POTHOHAR: KHITTA-E-DIL-RUBAA (2ND EDITION)

Pothohar is a shimmering region in the lap of ancient history, whose brilliance has not been diminished even by the passage of time. It is a heart-warming region of high and low hills, lush fields, lush trees and free winds, where sapphires and corals of history are scattered at every turn. I was born in these enchanting winds of Pothohar, grew up here and then became a prisoner of its beauty forever. This book is not just a collection of writings but an account of my love and obsession with Rawalpindi and Pothohar. These are the stories of those streets, alleys, buildings, forts, mansions and hearts that have always been with me. This is an account of those secluded corners of Rawalpindi and Pothohar whose spell has made me their prisoner and whose curiosity to see has turned into an endless search. This is not a book of history, it is an account of those scenes that my eyes have seen and whose touch my soul has felt. They say this journey of wonder is never-ending. So many unseen, untouched places are calling me towards them, and I have to go to their call. I have to absorb the beautiful colors scattered in the skies of Pothohar. I have to infuse the spells spread in these spaces into my heart and soul. I have to gather the rubies and corals of history scattered in the particles of this soil. This is a debt I owe to the soil of Pothohar, whose enchanting spaces nurtured me and in whose fragrant soil I have to sleep forever.