Sarfaraz A Rehman: Karachi, as was Then....

Sarfaraz A Rehman: Karachi, as was Then....: Some discussion between various generations of Karachi people, led me to this blog. I feel it is our responsibility to tell the younger ge...

Karachi, as was Then....

Some discussion between various generations of Karachi people, led me to this blog. I feel it is our responsibility to tell the younger generation what we have lost through time, politics and modernity. So here is a list which by no means is exhaustive. Just what one could recall in a laundry list. It is a Generation X list and maybe a few items will not mentally connect with present day Millennials and Generation Z.

A) Karachi was safe. No guns, no hold ups, no drugs, no kidnapping. Very rarely we would hear of a shocking robbery (not dacoity, just plain sneaky theft).
B) Low level traffic. As kids and teen-agers we walked and used bicycles.
C) Adequate public transport. Trams (discontinued in 1975  )
D) Sufficient water. Water came through the pipes, not tankers.
E) Hardly any tall buildings. HBL Plaza came up in 1970.
F) Quite a bit of greenery and parks. Lots of neem and jungle jalaybee trees.
G) Reasonably clean.
H) Hardly anyone sleeping on the footpath. And yes there were footpaths.
I) Very few stalls encroaching on the road. But many ethnic street markets.
J) No electric load shedding.
K) Shaadis were pretty much on time and fairly simple.
L) Traffic lights were obeyed. You had to take a driving test to obtain a license.
M) Lots of grounds or empty spaces to play cricket and hockey. We played hockey!
N) Gates were not closed and we could walk into each others houses.
O) We did not have to telephone before arriving at others houses.
P) Lifestyle was simple, cost of living low.
Q) Many roadside cafes, serving tea and coffee. Plenty of intellectuals.
R) The Anglo-Christians used to play music at Clifton beach most evenings.
S) Many night clubs, with international cabaret performers.
T) Great chana choor garam served, hot and fresh with lots of mirchi and lemon.
U) The pathan with the bakery sandooq, where every item was 2 annas (Paisa 12)
V) Cricket was played at the National Stadium all winter. First class and tests.
W) Drive-in cinema was a regular outing.
X) Donkey cart race occurred every weekend from Clifton to Saddar.
Y) The Victoria was common and a great outing.
Z) Outing spots; beaches, Playland, Aquarium, Zoo, Circus, many cinemas, libraries.

Some things which were missing then.

A) Variety of restaurants.
B) Malls.
C) Supermarkets.
D) Cell phones and e-networking.
E) Only one TV channel and that too black and white.
F) Little choice in consumer goods.
G) Biryani was not a mainstay and pilau was more prevalent.
H) No fast-food. Nearest specimen would be Bundu Khan.
I ) No mini buses
J) No outdoor signs (though we could be gong back to that soon)

Nostalgia colours ones lenses and makes the past of huge value to us Generation X. A more real and feeling world it seemed. Sadly change is a constant and the Now is vastly different. So, while one might be wistful, we live in todays reality. Nevertheless, if one was to pick somethings from the past, it would be some elements of safety, security and caring inserted back into our present. It would go a long-way to achieving serenity once again.

*picture from http://www.pakistan.web.pk

Sarfaraz A Rehman: The Paradox

Sarfaraz A Rehman: The Paradox:   Some thirty two hundred years ago a man stood in front of a large palace, with some intent and purpose. He was weak, emaciated, his cl...

The Paradox

 

Some thirty two hundred years ago a man stood in front of a large palace, with some intent and purpose. He was weak, emaciated, his clothes in tatters and due to circumstances in his past, he carried a massive case of stammering. As he leant on his staff for support, he was shaking. He was shaking because he felt apprehensive. His intent was to go into that large palace, face the owner and tell him to mend his evil ways. Unfortunately, the owner was an extremely powerful person, hence the man felt apprehension.       

     

So, the man looked up and called on Allah(swt) in dua. His words were,     

     

“My Lord expand for me my breast (with assurance) and ease for me my task and untie the knot from my tongue, that they may understand my speech.”   

     

Allah was pleased with that man for his faith and askance.    And so he rewarded him. He put those very words in the Quran, in Surah Taha Ayat 25-28. (Surah Taha is the one, on whose recital Hazrat Umar(ra) became Muslim!). These fourteen hundred plus years, hundreds of millions of  Muslims have used this dua, whenever they have felt the need to say something of significance to people. I too, use these words before every meeting and before every talk or speech. What a reward and what a legacy to have. The man  Hazrat Musa (as) needs no introduction to us. The man in the palace was of course, the Firaun , the evil ruler of Egypt and at the time the most powerful man in the world. One tradition has it that this particular Firaun was Rameses ll.   

   

To cut to a different, but related event.  

Percy Shelley the English poet, based on some writer, who described a scene he witnessed on his travels, wrote Ozymandias. The traveller stated that in a desert environment, as he moved along, he came across a very large stone statue. Decay had struck that statue. The legs still stood intact, upto the knees. But, the body had disappeared. Also, lying on the ground, small distance from the surviving legs was the head of the statue. What was striking was that the face still showed an expression of sneering and arrogance. Written on the pedestal by the legs were the words. 

“My name is Ozymandias. King of Kings. Look at my work, ye Mighty, and despair.” 

All around was decay and failure, the Mighty had taught all of us a lesson.  

 

 

*Ozymandias was reputedly, a name used for Rameses ll, by Shelley. 
   
In our lives (even today), we would look at a bedraggled, shivering, stammering man and disregard him. Nay, disregard with contempt for the littleness and apparent failure. But we would look at a man on a throne, in a large palace with a crown on his head with deference and fear and fawn on him for his success. But Allah and history tell a different tale. Today in this world and in Allah’s Jannah, Hazrat Musa (as) lives with the highest. Of the particular Firaun, history has few words and who really remembers him? (There is much conjecture on the final identity of the Firaun). Allah also has some words about him. That he will be preserved forever in this world, as a sign of evil. 

What a paradox! What is real success and what is failure?

** pictures were taken from Pinterest.com