Mohanas of Indus – A Photographic Odyssey

By Syed Najam ul Hassan

Mohanas with their boathouses have been part of Pakistani culture since time immemorial and Najam has spent years documenting their life. The Silk Road Centre in collaboration with the Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations (TIAC), Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) and Photographic Society of Pakistan (PSOP) organized an event to launch the Mohanas of Indus – A Photographic Odyssey, a book by Syed Najam ul Hassan. The launch was held at TIAC on March 1, 2021. Member National Assembly and Parliamentary Secretary for National Heritage and Culture Ms. Ghazala Saifi was the Chief Guest on the occasion. Director General CPEC at Higher Education Commission Dr. Safdar Ali Shah, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences QAU Dr. Zafar Jaspal, Director TIAC Dr. Ghaniur Rahman, President PSOP Masood Ahmad Khan, and Director Silk Road Centre Dr. Ijlal Hussain congratulated Najam and lauded his dedicated efforts to document intangible cultural heritage of Pakistan. Acclaimed Pakistani photographers Umair Ghani and Azhar Hafeez evaluated creative and technical aspects of the book. They recognized Najam’s contribution to photography and documenting the life of a vanishing community.