Lahore’s twin in Poland
Kraków, the cultural capital of Poland, exudes a rustic old-world charm
By Kaiser Tufail
Following a hectic tour of Warsaw and Deblin, which was mainly aimed at exploring areas of defence cooperation in 2002, we got a welcome break for a couple of days at Kraków, the cultural capital of Poland located in the far south. 

 

 

 

 

The influx of thousands of tourists to the scenic valley of Kalam to attend the recently-held summer festival was a rather welcome sign for the tourism industry in Swat, the Switzerland of Pakistan.

The festival was organised in Kalam and Mahodand simultaneously by the Pakistan Army from July 12-16. Programmes were held in Mahodand during the day and at the grassy ground near the Kalam bazaar at night.

According to the Inter Services Public Relations Swat in-charge Colonel Arif, thousands of tourists visited the valley following the return of peace and construction of roads — and sent a message to the world that Swat is now open for tourism.

Mahodand is a scenic resort located some 35km north-east of Kalam. There is a big natural lake where boats and other water vehicles were available on rent.

On the way, a traveller came across stunning glaciers, waterfalls and hydropower stations, and could devour some delectable snacks. Emergency medical camp had been established too. Accommodation in tents was available but several tourists had brought their own tents. Horse riding, free-fall and other athletic activities were also arranged.

However speeding cars and vans created a lot of dust as the road has not been carpeted yet — though it was negotiable even by small Suzuki cars. Some adventurous youngsters had reached the valley on motorbikes in groups.

Unlike previous years, when the Bahrain-Kalam road was navigated only by 4-wheel drives, this year public transport was available to Kalam from Mingora. However, no public transport was available between Kalam and Mahodand. Tourists either travelled by their own vehicles or hired taxi from Kalam at Rs2000-2500 for two way journey to and from Mahodand.

“I have been to various tourists resorts round the world but Mahodand is simply wonderful… The area has all the potential to attract tourists,” said Muneeza Hashmi, a tourist from Sialkot.

In the grassy ground of Kalam, tourists enjoyed festivities at night. Hayatullah Khan, another tourist, recollected it was the same ground where a militant in April 2009 had openly challenged the state — “It is heartening to see that today a multitude of tourists are attending the festivities”.

At night, dozens of tourists went up and down the road dancing to the noisy beat of music played in cars or that of drums played by local men.

The presence of vast number of female tourists was encouraging in the Kalam bazaar.

Unfortunately, no foreigner was seen strolling in Kalam or Bahrain or Miandam or other attractive valleys in the area. Are they not allowed or do they prefer not to come here, one wondered. But Col Arif said foreign tourists are not barred from visiting the area.

Tourism in Swat has been badly impacted by militancy, indifference of government and raging poverty. Kalam, Bahrain and Madyan were devastated by floods. Of the total 136 hotels swept away by floods in 2010, 50 were in Kalam. It still wears a deserted look. But friends and couples were sitting besides the river on boulders, charpoys and standing in the crystal clear water of the river Swat, enjoying snacks and chatting endlessly.

Details about the identity of tourists are registered at several checkposts between Kalam and Mahodand, which most tourists found to be time consuming. Zulfiqar Ali, a tourist, said he counted 17 checkposts from Dargai to Mahodand. “The number of checkposts could be reduced without any compromise on security by opening a big registration camp at Landaki Swat where the visitors are registered and issued special passes,” he said.

Zahid Khan also said though these are meant for public safety, there should be no more than 5 checkposts from Dargai to Kalam.

Col Arif however said that the number of checkposts was reduced from 29 last year to 15 this year to facilitate tourists. “Some tourists’ information and facilitation centres may have been mistaken as checkposts,” he said.

Though the hoteliers haven’t announced any special discount for the tourists unlike last season, Iftikhar Ahmad, a hotel manager in Bahrain, said room fares were far cheaper than other tourist resorts in Murree or Kaghan.

He was all praise for the USAID which he said offered in-cash and in-kind support to the hotel industry in Swat.

“Earlier communication to Kalam and other upper Swat areas would remain suspended for days. But last winter, for the first time in history, traffic to Kalam didn’t stop even for a day. Hopefully, the coming season will be the best in terms of winter tourism,” Col Arif added.

Zahid Khan, the president of Swat hotel association, said funds allocated for the roads should be released without delay. “Former Prime Minister Yousaf Gilani had promised he would release funds for the Swat expressway linked to Peshawar motorway but its fulfilment is still awaited. The Tourism Corporation KP should construct roads or provide chairlift facilities to far off valleys in Swat,” said Khan.

Though tourism is part of the productive sectors, the sector was allocated just Rs0.67billion or one per cent of the provincial annual development plan (ADP) in 2010. The next year, the sector’s budget was increased to Rs1.22bn or 1.4 per cent of ADP but has been slashed to Rs0.68billion this fiscal year.

There is however no foreign funded project in the ADP for the tourism sector in successive budgets.

Tourism has been devolved to the provinces, yet the PTDC hotels and motels are yet to be handed over to the province. If devolved, the resourceful PTDC would suffice the province to run the ministry from its own revenues.

 

 

 

 

 

Lahore’s twin in Poland
Kraków, the cultural capital of Poland, exudes a rustic old-world charm
By Kaiser Tufail

Following a hectic tour of Warsaw and Deblin, which was mainly aimed at exploring areas of defence cooperation in 2002, we got a welcome break for a couple of days at Kraków, the cultural capital of Poland located in the far south.

‘Krakuf,’ we were reminded about the knotty pronunciation by the well-informed Second Secretary in the Pak Embassy at Warsaw, who was accompanying us.

Soon after checking in at Garnizonowy Hotel, we took a walk along the Planty, a lush green belt that forms the perimeter of the inner town known as the Centrum. There can be few places better than Planty to learn what happens in spring and here we were, in the middle of April, with flowers abloom and squirrels darting about in the oak trees that abound. Lahore’s well-maintained Lawrence Gardens, along with several others, come to mind, though Planty is far more extensive in area. Numerous monuments and statues dot the park, but one needs a good dose of Polish history to make any sense of them.

Kraków rose to prominence in 1038 when it became the seat of the Polish government under Duke Casimir I of the first Piast Dynasty. By the end of the century, it had become the leading city of trade and commerce. The Mongols ravaged the city in 1241 and it was later rebuilt completely. It survived two more Mongol onslaughts, thanks to defensive fortifications that had been built in the wake of earlier attacks. The last king of the Piast Dynasty, Casimir III the Great, ordered the building of the Wawel Castle over the ruins of an earlier fortification. Today the castle, much rebuilt, stands out as the most famous landmark of Kraków.

After a good night’s rest and a carefully selected kosher breakfast next morning — for pork closely follows God, Honour and Fatherland in Polish dogma — a few of us history buffs walked down to the nearby Wawel Castle. A gypsy folk band playing on a violin, a double bass and an accordion, regaled us with a rather beat up melody as we headed towards the gateway.

The courtyard is surrounded on three sides by colonnaded galleries, reflecting the Renaissance Style that was in vogue at the time of the castle’s complete reconstruction by Sigismund I, in the first half of the 16th century.

Of similar vintage, our Lahore Fort pales in front of Wawel Castle in every way, especially with regard to restoration and maintenance. The castle’s courtyard is where grand ceremonies take place, the last one being the internationally attended funeral reception for the late Polish President, services heads and numerous other government officials who were killed in an air crash in 2010.

While touring the royal apartments, we noted the considerable distance between the king’s and the queen’s bedrooms with some amusement, though this was no hurdle for Sigismund I who sired eight children from two wives! A rich collection of Flemish tapestries adorn the walls of the king’s bedroom, as well as the Audience Hall and the Senators’ Hall. An armoury, house and a rich collection of royal artefacts are reminiscent of the Sikh Collection at the Lahore Fort.

The tour was rounded off with a short visit to the Wawel Cathedral, which has been the traditional site of royal coronations and the resting place of Polish heroes. Of the several chapels that are adjuncts to the cathedral, the Sigismund Chapel stands out for its glittering dome of pure gold. One is reminded of Sunehri Masjid in Inner Lahore’s Kashmiri Bazaar, though its domes are of everyday copper.

In the afternoon, we walked down to the nearby Main Market Square, to which are rooted many of Kraków’s colourful traditions. Large revelling crowds, horse-drawn carriages, fluttering pigeons, numerous flower and gift shops and the utterly clean streets provided enough justification for the title of the ‘World’s Best Square’ conferred by the New York-based Project for Public Spaces.

The famous Cloth Market, the Town Hall Tower and St Mary’s Basilica are some of the famous landmarks of the Square.

Not far is the Jagellonian University, the oldest in Poland and one of the oldest in the world. Its Collegium Maius counts Nicolaus Copernicus amongst its students. He was the famous astronomer of the late 15th century who revolutionised ideas about the solar system with the sun at its centre.

We were just in time at the Market Square to hear the trumpet which is blown at each hour from the tower of St Mary’s Basilica. Legend has it that a guard on the church tower sounded the alarm by blowing the trumpet when the Mongols attacked Kraków in 1241; the city gates were promptly closed while backdoor evacuation of women and children took place. The trumpeteer, however, was purportedly shot in the throat by a Tatar arrow and was unable to complete the tune, which is why it now ends abruptly before completion. It was a theatrical re-enactment of a past event — no matter if it was part myth — and, had a subtle message of devotion to duty for everyone.

We all were quite fascinated with the little drama.

After a day of riotous sightseeing, the serene Vistula River meandering around Wawel Castle beckoned our tired eyes for a mellow glimpse. My friend Asif, ever eager to appreciate Nature, joined me for an after-dinner walk along the base of the Wawel Hill which is supposed to house a dragon’s lair. Suddenly, we caught sight of a tongue of flame lashing out of the mouth of a creature that did seem like a dragon from afar. Much to our amusement, we saw the metal sculpture spewing fire every two minutes.

Steeped in myths and legends like all old cities are, we learnt the story of a rapacious dragon of Kraków, which was slain by a cobbler’s son Skuba, after everyone else had failed to stop it from gobbling the city’s fair maidens. As a reward, Skuba got the hand of the last surviving maiden — the king’s daughter. Of course, they lived happily ever after.

Tourists can be so gullible, we thought, but nonetheless Kraków was doing well at their expense!

While we were sitting on a bench watching the dragon in its fire-breathing act, we heard a strange noise that seemed to have threatening overtones. Not far was a crowd of fifty-odd jeering punks approaching in our direction. As they got closer, we picked out the beer bottles in their hands. Asif was quick to sense that the situation was likely to get nasty, so without much ado we got up and scrammed, giving no chance for a missile to be launched at us.

The short trip to Kraków was rounded off the next day with a trip to an unusual place: the Nazi’s infamous Auschwitz Concentration Camp. In less than an hour, we had driven right up to the gate displaying the famous sign, “Arbeit Macht Frei” (work makes you free). Following a group photo at the gate, we were assigned to a tour guide, one of the Israeli-sponsored college students who volunteer for such duties during vacations. We were taken to various internment barracks and some grisly locations like the gas chambers, crematoriums and firing ranges for summary executions. Roomfuls of exhibits included prisoners’ eyeglasses, shoes, headgear, hair trimmings, etc.

The camp was one large museum of human atrocities on an unprecedented scale. To us, it did not matter if some sceptics questioned the scale of the holocaust; to the suffering family, one death of its dear one meant the same loss as did a million deaths to everyone else. In an unusual gesture, our group laid a floral wreath at the Execution Wall, which was heartily approved by surprised on-lookers, this being a first of sorts by Pakistanis.

After the visit to Auschwitz, we drove off to Warsaw across the undulating plains which exude a rustic old-world charm. Horse-drawn ploughs, women in long skirts and scarves and, men in baggy trousers, were a far cry from the urbanity of Kraków that we had seen.

During our short stay, we had noted that Poland’s difficult history had a common chord with our tormented one. In that backdrop, it was easy to see some commonalities, and the one that stood out most was the similarity of Lahore with Kraków. No matter that our city is many times more populous and far less tidy, but the fort, the gardens, the leafy suburbs and a rich history are fair indices to stake a claim to being a twin city.

That, we learnt is quite true, for Kraków and Lahore are indeed officially declared twins!

ksrtfl@yahoo.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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