Adil Najam
I must confess that the goriness of my last post still leaves me drained and shaken. I offer this picture post on the simpler pleasures of life in Pakistan, partly as a way of shaking myself off the shivers but much more as a way to highlight that not only is another Pakistan possible, another Pakistan actually exists.
It is the Pakistan of this naai (desi barber) in this beautiful picture, from K.M. Chaudary of AP, who has set up his “open-air” barber shop by the canal in Lahore and, while waiting for customers to show up, decides to give himself a little grooming. The charming composition as well as the subject reminds me not only of my own memories (the best shave I ever had – after a period of growing an unruly beard – was from one such naee), but of the fact that very vast majority of Pakistanis are neither robbers who would hold children hostage nor a community of such unbridled anger that it would burn that robber alive. One must never forget this reality either. Largely because this reality gives hope and the possibility of better things. The reality of yesterday only breeds more anger and discontent.
This is not to say that we should ignore or underplay the reality of desperate people brutally burning robbers to death. We at ATP did not. It is to say, however, that the only thing worse than ignoring the ugliness amongst our own is to let it define the entirety of who we are; to let that ugliness make us forget all the beauty that also exists.
The beauty of the simple life lies in the daily struggles of the simple life. But also in the simple joys that give respite from those daily struggles. The life of the average Pakistani is never idyllic. It cannot be. But it is one that can be inspiring. There are few places better than the banks of the canal in Lahore where you can see on display those daily struggles and how people can find ways to enjoy life despite their struggles. Without having to shout at each other, abuse each other, kill or burn each other. This picture set below, also from K.M. Chaudary of AP, show just a few familiar scenes of how.
Post Script: Although I have mentioned that evergreen song from Noor Jahan, “Sannu Nehr Waley Pul Te Bulla Kay” in the headline, I will not post it now (even though I love the song) just because it does not quite match the mood of the post (or my own right now). For some reason the song that has been playing in my head today is not the one in the headline above but Baba G.A. Chishti’s epic super-hit “Tangay Walla Khair Mangda.”
As I had suggested in a post a year-and-half ago, that song – probably more than any other – describes (for me) what I and ATP do or are trying to do. Today I seem to be in a mood very similar to what I was feeling when I wrote that post, so I have been replaying that song again and again; in my head and on my computer.
Love it when you say here: “the only thing worse than ignoring the ugliness amongst our own is to let it define the entirety of who we are; to let that ugliness make us forget all the beauty that also exists.”
You are right. We need to really think hard about these murderous tendencies in otherwise good people who are burning people alive. And we need to do something about this tendency. But this is also the time to think about and respect those who suffer through equally hard lives with dignity.
The incidents of burning robbers show a really nasty streak in society and we must all do something about it so that this “simpler” life you talk about can be preserved.
the vast majority, i agree, would do no such thing. but the fact that the incident got repeated yesterday in another locality shows that there are enough madmen who would. and they never have to grow into a vast majority … just into a critical influencing mass … before things get out of hand. this happens whether it’s the growth of extremism that results in burning down girls’ schools and blowing up video shops in some areas of pakistan, or the burning of robbers – a sight that my wife and i witnessed over a quarter century ago in an East African port and never thought it would happen in our own city. but, then, once you’ve been brought up drilling kneecaps (or accepting such deeds – in fear or apathy) why assume things would stop there?
the real horror to me in both burning incidents was that the people who did this were middle-class citizens of a metropolis, not an illiterate backwater tribe. to make matters worse, a senior pia captain, to whom i narrated this story in horror, shocked me further by smiling and saying, “that’s just the right thing to do!” …
peace?
Karachi da nehr wala pul
@ Being a Karachiit .i.e. Karachiwala as author of
precedent post, I would have only dreamt of having a
network of romantic canals (nehar) in karachi as well,
but, alas, we had to be contended having just one ” Gandah
nallah ” going thru Bunder & Burns roads, stinking like
hell,
I remember, It was raining cats and dogs “in Karachi”,
I was ” just ” passing by Govt Women’s College, the ” nallah” had ” tughiani “, never saw it so wild, kept on watching the
” mad-o-jazar ” suddenly, the College gate opened and out
came all the students (some of them very beautiful), you see,
how romantic could it be, but
sorry, I forgot to tell you that, my Baji studying there, saw me.!!! Ahem mmm……… anyway. Lets continue talking about Nehar, well …you see…… …………………..
The ‘ naee’s spot is just just fabulous, just look at the material of 50s intact and well looked after, pics are just amazing.
Animal-human co-habitation can be discussed !!!!
Lahore, Lahore ay !!!
Lahore Zindahbaad
Thanks for the beautiful post – indeed a pleasant detour from the previous post.
Heartfelt and beautiful sentiments of a true Pakistani. Thank you Dr Najam for these balanced thoughts.