Lunghar at Sehwan Sharif, Sindh

Lunghar at Sehwan Sharif, Sindh
Originally uploaded by Ameer Hamza

Via Flickr:
Lunghar, or free food, is a staple at almost all the Sufi Shrines in Pakistan, India, Iran and most of the Muslim countries. It is distributed free of cost to anyone wishing to have meal. It is simply incredible that at a Shrine like this one (Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan Sharif, Sindh) daily thousands of cooked breads (as above) may be distributed. Rich devotees may spend over 0.5 million Pakistani rupees in a single setting, feeding virtually thousands of poor men and women. Lunghar may also be eaten by rich and well-to-do people.

Portrait: Faqir at Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (RA), SIndh

Portrait: Faqir at Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (RA), SIndh
Originally uploaded by Ameer Hamza

Via Flickr:
I have found this Faqir whenever I have visited this most important Muslim Saint Shrine in province of Sindh, Pakistan. Faqirs or malangs, as they are known here locally, belong to a rather interesting and rare creed of men who devote themselves to Shrines or wanderings. They get food and money from devotees, as in this case. This man carries huge wooden beads and strange instruments and never begs for money. People, if they like, can give them whatever they wish to.

Kaju Katli from Mumbai, India

Kaju Katli from Mumbai, India
Originally uploaded by Ameer Hamza

Via Flickr:
One of the more expensive and widely gifted items from India is this Kaju Katli made from cashews and milk. It was gifted to me by my father-in-law, who just returned from his 10-day trip to Mumbai. This Katli was made by Central Sweets (307, Bellasis Road, opp. Bombay Central RLY. Station, Mumbai - 400 008).

Recipe Ingredients

1 Kg cashew nut pieces
800gm sugar
200gm mawa (grated)
18-20 Cardamom (powered)
20-25 threads of Saffron/Kesar (soaked in milk or at least an hour)
4 cups of water

Method and garnishing here:
http://shivanigala.hubpages.com/hub/Homemade-Kaju-Katli--Indian-sweet-dessert-

Kaju from India

Kaju from India
Originally uploaded by Ameer Hamza

Via Flickr:
Kaju (cashew nuts in English) doesn't grow here in Pakistan. Therefore, they are mostly imported from India, either directly or via Dubai. Along with Kaju Katli my father-in-law also brought these from Mumbai, India. The packing says that it's from Vadilal Champaklal & Co., Mirchi Galli, Jumma Masjid, Mumbai.

7 Health Benefits of Cashews

1) Cancer Prevention
2) Heart Health
3) Hair and Skin Health
4) Bone Health
5) Good for the Nerves
6) Prevent Gallstones
7) Weight Loss

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/7-health-benefits-of-cashews.html

Chicken croissants, Karachi

Chicken croissants, Karachi
Originally uploaded by Ameer Hamza

Via Flickr:
One of the best snacks you can get anywhere in Karachi. That's from United King bakery, Sharfabad, Karachi. Rate: 8 pcs for Rs.108.

Killing of Hazaras in Quetta

This is Anees-ul-Mehdi and he studied with me at Muhammad Ali Jinnah University, Karachi campus. He is a Hazara Shia, which means his ancestors are originally from Bamiyan, Afghanistan and they emigrated to Pakistan long ago amidst Pashtuns (also referred to as Pathans) in the heart of Quetta, provincial capital of Balochistan. Anees was one of the most brilliant students of our university and he could have been anywhere. His father was a prominent worker for some International agency and he was quite well-off, much better than most Hazaras and certainly better than most Pashtuns and Baloch living in the province. Like many Hazaras, however, he had come to Karachi for studies as environment in his native Quetta was very hostile for them. He used to inform me quite frequently how they hate Sunni-Pashtuns just like Shia-Hazaras were hated by them. Once - and I recall this from memory of over 8 years old - he even told me that even his dog won't speak Pashtu, the lingua franca of Pashtuns. Such hatred was not imaginable for a person like me born and bred in metropolitan Karachi but it was quite common there.

As I grew up and travelled across Pakistan I could see very clearly that Pakistan was (and still is) full of fissures. You go to Gilgit, for instance, and you will find Shias abusing Sunnis and vice versa. Recent violencep has once again brought that to the fore. Same thing is happening in Quetta where every day 6-7 Hazara-Shias are being gunned down in broad daylight. I cannot imagine that anyone could carry machine gun in a garrison town like Quetta, but that is exactly what is happening there.

Let us now first look at why this may be happening. And why across Pakistan?

Firstly, Pakistani Army had stopped NATO containers, atleast publicly, to show its anger for killing over 30 Pakistani soldiers from across Afghanistan in an air strike. We all know that much of aid for our ghairat-mand Army comes directly from US and there is no way our Army can deny this. But if you go around abusing your chief, like Pakistani public and Army are doing right now, US will surely retaliate. We know that there are hundreds of CIA agents roaming in Pakistan, supplying arms and dollars, creating un-rest and dissent in this country. I am sure this killings of Shias across Pakistan is part of a larger game being played by CIA agents to force Pakistan into accepting its conditions. Otherwise this could go on and on. First, we saw bombings across Karachi and later in many other cities. Now killings of Shias, first at KKH, then at Gilgit and now in Quetta. And possibly next targets would be smaller cities in Sindh, then Lahore and Karachi.

Pakistan has repeatedly refused to obey American demands to support its war beat against Iran. By killing Shias, and hence by shifting their loyalties towards Iran, CIA-backed Wahabbi-Pashtun militants in Quetta and in Chilas are hoping to divide our nation once again to break the stance of our civilian as well as military leadership. Already before the Siachen fiasco there were reports emanating from the Shia-dominated NLI 6 (unit of Pakistan Army for Northern borders) that if any action against killers of Shias in Chilas was not taken, they would march towards India (sic) and become part of them (sic). Thanks to ALLAH then that glacier melted, caused avalanche - although experts now believe that it wasn't an avalanche - and our borders with India were saved (assuming that many of those soldiers were preparing to march towards India to become part of that country).

I hope against hope, just like founders of this ethnically explosive country, that we can still resist CIA and MI6 and RAW agencies and pull up unity. That is only possible if our government and our officers can save precious lives, not only of majority Sunnis but also of minority groups living in Pakistan including Hindus and Shias.

Mehndi / Henna

Mehndi / Henna
Originally uploaded by Ameer Hamza

Via Flickr:
The mehndi applied for weddings is very different from those applied for religious or social festivals like Eids or parties, etc. The wedding mehndi, besides being very expensive (b/w USD 50 - USD 300 +), is also very detailed and may easily consume over 3-4 hours of intense concentration. Even more.

Chocolate cake detail

Chocolate cake detail
Originally uploaded by Ameer Hamza

Samoosas at United King bakery, Karachi

Samoosas at United King bakery, Karachi
Originally uploaded by Ameer Hamza

Mithai, United King, Karachi

Mithai, United King, Karachi
Originally uploaded by Ameer Hamza

Melon

Melon
Originally uploaded by Ameer Hamza

Small, yellow melon photographed on a dirty, old stool with blue-green towel for the background. Sun light from front.