JANUARY 13-19 2013
Cover Story
18 The ‘I’ does not matter In a world of pseudo-sufis, Abida Parveen sings from the soul
Features
26 Turning Trash into Cash In the recycling industry, capitalism finds a worthy cause
28 Can’t buy me love New British Immigration regulations divide families
Comment
32 Out of Focus How to (not) become a photographer in ten days
18
Travel
34 A Red Fort, A Kashmiri Chronicle A historic fort awaiting restoration to its former glory
34
Regulars
6 People & Parties: Out and about with Pakistan’s beautiful people 37 Reviews: Tom’s Tall Order 38 Healthy Living: Outsmart your belly fat
37
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Magazine Editor: Zarrar Khuhro, Senior Sub-Editor: Farahnaz Zahidi, Sub-Editors: Ameer Hamza and Dilaira Mondegarian. Creative Team: Amna Iqbal, Jamal Khurshid, Essa Malik, Maha Haider, Faizan Dawood, Samra Aamir, Sanober Ahmed. Publisher: Bilal A Lakhani. Executive Editor: Muhammad Ziauddin. Editor: Kamal Siddiqi. For feedback and submissions: magazine@tribune.com.pk Printed: uniprint@unigraph.com
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Adnan, Maida and Momna
Fatima Waleed Zaman
Ahsan Dar and Kinza
6 JANUARY 13-19 2013
PHOTOS COURTESY IMRAN FAREED
llaborative o c ir e h t e c esy introdu g Woman’, in Lahore d r a P n a n d Sefam and APardesy for The Workin n label, ‘Adna
Zahra and Hiba
Mahra Bhatti
Fatima and Omar
Asma Zoe Viccaji
Aneeka and Sarah Gandapur
JANUARY 13-19 2013
Nida Azwer Anu Pierce and Anamika Khanna
Neha Agarwal and Shamlee Dudeja
a, India t t u lc a C in r collection e h s it ib h x e Nida Azwer
Sumedha Saraogi and Surbhi Agarwal
8
Avarna Goenka Jain JANUARY 13-19 2013
Nidhi Tholia
PHOTOS COURTESY LOTUS PR
PEOPLE & PARTIES
JANUARY 13-19 2013
Tehmina Khaled
es its first t a r b le e c e r store Coutu arachi d n a r b i lt u in K The m anniversary Munaf and Sabeen
Abeer
Maria and Ali Naqi
10
Saima Qureshi JANUARY 13-19 2013
Falak Sheikh
PHOTOS COURTESY NABEILL XUBERI AND MUNAF MANSOOR ALI
PEOPLE & PARTIES
JANUARY 13-19 2013
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Shehzad Umer and paul keiser
a dinner in s t s o h le t s e N Karachi
Tahir A khan, Qazi Asad Abid , Byram Avari and Yaseen Lakhani
Faisal Rana, Gul e Nishat and Madgi Batato
12 JANUARY 13-19 2013
Ayesha Faisal, Urwa and Mawra
sister s it s e h c n u Z’Mario la dio d’Art in brand Stu hi Karac
Faisal Sadiqeen, Bina Butt and Sophia Noorani
Asif Rana, Mathira and Hassan Hayat Khan
PEOPLE & PARTIES
N
Jamil and Nazia
PHOTOS COURTESY DESTINATION EVENTZ PR
Ayesha and Fatima
organises z t n e v E s n Destinatio zal night in Lahore a ida Faiz’s gh
Samra
Nida Faiz
Ash Khan
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JANUARY 13-19 2013
JANUARY 13-19 2013
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Saba
Humaira
Madeeha
Lahore in e r u it n r u Mi Casa F s e h c n u la i g Lubna Na
Babloo and Natasha
Saim and Alyzeh
16 JANUARY 13-19 2013
Aneeta and Inzar
Bushra Aftab and Tehmina Shah
Lubna Nagi and Sana
Nabeel and Asifa
PHOTOS COURTESY SAVVY PR AND EVENTS
Ibrar and Sobia
Ahmer Ashraf and Rana Noman
Ahmed
Sonya
Sophiya Khan
Hajra Hayat
17 JANUARY 13-19 2013
18 2 JANUARY 13-19 2013
Jo dum ghaafil so dum kaafir asaan ko murshad he parhaya hoo sunrya sukhan gaiyaan khul akhyaan asaan chit Maula wal laya hoo Keeti jaan hawalay Rabb de aisa ishq kamaya hoo marran thee aggay mar gaye Bahoo taan matlab noon paya hoo (Sultan Bahoo)
I am waiting to meet Abida Parveen. More than 100 interviews in my portfolio as a journalist, and I am as nervous as a rookie as I sit in the ‘Abida Parveen
Gallery’ in F-10, Islamabad, waiting to be taken to her adjoining house. I’m nervous because of the power of this performer and of the words that seem to speak them-
selves through her. The walls of the gallery, replete with pictures and awards, pay homage to Abida’s journey. She is seen performing in the grandest of places, standing next to the biggest names in the music industry. In one picture, she is smiling
along with heads of state. In another, she is receiving one of countless awards. But
the ones I like best are those of Abida alone, lost in another realm, her face displaying both peace and a fiery passion with no contradiction whatsoever between such
(Continued on page 22)
JANUARY 13-19 2013
319
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COVER STORY opposing emotions.
As I wait, I wonder what the legendary Abida Parveen is like in
real life. My father, a Sindhi and a lover of Sufi poetry himself, always spoke highly of her. He had repeatedly offered to introduce me to her, saying that a tete a tete with the legend herself would be a learning experience for me. A bit too young and a bit too smitten by the glitz and glamour of the world, I paid little
attention to him then. Now years later, with him having passed
on, I find myself eagerly anticipating this long overdue meeting. Her daughter leads me to the section where Abida resides.
Resplendent with motifs from the heart of Sindh , her living room is a splash of colour. The thick carpet is comforting in Is-
lamabad’s chilling winter. The sofas are carved. The ajraks are on display. Her spiritual affiliations are visible in the form of wall hangings and scattered pieces of décor. A table on the side
is laden with books on Sufi poetry — rich collections of Kaafis and Abyaat — Sachal Sarmast shares space with Shah Abdul Latif
Bhittai, Sultan Bahoo and Baba Bullhey Shah. Shams of Tabriz lays next to Sant Kabir. The works of so many kindred souls lay
on one table, separated by time and space and yet converging in the same path. And the one silent echo I hear in this place is of all these souls chanting two words in unison: “Allah hoo”.
She has a distinctive aura as she walks in, wearing her signa-
ture plain shlawar kameez with buttons closed up to the neck. Her
hands are small, gentle and soft to the touch as she holds my hands with warmth. Humility personified, she bends down so
low while greeting me that I am afraid she will fall over! She may exist in a higher spiritual realm, but her social skills are remark-
able. She instantly puts me at ease by talking about my father. The conversation begins.
The interview is shorter than expected. Abida speaks volumes
in but a few words.
Her journey began almost six decades ago. Born in mohalla Ali
Goharabad in Larkana, Sindh, Abida’s learning began at home with her father Ustad Ghulam Haidar, whom she proudly calls a “gawayya.”
“All this is a gift from my father,” she says. “It is because of
his barkat (blessing). But he never had to force me to sing. I was
drawn to this myself. From the age of three, my earliest memo-
ries are that I would sit with the harmonium. I felt a pull towards music and Sufi poetry. I always felt an inner happiness when I
would hear the Abyaat of Bhittai. I always felt attracted to dargaahs (shrines). Mujhe un se jor diya Maula ne. I think this connection
is formed before one is even born”.
She then moves on to talk about the inner ‘spark’ within us,
that eternal fragment of the divine. I find myself listening intently, my notebook forgotten.
“All humans have this spark. God has kept it in us. Once we
22 6
come into this world, with this inherent spark in us for the love
of the Divine, it tugs at our heart strings intermittently. This is JANUARY 13-19 2013
Mujh mein mera kuch naheen, jo kuch hai so tera. Tera tujh ko sonp doon, kya laagay hai mera
a gift. It is in all of us. All Prophets and spiritual masters do is stoke this fire if it starts to die out.
Suf is don’t need to flaunt their spirituality. They don’t need facebook groups, twitter hash tags or a plethora of interviews to announce their spiritual quest They are who they are.
Visiting shrines or staying in the company of the pious or reading this poetry — it transforms the spark into a full-fledged fire. Once that fire catches on, then…” she chuckles knowingly, a glow on her face, and that uncontrollable signature mop of hair framing her face. The laughter has a child-
like innocence and spontaneity. I’m wondering how she can talk about such deeply philosophical and heavy concepts with such ease.
Abida wants to quote a doha (a form of sufic poetry) but forgets, and with unflinching confidence
in the divine forces says “aa jaye ga yaad”. She still can’t recall it after a five minute pause, and accepts her failing with a smile. Instead, she settles down to narrate the essence of the doha and
says “when the fire is about to die out, it is rekindled by the mehboob”. Abida has studied the Quran enough to understand what her Creator is saying to her and has read the Sufiyana kalaam in depth
as well. Both, she says, are products of love. She explains how verses of Sufi poetry are actually a reflection of the verses of the Quran. Many even have the same wazan (rhyme), she tells me.
In an era where it is fashionable to label oneself as “spiritual, not religious,” where Rumi is quot-
ed out of context and the couplets of Bulleh Shah are memorized with little understanding of their
meaning, here is a true spiritual being. Meeting her, I realize that true sufis don’t need to flaunt
their spirituality. They don’t need facebook groups, twitter hash tags or a plethora of interviews to announce their spiritual quest. They are who they are. The aura of peace that emanates from them is the only identification they need. If I were to praise her with all the qualities I see, it would only
embarrass her. And it is fitting, as the most basic tenet of Sufism is humility. Not the false humil-
ity that is pride in disguise, but the true loss of self. Abida, it is clear, is the real deal. How does she manage it? I ask. How does she keep the fame from going to her head? She starts shaking her head as I ask and replies, “I am so scared. May Maula keep me humble”.
Enviously, I ask her how one develops this spirituality. As expected, she takes no credit at all. “I
do not deserve it. Besabab karam hai (it’s an unmerited mercy upon me). Mujh mein mera kuch naheen, jo kuch hai so tera. Tera tujh ko sonp dein, kya laagay hai mera. It is a bestowed blessing. You cannot work hard at it. Mehnat riyazat se naheen milta (you don’t get it by striving for it)”.
The conversation moves towards music. “I am still very nervous before a performance. I plan out
in detail what I have to sing. Every time, it feels like it is the very first performance. I keep learn-
ing and practicing my music. Perfection is only for Allah. Ye insaan ka na-mukammal hona…yeh silsila bara JANUARY 13-19 2013
723
COVER STORY acha hai,” (this state of human incompleteness is beautiful) she says with a smile.
Abida is no puritan and does not believe in boundaries in her
music, so long as the basic etiquette of rendering mystic poetry is kept in mind. “I have tried my hand at fusion music, like in my
CD Raqs e bismal. But when singing sufi poetry, one has to bear in
mind that the musical instruments or even the voice needs to be submissive to the kalaam; the message in the words of Sufi poetry must remain intact. Maintaining that balance is tough; music should just support the kalaam, and not by-pass it or take over,
otherwise the message gets diluted. This is jalaali kalaam (powerful narrative) and a certain adab (respect) is required. Saaz se wohi
kehelwao jo alfaaz keh rahay hain (make the instruments say the same thing which the words are saying),” she says.
Among the newer talent, she likes Ali Azmat and his rendition
of gharoli. She admires the work of Shafqat Amanat Ali and Ra-
hat Fateh Ali as well. “For humility’s sake, we must appreciate
This kalaam will stay alive no matter what. It is not about age. It is about who is spiritually enlightened. Superior. More true. This will stay alive through the rooh (soul) of humanity
younger singers, otherwise we are not true to our craft,” she says.
But out of all the people she has worked with, she holds In-
dia’s Muzaffar Ali (of Umraao Jaan fame) in the highest regard.
“I have been working with Muzaffar Ali Sahab for 12 years. He understands the etiquette of working with Sufi poetry”. Talking
about the Jahan-e-Khusrau World Sufi Festival, held at Mughal
emperor Humayun’s tomb in Delhi last year, she says, “I have not witnessed anything like that in the whole world. The ambience, the understanding of the message, the level of absorption, the atmosphere … down to how they make the listener and the
performer sit. Even if a president comes, he will have to follow the norms of the mehfil. This is the etiquette with which we must treat this kalaam”.
We talk about the poets she admires and understands. She
tells me that her upcoming projects include the Persian works of Shams of Tabriz among others. Abida has an interesting take
on Iqbal’s philosophy of Khudi and interprets Khudi as not the
“self” but as the zameer (conscience), calling it “the voice inside that tells us when we go wrong”. Speaking of Iqbal, she quotes
his famous verse which emphasises love for the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): Quwwat e ishq se har past ko baala kar dey …. Dehr mein ism e Muhammad se ujala kar de.
I then ask her why, as a jury member in the Pak-India musical
showdown “Sur Kshetra”, she never really has any criticism for
any of the performers and stays so neutral. “Because its music, not war,” she replies. I then ask her who she wishes wins the
contest and she says, “I pray Allah makes a good decision. That’s all”.
I ask her many questions about many people but I don’t get
a single negative comment about anyone. She says people and what they do or don’t do: “sub Allah ke raaz hain”, then goes on to
say, “I am basically quiet by nature. But I love meeting people.
24 8
Meeting people is also a form of the sharing of the Noor (Divine JANUARY 13-19 2013
I do not perform for people. I perform for Him. In that moment, it is Maula who connects me to the audience and to myself.
Whose eyes and hands are actually at work? Banda aur Khuda — they are never apart.
Noor). Banday se milna bhi baree baat hai. (it is a great thing to meet people)”. I marvel at those words.
Is this difficult work, I wonder aloud, to carry and convey such
a spiritually charged message? “I wouldn’t call it that,” she responds. “It has a glow, a shafqat (softness). Paths on this way are pre-defined. Allah opens new doors when you are on this path,”
she says and chuckles but also sighs, and pauses, misty eyed, going on to say, “rona mehfil ki ronaq hai”.
Does it exhaust or drain her to be the vessel of such rich mes-
sages? “Do i get drained? The ‘I’ doesn’t matter,” she replies.
Will the next generation keep this art of mystic renditions
alive? “This kalaam will stay alive no matter what. It is not about age. It is about who is spiritually enlightened. Superior. More
true. This will stay alive through the rooh (soul) of humanity. Allah has blown His rooh into us. Roohaniyat is God’s gift to human-
ity,” she says.
I have always wondered how she seems to become another per-
son when she sings. It is as if she is in a trance and the words
simply speak themselves through her. “Because I do not perform for people. I perform for Him. In that moment, it is Maula who connects me to the audience and to myself. Woh zaat nazar naheen
aati magar karti sub kuch wohi hai. Whose eyes and hands are actually at work? Banda aur Khuda — they are never apart. My prayer is for
myself is that Maula zaat mein zaat mila de. A relationship based on love between the Creator and Creation. You will find Allah as you perceive Him,” she says.
Living in this world whilst simultaneously existing in a higher
spiritual plane, Abida has also led a very normal life as a mother
of two daughters and a son. I ask her what she feels about the ascetic principle of renouncing this world and everything in it. After all, some do believe that spiritual growth is only possible
when the one leaves the world and its trappings behind. “This
earth …. we cannot renounce it! It is so precious. This is where Muhammad (pbuh) placed his forehead in sajda,” she says. Nothing more remains to be said.T
JANUARY 13-19 2013
25 9
FEATURE
turning trash into
cash
What do a solitary garbage picker and a high-end recycling company have in common? BY SADAF PERVEZ
The first time I met Gulfam, he ignored me for more than twenty minutes. He was busy scrutinising the heaps of waste, searching for packaging material, paper items and plastic bags; anything that he could turn into quick cash. He did not give up until he was sure that there was nothing more for him to find. He surveyed the dump one last time as he put his plastic gloves into his side pocket, and then hoisted his collection bag onto his shoulder and started walking. Nine year old Gulfam is a garbage picker. He visits different areas of Karachi and scavenges in
their garbage to collect recyclable items, which he then sells in the flea market near his house. “My
brother and I both earn up to Rs250 per day,” he says proudly, “We’re the breadwinners of the family”.
26 JANUARY 13-19 2013
He is not alone; there are thousands of children who earn their livelihood from the garbage we
produce daily. Our trash becomes their treasure. The proper collection, disposal and usage can make waste a valuable asset.
“Reduce, reuse, recycle” is the mantra we often hear every time there’s a discussion about re-
cycling. All over the world, the process of recycling has been adopted as a sustainable means of
minimising environmental degradation. This is not the case in Pakistan, where the mountain of garbage produced daily is threatening to overwhelm us.
At present, total solid waste generation in Pakistan is about 20.024 million tons a year, which
Pakistan generates over 20 million tons of solid waste annually and this amount is set to double in the next ten years
is approximately 59,000 tons per day, according to an environment ministry study. The study also showed that the growth rate of solid waste generation is about 2.4% per annum.
At the rate in which our population is increasing, the amount of waste we produce will double
in the next ten years. It is estimated to go up to 4.29 kg per house per day from the present 1.896 kg
per house per day, thereby overburdening our already poor waste management methods. Despite
the racket made by environmentalists, dumping and burning remain the most common methods
of solid waste disposal in this country. The concept of recycling is still in its infancy in Pakistan, with most of the work being done by the legion of waste pickers like Gulfam, one garbage dump at a time.
But now there’s an alternative at the other end of the spectrum, in the shape of companies like
Green Earth Recycling. Formed in the early 1990s as a plastic recycling company, Green Earth recycles plastic materials and beverage packages. One of their most recent innovations has been Green Plastic Wood (GPW), which is manufactured by recycling waste to create plastic ‘wood’ from which products like benches, chairs, playground items are made.
“In the beginning, all plastic used to be imported from European countries as there was no local
infrastructure for collecting waste plastics,” says Babar Bhatti, Director of Green Earth Recycling.
With time, an infrastructure developed that could provide opportunities for locals, allowing them to create a price for the commodity and profit from the collection of these materials.
“The motivation from the very beginning was to set up a system whereby the dumping of waste
was minimised and resources were reused in order to reduce the import bill,” says Bhatti. Green Earth now utilises 300 tons per month of waste shopping bags and packaging plastics and 300 tons per month of scrap rubber, including tyres.
“We collect our waste through contractors who are in a position to supply large quantities.
However, the initial collection is done by scavengers at the lowest level. These people go door to door on donkey carts collecting household waste in areas where no waste management services
exist,” he says, “They then sort through the waste, separating the recyclables from the food waste
and take them to small flea markets where they are paid for the materials as per quality and type”.
Bhatti explained that trash is sorted at home in developed countries. As a result, the materials
are worth much more and are very easy to recycle. Here, on the other hand, we just throw our trash out all together. He admits that there are a handful of people who separate recyclables and sell them to raddi walas and markets but they are few and far between.
Still, Bhatti is hopeful that in time education will help change the mindsets of people and cre-
ate awareness about different recyclable waste streams. He believes that change will only come
from the new generation. “We do arrange school visits to the premises to show them the process and make them aware of all the things that can be done with everyday items that are discarded,” Bhatti says.
Gulfam and Green Earth Recycling are both, in their own ways, turning trash into cash. If re-
cycling is turned into a business, it will not only boost the economy, but will also generate jobs,
conserve our natural resources, save landfill space and energy, and reduce pollution all at the same time. Now that would truly be capitalism with a cause.
27 JANUARY 13-19 2013
COMMENT COMMENT
out of focus So you think owning a DSLR makes you a photographer? Think again!
BY RAMSHA TOFIQUE
Money can’t buy creativity. Even a somewhat trained monkey can take pictures if given the right camera. Owning a high resolution Digital Singlelens Reflex Camera, capturing pictures from it and 11 then altering the picture through editing software 32 MAY 9-15 13-19 2010 2013 JANUARY
cannot make you a ‘photographer.’ Photography requires skill, experience and a diploma or degree. Demanding a Digital Single-Lens Reflex Camera (DSLR) as a
birthday present is a new trend that everyone seems to be jump-
ing on to. It is definitely a new way to fit into the hip status quo
11 33 MAY13-19 9-15 2013 2010 JANUARY
TRAVEL
a red fort, a kashmiri chronicle
BY OBAID UR REHMAN ABBASI
You hear someone say Lal Qilla and odds are you’ll think of India. If you live in Karachi, you may even think about that buffet place on Shahrah-e-Faisal. One place you certainly won’t think about is Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Hence, you can excuse my emphatic (and ignorant) response to my secretary when he mentioned a Red Fort in Muzaffarabad.
ferring to the Mughal monument in the
“A Red Fort in Muzaffarabad? Are you
and a large portion of it was destroyed dur-
kidding?” I said.
34
You see, when he mentioned the Red
Fort, I immediately presumed he was reJANUARY 13-19 2013
Indian city of New Delhi.
to rectify.
A few weeks back, my family and I got a
I was mistaken. As he delved into de-
chance to visit the area to see the develop-
cant yet incredibly derelict site, my igno-
with the aid of various donor countries for
tails and tales of this historically signifirance transformed into interest and he
managed to convince me enough to see — and then write — about this ruined monu-
ment projects initiated by the government
the rehabilitation of those who suffered during the tragic earthquake.
After a three-hour drive from Islam-
ment to Kashmir’s past.
abad, we reached the capital of AJK. I
Muzaffarabad and it is in dire need of at-
of the devastation this city had suffered in
As it turns out, there is a Red Fort in
tention after most of its relics were stolen
ing the 2005 earthquake. Despite being a frequent visitor to AJK, I had never even
heard of this fort. An omission I intended
braced myself for the worst, as memories
2005 came flooding back. The last time I had visited this city, houses and markets alike had been razed to the ground and
thousands of people lay either dead or injured. What was once an awe-inspiring
sight — a city of breathtaking beauty –had
to Red Fort in English.
river, with the two levels connected to one
day. As I looked upon at the vast expanse
the Chak rulers of Kashmir realised there
level.
the grass was stained by the red of blood,
the expansionist Mughals. The fort was
hold off the Mughal advance, and Kash-
post that could be a staging ground for
Emperor Akbar visited his newly-won
been transformed into a graveyard that of misery and tears, where the green of
it seemed the beautiful city would never live again.
This time, however, I was greeted by
an encouraging scene; development was underway and the government was work-
ing on improving the infrastructure for
Historians say the fort was built after
was a potential threat to their city from thus built to serve as a raised defensive counter-offensives.
A strategically important location was
chosen for building the fort: a large rock
which is surrounded by a U-shaped curve
another through a now-destroyed middle But all of the rulers’ precautions could
mir was annexed in 1587 or so.
When
domain, he chose this route to return to
the Mughal capital as it was the easiest one. When he reached Chakrs Bahak (now, Muzaffarabad), he stayed there for a week and a royal travel lodge was built for future visits.
Its state, however, paints a gloomy picture of neglect. It seems the fort — with its entrances and exits badly damaged — has become a shelter for dogs and other animals The fort then lost its strategic impor-
the people. Maybe, I was wrong. Maybe,
carved by the River Neelum which flows
misplaced. Maybe, the city could be whole
sides.
the sensation of foreboding I had felt was again.
A peephole into the past After a brief stay at the lavish and picturesque Pearl Continental Hotel, my fam-
ily and I reached our destination: the Red Fort of AJK.
The fort — or what remains of it — is a
on its eastern, northern and western
Initiated in 1559 during the reign of the
Chak Dynasty, the fort was built to de-
Sultan Muzaffar Khan of the Bomba Dynasty — the founder of Muzaffarabad —
repaired and completed the fort, using it as a military base.
In 1846, Maharaja Gulab Singh of the
velop a second line of defense while at the
Dogra Dynasty began repairs and an ex-
Fort in Dub Gali Pass, west of what is now
successor Maharaja Ranbeer Singh com-
same time providing cover to the Fateh Garh the city of Muzaffarabad.
The Red Fort had three levels, with the
15-minute drive from the hotel and gets
main gate on the eastern side of the upper
It is called the Rutta Qila, which translates
stairs descending all the way down to the
the red in its name from its crimson hues.
tance and was forgotten until 1646 when
level. The lower level of the fort once had
tension on the fort once again, and his
pleted it, giving it the form it had before
it became a ruin. The fort was then used
by the military till 1926, after which a new cantonment was built, leaving the red fort abandoned once again.
JANUARY 13-19 2013
35
TRAVEL
Is the fort, which bears testament to the rise and fall of many a Kashmiri kingdom, doomed to just be another casualty of the catastrophe that ruined families and scarred generations?
ture of neglect. It seems the fort — with
said everything was with them, in safe
has become a shelter for dogs and other
a single item is missing, he reassured me.
its entrances and exits badly damaged — animals.
Preserving heritage? Although the government has apparently employed staff for facilitating tourism
and protecting the fort, none were to be seen when I visited. The main office, according to the gatekeeper, has been shifted to the city. “No one comes here, sir”, he said when asked about the tourism staff.
People were lounging in a cabin which
was supposed to be the main office of the
tourism development and archaeology department of AJK. A quick conversation
ture, during its building and multiple repairs, tell their own tales. Ranging from
rounded stones, rubble, red brick masonry
and lime and clay, these materials speak of architectural development through the
ages. And despite the massive damage to it after the quake, the fort still stands
36
the fort despite repeated requests to the government and other national and inter-
national funding organizations. Lack of
funding hampers repair and preservation of historical buildings in the AJK, the official said. He also told me that the land
surrounding the fort was under litigation
and the question of its ownership was now in the hands of the court.
Is the fort, which bears testament to
long time.
of the catastrophe that ruined families
ing used as a room for resting since a very
which was once a part of the fort, is now held illegally by an influential person who
holds a big post in the political set of AJK. Talking to these people, I began realising
why I had never heard of the fort. After
dom, doomed to just be another casualty and scarred generations? Certainly any passerby will only associate it with the
earthquake and not the many eras of history that it is a testament to — the history of Kashmir itself.
Truly, any plan of rebuilding Muzaffar-
all, any inadvertent visitors to this place
abad would have to include repairing the
gence.
will stand solely as a reminder to a disas-
will only see the fruits of our own negliI spoke to a tourism official after some-
one told me that even articles belonging
Its state, however, paints a gloomy pic-
the office. He denied all such reports and
JANUARY 13-19 2013
a single penny for upgrading and securing
the rise and fall of many a Kashmiri king-
with all its inherent glory, grandeur and history.
The official gave his own side of the
story. He claimed that he had not gotten
with them revealed that the office was be-
I also learned that a large chunk of land,
Even the materials used in this struc-
custody and under proper inventory. Not
to the long-gone eras are missing from
fort, or else centuries’ worth of history
ter that is just a few years old. Without restoring the fort to its former glory, the
city of Muzaffarabad will never be whole again.
REVIEW
tom’s tall order BY NOMAN ANSARI
The short statured Tom Cruise may have realised, at some point, that playing the role of the dark and hulky Jack Reacher was a rather tall order. In order to pass off as an intimidating former U.S Army major, Tom Cruise loses his signature movie star smile; instead, he arms himself with a menacing look, coupled with an overly self-satisfied demeanor. On cruise control throughout Jack Reacher, the actor crushes bad guys by the dozen, cracking their bones as they cower in his shadow. When he stops for a pause, it is for the attractive women who are taken in by his irresistible looks and cheesy rapid-fire one-liners. Unfortunately for the smirking Cruise, try as he might, he simply isn’t able to sell himself as the huge muscular grunt. This is exemplified in the opening sequences of Jack Reacher, where the film’s casting choices do little to help the actor’s seemingly impossible mission to appear significantly taller. The film begins as Reacher, a wanderer, is called upon for help by a former military sniper, James Barr (Joseph Sikora) who is accused of mass murder. Reacher meets Detective Emerson (David Oyelowo) and District Attorney Alex Rodin (Richard Jenkins), who are investigating the matter. At this point, Reacher also encounters the daughter of
in pursuit of equality BY NOMAN ANSARI
Dignified, introspective, and thoroughly engaging, Spielberg’s Lincoln is a historical drama that aptly shares many characteristics of the great American president and the final four months of his life. This is the time when Lincoln, the sixteenth U.S. President, fights to outlaw ‘slavery and involuntary servitude’ by having the Thirteenth Amendment passed at the House of Representatives. It is also during this denouement that Lincoln is expected to win the Civil War against the South. Due to the complexity of American politics, the amendment must be passed as soon as possible, so that the slaves are not caught in a vicious cycle of enslavement. Lincoln is portrayed as a patient yet shrewd individual, playing politics cunningly in order to win the votes required. This film is yet another magnificent piece of cinema from Spielberg. But it is an epic that is unlike his previous pieces of historical work, where he avoids the grandeur, and allows the excellent script, a patient direction, and the acting to work the wonders. The performances are timeless. Tommy L. Jones features as Republican Congressional leader Thaddeus Stevens, a stubborn man who reins in his call for complete racial equality so that Lincoln
Alex Rodin and an idealistic defence attorney, Helen Rodin (Rosamund Pike). Immediately noticeable at the opening stage is that Jack Reacher, a man who supposedly dwarfs others, is only as tall as the rest of the principal cast, and actually shorter than his leading lady! It makes the role a tough sell for Tom Cruise, especially when he is beating up thugs and his opponents are all larger than him. Regrettably, Jack Reacher lacks a solid script as well. Aside from the many eye-roll inducing action-film clichés, this film adaptation of the entertainingly sadistic Jim Grant novel also suffers from one-dimensional characterisation. This adds to the film’s generic feel. Worse still is the laughable dialogue, which provides entertainment for all the wrong reasons. Tom Cruise has convincingly played the role of the action hero before, but in roles that required intelligence and skill, rather than undemanding brawn. This mindless role may have required the physical presence of a larger man, but in terms of acting talent, it was beneath him.
may succeed in his political negotiations. Meanwhile, Daniel Day-Lewis gives a powerful performance as Lincoln himself, embodying the intelligent, tolerant, down to earth, and level headed nature of the great American leader. Moreover, the actor manages to exude a great level of self-confidence as the President, a self-made man who climbed the social ladder with little formal education. In Lincoln, Spielberg achieves the improbable — film that even renders the subject of politics rather compelling. The political negotiations of Lincoln and his staff are given in a condensed fashion. With the civil war’s end nearby, there is a sense of great urgency and suspense in this highly political film. There is also a worthwhile message in Lincoln: politics, with all its ways and wiles, can be used by noble leaders for great ends. Hopefully Lincoln will be a film that some of our own leaders can watch 37 and learn from. Though, I probably shouldn’t hold my breath. JANUARY 13-19 2013
HEALTHY LIVING
outsmart your belly fat BY KIRAN ZAHRA
Belly fat doesn’t just make it hard to fit into your skinny jeans — it actually puts you at risk for heart disease, dementia and even some types of cancer. Here are some ways you can lose that bulging belly Increase Your Metabolic Rate
Consume fewer calories:
Reduce stress:
You have to do away with 3,700 calories to be able to lose one
Research suggests that cortisol (the stress hormone) is correlated
with increase in belly fat. Here are some methods to curb everyday stress.
— Sleep is very important. You need to sleep at least 8 hours daily to function well.
ries or you can cut 3,700 calories from your diet. Aim to lose two
pounds per week as any more will be harmful to your health and chances are that you will regain all the pounds.
— Set some time aside for yourself. You can use this time to relax
Exercise
— Try to disconnect yourself from the stresses of daily life when
Use stairs instead of elevators, walk more and avoid driving if the
Swap refined grains with whole grains:
in your office. Take 30-minute breaks at the office and stretch or
and forget about your worries.
Keep yourself moving:
you get done with work.
travel distance is short. If you have a desk job, get a treadmill
Studies have proven that if you switch to whole grains, you will lose your belly fat quicker than if you have refined grains. The
simply stand up and walk 30 steps after every 30 minutes.
Do exercise in intervals:
whole grains help to melt the stubborn fat present in your body
Study shows that exercising in intervals provides the best results.
the burn up of belly fat. Avoid white refined grains with unpro-
stamina. To reduce abdominal weight, you can do squats, cardio,
by changing your insulin and glucose response which speeds up cessed brown rice, whole wheat bread and oats.
Have breakfast:
Slowly and gradually you can increase your endurance level and sprinting, walking and power yoga
Cardio with resistance training:
In order to lose belly fat, you need to have your breakfast with-
According to research, resistance training combined with cardio-
your breakfast early helps to lower your bad cholesterol (LDL) and
exercise. But don’t over burden yourself, too much physical activ-
in the first hour of waking up. Studies have shown that eating keeps your insulin levels steadier. Try adding fibre and protein
rich foods to your breakfast; they take a lot of time to digest and
vascular training melts more belly fat than only cardiovascular ity can tear muscles and lead to injury.
Stay motivated by making a diet buddy:
help you to feel fuller for a longer period. Eggs, fresh fruits, veg-
One of the best ways to lose weight is to convince a friend to do it
Increase water intake:
on track.
etables and peanut butter are healthy breakfast foods.
Stay hydrated as water activates your metabolism and helps to eliminate toxins and waste from the body.
Fat Loss Diet Keep a food journal: Keep a record of what you eat every day. It will give you a rough idea of what to do with your bad eating habits.
Embrace good fats:
A diet rich in monounsaturated fats like avocados, seeds, nuts, chocolate and soya beans helps prevent storage of fat in the belly. Trans-fats
present in crackers, margarine and bakery items made of hydrogenated oils promote fat build-up around your
38
pound per week. You can either exercise hard to burn these calo-
belly area.
JANUARY 13-19 2013
with you. It’s more fun and you can both make sure the other stays Remember, always talk to your physician
before embarking on any weight loss program.