glory of the excellent Sindhi civilization and it is generally known as Indus civilization. Khairpur District is positioned in the northern portion of the province of Sindh. This area was recognized as Khairpur State before the partition of India in 1947 and it  was ruled by Talpur Mirs (ameers) of the Talpur dynasty from 1783 to 1955.

Faiz Palace of Khairpur, Sindh ( Pakistan )

Following the independence, this princely state opted to join Pakistan. Several architectures were constructed for the duration of the Talpur reign, nonetheless the most well-known of all the monuments that have been built during that era is the Faiz Mahal ( Palace ). Faiz Palace of Khairpur was constructed in 1798 as the palace of the Talpur loved ones by the Khairpur Mirs. Presently, Faiz Palace which is a magnificent structure of the Indus Valley and is a symbol of the Talpur glory is gradually deteriorating. The Government of Pakistan has presented the descendants of the Mirs of Talpur to take the custody of this monument for its correct conservation but they have rejected this proposal.

Faiz Mahal of Talpurs ( Interior ) . Image : Mashooque Ali Bhatti

Faiz Mahal ( Palace ) of Khairpur, Sindh demands due focus for its repairing and rehabilitation. Faiz Palace reminds us the wonderful history of the then State of Khairpur and the bravery of the Talpur clan.

Read More

Ajrak , the traditional attire from Sindh , Pakistan

Ajrak the standard attire from Sindh , Pakistan  is the idiosyncratic cloth employed by the locals of Sindh and Southern Punjab as symbol of grace and high esteem. Males use it as turban and Shawl while girls use as their Chaddar and Dubatta. It is usually colored with indigo , crimson , white and black patterns.

Ajrak , the standard attire from Sindh, Pakistan , Photo Credit : Asif Hassan

The handmade printing method of Ajrak is known as resist printing. Carved wooden blocks are employed for this method which is really a difficult job as all of this has to be harmonized  perfectly on the cloth. The generating of these blocks is fairly arithmetic jobs as all the graphs are drawn with geometric tools. The carving of the blocks is also really technical and skillful task. Normally the craftsmen waste the blocks following accomplishment with the patterns. The use of Ajrak is a continued tradition of Sindh for thousands of years. It is traced from the ancient Indus civilization. The globe renowned statue of the King Priest found at Mohenjo-Daro exhibits a shawl show around his shoulders. It is decorated with a threefold pattern  intermixed with tiny circles, that are colored inside with red shades. A comparable artifact has also been found in Mesopotamian remains. The identical threefold pattern usage is located in the present Ajrak.

Ajrak the traditional attire from Sindh, Pakistan is produced in practically all cities of  Sindh. Its usage can be observed in all segments of Sindhi society. It is a prestigious gift frequently presented to the guests in their honor. The locals also put on Ajrak on mirthful events such as weddings and cultural programs.

Read More