What you do during load shedding?
Wednesday, 30 May 2012
What you do during load shedding? This is an interesting question. Generally, it is presumed that people sit fingers crossed just cribbing, bickering and cursing those who are responsible for this type of energy crises that has literally paralyzed the country.
Everyone is effected by load shedding? On the one hand, it is destroying the economy and on the other. It is taking its toll on human beings. Load shedding has changed the character of our social fiber. You can’t visit each other. Most of us are on the edge; jittery and short tempered. Students are suffering the most. Can you study and concentrate for your exam when temperature sores to 45 and above, your UPS system has stopped working and you have to light a candle. Other categories that are suffering the most are old people, patients and kids. Someone rightly tweeted this, young kids in future may ask what is electricity? No pun is intended here.
Everyone is effected by load shedding? On the one hand, it is destroying the economy and on the other. It is taking its toll on human beings. Load shedding has changed the character of our social fiber. You can’t visit each other. Most of us are on the edge; jittery and short tempered. Students are suffering the most. Can you study and concentrate for your exam when temperature sores to 45 and above, your UPS system has stopped working and you have to light a candle. Other categories that are suffering the most are old people, patients and kids. Someone rightly tweeted this, young kids in future may ask what is electricity? No pun is intended here.
I keep trying to tell myself to stay cool, san and act normal. That is so hard though. You just can’t sit when light is out at one after mid night. Worst is that there is no load shedding news on media channels. Load shedding, perhaps, is no more a news (it is rather a lifestyle now). I some time miss our ministers and bigger ministers who used to say that there will be no load shedding from now on (yes this is on record). Now no one gives us this false hope. Where are our ministers, I keep wondering?
Labels: Energy Crises, Load Shedding
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Wednesday, May 30, 2012,
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Oh Abbottabad
Even in its name, Abbottabad sheds any pretense of local origins: it bears the name of the town's founder, James Abbott, a British army officer who was assigned in 1849 the task of pacifying and governing the Hazare region of the Punjab province that had been annexed by the British Empire after the First Anglo-Sikh War. Abbotabad is today a medium-sized city of nearly one million people, but no urban enclave existed there at all until Abbott decided that it would be a strategic location for an administrative capital.
In a broader geographic and historic context, Abbottabad is a particularly unlikely epicenter of the type of future caliphate bin Laden dreamed of founding. Lying as it does on the old Silk Road, the area has always cultivated contact with diverse outsiders -- especially with those from points farther east. (Today, it sits along the Karakoram Highway, which links Pakistan with China through the Himalayas.) In some ways, its historic and religious ties with the Middle East are more tenuous than its historic commercial ties with East Asia and the Indian subcontinent. As an Arab, Bin Laden would have been a member of a vanishingly small minority in Abbottabad: Hindkowans, an ethnic group marked by its late conversion to Islam from Hinduism, comprise the majority of the area's population.
Today, the characteristics that Pakistanis associate with Abbottabad underscore its unlikeliness as a place for an international fugitive to make his home. First, it is something of a tourist spot, attracting Pakistanis from around the country to enjoy its verdant and hilly surrounds, temperate climate, and nearby national parks. James Abbott himself developed a deep attachment to the area in his years of service there, composing a poem "Abbottabad" after returning to Britain, in which he paid tribute to its beauty. A selection:
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posted by S A J Shirazi @ Wednesday, May 30, 2012,
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I am a teenagers; look what I do on facebook
Tuesday, 29 May 2012
Sajini Chandrasekera
Facebook is a social networkig website intended to connect friends, family, and business associates. It is the largest of the networking sites, with the runner up being MySpace . It began as a college networking website and has expanded to include anyone and everyone. Facebook users create a profile page that shows their friends and networks information about themselves. The choice to include a profile in a network means that everyone withing that network can view the profile. The profile typically includes the following: Information, Status, Friends, Friends in Other Networks, Photos, Notes, Groups, and The Wall. Users are able to search for friends and acquaintances by e-mail address, school, university, or just by typing in a name or location for search. When people become friends, they are able to see all of each others' profiles including contact information. E-mail notifications let users know when new friends have chosen to add them to their list or when someone has sent a message to them within the system.Users of Facebook can share news stories, video, and other files with friends. Most news and video websites have buttons that can be clicked to automatically share the story or video on a feed. The person sharing can make comments about the shared item that their friends will see.There are many potential problems with social networking sites and the teenagers that use them. Social networking online involves using Web sites to share information with others and connect with them by creating a profile that may include a personal Web page and a blog. Social networking sites allow users to add friends, send messages and comment on others' profile pages.MySpace is the most dominant social network among teens, used by most teenagers who use social networks. MySpace allows users almost unlimited flexibility to create and customize their profile pages, and to share their own content or that of others, including music, videos and writing. Many MySpace users register with aliases.The next most popular social networking site among teenagers is Facebook, which is used by quite a large number of teens who use social networks. Facebook, once a closed system limited to school and college communities, has recently become more open. Facebook puts a greater emphasis on actually knowing the people that you connect with. Other social networks used by teenagers include Xanga, Yahoo and Bebo.Facebook can enrich social lives for those separated from family and friends at long distances, bringing them together despite the physical separation. It also can bring people together with varying backgrounds who might never have met and then encourage them to extend experience in to real world.Facebook gives us a global view and access to interact with many persons found in many different countries. Facebook supports interaction in a lot of different ways. You can create and edit your own profile by uploading pictures, writing personal information, updating your status, etc. In addition to this you can use the privacy settings, which means that you can choose who can see what on your profile. You can even decide by whom your profile can be found (by everyone, just friends, just friends of friends, etc.). You can search, find, add, ignore, delete, and block friends whenever you want.
Most teens create at least a basic profile, with their name, age, status, photo and interests, but many go much further. Many teens make regular visits to update their profiles and to visit others' profiles.Communicating with others is a key aspect of using social networks. Teens may post public messages or may use bulletins or private messages to communicate with those on their friends list. Most teens use sites such as MySpace and Facebook to stay in touch with their current friends. However, reports show that most of teenagers also use the sites to make new friends. Teenagers use the sites to make social plans with their friends, and sometimes to flirt. Flirting becomes a serious issue as the teenagers are emotionally taken by the opposite sex. Some times these flirting goes a long way that in the end it create a major catastrophe and some times it brings life time embarrassment or major mental traumas.
Apart from the social benefits, social networking sites can be used to document school research, promote artistic talents and experiment with other forms of content creation. They provide a way to interact with others who share the same interests and to get constructive feedback on ongoing projects.Along with these benefits come some risks. Most social networking sites are open to all, especially MySpace, which means that your teen could be exposed to harassment, bullying or sexual advances. Cyber-bullying and harassment are most often perpetrated by other teens and tend to happen most to older girls and to teens of either gender who have a strong online presence. It may take shape in several forms but the damage it causess will be the same.
Older teens may want a public profile to promote a band or other creative work. In this case, have your child create a second, public profile for the project while still restricting the personal profile to family and close friends. It's best to set up these profiles with a free e-mail from Yahoo or Google using an alias that can't be traced back to find personal information.Encourage your kids to tell you if they're victims of cyber bullying or harassment. Many teens will try to deal with this on their own, which can have disastrous consequences. If your child knows who's behind the harassment, involve the other child's parents or school officials. If it's anonymous, remind your child that it's not personal; some people just think it's fun to say mean things about others. So as parents always we should be responsible for what our children do on line and always keep a close look on their actions on cyber.
Related: Connect and Network - Pakistan’s First International Social Media Summit
Labels: Sajini Chandrasekera, Social Media
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Tuesday, May 29, 2012,
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Collective Call
Related Post: Migratory Birds
Labels: Birds
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Tuesday, May 29, 2012,
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55 PMA Celebrating in Islamabad
Saturday, 26 May 2012
Earlier this week (May 24), 55 PMA Islamabad Chapter got together at Golf Club to welcome Lt General Zaheer ul Islam to Islamabad on his new assignment. Some of the members from Lahore can also be seen in the images [Thanks Jalal Hameed Bhatti].
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Labels: 55 PMA, Islamabad, Men At Their Best
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Saturday, May 26, 2012,
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Continuous curse of load shedding
When so much is happening around, people have already forgotten (or have they got used to living without electricity?) about continuous curse of load shedding. Thanks to Sabbir Nazir for drawing this.
Labels: Load Shedding
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Saturday, May 26, 2012,
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Second Annual Social Media Summit – 2012
Friday, 25 May 2012
Second Social Media Summit is being held on June 29-30, 2012 in Karachi. Details here.
Labels: Bloggers Meet, Lahore Bloggers, Pakistan Bloggers Summit
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Friday, May 25, 2012,
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Tweeple are bringing change!
Thursday, 24 May 2012
Labels: Social Media
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Thursday, May 24, 2012,
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My passion collection
No matter what your age, collecting model cars can become an exciting hobby, but also a good investment as many toy cars increase value over time as they are collectible items. This hobby has been around almost as long as the automobile, and yet, it is still a passion of many!Scaled models are manufactured in a range of scales such as 1:12, 1:18, 1:24, 1:32, 1:43, 1:64 and others. Cars that are especially attractive are those with a real eye to detail. Doors, hoods, trunks and fuel caps that open, ashtrays that slide out and glove compartments that work are some of the realized features. Some models of cars even have hanging ignition keys and removable hood pins to open the hood. Most have working car steering and suspension with real materials used in the interiors.
The best quality I enjoy about myself is my Passion for Cars. I love every single part about these street machines. I love the sound, speed and especially the looks of these rolling masterpieces. The inspiration of cars will never escape out of my mind. This quality about me will never change or alter in any way. I dream them, I feel them and I think about them all the free time I have. You would find Cars Magazines, Cars Brochures on my Shelves and Cars Posters on walls of my room.
Diecast car collection is my childhood passion and so far I have over 4000 car in my collection'. As I have been engaged with cars since childhood, there are so many pleasant memories with me such as contribution of my great father and mother, especially I miss my lovely mother very much, said good-bye to me (forever) after 2 months of my marriage. She was very caring and always promoted and appreciated my passion. She also educated me how to care things that is why I have my 30 years old toy cars with me today.
I really appreciate my parents and their efforts to promote my passion. They never refused whenever I asked for a Toy Car!
It is my dream to drive world’s fastest sports car Bugatti Veyron. German inspection officials recorded an average top speed of the original version of 408.47 km/h (253.81 mph) during test sessions on the Ehra-Lessien test track on 19 April 2005. This top speed was verified by James May on Top Gear.
I would like to clear one thing here that it was much difficult to collect a huge number of die cast cars in Pakistan because of their non-availability.
Every new car model was very much important for me and it slept with me under my pillow till another one replaced it. Eid-ul-Fitr, the day full of excitement for me at each year because car models were presented to me as Eid gifts from my parents. Similarly, I always preferred to purchase car models from Eidy.
I have car models of yesteryears too, highlighting my collection as category of “Antique Cars”. I have also models of NASCAR, London Bus, London Taxi, American School Bus and Hollywood Movies Cars like (Knight Rider, Dukes of Hazard, Gone in 60 Seconds, The Italian Job, Fast & the Furious Series, Back to the Future, the animated movie CARS and various Cartoon Characters).
My father told me about the Matchbox dinky cars (Made in Great Britain) and Majorette dinky cars (Made in France) which were easily available at Super Stores in Lahore worth Rs.10/- in the year 1977-1978. The friction power Tin toy cars (Made in Japan) were also available in Pakistan in 70s and price was Rs.25/-. I have also few models of Tin toy cars.
This kind of treasure takes decades to build, hours and hours of care but if you have the passion then all that hard-work brings pleasure and always keeps a smile of satisfaction on your face.
I have also given my interviews on GEO, ARY, CITY42 and DUNYA, the famous TV channels of Pakistan.
Please visit my website http://www.mytoycars.weebly.com and have a look at my passion collection.
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Thursday, May 24, 2012,
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Distant love
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Sajini Chandrasekera
Long distances relationships are more common these days as the internet bring people from all over the world together, despite their age, religion, and race. Being involved in a long distance relationship is difficult and confusing to most people. To my knowledge all relationships need efforts, but long distance relationships take an extra mile. Most people cannot work out these kinds of relationship as communicating, compromising and understanding are the stronger pillars of a long distance relationship. Truth is that relationships don't depend on distance but on the love that both parties have.Long distance relationships involve two partners who share interest in each others’ lives, care for each other, stand with each other during hard times, and most importantly love each other without demands. Also these relationships require a very deep understanding and willingness to go beyond the boundaries. Constant communication is very essential is a long distance relationship. If the communication fail between the two partners it can easily fail the affair. Understanding your spouse is to spend time together. You may have your own schedule, but you should find some time to work on your relationship. Share your likes and dislikes and spend quality time together. The amount of time you are together is not important, but the way you spend the time is important.
As the technology is at its best; Skype makes any long distance relationship work better than ever before. If the partners could spend some time each day with each other over Skype or phone it will make the relationship stronger, knowing that your partner across the seas is thinking of you and missing you. It's a beautiful feeling and everyone loves it. Love needs communication to grow. Unless both of you put in the effort to communicate each other’s feelings and talk about goals and aspirations, you’d start to see that both of you are moving away in different directions. And at times, both of you may end up becoming incompatible partners even if both of you were deeply in love with each other.
People involved in these kinds of relationship must be committed to communicate, as this will be a very powerful tool to keep the bond strong and feeling alive. Always be ready to support the emotional needs of your spouse. Your partner will realize you as the best mate if you offer support during the hard times. Everyone has problems and the basic expectation for a spouse is emotional support. Men need somebody to advice them and stay calm when they are emotional. Women want their partner to cuddle them when they are depressed. Never hurt your spouse when he is emotionally down. Trust plays a vital role in these kinds of relationships. Both must be faithful to each other, as maintaining a relationship from afar is a very tedious to say the least. Without trust and honesty like any other relationship, this is also in danger. Partners in long distance relationships don't have the privilege of seeing each other, but basically have to trust what each other say while communicating.
Discuss issues whenever they arise. Privacy is important for any individual but don't hide truths from your spouse. Unresolved issues will always pop up later and create troubles. Rather than yelling at each other, sit together and tackle the issue. Forgive and forget the differences of opinions. You want to know the cause of the issue and not the person behind the cause.
There are times you feel lonely or longed for a touch, as these feelings has to be controlled but the bond endures. Most people take love and relationships for granted. But in reality, relationships do need commitment and a bit of work. Most of the time, chemistry in love and understanding makes things in love seem easier and happier. No matter where you are, over oceans or miles apart the only the most powerful bond to keep two lovers close in a long distance relationship is, well, LOVE.
Read more »Labels: Relationship, Sajini Chandrasekera
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Tuesday, May 22, 2012,
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Khalid 4 - Up, Up
Monday, 21 May 2012
Exclusive Khalid-4 Get Together at Islamabad reminded me so much of the past. Though I was not there but I can precisely feel what must have happened there. How Jalal hameed Bhatti, Mushtaq, Naveed, Hazrat Noor, Arshad, Razaq, Ikram Kiyanai, Shahid Qadar and Mujeeb must have behaved. I can even quote what they must have talked to each other. This is the level of relationship and long time association we have.
I started my life in the army with Khalid 4 – my first platoon and one of the largest in 55 PMA. I vividly remember Capt (later Brig) Ghulam Nabi – a great soldier and human - who was our Platoon Commander. We were total 31 cadets (including 5 relegees). Later I was promoted to the rank of Company Sergeant Major and posted to Tipu Company (we use to call it Tipu Tigers.
Jalal Hameed Bhatti adds about this meet, "Few days back, a few of us got together in the Artillery Mess of Rawalpindi on an all-boys night out to reminisce the memories, remembering those who left us too early and of the days we were together - same age, same aspirations, same goals and same dreams. Although these so many years have gone past so quickly and these go falling in the fading light, drifted into the time passages, yet their memories are still as fresh as when were passing through these each day, recalling days when were just young boys and now with grey hair (or in some cases no hair). We have wealth of memories that reverberate deep within us when we have once again become part of the crowd - but hinged to the memories that we so eagerly want to get back to."
Jalal Hameed Bhatti adds about this meet, "Few days back, a few of us got together in the Artillery Mess of Rawalpindi on an all-boys night out to reminisce the memories, remembering those who left us too early and of the days we were together - same age, same aspirations, same goals and same dreams. Although these so many years have gone past so quickly and these go falling in the fading light, drifted into the time passages, yet their memories are still as fresh as when were passing through these each day, recalling days when were just young boys and now with grey hair (or in some cases no hair). We have wealth of memories that reverberate deep within us when we have once again become part of the crowd - but hinged to the memories that we so eagerly want to get back to."
Labels: 55 PMA, Men At Their Best
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Monday, May 21, 2012,
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55 PMA Get Together - Islamabad
Sunday, 20 May 2012
The wedding of second daughter of Ghazanfar soon followed on May 19, 2012. A large number of course mates (55 PMA) besides others attended the ceremony at the jacaranda Club, DHA Phase-II, Islamabad. Here are a few photographs taken by Jalal Hameed Bhatti with his cell phone.
Labels: 55 PMA, Men At Their Best
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Sunday, May 20, 2012,
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Dolls, Toys and More Launched
Thursday, 17 May 2012
Dolls, Toys and More was launched on April 28, 2012. Prof. Dr. Norbert Pintsch, Senior Expert DGFK, Germany presented a copy of Dolls Toys and More to Dr. Azam Chaudhry, the Dean, Lahore School of Economics. Dr. Norbert also apprised Dr. Azam Chaudhry of what has been happening in the village Thatta Ghulamka Dheroka – commonly called Dolls Village - over last two decades.
Dolls, Toys and More is a story of two decades of work by NGO in a village called Thatta Ghulamka Dheroka – some 80 kilometres from Lahore and on the bank of River Ravi. How change has come in the village?
Countless volunteers from Germany, Pakistan and also from other parts of the world have worked in the Village Project. The book gives an overview of the Project in detail as well as the description of local travel attractions. The travelogues section describes all places of interest in and around the areas, which will form a broader and touristy impression about the location to the reader as well as the interested tourists.
The life in the village is definitely interesting from the point of view of any urban visitor, but this topic may be discussed separately. An idea can be obtained however by reading the three short stories included in the book. The books also points out to the concept of Mud Housing and the Appropriate Technology and how they are being developed and used in the village.
What was conceived and founded by Dr Senta Siller has surely come of age. The book would not have been possible without the input and huge amount of work by Dr Norbert Pintsch, Dr Senta Siller and many others.
Dolls The book ISBN 978-969-0-02411-7 is available at Ferozsons Pakistan and other leading book stores.
Related: @ sajshirazi.com
Dolls, Toys and More is a story of two decades of work by NGO in a village called Thatta Ghulamka Dheroka – some 80 kilometres from Lahore and on the bank of River Ravi. How change has come in the village?
Countless volunteers from Germany, Pakistan and also from other parts of the world have worked in the Village Project. The book gives an overview of the Project in detail as well as the description of local travel attractions. The travelogues section describes all places of interest in and around the areas, which will form a broader and touristy impression about the location to the reader as well as the interested tourists.
The life in the village is definitely interesting from the point of view of any urban visitor, but this topic may be discussed separately. An idea can be obtained however by reading the three short stories included in the book. The books also points out to the concept of Mud Housing and the Appropriate Technology and how they are being developed and used in the village.
What was conceived and founded by Dr Senta Siller has surely come of age. The book would not have been possible without the input and huge amount of work by Dr Norbert Pintsch, Dr Senta Siller and many others.
Dolls The book ISBN 978-969-0-02411-7 is available at Ferozsons Pakistan and other leading book stores.
Related: @ sajshirazi.com
Labels: Books, DGFK, S A J Shirazi
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Thursday, May 17, 2012,
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Shagufta Bano - Mano na Mano
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
While doing interpretership (Russian Language) from National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, we were taken to different publishing houses. Having tea after the presentation at one of the publishing houses, we got a chance to talk informally to the wonderful people there.
While talking with Dr. Farahat Naqi – the owner and brain behind the success of the concern – Dr. Shagufta Bano – one of my favorite teachers -- came under discussion. I believed and praised my teacher. Dr. Naqvi listened to my discourse for some time and finally raised his hands and said, “Please stop. Stop! I know her more than you do because she is my wife for last 30 years.”
I can’t caption this! Can you?
This caption by ~hedAyah~
While talking with Dr. Farahat Naqi – the owner and brain behind the success of the concern – Dr. Shagufta Bano – one of my favorite teachers -- came under discussion. I believed and praised my teacher. Dr. Naqvi listened to my discourse for some time and finally raised his hands and said, “Please stop. Stop! I know her more than you do because she is my wife for last 30 years.”
I can’t caption this! Can you?
This caption by ~hedAyah~
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Wednesday, May 16, 2012,
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Pleased in Pak Pattan
Tuesday, 15 May 2012
Pakpattan - the name is enough to start the travelers, cautiously curious and devoted faithful dreaming. Already the magic words like sultans and saints are stirring in the head. Let your gaze slip over the dhaki - original citadel of Pakpattan - and the town will suddenly appear. The antiquity is its own message: the town is heritage, and heritage permeates the town.Enter the once walled inner-city through one of the existing gates and you will find yourself in archetypal form of an ancient town - crooked and narrow streets, dense housing, intricate woodwork on Jharokas, bay windows and doors. So many historic cities have developed losing much of their original character in the process during modern times, but Pakpattan has survived remarkably in tact. It is the entire urban fabric of the place that is historic. Though, the major portion of the fortification wall has disappeared. At places, the wall has even been utilized as a part of the residences. Four gates (Shahedi, Rehimun, Abu and Mori) have survived out of six but they are all crumbling. Now extensive suburbs stretch from the foot of the wall all around. Thin red bricks from centuries old wall are seen used in the new houses all over the town. The portion of the settlement that sits on the mound can be compared with walled part of Multan City.
Labels: Travel
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Tuesday, May 15, 2012,
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Social Media Urdu Blog
Monday, 14 May 2012
Like many others, I started writing in Hilal early in life. That is where I started. I still write here. This urdu peace appeared in Pakistan Army Monthly Hilal, May 2012 issue. This shows my desire for Pakistan Army to adopt to Social Media and also points to some of the advantages it can have. In my opinion, Pakistan Army needs to reach out through Social media channels more than ever before.
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Labels: Men At Their Best, Pakistan Army, Social Media, Urdu Blogs
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Monday, May 14, 2012,
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Spirit of 55 PMA lives on
Sunday, 13 May 2012
Course get together is such an occasion where you need not prove anything to anyone. Everyone knows everyone and everything, more so in case of 55 PMA Long Course who got together on May 12, 2012 in DHA to commemorate the anniversary of their togetherness. We all joined PMA on May 12 long time ago. Another thing you note in any informal course get together is that people don’t change; same jokes, same tones, same level of nearness and relationship. Yes, some are still sensitive and edgy on topics they used to be long time ago.
Thanks to Col Athar who had made the get together possible; nicely laid out venue, good food and a lot of talks. We are total 51 course mates living in Lahore. Out of all, 21 could make to the place. After excellent food and prayer for our comrade Samad Lala, Col Athar spoke his heart out on course administrative matters and some outstanding issues were sorted out. Unanimous decision was that we will keep the spirit of 55 PMA and that of Lahore Chapter alive.
Labels: 55 PMA, Get Together, Men At Their Best
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Sunday, May 13, 2012,
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Life in Small Towns - THAAP - Call for Papers
Thursday, 10 May 2012
[Click image to enlarge]
After THAAP Conference 2010 (Historiography of Architecture in Pakistan and the Region) and THAAP Conference 2011 (Portrait of Lahore: Capital City of the Punjab) the theme of THAAP Conference 2012 is Life in Small Towns. All interested scholars of all fields are invited to take a view of a small town and write a paper on any aspect (Culture, politics, economy, art, architecture, planning). THAAP would like to benefit from experience in foreign countries and therefore welcome contributions from all over the world.
Send in 300-word abstract of your paper by June 15, 2012. The full-paper will be due by September 30, 2012. The output will be in shape of papers presented at the Conference which will then be published in book form. Send your curies here: thaap.conference@gmail.com
Labels: Life in Small Towns, THAAP
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Thursday, May 10, 2012,
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Almost famous
Wednesday, 9 May 2012
Nasim Shahid at Facebook
Labels: About, Urdu Blogs
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Wednesday, May 09, 2012,
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Discovering Dr. Safi Hasan
Monday, 7 May 2012
In the fast and mostly mechanical lanes of life, literary congregations are mental solace and joy that makes life more livable and more lovable. Thanks to Appi Khala that she organized a literary congregation in the honor of Dr. Safi Hasan – a celebrated poet and writer of Mera Sitara Bugha Naheen Hey – who is in Lahore these days.
Scientist (metallurgist) by profession Dr. Safi Hasan is a poet by choice. I have had the chance to see his selected work (Ishq Ney Yeh Sikhlaya Mujhko Koi Sawaal Na Karna) earlier but got to know him closely when I met him at Appi Khalia’s home. Poetry comes to him naturally. I am yet not a library critic but I could not the strength o f Dr. Safi Hasan poetry. His recited some of his the mot pointing ghazals and every one enjoyed them. I loved what and how he recited. Also, I had a chance to discover Dr. Safi Hassan a little more. I wish to know him more and I am going to try that. He is a person to stay closer to.
Among others, Syed Mashkoor Hussain Yaad also recited his poetry. Winner of Sitara-i-Imtiaz in the field of literature, Syed Mashkoor Hussain Yaad is a prolific writer and poet who has spent his life writing and his loud voice is heard in this din. I also had the honour to present my Inshaya Afwah (rumor) in the presence of so many literature stars and lovers of the written word.
Appi Khala thanks to you and your lovely family for arranging this congregation at your very nicely laid out home.
Scientist (metallurgist) by profession Dr. Safi Hasan is a poet by choice. I have had the chance to see his selected work (Ishq Ney Yeh Sikhlaya Mujhko Koi Sawaal Na Karna) earlier but got to know him closely when I met him at Appi Khalia’s home. Poetry comes to him naturally. I am yet not a library critic but I could not the strength o f Dr. Safi Hasan poetry. His recited some of his the mot pointing ghazals and every one enjoyed them. I loved what and how he recited. Also, I had a chance to discover Dr. Safi Hassan a little more. I wish to know him more and I am going to try that. He is a person to stay closer to.
Among others, Syed Mashkoor Hussain Yaad also recited his poetry. Winner of Sitara-i-Imtiaz in the field of literature, Syed Mashkoor Hussain Yaad is a prolific writer and poet who has spent his life writing and his loud voice is heard in this din. I also had the honour to present my Inshaya Afwah (rumor) in the presence of so many literature stars and lovers of the written word.
Appi Khala thanks to you and your lovely family for arranging this congregation at your very nicely laid out home.
Labels: Dr. Safi Hasan, Literature, Poetry
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Monday, May 07, 2012,
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Life in Small Towns – Gujrat and Wazirabad
Saturday, 5 May 2012
Trust for History, Art and Architecture Pakistan (THAAP) is holding second evening of this series on Life in Small Towns – Gujrat and Wazirabad. Dr. Muhammad Nizamuddin, the Vice Chancellor, University of Gujrat will be the chief guest. One Wazirabad, Mr. Akram Varraich, Mr. Hafeez Khilji will give the presentation whereas Prof. Dr. Abdul Rehman, Dr. Azhar, Prof. Syed Shabir Shah will presnt the case of Gujrat. More on this comming soon.
Update: Here are the details!
Labels: Gujrat, Life in Small Towns, THAAP, Wazirabad
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Saturday, May 05, 2012,
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Google PageRank Update
Unexpected Google PageRank update came on May 3, 2012. Thanks to you - my blogy furternity - that my new domain got PageRank 3.
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Saturday, May 05, 2012,
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The TGD Village Museum
Friday, 4 May 2012
The original idea was to establishment an independent village museum. Initial home work had also been done. Sadly, it could not be put on ground due to financial difficulties. But the idea lives on.
TGD village NGO (AFA) is now utilizing the Boys School that was established by the AFA using funds raided from film shows about the village Project for village museum where traditional handicraft techniques (weaving, pottery making, foodstuff preparation and cooking, remain on the farm houses there by automatically leading to maintenance and repair of traditional devices used in handicraft making) will be displayed and preserved.
Also a room in the museum is used by young people for playing traditional music in the evening. During the day, visitors can see the work of the NGO in the area of Appropriate Technology and handicraft through posters. The teachers of the school can also take advantage of the contents of the posters, which can be used by them for teaching purpose. A first glass vitrine could be purchased in order to protect old objects. The use of a photo-voltaic system in the museum makes it possible to visit the museum even during power outages. The small museum located at the entrance to the village also makes it possible to inform visitors about the village project without disturbing work in the Women Art Center TTTC for men.
Labels: Built Heritage, Handicrafts, Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch, Thatta Kedona
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Friday, May 04, 2012,
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Labels: Fine Art of Blogging
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Friday, May 04, 2012,
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Spirit of Thatta Kedona
Wednesday, 2 May 2012
The project that was started by Dr. Senta Siller and Dr. Norbert Pintsch in a village Thatta Ghulamka Dheroka situated on the bank of River Ravi some two decades ago has come of age. A lot has changed over last twenty years.
The Project is a story of production in the village, cooperation with craftsmen, permanent contacts with clients in Karachi (Sheraton), Lahore (PC), Islamabad (Nomad Gallery) and many others in and out of Pakistan, active participations in different melas, bazaars and cultural events and much more.
Everyone in the village is associated with handicrafts production process one way or the other. Women makes dolls, pottery and decorative soviniours where as men make tin toys. Craftsmanship of the artisans has made Thatta Kedona a renowned brand in dolls, toys, handicrafts and soviniour markets around the world. Equally important is the procurement of the material, design research and marketing.
Meaningful contacts with clients (like Sheraton Karachi, PC Lahore (PC), Nomad gallery Islamabad and active participations on different melas, bazaars and cultural events not only help market Thatta Kedona products but also display beautiful traditional culture that can only be seen in villages now. The awards that Thatta Kedona artisans get are one the one hand a testimony of the craftsmanship and on the other hand it shows their great contribution in preservation of our cultural heritage which is fading fast as the world is getting more and more urban with every passing day.
The Project has made a lot of changes in the village over the years. Woman Art Center, TTTC for men, Basic Health Unit, One Baby One Tree tradition, Mud House Owners project and Education Program of AFA (village NGO) are doing a lot of collective good for the quaint little village that stands out as a model village anywhere in Pakistan.
Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch – an untiring senior volunteer fondly called Chaudhry Norbert - is the soul of the Project. It is amazing in the way Dr. Norbert Pintsch organizes the whole affair and also looks after the army of foreign volunteers and local visitors that come to the village TGD.
Labels: Handicrafts, Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch, Thatta Kedona
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Wednesday, May 02, 2012,
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Mud Houses Owners Project of the NGO AFA in TGD
Tuesday, 1 May 2012
Since 2000, Thatta Ghulamka Dheroka NGO (AFA) has been holding quality of life competition under the Preservation of Cultural Heritages Program where prizes are awarded to house owners for specially interesting details on mud buildings. This has been a great way to slow the spread of brick housing and also to retain the traditional mud housing to give the visitors an impression of life rural Punjab. The program was redesigned in 2009 and certain mud houses in the village were selected to receive financial help, through donations from friendly architects, for repairs after two extended monsoon rain periods. This year Professor Mansoor Durrani (from Punjab University) was the chief guest in the award ceremony. Here are the images from award ceremony this year.
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Labels: Mud Architecture, Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch, Thatta Kedona
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Tuesday, May 01, 2012,
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