Sheer Khorma

Eid ul Fitr Important Festival

Eid ul- Fitr marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, its celebrated for three days, Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity", while Fiṭr means "conclusion of the fast"; and so the holiday celebrates the conclusion of the thirty days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire Ramadan. In this month Muslim offer special prays to God (Allah) and ask for his forgiveness. This festival of great importance to Muslim, they celebrate with great pomp. When Eid prayers and Thanksgivings are over, they hug and congratulate each other and later during the day, they visit relatives, friends, and neighbors.They will decorate their homes and prepare special meals for family and friends. They will purchase new Eid outfit for each family member, together with the appropriate accessories (jewelry, shoes)


Eid festivities in Pakistan may vary culturally depending on the region, but one common thread in all celebrations is that the generosity and hospitable traditions of the people become quite apparent during Eid. First, it is common Pakistani tradition for families to gather at the elder relative home after the Eid prayers. Before the special Eid meal is served, young children will offer Greeting (Salam) to elders and receive Eidi.the traditional Eid greeting is ‘’Eid Mubarak’’ and it’s often followed by a formal embrace. The night before Eid is called Chaand Raat which means, "Night of the Moon." Muslims will often visit bazaars and shopping malls with their families for Eid shopping. Women, especially younger girls, will often apply the traditional Mehndi, or henna, on their hands and feet and wear colorful bangles. After the Eid prayers, it is common for men to visit graveyards and pray for the salvation of departed family members.

Special celebratory dishes is served to the guests called sivayyan, a dish of fine, toasted sweet vermicelli noodles with milk and dried date.

Many Workers in big cities may travel to their hometowns or other cities to visit relatives, to request forgiveness, or just to celebrate Eid with the whole family.

Eid al-Fitr is also known as chhoti (small) or meethi (sweet) Eid.it preparations start with the beginning of the month of Ramadan and continue throughout the month. It is customary for almost everyone to wear new dress. So the shopping goes on throughout the month of Ramadan The market are decorated t& Special sale prices are offered on garments and shoes. the men visit the mosques or eidgahs (large enclosures for prayers). On the way they give the obligatory alms called fitra(money to poor so they can also celebrate the happy occasion. After offering Eid prayers, which is an occasion for expressing thanks to Allah, the men return home and wishing children, women and elders of the household Eid Mubarak eat the sweet dish known as sheer-khurma (dates cooked in milk ). Also as an additional treat, a variety of dishes are cooked. Festivities continue till late night, and in some towns a popular fair or mela is held for recreational purpose.

For the children it is a very happy day because they receive money from all the elders, to spend and enjoy themselves.Employees get bonuses, factories and offices close down for a couple of days, and food and money are distributed to the poor. Because it marks the end of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr is always an occasion for a big meal and families come together.

Handicrafts of Pakistan

Handicrafts reflect the culture, tradition of the artisans who create them. It draws a line between a thing that is skillfully handmade to what are mass produced products, and to grabs the attention to the skill and endeavors of the craftsman or craftswomen. The actual beauty of a piece of handicrafts certainly depends on the transparency of material, the glimpses of a culture and touch of art.


Pakistan has a rich history of handicrafts. The entire wealth of timeless Pakistani handicrafts has survived through ages. The legacy of Pakistani culture promises everything- beauty, dignity, form and style. These handicrafts radiate an aura of glory, exhibit hereditary skills and show painstaking craftsmanship of hours of work.

Carpet

Hand loomed Textile

Metal crafts brass and copper

Basketry

Pottery

Wooden furniture

Hand printed Fabric

Zardosi and thread work on Fabrics

Jewelry

Glass bangles

Folk art embroideries

Paper flower crafts

Porcelain flowers

Silver metal Jewelry

Rock Salt Lamp

Camel skin lamp

Ralli work (Patch work)

Doll Making with traditional dresses

Chunri Scarf Tie Dye

Discharge print in block printing technique

Block Printing a beautiful pattern work and new technique called discharge printing


Pakistan is known for its vibrant culture, Arts & crafts. The dwellers in this part of the world boast of multi-ethnics traditions with beautiful cultural identity visible in their lifestyle, cuisines and attires.

The art of Block printing, tie dye (chunri) and batik have been famous in the sub-continent since ages. Over the year the block prints clothes designs have become quite a fashion statement. In block print an eye for artsy colour combination and place of unusual block give a design new look although you are repeating the same block design.

East World market designs scarves, bags & linen with block printing techniques. This art can be used on any type of cloth. Now a day a new technique is developed called as discharge printing. The method begins with the fabric being block in various colors with an added chemical which produce the effect, it’s then rolled and knotted into another fabric and about an hour it’s steamed in a drum. Ultimately the fabric is washed, dried creased out thoroughly by ironing. This method of printing gives an everlasting shine with the hues exuding vibrancy quite unlike in the traditional block printing.

EWM use all custom made designs. Contemporary to conventional, from traditional to ultramodern or a mix of these kinds of blocks always remains popular in EWN product line. The silhouette of feminity so evident in all EWM designs. As they carry the modern look and emphasis on intricacy of designs.

Gems Yield Power

Gems Yield Power


Gems have healing power and human beings have always had a fascination for clear and colored stones. Healers from ancient times used them to harness individual qualities that healed body, mind and soil. These healers used special techniques by placing various stone on the body to eliminate stress and frustration. This was especially helpful when people were tense and angry hence, the art of the healer lies in choosing the right stone to help release energy blocks.

All gems and stones posses somewhat mystic qualities whilst some make us feel good about ourselves, each gem have a specific quality of divinity, which can bring us release when the material world has stripped us of our true nature.(practical tools of healing)generally, healers work specially with a gem of a particular color of each gems helps us to distinguish its use.

Every person has intintive abilities that attract and get attracted to a particular gem. Without conscious knowledge, the use of gems &stones in our daily lives, help us to uplift our spirits, redress imbalance and help us attain our true potential.

The Secret!

The Secret


One day, one friend asked another, "How is it that you are always so happy?

You have so much energy, and you never seem to get down." With her eyes smiling, she said,

"I know the Secret!"

"What secret is that?"

To which she replied,

"I'll tell you all about it,

But you have to promise to

Share the Secret with others

"The Secret is this:

I have learned there is little I can do

In my life that will make me truly happy.

I must depend on God to make me happy and to meet my needs.

When a need arises in my life, I have to trust God to supply according to HIS riches.

I have learned most of the time I don't need half of what I think I do. He has never let me down.

Since I learned that 'Secret', I am happy The questioner's first thought was, "That's too simple!"

But upon reflecting over his own life he recalled how he thought a bigger house would make him happy, but it didn't! He thought a better paying job would make him happy, but it hadn't. When did he realize his greatest happiness?

to Sit on the floor with his grandchildren, playing games, eating pizza or reading a story, a simple gift from God. Now you know it too! We can't depend on people to make us happy.

Only GOD in His infinite wisdom can do that. Trust HIM!

And now I pass the Secret on to you! So once you get it, what will you do? YOU have to tell someone the Secret, too! That GOD in His wisdom will take care of YOU! But it's not really a secret... We just have to believe it and do it... Really trust God

Embroidery & Beaded Patches

Embroidery & Beaded Patches


Embroidery has always been an integral part of our clothing and handicrafts. When it comes to embroidery patchwork the range is huge, beginning from intricately designed embroidery patches and ethnic designs. They are easily to use just stitch or put with fabric glue.

• beaded

• Ethnic embroidery
turn your dress into designer outfit

Reviving the crafts of Indus Civilization Embroideries by EWM

Reviving the crafts of Indus civilization


Miles away in the snowy mountains of Hindukush, in the barren desert of Tharparkar, among the green lands of Multan and Bahawalpur and in the busy city of Karachi, our artisans infuse their hearts and creative spirit into different types of embroideries or weaving. It is an art of creativity that involves a mind of imagination and hands on practice. Folk embroidery has always been a form of self-expression for the women. It mirrors their lives, reflects their hidden desires and aspirations, and expresses the cultural traditions of the society to which they belong.

The product line of East World Market is a vast collection and each piece of creativity is done in perfection, the creations tells a origin, tribal affiliation and full identity of the women who created the piece of art.

Embroidery techniques used in our projects are given according to region, tribal affiliation and full identity of the woman who created that master piece of art. EWM give freedom to its artisan to create the tradition piece but we do guide them in color selection and introduce modern trends.

Embroidery uses various combinations of stitches. Each embroidery stitch has a special name to help identify it. These names vary from region to region. Mostly local name were given to stitches they used .

Gemstone from Pakistan

Gemstones of Pakistan


God has given Pakistan enormous wealth in terms of Gemstone most of these gems are emeralds , rubies, pink topaz, beautiful tourmaline, garnet, pink topaz, spinel and different varieties of minerals such as Peridot, aquamarine, topaz of various colors including violet and pink, golden and champagne. Let’s explore the treasure of gems with EWM.(east world market)

In this early write up I had mentioned that Pakistan poses gemstones here is some details as some of friends wanted to know and had ask me :

If you study history you know that the relics of the Gandhara and Indus civilizations show the traces of gemstones used by the kings of those days.

As Pakistan and Afghanistan shares a long border and this result the influx of all types of minerals from Afghanistan. Then trade started and Peshawar becomes the biggest market of gemstones. A place called Namak Mandi is still the largest markets for gemstones. Anybody wish to see the gemstone trading can watch on YouTube.

The northern and northwestern parts of Pakistan there are three world-famous ranges called Hindukush, Himalaya, and Karakorum. In these mountains have been found nearly all the minerals Pakistan currently offers to the world market, including aquamarine, topaz, Peridot, ruby, emerald, amethyst, morganite,, spinel, sphene, tourmaline, Emerald (Swat, Frontier Province), ruby (Pakistan’s Kashmir), and topaz (Kat lung, Mardan District, Frontier Province)whole of the Northwest Frontier Province these gemstones are found. Here are the region wise and details of stones given to me by Pakistan Gemstones Corporation.

Swat i.e. Malakand division – Emerald, various types of quartz, and epidote

Dir (Malakand division) – Corundum and quartz

Mansehra (Hazara division) – Corundum and smoky quartz

Kohistan (Hazara division) – Peridot

Peshawar district (Frontier province) – Quartz with astrophyllite/reibeckite fiber inclusions, xenotime, and bastnaesite

Mohmand Agency – Emerald, clinozoisite, sphene, and epidote

Bajaur Agency – Emerald, garnet, and orange-colour scapolite

Khyber Agency – Quartz with astrophyllite/reibeckite fibers inclusions, xenotime, and bastnaesite

North and South Waziristan Agencies – Fade quartz, diamond quartz, phantom quartz, chlorite-included quartz, and window quartz

Northern Areas

Chilas (Diamer district) – Alluvial diopside, zircon, rutile quartz, aquamarine, and tourmaline

Gilgit , Hunza, and Shigar (Gilgit district) – Aquamarine, topaz (golden and white), emerald (new find), ruby, pollucite, rutile quartz, morganite, apatite, spinel, and pargasite

Shengus, Stak Nala, and Tormiq Nala (Baltistan Skardu Road, Baltistan district) – Aquamarine, topaz, tourmaline, apatite, sphene, morganite, and quartz

Shigar Proper (near Skardu, Baltistan district) – Apatite, zoisite, rutile quartz, epidote, and morganite

Childee, Kashmal, and Yuno (Shigar area, near Skardu, Baltistan district) – Aquamarine, emerald-colour tourmaline, apatite, morganite, topaz, and quartz

Hyderabad, Testun, Dassu, Net Tahirabad, and Goyungo (Shigar area, Baltistan district) – Topaz (best golden colour here), aquamarine, tourmaline, morganite, rare earth minerals, apatite, quartz, and new find emerald

Appu Aligund, Fuljo, Braldu, Bashu, and Karma (Baltistan district) – Tourmaline, aquamarine, garnets, diopside, ruby, pargasite, emerald, topaz, amethyst, scheelite, and quartz

Khappalu and near Siachin area (Gaanshai area, Baltistan district) – Aquamarine, amethyst, and fine golden rutile quartz

Baluchistan Province

Kharan district – Brookite, anatase, and quartz

Chaman (near Quetta) – Diamond quartz, window quartz, quartz on prehnite-base, and faden quartz included by chlorite

East World Market make gemstone jewelry with these gems .the stringing and making the cord is all done by the artisans and they use the same old tradition way of jewelry making .

Comment by KAUSAR IQBAL on June 14, 2010 at 12:55pm Delete Comment About Pakistani Food


Cookery in Pakistan has always had a regional character, with each of the four provinces offering special dishes. In the Punjab, for example, the Mughlai' cuisine using tandoor ovens with elaborate preparations is important. In Baluchistan, cooks use the SAJJI method of barbecuing whole lambs and stick bread in a deep pit. In Sindh a lot of seafood is used. BUNDA PALA (fish) is a well known delicacy of Sind. The fish is cleaned and stuffed with a paste made from a variety of spices and herbs, including red pepper, garlic, ginger, and dried pomegranate seeds. It is then wrapped in cloth and is buried three feet deep in hot sand under the sun. There it stays baking for four to five hours from late morning to early afternoon. Cooking in the Northwest Frontier Province is involves the heavy use of lamb and B.B.Q method of cooking or cooking an open big skillet called Karhai. Pakistani cuisine is rich with sauces. A variety of spices such as chili powder, curry, ginger, garlic, coriander, paprika, and cinnamon, peppercorn, cloves are important spices used in Pakistani cuisine.

A wide range of chutneys (a relish usually made of fruits, spices, and herbs), pickles, and preserves that accompany meats and vegetables give Pakistani cuisine its distinct flavor.We use lot of Healthy Spices, Vegetables and Whole Wheat and Rice in our Cuisine here the details:

Spices

Pakistani food is actually very easy to cook and extremely nutritious too, especially when spices and oils are kept to a minimum. The spices such as turmeric, cloves, cumin seeds and ginger are commonly used. These spices are known for their anti-inflammatory and general all-round health benefits.

Vegetables

Pakistani uses lot of vegetables in curries and as cook separately called “Sabzi” and used for lunch or dinner .Every day lady of the house buy from street vendor as they bring and sell fresh veggies. Onions, cauliflowers, eggplant, garlic, green peas and beans, spinach and tomatoes are just some of the vegetables that regularly used in meal preparation. All curry making is started by frying onion and then adding the meat or vegetables and garnish with green chilies and coriander

Bread

The healthiest aspect of Pakistani food is the “roti” – a kind of pancake made with whole wheat, by making dough with water and then rolled into a round shape with a rolling pin and cooked over direct heat. Roti is serves with different varieties of curries and achar (pickle) – Whole wheat is extremely good for the metabolism, keeps up energy levels.

Nan is another kind of bread cooked in oven.

Chapattis is flat bread made from wheat and is a staple at most meals.

Puri is fried bread, a little small and the beauty of this bread that it puff up while frying.

Grains

Lentils, Pakistani favorite products, are whole grains that are rich in fiber, contain iron for energy, and are extremely tasty. They are easy to prepare, absorb flavors from the various herbs and spices that are added to them and can serve as main dish, itself when eaten with a roti or plain rice. Dal is made from lentils. There are several varieties of lentils—red, brown, and green.

Dairy products

Another Pakistani cooking staple is yoghurt. The mostly curries are thickened with yoghurt and also make yoghurt sauce (raita). Using yoghurt in cooking adds a few dairy servings to a meal that is otherwise absent in it. This is a great way to include calcium in the diet.

Lasi is a drink, we make with Yoghurt Serve during meal or after the meal. It’s milk from which curds and butterfat have been removed. This popular drink can be enjoyed sweet or salty. Pakistanis usually drink Lasi sweet for breakfast or salty for lunch or dinner.

Ghee is clarified butter which is used in place of vegetable oil but now people are more health problem now use olive oil .but mostly soya bean oil are used in most house.

Milk is used in Chai (tea) it is a very popular drink. It is usually boiled with milk, sugar, tea leaves and sometime adds nutmeg

Milk shake added banana or mango to milk plus a bit of sugar.

Drinks

Drinks are important for Pakistani because of the hot and humidity. In the summer Juice from sugarcane are popular and that is freshly crushed in front of you by street vendor using a specially made hand machine. Another refreshing summer drink is nimbu paani, or "fresh lime." It is made of crushed ice, salt, sugar, soda water, and lime juice.

Fruits

Pakistan offers many fresh fruits that are most plentiful in the summer and autumn months. Mangoes, papayas, bananas, watermelon, apricots, and apples are some examples. Chiku have the taste of a date and the texture of a kiwi fruit. Many Pakistanis eat their fruit (especially watermelon) with a light dusting of salt to offset the sweetness or tartness. Since there are lot of seasonal fruits like apples, peaches, Mango, oranges, watermelon, and yellow melon, grapes and many more, they are eaten after meals or preparing different type of desserts or mixing fruits together then adding some spices called chat masala, sprinkle with lime or orange juice and eaten raw as snack.

Fruit drinks, squeezed from pomegranates, apples, melons, and mangoes, and called SHARBAT, are an important part of the Pakistani cuisine.

Eggs

Eggs are usually used in the breakfast by making omelet added by onion, green chilies cilantro and tomatoes or making different puddings, cakes or added in kebab used as binding agent.

Meat

Beef, Goat, Lamb and chicken and seafood are used .every household buy fresh available meat daily.

Nuts

Nuts are used by sprinkle on top of few curries and desserts.

Rice

Rice is cooked into different style like zeera rice, pea’s pilou and biryani.



So in short Pakistani food is low fat with taste and plenty of beneficial herbs and spices make a good flavored meal also the use of whole grains, lentils rich in fiber and iron, lean skinned meat, and a healthy dose of vegetables and fruit.

Snacks

Samosas are deep-fried pastries filled with potatoes, chickpeas, or other vegetables and are a popular snack. Other snacks are bun kebab (meat pastries sandwich between a bun and roasted on an open skillet. and Pakoras (deep-fried vegetables in gram flour mixture).Chickpeas mixed with spices and chutney

MEALTIME CUSTOMS

Nihari

Nihari derives its name from the Urdu word Nihar, which means "morning." A Nihari breakfast in Pakistan can be very filling it’s a stewed beef cooked overnight with chilies and spices, also flour is added to thicken it and on top sprinkle cilantro ,green chilies and ginger finely sliced and served with hot Nan (bread).

Halim

A mixture of dals (lentils), whole wheat, spices and spices .this cooked on slow heat for hours and become into a mixture. This is served as main dish sprinkle on top with chat masala and green cilantro. This is very filling dish full of protein.

Desserts

Pakistanis enjoy many desserts such as kheer (rice pudding) or kulfi (pistachio ice cream). Jalebi, which are deep-fried orange "pretzels" made with flour, yogurt, and sugar, and Barfi, made from dried milk solids or Shahi Turka, a dessert of sliced bread, milk, cream, sugar and saffron.

B.B.Q

Chicken tandoori, a dish in which chicken is cooked at low temperatures in special ovens called TANDOORS, and murgh musallum’ means whole chicken in which the whole chickens are roasted with special spices and ingredients.

Chicken Tikka

Chicken marinated in herbs and spices and grilled on charcoal.

Sweets (Mitahi)

Sweets are important for celebration especially for happy occasion or to celebrate happy events is a popular Pakistani tradition. Where sweets are exchanged as friendly gesture .Pakistani loves to live in community and care for the family is a must and show their love by exchanging sweets and flowers.

Some sweet which are very popular are Carrot Halwa, Walnut Halwa.

In my next write-up I will write about the method used in cooking Pakistani cuisine.

Sindh Embroidery using chain stitch and glass pieces

Embroideries a way to express feelings & emotions

Pakistan has a strong tradition of crafts. The most famous craft of the region is its diverse embroideries.
Women may live in the snowy mountains, barn desert and green valley’s are born with creative spirit in each environment they infuse heart and creative spirit into weaving and embroidery. To wearing a dress with the embroidery is the custom of the village women and nowadays fashion designers making style with embroideries.
In the village the ladies work together like a team and thus strength their friends by sharing the language of stitches and exchange motifs and patterns. It’s a tradition that a bride carries with her linen embroidered by her in dowries.
In Pakistani embroidery each design and techniques tells an origin, tribal affiliation and identity of the woman who created the piece of art. As early as 2600BC, the Mohon-jo-dero, Harappa sites excavations has the traces of textile and embroidered patterns, A life line to millions of people from the icy mountain to the plains,the people who live along the Indus River enrich the world with variety of cultures, religions, languages and artistic expressions. The expressions of creativity by embroideries are done for centuries as this has been practiced by the people of Pakistan . Copper Needles for embroidery were found in the Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa excavations. Beautiful embroideries produced at the court workshops of the Mughal were distinguished for their excellent quality and artistic merit. Their embroideries embellished numerous curtains, canopies, and drapes. Extremely fine silk embroideries were made on a cotton base. The designs of these objects, including branches, flowering plants then decorated court costumes: belts, shawls, and turbans.

Artistic way of painting

Marbeling a beautiful technique of painting on paper & fabric .


Its an oldest art The word "Ebre" which means "Marbled, grained" and used in one of Middle Asia languages is the first known name of art of marbling. This increase in spread with Iran Silk Road and it is named as "Abru" (water surface) or "ebri" (just like cloud). Later, this increase is named as "Ebru" when it spread in Anatolia with Turks and this word is being used since then.Known as "Marbling" in Europe, Ebru spread in Europe with the name of "Turkish Paper". marbling is considered as abstract Besides visual grace, therapeutic characteristic of marbling is unique.I do marbeling on my scarves and ties .

An Apple a day keeps the Doctor away.Apples from Hindukush Pakistanphotogrpahs courtesy Imran

Herbal Power

Natural remedies using herbal power


Heal with herbs

God had created herbs and put all effective proprieties of healing.

How to use herbs for soothe the pain of sunburns.

*Aloe plant is a best for your skin specially burnt skin just rub a little Aloe gel and reduce the pain.

*The herbs comfrey and calendula promote tissue healing and have anti-inflammatory properties.

* Just apple cider vinegar to relieve sunburn pain. Soak a towel in half apple cider and water and apply on affected area.

*Brew a little tea and then dip cotton balls and dab on to the affected area.

*apply honey

Gemstone from Pakistan

Flower Power

Asian Culture and Traditions

Asia is the biggest continent on the world map. The importance of this region is not because of its large areas but it’s the biggest humanity. All densely populated countries are located in this region. Asian people are generally closely bound to their traditions and customs. In Asia, you still find that generations after generations of people are bound with the traditional values. In the technically advanced and developed countries like Japan, you still find that family ties are important to them same is with Pakistan a country with rich heritages and cultural ties. Asians are happy and at home with their family units still intact. Respect for elders is a must for a person and reunion often take place on special occasion like birth, engagement, wedding & death. The traditions are most of the times really colorful and in some cases difficult to understand for people coming from highly developed countries. The impact of religions on the traditions and values of the people of Asia is prominent. Most of the people living in Asia find religion and language to be really important to them. The dress codes are specific and the festivals are also under the religious influence. People here are still bound to their roots.