The Express Tribune Magazine - September 15

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

Cut Same

Cloth from the

Wrapping fashion W and tradition in a a c colourful embrace

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

Cover Story

Feature

Cut from the same cloth

Read(y) when you are

Wrapping fashion and tradition in a colourful embrace — the Dawoodi Bohra rida

Help is at hand for learners with dyslexia

32

Feature

The poor man’s chicken After the rains Thar is blessed with mushrooms overnight

24 4

36 Regulars

6 People & Parties: Out and about with the beautiful people

38 Reviews: Books, movies 42

and music Astronomy: How the cosmos creates bling

Magazine Editor: Mahim Maher and Sub-Editors: Dilaira Mondegarian and Sundar Waqar Creative Team: Amna Iqbal, Essa Malik, Jamal Khurshid, Samra Aamir, Munira Abbas & S Asif Ali 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

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Sana, Hina and Nadia

Coca-Cola Beverages Pakistan Limited hosts the ‘Savvy and Successful Women’s Dinner’ in Lahore

Nisha Momina Akram

Zehrish and Maryam

Sidra and Mehmoona Mrs Usman and Zainab Khalid

6

Melten Metin and Rengin Onay SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

Rubab Butt

Sara, Dermish and Mehwish

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Quaratullain, Aysha Zafar and Sara

Kiran and Sofia

Fasyal and sannia Hussain

Ambreen

Nadia

Samina Bilal

Saba Tariq

Maryam Khan

8

Istif Nasir, Nosheen Anwar and Aysha Khan SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

Zara Fateh Qazilbash

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

PEOPLE & PARTIES Zari Faisal’s pop-up store comes to Brands Just Pret, Karachi

Farah Vayani, Myra Faisal and Raisa Vayani

Hasina Khanani

Saba Sikandar and Sehrish

10

Momal Sheikh SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

Somaya

Saniya Masktiya

Ayesha Omer

Wardha Saleem PHOTOS COURTESY ANASTASIA PR

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Fazila, Myra, Ayesha and Zarmina

Noushen Ikhtiar Baig and Emman

Anushay Ashraf Syra Yousaf, Saima, and Palwasha

Mehwish Tapal Mehreen Obaid and Kahif Khan

12

Ayesha SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

Sanam Aagha

Kiran Khan

Zari Faisal and Shakir PHOTOS COURTESY ANASTASIA PR

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Mahrukh, Saba and Hajra

9Lines holds its first exhibition in Lahore Zahra Bhatty

Nida and Zara

14

Zara Peerzada SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

Madah, Ahsan and Mehwish

PHOTOS COURTESY BILAL MUKHTAR EVENTS & PR

Wafa and Sahar

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Amna and Nadia

Noveen and Sadia

Maheen, Arianna and Nahid Kardar

Mashiyam and Rija PHOTOS COURTESY BILAL MUKHTAR EVENTS & PR

Ramsha and Maha

16

Anum SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

Haris, Zahra and Maria

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Rahma, Anum and Rameen

Asra and Alia

Ocean Mall hosts an Arabian fest in Karachi

Hina and Sunny

18

Shamaan and Saba

Saeeda Mandviwalla PHOTOS COURTESY TAKE II

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

Rubab

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Zaba Bakhtiar Ali

Muzna

Khaled Anam

20

Haider and Anum

Javeria and Hasan SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

PHOTOS COURTESY TAKE II

Tariq Rafi, Shujaat Baig, Khushbakht and Tina Sani

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

COVER STORY

Cut Same

Cloth from the

Wrapping fashion and tradition in a colourful embrace — the Dawoodi Bohra rida

BY DILAIRA MONDEGARIAN PHOTOS BY AYESHA MIR DESIGN BY SAMRA AAMIR

In Cairo’s 1,000-year-old Fatimid mosque, the Jamea ul Anwar, someone asked the spiritual leader Syedna Muhammad Burhanuddin (TUS) about the different ways that their Dawoodi Bohra women dressed when they came to the masjid.

The year, according to community member Mustafa Jackwala, was 1979 and the discussion took place during the first Muharram congregation.

24

“We should encourage our people to wear what the royal family SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

wears,” one of the Syedna’s sons is reported to have suggested, referring to the Qasr-e-Ali. But then, according to Jackwala, someone in the gathering objected to this idea, asking how it would be appropriate to allow ‘common’ people to wear what the royal family wore? The Syedna’s son replied simply: We want our people to look like us.

The women of the royal family used to wear the hijab, as decreed by the late Syedna Taher Saifuddin (AQ), who led the Dawoodi Bohras from 1915 to 1965. After the discussion in the m mosque that day, though, his son took it upon himself to ex examine the sartorial identity of his people.

For exa example, in India the women preferred a cotton or silk scarf over a matching silk bodice and petticoat under a dark silk burqa. And the women from the royal fam-

ily draped themselves in elaborate saris inside the confinement of the Saifee Mahal in Bombay. Even distant Dawoodi Bohra communities in Sri Lanka and Africa favoured saris and skirts with a shawl to cover their heads.

Subsequently, the Syedna’s wife came up with the design for the rida. It consists of a poncho-like top with the pardi and a flap to cover the face, and the lenga or loose-fitting skirt underneath. The word means ‘the chador of Bibi Fatima’, the daughter of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

The history of this discussion is mentioned in a 2011 thesis on the rida’s contribution to the textile cottage industry of Pakistan by Zahra Arif Lotia at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture. With a few years of the declaration that the Dawoodi Bohra women adopt the 25 SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

The word Bohra is derived from the Gujarati vohorvu or vyavahar, meaning “to trade”

rida, it became a common sight.

“No changes can be made to the original cut because of the religious significance,” explains Yousuf Petiwala, who has sold them from his Jamali Shaadi Shop, in Karachi’s Najmi Market in Saddar for eight years. Indeed, today, the women of this particular denomination of Shia Islam can be instantly recognised the world over for their uniform way of appearing in public.

As they say, you are what you wear. And with the rida, the outer garment became a symbol of their religious identity.

Rida Ritual No matter what your age, the rida is part of a woman’s daily wear after her misak ceremony of initiation. Petiwala maintains that once a girl comes of age it is “compulsory” to wear the rida before leaving the house. But Aquila Aftab, who has been designing ridas for almost 27 years, disagrees, saying, “It is worn to a masjid... and it’s a very personal thing.”

The misak ceremony introduces a young woman to the rida. “It’s a reason for the entire family to get together and celebrate over a Bohra-style feast in a thaal,” adds Farida Yunus Marvi, who has 25 years of rida-designing experience.

But the ceremony has more to it than just the rida apPHOTO: FILE

peal. “The misak, more than anything, is a little ceremony welcoming the consciousness towards the practice and pursuit of the religion,” says Zahra Rangoonwala, the creative manager at Team::ants who had her own ceremony at the age of 13. Her mother affectionately stitched her first rida which was cut out of a pearly white, silky fabric with pink and lilac flower details — purple being her favourite colour. “I wanted to start wearing a rida already, and often practiced doing my pardi on my mom’s rida,” she recalls.

For all-female gatherings, a rida-cum-jori is preferred, as you can simply remove the pardi and wrap a dupatta around yourself.

Dear Designs Farida Yunus Marvi says that all you need is 5.5 yards of fabric for a rida. The beauty of its architecture is that you can turn any type of fabric into one. Although Petiwala says that the women generally avoid seethrough materials such as georgette. The type of fabric is mostly chosen by occasion; for weddings you can take your pick from a wide array of silk fabrics or jamavar and stick to cotton or wash-and-wear for everyday ridas.

Along with fabric, the colour selection is also closely allied with the shades of the season. “During summer, pastels and chikkun fabric are in vogue,” adds Petiwala.

The designs are mostly seasonal and revolve around the

Late Syedna Taher Saifuddin, who led the Dawoodi Bohras from 1915 to 1965. PHOTO: FILE latest shalwar kameez trend. “Pick any shalwar kameez catalogue and we’ll make a copy rida out of it... same print and embroidery,” says Petiwala, who entered the business in his mother’s footsteps. Tahera Petiwala stitched ridas at home on a small scale. “Since we don’t have a catalogue, customers point out the designs and we duplicate them,” he says. Marvi will even rip off the border from an old sari or shalwar kameez to make a rida for some of her clients.

There are about one million Dawoodi Bohras in India, Pakistan, the Middle East and East Africa (since the 18th century), and the West (since the 1950s) But not all designers wish to flip through magazines and catalogues to unleash their creative streak. “My designs stem from the multicoloured ribbons and prints that I buy,” says Aquila Aftab. “I lay them out and match them.” She started out by stitching her own clothes after college as a hobby, and soon transformed her favourite pastime into a full-time career. Her daughter, Farida Adnan, provides some valuable assistance. Aftab and Petiwala also offer a broad range of designs that include salma-sitara work and screen printing.

Wedding Wear Marvi caters to high-end customers who sometimes approach her to design their wedding ridas or joris. “On average it takes me two months to design and stitch a wedding jora because of the intricacy of the work that is usually done by hand,” she says. “But if you need it urgently, I’ll have it ready within a month.” Her bridal rida designs range between Rs8,000 to Rs10,000 and joris can cost around Rs500,000, depending on how much you are willing to fork out. The ones Aftab designs are priced between Rs2,500 and Rs10,000 and can be made available within two weeks. “Ridas are preferred when the ceremony is taking place inside a masjid, otherwise brides often opt for lengas,” she says, having worn a jori for her own wedding ceremony.

At Jamali’s Shaadi Shop, a rida can be churned out much faster and at a lower rate, starting from Rs2,000.

“It takes me one day to stitch a regular rida if I work from morning to night,” he says.

Although wedding season may seem the busiest month for designers, Marvi gets orders for exclusive ridas especially during Ramazan, for Lailat-ul-Qadr that falls in the last 10 days of Ramazan and for Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin’s birthday celebrations. It’s when every girl wants to outdo the one sitting next to her inside the Jamaatkhana.

The trend of wearing fashionable ridas for Lailat-ul-Qadr

has, however, changed in the recent ece ent past. “It is fading because everyone realises es that t at wearing such a th ay all night,” says y Ranfancy rida makes it difficult to pray dass are now set aside for goonwala. Elaborately detailed ridas weddings or Eid. m have been While a rida’s original purpose may intto a fashion n to cover, it has easily morphed into cia ated with h a symbol that is frequently associated con nfesses that it is level of comfort. Aftab, for one, confesses are el. “You don’t do on’t have to perhaps the most convenient apparel. d th hen constantly worry wear a dupatta over your head and then about it slipping,” she says. n to t wear one, DaNo matter what their motivation at the t rida makes woodi Bohra women all know that ften n gets curious them stand out. Rangoonwala often etiimes she is even looks when traveling abroad. Sometimes rep plying that it’s just a stopped with questions. “I end up replying he says. “I definitely feel creatively done ‘burqa’ or ‘abaaya’,” she nd wearing a rida. T proud about being [Dawoodi] Bohra an and With additional input from Fatima Attarwala

FEATURE

Help is at hand for learners with dyslexia

BY RABEEL SHAIKH

My first encounter with dyslexia was in my first year of teaching A’ Levels. I had a pupil who had child-like handwriting, weak spellings, was unable to finish written work in prescribed time and faced difficulty in writing notes that were dictated in class. Without any prior knowledge of dyslexia, I assumed she was dyslexic and this was confirmed by one of her teachers. But despite being armed with this judgment, I was clueless on how to proceed. My inexperienced solutions included some extra time outside of lessons and allowing her to photocopy the class notes which she was unable to complete during class. Although she was extremely skilled in Art she did not manage to score well in my subject.

It is estimated that between three and ten per cent of children, who are otherwise intelligent and can perform other tasks well, will struggle with the acquisition of literacy skills.

Dyslexia is a separate entity, independent of IQ level.

It can be defined as a “processing difficulty” as a result of which the person’s reading, writing and spelling are affected. But it can also have an impact on cognitive processes such as memory, speed of processing and even time management.

See how one student Ali describes his experience: “Ever since I was a little child I knew that I was not the same as every other boy or girl in my class. I had a tougher time reading,

32 SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

Please answer Yes or No. Do not miss any questions. If you are in any doubt, answer whichever feels like the truer answer.

YES

NO

2- Is your spelling poor?

YES

NO

3- When writing down the date, do you often make mistakes?

YES

NO

4- Do you mix up dates and times and miss appointments?

YES

NO

5- Do you find forms difficult and confusing?

YES

NO

6- Do you find it difficult to take messages on the phone and pass them on

YES

NO

7- Do you mix up bus numbers like 35 and 53?

YES

NO

8- Do you find it difficult to say the months of the year forwards in a

YES

NO

YES

NO

10- Do you take longer than you should to read a page of a book?

YES

NO

11- Do you find difficulty in telling left from right?

YES

NO

12- Did you find it difficult to decide how to answer these questions?

YES

NO

1- When using the telephone, do you get the numbers mixed up when you dial?

correctly?

fluent manner?

9- When you were at school, did you find it hard to learn the multiplication or times tables?

This checklist does not attempt to record the talents, skills or potential linked with dyslexia.

The checklist is organised around some of the key difficulties experienced by people with dyslexia in terms of reading, spelling, memory, organisation and sequencing.

Question Number Points scored

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

3

3

3

3

3

2

2

2

2

2

2

3

Count the points for each YES answer eg 3 marks for question 1.

Mark one box for each point scored to find your chance of being dyslexic.

1 in 60 1

in 26

1 in 7

1 in 3

3 in 4

This tells you how likely you are to be dyslexic. 1 in 7 is an above average chance.

Of course, it is always possible for you to be the 1 in 60 with a low score who is dyslexic, or the 1 in 4 with a very high score who is not dyslexic. Your own feelings about the matter can sometimes be more significant than the score.

FEATURE

Between three and ten per cent of children will struggle with the acquisition of literacy skills writing and sometimes even speaking coherently. There were times when I just wanted to crawl into bed and stay there forever.

Most teachers and peers doubted my abilities and thought I was unwilling to put in the effort. However this was not the case.�

It cannot be predicted with certainty which children will encounter reading problems. As stated above, dyslexia is a developmental anomaly. However children with a risk of dyslexia are those with a genetic predisposition and speech and language difficulties in pre-school years.

A specific deficit in phonological awareness is the first sign that the child is having reading problems. In simple words, they find it difficult to match alphabets to their sounds. Because it is difficult to identify words, the reader spends all their energy trying to read the word but they cannot get its meaning from the text. This grows frustrating and as a result the child reads less, which makes the problem worse.

There are some tell-tale signs that a secondary school student has dyslexia. They do not read accurately. They make spelling errors and find it hard to use the timetable efficiently. You need to repeat instructions. They find it hard to pronounce long words and struggle to plan and write long essays. They also have lower confidence and self-esteem. The problems with Math are similar to those experienced in other subjects.

Furthermore, dyslexic learners will struggle to remember what they learned. They are unable to write notes down quickly or complete work on time. Such complications mean that the student easily gets tired and starts avoiding work or starts to act out. Of course, don’t forget, dyslexic learners may excel in performancerelated activities such as debates or art, which may make their dyslexia harder to identify.

Shaina Alvi, CEO of the Remedial Education & Assessment of dyslexics (R.E.A.Dyslexics), has been working in this field for over two decades. The majority of the students who are enrolled at R.E.A.D have been sent through their schools. First all their biological data (name, age etc.) is collected along with information on the difficulties they face in school (eg weak spellings, poor handwriting). Next Alvi will informally screen the child to check whether they can do age-related tasks. She recommends that parents and educators should

34 SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

be aware of developmental milestones and where they are not being met the child should ideally be referred to an expert.

No label or diagnosis is given at this point as often children are underperforming in school because of a developmental lag. Early intervention for at-risk children has only positive outcomes. If they have been underperforming because of a developmental lag, remediation can provide them a boost. If they are not doing well because of dyslexia, the child can learn to develop coping skills.

Dr Erum Maqbool, a clinical psychologist who has specialised in dyslexia, agrees that a dyslexia diagnosis cannot be given without a complete battery of tests also known as Psychoeducational evaluation. Once the evaluation is complete and a diagnosis has been given by a clinical psychologist, then R.E.A.Dyslexics and IDARE are institutions who can then assign a tutor and design a remedial programme to help the child.

The Dyslexia-Friendly School A dyslexia friendly school is one which is equipped to meet the unanticipated needs of its learners.

Students and faculty are under strict scrutiny.

No student goes unnoticed or is allowed to fail.

Teachers and parents work together to identify and meet the diverse needs of children.

The most common way that a teacher can help

Rough estimate

5.3%

of 500 secondary school students (250 girls and 250 boys) chosen from the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades (11-17 years) of several Lahore government schools were screened for dyslexia. It was seen slightly more in boys.

SOURCE: Prevalence of Dyslexia in Secondary School Students in Lahore, 2011 Pakistan Journal of Psychological Research

dyslexic students is by reading out information, providing support materials, repeating instructions and highlighting key parts.

Stressful situations such as reading aloud in class and negative comments on marked assignments should be minimised.

Subject teachers should be aware that dyslexic difficulties can appear at times of exams or the start of a new course. When preparing for lessons, subject teachers should minimise dependence on texts and allow extra time for students to plan and organise their assignments.

Homework tasks should be explained in class as dyslexic students often have trouble with time management. When presenting new material, teachers can give hand-outs using bullet points and highlight key parts of the text rather than using italics or underlining as this makes words run together, making reading harder for dyslexic students.

Skeleton notes can be given with topic headings to support note taking and focus on key points as dyslexic students often have trouble copying from the board or writing during dictation. A partner can be identified whose notes can be photocopied after class.

Any new terminology being used in the lessons can be pre-taught. Furthermore extended discussion time to ensure tasks are well understood and illustration through diagrams of subject material will help all students.

Word processed homework assignments should be accepted. The use of a homework diary which involves parents will also be useful.

Bangor Dyslexia Test Standard Progressive Matrices Slosson Intelligence Test

Schools, centres and teachers to help R.E.A.Dyslexics (Pvt) Limited Shaina Alvi Call: (9221)3547-7323, 3587-9358, 3586-8276 Email: info@readyslexics.com, readyslexics@gmail. com Web: www.readyslexics.com Currently operating in Karachi, R.E.A.Dyslexics plans to reach out to children in other parts of the country as well.

Dr Erum Maqbool: Medilink Consultant Clinics, Suit # 103, 1st Floor, The Plaza, Do Talwar, Main Clifton Road, Karachi AND A-K Centre, Flat # 102, 2nd Floor, Zeenat Terrace, Askari Bank Building, Main Bahadurabad Road, Karachi.

IDARE in Gulshan, Karachi: http://www.etaleem. com/subsites/education/idare/ Lahore Children’s Centre Call: (042) 35752962 Email: info@lahorechildrenscentre.com Web: lahorechildrenscentre.com Avantage Learning Call: (042) 3569 4640 Email: info@avantagelearnig.com Web: http://www.avantagelearning.com Avantage Learning is a brain gym for children who are dyslexic, have ADHD or ADD or borderline autism and Down’s syndrome.

PADIL Web: www.freshfoundation.com.pk A nonprofit organisation by the name of FRESH (Foundation for Rehabilitation & Education of Special Children). In Rawalpindi and Lahore. Schools opening in Sargodha and Islamabad (October 1).

35 SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

FEATURE

The poor man’s chicKen If Mithi had mozzarella all they would have to do for pizza is add the mushrooms that suddenly sprout after the rains.

The fat, white toadstools are nearly as big as oranges when they appear and set in motion a small economic respite for the people of Tharparkar and Umerkot.

Poor Hindu Bheels, Kolhis and Meghwars manage to make a little cash on the side by gathering the mushrooms. They sell them along roadsides on the outskirts of the towns and in the markets. Sometimes the children get creative by stringing a few of them together to try and attract customers. You can buy plastic bags full of them, so fresh that the soil is still clinging to their soft white skin.

“I charge Rs200 per kilogramme from locals and Rs300 to Rs400 from visitors,” said 10-year-old Kheto Kolhi. He manages to sell five to six kilogrammes a day when they are in season. Indeed, the visitors to Thar who have come to enjoy its rare window of greenery after the rains take the mushrooms back as gifts.

A lot of people buy them as a herbal fix for bone health.

The fungi contain copper and zinc, two trace minerals that work together. They are chock full of vitamin D and other important minerals such as selenium and potassium. You get the best out of them by slicing raw for salads. They are also a good source of protein, dried.

The protein content of a fresh mushroom is roughly 4%, dried mushroom 30% and beef 21%, for example.

The window of opportunity to ‘harvest’ and sell mushrooms is a small one in Umerkot and Tharparkar districts.

The fungi suddenly sprout in a 24-to 48-hour period after the rains. “Mushrooms mostly grow on land where rainfall is high and soon after a rainy spell when the sun’s rays strike the soil,” explains Ayaz Kachelo, an agriculture expert. Some locals believe in the myth that they suddenly appear, overnight, if there is thunder.

Kachelo could not put a finger on how extensive the growth is but he felt that if the government set up a small research lab or a small farm to grow them commercially, they would perhaps have a better idea of how big they can be as a business.

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

After the rains Thar is blessed with mushrooms overnight

BY KAPIL DEV PHOTOS BY SAJID BAJEER AND KHALID KUMBHAR

FUNGI FACT

56

edible species of mushrooms are reported from Pakistan, including four from Balochistan, three from Sindh, five from Punjab and 44 from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir.

SOURCE: PAKISTAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH 2007

(Above) Mushrooms being sold in Tharparkar and (below) in Mithi.

Mushrooms contain all nine essential amino acids and amides and are a good source of fat, phosphorus, iron, thiamin B1, riboflavin B12, niacin and biotin.

They contain phosphorus, sodium and potassium It could really help the local economy, even for a short time, agrees Kirshan Sharma, a development expert, who gives the example of many other countries that were cultivating edible mushrooms commercially. In Pakistan, aside from Thar, the mushroom is found more commonly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Out of a total of approximately 400 species of mushrooms in Pakistan, about 44 or 10 per cent are said to be edible.

For the people of Thar, the mushroom is like food for kings, said social activist Abdul Haleem Soomro. They get excited when it appears because it tastes like chicken — the poor man’s chicken.

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

Outside the

Red Hot Chili Peppers With a new EP, John Frusciante moves further away sonically from his old band

BY ALI HAIDER HABIB

John Frusciante is making some strange sounds in his new EP titled Outsides, which has emerged a far cry from what he produced in his previous day job. Listen to it knowing that this music is coming from the man who quit the Red Hot Chili Peppers (RHCP), twice.

This would perhaps explain why, with Outsides, Frusciante has heavily leaned on an electronica-infused vibe that he has been so keen on in his last few solo records. The EP, (a 10-minute guitar solo besides two other tracks) thus marks a departure from what we are used

Play that funky music The Red Hot Chilli Peppers have sold over 90 million records worldwide. It would have been near impossible to achieve this had it not been for Frusciante’s brilliant fretwork. Here are some — by no means all — recordings that bear testimony to his knack for writing memorable hooks.

to hearing from him. It could take some work to digest this for people who are accustomed to his melodic finger picking and staccato riffs that made him so famous in the five RHCP albums.

Take the 10-minute opener ‘Same’, for instance. In it, Frusciante has opted to create a digital track instead of one laid down by a drummer. He has sliced the drum track to lock in with his bluesy guitar which shifts keys cohesively though freeform. The guitar track is mysteriously behind in the mix, lending the synth-soaked frenzy a spacey interplay. Despite some of the bluesy licks, there is no lack of notes here. Sprinkled with legato and speed picking, Frusciante cuts loose with the occasional drills and Olympic-level string skipping.

‘Breathiac’ is a jarring disconnect

from the opening track. The fierce rhythmic brawl and time warp in the first few seconds give way to a full-drawn percussive backlash that reaches no climax. Instead, it dips inconspicuously into a blanket of voices with chamber echo atop polyrhythms before ending with a false start.

‘Shelf’ kicks off as an ‘out’ piece but shifts gears to become something much more encompassing. From elements of lounge to techno to R&B, the track is held together by a multitude of effects, wide range of percussions and tinkling bells punctuated by some raucous guitar playing.

For all its seemingly complex dips and turns, it still maintains a rudimentary regard for melody.

The bonus track for the Japanese release, ‘Sol’, is perhaps a fitting outro to Outsides. It drags on with

intermittent swells that tether on the other side of weirdly melodic passages which miraculously evade the callousness of the polyrhythms Frusciante has so copiously used.

It’s by no means easy-listening.

And those who have venerated Frusciante for his role in defining the sound of RHCP will find it difficult to come to terms with this aural evolution. But fans of Acid sections will appreciate the bizarre tempo shifts and electronic beats this 43-year-old songsmith turned soundsmith is employing to break the spell of aging. T

Under the bridge

Otherside

Around the World

That reverb drenched tone devoid of bass and treble has entranced so many RHCP fans over the years and the fingerpicked intro of Under the Bridge is one of his finest. Amateur guitarists can’t help but have a go at it, but to really nail it you’ll need more than just the chops.

There might be only about four notes in the intro, but don’t let the simplicity fool you. A cover band in each corner of the world is playing this in a café, bar or pub as you read this. And most guitarists are rushing through the riff. Elsewhere, Frusciante is sipping his coffee with a smug smirk.

This rompin’ anda-stompin’ riff is as bold as Mother Russia. Replete with fuzzed-out squeals and bends from hell, the groovy bonerattler is guaranteed to make you want to climb on the bed and deliver the air guitar performance of the year.

Just don’t look in the mirror while you’re at it.

Percy Jackson and the sea of drowning Director Thor Freudenthal misses an opportunity to use the action-packed plot

BY MOIZ KHIZER Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters is the second movie based on the popular series Percy Jackson & The Olympians by Rick Riordan.

The first movie The Lightning Thief (2010) received negative reviews from fans of the book series and moviegoers alike, and it was expected that the sequel would not disappoint. Admittedly, Sea of Monsters is a slightly better cinematic interpretation.

But don’t be surprised if the desire to leave the theatre midway persists throughout the movie.

Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) is the son of a human and the Greek god Poseidon, who rules the waters. Along with other half-gods, Percy lives in Camp Half-Blood, which is protected from other mystical beings by a magical tree. (It was born of the sacrifice of chief god Zeus’s daughter, to save the other half-gods). The magic tree is, however, poisoned, leaving the half-bloods vulnerable. And they need the extreme healing properties of the Golden Fleece to heal it.

But this is easier said than done because they would first have to undertake a precarious journey fraught with monsters to reach it. Our hero Percy is thus joined by his friends Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario) and Grover (Brandon Jackson) to take on the challenge.

A spanner is thrown in the works as the villain, Lucas (Jake Abel), is also in hot pursuit of the Golden Fleece. He needs it to summon the demon lord Trigon who used to rule the earth. This will help him become master of the world and exact revenge from his father Hermes, the god of speed.

Given the classic action plot for Sea of Monsters — Good is pitted against Evil

in challenging circumstances — it would be reasonable to expect a fair amount of action. However, this Percy Jackson film leaned more on the Disney side; whatever thrills it has are shortlived.

In fact, there was more drama in the camp itself where Percy’s character development is much more interesting.

One weakness of the film was the terrible voice acting. When villain Lucas is shown falling, his scream sounds more like a sarcastic exclamation than a fearfilled cry. Similarly bleached of

emotion were the conflict points; the enemy was ridiculously easy to defeat.

The plot contradictions also grate on your nerves. Percy may be the son of the god of the sea, but instead of using his powers over water, he uses a magical horse from the sea, that is summoned by his brother after great persuasion.

The director, Thor Freudenthal, could have learnt from the mistakes made in The Lightning Thief. But instead this sequel feels more like a parody of Percy Jackson than the real deal.

39 SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

BOOK

Going somewhere?

Not so fast

Anees Salim’s Tales from a Vending Machine amuses, but could have been much more

BY ZAHRAH MAZHAR

When taking a flight, the journey begins long before you actually step on a plane. You arrive at the airport, go through immigration, wait in the departure lounge and finally, board. While Hasina Mansoor had never actually been a passenger, she covered the first half of the journey every day.

An attendant at the vending machine “for instant chai and coffee” in the airport’s departure lounge, Hasina has a front-row seat to all the drama involving passengers, airline crew and in her own words, “the big people — politicians, filmwallahs, businessmen, cricketers, singers and dancers.”

Not one to be ungrateful, she doesn’t mind selling a cup of tea for Rs40 for a living since it lets her peer into the lives of others.

In awe of flight attendants, especially the Kingfisher girls, Hasina, from time to time, shows an inclination towards becoming a female pilot or stewardess but never actually goes through with it.

Her life outside the airport centres on her no-nonsense Abba, her easygoing twin sister Shamla, and her young brother, Ali — the only character for whom a seemingly detached Hasina’s affection appears genuine.

Inspired by the diary of Anne “French”, Hasina starts to jot down her days’ accounts, initially making up the entries in her journal to make them seem interesting. But as the story progresses, Hasina’s otherwise dull days start to become eventful, particularly the ones on which she goes off for a rendezvous with her cousin Eza. And thus, author Anees Salim of Tales from a Vending Machine has attempted to build a strong protagonist — a resilient girl who doesn’t shy away from taking risks (keep your eyes peeled for the last chapter, cleverly titled ‘Emergency Exit’). She’s also prone to add mothballs (in the form of powder) to the chai if offended. Salim’s writing prowess, however, lacks the same zing which could have made Hasina’s story more engaging and less predictable. The chapters in the book touch upon a variety of themes, such as Hasina’s opinion of 9/11, “Juice” [Jews] and her star-struck encounter with Shahid Afridi, but most of the times, fail to tie in with each other.

Salim’s narrative in Tales from a Vending Machine resembles that of Moni Mohsin’s in The Diary of a Social Butterfly. The former, however, could use some tips from the latter on how even simple writing can be powerful and comical writing can be less obvious and more witty. T Available at Liberty Books for Rs695. To avail a 10% discount, order online at www.libertybooks.com

40 SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

Have fiction, will travel Tokyo Cancelled by Rana Dasgupta Rana Dasgupta’s debut novel, Tokyo Cancelled, tells the story of 13 passengers stranded at an airport when a snowstorm delays their flight to Tokyo.

The passengers huddle together and with hints of magic realism, each tells their story chapter by chapter. From within the confinement of the airport terminal, Dasgupta takes the reader from Paris to Delhi to London and more.

A Week at the Airport: A Heathrow Diary by Alain de Botton Read about the one week Alain de Botton set up home in one of the world’s busiest airports, Terminal 5 of London’s Heathrow, by being the writer-in-residence.

With 24/7 access to the airport, Botton’s book is an insider’s tale of what goes on in an airport when all the passengers have boarded their flight and a lull takes over the venue which almost always appears to be in motion.

Airport by Arthur Hailey The bestseller, Airport, might have an age-old plot about a man struggling to balance his career and personal life but Arthur Hailey’s simple yet engaging storytelling makes it a great read. Mel Bakersfield, the airport general manager at the fictional Lincoln International in Chicago, finds himself in a bind when a massive snowstorm hits the city and he has to make sure the airport’s operations run smoothly — all the while trying to shelter his marriage from a looming disaster as well.

Cosmic bling

process processes in the early history o of the universe. The classi quote from the classic a late astronomer Carl Sai indeed true: “We gan is

BY SALMAN HAMEED m are made up of star stuff”.

But for years, astronomers h had been seeking an explanat explanation for elements like gold, lead, platinum etc. tho It was thought that most of them formed when large stars — te times the size of stars that are ten our Sun — die in lar large explosions called Supernovae. However, calcula calculations showed that h universe i ld only l account for a fracsupernovae iin the could The announcement was short. It lasted only a frac- tion of these elements. There must be another way to make tion of second — a blink of an eye. But a spacecraft gold in the universe. in Earth’s orbit, keeping an eye on such events, capNow we know how. tured it on June 3 this year. The announcement may Here is the recipe: You take two stars that are orbiting each have been brief, but it told us that two exotic dead other. This is not as hard as it seems. Nearly half of all stars in stars, called neutron stars, have collided with each our own Galaxy have at least one other star in its system. But other. This is a relatively rare event, but it bears good make sure that both of these stars are at least 10 times bigger news for the merchants in the Sona bazaar. This col- than our Sun. Then wait about 10 million years. This is the lision has created gold — lots of it. average lifetime of big stars. They will eventually exhaust all But before you head over to Sona bazaar, you should know their fuel and explode in their individual supernovae. All that that this particular collision happened in a galaxy so far will be left of them will be their cores, called neutron stars. away that it has taken light — traveling at a stupendous These are some of the strangest objects in the universe. Each speed of 186,000 miles every second — four billion years to of the neutron star contains mass equal to that of our Sun, reach us! In astronomical terms, this collision happened in but all packed in a size no greater than a city like Karachi. a galaxy four billion light-years away. In comparison, light This means that they have very high density. A teaspoon of from our Sun gets to us in 8 minutes, and is therefore only 8 neutron star material would weigh as much as a mountain. light-minutes away. The distance of billions of light-years doesn’t Now you have two of these neutron stars orbiting each other. intimidate astronomers, as they routinely study events and But orbits for such exotic objects are unstable. The two stars objects that are even farther away than this particular gal- will eventually collide with each other — and this collision axy. The significance of this event, however, resides in the will result in the creation of gold and other rare elements. fact that for the first time, astronomers have been able to However, in an act of ultimate charity, these elements are study light from collisions that may help us understand the spread into the surrounding space. way elements like gold are created in the universe.

By the time our Solar system was born, many such colBefore we get too caught up in the cosmic glamour, we lisions had enriched our Galaxy with gold (and other eleshould remember that almost all of the elements that make ments). The gas cloud that formed the Sun and the Earth our bodies were cooked up inside the stars: the carbon in our already contained these elements. Some of this gold became DNA, oxygen in our lungs, and iron in our blood. Hydrogen part of the Earth. Four-and-a-half billion years later, this in the water molecule, on the other hand, is a leftover from rare element caught the attention of bipedal species and it became an object of desire and envy.

So the next time when you wear a gold ring or necklace, Almost all of the elements that make pause for a minute and appreciate how the cosmos gave our bodies were cooked up inside the us bling.

When two dead stars collide, gold is created

42

stars: the carbon in our DNA, oxygen in our lungs, and iron in our blood SEPTEMBER 15-21 2013

Salman Hameed is associate professor of integrated science and humanities at Hampshire College, Massachusetts, USA. He runs the blog Irtiqa at irtiqa-blog.com