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Tomb of Bibi Jawindi Uchh Sharif | iConic Series | One Eleven Group

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 Uchh Sharif is an ancient city rumoured to have been founded by Alexander the Great himself in 325 BCE. Located in the fertile plains of Southern Punjab, Uch has a long history of playing host to both Sufi mystics and passing conquerors. The tomb of Bibi Jawindi is one of three mausoleums located in the same compound. According to research, Bibi Jawindi was the great grand daughter of the great sufi mystic Jahaniyan Jahangasht. She herself was a great Sufi saint of the Suhrawardiyya order and greatly respected by her students and disciples. After her death in 1403, a Persian prince named Dilshad commissioned the mausoleum in her memory in 1493. This is the first instance of a tomb being built for esoteric love. Thus it predates the other famous labour of love, the Taj Mahal in Agra. The tomb of Bibi is eight-sided on the exterior but circular in the interior. The three tier structure is abundant with glazed ceramic ware. The top tier carries a dome and Islamic scriptures mark both the

Makli Necropolis | Iconic Series | One Eleven Group

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 Spread over an area of 10 square kilometres lies one of the world’s largest funerary sites. Makli necropolis hosts nearly 1 million highly decorated graves, interred over a period of 400 years and dates back to 600 years. Kings, poets, Sufi saints, scholars and common folk all lie in the same graveyard, albeit some with grander surroundings than others, even in death. Makli necropolis lies almost 6 kilometres away from Thatta, the historic capital of lower Sindh.The sufi saint, poet and scholar Shaikh Jamali had a mosque and khanqah (Sufi gathering site) at the location where Makli is currently based. He was eventually buried there. His devoted follower, 14th century Samma ruler Jam Tamachi venerated the saint and also wished to be buried near him, thus starting the tradition of Makli being used as a funerary site. The funerary architecture of these monuments synthesizes Muslim, Hindu, Persian, Mughal, and Gujarati influences, in the style of Lower Sindh that became known as the Chauk

Wazir Khan Mosque | Iconic Series | One Eleven Group

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A glittering jewel has lain forgotten for many centuries within the buzzing, dusty bazaars and tight lanes of Lahore’s Walled City. The beautifully decorated Wazir Khan mosque was built in 1641 and was commissioned privately by the Subahdar(Viceroy) of Punjab, Hakeem Ilm ud Din Ansari popularly known as Wazir Khan. He owned vast amounts of property and land around the Delhi Gate and commissioned this particular mosque to enclose the tomb of Sufi Mystic Miran Badshah. Since this mosque was located on the main Shahi Guzargah or the route taken by the royalty towards their royal residences in the Lahore Fort, thus it became prominent. An important gathering place, it became the center of informal gatherings after Juma prayers for many years till the construction of the nearby Badshahi Mosque. However, it fell into disrepair once the Mughals were ousted from power, and remained in a bad shape until recently in 2009 when it was restored extensively by the Government and private philanthropi

Hiran Minar Documentary | Iconic Series | One Eleven Group

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Imagine a love for nature and animals so deep, that when your beloved pet antelope dies, you commission a tower for its grave marker. That is the story behind the iconic Hiran Minar which is located in Sheikhupura, about 40 kilometers away from Lahore. It was commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir for his pet Mansraj when it passed away. The tower and surrounding gardens were finished in 1620 and were located in a hunting reserve frequented by Mughal princes. The enclosure includes the Hiran Minar which stands at 110 meters and a massive water tank measuring 229 by 273 meters located in the center of the complex with brick ramps to provide animals with easy access to water. The complex also includes the beautifully made pavilion set in the middle of the water body, connected with the elegantly constructed causeway which joins the pavilion with the Minar. Following an ancient Persian custom of building elaborate grave markers on the skulls of game animals and pets, the Hiran Minar

Colour! The Universal Tool we all used to express ourselves.

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Colour! The universal tool we all use to express ourselves. Colour theory is the way colours are arranged in a wheel just like we were taught in Kindergarten. Primary, secondary and tertiary colours make up the different hues in the colour wheel. Colours can be used to enhance the mood of a certain space. When deciding on redoing a space, people often have preferences for furniture style, upholstery and accessory styles, but will blank out when committing to a paint colour for walls. The trick is to make yourself familiar with the colour wheel and basic rules of colour design. Firstly PICK a colour and STICK with it! Once you have your basic colour decided, you can use it in a variety of ways. As a monotone decor style, you can use different tints and hues in the same colour family. Monotones are great for rooms where you would like to relax, so bedrooms and lounges are the top picks for such schemes. If you are feeling adventurous, using two shades opposite each other in the colour w

How to make small spaces feel bigger

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How to visualise the square footage that you’re missing! Small spaces are a universal truth in today’s world where the population growth and rising real estate rates mean people are moving towards smaller living spaces as compared to the palatial housing styles of before. There are definite benefits to smaller living spaces like ease of cooling and heating, environmentally the footprint is smaller etc however this article focuses on how to make these tiny spaces work better for you! The eye can be fooled by a variety of ways to think of spaces as vast areas, which in reality may be modest acreage. We will discover the most foolproof of these ways today. First things first, bring out your inner Marie Kondo and get rid of all the CLUTTER! Keeping things to the bare minimum on shelves and counters will automatically make lines of sight clear and make the room feel light. The number one way to ensure light and enhanced space is to paint the walls and doors in light colours which reflect l
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  Ever thought lighting a room is as simple as switching a light bulb? Read on for pointers and tips. A big part of interior design is how a space is lit. And unfortunately as novices, that is the first place that is ignored when designing a new space or updating a current one. Simply put, expertly placed lighting adds another dimension to a space, bringing an interior design project to life by enhancing the space, and creating a nuanced atmosphere. We can subtly increase or decrease depth and height of a room as well as draw the eye towards items of interest. Lighting design however, isn’t just about deciding where to place lamps and overhead light fixtures. Some thought also needs to be given to establishing the mood of the space and how that can be enhanced by the color scale of the light. Warm yellow tones invite feelings of coziness whereas cool white tones offer a crisp, alert and invigorating space. When designing a room, it is very important to plan keeping in mind not just art