Moved to Word Press

My Pakistani Ancestry has moved to Word Press

http://pakgen.wordpress.com/

See you over there!

Happy Blogiversary MPA

It is 3 years to the day I started this blog.

Wow. Who knew it would last this long? I'm actually quite aware of the fact that it's been a tough journey trying to write these posts (enjoyable as it has been).

Today, as I write this post using Blogger on my mobile, I'm reminded of how things have changed over the past year. I now spend less time than I used to writing about genealogy, about 'Remembering our shaheed', about sad events in Pakistan in general. My work life has taken over so I rarely have moments to devote to writing or researching but whenever the genealogy bug takes over I'm usually seen staying up late just to find that extra bit of info or trying hopelessly to write a blog post that people will want to read.

Lastly, I want to thank everyone who has read my blog and those who left comments. :)

Back up your data with Mozy?

It seems this blog gets abandoned every few months, with life passing by and all that it involves making me forget about posting. It is nice to get back to it and I'm sure this blog is still being read as I receive comments on blog posts once every blue moon. I guess that's what brought me back. There are people still out there who are searching the internet for more information about their Pakistani ancestry. I can't promise my return will be permanent but I can say that I will be posting...

As it's 1st of March, I will be backing up (some of) my data in accordance to geneabloggers 'Data Backup Day'. I can't say I am very good at this but atleast I'm trying. The importance of having your data secured is only fully known when something tragic happens and you lose large amounts of information.

Personally, I haven't backed up my genealogy software data in a long time so this is a top priority. Currently, I am using Legacy 7.4 and will be backing up all information which includes 322 individuals and 90 families. Scanning old family photographs is one of those things that I intend to but haven't got round to doing. I still haven't bought a scanner for starters which many would say is a must for genealogists. Although, I do console myself that atleast I have protected my original photographs in some shape or form and that they are not cluttered in a mess somewhere. Also, there are birth, marriage, death certificates that need to be scanned and placed in archival containers. Additionally, I have a Word document that I need to backup as it contains lots of the data that exists in my database.

This brings me to Mozy, an online back up site. Having not tried it, I'm unable to comment on it's good features or advantages but it's another option to think about.

Let's hope my computer stays alive..

One year on (15)

Two unknown security men
were killed in Orakzai and Mohmand tribal regions
on 11th Nov 2010

An unknown soldier
was killed in Goak area of Orakzai Agency
on 11th Nov 2010

Burials: Unknown

11th Day..

Today we remember those who lost their lives in World War I and II. I'm relisting the names of soldiers that were mentioned in a BBC programme a couple of years ago called Muslim Tommies:

Amir Khan - 129th Baluchis, France 1915
Subedar Muhammed Agia - 57th Rifles, May 1915
Havildar Abdul Rahman - 59th Rifles, France 1915
Juma Khan - 40th Pathans, France 1915
Sepoy Abdul Ghani - 125th Napier's Rifles, France 1915
Naubet Khan - 107th Pioneers, France 1915
Mohamed Ali Bey - 20th Deccan Horses, France 1915
Abdul Jabar Khan, Sep 1917
Mahomed Mazafar Khan - 19th Lancers, France, Oct 1917
Jemadar Shamsher Ali Khan - 34th Poona Horse, France, April 1917
Dafadar Fazi Khan - 19th Lancers, France Oct 1916
Havildar Ghufran Khan - 129th Baluchis, Aug 1915
Abdul Ali Khan - 6th Cavalry, France Aug 1917
Rajwali Khan - Brighton, Sep 1915 (at hospital)
Raja Khan - 38th CIH, France Oct 1917
Jemadar Hasan Shah - Hodson's Horse, France 1916
Kesu Shah - Rouen, May 1916
Rahimdad Khan - 19th Lancers, France, May 1916
Fateh Ullah - June 1916

Someone, somewhere will have known these men...

Eid ul Adha 1432

Eid ul Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى ‘Īd al-’Aḍḥā) is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims and Druze worldwide as a commemoration of Ibrahim's (Abraham's) willingness to sacrifice his son Ismael for Allah. It is one of two Eid festivals that Muslims celebrate. Like Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha begins with a short prayer followed by a sermon (khuṭba). It is also called the bigger Eid because it lasts a day longer than Eid ul-Fitr.

Eid al-Adha is four days long and starts on the 10th day of the month of Dhul Hijja (ذو الحجة) of the lunar Islamic calendar. This is the day after the pilgrims in Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan.

Happy Eid everyone.

What does your name mean?

If you're Pakistani, you're most likely to have an Arabic name and as such there will be a meaning too. Most would have been given their names by parents or uncles or aunts or grandparents. Sometimes even having hidden reasons or stories behind the name being used. Muslims are given names with good meanings behind them in order to provide a good influence on their life.

My full name means 'beautiful morning'.

If you're unsure of what your name means you can look it up on this Muslim names website, here. Or, if you don't have an Arabic name then you can choose your very own Arabic name by using the first initial of your first name and surname. For example, 'Thomas Jones' might become Tahir (meaning pure, clean, chaste, modest) Jalil (meaning great, revered).

So, go ahead and try it!