−Is it:
- a. Scandinavia
- b. Cuba
- c. China
- d. Canada and USA
- e. India and Pakistan
+And the answer is ...
Around 2500 BC, two cities, Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, became the capitals of one of the world's four greatest original civilizations, the Indus Valley civilization. Today, both ancient cities are in Pakistan, although India can also lay claim to several other archaeological sites from this bygone era. The cities contained large homes of equal size with no government palaces or mansions. Their city designs were copied as far away as Syria, in another great original civilization, Mesopotamia, now Iraq. That's over 4,000 kilometers on foot and horse through deserts and tall mountains. Their influence reached that far primarily by trading food and one other item: their beadwork and the patented, unreproducible metallurgical techniques that went into them. It was the red ones specifically that were all the rage. They sold these to the most affluent across the known world and built an empire.
Today, the egalitarian legacy didn't leave us exciting ruins like the grand pyramids of Egypt or grand temples of other places. They didn't even leave us with any weapons or grand tales of war to remember them by. They left us a legacy of simple things, like clean water systems and sewage systems better than most today. And of course, the necessary Instagram moment where you can proclaim having visited the world's first successful egalitarian society.
+The quick museum tour with pearls of wisdom included
As we sit in our classrooms, shop, and marvel at all of our wonderful modern marvels, sometimes it's refreshing to realize that human life did exist before we were born, and these humans who gave us the world we were born into have something to offer, no matter how ancient. So in this issue, we are not visiting some modern building or architectural wonder that stands as a museum, but an ancient city, now in ruins that gave us the egalitarian ideals many value today. Those are the ruins of the twin capitals of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, both of whom lie within the modern borders of Pakistan in the Punjab and Sindh provinces respectively. Both cities were unearthed in the 1920s, which always begs the following question: Considering all the oral and written history from the dawn of humankind, how does it take so long to find these ruins and why does it always take a colonial power to find them? Perhaps even today, all nations should take modest pride in themselves. Any comments?
+ The crooner from the valley
The quote above reflected his return to music and film after taking a self-imposed hiatus around 2015 to be a father. That statement is very true, and for those who don't take vacations, can't leave their office, or are meant for sales, have you ever considered that this might be the reason why?
Atif hails from Wazirabad, nestled in Pakistan's Punjab province. This region is rich in history, hosting Lahore, the country's second-largest city. Not far from here, you'll find the ancient city of Harappa, and Multan, also known as the 'City of Saints'. This city, among the oldest inhabited in the world, flaunts a staggering history of over 5000 years.
Atif was driven by a desire to learn how to play Cricket, for the uninitiated let's call it British baseball or more aptly, let's call Baseball, American Cricket since the game of Cricket has been around a lot longer. Today it is revered in virtually every British commonwealth country except maybe Canada. In his early 30s, His friends convinced him to give singing a try, and he started by covering songs by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, a singer so big that he just maybe Pakistan's version of John Lennon. Then he released his first album in 2004, one year after which won him the 4th Lux Style Award for "Best Album" in 2005. Like many singers, he became a Bollywood star as well. Of course, music and film are generational and he's been out of the limelight these past few years, but his career has given him a sizeable 8-digit net worth and a huge fan base.
+ The human sacrifice
However one chooses to refer to the wars that escalated after 9/11, there is one young girl who lives in the memories of most as a casualty of the regime the West was trying to fight/reform or however one chooses to see it. This section is not about the war, it's about Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel Prize winner ever. For those who don't remember, Malala was shot in the head by a Taliban leader simply for trying to get the local tribe to allow girls to go to school. She was born near the Indus River, and just outside the Indus Valley, but she deserves mention here as a hero with no fear.
I will quote her story, word for word from Malala herself, as she deserves the chance to tell it in her own words, directly from her website malala.org:
+ The game of Cricket creates leaders
This section is going to be tricky to navigate because the quote above by Pakistan's former prime minister resonates with a vast majority of the world, however, Imran is now in jail. Imran Khan, born in Lahore, became Pakistan's Prime Minister in 2018, but lost his role in April of 2022 due to a no-confidence vote in parliament, was convicted of corruption in 2023 and is now in jail as of the writing of this article and still campaigning to be Prime Minister of Pakistan from his jail cell for the 2024 election. But he's a national hero to many having led Pakistan to their only Cricket World Cup victory in 1992. He is the reincarnation of satan to others which makes him polarizing and intriguing. It's also a sign that team sports create leaders even those who are criminally convicted. Let's leave the conversation here and let the Pakistani media and citizens take over this conversation as they decide the February election and the fate of their jailbird.
+Nature's best in a YouTube video
Take a moment and visualize the staggering heights of the world's most remarkable mountain range, the Himalayas. It houses the globe's highest peak and gives Pakistan the honor of having the world's second tallest, K2. For mountain climbers, K2 is considered the pinnacle as it's far more deadly than Everest, with more climbers meeting their end than anywhere else. So in honor of daredevils, why not watch the video above showcasing one man who decided it might be fun to ski from the top of this mountain to the bottom? Spoiler: He survived otherwise we wouldn't show it to you.
+Fun fact
Hollywood likes to tell us mysteries of ancient cryptic puzzles that shed some light on some mysterious past. Notice none of the blockbusters, except for one notable one have ever been set in this region? Why not? After all, its ancient texts perplex even the most scholarly cryptologists to this day, while a civilization with no traces of war or weapons just stopped thriving abruptly circa 1900-1300 BCE, it presents quite the tantalizing plot for a Hollywood epic, wouldn't you agree? Imagine being able to immerse yourself in this enchanting culture without having to shed a dime on entrance fees at a museum! The buzzing Anarkali Bazaar in Lahore is your ticket to doing just that; here, you can explore and purchase copies of historic relics excavated from the ancient city of Harappa. And while you're lost in this marketplace teeming with history, don't forget to sample the irresistible local street cuisine. Consider them your time portal to the region's past and a vital part of your adventure!
+What does Trip Advisor tell me to do
From Lahore, we are going to take a 5-hour drive north to the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad to visit the city known as the gateway to the Himalayas, the world's tallest mountain range. Hence, it's within the Himalayas that we will seek Trip Advisor's advice.
We have curated two enticing options for you. If the comfort of a vehicle appeals to you, then you'd thoroughly enjoy a 12-day journey traversing the old Silk Route. Alternatively, the more adventurous among you might be keen on a challenge; a remarkable 3-week, 63 km trekking excursion to the K2 base camp (the safe part of the mountain). The bewitching beauty of K2 may require a cold climate and some footslog, but we guarantee it’s an unparalleled backpacking and camping adventure that you won't forget. We simply can't think of a more engaging hiking or outdoor experience than these. Both the trek and SUV trip are simply breathtaking.
+The perfect restaurant at home
Did you know there are two dishes that you currently eat in restaurants around the world today that most likely originated from the original inhabitants of the first great civilization to flourish in the Indus Valley some 4000 years ago? These dishes are Kheer (Rice pudding) and Sindhi Byriani. The video below shows you how to make Kheer since the ingredients are more universally available.
+References and tour summary
The Guardian (Imran Khan), The Wall Street Journal (Imran Khan), GoodReads quotes (Imran Khan), Malala.org (Malala Yousafzai), Brainy Quote (Malala Yousafzai), Images (Atif Aslam), IMDB (Atif Aslam), Trip Advisor, Khan Academy (Indus Valley Civilization)
Photo credits are shown on each photo. The other images are AI-generated with Grok Imagine and Claude and are illustrative, not factual.
