OCTOBER 20-26 2013 JUNE 12-18 2011
Teaching scripture over Skype
OCTOBER 20-26 2013
Feature
Cover Story
Shopaholic’s Gold
Spiritual Connections
To bag a steal, visit the Chor Bazaar in Mumbai
Skype is helping Pakistani families abroad keep in touch with home, language and their religion
18
Feature
Swing low, sweet charity Hope Uplift Foundation goes to the bottom of the social ladder for the noblest work
30 Feature
Survivor, Baltistan style The people of the valleys are natural born engineers
34
24
4
Regulars
6 People & Parties: Out and about with the beautiful people
38 Review: Books and Movies 42 Healthy Living: Coping with Menopause
Magazine In-charge: Sarah Munir and Sub-Editors: Dilaira Mondegarian, Sundar Waqar and Manahyl Khan Creative Team: Amna Iqbal, Essa Malik, Jamal Khurshid, Samra Aamir, Munira Abbas, S Asif Ali & Talha Ahmed Khan Publisher: Bilal A Lakhani. Executive Editor: Muhammad Ziauddin. Editor: Kamal Siddiqi For feedback and submissions: magazine@tribune.com.pk Twitter: @ETribuneMag & Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ETribuneMag Printed: uniprint@unigraph.com
Abeer Adeel and Konain Khan
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Ghazala Humayun and Imrana
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Pak-US Alumni Network Karachi Chapter hosts a dinner
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Samina
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Nizamani
Guests
People & Parties
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Asimyar Tiwana showcases upcoming labels in Karachi PHOTOS COURTESY QYT EVENTS
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FEATURE
SHOPAHOLIC’S GOLD From vintage paraphernalia to bizarre household collectables, Chor Bazaar in Mumbai has it all
BY PURVI THACKER
Whether its kerosene lamps or hanging lanterns, the collections of items are wide ranging. PHOTO: RACHNA MEHTA
‘Mutton Street’, as its name suggests is not thronged with butcher shops or chicken coops. Nor is it dotted with old chai houses serving keema-pav or roadside stalls concocting local meat delicacies. In fact, this lane has nothing to do with food. Housing the legendary “Chor Bazaar” or market of thieves, this quiet bylane is located amid the bedlam of south Mumbai. But getting to it is the real challenge. One has to circumvent bullock carts piled with melting blocks of ice carelessly covered in jute bags, navigate through bumper-to-bumper taxi traffic, dodge the brouhaha of street vendors and even trudge through cow dung and
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Chor Bazaar is Mecca for even locals, as art collectors, retro loving hipsters, shopaholics and interior designers are often found rummaging for rare artifacts
Everything from spare doors and car tires to logos and auto-parts can be replaced and purchased on the streets of Chor Bazaar. PHOTO: RACHNA MEHTA
rotting fruit and vegetables swarming with flies from the neighbourhood fresh produce market. As the story goes, this flea market of sorts derived its name from the same adjacent mêlée, and was originally known as “Shor Bazaar” (market of noise). But over time, the British rendition reduced it to “Chor Bazaar”, which today seems more fitting, given that one can find smuggled and stolen goods among the glut of Rajput era antiques, vintage bric-a-brac and artifacts. Mutton Street is a nondescript dusty road that doesn’t have the chaos of local souks commonly reflected in the Bourne trilogy series or the stereotypical fanfare of a market seen in Bond movies. It is a serene thoroughfare strewn with small shops and merchant handcarts, with vendors and shop owners peacefully sitting on cane stools smoking beedis listening to Jagjit Singh on their outdated transistors. No one hollers prices and peddles their wares or thrusts their products at you when you pass by. Hawkers enjoying their daily siesta on a pushcart is a fairly common sight. Occasionally there will be an enchanted foreign tourist photographer taking pictures of brass doorknobs and locks, grandfather clocks, gramophones and traditional hookahs. But that’s not all. Chor Bazaar is Mecca for even local art collectors, retro-loving hipsters, shopaholics and interior designers can be found who rummage and bargaining for furniture, sculptures, Bollywood memorabilia, sought-after ancient maps, trinkets like bird cages, printed coasters and ornate figures of gods and goddess-
A fairly common sight during an afternoon stroll in Chor Bazaar is a vendor on his siesta. PHOTO: PURVI THACKER
Brass items, especially a variety of decorational locks, are one of the most popular items found in the shops of Chor Bazaar. PHOTO: RACHNA MEHTA
The thrill of finding a good thrift piece is simply unmatched by any store you ever visit. It’s just one of those things you have to tick on your bucket list Mumbai-based blogger Jasleen Kaur Gupta 20 OCTOBER 20-26 2013
es, and even old metal signboards. “Chor Bazaar is an exciting treasure chest to say the least,” says Mumbai-based fashion blogger Jasleen Kaur Gupta. “The thrill of finding a good thrift piece is simply unmatched by the experience of visiting a store. It’s just one of those things you have to tick on your bucket list.” But the real test is discerning the real from the brilliant copies or replicas. “Most of our stuff is from old palaces in Rajasthan and Gujarat,” says Mohammad. Iqbal Ibrahim who owns a small shop called “Art House”. He points to intricately engraved jewellery boxes, whose attached mirror is rusted and covered in dust. But even then, it’s hard to distinguish whether the artifact is actually ageold or just a discarded piece from one of the high-end handicraft manufacturing factories in India. Another fascinating facet of this market besides the quality of its wares is the variety in the merchandise it offers. Don’t be surprised if you see come across logos of BMWS and Mercedes cars being sold at half their market price or items like prams, cots and even chandeliers. It is
The real test is discerning the real from the brilliant copies. It’s hard to distinguish whether the artifact is actually age-old or just a discarded piece from one of the high-end handicraft manufacturing factories in India common knowledge that if your expensive car has a tire or logo missing, it will make its way back to you through Chor Bazaar, at a price more reasonable than that found from elsewhere. As for other unusual items, it’s all about one man’s trash being another man’s treasure. Whether they are kerosene lamps or hanging lantern lamps in different vibrant colors, or alarm clocks, grandfather clocks or decorative lamps, the collections are eclectic. It’s all about how you end up mixing and matching — for an old biscuit tin can even become a bangle box and a crate of cutting-chai glasses can transform into candleholders. “I love the fact that you can get items at a throwaway price and you can then transform into whatever you want,” says Rhea Rakshit, a graphic designer from Mumbai. She especially likes the plain frames of different shapes and sizes that then can be painted on and adorned with mirrors and other accessories. “We have over 100 shops on this street, but sometimes it is better to go into the smaller, less commercial ones,” says Haji Iqbal, the owner of one the shops. Popular names like Taherallys and Karachi Gift Store definitely seem to be better organized, but sometimes one can find unusual steals in more inconspicuous stores. Take the shop that had no name, but the elaborately engraved lipstick holder and wooden chest sold there couldn’t be found elsewhere. It is also easier to haggle and bargain in smaller shops, where prices are usually not fixed. The magic of the market can be absorbed on any day other than Friday, when the predominantly Muslim area is shut for the afternoon prayers. For anyone visiting Mumbai, an exploration of Chor Bazaar is highly recommended. Whether you indulge the shopper within or merely stroll through the narrow streets, taking in the sights and sounds of the bazaar, the visit will be easy on the pocket but an aesthetic joy you wouldn’t want to miss.
Wooden dial telephones from the colonial era are one of the most sought-after items. PHOTO: RACHNA MEHTA
An antique movie-making machine with a traditional hand pump. PHOTO: PURVI THACKER
21 OCTOBER 20-26 2013
COVER STORY
24 OCTOBER 20-26 2013
Skype is helping Pakistani families abroad keep in touch with home, language and their religion
piritual
connections BY HIRA SIDDIQUI
DESIGN BY AMNA IQBAL
25 OCTOBER 20-26 2013
here are roughly 18 mosques in the Puget Sound area around Seattle in the US. But if you live in, say the relatively far-out suburb of Eatonville, it might be hard to drive your children to a mosque each week to learn how to read the Holy Quran. This is why Muslim families outside Pakistan, not just in the US, are turning more and more to online tutoring with the help of Skype and other apps. “We decided to go for online classes to save time in the commute to and from the local mosque,” says Farhan Khan, a father of three who lives in Seattle. The drive to the mosque was quite long from their suburban house so the couple decided to sign up with an online academy. “Plus, the kids are getting personalised attention this way,” he adds. Khan learned about the online classes from his sister-in-law, whose children had been using these services. “We opted for the Qari sahib who she recommended,” he says. “To make sure he was qualified to teach the Holy Quran, we spoke to him and had a few trial classes before we made our commitment.” Qari Sohail, who is based in Islamabad, has been teaching online for the past three years. Sohail admits that there are several Quran teachers who have adopted this business as a means of making money. “That is why I don’t charge any fixed rates,” he says. “I ask the family to pay whatever they wish to.” A lot of families in the United States and Canada complain that they receive too many calls from telemarketers advertising online Quran classes but, according to Sohail, there is a way to let these families know that I am an honest teacher. “I share my address and my landline number with them, and also give them a list of references who can vouch for me,” he explains. Right now, Sohail, who is pursuing this as a fulltime career, is teaching 14 students — around eight of them study on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and the rest take classes on the remaining days. He takes Sundays off. “If a student misses a class, then I offer make-up classes.” The trend of signing up for online Quran classes has become
fairly common among expatriates. Initially, these families relied on the local mosques or Sunday schools to teach their children how to read Arabic and recite the holy verses. This was easier for families who live in larger cities. But the ones based in smaller towns, or in countries with very low Muslim populations, had to rely on annual trips to Pakistan to educate their children about the sacred text. This desire to keep their children rooted to the same religious values as the ones they grew up with has led several parents to contact Quran academies that offer services across the globe. Naila Ahmed in Toronto, who has two children, for example, has signed up for classes not only for her children but also herself. “I wanted to revise what I had learned back in Pakistan and these classes are very convenient for that,” she says. For her, the best part about taking online classes is that you don’t have to worry about skipping them. “Since you have internet everywhere you go, all you need is find a quiet space and take the class.” Sohail is confident that the same trend will start in Pakistan as well, since the use of the internet has increased drastically. “Given the sensitive law and order situation, in cities, such as Karachi, it will be more convenient to make their children attend online classes from the safety of their homes,” he adds. “Families in Pakistan can obviously not pay too much so even if they pay Rs2,000 a month for each student, it is enough for me.”
How a session works A normal session for an online class lasts exactly 30 minutes. Initially, the parents talk to the teacher over Skype to decide if they are satisfied with their qualifications. “When we are finalising the payments and other formalities, we tell the teacher our preferences and they let us know their availability,” explains Farhan Khan. In his experience, the teachers have always been prompt. “They come online as soon as it is time for your class,” he says. “If they don’t see you online, the Qari sahib will call you on either your landline or cell phone and remind you about it.” When the session starts, a screen pops up with the verses on it, explained Rasmia Shamsi, a first-year college student in Massachusetts, who used to take online classes until she left home for college. The formal academies have their own software that they ask students to download when they sign up with them. This software allow screen-sharing between the teacher and the student, and allows the teacher to point out verses, highlight difficult words, etc. “The Qari sahib would ask us to read the text aloud and then he would correct our pronunciation and recitation style if we made a mistake,” she recalls. “Sometimes, when I would get stuck on one word, he would highlight it and ask me to repeat it until I got it right.” Before moving to the United States nearly six years ago, Shamsi used to take classes in Karachi, in which the maulana sahib would come home for an hour-long class. “Online classes are really no different,” she says. “We have the same [friendly] relationship with our online maulana sahib as we did with the one who came to our house. When my online maulana sahib was getting married, he would even share stories of his wedding preparations.”
For five 30-minute sessions a week, one online academy charges $40 in the US, $50 in Canada, £30 in the UK and €35 in Europe. The rates for Quran classes with tafseer (explanation) go up to $100 a week
No webcam policy Given the lack of restrictions on the internet, families are wary of letting their children be alone during the class. Most of the parents The Express Tribune spoke to said they make sure the laptop or the computer is placed in a relatively central space in the house where they can monitor the session and make sure the teachers do not behave inappropriately. The formal institutions make sure they have a strict no-webcam policy. Shamsi does not remember a single instance when her teacher asked her to switch on her webcam or call her with his camera on. Naila Ahmed corroborates this: “Once I accidentally clicked on the video during a session but my maulana sahib asked me to close it immediately.”
How much do they charge? Farhan Khan in Seattle has found a package for $100 a month for each of his three children. Since the teacher is in Pakistan, he has worked out an arrangement in which he pays one of the teacher’s students in New York through a direct bank transfer. That student then sends it along to Pakistan through Western Union. Naila Ahmed in Toronto pays with an online credit card and the money goes directly into her teacher’s account. But according to her, some families choose to pay the teachers through their relatives in Pakistan. The online tutors are charging a nominal fee for their services and their rates depend on the package. For instance, Quranclassonline.com charges three different rates for reading with tajweed (science of correct recitation), with tafseer (explanation) and with Urdu translation. For five 30-minute sessions a week, the online academy charges $40 in the US, $50 in Canada, £30 in the United Kingdom and €35 in Europe. The rates for Quran classes with tafseer go up to $100 a week. The rates also differ according to the language of instruction. So teachers who can speak English charge more than the ones who can only converse in Urdu. Some families do, however, prefer their children speak in Urdu. “The idea is to help our children practice their mother tongue, which they hardly use otherwise,” says Uzma Hashmi, Shamsi’s mother. Even though the geographical location of either the student or the teacher is hardly an issue, the rates vary across different North American cities. For example, families in Toronto find online Qari sahibs at much cheaper rates than their relatives in Massachusetts in the US.
Online classes have become so popular among the South Asian Muslim communities of North America, Europe and Australia that these academies have invested heavily in TV advertising
Advertisements These online classes have become so popular among the South Asian Muslim communities of North America, Europe and Australia that these academies have invested heavily in advertising. Jadoo TV, a device that allows families abroad to view Pakistani television channels, keeps flashing contact details. “Jadoo TV is always showing ads asking you to teach your children how to read the Holy Quran,” says Rukhsana Shamim, who lives in Middletown, Connecticut. “There is always a New York number that they ask you to call if you’re interested in enrolling.”
A woman on the other side In a field dominated by men, Shaista Sodagar is an exception. The middle-aged woman is not only teaching the Holy Quran online, but also basic computer skills and English language. “I will admit, my English isn’t very good,” she says candidly. “That’s why I’ve hired my cousin to teach the English language.” At TaleemOnline.net, Shaista offers her classes either via Skype or mobile apps. She is fairly flexible with her 30-minute sessions and adjusts class times according to her students, who are spread out all across the globe from the US to Hong Kong to Italy. Shaista relies on her Facebook page and free ads on Olx.com.pk to gather clients. In fact, she found one of her current students, an 11-year-old girl in Italy, on Facebook. “The girl’s aunt wanted her to revise the Holy Quran and review the dua and prayers she learned when she was much younger,” she recalls. The aunt and Shaista got to talking to Facebook and now Shaista is offering her classes on Skype. Her online advertisement gives a breakdown of her rates which are not fixed. “I just ask my students to pay whatever they happily can.” Her students pay her through online transfers. “They send money through MCB and inform me when the transfer is complete. The money comes here immediately.” It has been a year since Shaista started offering online classes and she feels this is the most convenient way to earn a living, considering that she is wheelchair-bound. Before she became accustomed to the internet, Shaista used to offer classes at her house. Since she is not associated with any academy, Shaista is more flexible about her timings. “I call the family’s Skype ID near class time and ask them if they are free. If they are, I conduct the 30-minute class at that time otherwise they tell me they will call back.” In future, Shaista hopes to get a share-screen software that allows her to interact with multiple people at the same time. However, the process of getting students based only on the information they share online comes with its own problems. Once a man contacted her for Quran classes. “As soon as the session began, he started saying inappropriate things,” she says. This incident scared her so much that she stopped using Facebook for nearly three months. Indeed, the technology can work wonders, but it can also be abused. T
FEATURE
Swi n g low, sweet charity Hope Uplift Foundation goes to the bottom of the social ladder for the noblest of work
BY SADAF PERVEZ PHOTOS BY SHAFIQ MALIK DESIGN BY ASIF ALI
When every door closes in your face, go knocking on the doors of the Hope Uplift Foundation, an organisation that aims to empower the poor. It’s what Bilquis did. Even though she could barely make ends meet, Bilquis had bigger dreams of putting her daughter Sumbal through college. “I feared for the future of my daughter, ending up [doing] what I am doing,” she said. “But Hope Uplift Foundation helped [me] change the fate of my daughter.” Currently her daughter is trying to get admission to Hajvery College while Bilquis is working as a cleaner at Hope Uplift Foundation homes. Aiming to narrow the gap between the different income classes, the groundwork for the 30 Hope Uplift Foundation (HUF) was laid in the year 2000. The staff mostly comprises volunOCTOBER 20-26 2013
teers who value compassion above everything else. The foundation’s main focus is to offer monetary help, food and education at subsidised rates. The initiative was taken in light of stark social divisions, explains Lubna Shakoh, the founder. “The people in Model Colony, an urban slum surrounded by one of the most developed areas in Lahore, Defence Housing Authority, are barred from access to basic needs whereas the neighbourhood is basking in the lap of luxury.” Shakoh’s guiding principle for the foundation stems from her philosophy ‘lest the government the responsibility befalls on all of us’. She grew up to adopt the ideals of her father who opened the first vocational center in Pakistan. “But [it was] Tehmina Durrani’s biography of Dr Abdul Sattar Edhi, A Mirror to the Blind, [that] stirred me to begin,” says Shakoh. During the course of the foundation’s 13 years she recalls helping countless families. When Sibtain Shah, a labourer, who was unable to handle the strenuous day-to-day work because of his frail health, broke down while narrating his story to Shakoh, she immediately offered him employment
at the HUF school. Additionally, she also admitted his children to the school and employed his wife as a helper there. They were also given a motorcycle through HUF’s microfinance project and a monthly food supply through the rations scheme. Today, ‘Shah jee’ is known by everyone in Model Colony, and Mrs Shah has become an elected representative for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf. “This is what we do to bring out the best way to help those who want to help themselves,” Shakoh emphasises. HUF’s key project is providing microfinance for low-income individuals who are incapable of availing bank services and thus approach HUF, which acts as a financial intermediary between the rich (lender) and poor (recipients). Interest-free loans ranging from Rs5,000 to Rs50,000 are available to all those in need. The loan is supported by a third party, a guarantor, who agrees to repay the dues in the case the borrower is unable to repay the loan in the agreed timeframe. Along with monetary relief, their hunger relief program offers subsidised meals for Rs10 that consist of two rotis and
Hope Uplift Foundation provides affordable education to children from poor families.
31 OCTOBER 20-26 2013
FEATURE HUF acts as a financial intermediary between the rich and poor. Interest-free loans ranging from Rs5,000 to Rs50,000 are available to all those in need
either daal or vegetables — with the actual cost of the meal rounding up to Rs28. These relief stations are located near Bhatta Chowk and Paak Hotel on Kasur Road, where a lot of unskilled wage labourers come to look for short-term work. “The average labourer we serve is lucky if he makes Rs3,000,” says Shakoh. “We are endeavouring to reach out to almost 500 people daily.” To encourage self-sufficiency, HUF also provides education to those who cannot afford it otherwise. “Our teachers are qualified with a graduate degree. There is no compromise on the quality of teachers as they mould a [new] generation,” she claims. HUF has acquired four schools that accommodate nearly 1,000 students from nursery to grade five. “Now more and more parents are inclined towards [educating] their children. It is an old thought [to] consider a child as a mean[s] of earning [a] livelihood,” Shakoh states.
Their education initiative is not limited to children but also extends to vocational training for women. The idea is to teach them cutting, sewing, needlework and all types of arts and crafts. Their products are then put on sale at various HUF events and retail stores. For those who are not interested in crafts, there is the option of joining the herbal kitchen team and preparing a variety of organic spices and lentils. Even with social welfare at the heart of the organisation, they haven’t lost sight of pressing environmental issues. “[The] common man does not know how valuable trash is,” emphasizes Shakoh. “Whatever is thrown in the bins goes [to a] landfill, but certain items from trash can be used to generate [a] good amount.” Recyclable items are collected from HUF member homes and sold at a local trash depot. They have set a precedent for other schools as well and they have gone on to request them to place their boxes on their premises, so children can adopt a greener approach from an early age. A welfare shop, inspired by the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals Charity Shop and OXFAM in England has also been set
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up where donated items are sold at low rates and the resulting income is spent on projects for the needy. The profits are often channelled into community work that includes gas and electricity connections and in some cases even building roofs for those who need them. “We can come to your doorstep [on] a single call to collect whatever you [wish] to donate for our welfare shop in Model Colony and budget store in Defence,” says Shakoh. “Your unused items can make a huge difference in many lives.” Although the cause is noble, the response is not overwhelming. “The challenging thing is that most of us do not offer the same kind of kindness to others, that we [reserve] for ourselves,” she complains. “I really cannot compare my welfare shop with Oxfam’s. You cannot tell whether the donated items there are new or old.” “We know we cannot eradicate poverty or change social status. We are only supporting the communities to give some sort of relief,” says Anne Marie, director of HUF. Using her background of social work in Canada, she actively participates in fundraising for earthquake victims. Living in Pakistan since the past nine years, she has encountered numerous challenges: “The scenario is completely different here. There is a low capacity to achieve more. Recently I began the school drive to involve children in the welfare work in their early years.”
The spirit of charity reigns supreme at HUF, but even in the midst of it all, Shakoh does not rely on charity alone to sustain her organisation. “I always believe in self-sufficiency, therefore we don’t want to be solely dependent on the donations,” she says about the foundation’s funding. Several income-generating ventures have been set in place, the profits of which are channelled into HUF programmes. Sometimes, when the cause is so close to your heart, it’s best not to put all eggs in one basket.
(Top) Products made by women who are part of HUF’s herbal kitchen team and (bottom) people enjoying meals at subsidised rates as part of HUF’s hunger relief programme. 33 OCTOBER 20-26 2013
FEATURE
Survivor, Baltistan style The people of the valleys are natural born engineers TEXT AND PHOTOS BY RINCHAN ALI MIRZA
If you lived in a region which was not only home to the longest glacier outside the Polar regions and the highest number of mountains over 8,000 meters, you would need to know more than a few techniques for survival. Indeed, for the Baltis, or people of Baltistan, living in the heart of the mighty Karakoram Range means that life is a constant struggle for survival against the vicissitudes of nature. The British explorer GT Vigne, who visited the region between 1835 and 1838, wrote about their harsh lives. They were “unusually thin and careworn� and lived on the scanty fare of a mountaineer, which consists chiefly of bread made from grains, and apricots dried in the sun.
Ghulam Muhammad has been working as a guard for almost three decades at the remains of the ancient Kharpocho Fort built by
34 rulers of the Maqpoon Dynasty of Skardu (1490-1515). OCTOBER 20-26 2013
A craftsman at BEDAR — the organisation that strives to revive the local culture and arts of Baltistan. Yet despite the hardships, they are happy to live here — mostly because they are adept at making the most out of whatever meagre resources are at their disposal. Their whole lives revolve around the central tenet of survival to such an extent that over the course of their history they have devised ingenious solutions to effectively cope with the harsh climate and rugged landscape of their native valleys.
Guardians of the wooden, suspension bridge between Khaplu and Saling. The wooden frame of a locally made raft called the Zakh.
The Kachah The first and foremost solution the Baltis devised in order to survive the prolonged harsh winter relates to the design of their dwellings. Every home, called Nangh in Balti, includes a basement or Kachah. Its four sides are fitted with compartments or Khulngsas where either children are can lie down to rest or livestock fodder is stored. In the centre there is a Bukhari or heater which consists of a wide cylindrical fire-chamber at the base in which wood is burned and a narrower cylinder on the top that helps heat the basement and acts as a chimney. The floor, walls and roof of the basement are made out of wooden planks in order to prevent the heat generated inside from escaping. The kitchen, which is merely a fire stove, is placed next to one of
The entrance to the basement or Kachah of a traditional Balti home.
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FEATURE
Baltis have devised ingenious solutions to effectively cope with the harsh climate and rugged landscape the walls. In this way, the basement becomes a completely self-sufficient unit during the winters, with its multiple functions of a living quarter, storage facility and kitchen.
The Zakh Another truly remarkable piece of Balti engineering is the locally made raft or Zakh. It is used in the summer season when the melting of glaciers causes the water levels in the rivers to rise, making the makeshift suspension bridges too dangerous to cross. The entire frame of the raft is made out of wooden sticks. Several inflatable sacks made out of sheepskin are attached to the frame. Air is then pumped into the sacks so the wooden frame floats. The raft is an example of Balti engineering using two abundantly available local materials: wood and sheepskin. The rafts are operated by designated sailors or Chungkhans who have, over the years, mastered the art of navigating the rivers. They are given the sole responsibility of operating and maintaining the rafts which ensures that the vehicles are always handled by trained people and are regularly maintained at a high standard, minimizing the risk of accidents.
The Chorong Another indispensible piece of equipment is the Chorong or a multi-purpose rucksack that can carry fire wood or even give babies a piggyback ride. It is essentially a wooden basket shaped like a pyramid. Two straps made out of plastic or rope are used to load the 36 basket onto the shoulders. Everywhere OCTOBER 20-26 2013
Local merchants come to buy wood outside the Tissar Village in the Shigar Valley. A field of buckwheat plants in front of a traditional Balti house. It is widely believed by locals that this plant carries the cure for diseases like cancer and tuberculosis.
The indigenous technique for threshing that requires a circular ring to be made on the ground using rocks. A wooden stick is then fixed in the middle with one end of the rope tied to the stick and the other around the neck of four cows. The cows are then made to trudge along in circles over barley or wheat placed inside the ring.
you go in the valleys of Baltistan you will always encounter people, whether young or old, male or female, either on their way up or down some mountain with a chorong on their backs. The sight is so familiar that it has become the most commonly used symbol by the state tourism authorities.
The Khuyou The Baltis have the uncanny ability of performing intricate tasks with a few simple tools given their scant resources. One example is the procedure for manually threshing crops or Khuyou. It involves creating a circular ring on the ground using a boundary made of rocks. A wooden pole is fixed in the middle of the ring. One end of a rope is tied to the pole with the other end tied to the neck of four cows. The cows are then made to trudge along in circles over barley or wheat spread on the ground inside the ring. The introduction of modern technology has put tremendous pressure on the Baltis to change the traditional aspects of their lives, including the ones described here. For instance the dwellings that were made entirely of wood are now increasingly being replaced by homes made of roller-compacted concrete (RCC) since wood has become an expensive commodity. The use of a Zakh to cross the rivers has declined sharply since the construction of bridges that have connected most valleys in the region. The manual procedure for threshing crops has become obsolete with the introduction of the combined harvester machine in most places and is only prevalent in a few remote villages that have largely remained untouched by modern civilisation. While technology’s benefits are undeniable, it is worth keeping in mind that as a people progress, they would do better to preserve their traditions or cultural history. The march of progress should not bury the past.
A Balti man from the Shigar Valley carrying a locally made rucksack over his back called the chorong.
A 200-year-old Balti home which has now been converted into a storage for live stock fodder. OCTOBER 20-26 2013
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Bottoms up!
The World’s End takes you through a journey you wish you had taken BY AIZA NASIR Just when you think there is a dearth of decent movies, along comes a bittersweet, slapstick sci-fi comedy. Directed by Edgar Wright, The World’s End not only leaves you cackling with evil laughter because of the sharp script, but it also leaves behind a sense of melancholy that the passing of youth brings. The movie revolves around a British group of men in their mid-40s who reunite to complete an epic bar crawl of 12 pubs called the ‘Golden Mile’. When they were younger, the same plan had been thwarted halfway through. The bunch is not terribly enthusiastic about this reunion, but Gary King’s (Simon Pegg of Shaun of the Dead fame) obsession with unfinished business brings them together. Once larger than life, the charismatic leader King is now a loser of epic proportions, having given in to drugs and alcohol. While King has refused to grow up and is in a state of arrested development, the rest of the members are reasonably successful in life. Steven (Paddy Considine) turns out to be an architect who takes
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pride in his casual relationship with a young fitness instructor, something he points out to anyone who is willing to listen. He was once Gary’s rival for the affection of Oliver’s sister Sam (Rosamund Pike). Peter (Eddie Marsan) who was bullied as a child now sells cars for his father, while Oliver (Martin Freeman) is a typical real estate agent with a Bluetooth receiver jammed in his ear perpetually. Andrew (Nick Frost) is a lawyer who refuses to speak to Gary. The reason for this cold war is often mysteriously referred to as an accident, which turned Gary into a teetotaler. King resents the success of the rest of the men in the group. He shouts that they are not as “free” as him, having chosen successful but conventional lives. King peaked in high school but has not amounted to anything since then, other than having landed in rehab. As they start the pub crawl, they notice how every bar has been ‘Starbucked’, each looking like the next. As the movie progresses,
they discover that most of the town’s people have been taken over by aliens. The fight sequences are hilarious and well-directed and the chemistry between the actors is seamless. There are some truly hilarious moments, like when King comments on Andy drinking water instead of beer like “a lion ordering hummus”. Though King pulls off such scenes, one can’t but help despise him for his stupidity and recklessness, which often puts other people in danger. The ending is a little silly and haphazard; the men enter a dialogue with an alien that has taken over the town. In the grand scheme of things, it makes sense and ties in with the underlying theme of the movie. It thus explores our need for imperfect people in the world, even ones who are as messed up as King. We see the desire to relive one’s youth. And the film also touches on how advancements in technology have increased distances between people. The movie might seem like a drunken odyssey but it has its moments of brilliance coupled with great humour because it looks at life’s bigger stories.
A BLEEDING CHIP off the old block
For Runner Runner, the whole is not greater than the sum of its parts BY SAMRA MUSLIM
After watching the trailer for Runner Runner, you go in expecting an intelligent, exciting crime thriller packed with an A-list cast, drama, plenty of danger and a smidgen of violence. But the film turns out to be a bland disappointment. Richie Furst (Justin Timberlake) is a Princeton student with moderate financial worries, who supports himself through online gambling. When he risks everything (except the price of his airline ticket to Costa Rica) on a game, and loses, he discovers he has been swindled and heads south to confront Ivan Block (Ben Affleck), the man behind the online gaming company and scam. Block is so impressed with Furst’s daredevil attitude that he offers him a job with eight-figure returns. With the chance to rub shoulders with the super rich, all the pleasures it encompasses and, predictably, a beautiful woman, Rebecca (Gemma Arterton), who equally predictably is Block’s girlfriend, Furst’s life couldn’t be any better. Until FBI Agent Shavers (Anthony Mackie) interferes and chaos ensues. Despite all the ingredients of a racy thriller, the film just doesn’t work. The characters are half-written shadows of people who we don’t care about. There is no depth, detail or intrigue to inspire us to invest our attention. The viewer is tempted to second guess the plot and look for the twists and double crosses lurking in the background, but it turns out that there are none to speak of. Justin Timberlake was excellent in The Social Network, but has failed to shine in anything since. He’s not bad in this movie, but it’s not a performance that could pass as anything better than serviceable. Ben Affleck has made three great films (Gone Baby Gone, The Town and Argo) in the last few years, all of them starring and directed by the man himself. It’s rather puzzling, therefore, to understand what Affleck saw in Brian Koppelman and David Levien’s script or in director Brad Furman to commit to star in Runner Runner that arguably adds little to the credentials. On the other hand, there are times when Gemma Arterton forgets to act (and can’t pronounce Antigua) and is reduced to the token female accessory. She does not get to do much, and lacks chemistry with any of the men she is supposed to be in liaison with. Anthony Mackie, as the FBI agent, is too over-the-top to be convincing. The story was too familiar to be exciting. The relationship of Justin and Ben (and Gemma, for that matter) were too dry to be engaging. The gambling jargon was hard to follow for non-gamblers and the ending is too obvious to be worth the time spent watching. Runner Runner is no more than yet another cautionary tale about a young, ambitious upand-comer who gets way over his head when he is lured into a world of crime and corruption by a smooth-talking, charismatic criminal. Overall, it isn’t a bad film but just a bland, boring, and forgettable — a dull thud with no echo.
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BOOK
Indian spies, Karachi lies
A former Indian journalist brings Dawood Ibrahim to life in a work of fiction BY ISHRAT ANSARI
Available at Liberty Books for Rs525
Journalists sometimes make the best novelists. Shatrujeet Nath may be a case in point. The former assistant editor of business newspaper, The Economic Times, has written a spy thriller for his debut novel, The Karachi Deception. The plot concerns infamous underground don Arshad Dilawar, which I understand is a fictitious name for none other than Dawood Ibrahim. It was because of this choice that I felt it was hard to ignore the political baggage this comes with. India has long accused Pakistan of sheltering Ibrahim, who is believed to be living in Karachi. The Indian government has demanded Pakistan hand him over despite the fact that Pakistan has repeatedly denied his presence in the country. With this work of fiction, though, it appears that Nath is laying a similar claim to plead the same case. The story begins with an assassination plot, set in Pakistan and India, but takes readers to other countries as well. The plot is codenamed ‘Abhimanyu’ and is hatched by the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) and the Indian Army intelligence to kill Mumbai-based Dilawar. The main characters are three Indian commandos Major Imtiaz, Captain Shamsheer and Lieutenant Rafiq. They are picked by top intelligence officials to get into Karachi and take Dilawar out. He is portrayed as a guest of the Pakistan government and Inter-Services Intelligence. One of the stronger characters is Major Imtiaz, who is bold, courageous and well-focused. Nath could have perhaps paid similar attention to Dilawar, who is central to the story but given short shrift. At many places the reader would like to know what makes him tick, or how he feels and thinks while being taken from one place to another — this would
have balanced out the political overtones. And after all, we are always more interested in the villains and attracted to them forensically. We want to know how one becomes an underworld don, and how they hold on to such power. The novel is set against the backdrop of global terrorism as Dilawar is helping Pakistan’s intelligence agencies in its proxy war against India. Although Dilawar escapes the assassination attempt by the skin of his teeth, the readers are then taken to a secret meeting between the heads of the Indian intelligence and R&AW. The suspense builds as there are plots within plots, as is the case with espionage in this neck of the woods. The characters are caught up in a deadly game. At one point it becomes clear that one mission has been compromised, a rather formulaic twist, which we were expecting. Major Imtiaz starts realising that his men are being lured into a deadly trap. Fortunately, the book isn’t all about bloodletting and violence as Nath has worked it more as a spy thriller. This required strong detailed writing and Nath seems to have done extensive research as evidenced by the close descriptions of places in ple this side of Karachi and Islamabad. People bably enjoy the border and that will probably eft to their it for different reasons best left nings. Perown political and literary leanings. ome along haps some filmmaker will come and decide to give the novel another n interesting dimension. Either way, it is an pus of spy and addition to the growing corpus his part of the crime fiction coming from this world. T
Don’t look over your shoulder: three picks for espionage thrillers The Spy who came in from the Cold by John le Carré
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This slim little book is known as the best spy novel of all time. Le Carré wrote it at the height of the Cold War tensions and its success lies in its examination of how the West condoned the type of espionage that went against democratic values. A British spy working in East Berlin is asked to go back into the cold for one last mission. OCTOBER 20-26 2013
Gorky Park by Martin Cruz Smith
The Alientist by Caleb Carr
Three bodies are discovered in Moscow’s famous Gorky Park but they can’t be identified as their faces and fingertips have been removed. Arkady Renko, a chief detective for the Militsiya, is assigned to the case. This 1981 crime novel was turned into a film with William Hurt. Aside from being a best-seller, this book was a daring American novel with a Russian hero.
This 1994 best-seller is a crime novel set in the New York of 1896 and follows the police commissioner as he investigates some gruesome murders of immigrants. Carr’s ability to work as a historian and novelist bring an entire world alive in this spine-tingling page turner. It is set at a time when the idea of serial killers had just emerged in the study of crime.
HEALTHY LIVING
Coping with Mother Nature: Menopause
Gynaecologists shed light on the transition towards menopause and how to manage symptoms best BY MANAHYL KHAN DESIGN BY ESSA MALIK
Mood swings
Management and care:
Hormone shifts can affect mood and behaviour during the transition. You can be:
• Get some sunlight, at least once a day. Sunlight helps naturally produce Vitamin D which helps the gastrointestinal tract (the stomach and the intestine) to absorb calcium to help your bones • During the transitional period, women may need to eat less and exercise more — just to maintain their current weight • Eat healthy — it is important to use grains, vegetables, fruits and beans that are low in sodium and high in calcium. Replace white bread with brown bread and introduce whole wheat to your diet • Cutting your sodium intake to less than 2 grams per day has been shown to improve bone health. Be mindful when buying regular or fatfree cheeses because they are typically high in sodium • Avoid smoking — it is harmful for the bones as well as the lungs
• Uncharacteristically nervous • Forgetful (memory loss) • Experience sudden anxiety, worries over minor events • Fall into depression • Have hot flashes (typically experienced as a feeling of intense heat with sweating and rapid heartbeat) • Gain weight (both during the transition and after menopause because metabolism slows down in the female body)
When to expect it
44.5yrs is the average age when menopause sets in, according to a study conducted by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Aga Khan University Hospital
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Hit 40 Medical examinations and tests are important for women once they reach their 40s, according to Dr Shama Nawaz, an obstetrician and gynaecologist at Al-Zahra hospital, UAE. These steps are also a good check-list for post-menopausal care. • Keep a check on your cholesterol levels. Due to estrogen withdrawal, women are at a higher risk of heart disease, most importantly the coronary heart disease • Get the DXA or DEXA (dual X-ray absorptiometry) to check bone density and the risk of osteoporosis • Get a mammogram, especially if breast cancer has been in family history. Risk of breast cancer is also higher post-menopause • A cervical smear and a pelvic scan are also recommended to rule out the possibility of any complications
No bones about it
2%
Calcium loss increases by 2% after the onset of menopause
Hot under the collar
10%
Only
People joke about a mid-life crisis in men, but for women, it takes a physical form. In Pakistan though, the management of menopause is not always clearly understood. We spoke to some experts to gain an understanding.
of the female Asian population experience hot flashes even though it is globally the most common symptom associated with menopause
Bone tired • Both, during and after the transitional period towards menopause, women should take good care of their bones to avoid the possibility of fractures, especially in the neck of the femur, which is the long bone of the thigh • The risk of osteoporosis (a bone disease featuring abnormally rapid bone loss, aggravated by calcium wasters) increases postmenopause • Caffeine intake of greater than 300mg per day (about two cups) accelerates bone loss • Long-term smokers have 10% weaker bones and 90% higher risk of fractures T SOURCE: DR SUMBUL SOHAIL, GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE PAKISTAN MENOPAUSE SOCIETY