By Darwaish
Who doesn’t remember Uncle Sargam, Haiga, and Maasi Museebatay? Like so many others, I grew up with all of them. And what wonderful memories they still are.
Last week, I was looking for Angan Tehra, an old PTV drama serial, in one of the famous Hall Road markets when I saw CDs of ‘Kalianâà¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢. Written and directed by Farooq Qaiser, it used to be a very popular puppet show on PTV during 80’s and 90’s.
During 90’s, Rola (as in Uncle Sargam’s words: small crockery chota panda) and another one who used to start every sentence with ‘Mere Piyare Allah Mian’ also became very popular.
If I am not wrong, puppets were introduced for the very first time in Pakistan by Farooq Qaiser. Yes, I know traditional Putli Tamasha was there already and perhaps still exists in some of the villages of Punjab although I think that is very different from what we saw on PTV with Uncle Sargam and Company.
By the way, some of you will be surprised to know that Pakistan is perhaps the only country after United States that has its own Puppet character or a show – our very own Kalian.
So anyways, when I was growing up everyone around me loved puppets because not only they were fun but they also helped us learn a lot of things. Like Uncle Sargum always had a message to convey.
Kalian was also popular because it was political, it used to make fun of politicians, highlighted social issues and at the same time, it also had a good entertainment value for children and teenagers. Somehow Farooq Qaiser managed to say things using his puppets which were otherwise impossible during Gen. Zia’s rule. He also did another puppet show before Kalian (I think it was Akkar Bakkar?) but it was mainly a children’s education program. It would be appropriate if I call it a local version of Sesame Street.
It’s a pity that most kids I come across these days are addicted to computer games, play stations and other hi-fi stuff. It irritates me the most when I see parents allowing their 7-8 years old kids watch movies (Indian and English both) which is a shame really considering their age and the stuff they are being exposed to. They really miss the little joys of talking puppets. There is a time for everything and kids these days have too much exposure at such a young age.
Coming back to puppets, one of our office cook is very good with both performing and making puppets. I was having a conversation with him yesterday and he told me that there was a time when he used to do a monthly Putli Tamasha in his village. People of all ages from his village and nearby used to come and enjoy the show but not anymore. Slowly during the last decade, everyone seems to have lost interest in Putli Tamasha and they no longer find it interesting.
I guess technology has hit Pakistani villages really hard when they were probably not ready for it and the result is that they have lost simplicity and a lot of good things from their lives. We have dozens of channels now in Pakistan but I don’t think there is a single one showing a puppet 
show like Kalian at the moment. Correct me if I am wrong. I have seen Sesame Street once or twice on PTV though. Last night I checked almost every channel on cable but seems like Puppet Shows are out of fashion these days.
Rafi Peer Theatre and a few others are trying to keep puppets alive and its only because of them really that we are able to see puppets in action these days. Here in Lahore, we have this wonderful World Performing Arts Festival every year and I am so glad to see that puppets have been and are becoming even more important segment of the festival each year.
A few years ago Faizaan Pirzaada built the Museum of Puppetry in Lahore near Qadaffi stadium. Puppets history and most of our beloved puppet characters can be seen there. Check it out sometime if you haven’t already.
Hello everybody. I am Farooq Qaiser, the Uncle Sargam. I have read all the comments written about me and about Kaliyan. I would like to correct some of information given by different viewers. The program Kaiyan was started in 1976 from PTV Islamabad Centre. Got a special award from Germany in 1978. The first puppet was Uncle Sargam. I trained boys & girls the art of puppet manipulation. Among those who became famous are, Rashid Khan (Haiga) Bushra Ansari (Sharmilee) Babar Niazi (Sawalakh & Had Haram)) Nusrat Iqbal (Rolla) and Anjum Habibi ( Bonga). The first spell of Kaliyan was ended in 1980 and was restarted in 1990. There are many lyrics written by me for film & Tv. Among them
Asalam o Alaikum!
I saw this artcile a few months ago after trying to search for Kalian but now I have bought the DVD.
And Man!it is so cool.I love everymiute of it specially as now I am well aware of the issues of life and the way they were protrayed by Farroq Qaisar.
“Haiga” is amazing ending everything with Haiga.
“Sawa Lakh”Bari with is Shareef addition to every word.
“Noomi”with Kar Lain jo Kalna Hai.
Amazing.I love it and I am proud to be part of the country and society which made this program.
Amazing and simply brilliant.
Best of luck to all.By the way I am not that old as you guys as I never saw Kalia in my life,it was only that I saw Kalian Plus in the year 2004 on TV that I started liking Uncle Sragam.
ALLAH HAFIZ.
Is Uncle Sargam based on Groucho Marx? One of the Marx Brothers? His moustache, nose, eyebrows and glasses all remind me of Groucho Marx.
Does anyone else see that similarity?
AMEN! TO EVERY SINGLE WORD YOU SAID
I wasn’t ever brought up in Pakiland but we used to get Paki channels and Uncle Sargam just rocked!
with his humble voice omg!
hehehe.
Hi, I was longong for an opportunity to talk something about “Kaliyan” “Angan teda” “Anwar Maqsood” or “Farooq Quaiser” or some Pakistani drama stuff.
I am from India and belong from Jammu & Kashmir and when i was kid i used to see this (infact i say i am lucky to see this wonderful stuff), then after sometime PTV was prohibited in that part of India and after sometime i shifted to London but still had bug and a sweet memory in mind for this. And when i came here in London then i had sufficient money and ways to buy them (thanx to internet) and now i have whole collection of “Anwar Maqsood” “Farooq Quaier”. And i really find no words to praise for this Excellent stuff they have produced. (other dramas are also wonderful and i do have those too) but especially Farooq Quaser and Anwar Maqsood who tried to say serious things in a humourous and class manner. Its just Fantastic. You won’t believe that me and my wife ( she also has too much interest in Pakistani tv old dramas) almost every month repedetely see “angan teda” and i think have seen more than 30 times till now. Its the best hurmorous comedy In the World and should be shown on the world screen really. aliyan” has a special thing that it reminds me the best time in life that is childhood. Re
I really pity on todays generation which is creating Techno childs who are playing with computer games and movies and etc. I think that time, that era was fantastic and now really nothing has left except those sweet memories.
I, being from India, don’t have much access to your drama stuff cuz in India its hard to find your stuff, here in London also i could find it from Internet.
But still, i wish to know and read much about “farooq quaiser” Anwar Maqsood” and “Bushra Ansari” and “Moin Akthar” and really wish to write to them or to talk to them, or to know about there stuff more and more.
So if anyone of you reads this and could feel this please guide me that from where i could get them.
my e-mail ID is dattushah@rediffmail.com
thanx