DESTINATIONS - Issue 5 - Pakistan's Premier Travel and Lifestyle Magazine

ISSUE #05

THE

BIG TRIP

RIDING ALONG THE KARAKORAM HIGHWAY WITH

ALI AZMAT IN RETROSPECT

FROM THE SUITCASE OF DELPHI’S

NIDA TAPAL

FAIZA BUTT

ROME WITH FIFI HAROON

contents.

THE

BIG

ISSUE #05

On the cover

p.32

On the cover

TRIP

A BIG FAT

NEAR & AFAR

p.88

LAHORI

26

Destinations Desires

28

Dream Destinations

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

WEDDING

32

The Big Trip - Ali Azmat

HERITAGE 48

An August Audience

DESTINATIONS DIARY 54

As Romans Do

p.54

AS

ROMANS

DO

p.142

p.109

from the suitcase of

NIDA TAPAL

p.74

LET’S DISH 74

Sahar Ghanchi - A Karachiite in Lahore

THE FASHION FIX 88

A Big Fat Lahori Wedding

BAZAAR BUZZ 119 In Search of Craftsmanship

ART SPEAKS 129 Faiza Butt in Retrospect

TRAVELISTA 142 From The Suitcase of Nida Tapal

WANDERER

Karachiite in

148 On Life, Love and The Pursuit of Wilderness

LAHORE

154 Over The Hills and Under The Sea

p.129

FAIZA BUTT in

retrospect

contents.

THE

BIG

ISSUE #05

On the cover

p.32

On the cover

TRIP

A BIG FAT

NEAR & AFAR

p.88

LAHORI

26

Destinations Desires

28

Dream Destinations

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

WEDDING

32

The Big Trip - Ali Azmat

HERITAGE 48

An August Audience

DESTINATIONS DIARY 54

As Romans Do

p.54

AS

ROMANS

DO

p.142

p.109

from the suitcase of

NIDA TAPAL

p.74

LET’S DISH 74

Sahar Ghanchi - A Karachiite in Lahore

THE FASHION FIX 88

A Big Fat Lahori Wedding

BAZAAR BUZZ 119 In Search of Craftsmanship

ART SPEAKS 129 Faiza Butt in Retrospect

TRAVELISTA 142 From The Suitcase of Nida Tapal

WANDERER

Karachiite in

148 On Life, Love and The Pursuit of Wilderness

LAHORE

154 Over The Hills and Under The Sea

p.129

FAIZA BUTT in

retrospect

17

PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ASMA CHISHTY MANAGING EDITOR : MARIAM MUSHTAQ FEATURES & COMMISSIONING EDITOR : ZAHRA HIDAYATULLAH DESIGN & LAYOUT : USMAN MUNIR OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER : UBAID-UR-REHMAN CIRCULATION : ALI TARIQ MEDIA SALES : NAEEM ULLAH PUBLISHED BY : DAEWOO PAKISTAN EXPRESS BUS SERVICE LTD. 231, FEROZEPUR ROAD, KALMA CHOWK, LAHORE, PAKISTAN +92.42.111.007.006 , +92.42.3583.5132 LEGAL ADVISOR : BASIT WAHEED WATTOO GM MARKETING & SALES (DAEWOO) : SHERIAR HASSAN CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER (DAEWOO) : USMAN HAYAT CONTACT (SALES) : +92 334 423 4681 (NAEEM ULLAH) +92 333 888 2420 (IRFAN QURESHI) CONTACT (EDITORIAL) : +92 335 455 5764 (ALI TARIQ) DISTRIBUTORS: NATIONAL NEWS AGENCY PRINTER : TOPICAL PRINTERS

destinationspk

destinations.com.pk www.destinations.com.pk

destinationspk

contributors Fifi Haroon

Sona Datta

Iftikhar Firdous

Madeeha Syed

As Romans Do p.54

Faiza Butt - In Retrospect p.129

An August Audience p.48

Over the Hill and Under the Sea p.154

Fifi Haroon has been a leading journalist and media producer for over 20 years. She earned degrees in politics (Bryn Mawr), law (Cambridge University) and Media Anthropology (SOAS, London University), the last as a Chevening Scholar. She has written extensively on travel, film and pop culture for many publications and websites including The Independent and Newsweek Pakistan.

Haroon works as a senior broadcast journalist and presenter for the BBC World Service in London in both Urdu and English.

She has sung with Junoon and tweets to over 55,000 followers as @fifiharoon.

Sona Datta is an art historian and cultural collaborator. Her work extends across museums, biennials and television. As Head of South Asian art at the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts, she has extended the purview of that museum’s world-renowned Modern Indian Art Collection to now include the best contemporary art that references all of South Asia.

She previously worked at the British Museum for 8 years where she redefined the British Museum’s engagement with modern collecting through the acquisition of contemporary art from Pakistan that linked to the historical past. She lives in London with her husband, two boys (and no dog).

Iftikhar Firdous is a senior correspondent for The Express Tribune from FATA, and is based in Peshawar. A linguist academically, he is currently researching the impact of terrorism on the Pashto language. He tweets @iftikharfirdous and can be reached on iftikhar.firdous@gmail.com.

Madeeha Syed is a journalist, an awardwinning documentary filmmaker and radio correspondent constantly looking for excuses to travel. She hates heights but loves mountains; is a long-distance cyclist and certified one-star CMAS diver. And by the end of most trips, a broke backpacker.

A Karachiite in Lahore

Sahar Ghanchi p.74

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I

editors note from the

n a land of majestic mountains and verdant valleys, deep sea and mighty rivers, rolling hills and hot plains, deserts, forests and other varied topography, there’s plenty of choice in Pakistan for the quintessential traveller.

Our lead story features rockstar Ali Azmat who recently embarked on a two-week motorbike trip across the world’s highest paved road, the Karakoram Highway.

Part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) , he weaves his way along this ancient Silk Route from Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region to the historic city of Kashgar in China’s Xinjiang region. In this DESTINATIONS exclusive, he recounts his adventures and shares his favourite memories from a trip that he recalls as a defining journey.

From the rugged terrain of Peshawar comes a compelling narrative of the mystical Hujra. A unique institution that binds the community together by building a keen sense of camaraderie and brotherhood, the Hujra is an integral part of the Pakhtunwali code that governs the life of the Pakhtun tribes and people. Due to political upheaval in the region, it has transitioned from the physical realm to a more secure and economically viable, digital one.

Iftikhar Firdous relates the story and significance of this wonderful convention and its transition into the modern consciousness.

In the urban jungle, fashion takes precedence as we bring you a glimpse of the star-studded PFDC L'Oréal Bridal Week. Celebrating Pakistan’s top bridal couturiers and paying homage to the rich traditions of craftsmanship indigenous to this land, PLBW is much like a big fat desi wedding and our riveting photo essay shows you why.

While on the subject of craftsmanship, Salima Feerasta

ASMA CHISHTY

PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ventures deep into Karachi’s various bazaars to uncover a treasure trove of fabrics and techniques, allowing one to customize outfits according to personal taste and budget.

Style maven Sahar Ghanchi explores Lahore’s hip new food street. Hosting a range of cafes and restaurants catering to international taste buds, this Karachiite finds herself right at home walking across cobbled-fronted eateries to order the perfect meal and share tales of her travels.

Moving beyond borders, we follow our people to lands both known and some lesser known. It is Fifi Haroon’s Roman holiday that sets the stage for the grand travel tale as she traverses through Rome on foot and in cabs getting re-acquainted with the city squares, art monuments, ancient structures and other cultural reference points while also discovering new reasons to love this historic city with its modern vibe.

We also explore the London that is relevant to Pakistan’s foremost contemporary artist, Faiza Butt, as she takes us around her neck of the woods to understand her better as an artist, a parent and a woman. In a complementing feature, art historian and museum curator Sona Datta delves into a detailed retrospective account of Butt’s journey as an artist and as a person.

When popular RJ and entrepreneur, Fizza Aslam, goes to Africa with her husband Taimoor Saigol for some post wedding R&R, we get acquainted some of the most exotic locales in Zanzibar and Tanzania. But it is the uber chic and very stylish Nida Tapal of the fashion brand Delphi who guides us on how to pack for some of the most exciting trips of our lives. For all this and other things, scroll through our latest issue to stumble upon the world that lies beyond your horizon.

ZAHRA HIDAYATULLAH

FEATURES & COMMISSIONING EDITOR

MARIAM MUSHTAQ MANAGING EDITOR

NEAR & AFAR Our guide to what we’re currently loving.

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iBroked

Ever felt at a complete loss when you accidentally break or damage your phone? Let iBroked, the latest mobile repair service in town, come to your rescue. Saving you the hassle of going to get it done yourself, iBroked repairs most Apple and Samsung devices while you enjoy the comfort of your home.

Pink Pistachio

The Linen Company

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Tiger Temple

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Looking to give your bedroom a stylish update this fall? Head over to the chic The Linen Company store located at Gulberg Galleria and browse the store’s collection of luxurious bed linen. From solid colours to modern prints, silky satins to crisp cottons, a kid’s range to bedding basics, it will have all your bed linen needs sorted.

Tiger Temple opens its doors in Islamabad, inviting people to come and enjoy their preservative free, authentic Thai food. The menu consists of oriental delights such as hand-crafted dumplings, home made curry pastes and noodles cooked in the perfect blend of flavours. Their Tangy Chicken Salad, Steamed Lime Fish, Tiger Temple Pad Thai Noodles and the strongly brewed Thai-style iced coffee are a must try.

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4

Pink Pistachio is just the place to get your hands on the most delectable contemporary sweet and savoury delicacies. Whether for a special event or just to pamper yourself with some mouth-watering professionally made goodies, Pink Pistachio has it all. The assorted artisanal bread hampers and the customized luxury cakes and cupcakes will have you craving for more, so place your orders now.

Doctor Strange

5

Based on the Marvel Comics character, Doctor Strange is one of fall’s most-awaited movies. Starring the dreamy Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Stephen Strange, a neurosurgeon possessing substantial medical and magical knowledge, this is the perfect movie to enjoy with your friends and family that will surely drag you into its mystical world.

NEAR & AFAR Islamabad

Kallar Kahar Lahore

Whether you’re craving a domestic getaway or eyeing a more exotic trip abroad, we pick out the best places to help you plan your travels.

Photography:

AR

KALL AR KAH

With November upon us, the hot summer air has settled and cool breezes have begun to sweep the province of Punjab, making the charming town of Kallar Kahar a must visit.

ki

ru Waleed A. Fa

How to get there

Kallar Kahar is about the 225km from Lahore on km 125 t ou ab motorway, and be n ca d an from Islamabad r. ca by ed easily reach

Where to stay

a People mostly make it but day-trip out of their vis mystical the desire to see the dawn at peacocks dancing at Sakhy the famous shrine of ke you Ahoo Bahoo might ma t. The want to stay overnigh ntre of tourist information ce all TDCP has created a sm the motel that overlooks e) Kallar Kahar (salt lak e. for this very purpos 28

What to do

its The area is known for e, lak ter wa sh peacocks, fre a ri, ab -B t-e kh and for the Ta by ne sto of ilt flat stage bu ror emperor Babar. Empe a d nte pla Babar also -Safa, garden called Bagh-e enic sc the to which adds n. tow e ren se s beauty of thi l da pe joy en Visitors can at boating and motorbo ich wh e, lak rides in the at for happens to be a habit that ds bir of several species r lde co m fro arrive here r. nte wi g rin regions du llar Hiking on the hill of Ka the to al pe ap Kahar will . adventure enthusiasts

Muscat

AN

SAL AL AH, OM

largest Salalah, the second n as city in Oman, is know ital.

Arabia’s perfume cap and With beautiful beaches as a stunning coastline, well as mountains and ture waterfalls, it is a na lover’s paradise.

How to get there

hts perates flig Oman Air o om regularly fr to Salalah nd a d a b ma Karachi, Isla ket ic T t. a Musc Lahore via s from price range 0. to Rs. 65,00 Rs. 45,000

Salalah

Rotana Resort

Where to stay a h Rotana is The Salala a g n lo a sort set five-star re d n a s lagoon number of l xurious hote lu canals. This k c ro rt m dese is made fro al by tradition d e and inspir h it w , re hitectu Omani arc iya b ra sh ways, ma d stone arch n a s, w windo latticework It s. n g desi Arabesque , ming pools im sw o tw s st a d bo a an courts, a sp two tennis . b a kid’s clu

What to do

the footprints in Leave your e d of th pristine san hes, e g in d beac coconut-fr ls at a c ers with lo rub should op sh u ouq as yo s Al Housn S e ss re l headd for colourfu ankincense, tic fr and aroma h’s many enjoy Salala ulge in r ind waterfalls o e rkeling – th o sn . diving and ss le d n ities is e list of activ

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THE

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

BIG TRIP

By Mariam Mushtaq

Rockstar Ali Azmat recently undertook a 15-day motorbike trip across the majestic Karakoram Highway, stopping by picturesque destinations along the ancient Silk Route to finally end up at the Chinese city of Kashgar. In this DESTINATIONS exclusive, he recounts his adventures and shares his favourite memories from the journey.

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Photography: Ubaid-ur-Rehman

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

“NOT ALL THOSE WHO WANDER ARE LOST.” Passing through the majestic Karakoram mountains at a staggering 15,000 feet above sea level, a journey marked as much by treacherous turns as it is by awe-inspiring vistas – especially if one happens to be on a motorbike – this haunting verse by J.R.R Tolkein has a strangely reassuring effect.

At least that’s what kept Ali Azmat focused during his recent 15-day motorbike adventure across Pakistan’s north into the Chinese city of Kashgar. “This line kept popping in my head as I rode and it kept me single-minded enough to concentrate on roads where a tiny pebble under the wheel can mean instant death,” he discloses in an exclusive conversation with DESTINATIONS, anchored firmly at ground level in the safety of the home he shares with his wife and two young daughters.

For a generation that has grown up listening to Ali Azmat’s music, he will always remain Pakistan’s original rockstar, the man who gave us the iconic Jazba-e-Junoon and Sayonee. Never one to shy away from taking risks – whether in his professional and personal lives – Azmat’s latest persona as a motorcycle enthusiast should come as no surprise to his legions of fans.

The journey began in 2011, when Azmat bought his first heavy bike, inspired in part by Ewan McGregor’s Long Way Around, a travel documentary based on the actor’s 3-month motorcycle trip around the world. “I thought to myself, here’s a guy who’s a movie star and has all the luxuries in the world; yet he’s willing to step out of his comfort zone and embark on this crazy trip,” reveals Azmat.

The seeds of an idea were sown and Azmat embarked on a solo ride from Lahore to Karachi, a 2-day trip averaging 600km of riding per day. Terming it one of the most exhilarating and liberating experiences of his life, the musician has, since then, traversed unknown terrains across the country.

“I’ve taken my bike to some of the remotest corners of Pakistan, camped outdoors, seen sights I never thought possible. The skyline near Pasni in Gwadar, for example, still haunts me in its eerie beauty, with its undulating sand dunes as high as buildings. I’ve reached the conclusion that this here is perhaps the best country in the world, with the best food, people and scenery. Go out and discover it for yourself.”

This summer, Azmat amped up the adventure by undertaking his first international trip, along with a group of 4 other motorbike enthusiasts. Although the original plan of reaching the Pamir Mountains, referred to as “the roof of the world”, via the Central Asian counties of Kyrgystan and Tajikistan didn’t pan out due to visa delays, the entourage’s journey along the ancient silk route was no less spectacular, culminating at the 2,000 year old Chinese city of Kashgar.

Read on as the rockstar-turned-travel enthusiast shares the highlights of the trip.

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“ I thought to myself, here’s a guy (Ewan McGregor) who’s a movie star and has all the luxuries in the world; yet he’s willing to step out of his comfort zone and embark on this crazy trip,”

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OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

36

Y

ou began your journey in Lahore and ended it across the border in Kashgar. Tell us about the route you took and the stops you made along the way.

We left from Lahore and made our first stop after an 11-hour ride at Malakandi, just short of Naran.

Then we rode onwards to Passu which took another 11 hours of non-stop biking. We stayed a night at Passu and the next day we crossed the border at Khunjerab and entered China through Tashkurgan.

The next day, which was the 5th day of the trip, we arrived in Kashgar.

Does one have to be physically fit to undertake a trip like this?

I’m a very lazy person by nature. What do you expect… I’m a musician; I’ve never had to work a day in my life! Jokes aside, other than riding my bike regularly, I’m not physically active and I didn’t really train for the journey beforehand. We were all kind of unfit and hence I think it’s a good thing we didn’t get to make it to the Pamirs. That would have been a very gruelling journey.

What was the most challenging aspect of the journey?

Acclimatizing yourself to the heights and learning to deal with altitude sickness. The constant change in altitude takes a toll on you physically as breathing becomes difficult due to the lack of oxygen. You’re at 12,000 feet one day and the next day you’re down to 10,000 feet and then back up again to 13,000 feet. It’s fine as long as you’re sitting on the bike, but the minute you get off, even walking becomes a task and a half. The heavy gear that you’re wearing – the boots and the gloves – slow you down further. But simply said, we like riding and when you like something, it’s not hard work.

Share your favourite memory of the trip.

Crossing the border at Khunjerab, which, at 16,000 feet, is the highest paved international crossing in the world, was quite majestic. The symbolic gate at the border is quite a sight and once we crossed over to the Chinese side, the state-of-the-art machinery and equipment they had in use, blew us away.

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OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

“People in Kashgar loved our bikes and every time we stopped we’d get surrounded by locals wanting to take photos with the ‘machines’ as they called them. It was a refreshing change from this side of the border, where people wanted to take photos with me!”

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OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

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OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

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OFF THE BEATEN TRACK You spent 4 days in the historic city of Kashgar.

What were your impressions of the place?

It’s a beautiful oasis city, and very different from Beijing or Shanghai which I have visited previously. The pace of life is more laidback and its past as an important trading town along the Silk Route is evident in its various historic monuments.

The women in Kashgar wear the most vibrant and festive clothing, even in their day-to-day lives and I found that very fascinating. Imagine being decked up in all your finery and working as a bank teller! The people are 90% Uygur Muslims and 10% Han Chinese. They loved our bikes and every time we stopped we’d get surrounded by locals wanting to take photos with the ‘machines’ as they called them. It was a refreshing change from this side of the border, where people wanted to take photos with me!

How was the food in Kashgar?

The Uygur cuisine is a lot like ours. They love their meat tikkas and their sheep kebabs; their yogurt and lassi. And the naans you find there are amazing, enough to sustain one for a few days.

They made a great snack during our rides, as we’d pack them along and take a few bites whenever we felt our sugar levels dropping. I also loved the authentic Chinese cuisine. It was mostly vegetables such as cabbage and beans but cooked in the most flavourful manner.

They say it’s the people you meet along the way that make a trip truly memorable. Tell us about your encounters with the locals and those who left an impact.

On the way back to Lahore, we stopped at Gulmit in Upper Hunza. It’s the most beautiful place on earth, with the most amazing people. They are not only good-looking and educated but also extremely chilled out. That’s the only way to describe them. I was really impressed to visit the local music school there and to learn that half of the students were female. Everyone was singing and playing their instruments and it was an amazing experience to join in.

Do your travels inspire your music?

Sitting in these far off places, listening to local musicians, I found myself thinking of melodies during this trip. Modern music that we hear on a daily basis is tuned to 440 megahertz and that’s what our ears have become accustomed to.

Local musicians play at a completely different frequency and hence their melodies sound sweeter, more enticing. For my last few songs, I tried changing the tuning around and I hope to do it in the future also.

What’s the most valuable lesson that you’ve learnt while travelling into unknown territory?

Make a point to stop and say hello to whomever you pass along the way, because you never know when a stranger’s kindness will come in handy. I learnt my lesson through personal experience. A while ago, my gang and I were travelling from Swat to Dir on what can at best be described as a goat path. It was smack in the middle of a thick forest and our bikes had fallen down. Two local guys passed us and when we said hello, they stopped to help us. We shared our water and biscuits with them and they ended up guiding us till the end of the journey, even helping us carry our heavy bikes across a glacier. At one point, I was about to pass out from a lack of water and one of the men reached inside the glacier and handed me a block of ice. Without their assistance, we might not have made it to the other side in one piece.

For those who want to follow in your footsteps, what would be the ideal first trip?

Pakistan is a motorcyclist’s dream so you can literally get up and go to any sort of place you want. We have 1,200 kilometers of beaches, we have deserts, we have spectacular mountain ranges. There are fields of cotton and orange trees in Punjab, apricots and apples up North and cherries in Balochistan. The terrain keeps changing and the beauty is varied. Get up and go; just don’t overthink it.

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HERITAGE

AN

august

AUDIENCE

By Iftikhar Firdous

48

A unique institution that binds the community together by building a keen sense of camaraderie and brotherhood, by serving democratic ideals and justice and upholding knowledge over all else, the Hujra is an integral part of the Pakhtunwali code that governs the life of the Pakhtun tribes and people. Due to political upheaval in the region, it has transitioned from the physical realm to a more secure and economically viable, digital one.

Leading journalist, Iftikhar Firdous, narrates the story and significance of this wonderful convention steeped in rich history, culture and its transition into modern consciousness.

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A

HERITAGE

s the sun settles on the Pak-Afghan border in Mohmand Agency and tribesmen from the Khugalkhel tribe gather under the starry night in a compound that’s nothing more than a façade of brick walls, a slight humming of the rabab relaxes the intensity that surrounds a region ravaged by war. It’s been a difficult decade and while the families of most of the men in the compound live in Peshawar, tribal tradition demands their presence in their native areas to settle disputes and quench their yearning for entertainment in the rugged terrain that has little to offer of what the modern world holds.

As the dark edges of the night singe the twilight, the Hujra comes to life, the music of the rabab with chatter over endless cups of kehwa is routine. This gathering is not only an institution that resolves problems but is considered to be a vital part of the Pakhtun tradition to uphold what it stands for.

Any mention of the Pakhtun tradition in today’s time would be incomplete without an explicit reference to conflict and migration. But at the heart of it lies a core value system based on hospitality and justice that is now trying to sustain itself in the new world. The Hujra, as an institution to uphold those values, is also evolving.

The origin of the Hujra, as an idiosyncratic space of Pakhtuns, is as old as recorded history. Together with the kor (household) and jumaat (mosque) it forms the basis of a tradition, as Professor Raj Wali Shah Khattak, an authority on the subject, has pointed out in his book “The Pakhtun Culture.”

As the Pashto tappa goes – Hujra Da Qaam o Kalee Sara – “the Hujra only has value with a tribe and its village.” This folk song captures the essence of the institution. The Hujra serves as a community center for men only. Rokhan Yousafzai, a contemporary historian of Pakhtun culture says that the Hujra was originally a shared space of a tribe or village. “It was considered to be the first school of every

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Pakhtun child,” says Yousafzai, explaining nostalgically, “it was a gathering where a generation of boys became men.”

Yousafzai argues that the ever-expansive city and the knowledge outburst in the form of radio, television and now social networking has altered the way the Hujra is viewed. “It’s impossible to maintain and afford a shared space in the city,” he says, adding that while the younger generation was interested in learning from the elders in the Hujra, it’s the other way round now. “The Hujra will have to evolve or it will die out,” he says, suggesting the ultimate prognosis of the institution.

Massive urban migration and displacement in the Pakhtun lands has resulted in several social anomalies. The traditional Hujra usually had courtyards and pathways leading to large rooms, mostly for the guests who stayed back for the night.

The design of the Hujra was such that it reflected the Pakhtun value system of equality within a tribe; there were no hierarchal spaces, although respect for elders was considered to be of utmost importance. The furnishing would be a number of charpoys known as the kat. The rabab and chelam were essential commodities and this structure was looked after by the people of the locality.

Any transgression against this delicate fabric often resulted in bloody feuds and conflicts. The violation into the personal space of anyone in the Hujra is considered to be the worst form of violation amongst the Pakhtuns. Even the worst of rivals when seated in a Hujra have to maintain adherence to the Pakhtun code called the Pakhtunwali which is an amalgam of three main ideals.

Mimastya, Hospitality – All tribespeople are obliged to display their hospitality towards others, whether they are strangers or members of one’s own tribe, and guarantee their security. There are no markers of distinction between guests based on caste, race or religion. Hospitality to travellers and strangers is an obligation. Anyone that cannot be hospitable to his guests is not considered to be a Pakhtun, such is the significance of this convention. The security and protection of visitors is so important that it takes precedence over all other claims including that of justice or retaliation.

Nanawati, Pardon – The concept of forgiveness and submission plays an integral role in the Pakhtun way of life. Pukhtunwali demands that it is a duty to

Hashim Babar at his Dera, the site of a traditional Hujra

The violation into the personal space of anyone in the Hujra is considered to be the worst form of violation amongst the Pakhtuns.

grant asylum and provide an abode to a person, even an enemy, who comes to seek protection in peace. This also applies to people who are escaping their enemies. Any harm to a person who has sought Nanawati is considered to be an act of war against the tribe that has given him protection.

Badal, Justice – The term literally translates to ‘exchange’ or ‘retaliation’ and implies seeking justice or taking revenge against the wrong done. Justice can be sought in many ways, ranging from redressing through shedding of blood to less drastic measures.

The institution of the Hujra guarantees that the code of Pakhtunwali remains intact by placing the Jirga headed by the council of elders into that space and resolving disputes through mutual discussion as opposed to individual action.

When a decision is made, every single individual is bound to follow the decision.

Noreen Naseer, a professor of Political Economy who has been researching the economic impact of migration and terrorism, believes that the Hujra has been reduced to a baithak in cities.

This is an individual’s home space with no rules of Pakhtunwali guarding it, as was the practice. “The Hujra is an expensive space, a luxury for the elite in the cities,” she says. “For a large majority of Pakhtuns, capital management and shaping their economic conditions is now more important than living with an institution of the past they deem as more of a socioeconomic liability with no apparent returns.”

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HERITAGE

Hashim Babar Dera Mathra, Warsak Road, Peshawar

However, the cultural adaptability of this once-mighty institution has been rapid. In the face of sociological changes, the Hujra has now evolved into a closed Facebook group.

Several localities in even some of the most remote areas of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) have now created closed groups with only their own village-folk to keep their Hujra intact. “Since it’s not safe to go out of one’s home and maintain a Hujra the way it used to be, we decided to move beyond the physical realm to a digital one such as Facebook,” Malak Hasim Khan from Bajaur Agency says. “Many of our people in the village have smartphones with internet access and can connect to Facebook, even though there are no official cellular network providers in our areas,” he says. “We have to maintain some sort of tradition, even if it means uploading green tea [virtually],” he concludes with a smile.

In the city, the Hujra is now a Whatsapp group with a large number participants from all walks of life and individual backgrounds.

“Nobody has the time to meet up daily and discuss their issues,” says Imran Bukhari, the admin of one such group. “Some of the members of the Whatsapp group are even living in a different country, so it just keeps us all connected and updated when someone shares information or requires help.”

Bukhari’s group is not about a tribe or community, it is a network of varied individuals ranging from journalists to police officers, politicians to antique dealers, he’s got them all. “The concept behind the group was the realization that if no one can come to the Hujra anymore it’s better to take the Hujra to them; and what better way to do it than using the cell phone,” he says, quoting the famous Pashto poet Hamza Baba,

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“Jaam De Naway Wee Taaza Sharab Pakar Dee – Renew the Cup, Let the Wine Be Refreshed.”

DESTINATIONS DIARY

54

AS ROMANS DO

By Fifi Haroon

Leading journalist and media producer Fifi Haroon traverses through Rome on foot and in cabs getting re-acquainted with the city squares, art monuments, ancient structures and other cultural reference points while also discovering new reasons to love this historic city with its modern vibe on a recent holiday there.

T

DESTINATIONS DIARY

he first time I went to Rome was all too long ago.

I was a young graduate, fresh from college in America and a bit overwhelmed by what I perceived as the city’s fairly gargantuan proportions after the relative intimacy of Venice – the first stop on my virgin Italian sojourn.

Rome seemed all too snazzy for the novice traveller I was at the time. The famed Via Veneto, an avenue that boasts a cluster of designer shops and smart cafés was then the centre of all that is fashionably Italian. But in the late 1980s I felt decidedly dowdy and out of place amidst these Roman ‘it’ girls with their Prada handbags and patterned Missoni dresses. Today the avenue is in relative decay and not worth a fashionista pilgrimage.

Yet, some familiar hot spots resist change and are just as emblematic of Rome as they were over half a century ago. The Trevi fountain, one of Rome’s seminal film sites, is still as resplendent as the day when the Amazonian Swedish actress Anita Ekberg famously waded through its shallow waves clad in a revealing black number in La Dolce Vita (1960), Fellini’s cinematic paean to Rome. The unabashedly Baroque fountain is the work of Nicolo Salvi who, after a commission from Pope Clement XII, started building it in 1732 on the site of an ancient Roman aqueduct that brought fresh water to the city. Like most travellers I found myself tossing a few spare coins into the Trevi Fountain’s aquamarine waters on both trips. Around €3,000 is pitched into the water on a daily basis, collected at night to be contributed to a charity. Legend has it that if you flip the coin back into the fountain with your right hand over your left shoulder you will surely return to Rome soon.

Clearly I didn’t do it quite right the first time. Because it took me over twenty years to revisit the city.

For me it was undoubtedly love at second sight. The Italian capital I feel requires a slightly more mature eye; Rome is for women, not girls. There are layers to peel and it helps if you have the will to dig deeper and awaken to multiple possibilities of La Dolce Vita or the sweet life. The best way to acquaint yourself with the city’s Centro Storico is to traverse it by foot.

Despite the endless sheep-like tourist groups that

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inhabit this part of the city, the walk from the Baroque flamboyance of the Piazza Navona to the quaint little piazza that houses the rather more serene Pantheon can be full of surprises. Take a wrong turn and you may find yourself tarrying a while to listen to a busker playing the harp with dramatic flourish. Do applaud her efforts; everyone is a diva in Rome and expects a little homage. Walk further off the track and you may find yourself in the neighbourhood where the artist Carravagio would engage in bloody street brawls, finally savagely ending the life of a pimp over the services of a prostitute.

Get into a Roman taxi to explore further afield in more laid-back neighbourhoods like the Trastevere across the river Tiber, and you will discover that speed limits can be elusive. Taxis hurtle down the crowded veins and arteries of the eternal cities like there is no tomorrow. Roman cabbies have a devil-may-care approach to inner-city travel and will deliver you to your intended destination but with their own cussed notions of favoured entrances and exits. Few speak anything but Italian but are happy to rattle on in the vernacular as they navigate the usual tourist trails, and if you’re not careful will charge you inflated sums despite the official approved meters. This is especially the case right outside the Vatican where taxi cabs will not budge for less than €25 for a five minute trip. But hold on to your seats and be prepared for the ride of your life.

Because at every step Rome unveils fresh history and world-class monuments with a casualness that belies 3,000 years of art, architecture and culture of an astonishing scale and proliferation.

Art in Rome is everywhere; and while it developed via a thoroughbred system of papal and noble patronage it is now available fairly democratically across the Italian capital. Bernini’s grand sculptures surprise you not just in the rarefied surroundings of the Villa Borghese but also in the teeming squares of the city such as the Piazza Navona. Equally, you will find Caravaggio’s light infused canvases not just in the Vatican museums (where the Pinacoteca or Deposition of Christ hangs in glory) but also in the city’s smaller churches such as the charming San Luisi dei Francesi where you don’t pay to enter but instead have to drop coins into a mechanical contraption to activate the lights so you can actually see the compelling trio of paintings focussing on St Matthew. Quite a crafty way of going around the rule that churches have to remain open for all. But really, once you see the magnificence of Caravaggio’s brush illuminated in the dark interior, all is forgiven.

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Bernini’s grand sculptures surprise you not just in the rarefied surroundings of the Villa Borghese but also in the teeming squares of the city such as the Piazza Navona.

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But essentially a city, even one steeped in history as is Rome, is how it lives and breathes. The stage may have been set by Apollodorus and Bernini but modern day Romans walk onto it and play their parts with a contemporary sensibility. Romans are theatrical, sexy and glam. The women wear high heels, the men style their hair long and sport sultry tans. What else would you expect in a city where the landmark Spanish steps that Audrey Hepburn walked down gelato in hand in the rom-com Roman Holiday were restored at a cost of €1.5 million by the fashion house Bulgari whose flagship store on the Via Condotti looks on to the monument. Talking about Roman Holiday and gelato – both provide flavour to the city. If you’re a film fan you may want to visit one of Rome’s prettiest streets, the Via Margutta where Gregory Peck’s apartment in the film was at number 51 and Fellini lived at 110. And gelato? Well if you leave Rome without a scoop or two of Sicilian pistachio or perhaps a more exotic flavour such as master gelatio Claudio Torcè’s black sesame or pear and cinnamon, you are a deprived soul.

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DESTINATIONS DIARY There are of course the obvious itineraries which cost around €15 each. The foremost amongst these is the Vatican museums; high points include Michelangelo Buonarroti’s prodigious Sistine chapel and moving Pietà and the Raphael frescoes, the most recognizable of which is the milestone School of Athens. There is also the incomparable Colosseum, originally the city’s gladiatorial arena which could host an audience of around 50,000. For both, you may want to pay a little extra for an advance online booking to avoid the endless queues. Contrary to popular opinion you can actually do these in a day if you stick to the highlights rather than wandering around for hours awe-struck and exhausted. You may also want to visit the beautiful gardens of the Villa Borghese to soak up the balmy Mediterranean sunshine. The Borghese museum houses multiple Carravagios and a private collection of Bernini white marble sculptures commissioned by the Cardinal Scipione Borghese, including Apollo and Daphne and the Pluto and Prosperina. These works range from erotic to disquietingly violent; many cover scenes of abductions or impending rape. I was equally shocked and awed. All are life-size and excessively detailed in Bernini’s full-blown Baroque style.

I was particularly mesmerised by Parallax, a panoramic video wall Sikander created for the Sharjah Bienalle (2013), where a complex and kaleidoscopic drama of colour and pattern inspires and descends through dark cascades. The music by the composer Du Yun accompanies this exploration of themes of conflict and control, empire and hegemony. In Echo (2010) she uses Wasli, the technique of gluing sheets of paper together seen in her earlier work of the 1990s and metamorphoses it to a large scale, covering a whole wall of the MAXXI’s gallery 5. To the right of this diaphanous layering are the rolling hills of Rome. One picture off-sets the other; both equally captivating.

Rome can be a museum of a city and while there is much to fill you with wonder, leave some time to experience the city’s modern day vibe and getting to know what is essentially a passionate, friendly yet often fairly blunt people. If you want to find contemporary Rome’s more organic settings, you have to be adventurous enough to venture beyond the stodgy tourist restaurants looking onto Navona and shopping concourses like the Via Del Corso that radiate from the Piazza Del Popolo. The city has found new peripheries and many focal points which may not be instantly obvious to a stranger.

Alternative neighbourhoods like Pignetto and Monti have a more hipster, contemporary artistic vibe with young fashion boutiques, cafes and small live music venues aplenty to suit Rome’s aperitivo culture. Or hitch a scooter ride with a local via the smarphone app Scooterino, to reach the outlying districts of Trullo and Tor Marancia where international street artists have collaborated to paint entire urban façades with geometric and figurative murals.

We climbed up four flights of stairs to be transported into a home that unexpectedly combined the folk bric-a-brac and carvings Enrico had collected over his years in Pakistan and Afghanistan with traditional pieces of Italian furniture. A carved wooden Swati door embraced one wall in the living room, embroidered headwear dangled out of the blue from the ceiling and a Pashtun tunic hung on the wall in stark contrast to painted wooden Italian bed. We took Enrico the gift of an ajrak scarf which he immediately wore with the effortless style only an Italian man can muster.

Lunch was served – and to our delight it was simple Pakistani fare - daal and chawal accompanied by bhindi ka bhujiya. It seems Enrico had so fallen in love with Pakistani cuisine that he had brought back his cook from Islamabad to Rome. And sitting in his fourth floor apartment, looking out at the sculpted Quadriga or horse chariot frozen in gallop across the roof of the Corte Suprema di Cassazione, the Palace of Justice across the Tiber, I felt unbelievably at home in the eternal city.

For me the high point of modern Rome was a visit to Zaha Hadid’s magnificent contemporary museum, the undulating MAXXI, for Pakistani-American artist Shazia Sikander’s evocative and thought-provoking exhibition Ecstasy as Sublime/Heart as Vector.

Sikander grapples with the major issues of our age, from the Ebola virus to the experiences of migrants.

Using idioms such as video, digital animation, murals and installations she is currently showing 30 impactful works in Rome that span her career.

Would it have been possible to find this little corner of Paradise on earth anywhere else but in Rome?

I think not.

I found Pakistan again unexpectedly in the winding streets off Piazza Navona when my family and I were invited to the home of the former Italian ambassador to Pakistan for a leisurely lunch. Rome has splendid food but it is not varied. Several days of pasta had taken their toll and by this point we weren’t sure we could possibly digest any more parmesan – unless of course it was at the delightful Roscioli restaurant or their newly opened deli which serves the most delightful gourmet sandwiches just off the unbelievably busy Campo di Fiori market.

I hope this time the coins I threw into the Trevi fountain bring me back to this eternal city sooner.

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Shazia Sikander’s evocative and thought-provoking exhibition “Ecstasy as Sublime/Heart as Vector” grapples with the major issues of our age, from the Ebola virus to the experiences of migrants.

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modern Gladiator The

DESTINATIONS welcomes Fall 2016 with a short film showcasing the best of fashion and travel from a city steeped in culture, heritage and art – Rome. As wedding season approaches, this dream destination sets the perfect backdrop for love and new beginnings amidst the glory of the past.

Featuring supermodel Waleed Khalid, DESTINATIONS Brand Ambassador, and directed by documentary filmmaker Hassan Zaidi, the video is part of DESTINATIONS’ continued effort to provide a platform for Pakistan’s exciting new wave of young talent and bring their creativity, fresh approach and hard work to the forefront.

Photography: Ubaid-ur-Rehman

DESTINATIONS DIARY

Scan the QR Code or Log on to our website to view the film. www.destinations.com.pk/rome/

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LET’S DISH

Karachiite in

By Mariam Mushtaq

Stylish Karachiite

Sahar Ghanchi

discovers Lahore’s hippest new food street.

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Photography: Imran Fareed

LET’S DISH

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here is a trendy new address in Lahore and it’s fast gaining reputation as ‘the’ place to see and be seen in the city. Whereas lunch crowds and after-work coffee lovers would, till a few months ago, congregate onto the long stretch of road known as MM Alam, with its diversity of cafes and restaurants, the young and the hip are increasingly descending on Mall 1’s cobble-fronted eateries. Whether it’s the golden crusted rotisserie chicken at The Delicatessen, the wood-fire pizzas at The Pantry, a bowl of steaming rice and chicken at The Rice Bowl or the array of vibrant macaroons at Mocca, the vast variety of culinary options belies the tiny strip housing them.

Hence when Sahar Ghanchi, Product Head at Ideas Pret, the ready-to-wear arm of textile giant Gul Ahmed, voiced a craving for thin crust pizza to Team DESTINATIONS during a recent visit to Lahore, we knew exactly where to head with our stylish guest. A self-confessed foodie, Sahar was only too happy to restaurant-hop with us and sample the best of what this hip new food street has to offer.

“I love Lahore and find excuses to prolong work trips when I’m in town,” she confesses over lunch. Armed with a Bachelors in Fine Arts from the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, Sahar has an astute sense of what is aesthetically pleasing and Lahore’s beautiful canvas appeals to her naturally. “I love how pretty the city is, with its red brick structures and abundant greenery.”

Her current trip to the city, however, is dedicated mainly to work, leaving her with very little time to unwind and take in the sights. As Product Head, Sahar is responsible not only for overseeing design, but also handling marketing, communications and event planning.

“My job description is so versatile that I never get bored,” she laughs. Versatility has, in fact, been a key feature of Sahar’s professional journey. Straight out of college, she launched a small-scale art gallery where she worked as a curator before moving on to a multinational company as an interior decorative consultant, until she took on the retail industry by joining Ideas Pret 3 years ago.

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s t c a F d o Fo

rts as a Nostra seasonal fruit ta s o C y b catessen rie chicken and zas.

The Deli rotisse -crust piz e h in T h t : y d r t e unch Must newly la e h t s a ll we nd ergine a ounge L b u lo a o e P h t ially try by ich.

The Pan he salads, espec ef sandw e b T lt : y a r s t d the Must– salad, an k il m r e t but ter rter plat a t s s u o r gene and the s p a r w Espresso a t ks. : The faji of savoury snac y r t t s u M nt ssortme with its a rs, of flavou y t ie r a v in a vailable a , s n o o r Mocca ca : The ma .

Must-try tte vanilla la e h t d e n a nd orang a y r d li il ef ch ein.

Bowl awns, be r e p ic e R r chowm ir f e o h n e T o ic g r a r r eithe : The d a side of Must-try h it w d e serv chicken,

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LET’S DISH Read on as Sahar shares more about her experiences in Lahore, her love for her hometown Karachi and why she prefers a steaming bowl of nihari over a classic French meal What makes Lahore special: I’ve walked all over the city at the oddest of times, something one would rarely be able to do in Karachi.

I’ll never forget taking a crazy rickshaw ride at 6am around the Badshahi Mosque area in the middle of a freezing Lahori winter! I love the old city; its ancient buildings and historic aura. It really transports you back in time.

Go-to restaurants in the city: I like going to Peerus, especially in the winter. It’s quite a charming experience eating in the outdoor café surrounded by puppets and local craft. The palak paneer there is fantastic. I also love Andaaz not just for its food but also its ambience. I just discovered The Pantry, and it’s great. Reminds of this cute little outdoor brunch place in downtown Toronto.

Foodie for life: I'm a pure desi foodie and no one does desi better than Karachi, although there are some things that Lahore definitely does better. I like my food to be full of flavours, which is why when I was in France, I had trouble finding something to eat that I liked. I found French food to be too bland for my taste. Italian and Arabic cuisines, on the other hand, I love.

On being a travel junkie: If I don't travel at least 3 to 4 times a year, I feel like my life is incomplete. Discovering new places and meeting new people is such a rejuvenating experience.

Favourite city in the world: It’s hard to pick just one but if I had to choose, I would pick Budapest. There isn't a single thing I don't like about this city! The architecture, food, nightlife and culture – everything is amazing. My fondest memory is taking a walk down the Danube with my husband, the

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parliament building perfectly lit and a street musician playing my favourite tracks by Sinatra on his saxophone.

The quintessential Karachi experience: Whenever I'm entertaining guests from out of town, I make sure I take them to my favourite food joints, primarily desi of course. If they're foreigners, I know it's a bit harsh on their stomach and digestion but it's definitely worth the biryani, nihari, bun kebab and gola gunda! Other than food I feel in order to see the real Karachi one must get a feel of the old city, its history and culture. And the one thing that sums it up is 'The Super Savari Express'. It’s a local tour company showing you around the alternative and unseen sights of Pakistan using local and ethnic modes of transportation.

What one is likely to find inside her wardrobe: My wardrobe consists of a lot on neutrals, mostly greys and blacks. The only colour I find myself wearing is blue, for some reason. I would describe my style as chic but understated. Amongst high street brands, I love Massimo Dutti and when it comes to designer labels, I like Victoria Beckham, Elie Saab, Chloé and Gucci.

What challenges her about her job: The most challenging aspect of my work is trying to change the current mind-set of our customers. We have been selling fabric for decades, and launched our first apparel collection 4 years ago. It is difficult for people to associate us with ready-to-wear and it has been a challenge trying to create more awareness amongst our customers. At Ideas Pret, we are committed to maintaining a balance between being mainstream and fashion forward so that we can appeal to a younger audience while also catering to the mature clientele that has been wearing us for years. Hard work pays off and I think over time, women of all ages are appreciating our designs and collections.

“Discovering new places and meeting new people is such a rejuvenating experience.�

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THE FASHION FIX

PFDC L'OrĂŠal Bridal Week has all the hallmarks of a traditional Pakistani wedding in all its glory.

From the friends getting the bride and groom ready, to cherishing age-old customs and heirlooms, to the relatives gathered to celebrate the joyous occasion and finally the bride’s grand entrance, DESTINATIONS takes you through the various stages of

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BIG FAT WEDDING

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Photography: Sara Jamil

THE FASHION FIX

Scene 1

The Posse - Don’t Leave Home Without It

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THE FASHION FIX

Scene 2 Because You’re Worth It

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THE FASHION FIX Act 3 It Takes A Village

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THE FASHION FIX

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THE FASHION FIX

Tanzeel, Tarek, Farooq and Selina

Natasha Saleem

Anoushay Ashraf

Rehan Bashir

Scene 3

Let’s Get the Party Started Sehyr Saigol

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Mariam and Asma

Sadia, Aamna and Yasmeen

Nina Kashif

Anusheh Shahid

Sanam Taseer

Sadia Siddiqui

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THE FASHION FIX

Momina, Yousaf Salahuddin, Frieha and Maliha

Yousaf Shahbaz

Khadijah Shah

Zara Peerzada

Aale Mowjee and Adeela Liaqat Ali Khan

Sara, Mehek, Haiya, Mariam, Asma and Rehan

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THE FASHION FIX

Scene 4 The World’s Your Stage Ali Xeeshan Theater Studio

The House of Kamiar Rokni

THE FASHION FIX

Zara Shahjahan 112

The House of Kamiar Rokni

THE FASHION FIX

Zara Shahjahan

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BAZAAR BUZZ

Photography: Ubaid-ur-Rehman

In Search of

craftsmanship

By Salima Feerasta

In love with Pakistani bridal fashion?

Karachi’s bazaars are a treasure trove of fabrics and craftsmanship.

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BAZAAR BUZZ

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ne of the unique facets of Pakistani bridal fashion is the quality of craftsmanship, encompassing rich brocades and intricate embroideries based on a wealth of age-old techniques. Even the edgiest young designers build on this heritage in their creations, embellishing contemporary silhouettes with kora, dabka, gota or resham. While this sort of artistry may be an inaccessible dream to amateur designers in the west, Pakistan’s bazaars teem with expertise.

Karachi, a melting pot of cultures from all over the sub-continent, is particularly blessed with artisans and cloth vendors. If you know where to look, you can find the most incredible fabrics and embroidery, with something to suit almost any budget.

Karachi’s iconic bazaars are fabulous places to find bargains. The kamdani that will cost you a fortune at a designer will be significantly cheaper at a market in Clifton or Gizri. If, however, you venture to the Jama or Bolton markets, you can find the same kamdani at a fraction of the price.

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Local knowledge is a must, as finding a reliable merchant or craftsman can be a hit and miss affair.

If you don’t know how to recognize quality fabric, you may end up paying silk prices for polyester. In terms of embroidery, delivery will invariably be somewhat delayed but there’s nothing worse than finding your material ruined by the stains, poor execution or the wrong colours of thread. While it’s okay to take the occasional risk for a beautiful design, it’s generally better to stick with someone that has a reputation to uphold.

preference. Their brocades are fabulous for kurtas, lehngas, trousers and ghararas. They also stock a phenomenal selection of organzas, tissues and nets as well as plain chiffons, kamdani chiffons, chunri suits and khaddar nets. Many of the gold and silver nets and tissue fabrics that top designers have recently been using are available at Banarsi.

In terms of jamavar and brocade fabrics, you can’t go wrong with Banarsi by Al-Raheem Brothers or Hilal Silk on Zamzama. Both are frequented by top designers and are eminently reliable. Banarsi stocks a phenomenal array of brocades on many different bases including kimkhwab silk, kathan silk, chiffon and Maysuri amongst others. They have a good selection of colours and plenty of off-white brocade that you can dye according to your personal

Hilal Silk is another Karachi favourite. Their brocades range from cottons and khaddars all the way up to fabulously rich kathan and kimkhwab silks. They have a spectacular array of colours, both pastels and deep shades, including a huge selection of bridal reds to suit almost any skin tone. It’s sometimes difficult to judge how a brocade will look when it’s dyed due to the gold, silver and silk threads in the weft so it’s great to be able to choose from a wide

variety of ready-dyed material. Hilal also stocks brocade borders, silk-lined tasseled brocade chaddars and a limited selection of organzas and nets. Hilal is also notable for offering handembroidery, including marori work, kora and dabka.

They will show you a sample and price it according to the placement of the embroidery.

If you’re looking for a wider variety of exquisite embroidery, head to Kekhashan market near the Caltex pump at Schon Circle. One of the most expensive embroidery markets in town, it attracts the best kaarigars and offers some of the most intricate and costly embroidery as well as all the latest techniques made popular by top designers.

Zayn Boutique, situated at the very entrance to the market, is a long-time favourite of many.

They offer very delicate gota tukri and incredible single-resham Kashmiri embroidery.

Further into the market you’ll find craftsmen offering all types of machine and handembroidery, embellished with crystals and beads. From trousseau kurtas to full-fledged bridal lehngas, the market offers both traditional and modern embellishment.

However, it’s important to be aware that shoddier work sits side-by-side with more complex embroidery. Machine-embroidery that’s been touched up with beads and crystals should not cost nearly as much as hand-embroidery but there will be shopkeepers who try to bamboozle you. Also, always ask to see some of the work that’s ready for delivery to gauge the true quality of the workmanship.

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BAZAAR BUZZ

From trousseau kurtas to full-fledged bridal lehngas, the market offers both traditional and modern embellishments.

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If it’s machine-embroidery that you’re after, Ghosia market in Gizri is a great bet. From gaara-type embroidery to ara-embroidery, Ghosia has it all. The market also has many lace shops, button and stone vendors and material shops. You can find all sorts of silk including chameurse, raw silk and crepe along with nets, organzas, cottons and mixed fabrics. The market also has several shops that stock digitally printed suits, kantha, chikankari and Multani suits with badla and kamdani. Ghosia is a super-trendy market; if designers start using a particular fabric or technique, Ghosia is the first bazaar where that fabric will become readily available. Other similar markets in Clifton include Gulf at Do Talwar and that whole line of markets leading down to Schon Circle.

Moving away from Clifton, Defence and Gizri, prices fall significantly. While there are superior markets all over town, especially within reach of the exclusive KDA area, there are also plenty of bazaars that cater to lower price points. Co-operative market in Saddar is one such example – rather than kaarigars with their addas, you’ll find shopkeepers with ready-to-stitch embroidered suits, saris and lehngas.

The stores also customize outfits according to your personal preference and budget. This is not a market where you’ll find single-resham Kashmiri embroidery but there’s plenty of traditional kora dabka in a fantastic range of colours and cuts. Depending on the quality of the fabric and embroidery, bridal lehngas start as low as Rs. 20,000 but, as always, it’s a case of you get what you pay for. At that price point you’ll get polyester, not silk, and the work will be all about impact rather than craft or delicacy. It can be confusing but you can also find more luxurious outfits in the same market.

If you have a feel for kapra, it is worth heading to bulk markets where you can find gorgeous brocades at lower prices. Similarly, a lot of the lace, button and stone vendors buy their wares at Bolton Market so a trip there can be worthwhile.

Karachi’s bazaars are a treasure trove of craftsmanship but they won’t be able to give you that designer touch.

Even if you’re a gifted amateur designer, you’ll need a truly skilled tailor to give your outfits that certain sense of style. Finding the best tailors is easier said than done; a local may share who the best kaarigars are but who her tailor is? That’s a secret she’ll never tell.

rapid round up

Jama and Bolton Markets for kamdani work at great prices.

Banarsi by Al-Raheem Brothers and Hilal Silk on Zamzama, for jamavars and brocades as well as the on-trend silver and gold nets and tissue fabrics.

Kekhashan Market near Schon Circle for exquisite embroideries, both hand and machine depending on what your budget is. Zayn Boutique, situated at the very entrance to the market, is a favourite of Karachi’s fashionistas.

Ghosia Market in Gizri for the latest trends in fabric and technique.

Co-operative Market in Saddar for ready-to-stitch embroidered suits, saris and lehngas.

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ART SPEAKS

Photography: Jaffer Hasan

FAIZA BUTT retrospect in

By Sona Datta

Art historian and museum curator Sona Datta delves into a detailed retrospective account of Pakistan’s foremost contemporary artist Faiza Butt’s journey as an artist, a parent and a woman whose work primarily explores issues of identity, politics and gender. She uses the very intimate landscape of the human face as a map to tell stories. Compelled by the intricate minutiae of hand-made dots beautifully arranged like glistening jewels, Sona Datta chronicles the emotional motivation of Butt’s practice.

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ART SPEAKS

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'Is This the Man 3' Ink on polyester film

am sitting with Faiza Butt whose mellifluous artistic hand has beguiled and intrigued me for more than a decade. She has used it to seduce me into the landscape of her work, to confront her questions and forced me to ask my own questions of the world and consider her place within it as one of the most responsive thinkers of our time, an artist, a woman and a mother.

Pakistani artist Faiza Butt’s ancestors came from Amritsar in Northwest India, city of the magnificent Golden Temple. In 1947, when the British left India after two hundred years of colonial rule, the country was partitioned. People who had lived together for centuries were now divided along religious lines. Sikhs and Hindus poured south into what became the Republic of India and Muslims left for a new country called Pakistan. More than 10 million people shifted as the arbitrary border created new regimes and refashioned identities upon people who had lived as one for hundreds of years.

Faiza Butt’s family never really forgot about that tragic event. Butt grew up in Lahore under the shadow of that history, among stories retold in family gatherings. The seeds of being an artist were probably sown then, as the young girl absorbed the many tales recited from memory, embellished just as our grandmothers’ tales often are as a way to manage the recollection of pain.

After graduating from the National College of Arts in Lahore, Butt continued the migrating tradition of her family and came to Britain, making a kind of full circle. She smiles and says she likes to remind people that the story of colonised India is also the story of Britain, even though today it is largely invisible in the school curriculum of both countries. There is so much erasure and it is this that the artist attempts to disclose.

She draws us in with intricacy; with the minutiae of hand-made dots beautifully arranged like some glistening jewel that we feel we just must move closer towards. Once we are there, up close, held captive by the detail, Butt holds our attention to ask bigger questions. She is troubled by the vast geo-political drama of our times, of her distance and nearness to her homeland Pakistan and her simultaneous distance and nearness to her second home, London.

Faiza Butt’s laboriously painted surfaces seduce in their beauty. In her training she would have sat crossed-legged on the floor working with water-based pigments. After coming to the prestigious Slade School of Art in London to continue her studies, Butt relinquished painting because her experience of it in London was that it was too masculine, too macho. Now she uses the very intimate landscape of the human face as a map to tell stories, stories of people’s lives travelling across space in search of new meanings and different encounters.

Butt is based in East London where she lives and works. “I don't think there is a better place in London, as East London is packed with people from a range of ethnic heritage and identities, living side by side. It’s a rich environment for an artist where the observation pool is vast, and the material it provides endless. In a single day, I could chat with a Hasidic Jewish lady while waiting to buy bread, hear about troubles in Turkey from my Kurdish cab driver, become embroiled in news about the Polish economy and get to know of African migrations from my Kenyan studio assistant.” She laughs and gesticulates in that wonderfully desi way and adds, “Really… I don't listen to the news… I talk to people.”

Butt’s practice riffs off this urban encounter which she constantly feels grateful for. Set against a global city like London, reflections on her homeland, Pakistan, have been thrown into sharp relief. The physical, mental and emotional journeying between the two, between the then and now, east and west and the apparent impossibility to reconcile the two forms the major emotional motivation of Butt’s practice. These great journeys of the mind and heart – the incredible loops from east to west and

tempered with the multiple arcs of London, its corridors of power intersected with the arrival and dispersal of people from everywhere, provide the spine of the artist’s narratives.

Butt has always felt the need to make purposeful work. I’m not sure all artists would share her sense of social responsibility and justice though it remains deep and abiding, characteristic of Faiza Butt the woman and the artist.

These great journeys of the mind and heart – the incredible loops from east to west and tempered with the multiple arcs of London, its corridors of power intersected with the arrival and dispersal of people from everywhere, provide the spine of the artist’s narratives.

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ART SPEAKS Ceramic installation 'The Dinner' at the Attenborough Centre for Arts, UK

Her upcoming mid-career retrospective at the Attenbourough Centre in Leicester is opening soon.

It is a befitting location as Leicester is the first city in the UK where the immigrant population has outnumbered the indigenous population. Butt has now taken her practice in a new direction, moving from drawing elaborately to working on porcelain.

An installation called The Dinner stages the pressures of motherhood.

The artist says she cannot help but notice how invisible are our everyday struggles as parents who also work – like the great modern taboo. Finding this unacceptable, she hopes to make some noise about it through the notion of ‘dinner’ as the idealisation of an exemplary family moment.

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'Same Old Story'

'Masters Of The Universe'

Installation at Paracosm

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ART SPEAKS Butt’s work is largely figurative although it does not celebrate body or figure in classical terms. Butt features people – faces and situations. Alluding to the power of representation and the use of photographic frames as tools of persuasion, she scavenges images from journalistic sources questioning how these infiltrate our day-to-day thinking and penetrate our deeper selves. And she remarks on how this incredibly expanded and extended global world of high speed internet and social media has also shrunk the world, not always in a positive way.

This expanding globe creates a new kind of tribalism which has dangerous consequences.

Butt’s work stages threat, unfolds it and lays in bare. These are the prejudices and fears we all hold or that hover around us and Butt asks us to question their veracity and understand their ability to control our emotional landscape. I suppose she asks us to take control of our own emotional landscape. This is the real gift of her work.

‘My Love Plays In Heavenly Ways’

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‘Now I Know You Love Me’

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ART SPEAKS

my SQUARE

MILE

Faiza Butt takes us around her favourite spots in her hometown.

Faiza’s Studio Asma (Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, DESTINATIONS) spent time with me at my studio in Stoke Newington and was delighted by the creative chaos that I live with. Yes, a degree of this chaos exists in my mind as well‌ I think, without that angst I will not make the obsessive works that I do. I decided to show her my neck of woods, so she can understand me as an artist, a migrant, a parent and a woman.

1

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2 Church Street My area is where the ‘Hipster’ movement established itself in London.

The whole of Church Street saw a renaissance of bearded, tattooed and well-dressed men, selling coffee and cakes. My ‘hood is popular with the young and affluent crowd – all part of the gentrification of cities like London and New York.

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ART SPEAKS

The Good Egg Lunch at a hipster cafe called The Good Egg, where the food has a wonderful middle-eastern Iraqi-Jewish focus. I come here to watch people.

3

4 Faiza’s Home Faiza’s children Zack and Layla are often featured in her work. At every turn, she has raised them to be tolerant, humane individuals. “Whenever we travel, I take them away from Europe, to places in cultural contrast, to cultivate the beauty and diversity of humanity and to reveal the bridges that connect them,” she says.

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TRAVELISTA

from the

By Zahra Hidayatullah

suitcaseof

NIDA TAPAL OF DELPHI

Spearheaded by the very stylish and uber chic Nida Tapal, Pakistan’s fashion brand Delphi carries a unique signature – combining high fashion with the traditional craft of handwoven crochet on silk. Made by the highly skilled and creative women of Kashmir and Punjab, these ensembles play with structure, fabric and colour to re-define glamour through cultural heritage.

An avid traveller, here Tapal chats with us about travelling, how it inspires her work and what keeps her flying high.

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W TRAVELISTA

hat kind of a traveller are you? Spontaneous or a proper planner?

With two school-going children, I am more of a planned traveller.

What kind of trips do you enjoy most? Short getaways or long holidays?

I prefer short stints as it helps one break away from the daily routine. Since my husband and I both have our work, it's hard to get away for long holidays.

When on an international trip, what do you prefer to do: sightseeing or shopping?

I like to do a bit of both. If it's a new city I like to go sightseeing for sure. In fact I'm quite particular about visiting local hotspots, and museums are a must-see. I reserve the last two days for shopping anywhere I go.

How does travel inspire your work?

highly skilled female managers in Islamabad who have been trained by my mother (the founder of this business). Our zardozi and tailoring units are in Karachi which are managed by me. Hence, if I travel locally it's only to visit my family and not for work – my all-time favourite place to visit in Pakistan is Nathiagali as I have a lot of association with it from my childhood days.

“I've always appreciated women with colourcoordinated luggage but it's not essential for me.”

When I am travelling for work, I always tend to seek out labels who are doing similar work as us and think of ways in which we can do things differently.

When I travel in general, I think about what I would like to wear while on holiday, and see how Delphi could add value. That is how we are able to offer something new to our clients. This process also helps us tremendously in creating our Delphi Resort and Delphi Chic lines, which are very popular amongst our fashionista clients who love to travel with aplomb!

As Delphi commissions crochet work across different parts of Pakistan, how often do you travel domestic?

Our crochet work is commissioned virtually through

Do you travel light or end up lugging heavy suitcases?

I always travel heavy and end up returning with an even heavier suitcase!

How do you dress for travel? In style or in comfort wear?

Always in stylized comfort wear!

What kind of places are you most likely to travel to or do you like travelling to?

Everyone in my family is a beach person. We all love water sports, and its a great way to bond as a family.

Name your favourite destinations.

I love Sri Lanka for its beaches, cuisine and the gentle nature of its natives; absolutely love Italy, every part of it from the shopping to the food; and Istanbul for its magnificent minarets and the Bosphorus.

What would you recommend as an essential experience from a place you’ve traveled to?

We thoroughly enjoyed staying in the Bellagio, Lake Como and drove around to quaint little towns around the lake. Maldives is also one for the bucket list - I recommend snorkeling with an experienced coach, watching the sting rays being fed. Skydiving over the magnificent Matterhorn in Zermatt, Switzerland has also been a great, exhilarating experience and comes highly recommended - albeit with an experienced diver!

Nida’s

Travel Essentials Messenger Bag Hair Iron A Pair Of Wedges Sunblock A Funky Fedora Laura Mercier Bronze Primer A Red Lipstick An Evening Clutch A Pair Of Funky Trainers Statement Shades A Delphi Mix Weave Jacket For the Day A Delphi Cocktail Dress For The Night.

Travel Tip

Never shy away from taking the road less travelled!

Travel Playlist • Closer – The Chainsmoker feat. Halsey • Cheap Thrills – Sia feat Sean Paul • Faded - ZHU • Cut your teeth – Kyla La Grange • King – Years and Years • Rangeela – Ali Azmat

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TRAVELISTA As someone with a keen sense of fashion, do you attach any significance to colour-coordinated luggage and smart travel accessories?

I've always appreciated women with colour-coordinated luggage but it's not essential for me. What matters more to me is what I've packed inside – I coordinate my outfits with accessories, by daywear and eveningwear!

How do you kill time over long transit periods? What is your favorite airport activity?

I love to read when I travel and wherever possible, I love to get a shoulder and back massage to shake off the travel fatigue. For large airports, there is never enough time for shopping and scouting – especially for new makeup and sunglasses!

Any interesting travel tales?

On our first night in Maldives, I saw a frenzy in the water below our deck and I realized the fish had disappeared because a baby shark had come into shallow waters. I was told this is a common occurrence and nothing to worry about. Next evening we were all swimming along the beach, I ducked my head inside the water and saw a baby shark swimming in the direction of my kids and their grandfather who were at a distance from me. I had two choices – either scream and panic everyone including the harmless shark into doing something scary, or stay calm and tell the kids to come out of the water as it was getting dark.

Luckily the latter strategy worked, but it was one of the most frightening experiences of my life as I grew up in the Jaws era!

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Nida’s Delphi -Weaving Magic Established in 1994 by Nida’s mother, Nargis Kiani, Delphi is a niche brand dedicated exclusively to the ancient craft of crochet – the weaving of thread into intricate patterns. It brings to life the skilled workmanship of local artisans and craftswomen from part of Punjab and Kashmir, and works it into its line of luxe ensembles embellished with pearls, crystals and beads. Every outfit is meticulously crafted by hand and is timeless, classic and one-of-a-kind.

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WANDERER

148

ON LIFE, LOVE AND THE PURSUIT OF

wilderness

By Zahra Hidayatullah

In addition to being a Radio Jockey for over eleven years at Cityfm89 and an entrepreneur for two, Fizza Aslam holds deep love for food and travel (in no particular order). She aims to travel to as many exotic and challenging destinations as possible, before age and life become an obstacle.

F

WANDERER

izza Aslam and husband Taimoor Saigol recently embarked on the journey of a lifetime – they got married and headed off to Africa for some post-wedding R&R. Here they talk about their exciting adventure, getting close to nature, the rim of the dormant crater where they stayed and most importantly, how to get there to experience it all.

Tell us about your holiday; where all did you go in Africa?

We visited quite a few places during our trip in Tanzania, namely Arusha, Mto wa Mbu Village, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro National Park, Serengeti National Park and then Stone Town in Zanzibar.

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Africa is famous for its safaris and its uniquely beautiful wildlife. What are some of the animals you saw?

We were lucky enough to come across a large variety of wildlife. The list is endless so here goes: Ground hornbill, trumpet hornbill, blue monkey, cape buffalo, impala, zebra, wildebeest, elephants, baboons, giraffe, wild ostrich, kopi (large gazelle), Thomson gazelle, Grant’s gazelle, lion (singular and with family), hippopotamus, leopard, herno, bustard, monitor lizard, dik-dik, African elephant, secretary bird, crown crane, wild hog, mongoose, field mice, guinea foul, Egyptian geese, vultures and cheetah. That place is teeming with this amazing variety of animals.

What were your personal impressions and how has this trip impacted you? What did you bring back with you in terms of lessons learnt and memories created?

To put it in simple words, I would say the trip was life changing! Taimoor and I have always had tremendous respect for animals – we love nature documentaries and wildlife movies, so to be able to see these lovely creatures in their natural habitat with our own eyes instead of looking at them through the camera lens was overwhelming, to say the least. The national parks are a quiet place, most serene, and guarded by strict laws. One feels almost invisible while watching the giraffes eat from the treetops or the lions yawn and settle in for a nap.

The animals are also secure in the knowledge that humans are harmless and would not bother them (it is illegal to hunt, harass or bother the animals in any way which includes loud noise) and hence, ignore traffic and people. It really is a profound experience which could, mind you, get a little real at times – at one point, we had this large African lioness walk by our car less than three feet away and let out a little roar; it promptly caused us to jump back in our seats but whoosh! What a rush! It was truly remarkable. I mean, imagine being so close to a member of the leonine family.

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WANDERER

You mentioned camping around the rim of a dormant crater. Sounds fascinating. Tell us more about it.

Well, let me begin by saying that the crater is packed with wildlife! It is surrounded on all sides with lush greenery and at the centre, there are all these amazing creatures; from zebras to lions and giraffes wandering. It is a natural wonder as one cannot comprehend the size of it until you are there. A massive rim at the top marks the start of the journey.

The jeeps then descend straight into the crater and one reaches the bottom about 15 minutes later. Then as you look around you notice you are surrounded on all sides by mountains – it is a surreal experience, like being at the bottom of the world’s largest soup bowl with lions and hyenas, hunting gazelle and impala!

By sunset all visitors are told to leave the crater since it is neither advised nor allowed to camp inside. The drive back up to the rim is another twenty minutes where upon reaching, one finds camping sites set up by the different tour companies around different locations. We stayed at a more popular one that is used by many tour companies. This was great because aside from tenting, they also had other basic amenities such as proper toilets, dining area and a kitchen set up permanently. Each company has a chef so while the chefs prepare dinner, all visitors from that day get together in the dining halls, share

stories and laugh. It makes for a great evening as one meets new people and gets to relax after a long day of game driving.

A side note for those who don’t fancy camping out, there are lodges available nearby but they are on the higher end of the price range and do not yield the same authentic rustic experience. A quick internet search will suggest names of the more luxurious places (some of which are up to USD 3,500 a night!)

How would you describe the local hospitality, culture and food?

The local people are very nice! Most know English and are keen to help. In mainland Tanzania, the locals are mostly Christian. However, in Zanzibar, 90% are Muslim. We found them to be very hospitable, very friendly with a happy-go-lucky instinct. The country is a safe place to visit due to army presence in and around the cities. Tourism is one of their main industries that drives the GDP; therefore it is no surprise that military presence ensures safety in the area.

Regarding food, we would say it is largely influenced

by Indian and Arab cuisine so we came across a lot of curry and rice pilau; but the best thing is that seafood is plentiful and easy on the pocket too.

Being seafood connoisseurs, it was an absolute treat for us. While in Zanzibar, we had a seafood buffet that featured lobsters, shrimp, prawn, and all kinds of fish fillets and curries. The total for both of us was only Rs. 7,000; isn't that great?!

The stay is also surprisingly economical as a decent 3-star accommodation is about USD 100 a night. A top-notch five star facility would cost roughly USD 300-350 a night. It all depends on the kind of experience you want to have. Personally, we were very happy with our accommodations throughout the trip and the most we paid was USD 180 per night in Zanzibar, that’s all.

What are the best places to stay at?

While in Zanzibar, we would definitely recommend staying in Stone Town for a few days. It’s a small town but there is plenty to see between rooftop restaurants, island cruises, Sunday markets and nightlife.

The next few days could be spent at the north of the island at Nungwi Beach. It is known to be their most charming beach with memorable sunrise and sunset vistas. Having said that, there are many different resorts and hotels so again, it all really depends on the budget and preference. We stayed at the Amani bungalows which were great at about USD 120-140 a night.

How many days should one plan for if one has to do this well?

If you decide to just go for a safari, four nights and five days should be enough. Lake Manyara, the crater and Serengeti are all doable in 5 days. We missed Tarangire National Park and spent more days in Serengeti instead. So yes, you could add a day or two in for that too.

Any tips for those travelling to Africa?

Wow! How much did this African adventure cost in terms of airfare and stay?

We would say, it is not as expensive as it may sound.

The airfare for Lahore-Dubai-Tanzania-ZanzibarDubai-Lahore was roughly Rs. 75,000 per person on Emirates Airlines.

Tanzania is a developing country where most people depend on the tourism industry for their livelihood. Hence, it is little surprise that they try and over charge for EVERYTHING! From room rates to taxi fares; there’s always plenty of room for bargain. We would say the rule of thumb is that you pay half for the first price they quote (although you could bargain even more).

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WANDERER

154

Over the

HILLS and Under the

SEA

By Madeeha Syed

Turkey’s best kept secret is one only the locals previously knew of: the little “fishermen’s village” of Kaş — a haven for those who like to fly over the mountains and dive deep into the sea.

A

WANDERER

The next morning just as I was sitting down for breakfast, Mert told me it was time to go. And now.

I quickly stuffed my face with as much breakfast and coffee I could manage and followed him.

few years ago, I hosted a Portuguese backpacker who had been to around 190 countries. Leading a nomadic life for years without the comfort of routine isn’t easy. His parting words to me were: “Embrace the uncertainty.”

We made our way down the harbour past numerous boats until we came to the right one.

There he handed me over to a striking redhead in a wetsuit who turned out to be the boss lady of the club: Melissa.

That’s what I was doing earlier this year while backpacking through Turkey.

She introduced me to my first instructor Ersel. Like the monk who sold his Ferrari, Ersel had left a cushy corporate job to lead a bohemian lifestyle doing what he loved best: diving. Kaş, he told me, has over 25 diving boats and 20 diving clubs. That’s amazing considering that the local population is just about 10,000 people. After explaining the basics, he led me to my first exploratory dive.

I arrived with no plan, just a starting point: Cappadocia. From there I was told I must head to a backpackers’ village called Olympos where the locals told me I should go to a ‘small’ but quaint fishing village with the best diving sites in the entire region: Kaş To make a long story short: I enlisted the help of a local who coincidentally happened to know the owner of Meltem Pansion — a place that the guys in Olympos suggested I stay at. He bargained on the rates and I ended up getting my own air-conditioned double room plus bathroom plus a good breakfast for TL90 (Rs. 3,200) per night. This was great considering the ‘official’ rate for the same was $50.

The friendly hotel manager Mert even arranged for a guided diving trip with a local company for the next day.

Later that night I stepped out to explore this ‘fishing village’. I was soon left completely surprised and a bit disoriented. Kaş is admittedly small, but it is far, far from being a ‘village’.

Unlike the rest of Turkey that was hit with a tourism crisis in the wake of the recent failed coup and bomb explosions, Kaş was teeming with tourists — most of them local Turks. Bombs? Failed coup?

Where did that happen again?

Most of the shops sold scuba diving equipment and suits, beachwear and hand-made silver and gold jewellery — beautiful Greek, Turkish and Egyptian designs that were to-die-for. The restaurants were full, there was an outdoor screen where people were following a televised show and if you make your way into the narrow lanes you could hear music shafting out from some of the small local clubs.

I don’t understand why a lot of Pakistanis turn to Thailand for the sun, sand and sea. You have it all in Turkey, especially in the smaller towns. Not only 156

that, the people are better looking (hot and halal!), food is great and it is far less crowded and commercial. You still get a sense of culture. And in a weird way, it’s familiar.

It was magical. You can breathe underwater, you go deep and can see everything clearly — the reefs, fish, and the sand at the bottom of the sea.

All of your senses, other than hearing, are inhibited

and it’s just like those videos on National Geographic, except you’re like the cameraperson.

The twenty minutes underwater ended too soon.

Just as I was beginning to feel at home, I felt Erself gently nudge me towards the surface. I looked up and some of the senior divers had also surfaced; they were gently wading the fins on their feet underwater and reminded me of mermaids.

I wasn’t done diving. Encouraged by Ersel, I signed up for the CMAS one-star diving certification. It had always been on my bucket list. I had time and the opportunity presented itself, so why not?

Thus began my training. It wasn’t just fun and games. A big part of this was learning how to survive underwater. How does diving depth affect your body, how deep is too deep, how to save another person by sharing oxygen, what is your gear and what does it do and also, how to take off everything — mask, jacket, oxygen — underwater and wear it back on again.

One of the exercises required that I fill my mask with water, and then empty it by blowing bubbles with my nose, while breathing through the regulator on my mouth.

I accidentally breathed in through my nose and immediately felt seawater enter my body. I could taste it in my throat. I felt like I was drowning.

I signaled that I wanted to surface. I didn’t want to go back in again. But I was made to, not to do more exercises, but just to swim around. The farther we went away from the surface, the worse I felt. Fear of drowning had set in and it just wasn’t going away.

I was told that we would have to try again tomorrow.

That night, alone in my hotel room, I messaged my mum and a fellow cyclist, Sajida, back home in Karachi.

I was terrified and for the first time, I hated that I was travelling alone.

“I failed at that exercise in the pool as well,” said Sajida, trying to make me feel better. “We’re not doing this in the pool,” I told her, “We’re doing this while 10m (32.8 feet) underwater kneeling on the sea-bed.” “Just do your best,” she said.

The next day I found out that I had a change of instructor. I was getting ‘bad cop’ Ali. Ali has been a diver for about two decades, conducted rescue operations and could be quite an entertainer. Turns out he had been watching me struggle the other day and decided that I needed a different approach.

We went exploring the reefs; he would remind me to balance the pressure in my ears. He picked a really nice spot on the seabed and kept me distracted through different gestures and funny sounds. We were far deeper than we were the other day, but the atmosphere was lighter and I didn’t notice. At one point, a school of silvery blue fish swam past us — it was so surreal and beautiful.

Not only did I manage to fill my mask with water and empty it, I took it off entirely. I confronted my fear of drowning full on and overcame it.

We dove twice a day with a one-hour lunch break in between. On my second last day, I came out of the boat during lunch hour to find a bus waiting to take me to the top of the hills in Kaş.

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WANDERER

Where to dive: I wanted to overcome another fear: heights.

Sinan looked more like a rock-star than a pilot.

He had long curly light brown hair, colourful shades and a friendly attitude. Seeing how high the drop-off point was, I lost my nerve.

“I think we should do this tomorrow,” I said to him. “We should do this today,” he responded, quickly strapping me up and taking off before I had time to object!

Oceanids Diving Centre. A one-star CMAS diving certification, plus six guided dives cost around $200. Individual dives are far cheaper. And the crew keeps inviting you for an extra dive now and then — on the house.

Where to fly: Fly Lycia Paragligin: Around $100 — including photos and videos. It’s far cheaper without those.

Instinctively, I closed my eyes. It felt so calm. I slowly opened them and saw the tree line on the mountain close to us. It was just like in those paragliding videos. Turn to the other side and you see the coast and the massive drop beneath and you are terrified and awestruck at the same time.

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Like all good things in life, just when you are getting used to it, it’s over. We landed gently on the harbour, where the crew was waiting for me on the boat. It was time to dive again.

That day we saw two large turtles, ancient Greek vases embedded in the floor and a two hundred year old abandoned anchor.

The next day I passed my written and got registered as a certified diver. That same night I had my last proper meal in Kaş, a ‘Balkan’ kofta and bread, boarded a bus to the nearest airport in Dalaman (a four-hour drive) and booked my ticket to Istanbul on the way.

TALK OF THE TOWN LAHORE

L'Oréal’s AMBASSADOR OF FASHION collaboration with HSY Who better than HSY, the fashion industry’s most celebrated presence, to host the party that heralded the end of three days of spectacular fashion at the PFDC L'Oréal Bridal Week. Fashionistas, socialites and celebrities all made starry appearances at the intimate evening celebrating HSY’s collaboration with cosmetic giant L'Oréal Paris for the ‘Ambassador of Fashion’ campaign.

Yousaf Salahuddin and Maria Wasti

Hassan Sheheryar Yasin

Jahan-e-Khalid Rabia Butt

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Nomi Ansari and Sadaf Kanwal

Umair Fazli and Fatima Fazli

Team L'OrĂŠal: Shahzain Hafeez, Aale Mowjee, Marvi Santosh, Hunbal Sohail and Oneeb Malik Waleed Khalid

Sana Tiwana, Qasim

Nouman Gilani and Meherbano Sethi

Tanzeel Hashwani and Tarek Rizk

Yar Tiwana and Nisa

Tiwana

Anusheh Shahid, Asma Chishty and Sara Shahid

Aale Mowjee and Momina Sibtain

Emaad Lone and Mahlia Lone

Mariam Mushtaq and Mehek Saeed

Saad Ali

Aamir Mazhar, Rima Farid and Rana Noman

Mohammad Moiz Jalal Salahuddin

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Nina Kashif

Mehek Raza Rizvi

TALK OF THE TOWN LONDON

CARE’s Gala Dinner CARE Pakistan hosted its inaugural charity gala at the iconic Claridge’s in London, with a special musical performance by Ali Sethi. Leading Pakistani artists Faiza Butt, Rashid Rana, Naiza Khan, Shezad Dawood and Irfan Hassan donated their artworks, which were auctioned off to raise funds for CARE’s schools for underprivileged children in Pakistan.

Photography by: Susanne Hakuba

Ali Sethi's special performance

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Faiza Butt and Richard Smith

Paintings donated for the

auction

Abid Aziz and Seema Aziz

Faisal Mian

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Mr.

breen Zaman

briella Grant with Am

Duncan Grant and Ga

Owen Bennett-Jones

Maria Mansuri

Peter Oborne and Naiza Khan

and Mrs. Moazzam Malik

Malcolm Moss and Sonia

Moss

The CARE family

Mishal Husain

inab

Lady Minnie Balniel and Lord Anthony Balniel

Dr. Aamir Zafar and Za

Rattan Chadda and Catia Von Heutz Humphreys

H.E. Syed Ibne Abbas and Begum Sadaf Abbas

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