My family had sent me to the federal capital to get prepared for Inter-Services Selection Board (ISSB) exams so that I could serve the country while enlisting in the Pakistan Army through this exams, but I was not satisfied with the idea and finally got admission in history and now after passage of some time I realised that a good historian can also better serve the country in many ways.
This was said by Irfanulla Marvat, a student of BS history hailing from Swat (KPK) and got wining position in the Medieval Craft Exhibition organized by department of history of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) here at the varsity on Monday. In the exhibition over a dozen students presented their artistic projects through which they tried to encapsulate history in real means.
Marvat prepared a catapult. While explaining the catapult’s history, Marvat told Daily Times that a catapult is device used to fling objects across long distance with the use of gravitational force, adding that when the catapult operator engages the device mechanism the potential energy changes into kinetic energy to launch projectile from catapult bucket
He said that in medieval times, catapults were used as siege weapons and designed to launch objects over castle walls. Some of these objects were what you might think of as usual military weapons, he recalled.
Another student of the department Sughra Nazish made a Royal Umbrella very artistically. She said that Royal umbrellas were one of the signs of royalty in Delhi sultanate. Royal umbrella carried by the attendant, not only shaded the king from the sun but also symbolized power in procession and battle.
While explaining the history, Nazish recalled that the basic umbrella was invented more than 4,000 years ago.
Saira Sajjad prepared cartography of Alauddin Khilji map. According to Sajjad the map making and map reading are important skills to learn in geography and map is the best way to elaborate the vast territory of any empire and when it is embroidered it looks more fascinating and interesting because it is an ancient method of making it.
She said that empire of Alauddin Khilji was vast and properly under control of the ruler. He adopted successful frontier and defensive policies for expansionism of his empire.
She explained that Khilji successfully lead military expeditions in south of subcontinent India. “One of his biggest conquests is the conquest of the kingdom of Gujrat and he also conquered Ranthambore, Chittor, Anhilwara, Dauladabad, and Warangal”, Sajjad recalled.
On the occasion, a senior faculty member Dr Fouzia Farooq Ahmed, who has conceived the idea of the project, said that there are many factual mistakes in the history compiled either that are in documents, books or in any other form of record maintaining. While referring towards, Mughals’ ruling era of the government, Dr Fouzia said that Dara Shikoh was assassinated by his father king Jahangir but it rarely told by writers of contemporary books and nor any historians bothered to highlight this fact to keep it in record.
Dr Fouzia recalled that she was looking since long for any batch /group of class in the history department that could present the history in practical and artistic manner but in vain. “Finally, I met this batch and I urged them to do perform as per assigned tasks of their interests and they did best”, she applauded.
Dean faculty of social sciences Dr Waqar Ali shah said on the occasion that the methodology of active learning is famous across the world and it should also be introduced at each level in our country education system. “Such craft methodology should be taught at primary level in our schools which would produce an excellent lot of students which could be able to perform in practical manner after completion of their education”, he suggested.
