My sister demonstrates to me how yummy masala is injected directly into the leg piece of the chicken. This she called Al-Baik chicken and was served with fries and a yummy sauce containing olive oil. A bit heavy too.
Showing posts with label classic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label classic. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Friday, December 2, 2011
Shrine of Shah Abdul Lateef Bhitai, Sindh, Pakistan
Date: 11th February, 2009.
We are standing atop an incomplete hotel. This hotel, whatever its name, was where we had stayed for the night. And this is the vision from its roof. I could see the birds flying around, turning over and over again the central, Main dome of the revered tomb of Sufi poet of Sindhi language, Sain Shah Abdul Lateef Bhittai. He is arguably the most quoted Sufi Saint in Sindh. And people from Seraiki belt, which formerly used to part of Sindh province, visit here in their huge numbers, drinking chai and partaking of hasheesh. So much so that amidst Sufi music, played beautifully by ancient looking men (more of them later) the atmosphere is simply mysterious. The smoke obscuring the features of the musicians, the listeners deep in their thought. Most of the audience cannot understand this beautiful poetry - even many Sindhis cannot, but that does not mean any lack of interest. I highly recommend Thursday night at this Shrine. The poetry and the music is remarkable in its beauty of diction, atmosphere and the historical surroundings. Don't you ever forget your voice recorders, like I did!
We are standing atop an incomplete hotel. This hotel, whatever its name, was where we had stayed for the night. And this is the vision from its roof. I could see the birds flying around, turning over and over again the central, Main dome of the revered tomb of Sufi poet of Sindhi language, Sain Shah Abdul Lateef Bhittai. He is arguably the most quoted Sufi Saint in Sindh. And people from Seraiki belt, which formerly used to part of Sindh province, visit here in their huge numbers, drinking chai and partaking of hasheesh. So much so that amidst Sufi music, played beautifully by ancient looking men (more of them later) the atmosphere is simply mysterious. The smoke obscuring the features of the musicians, the listeners deep in their thought. Most of the audience cannot understand this beautiful poetry - even many Sindhis cannot, but that does not mean any lack of interest. I highly recommend Thursday night at this Shrine. The poetry and the music is remarkable in its beauty of diction, atmosphere and the historical surroundings. Don't you ever forget your voice recorders, like I did!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Shrine of Hazrat Mian Sher Muhammad, Sharakpur Sharif
Date: 8th June, 2011.
And then, after performing wuzu, we entered the small, peaceful, re-constructed shrine of Hazrat Mian Sher Muhammad. Inside, in a small room there were three graves of which one is here photographed. I had my 50mm on which did not allow me enough space to shoot. The place was good and the heat, which was outside now raging, was in control here. Birds were chirping and few people, among them the caretaker of the Shrine, were present. All were in awe of the Saint. I was happy that I was here. I have always respected Saints because it is due to their tireless efforts that most of us are Muslims. We prayed silently, I took further photographs, and then we moved on.
I was soon reminded by father of Haroon, who was with me for the first time on any trip, that it was the day of Haroon's shadi and we better get to Lahore in time. And so we hurried off....
And then, after performing wuzu, we entered the small, peaceful, re-constructed shrine of Hazrat Mian Sher Muhammad. Inside, in a small room there were three graves of which one is here photographed. I had my 50mm on which did not allow me enough space to shoot. The place was good and the heat, which was outside now raging, was in control here. Birds were chirping and few people, among them the caretaker of the Shrine, were present. All were in awe of the Saint. I was happy that I was here. I have always respected Saints because it is due to their tireless efforts that most of us are Muslims. We prayed silently, I took further photographs, and then we moved on.
I was soon reminded by father of Haroon, who was with me for the first time on any trip, that it was the day of Haroon's shadi and we better get to Lahore in time. And so we hurried off....
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Trees of Pakistan: From Mastuj to Chitral
September 23, 2011
Trees are the lifeline of our planet. And trees of Pakistan, like trees of rest of the World, are just outstanding. This one was shinning brightly due to the sunlight coming on to it directly. Off course, the photograph was taken from a moving vehicle. But I imagine that it came out nicely.
REQUEST: Can some kindly name this tree for me. That would be great.
Trees are the lifeline of our planet. And trees of Pakistan, like trees of rest of the World, are just outstanding. This one was shinning brightly due to the sunlight coming on to it directly. Off course, the photograph was taken from a moving vehicle. But I imagine that it came out nicely.
REQUEST: Can some kindly name this tree for me. That would be great.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
My dada on Eid-ul-Fitr, Karachi
Via Flickr:
Dada is an Urdu term meaning 'Paternal grandfather'. My dada's name is Haji Moosa Adhia, Adhia being the family name. My dada and dadi came from India after it was partitioned into Pakistan and India in 1948 via ship. So they were spared the troubles faced by people arriving by trains at Lahore via Amritsar. I often ask my dada about the hardships he faced while coming here but he always tells me it was difficult to leave his ancestral home. But he never recalls any problem arising on the ship itself, which sailed from Bombay to Karachi.
My dada hails from a small Indian town of Bhawannagar, Gujerat province.
Dada is an Urdu term meaning 'Paternal grandfather'. My dada's name is Haji Moosa Adhia, Adhia being the family name. My dada and dadi came from India after it was partitioned into Pakistan and India in 1948 via ship. So they were spared the troubles faced by people arriving by trains at Lahore via Amritsar. I often ask my dada about the hardships he faced while coming here but he always tells me it was difficult to leave his ancestral home. But he never recalls any problem arising on the ship itself, which sailed from Bombay to Karachi.
My dada hails from a small Indian town of Bhawannagar, Gujerat province.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
9/11 - Changed perceptions
I was just reading this nice blog on Dawn today by a former student, who was there in USA when planes struck Twin Towers.
I was in Pakistan at that time and I was also a student, a sort of a fire-brand type. It was evening and darkness had already pervaded our university. I can clearly recall that that day I was sitting in my computer lab and for some reason I was late in going home. Almost all my classmates had already left for home. On another system my classmate, Ovais, was sitting when he suddenly called me over informing me that some building in USA is under fire. I looked at the screen and thought maybe some odd fire had broken inside. I was wrong. Ovais hastily told me that it was some plane, which had hit the twin towers. Twin towers for me was a new term. I went home.
At home, as soon as I entered, my mother greeted me with more than a flourish and invited me to look at the screen, which was positively blackened with the dark, billowing smoke coming out from the towers. It was CNN and the anchor was horrified at what was happening just behind her. I was just beginning to settle when suddenly a plane took a sharp turn and rammed into the second tower, which till then had been standing amidst chaos and drama. It later emerged that planes had been hijacked and used as suicide material. What an ingenious idea that was, I had thought. And I was really very glad, just like my parents and siblings, that finally that great Satan had been 'controlled'. Future events and the consequences for Muslims the world-over would prove us all wrong. These terrorist attacks into the heartland of USA had not only shaken the great Satan, it had in effect woken them up and all of us to the reality of international terrorism. A reality, which sadly has harmed interests of Muslims world over.
Today I and my parents feel that the events of 9/11 were not perpetrated by Jihadis (as CNN would have us believe) but by real terrorists, people who have no faith or religion. Today I can see clearly that killing of innocent Americans, whether Jews or Christians or Muslims, won't serve anyone's purpose. We cannot ask for revenge on a common American for the misdeeds of their Army and politicians in Iraq and Afghanistan and Palestine. This we all Muslims should understand and realize. We cannot isolate ourselves from the real world and continue to fool around. We must consider murderers and killers as terrorists and not some good Muslim Knights.
Today I am not happy that common Americans were killed that day. I just hope I wasn't happy in 2001, when the events broke out. But I was and I accept it now.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Baluchistan Diary - Day 5 / Mehrgarh site, Baluchistan
Mehrgarh, (Urdu: مﮩرگڑھ ) one of the most important Neolithic (7000 BC to c. 2500 BC) sites in archaeology, lies on what is now the "Kachi plain" of today's Balochistan, Pakistan. It is one of the earliest sites with evidence of farming (wheat and barley) and herding (cattle, sheep and goats) in South Asia."[1].
The site is located near the Bolan Pass, to the west of the Indus River valley and between the present-day Pakistani cities of Quetta, Kalat and Sibi. Mehrgarh was discovered in 1974 by an archaeological team directed by French archaeologist Jean-François Jarrige, and was excavated continuously between 1974 and 1986. The earliest settlement at Mehrgarh—in the northeast corner of the 495-acre (2.00 km2) site—was a small farming village dated between 7000 BCE–5500 BCE.
[This information is taken from wikipedia].
This expedition is funded by www.pakgateway.com.
The site is located near the Bolan Pass, to the west of the Indus River valley and between the present-day Pakistani cities of Quetta, Kalat and Sibi. Mehrgarh was discovered in 1974 by an archaeological team directed by French archaeologist Jean-François Jarrige, and was excavated continuously between 1974 and 1986. The earliest settlement at Mehrgarh—in the northeast corner of the 495-acre (2.00 km2) site—was a small farming village dated between 7000 BCE–5500 BCE.
[This information is taken from wikipedia].
This expedition is funded by www.pakgateway.com.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Bhag, Bhag, Bhag!
Nawaz Sharif is a core supporter of Wahabi form of terrorism (also called fundamentalist Islam by the likes of TIME / CNN / New York Times, etc). His younger brother, more red blooded than the big brother, is another rash Punjabi terrorist complete with zero beard and lots of mun'ch to his credit.
Recently, just in case you have forgotten it, Mian Shahbaz Sharif had requested [brother] Taliban to please kindly spare Punjab, a statement which has not gone down well with lots of Pakistanis including (surprisingly) many Punjabis. And Dawn letters to the editor section has shown us that no more hard core Punjabiat would be tolerated anymore in this country. (I am eternally thankful to ALLAH that the great Dawn newspaper does not belong to a Punjabi man from Lahore).
Today's wonderfully composed column by Mr. Irfan Hussain by the title of Teflon Tiger (http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/columnists/14-irfan-husain-teflon-tiger-030-zj-14) is immensely readable and must act as an eye opener for all. For instance, Mr. Hussain states about Sharif,
He also points out quite clearly that if Mr. Zardari (who is not of a terrorist Wahabi streak) had said the same thing about Sindh ('spare Sindh my overlord', for instance) things would have been quite different. Without mentioning the term 'Punjabiat' he clearly points out the Pakistan Army, full of Punjabi baboons, would have taken strong action against him including, a fully public rebuke of the President. Some would have asked for his immediate impeachment.
But we see no such thing happening to Mr. Shahbaz Sharif. Unfortunately, our public, much of which comes from his home base Punjab, are blind to all this despite repeated terrorist attacks in the heart of the province. His big brother, a strong ally of people who fund terrorist activities in Pakistan (read Saudi regime run by the fat, monstrous king) very clearly supports Wahabization of the entire country.
If one good thing our president can do for us, it is the immediate kicking of Sharif brothers on their thick, desi-ghee induced butts. He must, anyhow, pull them to the court for embezzlement of billions of dollars by building a very luxurious and very un-necessary M-2, which connects Islamabad to Lahore, their home town. They can also be charged for running away with billions of rupees of mainly poor Pakistanis in the name of 'Qarz Utaro, Mulk Sawaro' scheme.
Thank you Mr. Hussain for writing such a wonderful article. Just like you, we hope that Nawaz Sharif and his brother are made prisoners before they have a chance to regain their power seats.
Recently, just in case you have forgotten it, Mian Shahbaz Sharif had requested [brother] Taliban to please kindly spare Punjab, a statement which has not gone down well with lots of Pakistanis including (surprisingly) many Punjabis. And Dawn letters to the editor section has shown us that no more hard core Punjabiat would be tolerated anymore in this country. (I am eternally thankful to ALLAH that the great Dawn newspaper does not belong to a Punjabi man from Lahore).
Today's wonderfully composed column by Mr. Irfan Hussain by the title of Teflon Tiger (http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/columnists/14-irfan-husain-teflon-tiger-030-zj-14) is immensely readable and must act as an eye opener for all. For instance, Mr. Hussain states about Sharif,
'In his two stints in power, Nawaz Sharif has been responsible for follies that the country has had to pay hundreds of billions for. The expensive motorway project and the yellow cab scheme spring to mind. And while Sharif is now known for his pious advocacy of a free and independent judiciary, let us not forget that it was his goons who stormed the Supreme Court while he was prime minister.'
He also points out quite clearly that if Mr. Zardari (who is not of a terrorist Wahabi streak) had said the same thing about Sindh ('spare Sindh my overlord', for instance) things would have been quite different. Without mentioning the term 'Punjabiat' he clearly points out the Pakistan Army, full of Punjabi baboons, would have taken strong action against him including, a fully public rebuke of the President. Some would have asked for his immediate impeachment.
But we see no such thing happening to Mr. Shahbaz Sharif. Unfortunately, our public, much of which comes from his home base Punjab, are blind to all this despite repeated terrorist attacks in the heart of the province. His big brother, a strong ally of people who fund terrorist activities in Pakistan (read Saudi regime run by the fat, monstrous king) very clearly supports Wahabization of the entire country.
If one good thing our president can do for us, it is the immediate kicking of Sharif brothers on their thick, desi-ghee induced butts. He must, anyhow, pull them to the court for embezzlement of billions of dollars by building a very luxurious and very un-necessary M-2, which connects Islamabad to Lahore, their home town. They can also be charged for running away with billions of rupees of mainly poor Pakistanis in the name of 'Qarz Utaro, Mulk Sawaro' scheme.
Thank you Mr. Hussain for writing such a wonderful article. Just like you, we hope that Nawaz Sharif and his brother are made prisoners before they have a chance to regain their power seats.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Dost ki nani and other ideas...
I attended funeral rites of my friend's nani yesterday at around 10:20pm near Airport and following happened:
1) Not even half of the men attending the funeral wore their caps. That's strange and new for me.
2) Most of the closest relatives of Nani wore trousers and shirts rather than the traditional shalwar kameez. Many wore T-shirts and it gave an impression that many were there to show people that they were there and not for any religious purpose, whatsoever.
3) During funeral, many people were just either talking with each other or attending to their mobile phones. No one cared for the rites and no one really asked them to shut off the mobile. Such are the Muslims of our times!
4) When finally, after much hankering, time came to lower the body into the grave not even one person knew exactly how to do it. No one really was sure where should the cloth be placed below the dead body. I was appalled at my own lack of knowledge.
5) Atleast Atif bhai, cousin of Uzair, knew that one should not wear any sandals or shoes while inside the grave.
6) Every second person was either standing on someone else's grave or jumping over them, citing lack of space available. I have always found this in bad taste. For instance, how would you feel about the person standing on your mother's grave? Ask this question and wait for a tight slap.
7) No one really bothered to give any azan after the rites and the prayers have been said.
8) No one, save one person, knew that while reciting the first Sura of Al-Bakra, one must point his finger towards the head of the deceased.
And then we say we are good Muslims!
1) Not even half of the men attending the funeral wore their caps. That's strange and new for me.
2) Most of the closest relatives of Nani wore trousers and shirts rather than the traditional shalwar kameez. Many wore T-shirts and it gave an impression that many were there to show people that they were there and not for any religious purpose, whatsoever.
3) During funeral, many people were just either talking with each other or attending to their mobile phones. No one cared for the rites and no one really asked them to shut off the mobile. Such are the Muslims of our times!
4) When finally, after much hankering, time came to lower the body into the grave not even one person knew exactly how to do it. No one really was sure where should the cloth be placed below the dead body. I was appalled at my own lack of knowledge.
5) Atleast Atif bhai, cousin of Uzair, knew that one should not wear any sandals or shoes while inside the grave.
6) Every second person was either standing on someone else's grave or jumping over them, citing lack of space available. I have always found this in bad taste. For instance, how would you feel about the person standing on your mother's grave? Ask this question and wait for a tight slap.
7) No one really bothered to give any azan after the rites and the prayers have been said.
8) No one, save one person, knew that while reciting the first Sura of Al-Bakra, one must point his finger towards the head of the deceased.
And then we say we are good Muslims!
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