Pakistani culture

NASA is building a new Voyager spacecraft that will carry the best of modern human culture. What belongs onboard?

Civilization stands at the brink of extinction. I represent my country and am in charge of sending on the spacecraft the best of Pakistani culture.

I would include the inspirational poetry of Iqbal:

When an eagle’s spirit awakens in youthful hearts,
It sees its luminous goal beyond the starry heavens.

Thy abode is not on the dome of a royal palace;
You are an eagle and should live on the rocks of mountains.

and of Faiz Ahmed Faiz (translated into English):

We shall see
It is imperative that we shall also see
That day which has been promised
Which is written with God’s ink
We shall see

When the mountains of cruelty and torture
Will fly like pieces of cotton
Under the feet of the governed
This earth will quake
And over the head of the ruler
When lightening will thunder
We shall see

photos depicting the architecture of the area dating back to the Indus Civilization of the 3rd millenium B.C. and more recently the Moghul era starting from the 16th century,

Badshahi mosque, Lahore

the hypnotic Qawwali (devotional music of the Sufis) of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

and the ghazals with the central theme of love and separation of Noor Jehan,

videos of the upbeat and popular Bhangra dance from the Punjab,

the paintings of Gulgee and Sadequain (or at least pictures of them)

Calligraphy by Ismail Gulgee

Section of the mural “Treasures of Time” (65 x 10 foot) pays tribute to intellectual advancement of the Arab scholars. Shown in the section are Al-Beruni, Al-Khawarizmi, Omar Khayyam, Ibne Rushd, Sadequain, IbneZakaria, Rumi, Al-Idrisi, Hafiz, and Ibne Khaldun

videos of the victorious Field Hockey team in the Olympics and the World Cup and the Cricket team in the 1992 World Cup and the winning matches,

Cricket World Cup winners 1992

samples of the Shalwar Kameez, the national clothing worn by men and women.

Models in the PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week, 2011

and lastly samples of delicious Pakistani cuisine which has  Middle Eastern, Iranian, Afghan, Indian, and Turkish influences like Biryani (rice with meat), Tikka (Barbequed meat), Daal (Lentils) and Chapati (bread) (I’m assuming they have a way of preserving food and maintaining it’s temperature on the spacecraft).

Chicken Biryani

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