Jama Masjid Ghafooria (pakola). Grand Mosque Mosque Ghfwryh (bakwla)

Known affectionately in the neighbourhood as the Pakola Mosque because of its proximity to the original factory of the famous Karachi soft drink, the Jama Masjid Ghafooria carries a name derived from al Ghafoor, one of the beautiful names of God meaning the Oft Forgiving. The mosque sits in a bustling industrial and residential pocket of Karachi in the Pakistani province of Sindh, surrounded by printing presses, mechanics' workshops and small eateries. Pakola, a bright green cream soda launched in the nineteen fifties, has become an unofficial emblem of Karachi summers, and linking the mosque's colloquial name to this beloved fizzy drink captures the city's irreverent affection for landmarks. Karachi's religious architecture is as eclectic as its human composition, ranging from the old Mughal style mosques of Saddar to the gleaming Gulf influenced domes of newer neighbourhoods. Jama Masjid Ghafooria falls somewhere in between, a mid twentieth century construction with whitewashed walls, a green painted dome and a slender minaret trimmed in pale green tile. The entrance gives onto a small tiled courtyard where a stone ablution fountain provides cool water, a welcome respite during the relentless pre monsoon heat. Inside, the prayer hall is spanned by slim iron pillars supporting a broad flat roof painted celestial blue with gold stars, and the mihrab is framed by a band of calligraphy reading the beautiful names of God. Overhead ceiling fans hum while chandeliers scatter light across the red and gold carpet. A dedicated women's section above the main hall is reached via a narrow staircase. Friday prayers are held in two shifts to accommodate the shift workers of the neighbouring factories, and during Ramadan the mosque distributes iftar packets to labourers too poor to break their fast at home, a practice rooted in the teaching of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, who encouraged generosity especially in the blessed month. Visitors passing along S.I.T.E. Area or Nazimabad can stop with ease, dressing modestly, removing footwear at the marble threshold and accepting the customary offer of sweetened water or a mandatory small bottle of Pakola in hotter months.