Pangs of an Indian Pakistani

On departure at Indira Gandhi Airport, New Delhi her father, a man with steel nerves, exclaimed with a mask face, in a matter of fact manner, “Now that you are going across, own the place, own the people, and own the problems the way you have owned the man from there.” Without a trace of [...]

Baisakhi in Kashmir~ a tryst with nature.

“Woken up with the slightest of hint, we jumped out of our warm beds excitedly and got ready without much fuss. Ammi packed food in a four tiered brass tiffin carrier, placed plates, spoons, a stove, Samovar and other needful in a cane basket, and by 8:00 AM we were heading for the Hazratbal end [...]

Please pray for us too, Mr President !

Just a few weeks ago I was moved to hear an ex Indian Chief Election Commissioner say to Najam Sethi: “Hamara Makkah Medina to aap ke paas hai.” (Our Mecca and Madina are with you). After retirement he had come to visit the holy places of Sikh in Pakistan, the Nankana Sahib and other holy [...]

Lawn ki kahani, meri zubani ( The story of Lawn in my words)

Published in TheNews Blog : http://blogs.thenews.com.pk/blogs/2012/03/21/story-of-a-lawn-hater/ Designer lawn, designer lawn, designer lawn! Every Sana, Nida and Hina is coming out with designer lawns. Thankfully never a fan of lawn as a material, it does not awaken the woman in me. However I remember my mother, who lives in Delhi, where summers are really biting, once came [...]

Beautifully meaningful

These are colourful bits with each of a unique shape, size, yet so purposeless, resembling a pile of multicoloured rubble, until…. ..magic happens. And they all   find their right roles in the right places. Which piece fits best next to the other isn’t necessarily of the same shade or same shape. What is worth [...]

Sights and Sounds May Disappear, but Smell Shall Linger.

Published in TheNewsBlog February 7, 2012. http://blogs.thenews.com.pk/blogs/2012/02/07/sights-and-sounds-may-disappear-but-smell-shall-linger/ “When I miss her, I go to her closet to sense my daughter’s fragrance.” Arfa Karim‘s Mom said on her 17th birthday. The words from the teary eyed mother gave me goose bumps. She was certainly not talking about the perfumes that Arfa adorned, but the odour that she [...]

Amir Khusrau, the disciple

Listening to the stories and anectodes of Mehboob-e-Ilahi( Beloved of God) was a norm as kids. A Mamoo, an ardent follower of Sufism, who lived in Jaipur was the source. If he ever happened to pass by Delhi, visit to the ‘Dargah’ was a mandatory.  And when in Delhi, he had to visit his sister too [...]

Let’s make Health our Commonwealth

First published in AmanKiAsha in TheNews:  http://amankiasha.com/detail_news.asp?id=594 The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) some time back recommended promoting economic cooperation between India and Pakistan by focusing on information technology (IT), entertainment and healthcare. Yes, “Healthcare”, I shout. After all the other two are thriving and will take care of themselves. I remember in the mid-nineties, [...]

Continuation of a joint heritage

Published in Aman Ki Asha , in TheNews on December 14, 2011. http://amankiasha.com/detail_news.asp?id=584 Ilmana Fasih recounts some examples of the ‘Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb’ and centuries’ old, peaceful coexistence beyond religious divides An otherwise sane looking person I met at a party recently started to spew venom laced with conspiracy theories about “Hindu Muslim animosity”. To top [...]

Call me an Indian Pakistani, please

Part of it published later in Express Tribune: http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/9658/call-me-an-indian-pakistani/ My way of prayer for Peace  between India and Pakistan, today-December 18, 2011. I thank everyone who bothered to comment on my blog ‘An Indian moves to Pakistan’  in Express Tribune Blog ( December 9, 2011), and gave their input, be it positive or negative. I [...]