|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
   |
escape Town
Talk a programme of LEAF at Alhamra, Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday, July 24 at 6pm. Live performances dedicated to morning raags by Ustaad Parvez Paras and shaagirds. • Beyond Borders Film Festival 2007 till Sept 1. See www.tvbeyondborders.com/filmfestival. theatre City along
river escape A staircase connecting three worlds It's all for the ambience that people go to Shah Jamal's shrine As the incessant heat gives
way to the stuffy coolness of monsoon, Lahore rejoices at the Located in the heart of Lahore's upscale Shah Jamal area, the shrine of Baba Shah Jamal is revered by many as the resting place of the 18th century Sufi Saint belonging to the Qadriya Naqshbandiya school of thought. Not that the precise school of thought matters to the never-ending line of visitors to the small shrine. They climb up the long staircase with reverence in their hearts for a saint entombed in a small grave. Many come, no doubt, with the longing to pin their hopes for the realisation of a dream. Judging by the number of Chinese-made locks clasped to the lattice work of the shrine, the rags tied to the trellis pattern of the marble arches and the stench of burning candles, people's faith in such emblems is a steadfast reality. The courtyard's cool marble soothes tired feet and heavy hearts. It is easy to feel the stillness of time as one sits there embalmed in an atmosphere where time stops peddling uphill. A centuries old tree is stifled by the marbled floor of the courtyard like the dreams of another life. This is a world where hopes
are pinned, dreams take form and life's problems seem to On Thursday nights, the staircase descends to a courtyard belonging to another world connected to peace of another kind. Peace that is brought about by the momentary lifting of the oppression that surrounds life of the commonman. Rickshaw drivers, college students, masons and the educated alike, rub shoulders in communal enjoyment brought by free marijuana and other substances openly passed around for a moment of individual escape. They sit in groups in the small courtyard, pressing the almost revered substance into their palms, delicately filling cigarettes and lighting up the precious smoke that takes them into a world free from heat where nothing is as it seems. These are not people to whom the chief justice's issue matters a great deal, who are worried because their names are not on the voters' list or who are piqued about whether a president in uniform is preferable or not. They are probably the type of people for whom the price of CNG is of critical importance. The breakdown of class walls is nowhere so evident in Lahore as here. Perhaps it is the great
leveller, like college examinations should be, in determining what They spill over the courtyard onto the staircase, winding its way down to the street. A clean street by Lahore's standards. The police vans ply slowly through the narrow street, past the stand of five-rupee-a-glass sabeel seller, amulet salesmen with their wares spread on a red cloth and rose petal stalls selling a whiff of sanctity. The police wallas' eyes are dazed probably because they had driven past shops such as Zeitgeist and Men's Store on M.M Alam Road to inch past the shrine. The blue police vans and the shining eyes roll past where the stairway meets the street. As one sits on top of the steps on Thursday night, it is hard not to see that sometimes the only thread connecting this city's worlds, is a view from a staircase.
Town Talk • Sudh Sangeet -Takiya, a programme of LEAF at Alhamra, Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday, July 24 at 6pm. Live performances dedicated to morning raags by Ustaad Parvez Paras and shaagirds. • Beyond Borders Film Festival 2007 till Sept 1. See www.tvbeyondborders.com/filmfestival. • Puppet shows for everyone every Sunday at Peerus Cafe at 3pm for free. • Jazz Night at Peeru's Cafe -- a fusion of Jazz and tabla on Sundays at 9pm for free. • Puppet Show for Children at Alhamra, The Mall at 11am. Ticket for Rs 5/10. • Nazir Ahmad Music Society stages a concert every Saturday at Government College University at 1:30pm. theatreSmall group, big role Youth doing theatre in Punjabi, the language of the masses. Welcome to Punjab Theatre... By Amel Ghani Punjab Theatre is one of
the emerging theatre groups in Lahore. It is one of those very few Rukhsana Khan, the director and also the founder of Punjab Theatre, when asked as to why does she choose to work with the youth frankly admits that they are more open-minded. "Yes, it is difficult at times to make them do their work seriously but there are advantages too. They pick things up more quickly and besides that they are more open-minded, so it is easier to convince them," she says. Also, by working with the youth, she wants to remove the stigma attached to the performing arts, especially theatre. Since 2004, the year this theatre group was born, they have managed to raise a new issue every year. Their first production was 'Saal ki Chaal' -- a play based on the diversity and complexity of the cultural problems in our society. In August 2005 they performed a play called 'Bezuban' which was based on cruelty to animals. 'Mission Jari Rahey Ga' was a play on the apathy of teachers in the country which they performed in October 2005. In March 2006 they took their play 'Bezuban' to India, thus playing their share in promoting friendship between the two countries. The most recent production, however, is 'Saiyaan Nainan Walian', a play based on the plight of women and discrimination against them in our society. Their next play is about Punjabi folk music, taking people back to their roots and culture. With commercial English
plays gaining a ready following among the youth, this new theatre All the children she has worked with so far are quite happy with what they are doing. To them Punjabi is no more the language of the poor labourers, in fact they have discovered that Punjabi is a very literary language. "The plays might not be very glamorous but it keeps me tied to my roots," says Sanwal Ghani, an 18-year-old who has been a part of the last two plays done by Punjab Theatre. Working with this theatre group has also helped to change their minds about theatre. A lot of people might think that a small theatre group cannot possibly achieve such a huge task but the children working with this theatre group think very differently. The extent of this impact can be realised from the fact that they are no longer reluctant to converse in the language native to their land -- Punjabi. During the summer vacations there is a month long workshop which consists of various exercises. These include inhibition breaking exercises, body language training and skill training exercises. These help the children to develop certain skills that are needed to act in theatre. They learn how to throw their voice and the basic things they need to know to perform in a play. Moreover, it helps them to get to know each other and work as a team. They become more disciplined. Another major purpose of the workshop is that it helps the director to understand the children and choose the cast for the play. Along with the workshop a new play is also developed. This play is then performed in the beginning or end of August. Many performances take place throughout the year. Apart from bringing the youth closer to their culture, Punjab Theatre plays a very important role in the lives of these young kids. It is a thought provoking activity that forces them to think about issues facing our society. When these issues are discussed during the workshop an exchange of new ideas takes place. These young minds are given a positive direction to think in and this can only be in favour of the development of our country in the future. Now more people are going to theatre but Punjab Theatre has been struggling since the days when people still thought of it with disdain. Now theatre has finally emerged as a way of expressing ourselves. Theatre groups like this one have played a small but vital role in bringing about this revolution. All in all it is an activity that will encourage today's children to accept who they are and work towards making their society better. It is a small theatre group playing a big role. City along river Rivers are notorious for reclaiming their lands. Thus how danegrous are the houses in the river bed in Lahore? By Aoun Sahi Many residential localities
like Malipura, Amin Park, Khokhar Town, Saeed Park and Chiragh Both residents and government seem to have no problem as they think flood in River Ravi is a gone story now. The localities have been haphazardly developed by people who are from the poor section of society. Mostly gypsies and Afghans live in these areas who do menial work to survive. Surprisingly all of these localities are a part of respective union councils. This year according to Metereological Department more rains and consequently floods are expected in the region. It is expected that after August 16 India may also release water into Ravi on Pakistan's side when its water reservoirs reach their capacity. Under Indus Water Treaty India has all the rights on the waters of Ravi. The residents of these localities are least concerned even in a situation where river water is flowing only few feet away from their houses. To them it is a normal situation as they are exposed to such situation every year. "We never panic in such situations," says Muhammad Abid, a resident of Mehboobpura, sitting in his mud-house just a few yards from centre of Ravi, having no real protection from river water. The locality with more than 50 households is part of Jia Baga union council. Abid is living in this area
since 1993 with his family and has never faced a critical situation Khalida Nasreen Malik, a woman councillor from Malipura area of Union Council 67 (Kasurpura) tells TNS that property rates in the river bed is around one lakh per marla. She says she has been living in this area since 30 years and has faced three terrible floods. "The last flood we faced in Ravi was in 1992. Before that almost every year there would be flood in river. After '92 there has been no flood, that is why people started migrating to the other side of embankment of the river," she says. There are roads, electricity, Sui gas and in some localities Wasa has provided water connections, says the councillor, so how can these localities be called encroachments in the river. "More than 90 percent residents have purchased this land from its owners and this cannot be called 'Qabza'," she says. "Some fields in the riverbed are already inundated but none of the localities along the river face any threat so far. Life is normal as there is no warning from the district government or police," Nasreen tells TNS. The government officials also agree that sale and purchase of land in river bed is legal. "People have their lands along the river. As there is no flood in Ravi since many years, they started selling the land for residential purposes. Government has no problem with it," says an official in city district revenue department. He thinks though people should not live in such dangerous places they are forced to do so due to poverty. "Yes, they are at the mercy of the river, everybody knows," he adds. The city district government has set up a flood warning centre responsible for warning and vacating the dangerous localities if there is flood in the river. "We have marked 36 government buildings in safe areas in Lahore to shift these people in case there is flood in the river," says Malik Abdul Waheed, incharge Lahore flood warning centre. He tells TNS that they have established a flood warning centre at Ravi Siphon that is in regular contact with irrigation and metrological departments. "There will be high flood in river if India releases water and if it does so, we will be informed at least 72 hours before it by their authorities through irrigation department. Even when water enters Pakistan we will have 36 hours after we get the warning, to rescue people in such localities," he says. All the nine towns have already established flood relief sectors under the TOMs. Staff of different agencies like Wasa, Wapda, livestock, irrigation, revenue, agriculture, health, education and solid waste management has been deployed at these sectors, he says. According to him so far there is no flood like situation in Ravi. On Friday morning 20,000 cusecs water passed from Ravi Siphon while the quantity decreased to 15600 cusec at Shahdra. Water is in low flood when it is 40,000 cusec at Shahdra, when it crosses 65,000 cusec mark it is in medium flood and becomes real threat when the water flow in Ravi at Shahdra crosses 90,000 cusec limit. This is high flood. Last time high flood in Ravi was witnessed in 1989. "This year too situation is not alarming so far and we have not issued any warning to people living around the river," he tells TNS.
|
|
cyclical weather relief. But there is relief of another kind too -- each
Thursday at Shah Jamal, in the form of the city's biggest free for all party.
Even a silent observer cannot escape the gasping relief it provides to the
masses -- much like the monsoons to let go and break free from the reality as
it exists for the commonman.
somehow droop their heads like tired banners on an old banyan tree. A world
enwombed in its sanctity which lulls one into a moment of time caught between
the end of one cycle and the beginning of another.
counts. This is perhaps one of the few places in Lahore where what counts is
how much and how well you can lighten up and withdraw from life around you.
The effort to withdraw is incessant -- people climb up trees and sit rocking
their heads to an imaginary drum beat, coil up and lie dazed while the less
'withdrawn' exchange pleasantries. As in a cinema, papar wallas and
chanachoor wallas ply their wares. Curiously, a turban clad youth sprinkles
rose water on the crowd as though to purify their existence even further. The
star attraction of the evening -- Pappu Sain, sits unconnected to this party
conversing with the crowd. It is past midnight before he beats the drums and
let the crowd have a show. One hears such drum beat rarely on weddings in
Lahore these days. The unbroken rhythm beckons another world of yore. Many of
those assembled, bang their heads to the beat of a primeval kind, something
that resonate in the heart and only faintly on the ear drums. So that's how
the party rocks. It is only after the drumming begins that one realises that
the drums are not the star attraction -- the slam dunk is somewhere else. In
the heart that sinks and swims inside without a bod
y,
a reality that exists in a ridge between the rocks of CNG prices and
oppressing heat -- where the heat, prices, class, stench and injustice are
words written in Spanish for another world meant for an audience drinking
champagne in the grave.
theatre groups that consciously choose to work with the youth. Apart from
promoting Punjabi, the main purpose of the group is to spread awareness on
the issues of our society -- issues that are not brought from far away
foreign lands but exist in our society and affect the lives of the people of
Pakistan. It becomes the voice of society that had been lying dormant for a
long time.
group chose Punjabi as the language of their plays. The main purpose of this
is to bring the confused youth of today closer to their true identity,
culture and heritage. According to Rukhsana the students studying in English
medium schools are not completely aware of the issues of our society and even
if they are, they do not consider them their own problems. To them they are
problems belonging to an alien world. Through Punjab Theatre she is trying to
bring them closer to the problems faced by their own people.
Park have been established along the banks of River Ravi on both sides in
Lahore because there is no high or even medium flood in the river since long.
Some of these, like Christian Colony, some part of Malipura and Mehboob Park
are even situated within the river's premises. That is a very dangerous
phenomenon as rivers are notorious for reclaiming their lands.
that would force his family to leave their house. "When I bought land to
build house here back in 1993, it was very cheap. Now the prices of land here
are very high, still it's low as compared to other parts of the city so for
poor who do not have much money it is a good place to build their
houses," he tells TNS. "No government authority ever asked us not
to build houses in the river bed. So far we have got no warning from
government of any possibility of flood in Ravi this year," he says.
"If there is flood we do not have much to lose. We will simply move to
higher places to save our lives," he says.