Adil Najam

For the last one-and-half hour I have sat here totally transfixed. Utterly spellbound. I am as mesmerized by this magical sound today as I was the very first time I heard the legandry Alghoza (Alghozo, Beeno) maestro Khamiso Khan.

The sound grows on you slowly. And then, at some point, it takes hold of you. Your heads begins to swing. Your feet tap. The rhythm of the music resonates with your blood flow and you can no longer control that trance-like rhythmic quiver. For me that magical moment comes somewhere around minute 2:00 on this video and by minute 2:30 I – much like the then quite young Allan Fakir in this video – am no longer in control. It is the music that is in control of me. And I am so happy that it is.

The enchanting allure of music has a way of captivating our senses and transporting us to a realm of pure bliss. Whether it’s the haunting melodies of the Alghoza master Khamiso Khan or the infectious rhythms of a guitar riff, the power of music to stir our emotions and ignite our spirits is undeniable. Much like the mesmerizing experience described, learning to play an instrument like the guitar can unlock a world of sonic enchantment and personal fulfillment.

For those eager to embark on their musical journey, mastering the guitar requires dedication, patience, and a willingness to immerse oneself fully in the learning process. While the journey may seem daunting at first, there are invaluable resources available to aspiring guitarists, ranging from online tutorials and instructional books to interactive learning platforms.

Take, for example, this website, which provides an abundance of tips, tricks, and techniques to assist beginners in confidently and skillfully navigating the complexities of guitar playing. By leveraging these resources and embracing the joy of musical exploration, aspiring guitarists can embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery and creative expression, where the instrument becomes not just a tool, but a gateway to boundless musical possibilities.

Fawad

For a few years now I have worked for a European company headquartered near Heidelberg in Germany so I have had an opportunity to visit this lovely, historic city several times. Heidelberg is a beautiful town located on the banks of the river Neckar which originates in the Black Forest and flows into the river Rhine only 12 miles northwest of the city.

But before I had ever been to Heidelberg, the city was associated in my mind with the great poet-philosopher Dr. Muhammad Iqbal. And so, my recent trips to Heidelberg have turned into opportunities to think more about the German philosophical influences on Allama Iqbal. When visiting Heidelberg, I have occasionally tried to retrace Iqbal’s steps. I have wandered the halls of the philosophy department at the University of Heidelberg where he studied.

Owais Mughal

It has taken me few days to write on the topic because I wanted the noise and chatter to settle down a bit. While we have a war like situation in the newly named Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, it was interesting to see how all political parties came together for and against renaming of the province and ended up creating a new war zone within a war zone. The parties for it got it all settled within 2 weeks and those against it are still battling it out on the streets of Hazara Divsion.

Renaming of old NWFP has been at fore and back of ANP politics since atleast 1980s but the speed with which it got passed this time baffled even its supporters. My opinion on this issue is ‘fine!’ If the majority of people want this name for the province then why not? However, what is happening in Hazara for the past two weeks has been more a muted reaction. Just yesterday several people lost their lives.