This set of photographs from F.E. Chaudhry depict the news journalist side of Chacha’s portfolio.
In February 1961, Queen Elizabeth II, toured India, Iran, Nepal and Pakistan on her first ever tour of countries outside Europe. She arrived in Pakistan on 11th February, and was received at the airport by Govenor, Nawab Kalabagh Khan. As a staff reporter of The Pakistan Times, F E Chaudhry covered her entire visit, but only two pictures are presented here.In the first picture, taken at the Lahore airport, where out of hundreds who gathered to cheer the Queen, only a select group of high profile politicians and bureaucrats are being introduced to the Queen. Bowing the head by gentleman in the suit while shaking hands with the Queen is only contrasted by the forced head bowing of two durbans holding spears at the entrance while clasping their hands in submission in the second picture, as Queen oblivious to their menial presence, is being escorted by the leading ladies to the Lahore Fort.
If the first picture projects an image of a modern, progressive nation, capable of hosting international dignitaries, the second picture deliberately re-creates a royal Indian past to highlight its ancient culture, with staged presence of durbans in Mughal costumes in a backdrop of a medieval fort built by the mighty Mughals, however, both joined by their acceptance of Western cultural and political domination revealed in the servile posturing of noted figures that frame the pictures and our history.
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Interesting pictures. Am surprised how many people in these (Men and Women) are wearing caps or headgear in these!
You may be making too much of this. Giving rrespect to a visiting head of state is what all countries do.
@ That was, and is always colonialism during which
all of them in the photo, were “born” that generation
most of them were also soldouts.
” modern progressive nation ” as said for the first photo,
makes me laugh, what a joke. The second photo shows
ladies get together for a pic nic outing, Durbaans gestures
were outdated ” purani zehniat” well in 1961 nothing was
changed. HAS IT CHANGED NOW ??????
How dare she ignored those two poor durbans!
A little “snake dance” in front of them, performed by her would have been greatly appreciated.
what strikes me is the dignataries wearing sherwanis. That seems to have gone out of style.
The bowing gentleman shaking hand with her majesty in the receiving line at the airport appears to be one of her own subjects. The two ‘positioned’ gate men in costume at the Lahore Fort appear to be a crude ‘enactment’ on part of her hosts. In first situation the gesture is part of British pompous protocol. In second situation the gesture is simply a Pakistani bureaucratic stupidity. This reminds me of ‘prince of darkness’, General Zia-ul-Haq. He also used to bow in front of other heads of states while greeting them. I also recall pictorial of Queen’s visit to Pakistan in magazine called ‘Mirror’. Those pictures were colored and not black and white like these. My favorite picture was that of Queen and the Nawab descending ornate steps at some dinner reception in Lahore. The man was brutal but he always showed class. He was not the ‘bowing’ kind. Queen or no Queen.
Yes… one would do well to contrast these pictures with how Jinnah sho0k hands with Viceroys, Prime Ministers and even “King Emperors”.
He was always upright straight and statesmanly.
This shows that our decline had already started.