Culture
The pleasures of Pakistan are old: Buddhist monuments, Hindu
temples, Islamic palaces, tombs and pleasure grounds, and widely
spaced Anglo-Mogul Gothic mansions - some in a state of dereliction
which makes their grandeur even more emphatic. Scuplture is
dominated by Graeco-Buddhist friezes, and crafts by ceramics,
jewellery, silk goods and engraved woodwork and metalwork.
Even Pakistan's flotillas of vintage Bedford buses and trucks,
mirror-buffed and chrome-sequinned, are dazzling works of art.
Traditional dances are lusty and vigorous; music is either
classical, folk or devotional; and the most patronised literature is
a mix of the scholastic and poetic. Cricket is Pakistan's greatest
sports obsession and national players are afforded hero status -
unless, of course, they proselytise young and wealthy English women,
then marry them.
Nearly all Pakistanis are Muslim and Islam is
the state religion. Reminders of their devotion are many: the
muezzin's call to prayer from the mosques; men sprawled in
prayer in fields, shops and airports; and veiled women in the
streets. Christians are the largest minority, followed by Hindus and
Parsees, descendants of Persian Zoroastrians. Note that dress codes
are strictly enforced - to avoid offence invest in a shalwar
qamiz - a long, loose, non-revealing garment worn by both men
and women.
Pakistani food is similar to that of northern India, with a
dollop of Middle Eastern influence thrown in for good measure. This
means menus peppered with baked and deep-fried breads (roti,
chapattis, puri, halwa and nan), meat curries, lentil
mush (dhal), spicy spinach, cabbage, peas and rice. Street
snacks - samosas and tikkas (spiced and barbecued
beef, mutton or chicken) - are delicious, while a range of desserts
will satisfy any sweet tooth. The most common sweet is barfi
(it pays to overlook the name), which is made of dried milk solids
and comes in a variety of flavours. Though Pakistan is officially
`dry', it does brew its own beer and spirits which can be bought (as
well as imported alcohol) from specially designated bars and top-end
hotels.
