A Sunny Winter Day In Islamabad

Mast Qalandar

It was one of those cloudless, crisp and beautiful winter days that one sees after a spell of rain in Islamabad.

The pall of dust that usually hangs over the city and the hills during the early winter months had lifted. The rain had washed the dust and everything looked bright, fresh and clean. The hills emerged out of the haze and seemed to fall in sharp focus as if placed under a magnifying glass. One could even count the pine trees on the hilltops.

It was the kind of a day when, in the words of John Milton (paraphrased),

“it is an offense against nature to stay indoors — and not go out and partake in her rejoicing with Heaven and earth.”

Heeding Milton’s advice — and armed with my digital camera — I set out to enjoy this beautiful day and capture some of the sights, which I would like to share with you:

By mid December most deciduous trees shed their leaves (see photo just above). But some cling to their flamboyant autumn dress until January (See photo to the right)

Islamabad has more sunny days in winters than, say, New York or any other city in New England but mostly they are hazy. Clear and cloudless days, though, don’t happen that frequently. But when they do it is truly an “offense against nature to stay in doors” —- both for humans and animals.

Getting a long overdue haircut or getting groomed is a good idea on a sunny day like this — both for men and animals. Getting it in your park out in the sun from an itinerant barber or a friend is a luxury you won’t find in New York or anywhere in the US.

Photo of Cafe’ Monal below

Margalla Hills come into sharp focus after the rains.

Photos for this post are by the author himself. His full collection can be seen here