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.
Showing posts with label Pakistani. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pakistani. Show all posts
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Friday, April 6, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Dinner: Chicken handi with tandoor
Via Flickr:
This dish is called Chicken handi because its cooked in a 'handi' (pronounced as handee in Urdu). Handi or Handee refers to a backed clay pot and is a common feature across Pakistani kitchens. Even 5-star hotels use them for certain dishes to give an additional, earthly flavour. Tandoori naan or simply tandoor is a bread baked on earthern or metal underground pits designed specifically for this purpose. You will find 'tandoors' across Pakistan and many parts of India and Bangladesh and everywhere where there are Pakistani cooks. Onions, lemon and freshly cut garlic complete the taste and the aroma. My great mother must be given credit for this.
This dish is called Chicken handi because its cooked in a 'handi' (pronounced as handee in Urdu). Handi or Handee refers to a backed clay pot and is a common feature across Pakistani kitchens. Even 5-star hotels use them for certain dishes to give an additional, earthly flavour. Tandoori naan or simply tandoor is a bread baked on earthern or metal underground pits designed specifically for this purpose. You will find 'tandoors' across Pakistan and many parts of India and Bangladesh and everywhere where there are Pakistani cooks. Onions, lemon and freshly cut garlic complete the taste and the aroma. My great mother must be given credit for this.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Islamabad Japanese Park, Pakistan (1990)
You can get some idea about our times in 1990 by the clothes I am wearing. There's nothing else to inform you about those good times. Time when our country was much more liberal, tolerant and understanding of each other. Now, bigotry, religious hatred and ethnic violence cloud our judgment and life. I look happy and most of Pakistan of those times was also very happy, indeed. It was prosperous and affordable for most Pakistanis. Now, sadly, many things are simply out of reach of around 80% Pakistanis.
This photograph is also important on a personal level. It brings back good memories of a time gone past. Like all personal photographs this too is a treasure.
This photograph is also important on a personal level. It brings back good memories of a time gone past. Like all personal photographs this too is a treasure.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
The Last Meal of my Grandfather
Via Flickr:
Yes, you read it right. It was my grandfather's last meal. After this soup he was taken to the Jamal Noor hospital for checkup. When his condition worsened he was taken to Patel hospital. He passed away on 10th December, 2011, just before 3 PM (P.S.T). His namaz-e-Janaza was held at Memon masjid, Pahari walli, Shaheed-e-Millad road, Karachi, at 8 PM. He was finally burried at Mehwashah graveyard.
When I was shooting this photograph my grandfather (dada in Urdu) asked me why I wanted to shoot more when I had already shot 4. I, off course, did not have any immediate answer so I kept my camera and had last lunch with him. Little did I know that it would be the final time any of us present there would be having our last meal with him. He was 85 or 86 years old, was born at Bahwanagar, Gujarat province, pre-partition India (British Raj). He, along with his family, immigrated to newly born state of Pakistan in 1948 (Pakistan came into being in August, 1947, ostensibly as an Islamic state). In India he had run a chai dhaba with his elder brother, Ahmad bhai. In Pakistan, he had an edible oil shop at Jodia Bazaar, Karachi. He also had Noor Electric Co., which he had begun with his brother in 1973-74. It was later split in 1984 when Ahmad bhai decided to leave. (Ahmad bhai was my nana and he had begun Bombay Light House).
Haji Moosa Adhia was his full name. He was expert in Indian herbal medicine, what is generally called 'Hikmah' and is practiced by hakims across India and Pakistan. He wasn't educated in this field but through his immense interest he knew almost all the local herbs by their traditional names and knew what uses each had. This allowed him to treat everyone for free, whoever came for his advice. I never saw him charge a fee for his expertise. Many women came from afar for treatment of their knees, a common ailment nowadays among many women. For men, there could be anything from stress to heart disease. He almost always recommended use of honey ('shehed' or 'madh' in Urdu) in one or the other form for many of the diseases. His breakfast almost always had honey as an important component in it. It is to his enduring legacy that I also adore honey and try it with various meals. Another favourite of him were the dry fruits - almonds, cashew, walnuts, dried figs, pistachio, and others. Every winter we would receive some of these from his as his gifts. As I write these lines I can see on my table some of his gifted dry fruits for this winter.
May his soul rest in peace and Sadqa of our beloved Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (salahu alihi wasalam) bestowed on him and all of us by ALLAH. Ameen.
Yes, you read it right. It was my grandfather's last meal. After this soup he was taken to the Jamal Noor hospital for checkup. When his condition worsened he was taken to Patel hospital. He passed away on 10th December, 2011, just before 3 PM (P.S.T). His namaz-e-Janaza was held at Memon masjid, Pahari walli, Shaheed-e-Millad road, Karachi, at 8 PM. He was finally burried at Mehwashah graveyard.
When I was shooting this photograph my grandfather (dada in Urdu) asked me why I wanted to shoot more when I had already shot 4. I, off course, did not have any immediate answer so I kept my camera and had last lunch with him. Little did I know that it would be the final time any of us present there would be having our last meal with him. He was 85 or 86 years old, was born at Bahwanagar, Gujarat province, pre-partition India (British Raj). He, along with his family, immigrated to newly born state of Pakistan in 1948 (Pakistan came into being in August, 1947, ostensibly as an Islamic state). In India he had run a chai dhaba with his elder brother, Ahmad bhai. In Pakistan, he had an edible oil shop at Jodia Bazaar, Karachi. He also had Noor Electric Co., which he had begun with his brother in 1973-74. It was later split in 1984 when Ahmad bhai decided to leave. (Ahmad bhai was my nana and he had begun Bombay Light House).
Haji Moosa Adhia was his full name. He was expert in Indian herbal medicine, what is generally called 'Hikmah' and is practiced by hakims across India and Pakistan. He wasn't educated in this field but through his immense interest he knew almost all the local herbs by their traditional names and knew what uses each had. This allowed him to treat everyone for free, whoever came for his advice. I never saw him charge a fee for his expertise. Many women came from afar for treatment of their knees, a common ailment nowadays among many women. For men, there could be anything from stress to heart disease. He almost always recommended use of honey ('shehed' or 'madh' in Urdu) in one or the other form for many of the diseases. His breakfast almost always had honey as an important component in it. It is to his enduring legacy that I also adore honey and try it with various meals. Another favourite of him were the dry fruits - almonds, cashew, walnuts, dried figs, pistachio, and others. Every winter we would receive some of these from his as his gifts. As I write these lines I can see on my table some of his gifted dry fruits for this winter.
May his soul rest in peace and Sadqa of our beloved Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (salahu alihi wasalam) bestowed on him and all of us by ALLAH. Ameen.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Mehndi, Eid-ul-Azha, Karachi
Date: 9th December, 2008.
Location: Karachi, Pakistan.
Via Flickr:
A Muslim girl shoes her hand - but hides her face - to reveal beautiful mehndi on the occasion of Islamic festival of Eid-ul-Azha, also known as Eid-e-Qurban. On this day, Haj in Makkah comes to an end and the slaughter of halal animals (lamb, goat, cow, camel) commences. Across the world Muslims, who can purchase the animal, celebrate Eid starting from Eid prayers and then slaughtering their animals, as per Islamic injunctions. This Eid is for three days and depends on the lunar calendar.
[This is my sister showing her exquisite mehndi. Applying mehndi in Pakistan may cost you anywhere between Rs.30 and Rs.15,000 / hand].
Location: Karachi, Pakistan.
Via Flickr:
A Muslim girl shoes her hand - but hides her face - to reveal beautiful mehndi on the occasion of Islamic festival of Eid-ul-Azha, also known as Eid-e-Qurban. On this day, Haj in Makkah comes to an end and the slaughter of halal animals (lamb, goat, cow, camel) commences. Across the world Muslims, who can purchase the animal, celebrate Eid starting from Eid prayers and then slaughtering their animals, as per Islamic injunctions. This Eid is for three days and depends on the lunar calendar.
[This is my sister showing her exquisite mehndi. Applying mehndi in Pakistan may cost you anywhere between Rs.30 and Rs.15,000 / hand].
Friday, December 2, 2011
Boy is born to Ameer Hamza
Date: 1st December, 2011 / 6th Moharram, 1433 Hijri.
Time: 7:25 PM (P.S.T / +5.00 GMT)
Hospital: OMI, Saddar, Karachi
Wt. at birth: 3.25 Kg.
Name: Un-decided as to the time of the this blog (6:33 AM P.S.T).
The foot series of my travels had to be interrupted to accommodate this photograph of my first son. His name is yet undecided at the time of the writing of this blog but Inshallah it is expected that we will have the name today afternoon. Part reason is that we want to name him on Friday (today), and we'v been lucky to have son on the night between Thursday and Friday (Islamic / Lunar calender: 6th Moharram-ul-Haram, 1433 Hizri).
More photographs are expected today. Let us see.
[p.s I know this is not a travel-related photograph. But it surely is a breaking news of sorts!]
Time: 7:25 PM (P.S.T / +5.00 GMT)
Hospital: OMI, Saddar, Karachi
Wt. at birth: 3.25 Kg.
Name: Un-decided as to the time of the this blog (6:33 AM P.S.T).
The foot series of my travels had to be interrupted to accommodate this photograph of my first son. His name is yet undecided at the time of the writing of this blog but Inshallah it is expected that we will have the name today afternoon. Part reason is that we want to name him on Friday (today), and we'v been lucky to have son on the night between Thursday and Friday (Islamic / Lunar calender: 6th Moharram-ul-Haram, 1433 Hizri).
More photographs are expected today. Let us see.
[p.s I know this is not a travel-related photograph. But it surely is a breaking news of sorts!]
Monday, November 21, 2011
Portrait: Shoemaker, Old city of Sharkapur Sharif
Date: 8th June, 2011.
Another trip, another sweltering heat, another place, another interesting person. This time it is Central Punjab (or is it just Punjab?) and we are here - me, Haroon's father and Adeel - at an old town of Sharakpur Sharif (also pronounced and written as, 'Sharaqpur'). And the first interesting person we see is this cobbler / shoemaker sitting on a pavement just outside the old city gate (there are three or four of these left now), polishing the Peshawari sandal. I say my salam and take his photograph but his response, unlike many there, is lukewarm. He isn't smiling at all. But he allows me the frame. I use 50mm for this frame and I think it just came out nicely.
Another trip, another sweltering heat, another place, another interesting person. This time it is Central Punjab (or is it just Punjab?) and we are here - me, Haroon's father and Adeel - at an old town of Sharakpur Sharif (also pronounced and written as, 'Sharaqpur'). And the first interesting person we see is this cobbler / shoemaker sitting on a pavement just outside the old city gate (there are three or four of these left now), polishing the Peshawari sandal. I say my salam and take his photograph but his response, unlike many there, is lukewarm. He isn't smiling at all. But he allows me the frame. I use 50mm for this frame and I think it just came out nicely.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Places in Pakistan: Clean shave, Gakuch
Date: 21st Sep, 2011
Location: 36°10′N, 73°45′E.
My friend, Adeel Ather, got down to get his face cleared of the facial hair, which had propped all around during our trek. He didn't have to wait that long. The shops at Gakuch open early, at around 8 AM. So before breakfast he found this man and for Rs.30, I think, he got the shave. And I got my shot.
You must note, as a traveller, that most barbers come from either Punjab or the areas nearby the province. Hence, most of the barbers in Pakistan - and those who work in Middle East - are either Punjabis or Hazaras. This one was Hazara and he could speak in Pashtu and Punjabi.
I should add to your knowledge this interesting bit: Due to extremely tense situation in province of Balochistan many of the barbers have fled. They were Punjabis, off course. And now Baloch and Pathans lament that there's no one to properly trim their hairs!
Location: 36°10′N, 73°45′E.
My friend, Adeel Ather, got down to get his face cleared of the facial hair, which had propped all around during our trek. He didn't have to wait that long. The shops at Gakuch open early, at around 8 AM. So before breakfast he found this man and for Rs.30, I think, he got the shave. And I got my shot.
You must note, as a traveller, that most barbers come from either Punjab or the areas nearby the province. Hence, most of the barbers in Pakistan - and those who work in Middle East - are either Punjabis or Hazaras. This one was Hazara and he could speak in Pashtu and Punjabi.
I should add to your knowledge this interesting bit: Due to extremely tense situation in province of Balochistan many of the barbers have fled. They were Punjabis, off course. And now Baloch and Pathans lament that there's no one to properly trim their hairs!
Places in Pakistan: Shoe sellet at Gakuch
Date: 21st Sep, 2011
Location: 36°10′N, 73°45′E.
Next day was a bright day at Gakuch. Also pronounced as Ghakuch. Yesterday, we had returned from Khalti lake for our night stay at Gakuch hotel. The Pathan driver also stayed over night alongwith us - in the next room. Even Hafizullah was there. Adeel was sure that Hafizullah was from the agency. What agency we both could not make out.
This was the Pathan second hand shoe seller selling all major brands. I asked him from where he got all these. He told me that it was from Karachi that he purchased in bulk. It surprised me a lot. Whereas in Karachi you can purchase shoes for Rs.800 or more, he was selling them for Rs.200-300. I was just trying to imagine the profit margins of Karachi's Pathans!
Adeel Ather, from PSO, and our travelling partner on this leg of journey, bought a pair of good-looking shoes from him.
Location: 36°10′N, 73°45′E.
Next day was a bright day at Gakuch. Also pronounced as Ghakuch. Yesterday, we had returned from Khalti lake for our night stay at Gakuch hotel. The Pathan driver also stayed over night alongwith us - in the next room. Even Hafizullah was there. Adeel was sure that Hafizullah was from the agency. What agency we both could not make out.
This was the Pathan second hand shoe seller selling all major brands. I asked him from where he got all these. He told me that it was from Karachi that he purchased in bulk. It surprised me a lot. Whereas in Karachi you can purchase shoes for Rs.800 or more, he was selling them for Rs.200-300. I was just trying to imagine the profit margins of Karachi's Pathans!
Adeel Ather, from PSO, and our travelling partner on this leg of journey, bought a pair of good-looking shoes from him.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
My book shelf
Book shelf designed for my wedding by Kalamkaar (http://www.kalamkaar.com/), a furniture specialist based in Lahore & Karachi. They are a tad too expensive but the outcome is fantastic and much to my liking.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
On Assignment: Injection for bee sting
Sometimes while photographing you get nasty hits or accidents or nasty bees out to get you down. I got, along with all my family members, a honey bee sting for which I am seen here getting immediate medical attention. No one got seriously hurt that day at New Jatoi village and we are glad we drove home safely.
Actually we were passing mango and peepal trees when the attack came. It was sudden and sharp and almost within seconds bees were everywhere making us run for our life. Before that day I never have had any experience of a bee attack. It was classic attack and we later had a hearty laugh.
Photograph by Sehreen Faraz.
Actually we were passing mango and peepal trees when the attack came. It was sudden and sharp and almost within seconds bees were everywhere making us run for our life. Before that day I never have had any experience of a bee attack. It was classic attack and we later had a hearty laugh.
Photograph by Sehreen Faraz.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Dog and men, Rehri Goth
This is Rehri Goth, a fishing village, now part of Karachi suburbs, where Baluch and Sindhi families have lived for centuries. Today, their major earning comes from tourists who hire boats for fishing or picnic on the mangroves.
This is one of the most memorable photographs of my early life as a self-described photojournalist. The style may not be unique but it captures the daily life as well as the style of clothing - which gives sense of place and time to the frame - of the locals. It also has a dog, who is always a sidelined animal in our country. And off course the concrete huts, which are neither beautiful nor ugly.
This is one of the most memorable photographs of my early life as a self-described photojournalist. The style may not be unique but it captures the daily life as well as the style of clothing - which gives sense of place and time to the frame - of the locals. It also has a dog, who is always a sidelined animal in our country. And off course the concrete huts, which are neither beautiful nor ugly.
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