Islamic Calligraphy Art

BEAUTIFUL ISLAMIC CALLIGRAPHY ART :

Calligraphy is the most highly respected and most fundamental element of ISLAMIC ART.The very first words revealed of the Glorious Qur'an itself encouraged people to read and indicated that God teaches human beings “by the pen.”




IQRA (Read)

 

 



Islamic calligraphy, colloquially known as Arabic calligraphy, is the artistic practice of handwriting, or calligraphy, and by extension, of bookmaking, in the lands sharing a common Islamic cultural heritage. This art form is based on the Arabic script, which for a long time was used by all Muslims in their respective languages. Calligraphy is especially revered among Islamic arts since it was the primary means for the preservation of the Qur'an.




















AllahoAkbar ( Allah is The Grestest)

The development of sophisticated calligraphy as an art form is not unique to Islamic culture.calligraphy has been used to a much greater extent and in astonishingly varied and imaginative ways, which have taken the written word far beyond pen and paper into all art forms and materials. For these reasons, calligraphy may be counted as a uniquely original feature of Islamic art. The genius of Islamic calligraphy lies not only in the endless creativity and versatility, but also in the balance struck by calligraphers between transmitting a text and expressing its meaning through a formal aesthetic code.

Calligraphy on Wooden Dome (sultan hassan Mosque Egypt- cairo)

 

Calligraphy is most commonly displayed on the walls and columns of mosques. The artisans are especially told to give their best to the calligraphic piece because any alteration to it would mean catastrophe. The calligraphy done in mosques is solely based on arabesque. Arabesque is a geometric art form in Islam with repetitive patterns creating beautiful decorations. In calligraphy these patterns are composed of Arabic phrases or paragraphs. The theme of these writings can be derived from the written word of Holy Quran or Hadith (Sayings of Prophet Mohammad (S.A.W.)).

 

 

AN ILLUMINATED ALBUM PAGE OF CALLIGRAPHY:

SURAT AL-FATIHA, BY GHOLAM REZA, PERSIA, QAJAR, DATED A.H. 1284/ A.D. 1867

From islamic-arts.org

 In earliest times Muslim calligraphers penned their works on parchment, generally made from the skins of sheep and goats, but from the eighth century parchment was gradually replaced by the  more flexible support of paper. From the fourteenth century virtually all calligraphy in the Muslim lands was written on paper. Papermakers developed elaborately decorated papers to complement the fine calligraphy, and the colored, marbled, and gold-sprinkled papers used by calligraphers in later periods are some of the finest ever made.

Almost all Islamic calligraphy is written in Arabic script. The Quran was revealed in that language, and the sanctity of the revelation meant that the script was adopted for many other languages, such as new Persian, Ottoman Turkish, and Urdu.

Calligraphy continues to be an important art form in modern times, despite the adoption of the Latin alphabet in some countries such as Turkey. Some calligraphers are trying to revive the traditional styles, notably the Six Pens(Arabic, al-aqlam al-sitta; Persian, shish qalam), and investigate and rediscover traditional techniques and materials.

 

ASMA UL HUSNA ( THE MOST BEAUTIFUL NAMES OF ALLAH)

M. A Bukhari, 107 x 122 cm, Oil on Canvas, Image: Courtesy of Consulate General of Pakistan

 

Mohammad Ali Mosque cairo (Egypt)

Surat Al-Noor calligraphy, dome of Hagia Sophia Mosque in Istanbul.
Image courtesy of Rahim Akbar, Mahir Arts.

 

 

Calligraphy - Wazir Khan Mosque, Lahore (Pakistan)

 

This mosque was built in 1634-36 A.D.The mosque was completed in about seven years.Frescos, kashi-kari, vivid colors, lagrenumber of inscriptios, geometrical patterns, floral designs, arabesques and calligraphy have been used for its embellishment so the mosque is widly regarded as the supreme ornament of any period in South Asia.

 

 

 



Calligraphy At Wazir Khan Mosque

 

WORLD'S BIGGEST AND SMALLEST SPECIES

WORLD'S SMALLEST TORTOISE:

 

 

The speckled padloper or speckled Cape tortoise (Homopus signatus) is the world’s smallest tortoise. It is endemic to South Africa

The males measure 6–8 centimetres (2.4–3.1 in), while females measure up to almost 10 centimetres (3.9 in); they weigh about 95–165 grams (3.4–5.8 oz). This species has a flattened shell with slightly serrated edges. The orange-brown shell is covered in hundreds of black spots. The males have a noticeably concave belly.
This tiny tortoise can be distinguished from the other padlopers by its speckles, and by five toes on its forefeet (unlike many of its relatives, which have four toes, on all four feet).

 

 

WORLDS LARGEST TORTOISE:

 

 

 

The Galápagos tortoise or Galápagos giant tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra) is the largest living species of tortoise and 10th-heaviest living reptile, reaching weights of over 400 kg (880 lb) and lengths of over 1.8 meters (5.9 ft). With life spans in the wild of over 100 years, it is one of the longest-lived vertebrates. A captive individual lived at least 170 years.

The tortoise is native to seven of the Galápagos Islands, a volcanic archipelago about 1,000 km (620 mi) west of the Ecuadorian mainland.

Spanish explorers, who discovered the islands in the 16th century, named them after the Spanish galápago, meaning tortoise.

Shell size and shape vary between populations.

 



WORLD'S SMALLEST FISH:
 

Paedocypris progenetica, the world's smallest fish on record, is a member of the carp family. The fish has a see-through body and a head that is unprotected by a skeleton.

Scientists found the smallest known fish in the peat swamps of Sumatra, an island in Indonesia,

Individuals of the Paedocypris genus—members of the carp family—can be just 7.9mm long at maturity. Paedocypris feed on plankton in pools of extremely acidic water in tropical forest swamps.

WORLDS BIGGEST SHARK:

 

The whale shark holds the title of the world's biggest shark species. Growing to a length of about 65 feet (the length of about 1 1/2 school buses!) and weighing about 75,000 pounds, this streamlined fish is really a gentle giant.

 

WORLD'S TALLEST AND SHORTEST MAN:

 

 

 

The recently crowned world's tallest man, Sultan Kosen, meets the man who currently holds the title of the world's smallest man — He Pingping.

The Turkish farm laborer, Kosen, with height of 246.5 cm (8 ft 1 in) took over the title from Bao Xishun back in September, beating his Chinese rival by an incredible 10 cm.

The two — Kosen and Pingping — met at a ceremony in Istanbul on Thursday, January 14, to mark the launch of the Guinness World Records live Roadshow.

The tallest man in the world, welcoming the shortest man in the world to his country, said that "I was having hard times to notice him." The 21-year-old 73.66-centimeter (2 ft 5 in) tall, who hails from China, said that he was happy to meet with Kosen.

 

WORLDS SMALLEST FLOWER:

 

Wolffia angusta: the world's smallest flower. A dozen plants would easily
fit on the head of a pin and two plants in full bloom will fit inside a
small printed letter 'o.'

WORLD'S BIGGEST FLOWER:

 

 

Rafflesia arnoldii is a member of the genus Rafflesia. It is noted for producing the largest individual flower on earth, and a strong odor of decaying flesh - the latter point earning it the nickname of "corpse flower". It is an endemic plant that occurs only in the rainforests of Sumatra Island, Indonesia.

NOODLES THE WORLD'S SMALLEST PYTHON:

 

He's a Pygmy Python or Anthill python the smallest in the world, found the pilbara North West Australia. They only grow to a max of 50-60cm this guy being only 13cm and around 4 months old.

 

 

  They are fairly rare and sell from $1000-$1300 au. They eat small Gecko's, skinks and pinkies and when mature feed on bats and other reptiles. He has a big attitude for a small snake which is what you would need to survive being so tiny.

 

WORLD'S LARGEST PYTHON:

 

 

An Indonesian caught a 14.85m long Python weighing 447kg. Up to now, this python is regarded as the world’s largest snake. It was captured in the jungle of the western part of Sumatra Island. The owner of the snake later sold this snake to a park and the staff at the park gave it a name as “guihua”. “guihua” here, in general, refers to a type of a flower. That is why this name may sound gentle to hear, but it is indeed a scary scene when “guihua” opens its mouth while attacking its enemy. It can swallow the whole body of a human in a very short period

 

 

 

This snake was discovered in the Amazon Rain Forest and it is the world’s largest snake. It can grow up to a maximum of 10m and weight in more than 225kg. It likes to swim in water, and sometimes it survives in the mud or in shallow water. It feeds on turtles, dolphins, tapir, and even 2 ½ m long alligator can become its prey. It chokes its prey to death before swallowing it and it can go with an empty stomach for few weeks to sustain its live. It gives birth to 70 small snakes. These vulnerable small snakes are more likely to be eaten by alligators along the shore, but when they grow bigger, the alligators will become the food that they feed on.

SOME OTHER STRANGE AND WEIRD SMALLEST ANIMALS:

 WORLD'S SMALLEST HORSE

 

 

 The 5 year old horse, known as “Thumbelina” weighed 60 lbs and 17 inches tall, and recognized as the world’s smallest horse.

Einstein, a pinto stallion bred, weighed 2.7 kilograms and 35 centimeters tall from New Hampshire, United States. Einstein could possibly break Thumbelina’s record which is 43 centimeters tall.
 

  World Smallest Cattle / Cow

The 16 year-old Vechur cattle breed from India , a rare breed of cattle, have the average height from 31 – 35 inches (81 -91 cm) tall. The 16 year-old pygmy Vechur cattle bred is shown here with a 6 year-old HF cross-breed cattle.

Pygmy Goat.

Pygmy goats originated from Cameroon Valley, West Africa, and a small domestic breed of goat, and are usually raised as backyard pets, rather than dairy product or goat meat purposes. Doe or female goat weigh 23 to 34 kg (51 to 75 lb), while the bucks or male goat 27 to 39kg (60 to 86 lb). Their heights range from 16 to 23 inches (41 to 58cm) tall.

The Nigerin Dwarf Goat

            

Nigerian Dwarf goat is the smallest size in dairy goat breed of West Africa. Nigerian dwarf goat are now becoming popular as domestic pets due to easy maintenance and easy to train. Most of Nigerian dwarf goats have blue eyes making them dominant with this traits and they are so gentle.

   World Smallest Chihuahua Dog

 

Ducky, world’s smallest chihuahua weighing 1.4 pounds (0.6 kg) high and 19.2 inches (49 cm)long. He lives in Charlton, Massachusetts.

 

 

Heaven Sent Brandy, is a female chihuahua measuring 15.2 centimeters (6 inches). The 6 year old world’s smallest dog is owned by Paulette Keller from Largo, Florida.

                                                                           Scooter

Scooter, the 6 months old Maltese pup breed, measures 20 centimeters from his nose to his tail. Introduced by owner Cheryl Mcknight here showing that the dog is almost as big as a coffee cup.

 

                                     Boo Boo, one-year old Hairy Chihuahua smallest dog

Boo Boo, the 10 centimeters tall, long haired chihuahua, from Raceland, Kentucky is the Guinness Book of World Records title as the smallest living dog. In this picture, Boo boo is posing near a match box.

 

World's smallest Cat.

 

 

Mr. Peebles, is a 2 year-old cat, declared by Guinness Book of Record in 2004 as the smallest cat, 15.5 cm (6.1 inch) tall and 49 centimeters (19.2 inches) long. Mr Peebles lives in Central Illinois

 

 

 

 

Beautiful Pakistan

 

 

GILGIT BALTISTAN:
Gilgit Baltistan is, perhaps, the most spectacular region of Pakistan in terms of its geography and scenic beauty.

Here world’s three mightiest mountain ranges: the Karakoram, the Handukuch and the Himalayas – meet. The whole of Gilgit Baltistan is like a paradise for mountaineers, trekkers and anglers. The region has a rich cultural heritage and variety of rare fauna and flora.
Five out of the fourteen mountain peaks with height of over 8000 meters including the K2 (world’s second heights peak) and some of the largest glaciers outside polar regions are located in Gilgit

K 2

CHITRAL VALLEY(Land of Tirich Mir and Kafir Kalash) :

  

Ask anyone where Chitral is, and one may get a blank look since this land of Tirich Mir and the Kafirs, people of the lost world, is obscured behind the Lowari Top, which due to its inaccessibility generally keeps the tourist and holiday makers at bay. But those who dare to venture and reach out to Chitral Valley, find themselves in a different world - overlooked by the mighty Tirich Mir, standing at a height of 7,692 metres as part of the Hindu Kush mountain range, and located in the far reaches of Pakistan. Chitral is also famous for the Shandur Festival, which is held each year and where polo is played at the highest polo ground of the world at a height of 3,719 metres.

Shandur festival

The beauty of Chitral lies as much in its rustic, mountainous terrain, as in its warm hearted and friendly inhabitants. Since it is a land high up in the mountains, at such places legends fascinate the on lookers. One such legend describes Chitral as an abode of genies and fairies in times when no one lived here and locals still look up to the Tirich Mir, which they believe still has the castle of fairies.

Tirch Mir Peak

Chitral located in the North west of Pakistan is a beautiful valley in the Hindukush range of Mountains. It has always been a very important route for many invaders to south east Asia, Including Alexander the great Scythians, Mangol Changez Khan and numerous others. Chitral town is a small town with a one single street bazaar and a few tourist class hotels. At the end of Bazaar on the right (River side) there is the Chitral fort and Palace of Mehtar (Mir Or King) In front of the Fort is the Jami Mosque of Chitral an impressive architecture with beautiful inlays and decorations.

Chitral Fort

 

HUNZA VALLEY:Hunza Valley is a stunningly beautiful and popular region in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. The Hunza valley is situated to the north of the Hunza River.The mountaneous valley with lush green fields and meadows is like a heaven on Earth .

Hunza was a princely state in the northernmost part of the Northern Areas of Pakistan until 1974. The state was also known as Kanjut.[1] The state bordered the Gilgit Agency to the south, the former princely state of Nagar to the east, China, to the north and Afghanistan to the northwest. The state capital was Baltit (also known as Karimabad). The area of Hunza now forms the Aliabad tehsil of Hunza-Nagar District.

HUNZA RIVER:



Kalash Valley:One of the major attractions of Chitral is the Kalash valley - the home of Kafir-Kalash or "Users of the black robes", a primitive pagan tribe.kalash people inhabit the southwestern part of the region.

House in kalash

The “Kalash Country” is spread over three Valleys; Bomboret, Birir and Rumbur. The Kalash have always fascinated anthropologists and historians by their obscure origins, colourful festivals, and curious customs and rituals.

The Kalash are fun loving people who love music and dancing particularly on the occasion of their religious festival like Joshi Chilinjusht (14 and 15 May-spring), Phool (20-25 September) and Chomas (December 18 to 21 in a week ).

 

Garam Chashma (Hot Springs):

This un-spoilt enchanting valley of orchards, verdant fields and snow clad peaks is renowned for its boiling sulphur springs which are famous for healing effect on skin diseases, gout, rheumatism and chronic headaches. For the convenience of tourists “humans” (baths) have been constructed near the springs.

KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA:

Sawat:Swat is a jewel among the many beautiful valleys in the north of Pakistan. Feast your senses on the sheer beauty that Swat’s picturesque lakes, villages, picnic spots and luscious mountains have to offer.

White Palace Maraghzar – the summer palace of the first Wali of Swat, this is a peaceful picnic spot at a distance of 13km from Saidu Sharif.

Miandam – A scenic valley at 5,900 feet above sea level and at a distance of 56km from Saidu Sharif

Malam Jabba – Pakistan’s first ski resort at 9,000 feet above sea level. Malam Jabba was damaged by militants but is still a good place for a day excursion from Saidu Sharif. Distance from Saidu Sharif is 45 km.

Baharin – A popular tourist spot at distance of 66km from Saidu Sharif.

Kalam – The Switzerland of Asia. At 6,800 feet above sea level and surrounded by snow covered mountains, Kalam is the most popular summer holiday resort in Swat. It is located at a distance of 100 km from Saidu Sharif

Ushu – An idyllic picnic spot at 7,550 feet above sea level and at a distance of only 8 km from Kalam.

Matiltan – Offers excellent view of Mount Flaksair (20,528 feet) which is the highest peak of Swat Valley.

Utrot and Gabral – A charming Village just 16 km ahead of Kalam. Offers excellent walking and fishing opportunities.

Mahodand Lake – A beautiful lake surrounded by pine trees and lush green meadows and a popular picnic spot in Upper Swat. Mahodand is situated at a distance of 35km from Kalam.

SHANGLA:Shangla is land of natural beauty, long green trees, high mountains, sweet springs, thick forest and streams, was earlier sub-division of Swat District.The highest point of the district is Shangla Top (7001 feet or 2,125 meters above sea level), 56 km from Saidu Sharif and 45 km from Besham (Karakoram Highway), connected through a paved single road. The only accommodation available is the Forest Rest House at Shangla Top. It receives an average snowfall from 5 to 8 feet in winter. There is a trout hatchery in Alpuri proper. From Alpuri, on way to village Lilonai, there is a beautiful lake called Bashigram.

Ancient remains of Greek period are discovered at Pirsar. It is said that Alexander of Macedonia stayed here for few days. There some more archaeological finds between Chakaisar and Daut. Alexander reached Indus river passing through Daut. Remains of Hindu Shahi period are also found in Qlandar-Ajmair.

 Abbottabad:It is a charming town spread out over several low, refreshingly cool and green hills. Abbottabad is 116 km (2 hours) from Rawalpindi and 208 km (3 hours) from Peshawar.

 Places worth visiting in Abbottabad are: Simla Hill, Ilyasi Masjid etc.Places worth visiting in and around Abbottabad are; Ilyasi Mosque with a water spring, Shimla hill view point. Thandiani is another attractive hill resort 30 km east of Abbottabad at an altitude of 8,800 feet.

Shogran:

Shogran is a village situated on a green plateau in the Naran Valley, northern Pakistan at a height of 2,362 meters above sea level.It is only 10 km from Kiwai village and 34 km from Balakot. The road from Islamabad to Kiwai is metalled and measures 212 km. From Shogran, you can ride a jeep or horse or hike to several picturesque places like Siri, Paye and Makra Peak.The local people are friendly and helpful.

 

Kaghan Valley:Laying in lower Himalayan mountains range, the Kaghan valley, famous for its bewitching splendor and natural beauty, is one of the most charming tourist resorts in scenic Hazara division. At a distance of 64 km from Balakot, it offers resplendent beauty surrounded by magnificent mountains, magical glaciers, enchanting waterfalls and sweet lakes with plenty of flora and fauna.The valley is about 160 km long and between 1000 m to 4000 m above sea level at different places.

Kunhar River

 

 Noisy Kunhar river with its icy water flows through the picturesque valley. The river water carries with it the delicious trout fish, famous for its rich taste being the most sought after food item for visitors and tourists.

 

Lovely Lakes And Meadows:If you love hiking, trekking or fishing, then Kaghan Valley is like heaven. There are many lakes and meadows high up in the mountains waiting for you. Some of them are: Lake Lulusar, Lake Dodipatsar, Danna Meadows, Sharan, Sri, Paya, Makra Peak, Malika Parbat and Musa Ka Musalla (Prayer Mat of Moses).

 

DUDIPASTAR LAKE ,Kaghan Valley NWFP

ANSOO LAKE:The name "Ansoo" comes from its tear-like shape (the Urdu word Ansoo means teardrop). This lake also resembles Human Eye with central ice land resembling Iris of Human Eye and a ridge resembling Eyebrow becoming even more prominent when ice melts on the Eyebrow in summers.Ansoo Lake is a high-altitude lake (elevation 13927 feet or 4245 metres) in the Kaghan Valley and is counted as one amongst the most beautiful lakes of the world. It is situated in the Mansehra District of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is near Malika Parbat in the Himalayan range.



SAIF UL MALOOK LAKE:Saiful Muluk (Urdu: جھیل سیف الملوک) is an alpine lake located at the northern end of kaghan valley.At an altitude of 3,224 m (10,578 feet) above sea level it is amongst one of the highest lakes in Pakistan.A fairy tale called Saiful Muluk, written by the famous Sufi poet Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, is associated with the lake. It is the story of the prince of Persia who fell in love with a fairy princess at the lake. The impact of the lake beauty is of such extent that people believe that fairies come down to lake in full moon. A poet and writer from Balakot Dr Mujahid hussain wrote the story of Saiful Muluk in prose depicting the local version.(Source:wikipedia)


Malakandi Forest: 8 miles on the western slopes of Kaghan is Kamalban, a heavily populated forest of black bears and leopards, which do incalculable harm to the crops and young trees. Killing a bear is a big game and you'll get reward for shooting down a bear from forest officer as well as from the peasants. Besides these you'll be able to find Muskdeer, thar and goral, Chikore and Himalayan pheasants all over the valley. And if you'll go a little higher you'll be able to find red bear, snow leopard and ibex and occasionally a snow partridge or Ram Chikore or Murgh-I-Zarrin.

Balakot: The Beautiful city of balakot is the biggest subdivision of district Mansehra. It is a historical town, a famous tourist destination of the region and the gateway to Kaghan valley of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan. The river Kunhar, originating from Lulusar lake, runs through the city and merges with Jhelum River just outside Muzaffarabad in Pakistan administered Kashmir.Balakot was the most affected area in the earthquake of 2005, in which the city was totally collapsed and the hotel / tourism industry was badly affected.

Naran Valley: valley is the most beautiful & picturesque valley. That's why it is called virtual paradise, unbelievably in pristine state and still unspoiled by the human. You'll find the Himalayan peaks hidden with clouds or snow, somewhere you'll find the beautiful fairy tale lakes, which will attract you toward them, and you might decide not to leave this at any cost. Where Kaghan is full of scenic beauty there it is full of thrill and excitement for the mountaineers and treks.Naran Valley is a 155 kms long scenic wonderland. Lofty peaks crown the mountains ranges on either side like turrets, ranging in height from 12,000 to 17,000 ft and more, with the eastern range higher than the western.
Lalazar: 16 Kilometers from Naran is the Battakundi another enjoyable spot.this beautiful, meadow is awash with colourful alpine flowers in spring and summer, and set amongst the cool pine forests. A footpath leads from Lalazar Plateau down to lake Saiful Malik, taking 5-6 hrs.



Lalusar Lake:48 kilometers away from Naran, on Naran-Babusar road is Lulu Sar Lake which is wreathed in blue and gold wild flowers, and is the main source of river Kunhar.The lake is the main source of the Kunhar, which flows through the entire Kaghan Valley through Jalkhand, Naran Valley, Kaghan, Jared, Paras and Balakot until it joins the Jhelum River.

 

 

BabusarPass:

Babusar Pass or Babusar Top (elevation: 4173 m./13,691 ft.) is a mountain pass at the north of the 150 km. (93 miles) long Kaghan Valley connecting it via the Thak Nala with the Indus Valley. It is the highest point in Kaghan Valley.

 



PUNJAB

 

Lahore:  Lahore is the capital of the Pakistan province of Punjab and the second largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi. The city lies along the Ravi River.Historically, Lahore has been a center of cultural heritage for many civilizations.Mughal structures such as the Badshahi Mosque, the Lahore Fort, Shalimar Gardens, and the mausolea of Jehangir and Nur Jehan are popular  attractions of the city.

Badshahi Mosque

 

Shahi Qila (The Royal Lahore fort)



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RAAVI RIVER: it is located in Punjab-Lahore

SINDH:

 



Sindh  is one of the four provinces of Pakistan It is also locally known as the "Mehran" and has been given the title of Bab-ul-Islam (The gateway of Islam).The capital of the province is Karachi Pakistan's largest city and financial hub.

KARACHI: Karachi is the capital of the province of Sindh, and the largest city in Pakistan. Located on the coast of the Arabian Sea, north-west of the Indus River Delta, the mega city is the largest city, original capital and cultural, economical, philanthropic, educational, and political hub, as well as the largest port, of the country.

Tooba Mosque

 

 

BEACHES OF KARACHI CITY:

 



Sunset At Karachi sew view(Clifton)

 

 

ASTOLA ISLAND:Astola Island, also known as Jezira Haft Talar or 'Island of the Seven Hills', is a medium-sized, uninhabited island in the Arabian Sea in Pakistan's territorial waters.Lies about 25 km south of the Baluchistan Coast.Camping, fishing and scuba-diving expeditions are popular

DERAWAR FORT: Derawar Fort is a large square fortress in Pakistan near Bahawalpur. The forty bastions of Derawar are visible for many miles in Cholistan Desert.



CHOLISTAN DESERT:

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