JULY 27-AUGUST 2 2014
Bound by
Faith
Ramazan celebrations across the globe
JULY 27-AUGUST 2 2014
Feature Last man standing
Cover Story Bound by Faith
One teacher’s dedication breathes life into a government school
Muslims across the globe celebrate Ramazan COVER PHOTO COURTESY: THE EAST LONDON MOSQUE
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Feature
It’s a set-up This Eid, dress up your table as you would dress yourself
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Regulars 6 People & Parties: Out and about with beautiful people
46 Reviews: Music and TV 50 Health: No more sleepless nights
Magazine In-charge: Sarah Munir, Senior Subeditor: Dilaira Dubash & Subeditor: Mifrah Haq Creative Team: Amna Iqbal, Essa Malik, Jamal Khurshid, Samra Aamir, Munira Abbas, Omer Asim, Sanober Ahmed & Talha Ahmed Khan Publisher: Bilal A Lakhani. Editor: Kamal Siddiqi For feedback and submissions: magazine@tribune.com.pk Twitter: @ETribuneMag & Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ETribuneMag Printed: uniprint@unigraph.com
PEOPLE & PARTIES
The clothing brand, Engine opens another outlet in Lahore
PHOTOS COURTESY BILAL MUKHTAR EVENTS AND PR
Zara Peerzada, Natty and Alyzeh Gabol
Zara , Lubna and Inzar
Reha and Maha
Amber Safdar
Mian, Amad and Usman Wafa and Sahar
6 JULY 27-AUGUST 2 2014
PEOPLE & PARTIES
PHOTOS COURTESY BILAL MUKHTAR EVENTS AND PR
Farah and Iqra
Kynat and Hina
Qurat ul Ain and Rida Pasha
Farwa
Erfa
Moosa and Atique
8 JULY 27-AUGUST 2 2014
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Maria B launches its Eid collections in Lahore Iqra and Iman
PHOTOS COURTESY IMRAN FARID, PINHOLE STUDIO
Tamar, Zara, Rubab, Mariya, Anam and Alizeh
Maria B
Aena and Zainab
Sara and Minahil
10 JULY 27-AUGUST 2 2014
Fajar
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Fatima and Gull
PHOTOS COURTESY IMRAN FARID, PINHOLE STUDIO
Huma and Ramsha
Beenish and Rida
Samreen and Anam
Zeeshma
Saher and Sidra
12 JULY 27-AUGUST 2 2014
PEOPLE & PARTIES
The French brand, Guerlain’s boutique opens up at Dolmen Mall Clifton, in Karachi
PHOTOS COURTESY TAKEII
Seemi Pasha and Maumar Rana
Yousuf Bashir Qurieshi and Kiran Khan
Tabia Mirza
Sarwat Gilani
Nadia Mistry Aliya Tipu
14 JULY 27-AUGUST 2 2014
Zarmina Khilji
PEOPLE & PARTIES
PHOTOS COURTESY TAKEII
Fazila Qazi and Uzma Alkarim
Najia Asher
Sherry Shah
Nazia Malik Hira Tareen
Maheen Khan
Zainab
16 JULY 27-AUGUST 2 2014
COVER STORY
Muslims wait for maghrib azan at The East London Mosque. Around 500 people break their fast at the mosque every day.
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PHOTO COURTESY: THE EAST LONDON MOSQUE
Muslims across the world reach out to the community during the month of Ramazan Traditionally, Ramazan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is synonymous with faith, abstinence, prayer and a sense of community for Muslims across the globe. This year, however, the month has been particularly tumultuous. Thousands of displaced people are scrambling for food and shelter in Pakistan as a military operation razes their hometowns, millions of Muslims across refugee camps in Syria have been pushed to starvation as the deadly conflict between the rebels and pro-Assad forces enters its third year and Gaza has been turned into an overnight battle ground with Israeli forces raining down missiles on the civilian pop population. But, it is in these tough times that you will also als find the most heartwarming example examples of tolerance, co-existence and a acceptance, not just within the Muslim circle, but also among those who w would normally be li limited to its exter exterior. You just need to know where loo to look.
Bound by
Faith BY SARAH ALVI, PURVI THACKER AND NICOLAS GATTIG DESIGN BY MARIUM ALI
329 JULY 27-AUGUST 2 2014
It is a little past eight in the evening in London and the walls of The East London Mosque are glowing in the light of the setting sun. In about an hour, Muslims all over the United Kingdom will break their fast as one of the longest and hottest days of summers comes to an end. Inside the M a r y a m Centre, a part of the m o s q u e designated BY SARAH ALVI for women, Yesmine Ozcan is waiting for the maghrib azan along with some 60 other women. Ozcan moved to London from Turkey six years ago for work, and has been regularly coming to the mosque for iftars since. “It is home away from home,” she says. “I believe Muslims cannot be alone anywhere in the world, as long as they have a mosque to go to.” Two volunteers in the hall carefully place plates laden with channa chaat, a samosa, a couple of pakoras, a slice of watermelon, dates, and rice with chicken along with a water bottle in front of each attendant. In a separate part of the mosque more than 400 men will also break their fast at the sound of azan. London hosts nearly 600,000 Muslims, according to the 2011 census, making Islam the largest minority religion of the city. While mosques and homes remain a popular traditional place for iftars, Ramazan evenings have taken an innovative turn. Muslim community centres have opened their doors to people of all faiths and flash mob iftars have sprung up in parks and high streets under the banner of a community-led initiative called The Big Iftar.
The glorious iftars of
The nationwide programme was launched last year in partnership with Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board amidst incidents of anti-Muslim crimes. With over a 100 inter-community iftars planned this Ramazan, it is already a huge success. “The Big Iftar is about building relationships. The purpose is to take ownership and present Islam and its practices in a positive way,” says Mustafa Field MBE, co-founder of The Big Iftar and director of Faiths Forum for London.
London
The East London Mosque, together with adjoining London Muslim Centre and Maryam Centre serves the largest Muslim community in the United 4 Kingdom. PHOTO COURTESY: SARAH ALVI
A volunteer gives out the evening call to prayer at The Ramadan Tent Project. PHOTO COURTESY: SARAH ALVI
Then there is The Ramadan Tent Project. Now in its second year, this award-winning student-led project offer iftars to homeless and individuals in need along with the general public at Malet Street Garden in the heart of London. The setup is located at a stone’s throw from the campuses of SOAS, University of London and University College London and many students stop by in the evenings to share the scrumptious food. As dusk draws near, founder Omar Salha and his young team put together a white tent under the trees shade. Some volunteers neatly spread out disposable white sheets in four or five rows on the ground to serve as dastarkhwans. Other volunteers prepare food parcels inside the tent. Dates, water and neatly cut slices of watermelons are served to the arriving participants. Everyone sits together on the ground.
I believe Muslims cannot be alone anywhere in the world, as long as they have a mosque to go to
the Jewish fast of the 17 Tammuz coincided. The event was closed to the public due to its sensitive timing. “Initially people were a little apprehensive of what is going to happen,” says Sef Townsend who organised the event
London resident, Yesmine Ozcan Haroon Ahzaz Ahmed, the social media manager for the project feels the communal seating arrangement breaks barriers and brings people closer. “Just the other day I was sitting with three Polish men. They said to me they thought Muslims were terrorists. They had no idea that Muslims could sit with non-Muslims and we could all eat together,” he recalls. But it is not only Muslims who are reaching out to other communities. Earlier this month North Western Reform synagogue opened its doors and invited Muslims for iftar under The Big Iftar initiative. Perhaps one of the most symbolic interfaith iftars took place in North
A volunteer lays out iftar at The East London Mosque. PHOTO COURTESY: THE EAST LONDON
Muslims and Jews met to share the breaking of fast for the 17th day of Ramazan and the Jewish fast of the 17 Tammuz. PHOTO COURTESY: JUMANA MOON
with the help of Jewish friend, David Bash and Muslim friend, Jumana Moon. But the ice melted as the organisers sang and prayed in Hebrew and Arabic. Participating Muslims and Jews fasted in solidarity with the bereaved Israeli and Palestinian parents. They prayed together for peace and lit candles inspired by a poem by Mahmood Darwish, “As you think of others far away, think of yourself. Tell yourself: if only I were a candle in the dark.” Townsend who has been involved in interfaith, refugee and peace projects globally hopes there will be more of such events in the future. “I feel privileged to have shared this moment with our brothers and sisters in Islam, baruch Hashem,” he says in Hebrew, which means ‘glory to God’, then adds in a soft voice, “Alhamdolillah.”
MOSQUE
West London earlier last week when a group of nearly 60 Muslims and Jews met to share the breaking of fast as the 17th day of Ramazan and Sarah Alvi is a graduate from The Columbia Journalism School and a passionate visual artist. She tweets @sarah_alvi
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Every evening during Ramazan, people from all over the city get together at New York University’s Islamic Center (ICNYU) to pray, break their fast and attend taraweeh with Imam Khalid Latif, NYU NYU’ss first ever appointed Muslim chaplain. Free and open th to the public, NYU’s ift iftar has become synonymous w with being ‘t ‘the’ interfaith TEXT AND PHOTOS BY PURVI THACKER ga gathering to eng engage, share and create an experience of fam . community and family
Redefining Muslim identity in
New York
Men and women line up at the ICNYU’s prayer room and Imam Khalif Latif leads with namaz and a message of inspiration.
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“It’s a no-judgment zone, and doesn’t’ feel like a heavy, demanding environment. The messages here feel more like a blessing than a preaching,” explains 47-year-old Issa Mohammad, from Egypt. And like him, many of the city’s young professionals flock to the ICNYU every weeknight to bond over a meal with like minds from diverse backgrounds. “Most Muslims have a rigid archetype of faith and so our vision and identity veers away from encompassing the community into a particular race, culture and ethnicity, but to open it up to different spiritual and personal experiences,” says Imam Latif. In keeping with that sentiment, it is no wonder that the Ramazan committee at ICNYU strives to include variety in the food served every night. From South Asian, Mexican, Caribbean, Lebanese and Chinese cuisine options, there is a concerted effort to even have soul food and vegetarian options on the menu. The fast is broken with the evening call to prayer, followed by a short message from Imam Latif, who addresses a variety of topics ranging from amplifying women’s rights and prayers for the Rohingya Muslim community in Burma, to Ramazan garbage wars and the importance of halal meat.
Today’s choice is Abu Bakr (RA) and rights of women, for which Imam Latif explains that this Ramazan, ICNYU has Tupperware boxes are encouraged to paired up with bring about a zero waste iftar, in hopes to New Jersey- minimise waste. based organisation SMILE to support women in need. The goal of the fundraiser is to raise $150,000 to provide women with job skills, loans, cars and services like counseling and mediation, and he urges the community to partake in the bake sale, through which funds will be raised. Community service and giving back is not just monetary, points out Sumaiyah Ahmed, who runs the Ramazan Program at ICNYU. She elaborates on the green initiative and zero waste campaign that is being encouraged. In the last two weeks, the ICNYU has sold eco-collapsible neo kits or food boxes and water bottles for people to carry every day and wash and re-use. “Every week we want a reduction in waste, because as Muslims, we need to be mindful of the world we live in and make a positive environmental impact,” she says. For the 200 to 300 people attending iftar every day, this will prevent the wastage of up to 6,000 cups and around 10,000 plates. “Everything is donation-and sponsor-based,” explains Ahmed, but judging at the varied services provided by ICNYU to foster a sense of family and community, it doesn’t look like it is difficult to garner support for occasions like Laylatul Qadr and Eid (brunch and prayer), which usually brings in up to 1,500 people. While a line gathers at the bake sale to tend to one’s sweet tooth after a long day of fasting, a young African American woman in a hijab says, “This sense of community is what family is really like and how it should look in our discourse.” She comments on how she feels at ease in the ICNYU. “ If I had to go to any other place, I would have to think of what I am wearing. Over here, what a sister wears is not a focal point of conversation. We look at the things that matter and that’s how it should be.” Purvi Thacker is a graduate from the Columbia Journalism School and currently works as a freelance journalist in New York. She tweets @purvi21
A few years ago during Ramazan, I attended the Friday prayer at a mosque in San Francisco. Enamored and clueless, I explored the scene — an alabaster agnostic among dark-skinned and bearded believers, who eyed me with wonder as we kneeled to pray. Face down with my arms outstretched, my behind in the air and my nose smelling the prayer rug, I understood that a prostration is a submission — a concession of a humble servant to the only god, Allah. It was a gut-level challenge. Fast forward a few years and once again I find myself attending the Friday prayer in Ramazan, but this time at the Tokyo Camii, the largest mosque in Japan. Nearly 200 Muslims (mostly men), had gathered there for food and a sermon. Later on,
Malaysian porridge is served for the iftar dinner. as people lined up for food, the atmosphere was relaxed and cheerful. In Japan, no one frets over immigrant waves eroding their way of life and imposing the Sharia law. “Islam is growing here,” says Dr. Musa Mohammad Omar, the executive director of the Islamic Center Japan. “We don’t recruit, but the mosques are full and each day people come to visit.” The conversion rate, for both men and women, has also increased, many of those being for marriage. Japan’s relations with Islam date to the late 19th century which were the days of its political alliance with Turkey. The first signs of an actual community came with the arrival of Muslims from Russia who were fleeing the October Revolution. According to Musa, there is no reliable data, but the number of Muslims in Japan easily exceeds 100,000. And the country has gone to great lengths to make this Muslim population feel at home. A number of university cafeterias, hotels and restaurants now offer halal meal choices. There are Muslim tour
guides and souvenir shops, as well as prayer rooms at airports and offices in addition to more than 100 Islamic associations in Japan. In part, the embrace is rooted in business. As relations with China went sour, Japan eased visa restrictions for Southeast Asian nations, to offset the lost business. This boosted tourism and student exchanges from Malaysia and Indonesia to the point where more and more hijab headscarves are now dotting the Japanese urban landscape. The Tokyo Camii Rahil Khan from Rawalpindi, who mosque. has been living in Japan for the past 28 years, believes that the communal aspect of Ramazan is what attracts the Japanese. “People are lonely at home,” he says. “So they come to the mosque for company, for conversation and jokes. At iftar, many Japanese show up at the mosque for free food. They follow Ramazan more than Islam — it’s like one of their festivals.” Musa feels that the local Muslim community enjoys an idyllic diaspora. “We have no ties to any homeland politics,” he says. “At Japanese mosques there are no divisions, no problems between Sunnis and Shiites. The police here are on our side,, and the people are open to Islam. Whatever prejudice they may have, they get from the West.” out But not everyone is without ms suspicion. Khan claims rs that government officers e in keep checks on the mosque TEXT AND PHOTOS BY NICOLAS GATTIG Askusa and that police keepss an ound the eye on him as he walks around ss One day neighbourhood on business. day, h e walked into a station and confronted the officers. “I went inside and said, ‘What is the problem? Let us talk about this problem! If you need something, you should come and ask.’” No one said that diversity was easy, or even natural. Perhaps for pluralism to work, we need both curiosity and indifference — both emblematic of how Japanese approach foreignness — in equal measure. And this alabaster agnostic is cheering for that. 7
A previous version of this article was published in The Japan Times. Nicolas Gattig is a teacher and freelance writer in Japan.
Finding pluralism in
Japan
Bulbul writing lessons on a chalk board during a classroom session at the Mahtramdan school.
Last man standing The government school at a Gilgit-Baltistan village would have been long shut, had it not been for Bulbul Khan TexT and PhoTos By danial shah design By sanoBeR ahMed
In a tiny village called Mahtramdan, a nine-hour drive from Gilgit, Bulbul Khan, a twenty-something man runs a government school by himself. He belongs to another village in Gilgit-Baltistan and shares a small room behind the only classroom with a teacher from another school as his humble abode. Every weekend, he walks for hours on foot to visit his family, and on weekdays, he spends most of his time teaching, preparing lessons and checking workbooks, only allowing himself a little time to fish in the evenings to overcome his isolation. The village of Mahtramdan is so small that it consists of only 12 houses, occupied by eight Wakhi and four Tajik families. There is no interaction with the outside world except for the radio, and basic life necessities are barely met. But that has not deterred Bulbul from faithfully carrying out his teaching duties in the village. I came across Bulbul when our party of hikers — who had undertaken the 13-day WaBulbul Corridor trek and were en route the Karambar Lake, one of the highest biologically active lakes on earth — reached our first camping site in Mahtramdan. From Gilgit onwards, it was an arduous, yet visually breathtaking journey that took around five hours to Imit valley, home to Bulbul’s native village, and then four hours via jeep to the Mahtramdan. The WaBulbul Corridor is a 220km-long and 16 to 64km-wide strip of land that links Pakistan, China and Tajikistan, and was created as a buffer zone between the British Empire and Imperial Russia during the 19th century Great Game. It was dark when we arrived at the village. Our jeeps had stopped where the road ended, and the only way to make it to the faintly lit, four-walled 37 JULY 27-aUgUst 2 2014
FeaTURe
It was heartening to see a government schoolteacher so dedicated to his craft in a country where the education sector is mired by corruption, inefficiency and absenteeism
school was to wade through a water stream. Bulbul was kind enough to spare the school’s only hall for trekkers to sleep overnight. Next morning, we woke up early as students began filing into the hall. Our trek was long and arduous, but beautiful. We crossed rivers, forests, glaciers and tall mountains. Unfortunately, our expedition hit a snag, and after six days we had to call it off due to unexpected snowfall and harsh weather conditions at the lake. It was when we returned to the school that I witnessed Bulbul teaching five classes consecutively in one big hall. It was the morning of our journey back home, and as I sipped on a cup of tea, waiting for our jeeps to arrive, the students began filing into their classroom. Some were dressed in casual attire, while others wore torn and crumpled uniforms. Their schoolbags were homemade, bearing locally embroidered designs. The books were old, damaged and stitched. 38 But Bulbul had a unique way of JULY 27-aUgUst 2 2014
government Primary school Mahtramdan.
Junior class in session.
a student taking out her workbook from her bag.
The hall at the government school which was used by the trekkers for an overnight stay.
a homemade school bag.
teaching that almost compensated for the minimal resources. With black chalkboards installed all across the classroom, he formed groups of students for each class. The junior-most students sat in the front while students from the third grade sat at the back. On both sides were students from grade four and five. There were no students for grade two. Bulbul taught alif, bay, pe to the junior students, gave them an activity to do and moved to other groups. While doing so, he kept an eye on every student. After completing his round, with all the classes, he sat on his chair and checked workbooks, individually calling each student while correcting their mistakes. It was heartening to see a government schoolteacher so dedicated to his craft in a country where the education sector is mired by corruption, inefficiency and absenteeism. There are more than 160,000 government-run schools across Pakistan, out of which around 7,000 are ghost schools that exist merely on paper. The Government Primary School, Mahtramdan could have suffered the same fate, if Bulbul had not taken upon himself to run the entire school. “It is sad that these kids will not be able to continue further education after class five,” he says, when asked about the future of his students. “The middle and higher schools are far away, while college and universities are only in the cities.” What Bulbul probably fails to see is the chain of change he has already triggered by schooling this handful of students who now at least have a glimpse of a better life. And who knows, some of them might even overcome the hurdles and make it to the other side for a better view.
Danial Shah is a travel writer and a photographer. He tweets @DanialShah_
a student going through his lesson.
JULY 27-aUgUst 2 2014
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FEATURE
It’s a
set-up
The right utensil at the right spot can do wonders for a meal BY NISMA CHAUHAN DESIGN BY HALIMA SADIA
T
his Eid, take out a little time to dress up your table. Follow these basics for a beautiful table arrangement that will add a whole new flavour to your feast. For a three-course meal, keeping Pakistani cuisine in mind, an informal table setting is most appropriate for an event, recommends Adullah Haddi, the operations manager at the College of Tourism and Hotel Management. Owing to its western heritage, a formal table setting consists of a sixcourse meal comprising soup, fish, game, meat, dessert and fruits, therefore requiring a fish fork and soup bowl that isn’t necessarily needed for a traditional feast of biryani and kebab. Whether formal or informal, the first step to setting up any table is to select a tablecloth to fit the occasion. According to Nawab Sajjad, a food and beverage instructor at the
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Pakistan Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management, “When setting a tablecloth on the table, the host should make sure the cloth hangs two inches on each side.” If the cloth is too long, the guest will experience discomfort while being seated. For an informal setting, Haddi believes that a printed tablecloth and colourful plates would perfectly complement each other. “White plates or tablecloths are [mainly] used for a formal dinner setting,” he says, adding that colour should be limited to the borders of the plate as less is always more. For the tablecloth he suggests using vibrant colours such as red and blue or a combination of green and yellow. Since elders are often served by the host as part of our culture, Sajjad emphasises practicing the silver service method invented by the British. It requires food to be served and drinks to be poured from the left hand side of the
guest and cleared from their right. And the food should be served using a spoon and a fork. It is also important to clear the table of all the used items before serving dessert. “People often ignore hygiene but it is the most important aspect of serving,” says Sajjad. Even the smallest things matter when hosting a formal event. Both Sajjad and Haddi agree that extra care must be taken of cleanliness. “Before the event, everything should be dusted and cleaned. What’s the point of hosting an event if the place appears dirty,” says Haddi. NapkinNisma Chauhan is pursuing a Bachelor in mass communications. She tweets @ChauhanNisma
Bread and butter plate should be placed on the left side, above the dinner plate. It is used to put away used flatware.
The rice spoon and knife should be placed on the right and the meat fork on the left. The knife blade Salt and pepper cellars should be placed above the plate. Standard plate/ Dinner plate should be around nine inches and placed right in front of the guest.
The dessert spoon and fork should be placed above the dinner plate. The water goblet should be placed just above the tip of the knife on the right and the wine glass on the right side of the goblet.
should always face the plate. The napkin should be placed either on top of the plate or beside it. It can also be folded inside the water goblet or into a pouch to hold all the basic silverware (knife, fork and spoon) and placed on the right.
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MUSIC
Overcoming
shadows Sometimes a lingering ghost is a good thing BY FYEZ AHMED
First up, let’s get one thing out of the way. The elephant in the record store, if you will. The band Ghost Of A Saber Toothed Tiger comprises two people: one of them is singer/multi-instrumentalist/model/goddess Charlotte Kemp Muhl, and the other is singer/ song-writer/multi-instrumentalist/John Lennon’s son Sean Lennon, which makes half of this band the spawn of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. This, however, will not be a rambling reflection of how difficult it must be for a musician to escape the formidable shadow of his father, arguably modern music’s most influential icons. The most difficult part of reviewing their album, Midnight Sun, is defining what it sounds like. Yes, the Beatles influence is definitely there, and that could either be present as homage to the rock legend or a genetic predisposition. Whatever it is, it works. The Syd Barrett woozy arrangements are evident as well, with synths and guitars, swirling snake-like together through most of the verses. Midnight Sun transcends rock clichés and unnecessary distractions from its most important facet: 12 songs of nearperfect, spacey, dreamy rock that manage to power through the labels of psychedelic music with intelligent lyrics and slick production value. The entire arrangement is washed out by Lennon and Muhl harmonising together in almost all of the tracks, except ‘Johannesburg’ where Muhl takes on sole vocal duties. She has the bass-lines covered exceptionally; 46 groovy and progressive in the right balance. JULY 27-AUGUST 2 2014
Lennon’s raw vocals sound almost grating when wisps of Muhl’s saccharine sweet accompaniments melt through. That seems to be why this album sounds so good. There are such vast elements in this album, in the forms of strange instruments, displaced feedback, bells and whistles, and layers upon layers of varying sounds all meshed together in a non-perfect yet defined alignment. This is most evident in the album closer ‘Moth To A Flame’, a seven-minute epic journey to Mars that manages to hit that sweet spot of meticulous production to achieve the illusion of minimal production. By and large, Midnight Sun seems to have gone commercially unnoticed despite receiving unanimous critical acclaim. In fact, its Billboard position is at par with the current positions of Abbey Road and Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club. However, that is more a conversation on the shambolic state of the music industry rather than a question mark edly, this is one of on this band’s ability. Admittedly, the best debut albums you will hear in a while. ed musicians It indicates that when talented ch sounds like produce a stellar record, which dio in a timeyou have switched on the radio oing back to travelling spaceship while going nobstructed the greatest era of music, unobstructed by music executives, it just won’t sell. How unfortunate that thiss is usually the best indicator of good musicc now. Rating: Fyez Ahmed is a Dubai-based writer. riter. He tweets @fyezeatscake
TV
no rules apply Some lessons in life can only be learnt under lockdown By Sameen amer
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Almost 10 years ago, Piper Kerman served 13 months in a minimum security prison for her involvement in money laundering for a drug operation during the ’90s. She later documented that experience in her 2010 book, Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison, which was then turned into a straight-to-web series by Netflix. The first season of the dramedy premiered last summer, and the show quickly became one of the most talked about programmes of 2013, thereby, helping to establish the streaming service as a legitimate player in the industry and taking the binge-watching trend to a whole new level. Now, the Peabody Award-winning series has unveiled its second season, reuniting us with the oddball occupants of Litchfield Penitentiary for another set of 13 episodes. When we last saw Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), she was busy pummelling her nemesis Pennsatucky (Taryn Manning), the meth addict who had resolved to kill our pro-
tagonist. This season kicks off with Piper in solitary confinement, and an episode worth of twists takes her on an unexpected detour. The dynamic of her relationships with ex-fiancé Larry (Jason Biggs) and former girlfriend Alex (Laura Prepon) are completely different this season, and we subsequently see how she evolves from the privileged white girl who entered prison at the start of the series to adapt to her new life there. But Piper hasn’t quite lost her wilful and foolish characteristics that often land her in trouble. As vital as she may be to the series, this season’s focus isn’t entirely on Piper. While she still remains the story’s pivot, season two focuses more on the ensemble, touchingly and often humorously examining the interaction between the inmates, prison officials and the outside world. We part ways with some prisoners and welcome new inmates as the series further explores the colourful characters at Litchfield. The show continues to delve deeper
into the pasts of these women, unveiling their backstories one flashback at a time. Viewers get a chance to peek into the preprison lives of inmates, including Taystee (Danielle Brooks), Poussey (Samira Wiley), Suzanne aka ‘Crazy Eyes’ (Uzo Aduba), Black Cindy (Adrienne C Moore), Sister Ingalls (Beth Fowler), cancer patient Rosa (Barbara Rosenblat), food in-charge Gloria (Selenis Leyva) who took over the kitchen following Red’s (Kate Mulgrew) ouster, and love-struck Lorna Morello (Yael Stone), whose story yields a heartbreaking revelation. The central plot that binds the whole thing together revolves around the return of a repeat offender who is about to throw the balance of the prison ecosystem into disarray. The arrival of Taystee’s mother figure, Vee (Lorraine Toussaint), begins to cause friction among the various groups of inmates as she enters the contraband game and once again clashes with her old foe Red. Orange Is the New Black continues to be
a resounding success because of its ability to interweave interesting story arcs while continuously developing its characters. Their stories make it easy to get invested in the lives of these flawed women who often display remarkable levels of love and loyalty towards both their real and prison families while finding their own ways to deal with the underlying loneliness of their situation. Along the way, the show explores the issues of gender, class, race, age, sexuality and individual identity. The series has never been shy of portraying explicit and unsettling situations, and its premise gives it every opportunity to do so, making it unsuitable for sensitive viewers. Its cast is fiercely committed to their roles. Just as its Emmy nomination tally (Taylor Schilling has a nod in the Lead Actress category; Kate Mulgrew is up for the Supporting Actress award; while Uzo Aduba, Laverne Cox, and Natasha Lyonne are all vying for the Guest Actress award) would suggest,
the performances are uniformly impressive across the board. And the show’s crew has very expertly complemented these ladies, displaying how attention to minute details in appearance and environment can amplify the storytelling. For instance, the use of shades of Red’s hair to reflect her disposition adds volumes to her character. On the whole, Orange Is the New Black has returned with a deeper, more incisive offering, laced with poignancy and humour, making great use of its diverse and talented cast. The characters don’t always come off as likeable and the proceedings don’t always have a sense of urgency, but the show’s ability to create strong female characters and then show their evolution makes for very compelling viewing. It inspires one to just pause and be grateful for the simple perks of freedom that we often take for granted. rating: Sameen Amer is a Lahore-based freelance writer and critic. She tweets @Sameen JULY 27-aUgUst 2 2014
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Rest is
up to you Simple changes in daily habits can prevent sleepless nights BY KIFAH QASIM DESIGN BY MUNIRA ABBAS
If you’re experiencing sleepless nights and irregular sleep cycles, don’t sleep on it. They could be signs of a sleeping disorder. According to the 2002 research, ‘Epidemiology of Insomnia’ by Maurice M Ohayon, published in Sleep Medicine Reviews, one-third of the general population of the world is suffering from insomnia. Insomnia is, however, just one of the many types of sleeping disorders prevalent today; there are over 50 others that are recognised by the medical world. Dr Hashir Majid, assistant professor at the Department of Medicine at the Aga Khan University, Karachi, who specialises in sleep medicine, lists the most commonly found ones: Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA): a breathing disorder that causes disruption in the continuity of sleep. Insomnia: the inability to fall asleep, or to stay in a continuous sleep. Restless Leg Syndrome: patients move their legs restlessly right before they are about to fall asleep due to strange and uncomfortable sensations in the legs. Narcolepsy: excessive sleepiness during odd hours. Circadian Rhythm disorders: sleep cycle is interrupted and the internal clock runs slower or faster than that of an average person.
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Contrary to popular belief, sleeplessness is just one of the many after-effects of a sleeping disorder. Along with impacting sleep, it has been repeatedly documented that insomniacs also have a tendency to suffer from major depressive episodes. A study published in November 2013 by the non-profit organisation Helpguide found that lack of quality sleep can also impact physical well-being, energy levels and an individual’s emotional balance. While much research has been conducted on sleep disorders in the last two decades, this area of study remains mostly untouched in most South Asian countries, including Pakistan. “It is almost impossible to JULY 27-AUGUST 2 2014
know the exact figures, but going by clinical experience and the use of sleeping pills in our society, it is likely that sleep disorders are relatively common,” says Dr Murad Moosa Khan, a consultant psychiatrist and chairman of the department of Psychiatry at the Aga Khan University, Karachi. The general lack of awareness about these disorders, therefore, has led to a rise in the trend of selfmedication. Dr Majid strongly discourages the use of over-the-counter medicines. Medicines like Xanax, if used for a prolonged period of time, can severely impact health and should be taken only under a sleep specialist’s supervision. Both doctors recommend that people who face irregular or disturbed sleep on a long-term basis must consult a sleep specialist. “It is not the physician or a family doctor but a specialist who will correctly diagnose the disorder,” says Dr Murad. “There are only a few sleep specialist doctors in the country, and they should be contacted.” Along with a consulting a specialist, small changes in one’s daily routine can also have a significant impact on their sleep cycle. The 2011 and 2014 polls by the National Sleep Foundation in the USA found that the use of electronics in the bedroom, excessive workload and lenient bed timings were the major causes of a lack of sleep. Here are a few measures that one can take to improve sleep cycles: • Reduced intake of caffeine and nicotine, and absolutely none after lunch. • Warm showers before going to bed. • No watching television, using the laptop or mobile phones before bed. The light emitted from the screen can keep you up all night. • Exercise for five to six hours before bed. • Fix one time for going to bed and one for waking up and avoid afternoon naps. • Do not read just before going to bed. Kifah Qasim is a freelance writer based in Karachi.