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.
This version of ‘neher walay pul’ http://tinyurl.com/47o8hc certainly inspires a great deal of confidence in our leaders
Exactly!
The real heroes are the Pakistanis who survive their struggled with dignity. And not the hotheads who find every excuse to turn to violence.
Dear Mr. Shabbir, I think we need to highlight both things. We need to speak up against the bad things that happen in Pakistan, because if we don’t that we will only encourage more of them. At the same time we need to keep highlighting the good. That is what this post does for me. If it only highlighted the good then it would become like a government propaganda site, instead of what it is not—a real reflection of “ALL” things Pakistan. I think this post is right in saying: “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.”
Yesterday I saw a drum-beating party going through a street in a suburb of Islamabad asking for donations for the Mela of Bari Imam. I could not help dancing with the tune which recalled to me the Mela which I had attended during 50’s when it was a real mela, all frolicks, dancing and singing, providing ample catharsis for the common people to sooth their drudgery of life for the whole year. Then some vigilantes ( Wahabies,perhaps) changed it to a gory thing it is today ushering in fear of bomb-blasts instead of enjoyment associated generally with the melas in Punjab.
I agree…………..we need to consciously look at things which can allude towards how peaceful this country was…how simple its life was…how kind and hospitable its people were…….i think media has great responsibility to educate people…..revive the values of simplicity and kindness…..i agree with declining political, social and economic structure life is becoming tougher and tougher………….but we should save whatever can be saved………violence is no solution………belief in life and its worth saving is the way………………I hope the spirit in which you posted this message……spreads….and we remain hopeful and save ourselves from sinking deeper………..and rise above all this……