An update of the relief efforts by Hunermand Pakistan that I blogged about earlier…

Dear Brothers and Sisters Assalam o Alaikum,

By the Grace of Allah subhana hu wa ta`ala we (Tahir Farouqi, Ali Raza and Danish Qaiyoum) returned from Charsadda villages after successfully completing the first round of relief efforts in the flood hit areas. We got to witness pain, anguish, disaster, hunger, misery, violence and above all, Allah’s anger in the form of rivers flowing way out of control. I simply go out of words when trying to express the feeling. This email contains some details which will give the reader a basic idea about how we drove the overall effort. May Allah accept this little effort and contributions from everyone who stepped forward.

What were our areas of focus?
Our main camp of “Hunermand Pakistan” was based in NavaKilla Charsadda. Navakilla is a village which is about 4-6 km away from main Charsadda City Adda. This small town is surrounded by many other small villages. River Kabul and River Sawat flowed across these areas which caused massive destruction. Our main focus remained on these 12 small villages around NavaKilla which were shattered by the flood. Little relief efforts came to these places since accessibility to these areas was tough. Alhamdulillah we were able to gain access to these areas.

We have been also coordinating with our friend’s/relief workers in Bisham of District Shangla. Let me tell you that Shangla has the lowest Human Development Index in the province and second lowest in the country! Hundred of families have been badly affected by the flood, land sliding followed by heavy rain in the surroundings of Shangla were also witnessed.

What was the destruction like?
As I mentioned before, no words can express. You should have been with me to feel the pain and misery that these people were going through. Broken bridges, destructed houses, tearful eyes silently communicated the message “We have lost everything but hope… Who will help us now?” Attached with this email, you can find images which can give you a little idea about the destruction we witnessed. I have added short description next to each image. Shortly I will be releasing a full youtube video that we made which will give you a more clearer picture about what was going on.

The situation in remote areas of Bisham is quite different to other flood hit areas. There is no road access to the remote areas of Shangla, as all the connecting bridges have been broken. I will be sharing pictures of that area as soon as we get them inshAllah.

What did we do to help these shattered souls?
Alhamdulilah, we managed to provide 800 flood hit families with a 5 weeks Ramadan Food Package in Charsdda and around 300 families will be covered next week in Bisham of District Shangla inshAllah. This Ramadan Food Package was designed to help an average family of 7 people to spend the Holy month of Ramadan with a little ease. Each package included:

• 40 kg Atta (Flour)
• 4 kg Chawal (Rice)
• Rooh Afza Sharbat (1 bottle)
• 10 kg Sugar
• 1.5 kg Masala (Spices)
• 5 kg Oil (Ghee)
• 1.5 Kg Tea Powder
• 3 kg Lobia (I don’t know what we call this in English)*
• 2 kg Chana Daal and 2 Kg Moong key Daal
• 1 kg dates

[* My note - these are black-eyed beans, I believe.]

What was the process that we executed during this relief effort?
Dr. Abdullah is a trained relief worker who has actively played his part in Sawat Region during the IDP disaster. He is also coordinating the Disaster Management Unit at University of Kohat. With a PhD in Social Works, he is the person responsible for Hunermand Pakistan which ran us through the following process of relief effort:

1. Formation of flood impact survey teams and assignment of these teams to different villages.
2. Collection of information with respect to flood impact caused to each home in these villages.
3. Dissemination of flood impact information to brothers and sisters across Pakistan who then came to help. This information contained details about immediate bare minimum needs of the victims which were required for their survival.
4. Verification of the documented impact. This verification was done by us (Tahir, Ali and Danish)
5. Devising the relief packages, purchasing food supplies and conversion of supplies into well defined packages.
6. Distribution of Ramadan food Package to flood hit families.

The distribution process in Shangla is slightly different as there is no road access to that area. Mules are being hired for the distribution of the food supplies.

What’s next?
As I write, the relief efforts initiated by our team still continue to operate in the mentioned areas. With disaster striking in Sindh, we are creating alliance with a highly trusted relief organization which has already started providing relief operations (medical and food supplies) in Sindh. More details will be revealed very soon inshAllah. For those who are interested, kindly contact Tahir Farooqui (farooqui.tahir@gmail.com) or myself, Ali Raza Bhanger (arbhanger@gmail.com)

JazakAllahukhair for all your prayers and support!

Ali Raza Bhanger
Timelenders.com
C: 0332-5554443

Images from Relief Workers in Pakistan

A view of the destroyed crops. The poor farmers have no place to work for…

These were 5 small houses in the village of Rajjar. Can you find them?

This was the street which had houses on both sides.

Another view of a street in a village of Charsadda. 12 feet water stood here for more than 7 days.

A 3-storey school on main GT road which was fully submerged in water for a few days.

An iron bridge on main GT road. This bridge was fully covered with water and was finally swept away. We provided relief efforts just few kms away from this location.

From left to right Ali, Danish, Dr Abdullah and Tahir discussing the distribution process in our storage room.

Our storage room: We spent the night converting supplies into separate bags for Ramadan Packages. More than 50 people worked all night long to perform this job.

A view of our storage room after the food supplies were converted to separate Ramadan Package (Bags).

Our food supplies kept on coming in finding its way in the storage room and then finally landing in the hands of deserving flood victims.

In view of the upcoming Ramadan we added 1kg of dates to each Ramadan package. The team is working in full swing at night time in order to meet their deadline.

One of our loaded mini trucks is moving ahead while our distribution staff is using a van from Maymar Trust.

Distribution taking place in one of the effected villages. Around 1,000 houses were destroyed in this small village called Rajjar.

I blogged earlier about a group of activists helping out the flood victims in Pakistan. If you want to know how dire… how desperate the situation is, do read Fruitful Fusion’s post written by Farhaan Safdar, who is working with the people in Pir Sabak, near Nowshera.

You can also help by donating to the following organisations:

• Al-Khidmat Foundation
• Alamgir Welfare Trust

UmmeYusuf, Pakistan’s knitting and crochet genius (ma shaa Allah), is also doing her bit to help. She is donating all proceeds from sales of her patterns till the end of September to the flood relief efforts here in Pakistan. Please support her efforts and buy her patterns - they are lovely ma shaa Allah! Visit her blog to view and buy the patterns. May Allah bless you for your intentions and efforts, UmmeYusuf … ameen.

As we enter the blessed month of Ramadan, let us not tire of supplicating to Allah. O Allah, verily we seek Your help, we believe in You, we put our trust in You and we praise You and we are not ungrateful to You. O Allah, You alone we worship and to You we pray and prostrate, for Your sake we strive. O Allah deliver our brothers and sisters from this calamity and give them patience and courage in this time of distress … ameen.

From an activist, Brother Tahir Farooqui, who is helping the flood victims in Pakistan:

Bismillah,

… When was the last time you drank a clean cool glass of water and thank Allah for all that we have in this world. This is the real situation of hundreds and thousands of people fighting for a small bottle of water as their families await help from heavens. Would you please share?

My Dear Brothers, Sisters and Respected Elders, Assalamu Alaikum,

As I type, the “flood of the century” is still engulfing new areas and adding to the immense scale of devastation in our beloved Pakistan. At this time of crisis, we on behalf of “Hundermand Foundation operating from Kohat University” would like to appeal to all brothers, sisters and elders to support Pakistan and to help alleviate the sufferings of the flood-affected people and also make dua as well.

Myself (Tahir Farooqui) along with my team members, Brother Ali Raza Bhanger & Brother Danish Qaiyoum will be traveling to the Northern Flood Hit Regions on Sunday 8th August at 1:00 pm inshAllah. Alhamdullilah, with regards to our previous emails, several individuals have generously contributed to this cause. May Allah provide His blessings and Peace to all those who contributed and made efforts in His way. Ameen

As compared to the huge devastation that has been caused, the donations are still very small. Our teams continue to operate in full swing (by the grace of Allah) and we request you once again to please put forward your share no matter be it little. The month of Ramadan is right ahead and Allah promises that you will be rewarded many folds if you take this step forward. We beg you to please pay attention to this request… It is a matter of few hundred thousand precious human lives we are talking about!!

I along with the team will be documenting each penny that is spent inshAllah. Stories, pictures and more will be sent to you once we are there to keep you updated. Your Zakat, Khairat and Sadaqat will be utilized in the best of ways inshAllah.

Remember, they have lost every thing but hope. Take care of one family and Allah will take of yours!

Bank Account information for donations:

Acct Title: Tahir Farooqui
Acct #: 0111-03600000723
Savings Account
Meezan Bank Ltd.
Saba Palace, Sharae Faisal, Karachi.
Swift Code: Meznpkka

Kindly contact me (+92-333-216-1256) in case you have any questions in this regard.

JazakAllahukhair!

P.S: We are also in the process of setting up camps in Sindh as well, some of our brothers are working for this as well. May Allah Swt give us the Hidaya to perform Tauba & Istigfar so that we can be saved from these natural disasters. Ameen

Peace,
Wassalam & kind regards,

Tahir Farooqui | Timelenders.com | call/sms: +92-333-216-1256
http://pk.linkedin.com/in/tfnews

Two weeks ago, I blogged about my favourite book haunts. I thought I would give special mention to one of them today - Alvi Book Bank.

When we first moved to Pakistan back in 2004, Mars and I had to make a few adjustments in our lives. In Singapore, we were used to going on field trips and bargain shopping sprees, visiting with friends for play dates and taking off for a meal out on a whim if we so desired. In Pakistan though, the days seemed to yawn ahead of us. There was little to do, nowhere to go and no friends to visit.

Then we discovered Alvi Book Bank and the little unassuming second-hand store made our lives more than bearable. I was a newish mum and homeschooler then trying to build a library for little Mars, who was then an only child. I had had to leave most of our books in Singapore during the move (oh! how that hurt!) so Alvi Book Bank was truly a godsend. Mr Fareed Ahmed Alvi knew his business and clearly loved books with a passion for his store was always crammed with some of the best titles for children that the literary world had to offer. My daughter and I would spend hours in there, painstakingly rifling through pile after pile of books, giggling smugly everytime we found a good book. When we weren’t at the store, we would wonder if Mr Alvi had any new stock and worried that others would get to them before we could.

When we moved back to Singapore in 2006, we missed Mr Alvi’s store. None of the second-hand bookstores in Singapore could compare in terms of price, range and charm. (We actually missed Pakistan’s dust and mess!) We continued to visit Alvi’s Book Bank every time we visited our family in Islamabad. The staff got to know us. We were such regulars that they would let us have the run of the place and even let us have the store’s only torchlight when there were power outages - they knew that not even a blackout could drive us away :)

Mr Alvi wasn’t always at his store but he too began to recognise us as faithful customers, this time with Bear in tow. Still, he maintained his reserve and barely cracked a smile, his expression always aloof. My husband joked that he was a hard businessman, never giving discounts even to long-time customers. We had no issues with that however - his books were well-chosen and equally well-priced.

Then one day, we visited the store again and found it vacated. The staff at the neighbouring stores saw us looking perplexed and told us that he had moved to a smaller place above. We trudged up the stairs and wondered how he could possibly fit all his books into such a tiny room. It turned out, he couldn’t and had had to move most of them to a warehouse. His landlord had raised the rent and he couldn’t afford it. The room was temporary till he could find new premises, he said. He looked worried but had not lost his dignified carriage and demeanor. He looked a little disappointed then, but definitely not beaten. There was something about the distinguished gentleman that assured us that he would bounce back from the setback.

In his quest for more a more affordable shop, he was to move a few more times. My family and I began to have a cat-and-mouse relationship with Mr Alvi and his books.

When we finally returned to settle in Islamabad once again in 2008, Mr Alvi had moved yet again. The tiny room he had occupied was vacant and we were left wondering where he had gone this time. We asked the other store owners and drove to the major shopping areas but we had no luck. Then one day, a friend told me about a large bookstore near a pharmacy at Blue Area, a business district. We went immediately (I know, it sounds obsessive) and were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of books.

As we browsed, my husband ran up to me excitedly. “It’s Alvi!” he whispered fiercely. I was too caught up by the books to pay attention so he grabbed by arm and pointed to a gentleman in a cream hat. “It’s HIM! This is HIS STORE!” He went to talk to Mr Alvi and introduced himself. From a distance, I could see his cool veneer cracking and he seemed pleased that he had such a faithful following in my kids who looked so obviously delighted to see him.

Mr Alvi moved another two times and both times we tracked him down. His last location was at a new housing area at a sector called E/11-3, quite a distance from our home. The store was a little small and his books were stacked so dangerously high that I often wondered if he would have to call for a rescue team to extricate us if we upset the piles by accident.

By then, Mr Alvi no longer kept my kids at arm’s length and would engage in friendly chats with them. He would recommend titles to them and ask his staff to climb the mountainous piles and throw them down to my kids whom he ordered to stand at a safe distance. When the summer days were hot, he would offer the kids cold drinks and turn on the fan for them. He was well-acquainted with their preferences and saved them some wonderful gems - collections of English books and Science magazines in mint condition. He even gave us discounts without us ever hinting for them. We took this as a sign that we had officially broken the ice with Mr Alvi :)

We saw Mr Alvi a few weeks ago at another bookstore. We had not visited his shop in a while so my elder daughter greeted him. We made a promise to ourselves to visit his store once again but our plans were always on the backburner as the kids were busy with studies and classes.

My heart feels heavy as I write this. I truly wish we had managed to go. I don’t know what difference it would have made, but I wish we had.

On Wednesday, 28 August 2010, Mr Fareed Ahmed Alvi was one of 152 people who perished when Airblue’s flight ED 202 from Karachi crashed in Margalla Hills. He had been flying home after visiting his elder brother Professor Tauheed Ahmed Alvi, of DJ Science College in Karachi. I am told that he was travelling with this two children and is survived by his wife and a daughter. Inna lilla wa inna ilayhi raji`oon. Surely we belong to Allah and to Him shall we return.

May Allah forgive him and give him the very best in the hereafter … ameen.

May He forgive all who perished in the flight and grant them paradise … ameen.

May He give strength and fortitude to all the bereaved families in this time of adversity … ameen.

O Allah! Let not any of our sins go unforgiven, nor any of our worries undispelled, nor any of our needs and difficulties unfulfilled, let the end of our deeds be the best of all … ameen.

I don’t usually enjoy shopping in crowded places but there is a market here in Islamabad that has a certain charm. It is open on Fridays, Sundays and Tuesdays and sells fruit, vegetables, meat, cooked food, baskets and household items. It is called Jumma (Friday) Bazaar or Itwar (Sunday) Bazaar. (I don’t know what it is called on Tuesdays :P)

It is quite an interesting place, for sure, if you know your way around. My mother-in-law’s helper, Anees, is a resourceful little thing who has managed to land numerous bargains like beautiful serving bowls and glasses, branded winter wear and miniature toys for my girls at excitingly low prices :)

I’m rubbish at photography but here are some shots of a market day in Islamabad…

The bazaar is a good place to buy groceries in bulk as it is cheaper than the neighbourhood markets. You don’t get to choose your vegetables and fruits usually, unless you’ve established a good relationship with the grocers though, so you may end up with food that is less than fresh.

Most of the serrano chillies sold in Pakistan are green. Pakistanis do not use fresh/blended red chillies generally (no sambal tumis for me!) and use chilli powder instead .

I think these radishes look pretty and dress up salads very nicely even though I don’t like the taste :)

I like chalkboards and slates like these which are used all over the bazaar. It gives such a vintage feel. I just wish I had done a better job on the photo - so much noise evident!!!

Traditional balance scales… how quaint!

Back at home with strawberries to munch on.

Why this honorary desi loves desis…

Mum-in-law: Take care of the kids.

Sister-in-law (looking up from the newspaper): Sorry, what’s that again?

Mum-in-law: I said, take care of the kids please… Their mother is having her tea.

Good times, alhamdulillah.

My children and I had been very active when we were in Singapore. Having lots of out-of-the-home activities and not having your own car does that to you. Ms M had been taking swimming lessons and Bear too enjoyed the trips to the pool. Moving to Pakistan did nothing to curb their active spirits - they kept busy playing outdoors and gardening. In a burst of inventiveness, they even built their own workshop on the terrace out of bricks, crates and an assortment of tools and cast-off materials.

Still, I longed for them to take up a sport. They missed swimming and I tried to look for lessons, but membership fees to pools/clubs are ridiculous! We paid between $0.80 and $1.50 for entry to pools in Singapore and no time limit was imposed, but here, you pay crazy money to swim for an hour each time you enter.

One day, while shopping for sandals, we spotted a little boy in a karate gi and immediately approached his mother to ask about lessons. She gave us directions and the very next day, we met with the teacher. After a trial, Ms M was enrolled in the Afridi Martial Arts Academy, with Bear to follow later.

The kids attend class 6 days a week. I had balked at the schedule at first but my fears were unfounded - it sounds more gruelling than it really is and at any rate, the pace is necessary. The skills in martial arts can only be mastered with fitness, discipline and consistency. The children learn that they must put in their all if they are to succeed and they learn that they can achieve if they really apply themselves to the task. Even though they feel tired at times - particularly when they have to prepare for exhibitions - there is no doubt that they feel a deep sense of satisfaction when they have learnt a new skill or are able to perfect a move.

It hasn’t been a bed of roses, though. Bear experienced her share of problems. In the week prior to last night’s exhibition, she felt apprehensive and often wept during training. She had not known what to expect and had mistakenly thought she had to perform difficult stunts! Alhamdulillah, she overcame her anxiety - she executed a move called “the bridge” admirably ma shaa Allah and had a whale of a time with her buddies. Today, she declared that she wished there were more exhibitions and that she wanted to attend more. :)

Bear cheerfully waving a flag for the exhibition, nerves and distress banished!

As for Ms M, during the first exhibition in June, she failed to break the tile on her first attempt. I remember another parent crying out, “Oh no!” - no doubt feeling anguish our behalf - and the tension that ensued. Alhamdulillah she squared her shoulders, rallied herself bravely and ma shaa Allah smashed the tile on her second attempt. We were all so proud of her - she had been in the class for about 10 days and had had no idea she was to perform. She was determined to redeem herself during the second exhibition held yesterday, even though we had told her she was already a champion. Alhamdulillah, she broke the tile on her first attempt and performed well in two other demonstrations as well. I was just happy that she was able to relax and have fun with her mates.

Ms M and her karate mate Salar Khan with their new belts
- Salar is the little boy who introduced us to the karate school.
Both were promoted from white to yellow belt yesterday alhamdulillah.

In the past couple of months, my kids have learnt from their classes and the examples of the seniors that being a winner isn’t just about coming in first. It is about fortitude, resilience sheer determination and plain hard work. They have learnt to hang in there and push on when things get rough as they usually do during classes. They have also learnt that every setback teaches them something - while failures delay their goals a little, they are but steps away from success if they can muster up the enthusiasm to bounce back. Alhamdulillah.

May Allah guide our children, strengthen them in faith and give them courage in the face of adversity, ameen.

I haven’t given up on this blog. I had contemplated taking it all down considering I don’t update it as often as I could or should. When I do, my posts are hardly what you would call witty or earth-shaking. I think I will hold on to it for a bit more, though. I’ve had it for a while now and I suppose, it has some sentimental value.

I had not wanted to move to Pakistan this time - I had built a life in Singapore. We had our family and friends, favourite haunts, activities and a cosy place we felt was home. I fully understood the wisdom behind moving and even suggested it long before we were actually compelled to. Still, in my heart of hearts, I wished to remain in Singapore.

I had all sorts of reasons to detest life in Pakistan - the weather wreaks havoc on my health… there is no public transport … there is nowhere to go even if there were public transport… it is inefficient… it isn’t clean… people keep asking me why my kids don’t go to school and treat us as oddities… the kids don’t really have friends here… there ISN’T ANYTHING TO DO!

The funny thing is, relocating to Pakistan for the second time wasn’t all that difficult… rather like slipping into a pair of comfortable old shoes that have grown on me over time. I’ve always told my kids to make du`aa to Allah in good times and bad and alhamdulillah, Allah always gives us what we need when we need it. We asked for friends and alhamdulillah, we were blessed to meet two homeschooling families, a crafting wiz whom my kids delightedly call Knitting Aunty and a sweet sister from Karachi. We dreaded ennui and tedium and alhamdulillah, Allah saved us with an abundant supply of books as well as karate classes which the children love.

I’ve adjusted well enough to finally take my crafting stash out and work on a few projects:

Mended - Ms M’s jeans

I finally patched Ms M’s raggedy jeans. A piece of fabric from my stash, fusible buckram and embroidery floss and we were good to go. Not bad considering I am completely rubbish at sewing!

Choti #2

Last year, I hand-sewed a rag doll for Bear whom we named Choti. She was a cheeky creature and the poor thing was awfully wonky, as most of my endeavours turn out. Still, the kids loved her and brought her just about everywhere they went. On one occasion, a little girl they met at the library took a fancy to Choti. She refused to leave, causing her mum much distress. The girls very kindly gave her Choti. Since then they have begged for a replacement so here is Choti No. 2 in progress.

I still miss Singapore and would probably always prefer it to Pakistan but I think I can concede that I now have two homes and I am more than grateful for both.

< cringe >

I’ve just realised that I must sound very patronising every time I talk about Pakistan. Either I go on and on about how much ‘luckier’ I am than everyone else - mawkish bleeding heart, eh? - or my ungovernable acid tongue goes into overdrive. In both cases, I make my new home sound like a dreadful dump that has its general populace wringing their hands in despair.

< /cringe >

So, I won’t promise to be sugar-and-spice-nice all the time :P - honestly, there are too many things to chuckle about (like our water woes). Anyway, as much as I poke fun at this country, it is always done with some measure of affection.

What I will promise is to be fair and showcase some of Pakistan’s charms… one of which is the Etwar Bazaar, where we got some of these here lovely baskets.

Another post for another day in shaa Allah…

I complain like anything about Pakistan :P

I attack:

• its dustiness - “I’ve only JUST mopped and my feet are gritty AGAIN!!!”
• the fact that I can’t go out much - why oh why doesn’t Islamabad have the MRT^*?
• the drivers - why are they always in a rush? I KNOW they know there’s nothing important they have to get to. My sister-in-law says, “Oh but Bhabhi, they HAVE to rush so they can get home and do nothing.” (She is Pakistani… she can say this, OK?)
• the lack of safety - you read the news… you figure this out…

But… and yes, I say this quite grudgingly… it isn’t so bad here. Yes, there is more poverty than your heart can possibly bear sometimes and there are so many conveniences which I’ve grown accustomed to that I’ve had to forego.

Still, I find that this place keeps me grounded. The people I have met are supremely kind, friendly and sincere, so much so I am often ashamed of my cynical ways and acerbic jibes.

Here, I am reminded of how fragile life is, how hard life can be for many people who live and die poor and without hope, how courageous some people are in the face of struggle and most of all, how very very fortunate I am.

The power went out earlier today (load shedding - the first of many). I was about to get very grumpy when I remembered that last winter, we always took out our sewing when the electricity was down. We’ve brought quite a stash from Singapore. (Ignore the fact that I am rubbish at photography OK?) Just seeing the colourful fabrics and threads made our day :) Alhamdulillah for little blessings.

So, I’ll try to keep busy and to remind myself that I really have it good. :)

* MRT - Mass Rapid Transit … the train/subway in Singapore

In “To Kill A Mockingbird”, Scout says about Maycomb:

“A day was twenty-four hours long but seemed longer. There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with…”

That pretty much sums up how I feel about the village. It is a quiet sleepy place where folks would saunter over and sit a spell.

Just outside the madrasah gate was a small herd of goats. A few visits later, Ms M made friends with one of the shepherds and got to pat one of his goats. She said they had cute little heads and friendly smiles :)

As we drove home that evening, we saw the village folk walking home. I saw a boy herding his buffaloes to a large pond for their well-earned rest and drink. The silhouette of their figures in the dusk made a picturesque sight. I didn’t get a snapshot of it, but I guess I didn’t need to. I have the memory and it is quite enough…

OK, back to Dadi’s madrasah …

The school is large but it is by no means luxurious. The walls are smooth and clean but unpainted. Similarly, the floors are bare cement. The girls sit at simple desks for lessons and sleep on mattresses which are stacked neatly come morning. Since the madrasah relies on donations, money is prudently saved and even more carefully spent. Almost every piece of furniture is donated and pre-owned. The only items which seemed remotely grand were framed Qur’anic verses beautifully inscribed on papyrus. Even these were donations … from a terminally ill man who wanted to contribute to the madrasah.

Still, the place has a quaint and unique charm. There is tranquility that fosters contentment and at the same time, provides the ideal atmosphere for focus on academic and spiritual pursuits.

My daughters could not wait to help prepare the meals. A lady who lives close by comes in during the late morning everyday to prepare the students’ meals. Patient and ever so smiley, Aunty let my kids experiment as much as they liked.

Ms M preparing roti

Hers is no kitchen of dreams. She has only a little shed-like structure where the groceries are kept, washed and prepared. Vegetables are held over and cut directly into the cooking pot - no chopping boards for this chef! Her stove is a tandoor - a clay, coal-fed (well, in this case, wood) oven.

Here you can see how the cook prepares the tandoor. She has some wood lit - branches, scraps and whatever else she can get her hands on.

Here is another view of the oven. Maybe it would have been better if they had built it away from the wall - it is blackened from the smoke!

They don’t eat meat very often there but this was a special occasion :) Aunty’s signature chicken curry was in the works… Spicy and a little oily, but mouthwatering all the same. It isn’t easy cooking over the tandoor, I think, since it is hard to control the fire.

When the curry was done, the fire was doused with some water so only a small fire and glowing embers remained. Time for the roti - a flatbread made of wheat flour - to be cooked. Aunty had already prepared a mountain of dough. She rolled pats of dough into little balls and then expertly pinched them to form flat rounds. These were then flipped quickly from one hand to the other in a clapping motion to make them thinner and then speedily slapped onto the walls of the tandoor to bake. All done completely by hand with nary a rolling pin in sight! :)

I’m not a big fan of roti - I prefer rice or the less healthy parathas made of refined flour and ghee - but this roti was delicious. The outer shell was crispy while the inside was soft and fluffy. Here are the results of Ms M’s efforts :)

Lovely stuff ma shaa Allah…

More in Part 3 in shaa Allah…

French Toast… desi style :)

Chopped onions, coriander leaves, green chilli and ground spices like turmeric, coriander, chilli and garam masala were added to the egg mixture.

I wasn’t kidding when I said everything must be taken with spice in this continent!

My mother-in-law, a sheer dynamo of social activism, runs charitable and da`wah projects. Several years ago, she was determined to do something to help the poor and illiterate in the rural areas. My late father-in-law (may Allah bless him with the highest of Paradise, ameen) donated land to her and she got the wheels in motion. She got her friends and other sponsors to back her and proceeded to build a school for girls in Bara Gawa, Jehlum.

Yes, she built a school :)

I’ve had the pleasure of visiting her school several times. Ms M and Bear love the gaoo (village). The girls love everything rural and rustic and find everything in the village a delight. They spend hours outdoors and even try to make friends with the goats.

Bear and Dadi trudging to the madrasah

A few summers ago, we made a trip to the madrasah. We drove the madrasah’s APV - fondly referred to as the dubba (box) - but due to a broken bridge, had to park a distance away and walk the rest of the way. We saw a few interesting things like this river which had gone dry…

… and teelay - hillocks and dunes… This is a typical landscape of rain-fed land in Pakistan.

As we got closer to the madrasah, the girls got really excited. Since Dadi is the principal, we get VIP treatment :)

Just outside the madrasah walls now…

Dadi’s madrasah was modelled along the lines of her family home in Rawalpindi. Much of that home has been sectioned off and sold but in its heyday, it was a sprawling mansion with a large courtyard. She has fond memories of her childhood there, so she decided to replicate it in this sleepy village.

The photograph below shows a two-storey building - the lower floor consists of the classrooms and the second, the dormitory. The roof-top has a kitchen and serves as an open-roofed dining area for the girls on sunny days.

When I first visited the place though, some six years ago, it was only a one-storey building. My mother-in-law didn’t have sufficient funds to proceed with the construction. Rather than delay the girls’ education, she decided to open the school anyway with only the classrooms completed. Her plans for the hostel/dorms were postponed but alhamdulillah, has come to fruition with the help of many well-meaning sponsors.

It is Dadi’s vision that graduates of her school return to their respective villages and educate their people. This has already commenced with her first batch of students. It pleases me to see how hard some people are striving, quietly but determinedly, to improve the lives of those who are in need. Alhamdulillah, change has begun.

More in Part 2 in shaa Allah.

WITH SPICE!

A street vendor preparing challi with chilli and lime

Pic taken by my sister-in-law, E Wang

I think it is officially winter in Islamabad. We have awakened to cold, dreary mornings for two days in a row and we have been without our craft-while-we-sunbathe on the terrace for three.

Winters in Pakistan are a huge challenge… why?

• You get none of the pretty snow… just lots of cloud, cold air and rain. It is just as well given the amount of dust in this country. Any snow would start looking like grey sludge anyway!
• The houses are built to dispel heat (this country of extremes has sweltering summers, did I mention that?) so you have to contend with bone-chilling drafts. If you have asthma like I do, get your inhalers ready.
• There is no central heating system in most houses. Since electricity is expensive, gas heaters are the norm… they do get you warm and toasty, but you can’t leave them on for extended periods as you might run the risk of suffocation…
• You get huge amounts of laundry and mess what with the sweaters, jackets, thermal garments and such that get trotted out with the onset of the cold season. Since the sun is hardly ever out, they will either (a) end up smelling musty because they take forever to dry or (b) end up smelling smoky because you put them in front of the gas heaters to combat (a).

But ‘nuf said. It isn’t all bad here… We have it better than most, alhamdulillah. In terms of economics, this is also a country of extremes and I don’t have to remind myself of those worse off because they are around all the time.

So… I am not going to RESIGN myself to being content. I will make it a PRIORITY to celebrate the positive aspects of Pakistan :)

So here are the good things about life in Isloo…

• The cold makes pink tea all the more satisfying. If you don’t know what pink tea is, you have been seriously deprived! It is a brew of Kashmiri tea leaves and fragrant spices that has simmered for ages till it is attains a gorgeous deep colour and flavour. Add some milk, crushed almonds and sugar and you have just about the most delicious beverage this continent has produced.
• Load shedding… what’s that you say? Well, it is the monitoring of electric usage and shutting down certain electric loads or devices a certain threshold is reached/approached. Sounds a mouthful but for the common man, it just means “no electricity”. Wait a minute, you might say, how is that good? It took me a while to get used to it but it has really taught me to focus on the simpler things in life. When my elder daughter, Ms M, experienced her first power shutdown, she ran out of the house and delightedly yelled, “Look at the stars, Ummi. Look at the STARS!” We’ve learnt to slow down and to not rely on electronic gadgets too much. When we get load shedding in the day, we take our embroidery out and sit by the window or terrace. When it happens at night, we take the torches out and just enjoy each other’s company. Rather idyllic, I like to think :)
• Fabrics… this country is teeming with fabrics. In winter you get lovely karandi - a textured cloth much like linen - and in summer, vibrant lawns. There are beads, sequins, laces and ric rac galore! If you are a compulsive crafter like me, Pakistan is a great stop for supplies.
• Second-hand bookstores… I have found award-winning titles, encyclopaedias and lovely craft-books and magazines going for a song. If you are ever in F6 or F7, you will find me - fingers and abaya covered in dust - rummaging through the heaps of old books.

I could go on with this blog post, but I have more pressing matters to attend to… like my stitchery and my cup of… what else? … chai :)

I had made a vow more than two years ago to chronicle life in Pakistan with as much detail and colour as I could. The digi-cam went awry on me and, I confess, I got fed-up and left the matter. It is only now that I am leaving that I have been (frenetically) trying to recapture my life in Pakistan. My digi-cam went on the blink again, so much of what you see is stuff I’ve filched off my sister-in-law, who is more conscientious about keeping a desi journal. *S*

I thought I would write about glass bangles for a start - kanch ki choorian. Glassware and ornaments dating back to 800 BC have been found at various archaeological digs in South Asia. However, it was really under the Mughals that the art of glass engraving flourished. Today, bangles are an integral part of this continent’s culture. Slender and round, they are worn in the dozens, usually on the left hand since the right hand is for doing work.

My first experience with South Asian glass bangles was in Bombay (Mumbai) in 1997. I was on a 6-week backpacking trip across India - we travelled from Delhi, through several Rajasthani states, Bombay, Hyderabad, Kerala and Madras.

On our last day in Bombay, my travel companions and I explored the street bazaars. We were tempted by the pretty fabrics, sampled faluda and eventually stopped by an old lady’s stall. She had a lovely, if small, range.

One of my companions, Aiza, was interested in buying a set, but was afraid to try it on. She had had an accident earlier that day at the train station and had bruises all over her wrists and arms which were tender to the touch. The old lady insisted that she try them to get the best fit and showed her how to put the bangles on. She waved away Aiza’s protestations and gently guided the bangles up her hands and wrists. Aiza winced at first in anticipation of the pain, but then smiled in surprise - the lady had so expertly slid them on that she did not hurt her one bit!

In Pakistan, glass bangles are just as popular. I don’t wear them myself but, I admit, I did enjoy dressing up my girls with them on `Eid and hearing the musical tinkle as they shook their wrists. Bear shucked them off and scattered them all over the house once the novelty wore off, but Ms M took her bangles seriously and not a single one broke!

To some these choorian may seem gaudy and I used to think the same, but I have grown to have a better appreciation of them. In a country where the majority of the population struggle to put food on the table, henna and glass bangles may be the only affordable ornaments for weddings and `Eid. Carefully chosen and matched with the right outfit, they can really add a touch of grace and glamour. They come in a bedazzling array of colours - iridescent shades of rainbow, solid jewel tones, pearly pastels - and some are encrusted with gold and silver accents, beads and jhumkas. They are versatile accessories that can be worn with both traditional and modern wear.

I hope you enjoyed this little snippet… I’ll do another on our village trip next in shaa Allah.

My sister-in-law will chronicle more about life in Pakistan, so do visit her blog for more lovely pictures and write-ups.

You know what is really sickening? It is that at a time of affliction and suffering, some people have raised the prices of food, medicine, blankets, clothes and even shrouds.

Yes, you heard it…

Shrouds.

You know you are REALLY in Pakistan when you experience the following scenarios:

Me: “Urm… the water… do you think it is safe to use?”
K: “What’s wrong with it?”
Me: “I can’t even see the bottom of the pail.”
K: “Oh… it’s not dirty. It’s just… a little dusty.”

K: “Where are the side view mirrors? How do you expect me to drive like this?”
A: “Oh… it’s a long story…”
K: “This is so dangerous!”
A: “Well, one was kinda destroyed by a bus and the other got removed by a donkey cart…”