Adil Najam
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Did you know that today, December 6, was "Sindhi Topi Day"?
I did not. But I now do. I also now know that it was celebrated with great fervor. I am glad that it was.
Even though some have raised concerns about how such a celebration might "isolate" Sindh from the rest of the country, especially in the wake of the violence that the country is in the grips of, I think the idea of celebrating our heritage is a good one. In fact, I hope that it will be followed by the "Pakol Day," the "Karakul Cap Day," the "Kulla Day," and days for celebrating all the diverse and rich array of caps and turbans worn all across the country.
I mean that in all sincerity. After all, we at ATP have been celebrating the Caps and Turbans of Pakistan right from the beginning (here and here).
What I cannot understand, however, is why the centerpiece of the celebrations seemed to be guns and fancy firepower, even more than ajraks and Sindhi caps?
This was so not just in this picture, but in a number of other pictures too. And it is by no means specific to this celebration. All across Pakistan, we see this morbid fascination. Guns at Basant are as disgusting as guns at weddings or guns at college graduations. And yet, the insecure amongst us cling to them in shallow bravado and false machoness. In ordinary times, the spectacle are merely disgusting displays of bad taste. In times like these, such acts become ominous reminders of how the validation of violence (also, here) is a deep deep scar on all of our society.
The picture above is particularly disturbing, not only because of the ugliness of the weapon but for the obvious glee on the lady’s face (from the photo’s caption, she is a "political activist") – not to mention that in her glee she forgot to don the Sindhi Cap she is supposed to be celebrating. One assumes that the child clinging to her (in a state of shell shock, as he should be) is her’s. One wonders what lesson he is taking back from this episode?
But the bigger question really is, what lessons are we teaching our children about violence and the validation of violence?
Three past posts from ATP still haunt me to this day – the first about an angry mob burning a thief alive, the second about WAPDA engineers opening fire at protesters, and the third of a man beating his wife a his son looks on. All three are really stories about the validation of violence; stories that we have had to write again and again.
The question, indeed, is: with all this fascination with guns and all this violence thick in teh air, what have we become ourselves and what are we teaching our children to become?
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First of all, guns have no place in celebrations, and their use in public gatherings and festivities is simply unsafe and unethical. This “culture” is perhaps a reflection of the disregard in our social attitude towards the well being of others.
However, maybe we are condemning the picture because of the wrong reasons…
We owe it to ourselves to look, beyond the obvious decay, into the reasons behind this practice. Even after close to a century of gaining independence, guns legally remain out of reach of ordinary Pakistanis, or any other South Asian for that matter. Yes, the Talibans, bandits, thugs, criminals, and politicians have easy access to entire arsenals, but the average Pakistani proletariat can only look at the end of a barrel!
No wonder they find the prospect of actually holding one so fascinating!
Guns are not inherently bad. They are just tools that can be used for good or bad like any other tool. They can be used for crime as much as they can be used against it; by tyrannical governments as much as they can be used against them. They bring empowerment to the masses and equalize the playing field when citizens are facing threats to their lives and property. See Switzerland and USA for examples.
By severely restricting their access to ordinary law-abiding civilians, the ruling classes try to extend the duration of their rule, as was the case during the days of Raj, but this is something that should be condemned – not embraced by vague references to “validation of violence”.
The real issue here is the gun culture that has spread in the country and whose costs we are paying. The public display of weapons is a curse and must be stomped.
@ShahidnUSA.
I meant what I wrote.
YES. People have always objected.
You obviously did not get the message. Or chose not to.
@ Bhitai Sahab
In your comment, you meant to say “NO”
But thats ok, I got the message :)
I would really appreciate if someone would mail me a Sindhi Topi. Either in light blue or Orange color with heavy glass work on it. I love sindhi topi. Size little smaller
than large. I will pay.
And leave the girl alone, one and the only probably.
@BAsheer: “Has any body objected when MQM terrorists openly not only carry guns, but shooting innocent people.”
YES.
Case closed.
well, Mr. Bhitai and Mr. Khoso whereas I am against the show of the guns on such events. The picture in question is only or two of such incidents….and i really condemn it…
but you have to accept it only a particular news group and a particular group of journalist are bent upon on sabotaging such movements of Sindhis and balochistan….they only show the small negative elements prevalent there…..which we do condemn….but what about a large majority which celebrated the event in peaceful manner without any show of arms. there is no coverage to given to them by Mr. Adil Najam and the jang group from where the writer has taken these pictures.
i had already read the story by Jan Khaskheli on isolation question….and in fact that is story made to clarify by questions raised by prototypes of such media persons who are sabotaging the movements for our rights.
i had interacted with a large majority of Sindhis who celebrated the Sindhi topi day….and most of them were critical about the PPP’s performances in government. They do condemn the poor performance. Yet the question about the objectionable comments on the Sindhi culture. to which i think it’s only suffice to share with you this piece f blog http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/urdu/2009/12/post_547.html
in the celebrations held at islamabad, a small discussion program was also organized which i did attended. there two speakers from PPP. the audience really asked them critical questions with respect to poor performance of the PPP government. despite the fact that we are labeled with names as “PPP supporter” we did criticise on the government’s performance.
and if you think the writer is highly knowledge how come he didn’t know about the day before hand! when almost all of the country new it….and as wrongly propagated in urdu media, the Sindhi topi day was not a provincial celebration…but the day was celebrated all over the world as “international Sindhi Topi and Sindhi Ajrak day”…just search youtube and you would see the videos from across the world.
Has any body objected when MQM terrorists openly not only carry guns, but shooting innocent people.
The lady is just celeberating. There is nothing wrong with her expressing. She is not hurting anyone like the others.
You are right, Mr. Khoso.
Guns are a stupid idea when used at Basant and an equally stupid idea when used to represent my culture. Idiots use guns for celebration and the fact that this is done everywhere does not make it right.