Sudeshna Sanyal
Qatar is a very small country in the Middle East. It is located
in the northern partof the Arabian Peninsula, south of the Persian Gulf
(Arabian Gulf). With its east-west extent of only 100 km. and 200 km.
north-south extent, it is relatively obscured by its prominent neighbours like
Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Today Qatar is the cynosure of the world’s eyes as
this tiny nation will be hosting the 2022 FIFA Football World Cup which is one
of the world's biggest sporting events.
The FIFA Football World Cup, since its inception in 1930, had
never been hosted so near India and therefore, a large number of Indians, and
of course, people from all over the world are expected to visit Qatar to
witness the world cup matches in 2022. Who knows how many of us will decide to
make that journey! Thus this is a good time to know a little bit about what a
tourist can expect in Qatar.
Qatar, like all other oil-rich Gulf countries, is changing fast
– every year new tourist attractions are being built, old ones are renovated
and this tiny peninsula is getting completely transformed.
Let us begin this brief tour of Qatar from the Corniche in Doha.
Doha is the capital of the country and its biggest city. Most cities in the Gulf
have a corniche--a water front promenade. The beautiful Corniche in Doha has
parks at the two ends of its 7 km stretch along the sea. Tourists enjoy dhow
rides after a walk along the Corniche. The Corniche and the near by Souq Waqif
are loved by locals, expats and tourists alike.
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Doha Skyline as seen from the Corniche |
Qatar’s history goes back thousands of years. Archaeologists have
found evidence of 4000 year old human settlements in the peninsula of Qatar.
There is reference to Qatar in the works of the ancient Greek historian
Herodotus, the ancient Greek geographer Ptolemy and also in various old Arab-Muslim
historical sources. Qatar became prosperous under the Abbasid rule in the
fourteenth century. This period was followed by the Ottoman rule. During the
First World War, Qatar became a British Protectorate and finally became completely
independent on 3 September 1971. Qatar has been ruled by the Al-Thani Dynasty since
the mid-nineteenth century. The present ruler of Qatar is HH Sheikh Tamim
bin Hamad Al Thani.
A visit to the new National Museum of Qatar, spread over 1.5
km, will accord us a ring-side view of the above-mentioned history of Qatar dating
back millennia. The museum’s unique galleries, designed to be ‘both immersive
and experiential’ will lead us through the history of Qatar from the beginning
to the modern times. The Museum of Islamic Art which houses exclusive exhibits
from three continents are a visual treat. Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani
Museum, in Al Sheehaniya, houses the exquisite private collections of Sheikh
Faisal ranging from valuable manuscripts, a torture chamber, vintage cars, dinosaur
fossils and a plane to an authentic Syrian house, brought to Qatar from Syria!
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National Museum of Qatar: Inspired by the crystal structure of a rock formation known as the desert rose, the museum is designed by famous architect Jean Nouvel |
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National Museum of Qatar: Films on history and culture of Qatar are projected on the walls of each gallery -- from floor to ceiling |
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Museum of Islamic Art: Looks like a lady in a hijab! - Designed by famous architect I.M. Pei |
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Vintage Cars: Sheikh Faisal Museum
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Syrian House : Sheikh Faisal Museum
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Museum of Islamic Art: The Ramayana, Mughal, Late 16th Century |
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Qatar National Museum: This interactive map shows movement of people due to change in season |
Qatar occupies an area of 11,521 sq. km. The topography consists
of flat rocky plains with a range of low limestone outcroppings in the west and the
north. There are a number of inland seas which house a variety of natural flora.
There are excellent beach resorts like the Salwa Beach Resort and Sealine Beach
Resort. There are many licensed tour operators who organise desert safari sand
dune trips in the south of Qatar. These exhilarating trips range from half day
to overnight Arabian adventures.
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Inland sea |
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Sand dunes |
Qatar experiences a desert climate with hot summers and mild
winters with brief showers. In summers, sometimes the temperatures rise above
40°C. This is the reason why for the first time in its history the Football World
Cup will take place in the months of November and December in 2022.
Qatar
witnessed a period of massive economic development and modern revival during
the rule of HH Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani (1995 – 2013). According to
the government sources, ‘the GDP increased by more than 24 folds and per capita
GDP by about six folds.’ Over the last two decades, the country has transformed due
to a number of governmental strategies to improve infrastructure and develop
various industries. The government is also focusing on inculcating a culture of
appreciation of art and sports by installing art work of famous artists in
public places, organizing various cultural events and premier sporting events in
the country.
The Katara Cultural Village in Doha hosts international,
regional and local festivals, performances, exhibitions and a variety of
cultural activities throughout the year. Just a leisurely stroll through the
Cultural Village will amaze any visitor with its most uncommon architecture. There
are places and activities for every age and every taste. Many sculptures by
acclaimed sculptors can be seen in the Cultural Village like ‘Gandhi’s Three
Monkeys’ by Subodh Gupta and ‘Force of Nature 2’ by Lorenzo Quinn.
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Amphitheatre : Unique Architecture at Katara Cultural Village |
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BOHO Social Restaurant : Unique Architecture at Katara Cultural Village |
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The Veterinary Clinic : Unique Architecture at Katara Cultural Village |
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Seen in the photo is one of ‘Gandhi’s Three Monkeys’ by Subodh Gupta |
Sculptures at Katara Cultural Village
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‘Force of Nature 2’ by Lorenzo Quinn
Sculptures at Katara Cultural Village |
Most tourists have an irresistible inclination towards
shopping. A large number of shopping
malls in Qatar cater to every budget. Doha Festival City, Villaggio Mall, City
Center Mall, Lagoona, 21 High Street, Al Hazm Mall are some of the innumerable
shopping malls offering world class local and international brands.
Villaggio Mall: The ceiling looks like the sky
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Villaggio Mall: Gondola ride in the mall |
The Souq Waqif in Doha is a traditional market place which is also
a well-known tourist spot famous for cultural activities, restaurants, areas
for animals, shops selling souvenirs, garments, spices, perfumes, etc. Just a
walk around the winding lanes in the souq will give us a feel of stepping back
into the past.
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Souq Waqif: The sleeping souq in the afternoon |
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Souq Waqif at night |
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Souq Waqif: Traditional market |
The
Al Zubara Fort and Archaeological site on the north-western coast is a UNESCO
World Heritage site. The fort has a museum which exhibits archaeological finds
from the region. The ancient Zubara town which is a recently excavated
archaeological site was a thriving pearl fishing and trading port in ancient
times.
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Al Zubara Fort: UNESCO World Heritage site |
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Excavated ancient town of Zubara:UNESCO World Heritage site
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A visit to Qatar will not be complete without visiting at least a
few of the 12 wonderful stadiums built in 7 cities. Most of these stadiums are
surrounded by beautiful family parks and other facilities. Some of the other unique attractions in Qatar
are Pearl Qatar, Banana Island, Purple Island, Baladna Farm, MIA Park, Aspire
Park, Al Khor Family Park & Zoo, parasailing in Katara beach, kayaking at
Al Dhakira, etc. A large number of
exciting events reflecting local and international arts and cultures are
organized throughout the year in the country.
The people, both the Qataris and the expats, are very hospitable
and helpful. Arabic is the official language and English is widely spoken all
over the country. Qataris constitute 12% of the population and the remaining
88% are expats. Majority of the people live in the capital Doha and the rest in
other towns like Al Khor,Dukhan, Al Wakrah, Mesaieed, Al Ruwais, etc.
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Al Ruwais: A waterfront park |
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Al Khor: Corniche
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Traditional Arab Police
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The Spiral Mosque: Qatar Islamic Culture Centre - FANAR |
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Souq Waqif: Funny Ice Cream Seller |
This concludes our short tour of Qatar. Now it is time to go to
the airport! The new spacious international airport, Hamad International Airport
is beautifully decorated with many installation art like the Lamp Bear by Swiss
artist Urs Fischer and Small Lie by KAWS among others. The airport also has a
wide range of facilities along with world class duty free shops including the
famous Harrods of London. So diverse are the range of experiences that Qatar
offers, it has something for every traveler bitten by the travel bug.
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Lamp Bear by Urs Fischer at the Hamad International Airport, Doha |
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Small Lie by KAWS at Hamad International Airport, Doha |
* Student, 1990
Very informative writing. I like the architectural beauties of The Katara Cultural Village. Museum photos are very interesting.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful presentation of Art and Architectural beauty. The Funny Icecream seller, the Traditional Market place is very unique indeed.
ReplyDeleteবাহ দিদি খুব ভালো লেখা ও ছবি। অনেক কিছু জানলাম
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