THE LOST CITIES OF THE KINGDOM OF GANDHARA
A Day Trip
Taxila or Takhkhasilā, (City of Cut Stone" in Sanskrit) is a significant archaeological site in the modern city of the same name in Punjab. It lies about 35 km north-west of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, just off the famous Grand Trunk Roa
Ancient Taxila situated at the pivotal junction of the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia was an important city in the Kingdom of Gandhara. The origin of Taxila as a city goes back to 1000 BCE. Owing to its strategic location and with many empires vying for its control, it has changed hands many times over the centuries, Bactrian Greeks, Parthians, Scythians, and Kushans ruled the area in turn, developing a unique art fusing east and west known as Gandhara.
By some accounts, ‘Jaulian’- the University of Ancient Taxila was considered to be one of the earliest universities in the world. Ashoka, the great Mauryan leader, a Viceroy at Taxila became a Buddhist and interred some of Buddha’s ashes at Dharmarajika Stupa. From Taxila, Buddhism flourished and spread to Central Asia and on to Tibet, China, and Japan.
When the great ancient trade routes connecting these regions ceased to be important, the city sank into insignificance and was finally destroyed by the nomadic Huns in the 5th century.
The renowned archaeologist Sir Alexander Cunningham rediscovered the ruins of Taxila in the mid-19th century. In 1980, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Trip Itinerary
0900 Departure from Islamabad
1000 Arrival at Taxila. Visit Taxila Museum
1115 Visit archaeological sites of Sirkap and Jaulian Monastery
1330 Rest stop for Lunch
1430 Visit remains of Dharmarajika Stupa
1530 Short stay en-route for shopping of crafts of stones and clay.
1600 Departure for Home destination.
1730 approx. Arrival at Islamabad.

Thai culture is influenced by Buddhist traditions and regional, ethnic and cultural practices.

'AHAN THAI' -The national name of Thai cuisine is recognized for its complex balance of flavors, often featuring fresh, aromatic herbs and spices like lemongrass, galangal, basil, and chili peppers. The taste varies significantly by region, influenced by local geography, climate, and historical interactions with neighboring cultures like Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, India, Malaysia, and Indonesia and the influece of Chinese, Portuguese and Indian traders and immigrants. Characterized by regional variations, a variety of cooking methods are used: stir-frying, deep-frying, and steaming.

Thai dishes are known for their fragrant components and aesthetically pleasing presentation, making the entire meal an enjoyable experience!

Our menu includes:

Chicken Thai soup, Steamed fish with lemon sauce,

Chicken pad Thai

Papaya salad & Sticky green rice

Chicken satay with Thai peanut sauce &/or Thai lollipops with mango chili sauce.

Desserts: Coconut ice cream / Khao Mao Tod.

Anisa A. Rahman Quraishi recognised as a foremost caterer for Islamabad/ Pindiites. is an expert in Pakistani, Arabic, Asian and European cuisines.

Language: English

Director: Peter Weir

Screenplay: David Williamson & Peter Weir, based on the novel by C.J. Koch

Awards: Academy Award:Best Supporting Actress (Linda Hunt)

Cast: Mel Gibson, Sigourney Weaver, Linda Hunt, Bembol Roco, Michael Murphy, Ali Nur, Bill Kerr

A suspenseful tale of intrigue and a sweeping romance set in Indonesia during the overthrow of President Sukarno during the events of 1965 in Jakarta amidst a growing division in politics.

The film revolves around an Australian journalist (Mel Gibson) who goes to the city to cover the events with the aid of a Chinese-Australian (Linda Hunt) while falling for an assistant (Sigourney Weaver) . The film plays into a lot of drama that occurs in Indonesia during a tumultuous period of civil and social unrest where foreign correspondents try to understand what is going on.

The setting of the story is vibrant and unique – Indonesia during the Sixties. It recreates the period in stunning detail – the slums, the sweaty cramped offices, seedy bars, plush hotels, and poverty rubbing shoulders with elegance. While the film was shot in Australia and the Philippines, it was banned in Indonesia until 2000.

Film: In Custody (1994) – UK / India
Language: Urdu with English subtitles
Director: Ismail Merchant
Screenplay: Shahrukh Hussain & Anita Desai
Awards: National Film Award for Shashi Kapoor
Cast: Shashi Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Om Puri, Sushma Seth, Neena Gupta, Tinnu Anand, Parikshat Sahni, Amjad Khan
An adaptation of Anita Desai’s novel which explores cultural and linguistic heritage along with decay in human relationships and the disappointments of life.
The narrative centers on Deven Sharma (Om Puri), a timid Hindi professor in Mirpur, lured by his friend Murad (Tinnu Anand) to interview Nur Shahjehanabadi (Shashi Kapoor), a fading Urdu poet. Deven seeks escape from his mundane life but finds Nur surrounded by chaos—drunken admirers, jealous wives, and personal decline. The plot unfolds as a comedy of errors, with Deven becoming the reluctant custodian of Nur’s final poems. Deven, who was the lifelong admirer of Nur's work, finds the man in pitiable condition, a far cry from his literary genius.
Merchant directs with a focus on character depth and balances subtle humor and melancholy to reflect Deven’s internal struggle. The portrayal of Urdu’s decline serves as a backdrop, treated with respect yet critiqued through Nur’s decadent lifestyle. The music underscores ghazals and poems by Faiz Ahmed Faiz, enhancing the authenticity of the film's central narrative. Faiz's poetry is used throughout the film as Nur's words. Merchant filmed in Bhopal to capture authentic settings, avoiding studio sets.

Self Drive

Foreigners: Please check for your NOC requirements.

The annual awaited ride among the various Heritage sites in Taxila!

Taxila (meaning "City of Cut Stone") is an important archaeological site of ancient India, located in Taxila city, Rawalpindi District of the Punjab, Pakistan, situated about 32 km (20 mi) north-west of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, just off the famous Grand Trunk Road.

Ancient Taxila was situated at the pivotal junction of the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia. The origin of Taxila as a city goes back to c. 1000 BCE. Some ruins at Taxila date to the time of the Achaemenid Empire in the 6th century BCE, followed successively by Mauryan Empire, Indo-Greek, Indo-Scythian, and Kushan Empire periods.

We will regroup at the Taxila Museum and get our bicycles for the truck. We will start our ride from the Taxila Museum and go to the different heritage sites ultimately returning back to the Taxila Museum. The ride would take min 4 hours with short stops at each site. We will be riding on and off road so chose your bicycle accordingly.

So, bring plenty of water and snacks for a rest/picnic break.

Self drive

Its the perfect time for orange picking! We will visit a small family run farm in Islamabad's suburbs. The area has a wide variety of citrus trees including oranges, grapefruits, lemons and seasonal vegetables!

Please note:

We will collect at United Bakery at 10am sharp and drive to Ilahi Farm in a convoy. It is a 30 minute drive.

Please wear walking shoes and bring your own bags. You will be able to purchase at the farm.

Tila Charauni at 1490 m, is the highest peak of the Margalla Hills ridge, adjacent to Islamabad. On a clear day, the views of the mountains in the north are amazing! During the winter season, the snowclad mountains of the North are a treat to watch!

We usually do the hike from Pir Sohawa road, but this time we will try a different route, all the way from Shah Darra.

Total distance of the hike is 15Km, half of which is the climb to the top. It is categorized as a hard level hike (due to the elevation gain and distance).

Please Note:

We will gather at the meeting point and travel in convoy to reach Shah Darra, from where we will start the hike.

Bring refreshments. Wear sturdy shoes & dress accordingly as it may get windy and cold !

Islamabad’s Iconic Cycle Race “Tour of Islamabad”

We will start our ride from Islamabad’s Iconic Faisal Masjid which is the largest Mosque in Pakistan.

From Faisal Masjid we will go onto the Jungle Track, which is an off-road track within Shakarparian Park which will give you the flavor of easy off-road riding. It is a track that within minutes takes you to the calmness of the Jungle and away from the city life! For those who would like to get a slight flavor of a Jungle route we can go in for a short and quick exploration as well!

... And then finally cycle back to Faisal Masjid....

Looking forward to your active participation!

Film - The Last Samurai (2003) - USA
Language - English
Director - Edward Zwick
Screenplay - Edward Zwick, John Logan, Marshall Herskovitz
Academy Award Nominations - Supporting Actor (Ken Watanabe), Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound
Cast - Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, William Atherton, Billy
Connolly, Tony Goldwyn, Timothy Spall

"Beautifully designed, intelligently written, acted with conviction, it's an uncommonly thoughtful epic" ...Robert Ebert of Chicago Sun- Times
The scope of the film is grand, and all its elements - from the cinematography, to the acting, to its beautiful score - all work to enhance it along the way...

The film is about war, the modernization of a country, and about the violent push and pull between progress and tradition.The Last Samurai is a 2003 American epic period action drama film . The plot was inspired by the 1877 Satsuma Rebellion , led by Saigo Takamori, and the Westernisation of Japan by foreign powers. Japan hires an American Civil War veteran ( Tom Cruise) to train their army with modern warfare techniques in order to fight against the all-powerful Samurai clans. However, his life changes in profound ways when he is captured by the Samurai during battle, and he comes into contact with their leader (Ken Watanabe). He slowly comes to love the culture of the very people he has come to destroy.

In 1876, former U.S Army Captain Nathan Algren, an alcoholic traumatized by his actions during the American Indian Wars, is approached by his former commanding officer, Colonel Bagley. Bagley asks him to train the newly created Imperial Japanese Army for a Japanese businessman, Matsue Omura, who intends to use the army to suppress a Samurai rebellion against Japan's new emperor. Tom Cruise portrays Nathan Algren, an American captain- whose personal and emotional conflicts bring him into contact with Samurai warriors in the wake of the Meiji restoration in 19th. Century Japan...

The Last Samurai grossed a total of $456 million at the box office and became the sixth highest grossing fimof 2003.It received praise for the acting, visuals, cinematography and score. It was nominated for several awards, including four Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and two National Board of Review Awards.

Mark your Calendars...Not to be missed!

This unique presentation will explore the evolution of the 'Ameer Hamza' legend, beginning with its earliest known roots in Persian heroic literature. Over centuries, the tale travelled eastwards and finally ended up in the Subcontinent, where it absorbed local language, cultural and artistic traditions. What began as a relatively contained Persian narrative of heroism, and moral struggle, eventually transformed into the Urdu ‘Dastaan e Ameer Hamza’ in the 19th Century...

Programme:
A short dramatic reading from the Urdu version of ‘Dastaan e Amir Hamza’ (with a translation in English), will be presented with light live music to evoke the atmosphere of traditional ‘Dastaangoi’ (The art of storytelling).This will be followed by a 30-minute illustrated presentation tracing the evolution of the ‘Hamza’ narrative, from its beginnings in Persian tradition, through its absorption into Arabic-influenced regions, and finally to its transformation into the most expansive version in the Subcontinent. The presentation will also be supported by a curated slideshow featuring manuscript illustrations, historical artwork and visual material from the different cultures through which the story travelled!

Join us for an interactive session : ask questions about the story’s transitions, comparative literary traditions, and the cultural blending that shaped the final epic!

The Presenter
Imran Iftikhar is the Artistic Director of Chaand Nagar Theatre and has over eight years of experience working in theatre as a director, writer, and actor. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School in New York and a Bachelor’s degree in World Religions from the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut. Alongside his work in the arts, Imran has a long-standing interest in history and a ten year experience of teaching Middle School history.

Venue: Kehkashan 3, Serena Hotel- Islamabad

· In collaboration with Serena Hotel, Islamabad.

For further information :Ali Bhatti 0300 5638458/ASG Office; 11 am- 2 pm: Tues-Wed: 0343 5127861, Thurs-Sat: 051 2802343, e-mail: asianstudyg@gmail.com