History of PIA Planetarium In Pakistan
The Earth That Does Not Rotate
PIA Planetarium, Lahore (1987)
Author: Idrees Hanif
Lecturer at School of Creative Arts,
University of Lahore
Co-Author: Syed Atef Amjad Ali
Head of Department at School of Creative Arts, University of Lahore
Abstract
The series that the researcher is going to precede has three episodes.
The first episode reveals the story of
a fabulous time in a PIA Planetarium located in Lahore, Pakistan; it brings
back many memories and reminds me of the last time I was at this site. I am
fortunate to observe the static earth in the building with a folkloric
projector from 1984 created by the German company Zeiss. In PIA
Planetarium, a retired Boeing Plane 720-047B is standing in the park since
1987. The domain is a cemetery for certain artifacts. In the first episode,
this paper will find the reasons for public disconnection with the space that
can significantly dry cultural values. You will travel with me to 1987 and find
out the hidden stories by searching for primary resources and remains related
to space and the objects installed there. The cemetery of the artifacts was
once a symbol of prosperity. During my one-to-one dialogue with one of the PIA
Planetarium artifacts, I found wondrous narratives. The chronicles demand an inquiry
and inspired me to construct meaningful enigmas for the readers.
Introduction
Lahore is an amazing city
in Pakistan with its unique history of the rise and fall of stories that hold
through time. In the center of the city near Mozang
Chungi, Lake Road, there is a PIA Planetarium space consisting of
an area of almost 400 meters in radius (Fig 1.1); space can be taken as the
neglected legacy of the PIA department at the moment. You can find a retired
Boeing 720-047B (registration AP-AXL) standing in the park as you walk towards
the building from the plane's funeral. Inside the round building with a huge
dome above it, you will encounter a blue earth model in a rounded form with a
map drawing of the world on it; the round model is sustained by a metal frame
(Fig 1.2) that stands on a solid round base with two steps of three feet height.
Lightboxes are installed on the round walls around the globe with the images of
planets and their features in the written text; from the pale-yellow color of
the plastic, the time has transmuted the frames into pale yellow color.
Once there was light inside the frames in the form of the soul as there was a soul in the space, now the soul is dim, or I can say it is gone. The blue round earth model is what I called; The Earth That Does Not Rotate; the interesting thing is that I will talk about The Earth That Does Not Rotate in Episode Three, the final chapter of this series. Which is going to be about this model of the earth and why it stopped; rotating? Why did the lights that were shiny within the lightboxes get dim? Meanwhile, I will take you to the building's first floor with a huge dome around it. As you go out from the round area that holds the static earth and moves to the first floor by taking stairs, you will find a big wooden door in front of you at the dome's entrance.
At the entrance, I saw a big round theater setup
with 220 chairs in a circular position fixed to the floor as I entered. In the
center of the chairs, there is a big projector on four feet height round base.
The projector is a performer for all of the audience that sits on the chair; it
was built by a German company and imported to Pakistan in 1984 to the city
Karachi, where PIA built the first Planetarium.
The projector is a performer for all of the
audience that sits around it. I named that projector, The Entertainer. The interesting fact is if you
see the plan and section of the place in Fig. (1.4) that the entertainer is placed right above the
earth on the first floor, in the center.
So this chapter is about, The Entertainer right above The Earth That Does
Not Rotate.
Fig (1.1) View of the PIA Planetarium, (Photog:
Author)
PIA Planetarium Lahore IInaugurationwas held on
31st July by President Muhammad Khan Junejo 10th prime minister of Pakistan,
president Muhammad Zia-Ul-Haq was the 6th president of Pakistan, and Nawaz
Sharif was chief minister at that time. The irony is that Zia-Ul-Haq was assassinated
in the Plane Crash on 17th August 1988 the very next year. That is another
story you can find in the comic novel, A
Case of Exploding Mangoes
The PIA administration engaged more than one
architect for the construction since more than two architects sculptured the
pace, and due to delays in the project, the record for this section is not
linear. In the second episode, The Funereal of the Retired Boeing, I will
discuss the building's architects, structure, and the Retired Boeing Plane.
The name of
this is episode is, ‘’The Entertainer’’.
I will identify the primary resources about the projector I called,
‘’The Entertainer’’ with the investigation, I will form a question among the
readers; Should we consider this gadget as a cultural artifact after so many
years?
Figure (1.2). The Eath That Does Not Rotate, (Photo:
Author)
The Earth That Does Not Rotate, The Funeral of the
Retired Boeing, and, The Entertainer.
What significance as an artifact do they have now? One of the major concerns as
a writer and researcher I would like my readers to think about is, ‘’The Order
of the objects’’ in our society. How do we become disconnected from history and
its remains when the order of the object is annihilated?
Figure (1.4) Plan and Section of the PIA Planetarium,
(Photo: Author)
The Earth That Does Not Rotate
While hunting for an artifact, I traveled to
several city sites, such as The Bradlaugh Hall Building (1900), Summer Palace
(1700), and other colonial structures. I arranged their maps and images,
although the current circumstances of Pandemic encircled me with the
conditions. Unusually, the limitation came out to be extremely formative for me
when I decided to create three episodes of my research within the PIA
Planetarium space.
It was early in the morning remnants of the winter season were passing by
through the air of Lahore city; when I entered the PIA Planetarium space and
saw a retired Boeing Plane 720-047B standing in the ground, the primary thought
that evolved into my mind, how did this aircraft arrived here in the middle of
the city far away from the airport and what could be the reasons? While
thinking about the plane, I took a turn towards the building ; where I saw
round earth with names written on it, scratched with sharp tools by the public
; I thought I should consider it an artifact. While going outside the building,
I saw stairs going to the first floor.
As I unlocked the door, I
noticed a dark space surrounded by chairs. There was a metal piece with a round
shape on the top of it on the solid base in the center of the chairs Fig.
(1.6); the space was quite dark, and it had a distinct mood. For a while, I
began speculating the projector in the center of the space. Since there was no
one present in the space, I replaced myself with the projector and developed
ideas about what could I do if I were at the place of the projector that projected
stars, and galaxies onto the dome's round walls. I would have been an
entertainer this was my first thought about that object in the center. Why did the
object in the center hold me?
It could have been the round globe or the Retired Boeing but why this object? The answer is that maybe I found a character in the projector that is more strong than the other two artifacts at that place. The entertainer lives in a dark space with a huge dome above it where it projects the planets and stars, it holds the audience for a longer time when it is active. Entertainer lives and works in a dark place. So if we take the entertainer as a living character, I would create more feelings for this artifact.
Figure (2.3) Projector ZEISS: RFP-DP2, PIA Planetarium,
Lahore (Photo: Author)
If I replace myself with the entertainer, I could
firmly believe in the writing of
What if the Pervisha Khan report published 11
years ago came out to be true? As Khan says, educating and the constructive
entertainment to the public will end; in his article, I also found a newspaper
ad Fig. (1.7) from the record section of Punjab Public Library when I was
looking for information about PIA Planetarium from the historical newspaper
section.
Khan indicated the fear of the passing of the
planetarium space, to find out the objective of formulating the space as he
stated in the report I found from 30th July 1987 one day before the opening, it
is written that space will bring knowledge and entertainment, the information
is written in a very organized and traditional way, it is mentioned in the Urdu
language as heading, that PM Muhammad Khan Junejo is going to inaugurate the
space.
An unusual fact is a style of elaborating on the
space and what it does? The writer has addressed; You will travel the distance
of years and centuries to planets within minutes in PIA Planetarium. The stylization
addressing the public, using visuals in the ad without telling that German
people will also be joining, Cheif Minister was not specified, neither the
Zia-U-Haq as the president was introduced. I can have an idea of the political
infrastructure within the state and the departments.
That must have been a very proud moment for Pakistan
International Airlines; the department was at the apex of its progress. There
were five planetariums declared to be executed, but three of them were attained
into transpiring. After the assassination of Zia-Ul-Haq in 1988, his policies
were assassinated with him. The existing
PIA Planetariums are in Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar.
The next day after obtaining the newspaper ad from
the record department, I thought I should go back to the dark space where the
entertainer lives and recollect more further erudition. I craved to observe
what made that projector an artifact to me? Why would I consider an old projector
from 1984 as an artifact? I will deal with the questions in the conclusion
part; before concluding, let us go again under the entertainer's dome.
Figure (1.7) Image from the 30th July 1987 Jang Daily Newspaper, (Photo: Author)
The first question I asked the entertainer was, who are you? How did you come here? The entertainer replied I am a masterpiece of the German company called ZEISS which made the planetarium history - since 1923. Copernican Planetarium was one of the first planets made by Carl Zeiss Jena, at the German Museum in Munich (1924). Fig. (1.9)
After the world war was over, for the first time in history, the artificial
sky was light up by the ancestors of the entertainer; its name was ZEISS
Planetarium Model I. (Fig 2.1). As the entertainer started narrating the story
of its creator and the ancestors, I assumed it would get tedious; I crashed and
said, sorry to cut you in the middle. I am compact with time, and since it is
you and me under the dome, tell me your name;
I would like to know about you. The entertainer replied I am Zeiss RFP-DP2; I
came to Pakistan in 1984 with two of my elder siblings named Zeiss RFP-DP1. One
of them breathes in
Karachi
Planetarium and another one in Peshawar. The entertainer said, when I came
here, Zeiss me.
The entertainer also told me that my family model
Zeiss RFP-DP1 Fig. (2.3) was also sent to India at the same period, in New
Delhi, Nehru Planetarium, opened in 1984 at the same time when Karachi
planetarium was inaugurated.
Figure (1.9) Copernican Planetarium, German Museum in Munich (1924) (photo: German Museum, Munich)
Figure (2.1) ZEISS Planetarium Model I (Photo:
German Museum, Munich)
About both openings, I told the entertainer that both countries India and Pakistan were in a competition of development, research, politics, and much more since the partition, so this is not as essential to recognize the corresponding models as you are also in India. However, this is mesmerizing that the occasion was almost in the same year; designs installed in the Karachi Planetarium Pakistan and the Nehru Planetarium India are the same.
The next question I asked the entertainer was, can
you memorize anything from the opening day? What was it like for you when you
ran the inaugural show here? The entertainer replied that the first year and
the day of the occasion is something that I can associate with my age when I
was fresh and famous with remarkable value in society.
You might identify the fashion and trends of that
era. However, I witnessed all of it; the ancestral canopies were installed Fig.
(2.8) that rarely exists, prime minister, Junejo welcomed as you can see in
the old photograph, Nawaz Sharif was chief minister at that period sitting back
on a chair, you might also see an army officer relaxing on the left side behind
the table. Through all these years, I discovered that your democratic and
Military establishment ties are novel yet full of suspense.
Figure (2.3) Projector ZEISS: RFP-DP1, Nehru Planetarium,
Delhi India (Photo : Nehru Planetarium)
Figure (2.8) Inauguration Day, 31st July 1987, Prime
Minister M.K Junejo (Photo: Planetarium Lahore)
Fig.
(3.1) Digitized version of an article from The Times’s print archive
As the entertainer stated, and in the light of the preceding article written by reporter Dennis Hevesi who died in 2017, also mentioned the heat between the democratic government and the militants. However, while talking to the entertainer in the dome, I just thought for once, that perhaps the idea to assassinate Zia-Ul-Haq might be correlated with the PIA Planetarium since he died in a plane crash. While the conversation took a political turn between me and the artifact, so I threw a different question to the entertainer and asked, how were the ordinary public on that day, how did they look at you? He said this whole place was like an alien ship to them; their appearances were wonderful. Fig (3.2), you can see the social and class values through their faces and dresses.
The entertainer notified me that some engineers were also present that day;
they came from Germany to fix me in this space. He also mentioned that I could
not recollect their names since I am old, but I remember they were here. You
can found them having lunch with the PIA Planetarium officials. (Fig 3.3).
(Figure
3.3) 31st July 18987, Zeiss Engineers having lunch with the PIA Planetarium
Staff
Entertainer told me that they never came back
after the first installation and since then I thought someone from the company
will come. As he was getting sad I tried to change the topic and asked him ;
What does astronomy have to do with the place?
The reply to this question was embarrassing for me; he responded that Planetariums are all around astrology. It is a cinema
created essentially for performing educational and entertaining exhibits about astronomy
and the night sky, or for education in celestial navigation; I assumed you
knew about it. Most of the designs of the planetariums around the world are identical
when it is to Domes.
A planetarium in Nishapur, near the Mausoleum of Omar Khayyam. Planetariums
in Russia and even in your enemy neighbor country India, are with the dome. I
thought he is becoming sarcastic; I ignored this since we were the only two
sitting there.
While being sarcastic he also told me that at the
opening day one of the famous astronomers of your country Prof. Muhammad Anwar
Bhatti was here. He was the first Muslim student in the sub-continent of
Astronomy and Space Sciences. a professor at Punjab University Astronomy
Department. Fig (3.4).
(Figure
3.4) 31st July 18987, On the right Prof. Anwar Bhatti
Entertainer gave tribute to Prof. Bhatti and stated that I ascertained his
spirit, who appeared to be more sincere and cheerful with the PIA Planetarium's
opening. When he announced, I could cherish his words; I would keep this space
dynamic and breathe as long as I am alive. He Was right after Professor's
death; space began to succumb its soul; Professor was the soul of this place.
Entertainer further appended that I have seen the rise and fall of this place,
of the events around me, and as an object, I have also observed your society's
behavior with me and the other objects around me. A community is assessed by
keeping its historical values. At this moment I told the entertainer that I
will keep on coming to visit you, since I know what you have been through, I
understand it might have been difficult for you to perform and entertain all
these years to a public that never understood your story. You are not just an
object, you are a true piece of artifact that holds stories through times. I would
also like to share you identity card with you Fig (3.8).
Conclusion and Recommendations
What makes an object Artefact? Is it the time,
material, history, or the stories associated with it? How can we recollect the context
of an alien object? The PIA Planetarium is a significant legacy for all of us;
we should not undermine it. Once it was a portion of the PIA department's
progress, there is an intense irrational attachment of the public and many
other people with the whole space. There are many writers and news articles
about saving this glorious entity. Art
exhibitions and other events were also held lately to keep the space alive.
This effort might not be enough.
The projector is an artifact for all of us, a
monument and a symbol of entertainment for more than three decades. It shares
the history of not only one world but an extra world beyond our access. The
entertainer's story forced me to think about the behavior of the society with
the historical objects. In my next episode, we will figure out how that Retired
Boeing came here; repainting the history can redevelop new meanings or not? We
will also recollect the context by examining the public's behavior with the
objects around this space.
Acknowledgments
A faithful provision and support of the PIA
Planetarium staff Mehrban Niazi, Manager Lahore Section, Muhammad Amir, Manager
Karachi PIA Planetarium, is highly praised for obtaining the data about
objects. . Special thanks to former Director-General PIA Planetarium, Malik
Farooq, for supported me to approach to record section at the Punjab Public
Library Record section.
Bibliography
AUDEON, D. (2009, June 10). World Wide
Planetarium Database . Retrieved from World Wide Planetarium Database : http://www.aplf-planetariums.org/en/index.php?onglet=planetariums&menu=sheet_planetarium&filtre=3375
Hanif, M. (2008). A Case of Exploding Mangoes.
Karachi: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
Hevesi, D. (1988). Mohammad Zia ul-Haq: Unbending
Commander for Era of Atom and Islam. New York: New York Times.
Khan, P. (2009, August 9). E Paper, The Nation.
Retrieved from nation.com.pk: https://nation.com.pk/Reporter/pervisha-khan
Zeiss. (2016, Jun 5). ZEISS Planetarium History.
Retrieved from zeiss.com : https://www.zeiss.com/corporate/int/about-zeiss/history/technological-milestones/planetariums.html
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