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Profile
Samina Qureshi Samina Qureshi- beautifully protecting our culture through various forms of arts such as painting, photography, calligraphy and the last but not the least writing. By Saman Asif
The book is a mystical exploration that provides powerful traces to Sufism and its connectivity with Islam. The images in the book hold equal importance and help the readers in visualizing the aura of Sufism 32 I April 08 - 14, 2012
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t is ironic that while Pakistan is a male dominated country it has always seen women excelling in different walks of life. Samina Qureshi rightly falls in this category. She is an award-winning author, artist and photographer. Like her work, her life has also been enriched by diverse experiences. Born in India in a Muslim family, educated by Catholic nuns at St Joseph’s in Karachi and eventually studying art and architecture at the prestigious Yale University, this woman truly represents all those Pakistani women who have the essential elements such as bravery, confidence and talent to follow their dreams and achieve their goals. Samina is currently a professor at Harvard University in the field of art and architecture. Her forefathers served as the custodians of a Sufi shrine in Ajmer in northern India. Although she made the United States her home, she has not detached herself from her childhood memories related to Sufism. As a result she has written many books, the
most recent one being ‘Sacred Spaces: A Journey with the Sufis of the Indus’. In this book, Samina writes about the Sufi shrines in Pakistan and India and explores the spiritual aspects of Islam by employing calligraphic works, photographs, and mixed media montages. The book is a mystical exploration that provides powerful traces to Sufism and its connectivity with Islam. The images in the book hold equal importance and help the readers
According to Qureshi, her work explores the complex relationship between place, symbol, poetry, music, oral tradition, and visual art in Islamic mysticism. My aim is to look beyond the boundaries of ideology, race, culture, and language
in visualizing the aura of Sufism. Hence photography plays a very vital role in her books, which is usually done by Qureshi, not only in this book but in other books as well. Her four other books are ‘Legacy of the Indus: A Discovery of Pakistan’, ‘Lahore: The City Within’, ‘Legends of the Indus’ and ‘Re-imagining West Coconut Grove’. According to Qureshi, her work explores the complex relationship between
place, symbol, poetry, music, oral tradition, and visual art in Islamic mysticism. My aim is to look beyond the boundaries of ideology, race, culture, and language to evoke a visual dialogue between cultures. Her other interests include
working in various media such as lithography, painting and serigraphy. This multi-talented woman also has extensive experience as a planner and designer in corporate, publishing and gallery contexts. She has also spoken and given lectures on topics such as arranged marriages, issues of extended families and art and design as catalysts for change at prestigious forums including United Nations, Columbia University etc. Samina is currently working on a documentary series that comprises of ten short stories of ten inspirational women from all regions of Pakistan including the remote areas. If we look at her portfolio we see that all of her work is related to Pakistan, be it culture, religion, people or challenges. She says, ‘I have made my career commuting between Pakistan and America working on projects about cultural preservation in our country. Through my work I want the world to know about our culture and heritage which is badly neglected. I feel that if people like us will not take such steps then no one will.’
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Cuisine
The Noodle House For South East Asian food lovers! By Injila Baqir Zeeshan
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f anyone asked me what I remember from that evening at The Noodle House, I would say, the creamy texture of the cheesecake, the tangy spices of the Thai Chicken with Cashew Nuts and feeling uncomfortable because of being bloated on some super delicious food. But let’s begin from the beginning. You try out a restaurant once and if it disappoints you, you do not look in its direction again. My earlier experience of The Noodle House was not very memorable so the second time I found myself in there, I made it a point to let the manager know about it. He asked me a very pertinent question… ‘Was it in the very beginning, when we had just opened up for business here in Lahore?’ ‘Yes, I said and if you intend to serve me food which was prepared under as much confusion as it was back then, then I’m afraid I will resist the temptation to order.’ He was kind enough to take the criticism positively, telling me how things were completely under control now, and I could almost see him pull up his sleeves gearing up to surprise us. ‘Duck!’ he said. And I jumped out of my seat. How rude, I thought to myself! My love of food might have begun to show perhaps just a little, ahem… around the sides of my tummy and back but no need to publicly humiliate me. ‘No,’ I replied. How else could I have replied? ‘No?’ He went on. ‘Madam, I was also not a duck lover till I tried the duck we serve here!’ I sighed with relief. ‘All right, if you insist. Then he made a few more recommendations and fixed up our order chart.
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The first to arrive were the ice-teas. The flavours we tried were Raspberry and Lemongrass. They are a specialty here at the Noodle House and will help you build up an appetite. The starters, which came highly recommended, were Wasabi Prawns, which looked completely crunchy, beautifully set on a plate. My prawn-admiring friend thought they were good, but I preferred the Vegetable Spring Rolls, not really being a prawn, an octopus or a whale person. The rolls just flew off the table and we ended up licking our fingertips clean too. And then there was
The starters, which came highly recommended, were Wasabi Prawns, which looked completely crunchy, beautifully set on a plate. My prawnadmiring friend thought they were good, but I preferred the Vegetable Spring Rolls, not really being a prawn, an octopus or a whale person
The only way to truly enjoy it, is to take the wrap and place the ducky bits inside, toss in some of the thinly sliced veggies that came with it, splash the sauce generously upon it, twist it into a roll and take in a big chunky bite
duck! The presentation was admirable. But the only way to truly enjoy it, is to take the wrap and place the ducky bits inside, toss in some of the thinly sliced veggies that came with it, splash the sauce generously upon it, twist it into a roll and take in a big chunky bite. (Yes I am not exaggerating, because when I was not doing that, nibbling at the meat alone, someone at the restaurant, either a person serving us or the manager himself would come and explain it to us how that was the only way to have it.) And the rolling-in ceremony actually makes a huge difference. If you don’t know the art, don’t ruin the dish!
Thai Green Curry Chicken with a combination of steamed rice is something I intend to order again on my next visit. As the name suggests, it is prepared Thai style, which has to be, after all, one of the best styles of cooking. Upon the menu chart, the level of spice of each entrée is clearly marked, which
an international chain of Noodle Houses. I was numb with excitement to find out that one of my favourite restaurants in Dubai, was now in Pakistan. Here, the first one to open up, is in Lahore and the next one to follow very soon will be in Karachi. The food brings you tasty delights from Singapore, Thailand,
makes it very easy for you to order, especially if you are with kids. All of us being chicken fans, ordered yet another chicken item for a main dish. Chicken with Cashew Nuts runs a high risk of becoming my favourite for the coming month. It was simply heavenly. Prepared in a tangy spicy sauce made from Tamarind, it has just a bit of gravy, which is why you can either combine it with one of the side orders of various rice dishes or you can have it just as it is, bite after delectable bite! Pad Thai were noodles with prawns and chicken tossed in- slightly bland, hence perfect for those of you who can’t handle very spicy food. And don’t you fret, all you beef lovers out there. They have plenty of yummy items on the beefy side. The Noodle House is a franchise of
Malaysia and Indonesia. The chef, who cooked for us, was from Malaysia and they also have an Indonesian one. The one opening up in Karachi will also have foreign chefs. In Lahore, The Noodle House is located in Hotel One (opposite Coffee Tea & Company, off Hussain Chowk). We were stuffed up to our ears by the time the dessert arrived. No, we couldn’t even glance at the highly appetizinglooking Cheese Cake with Mango sauce or the Sticky Bean Doughnuts. But we did manage to steal one teeny little bite. And that was it, the cheesecake was polished clear off the plate in seconds. The doughnuts were gone as well. I must say that I simply couldn’t get enough of the rich, creamy, soft textured cheesecake! Sounds cliché? Well I have no other words to describe the feeling. It just melted in my mouth. Can’t recommend it enough. So what are you waiting for? Go try out some scrumptious food tonight at The Noodle House!
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Leisure Club’s Epic 15 year celebration
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eisure Club welcomed four thousand families to their Fashion Circus, in town for one day only, to celebrate the brands’ 15th anniversary! The Leisure Club Circus was be led by Ring Master Shaan Lashari and showcased over 162 performers, men women, and kids - all under the Circus’ Majestic Big Top tent! The entourage of performers including flying trapeze artists, acrobats, flame throwers, jugglers, dancers, magicians, knife throwers, balancing acts, roller juggling, gymnasts and spinners. Leisure Club proudly supported Pakistani talent and performing artists and to this end, every act, model and team that is part of
their Fashion Circus was a local talent brought together by Leisure Club. To make the Leisure Club Fashion Circus happen, the LC team had juggled vivid colours, acrobatically crafted
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their denims and literally tamed wild, psychedelic beasts! It was a never-seen before amalgamation of a mega fashion show with all the tricks and wiles of the Circus folk. At the family fashion
event, Leisure Club showcased their urban Western Spring/Summer 2012 collection that was bold, bright and unrestrained and based on three new lines: the circus spring line, the angry bird
line and core colour blocking line, which hit stores this March. In addition, Leisure Club unveiled a limited edition Hi-tech T-shirt line with a surprise performance by Quadrum and the V- Boys led by choreographer Veer. The performers dazzled the audience in their shiny and shimmery costumes. The event was also attended by Hamid Zaman Managing Director of Sefam, A Iqbal Qarshi of Qarshi Industries, Kamran Lashari, Jahanzeb Q Khan of Pepsi, Waleed Zaman Art Director of
Kayseria, Bilal Zaman Brand Manager of Shahnameh, Actress Juggun Kazim, Film Director Bilal Lashari, Fashion Designers Kamiar Rokni and Sara Shahid, Musician Mahmood Rehman and Personalities such as Hamza Tarrar, Taimoor Chaudhry, Bilal Mukhtar and Omar Salamat. It was a Lotus Event.
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Review
Pakistan is a nation rich in culture and craft in all its parts
By Ali Zafar
O
ne has to just step out into the streets of Lahore to find an assortment of unique Pakistani art and craftwork. This Pakistani art contributed by myriad nameless artisans from all over the country can be viewed as our nation’s pride. While countries all over the world flaunt their culture, we do not give ours the importance which is rightly its due. Let’s take some time to get better acquainted with the wide array of arts and crafts found in Pakistan. We’ll start our journey in the mountainous northern regions of Pakistan, where the cities of Peshawar and Swat emerge as significant instances of Pakistani culture. Here, our most celebrated art forms are in evidence. Brass work is on top of all the handicrafts of Peshawar, which is an art practiced in many regions
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around the country notably Lahore and parts of Sindh. Brass work involves the engraving of various shapes and patterns on brass items using the traditional methods of naqqashi (sketching) and khudahi (scraping). The
end result is without a doubt appealing to the eye. Swat is famous for its woven textiles and embroidered products. While weaving is carried out in many other major cities, Swat in particular has a long established weaving centre whose blankets are mentioned even in early Buddhist texts. Swat has also retained its traditional form of embroidery which probably represents the most creative and colourful needle artwork found in Pakistan. Pakistani stone craft also has ties with the north. Here, in cities such as Haripur, marble, sandstone and onyx are common materials worked upon to produce a wide range of stone crafted items. These stone products take days to complete and require immense precision and skill from the craftsmen. Taxila is the heart of stone craftwork in Pakistan and is influenced by Budhist culture. This art
which has been present since ages can be seen on many major landmarks of the country, notably the pietra durawork in the Lahore Fort’s Sheesh Mahal. We move south to the vast plains of the Punjab, a region blooming with culture. There is a large market for handicrafts in the cities of Multan, Lahore and Taxila among others. A wide variety of materials is made use of in this region from stone and wood, to camel-skin and ivory. Lahore’s inner citycan itself be viewed as one big artistic wonder. Many crafts have their roots deep in Lahore, which have been flourishing and expanding since the Mughals set up their strongholds here. Metalwork is one of those crafts, along with pottery. Statuettes and models of various aspects of Pakistani culture are a common sight in Lahore. Anarkali is a popular spot if one wishes to buy such heritage ornaments, which include small models of tongas, huqqas(smoking pipe), pankhas(fan) and many others. There is even a working model of a nalka (hand pump) in some stores which is truly an eye catcher. Multan will be our next stop, a city which can be considered as the chief handicrafts market of the country. We’ll start with the camel skin craft and ivory work done in Multan. Camel skin is cleaned, dried and mounted onto moulds which can be of any desired. Multi-coloured lacquer painting is then used to ornament the moulds, which in the end bear a Mughal or Persian feel. Ivory is crafted into pens, chess sets, jewellery and other accessories such as keychains by expert craftsmen. Multan is then also famous for its pottery, carpets, leather crafts and stone craft. Other than this, Punjab is a popular centre of Naqqashi (fresco painting on walls)(Lahore and Multan) and woodwork (Chiniot). Chinioti furniture is famous all over Pakistan. Chinioti woodwork at its best can be seen in the Umar Hayat Palace, an uncelebrated architectural wonder. Before we move towards the rocky terrain of Balochistan we will head towards Sillanwali. Sillanwali developed into a hub of woodcraft in the Mughal era, when the manufacturing of
swords’ wooden hilts was carried out with much expertise. This small town showcases lacquer art, an art which is slowly increasing in popularity. Wood is seasoned, cut and a layer of base coat is applied onto it. After that different motifs and designs are engraved onto the wood by the artisan (Naqash), to create ornate tables, pitchers, jars, tables and vases. Balochistan is our next destination. The barren terrain belies a barren culture but the opposite is true. Balochistan is as culturally rich as the other provinces. Balochistan produces embroidered textiles and leather crafts. Balochi karhai (embroidery) has a large demand all over Pakistan. The embroidered textiles are used to make shawls, topis (caps), vests and an assortment of dresses. An embroidered triangular pouch
The culture of a nation is its pride. We cannot promote national feeling without respecting and upholding our traditions (pushk) designed in front of dresses is a trademark Balochi fashion.“Chakkan” is the term given to leather embroidery, which is famous for its intricate design and appealing colour scheme. The items on which leather embroidery is generally done include the upper part of ladies and gents shoes (Sartal), belts, purses, shoulder bags and a number of similar items. This art is peculiar to the Makran district. Sindh produces pretty much all of the crafts found in Pakistan, as it is a port city and the commercial capital of Pakistan. Different types of woven textiles are a common sight in the cities of Hyderabad, Khairpur, Halla and Thatta. Karachi is also another popular centre for arts and crafts. Metalwork, woodwork and pottery are
a few examples. The highlight of all handicrafts produced in Sindh is the unique pattern known as Ajrak, which is printed on shawls and caps. Over the years, Ajraks have become a symbol of Sindhi culture. There is still an art form that remains to be touched. This is not peculiar to any province or region;it is a national phenomenon. What we will explore next is the strikingly artistic work found on trucks and rickshaws that inhabit roads all over the country. Showing off floral patterns, calligraphy and sometimes pearls of wisdom, our vehicle art is an eye catcher for anyone who is viewing it for the first time. This truck or rickshaw art is done in many cities notably Lahore, Rawalpindi, Karachi and Quetta, and it is observed that every city has its signature style which is different from that of the other cities. Vehicles decorated in Quetta and Peshawar get lots of wood trimming whereas those in Rawalpindi get lots of plastic decoration. Karachi excels in using reflective tapes, also called‘chamak patty’ in the local tongue and camel bone decorations are used by artists of rural Sindh. Sadly, this tradition is slowly declining. It would be much beneficial for our artisans and our culture if such traditions bloom. It would no doubt be impossible to capture a culture so vast, in simply a few paragraphs. The culture of a nation is surely its pride. We cannot promote national feeling without respecting and upholding our traditions. Over the past few years encouraging signs are coming forward. The Tourism Development and Small Industries corporations are slowly increasing their work. Expos are becoming more frequent. Renovations are taking place in the heritage sites of Lahore. We must continue while we are on a roll and should start expanding our culture to other countries. The culture which has retained its traditions, the culture which is as multifaceted as its people, the culture which leaves everyone dazzled at first sight.
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Review
Pakistan Panorama The present book is a compendium enclosing a comprehensive survey of all of the years of Pakistan’s existence besides the movement leading to its creation By Syed Afsar Sajid
D
r. Ayesha Jalal teaches at the History Department, Tufts University, USA and the Fletcher School. She has also been associated with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Columbia University, and Harvard University and has written extensively on history, culture and political economy with special reference to Pakistan and South Asia. The present book, adroitly edited by her, is a compendium enclosing a comprehensive survey of all of the years of Pakistan’s
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Title: The Oxford Companion to Pakistani History Edited by: Dr. Ayesha Jalal Publisher: Oxford University Press, Karachi Pages: 558; Price: Rs.1500/-
existence besides the movement leading to its creation. The publishers claim that for the first time ‘all facets of Pakistani history have been covered’ in a quasi-encyclopaedic edition seeking to discuss a variety of topics ‘from the pre-Partition colonial period to post-Partition movements (religious, political, cultural etc.), people and places, culture, architecture, politics, military, economics, linguistics, archaeology, judiciary, art, theatre, education, foreign relations, government, media, philanthropy, civil society and several others’. To make it more user-friendly, it is contended that ‘all entries have been written in an analytical, unbiased style by well-known experts in the related field of the topic, paying the keenest attention to factual details’. Entries from a large number of contributors (131) belonging to different walks of life constitute the volume in hand. In her apposite prefatory remarks, the editor proclaims that the book ‘aims at illustrating centre-province as well as inter- and intra-provincial dynamics in Pakistan through the shifting lens of its political, economic, cultural and intellectual history’ by ‘providing a judicious balance between the ‘nation’ and its diverse constituent units’. Notable contributors to the book, among others, are A. A. Sukhochev (Formerly from the Institute of Oriental Studies, Moscow), Abbas Rashid (Chairman, Society for the Advancement of Education, Lahore), Akmal Hussain (Economist), Ali Asani (Prof., Harvard Univ., USA), Aminullah Chaudhry (Lawyer/ex-Civil Servant), Anwar Syed (Univ. of Massachusetts, USA), Asif Farrukhi (Writer/Critic), Ayesha Siddiqua (Security Analyst), Badal Khan (Pro VC, Univ. of Balochistan), Dennis Kux (Senior Policy Scholar, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, USA), Fahmida Riaz (Poet/
Feminist), Francis Robinson (Prof. of History, Univ. of London), Hamid Khan (Advocate), Hamid Mir (Journalist), Hamida Khuro (Prof.), Hassan Nasir (Expert on Leftist Labour Movements), I. A. Rahman (Journalist/HR Activist), Ian Talbot (Prof./History Department Head, Univ. of Southampton, UK), Jameel Jalibi (Writer/Critic), Javed Iqbal (Jurist/Scholar), Jonathan Mark Kenoyer (Prof./Chair, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, USA), Kaiser Bengali (Economist), Kamil Khan Mumtaz (Architect), Khalid Ahmed (Journalist), Moonis Ahmar (Prof., IRD, Univ. of Karachi), Muneeza Hashmi (Media Expert), Muneeza Shamsie (Writer/Critic), Nadia Ghani (OUP, Pakistan), Naazish Ataullah (Prof., NCA, Lahore), Mushirul Hasan (DG, National Archives of India), Nasim Zehra Akhlaque (Journalist), Rasul Bakhsh Rais (Political Analyst), Salima Hashmi (Artist), Sartaj Aziz (Statesman/Educationist), Shafqat Tanvir Mirza (Writer), Shairf al Mujahid (Prof.), Sheema Kirmani (Artist), Shuja Nawaz (Political Analyst based in USA), Stephen Cohen (Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution, USA), Syed Babar Ali (Businessman/Philanthropist), Tariq Rahman (Writer/Critic), Wiqar Ali Shah (Allama Iqbal Prof., Univ. of Heidelberg, Germany), and Zia Gurchani (Writer/ Artist). The book is alphabetically spread up to the first punctuation in the ‘headword’ that would best distinguish/identify persons, institutions, abstractions, objects or sites. The two maps besides the glossary and subject index are meant to facilitate the reader to skim through the book which is sure to assume enormous significance as a Companion to our national history, anthropology, culture, politics, economy, etc. Omissions apart, ostensibly it was an onerous task to compile a book of this denomination as in the editor’s own words, “there is no
To make it more user-friendly, it is contended that ‘all entries have been written in an analytical, unbiased style by well-known experts in the related field of the topic, paying the keenest attention to factual details’ agreement on the contours of Pakistani history”. The instant book together with a few others bearing on the subject, lately published by H.V. Hodson (The Great Divide Britain-India-Pakistan), Ayesha Jalal (The Sole Spokesman: Jinnah, The Muslim League, and the Demand for Pakistan), Hector Bolitho (Jinnah: Creator of Pakistan), Stanley Wolpert (Jinnah of Pakistan), Akbar S. Ahmed (Jinnah, Pakistan and Islamic Identity: The Search for Saladin), lan Talbot (Pakistan: A Modern History), Stephen P. Cohen (The Idea of Pakistan), K. K. Aziz (The Murder of History: A Critique of History Textbooks Used in Pakistan) and Saeed Shafqat (New Perspectives on Pakistan Visions For the Future-Edited) forms a unique set of deca-publications covering a wide range of perspectives about the history of Pakistan, expected to be of great value to the students of Pakistani history.
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