“There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.” –Linda Grayson. candy and sweets have been around for most of history. Cavemen made it using honey, Arabs invented caramel and the Greeks used hon­ey, fruits and nuts to make sweets. However, it was during the 16 century that the first batch of modern candies were…

Like a blazing comet, I’ve traversed infinite nights, interstellar spaces of the imagination, voluptuousness and fear. –Antonio Tabucchi The biggest comet that has ever been seen is through the Hubble telescope. According to the observations made, the icy comet is travelling at a rate of 22,000 mph towards the sun from the edge of our solar…

“The most beautiful temple in the universe is your soul; that is why God wants to dwell in it.” –Matshona Dhliwayo. The Katas Raj Temples located near Chakwal in Punjab date as far back as 615-950 CE. These Hindu temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva and are considered to be one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage sites in Pakistan that are…

I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library. –Jorge Luis Borges The Library of Pergamum was construct­ed back in the third century B.C. by the At­talid dynasty of the region now called Tur­key. Originally, it was a temple that was devoted to Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, and had four main rooms. Three of the rooms…

“Still, Medusa clenched her fists and promised every god still in existence that she would go down fighting this time.” –Barbara Ann Wright The legend of Medusa is rather intriguing. She was not a goddess or Olympian but a beautiful priestess of Athena who was cursed for breaking her vow of celibacy. She had an affair with the sea god,…

Music is well said to be the speech of angels. –Thomas Carlyle Nazia Hassan was one of Pakistan’s most popular celebrities and singer-songwriter. She was also a lawyer and social activist who was referred to as the Queen of South Asian pop due to the countless hits she released. Her debut was through the song called ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’ for which…

The travel and tourism industry, it’s just a huge part of our economy. –Karen Hughes The world has seen its share of impressive statues. One such statue stands in all its glory in the picturesque city of Rio De Janiero. The massive art deco style statue is of a teel green color and it depicts Jesus Christ stretching out his arms wide. It is…

“The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.” –Masanobu Fukuoka The domestication of plants is the basis of ancient farming. Some of the first crops that were grown by humans were peas, barley and wheat, traces of which were found in Syria from 9000 years ago and in Jordan…

“Never mind what makes Canada’s constitution so special. Probably something to do with hockey, or the inalienable right to poutine, or securing the blessings of Rick Moranis.” –Kevin Bleyer Poutine is a dish native to Canada that is made out of fresh-cut French fries topped with cheese curds and gravy. It first appeared in the 1950s in Quebec…

The cinema has no boundary; it is a ribbon of dreams –Orson Welles The twenty-year period between 1960 and 1980 is often cited as the Golden Era of Pakistani cinema. This era saw the introduction and popularity of colored film in Pakistan with Zahir Raihan’s Sangam being the first colored film released in 1964. Following the Indo-Pak war of…

“The past is blind. The future is unwanting. All you need is in front of you.” –Dennis T. Maglinte The Siachen Glacier is located in the Northern Ladakh region of the Karakoram range. This world heritage site turned into a battlefield due to the conflict between India and Pakistan in 1984. The boundary of the glacier was undefined and the line…

“Stem cell research is the key to developing cures for degenerative conditions like Parkinson’s and motor neuron disease from which I and many others suffer.” –Stephen Hawking The history of stem cell therapy and research dates back to 1902 when Alexander M. Maximow, a Russian histologist, discovered ‘polyblasts’. He authored documents and…