Another rather eventful year has been inching towards an end. Some wise person said the end of one thing is the beginning of another. This year was such that I’d like to remember and forget at the same time. I never make a conscious effort of remembering things; it is just that I can’t forget. So last night I took a deep plunge (again an unconscious effort) in the ocean of memories. I don’t know why odd and strange thoughts were pouring. Let’s take a sneak peek into the absurdness of my thoughtful streamline:

Wire Microphone: What was with those old wire microphones that we would see in the PTV stage shows in 80s and 90s? I mean did you ever notice the way the host or the guest while singing or talking fiddle with it. And if the host had to come down from stage to talk with the guests they would constantly juggle with the wire. It could make anyone trip over it. Now that is what I call absurd. I have no clue how the thought of those microphones came to my mind in the middle of the night. The pop icons of 80s, Nazia & Zoheb, would play with it while singing. They had their own distinct style and since I used to watch them on TV a lot so that thing seem to be embedded in subconscious. Besides, many actors and singers gave birth to unique style while performing with microphone in hand. Some instances are: Papa Kehte Hain – Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak and Ruk Ja O’ Dil – Dil Wale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge.

For years the pop singers have been using different sort of microphones in their song videos and sometimes the rock stars really go wild with it. Yes, once a rock star kicked the mike stand after ending his performance. That was his style you know!

Junoonistan: I am from Junoonistan! That is how I introduce myself in the cyber world. Why is that so? Someone asked me once. Let me explain although I don’t feel obliged to be giving explanations but anyway, this is sort of interesting or at least I feel so. My dreamsville is a bizarre place because I think, I see the strangest dreams and they are like movies. Continuous. Vivid. Full of drama and emotions. I literally look forward to sleeping because I know I’d see something bizarre or amusing. I can meet people over there who aren’t with me anymore. And my dreams do trigger the ideas of several stories in my mind. So basically it is a total crazy place that I visit every night (sometimes in day time too) hence I call it Junoonistan.

My Machine: I got my present machine *pause*… my computer… in December 2006. That was my first exclusive, personal machine protected with passwords etc. I have my whole world in it. There is no world without memories. I was considering changing or switching to new one because this one, due to excessive use has been aging fast. Like the keys are acting up. You never know when the whole system conked out. But then I sort of got emotional to think that I have so many memories attached with it. I had had the most amazing conversations with friends and family on it. I typed so many stories, poems and blogs using this machine. So definitely whenever I changed it I will miss it. I hate being ‘emo’ but what can I do I am like that *sniff sniff*!

Memories: Memory is the recurring theme of my stories, poems and general blogs. There are certain memories that I like recalling because I always feel happy to think about them. Then there are some memories that are though not bad in the real sense but still suffocate me. So I try not to think about them. The opening line in Garcia’s ‘Love in the time of Cholera’ is, ‘The scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love.’ I feel such suffocating memories remind me the scent of bitter almonds. Something that you want to spit out as soon they dissolve the bitterness in your mouth. My relationship with memories would always be that of love-hate!

New Year Resolution: Losers make New Year Resolutions! Have you ever noticed that successful people make assessments of their success and not resolutions? My resolutions always rot between the old pages of my diary. I hardly stick by them so I rebelled a few years ago and stopped making resolutions. Well, at least, I saved myself from imminent frustration that one is bound to face upon failing to fulfill those resolutions. Life should be uncomplicated and simple!

Camera’s Eye: Are you scared of it? Especially the video camera fitted in the four inch device that stays in everyone’s pocket. I am not a camera shy but I believe no one should be filmed without prior permission. It was for that reason the makers introduced loud default ‘click’ sound in every camera so that the person get to know whose photo has been taken. These days every news network encourage people to film the disaster, an accident or an act of terrorism and then share the footage with them. Camera, camera, it’s everywhere and sometimes I feel being living under the watchful eye of ‘big brother’. It irritates me sometimes!

Music: I am reverting back to it. I am discovering some new and interesting music these days both classic and the latest one. I think I gave enough of cold shoulder to it. Music keeps one occupied and it often gives birth to new ideas to write. It was due to this I thought of getting an iPod Shuffle. I’d get digital and my music library will become compact!

Expectations: Is it good to nurture them? What about those that are within believable, achievable limit but still fail to fulfill? I think I would never understand the complex nature of expectations. I know one thing, if you expect from a person and the expectations don’t fulfill it hurts but if you expect from God and the expectations fail it kills.

Vital Signs & Junoon: Almost everyone who grew up in 90s loves both these bands. I am no exception. I have beautiful memories of those days and I can’t believe what a music freak I used to be. They gave us some of the true evergreen songs. I kept listening to them throughout the year and most probably will do so in future!

2010: Like always is linked with one word, ‘anticipation’.

And then I dozed off… but the last thought before entering Junoonistan was that I have got visitors from all across the world on my blog. And once, that is a couple of weeks back to be precise, someone visited my blog from, Ouagadougou … I admit I had never heard of that city/country before. I admit that I can’t even pronounce that name. But I welcome the lone visitor. Hope you found on my blog what you were searching for!

Happy New Year all!

I got the idea of this post from Haris. Once again without any formal invitation I am taking a liberty to make my own post about 7 overrated things. I think there are too many things that the whole world is crazy about but for some reason I find them being blow out of proportion. My list begins with:

Twilight Saga: Ah! I would never understand why the whole world is hooked to the books and then to the movies. Like first they read books, and then they watch movies, Twilight and New Moon. And then they watch them again and again. Wherever you go people incessantly keep discussing them. The young girls are smitten by the charm of Edward Cullen. Give me a break! Who romance a vampire as shown in the movie? This entire craze gets sickening really.

I have watched Twilight. It is an alright movie nothing special at all. It reminded me of rather an unknown movie called ‘The Faculty’. I haven’t watched the New Moon and have no plan of watching it anytime in future. I would save myself from an evident headache that I will get by watching it.

NRO: NRO or The National Reconciliation Ordinance by Musharraff and its subsequent annulment is yet another overrated thing. The entire Pakistani media is busy debating it day and night. Who cares! I mean these crooks have gotten away with everything in the past and they will carve out several ways of absolving themselves of all the sins once again. The black money would be turned white, transferred abroad or would be invested in Pakistan. But it will never reach to the tax payers or the poor people of this country to whom it actually belongs. So let the media milk NRO, let the people be hooked to it but for me it is like beating the dead horse.

Google Wave: Until summers the entire world was waiting with abetted breath for the release of this new and innovative application by the trusted name in the cyber world. It released. I didn’t have it initially, so I started trying to get an invite. I did get eventually. One, two, three – with a thumbing heart I signed into it and poof… the entire magic evaporated in the thin air with half an hour or so. I am still unable to define it fully. So it is one of those things that the world discussed so much but it proved to be a damp squib at least for now.

Facebook: I am off it and I am happy! I wouldn’t say much because I consider it a sin wasting time on discussing as to how overrated this social networking website is. That sums it all.

Indian Soap Operas: Women addicted to it actually schedule their lives and daily commitments according to the timings of their favorite soaps that have been running almost five days a week since ages. I literally grow up but not these silly soaps. Wonder why women love these saas/bahu sagas too much? If Marx would have been alive he would have changed his statement to Indian soap operas are the opium of masses.

Tiger Woods’ Scandal(s): I know the media all over the world thrive on celeb-gossip but there is a limit to everything. So the story was that Mr. Woods, the renowned and world number one golfer crashed his car into fire hydrant and then into his neighbor’s tree. All the news networks broke the news on 27th of November that Tiger Woods had been seriously injured in a car accident. The world thought they are going to lose their beloved golfer but he was released from the hospital in a few hours and had only sustained minor injuries. And since then the media has been constantly buzzing with the aftermath of Woods’ accident and that is his infidelity. Apparently, he was fighting and texting when he crashed his car. So far at least seven (the number goes well with the overrated title) of his mistresses have been surfaced. Some are bargirls; some are strippers while one is a porn star. He has a weird taste in women!

2012: Several hundred years ago the Mayan people had made calendars and certain astrological calculations. Then they recorded everything in their language which seemed coded and signed to the modern man. Some enthusiastic people over the years decoded those signs and claimed that the intelligent Mayan people had actually predicted the end of the world in 2012. So as per Mayan prediction some fatal catastrophe would result the end of this world! I wouldn’t mind the ultimate end of the world in 2012 but I have a feeling that the media and the Hollywood (by releasing the movie 2012) are just creating paranoia amongst the ordinary and bored people.

I would say people should stop worrying about the world’s end in 2012 and instead concentrate their energies on rather better things. 2012 might well be another Y2K when the CNN had started a countdown that the entire world’s computers would stop working on 1st January 2000 and that would mean a virtual collapse of the whole world. Nothing happened. Even my slow as a mule Pentium 1 processor didn’t stop working. So chill people!

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My friends: BMK, Aadill, Captureunivers, Yasser and others consider yourselves tagged!

People sleep walk and I am sure I sleep write. I have said this on a number of occasions that for some reason when at night the lights are off my mind wanders in the alleys that lead me to creativity. Ninety percent of my fiction pieces have been written that way. For that reason a drafting pad always stays on my side table because such lyrical themes and thoughts are fleeting and I don’t remember a bit when I wake up the next morning. I attribute my mind’s better functionality to the serenity and calmness that prevails at night.

I have a bitter-sweet relationship with night. I like it since it precedes the day – the day that usually cheers me up unless it is marred with some bad news. I don’t like it since my mind becomes quite active so much so that it pushes me into uneasiness.

So I discovered a note cramped under my pillow. It read:

Sometimes I miss you the way

Oasis dwellers miss the rains

My nights are shrouded in strangeness because I miss people at that time. I can write better, plan better and even the oldest and remotest things rain on my mind until drowsiness steals over me. I don’t remember when and how I wrote the above mentioned note. I do miss certain someone but the astonishing thing is that I don’t remember jotting down these lines. That truly makes me feel that I sleep write. I am sure I do.

Life is like a ring. The problem is bull. And there you stand all alone in the arena watched enthusiastically by thousands of bewitched spectators. You have to dodge. Be tactful. Agile and sharp to overcome the bull. If you don’t, the bull will trample you. Crush you to death.

Standing firm on your feet in adversity teaches you the lesson you can only learn in the lyceum called life.

Shahabnama

Shahabnama by Qudratullah Shahab is undoubtedly one of the unique books in the Urdu literature. It is a bestseller autobiography that has never gone out of print since its release in the late 80s.

The books discusses at length the pre-partition era, the post-partition Pakistan, details about the growing influence of military and bureaucracy in the mainstream politics. It is a mammoth book but it has been written in such interesting and simple style that the reader cruises through it. I read it 6-7 years ago and once I started I couldn’t put it down until I finished in a few days. The book’s most surreal and debatable chapter (other than the haunted house) is where Shahab claims to have been in touch with a mysterious mystical figure codenamed Ninety. Ninety, according to Shahab, provided him the spiritual guidance. Shahab also expressed his deep respect and affiliation with Silsila-i-Owaisia. So the readers get the ample dose of Sufism too which appealed to many people.

Mumtaz Mufti, Shahab’s close friend shed more light on Shahab’s spiritual facet in the second part of his autobiography ‘Alakh Nagri’. In his words: In the first half of his life he discovered women and in the second half Qudratullah Shahab.

One interesting fact is that Shahab’s autobiography was published posthumously so no one could question him but there are several books available in the market that rebut all his and Mumtaz Mufti’s claims about Shahab’s spiritual personality.

Call it a reality or a fictionalized fact, the truth is that ‘Shahabnama’ exhibits the writing prowess of the author. It’s been one of my favorite books of Urdu literature. I, like many people, will always be in search of truth. I am neutral about his claims of spirituality.

Mantorama

I had once written a post about Manto as to how just by sheer chance I stumbled upon Mantorama in the library of my college. Manto’s personal life has nothing special to write about. He was apparently an ordinary married man with three daughters, got sued many times for obscenity. He was a short story writer, scriptwriter and a journalist. He died of excessive drinking in 1955 at the age of 42. In 2005, fifty years after his death, he was commemorated on the postal stamp.

It is indeed Manto’s larger than life work that has kept his name alive. Manto in my view is the best thing to have happened to the contemporary Urdu literature. His work carries strange depth, bitterness, indifference and melancholy. His work was termed as lewd which is neither true nor false; it all depends upon the reader’s perception and sensitivities.

When I had first read his certain stories – I had taken a slight offence. It was perhaps I was reading him with my elder’s eyes – who had detested him. But later on when my thinking reached certain level of maturity, I realized the class of Manto. It is difficult to name his best stories because each one is a gem but usually the following of his stories always receive special
mention:

1) Toba Tek Singh
2) Mozalle
3) Naya Qanoon
4) Khol Do

Mantorama is the collection of all his short stories, novelettes etc.

In 90s, when dish antenna could be seen on every other rooftop, we had access to three basic news channels: BBC, CNN and Zee News. While watching these channels I used to think Pakistan should have 2 or 3 private news channels of its own. Then in late 2001 the Pakistani private news channels with (mostly) its base in Dubai started surfacing.

9/11 provided conducive environment for these channels to thrive. I too at that time heavily relied on the alternate (read that Pro-Pakistan – Islam) viewpoint so I took instant liking for these channels. At one time these channels become my favorite so much so that I started watching them more than any other entertainment channel.

Over the years all types of news channels started springing up from everywhere. I believe running a news channel must be a lucrative business. But that race of quantity killed the quality. Remember the alien found in Lahore story that AAJ TV ran.

Besides, the ex-generals, politicians and ministers, blah, blah come on air and make revelations from the past as if they were not the partners in crime back then. Information is good but when a person can’t do anything to correct things even after having knowledge, it only raises the level of frustration.

9/11 brought instability like never before in Pakistan. Bomb blasts became the routine occurrence. I grew fed up of the news media and felt it getting on my nerves. Imagine the 6 news channels simultaneously showing the scattered limbs and blood on the road, demolished buildings, fire and crying people etc.

Having said that, I am not writing off the news media totally because after all we do depend on them for every news and happening but I have gone from small-dose to no-dose. I prefer reading news online with only selected footage (if available for viewing) and I am at peace. Ignorance is bliss some
times!

Have you ever wondered why the preachers usually have stern countenance? My Arabic teacher was one such person. Arabic and me? No doubt this language has always intrigued me and I felt its importance even more on my visit to Saudi Arabia where no one spoke English. I took that course thinking in all my naivety that by the end I’d be able to speak and if not that at least will understand. But guess what! I ended up cramming several 300-word Arabic essays for the exam.

My teacher was strict, uptight and sarcastic all the time. In my life, I got the real doses of sarcasm in her class. Once I was attentively listening to her lecture – my palm was resting under my chin and my elbow was on the table. I was sitting in the second row close to the rostrum. She fired a vitriolic shot – out of nowhere – there are some people who sit like this; she imitated the gesture, and think they are attentive but they are just wasting time. I got startled and changed my position to what is usually conceived as an attentive. I did respect her, like I do all my teachers, but she had never been my favorite. I would always be uneasy there. Besides I believe one should respect other out of love and not out of fear.

Coming back to the main point why the preachers become so vitriolic, bitter and rough when they should be humble. I believe it is because they expect people to think and act exactly as they say. They want to impose an unintelligent, unified code of living which of course is not possible because ‘human mind is condemn to be free’ and every free mind thinks and acts in a separate way. When they fail to achieve the desired result or to bring forth the expected change they become sarcastic and critical of everything that others do. Some of them may have the sense of being righteous so others naturally seem wrong to them.

Preaching is a holy job that demands oodles of patience, humility and tolerance. If someone is capable enough and has God’s help, people will follow him even without anyone’s asking.

The world is moving ahead; the technology is advancing fast and several new gadgets are introduced every year. Where on the one hand, I like new gadgets immensely, on the other hand, I have started developing taste for the vintage – classic items.

There are times when I wish to dig my finger in the rotary dial to make a call. Though that is a sheer dream because it is an obsolete technology now. I remember our first telephone was rotary – of white in color. When we changed it with a new model; I got the old one and used to play with it like a toy phone. So what happened to it? As much as I recall, I opened the screws and took out all that was inside it and then of course I couldn’t put it back together. I wish I had kept it. It could have been a collectible item.

Other than the rotary phone what interest me is the classic (portable) typewriter. Modern day typewriter looks more like the fusion of a computer and printer with loads of features. I like the one in the photo – with only black and blue ribbon. I have never used a typewriter and I know it would be disastrous given the amount of typos I make but still its design, font and the clanking sounds charms me.

Such typewriters are up for sale on eBay. Let’s see if I could (ever) get hold of one!

PS: The photos are taken from Flickr

I am traditional. I like and prefer real books. I like the feel of real page, print and the usually colorful cover of the book.

I can read an article or small tidbits online but reading a whole book in the PDF format online or reading it on the e-reader is something I am not very used to. The idea of compact computer, notebook, palm PC sounds good because you can not take the desktop to bed and work on it while lying in an easy position. But book is something that could be taken everywhere. I, however, see only one benefit of the e-reader that it can store up to hundreds of books while it can play the audio book  as well. So it could be really handy for those who travel a lot.

While traveling I’d prefer an audio book. I have never listened to the whole audio book but once I tested it and listened to a chapter. It was a great experience. And guess what hearing a tale in an audio format lulled me to sleep too.

What is your choice? E-book or the real book?

Last week the news about Jinnah’s maternal great grandson Aslam Jinnah surfaced as to how miserable and poor life his family were living while being the great grandson of Jinnah he should have some recognition. I was wondering Jinnah had only one daughter Dina Wadia (nèe Jinnah).

Jinnah & Dina

Dina got married to a Parsi born Indian Neville Wadia against the wishes of her father. Wikipedia states:

Mahommedali Currim Chagla, who was Jinnah’s assistant at the time, recalls:

“Jinnah, in his usual imperious manner, told her that there were millions of Muslim boys in India, and she could have anyone she chose. Reminding her father that his wife (Dina’s mother Rattanbai), had also been a non-Muslim, the young lady replied: ‘Father, there were millions of Muslim girls in India. Why did you not marry one of them?’ And he replied that, ’she became a Muslim’”.

Neville

Dina and Neville lived in Mumbai and had a son and a daughter. Dina’s son Nusli Wadia is an industrialist and business tycoon.  His sons – Dina’s grandsons and Jinnah’s great grandsons are Ness Wadia and Jeh (a.k.a Jehangir) Wadia.

About Jinnah’s rest of extended family:

The only grandson of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah is Nusli Wadia, Chief Executive Bombay Dying & Manufacturing Company and lives in Bombay. There is no other grandson of Quaid-i-Azam. The only great grandsons are sons of Nusli Wadia who also live in Bombay. Jinnah’s daughter Dina Wadia lives in New York and Bombay.

This was stated by Liaquat Merchant, grandnephew of Quaid-i-Azam and grandson of Jinnah’s sister Mariambai in a clarification following media coverage which projected Aslam Jinnah as grandson or great grandson of Quaid-i-Azam and invitation extended to him by executives of Baitul Maal in Islamabad.

He said he had in past clarified his position on several occasions during period 2004 to 2007. He said it was incorrect to describe anyone except Nusli Wadia as Jinnah’s grandson.

Merchant, who is Administrator Estate of Quaid-i-Azam, Managing Trustee Jinnah Foundation, Executive Trustee Quaid-i-Azam Aligarh Education Trust, President Jinnah Society, author of publications on Jinnah and recipient of Sitara-e-Imtiaz awarded by President of Pakistan in recognition of his publications on Jinnah, public services in health, education, said he had never met Aslam but thought he was probably a descendent from Nathoo Poonja family.

He said Quaid-i-Azam’s father Jinnah Poonja had two brothers — Walji Poonja and Nathoo Poonja. While grandsons of Walji Poonja had come forward and made claim for a share in Estate of Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah in accordance with Hanafi/Sunni law in their capacity as distant kindred claiming through Jinnah’s paternal uncle Walji Poonja, there was no claim by any male descendent of Nathoo Poonja but a claim filed by one Jenabai, a daughter-in-law of one of grandsons of Nathoo Poonja but her application was dismissed as it did not merit consideration. No other claim has been filed up to date by any member of Nathoo Poonja family.

He said if Aslam is a descendent of Nathoo Poonja, he should establish his ancestry and make a claim before the Sindh High Court for a share. He said he only wished for record to be set straight and had no grievance or reservation against any member of Nathoo Poonja family.

Liaquat Merchant said descendents of Walji Poonja who were settled in Karachi included Muhammad Ali, Jaffer Ali, Hussein Ali and Ghulam Ali who are now survived by Amir Ali son of Hussainali Gangji Walji.

The immediate family of Quaid-i-Azam comprised of his daughter Mrs Dina Wadia and her son Nusli Wadia. Quaid’s sisters are Rehmatbai, Mariambai, Shirinbai and Fatima Jinnah. His brother Bande Ali died and his brother Ahmad who was married to a Sunni lady had one daughter Fatima Goepfert.

Merchant said children of Quaid’s sisters Rehmatbai, Mariambai and Shirinbai are no more alive. Daughter of Ahmed Jinnah lived in Switzerland while Fatima Jinnah did not marry.

Grandchildren of Quaid’s sister Mariambai, presently living in Karachi, are Kulsoom Ibrahim, Zehra Chandoo, Gulshan Chandoo, Rohina Peerbhoy, Liaquat Merchant, Hussein Ebrahim and Moonira Kassam. Other grandchildren of Jinnah’s sisters Rehmatbai and Mariambai live in Bombay and Calcutta.

Quaid’s grand nephew issues clarification

Even if Aslam Jinnah is a relative of Quaid then the media shouldn’t call him his maternal great grandson. He might be a distant relative or he may not be related to him at all.

The history we read at schools never talk about such things. It is the responsibility of media and the historians to set the record straight.

Nusli Wadia

Ness

Jeh