Dastaan (TV series)

Dastaan (Urdu: داستان‎) (English: A Tale) is a Pakistani drama serial dramatized by Samira Fazal, and based on the novel Bano, by Razia Butt. It is based on the partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan, and takes place between 1947 and 1956. The drama depicts the story of Bano, a girl from a close knit Muslim family living in Ludhiana (located in undivided Punjab) in the pre-1947 era. The story follows Bano and Hassan, as they face the trials and tribulations caused by the 1947 independence.

Dastaan is the first project of its kind taken up by the Pakistani media. Director Haissam Hussain stated in an interview that production for the drama began months in advance, and that the filming itself only took a little over two months. The show was broadcast on Hum TV. The show is now airing in Middle East on channel MBC Bollywood. It is the second highest-rated Pakistani television series.

Dastaan was also aired in India on Zindagi under the title Waqt Ne Kiya Kya Haseen Sitam from 23 March 2015 onwards. Previously, it was decided to run the show under the title Lakeerein, but the decision was later changed.

Bano (novel)

Bano is a novel by the Pakistani novelist, Razia Butt, which is considered one of her best literary works. It is set in the days before and after the independence in Ludhiana, Punjab Province and subsequently, Pakistan. The events of independence play a central role in the story. It is named for its female, protagonist, Bano.

Dramatisation

The novel has been dramatised both for films and television.

References

Barium nitrate

Barium nitrate with chemical formula Ba(NO₃)₂ is a salt composed of barium and the nitrate ion.

Barium nitrate exists as a white solid at room temperature. It is soluble in water, and like other soluble barium compounds, is toxic. It occurs naturally as the rare mineral nitrobarite. Barium nitrate's properties make it suitable for use in various military applications, including thermite grenades and incendiary ammunition.

Manufacture

Barium nitrate is manufactured by one of two processes. The first involves dissolving small chunks of barium carbonate in nitric acid, allowing any iron impurities to precipitate, then filtered, evaporated, and crystallized. The second requires combining barium chloride with a heated solution of sodium nitrate, causing barium nitrate crystals to separate from the mixture.

Reactions

At elevated temperatures, barium nitrate decomposes to barium oxide, nitrogen dioxide, and oxygen:

In an atmosphere of nitric oxide, thermal decomposition produces barium nitrite (Ba(NO2)2). Reactions with soluble metal sulfates or sulfuric acid yield barium sulfate. Many insoluble barium salts, such as the carbonate, oxalate and phosphate of the metal, are precipitated by similar double decomposition reactions. Barium nitrate is an oxidizer and reacts vigorously with common reducing agents. The solid powder, when mixed with many other metals such as aluminium or zinc in their finely divided form, or combined with alloys such as aluminium-magnesium, ignites and explodes on impact.