Civilizations (Mirrors of Our Existence)
From years of our travel We look back Upon these civilizations, From years of adventure We look back Upon these civilizations From days of our inheritance The lands and its cultures The old forms of languages The mystery of Universe The old journey taken By humans and nature together As they traverse From place one to another, In harmony and disarray As we born and die From on to another, As we love and hate The old circumstances And situation, intertwined Through languages and its art, The trails, lost and visible As we look back Upon these civilizations The … Read entire article »
Filed under: ancient civilisations, Architecture, Arts and Crafts, culture, Dance, drama, dynasties, Heritage, History, Identity, Languages, Law, Literature, movements, Music, musings, Nature, Philosophy, Physics, poetry, Politics, psychology
Bollywood,Reality TV and Indian secularism
Bradistan Calling Indian TV has seen numerous Bollywood reality shows, competition where common boys (and occasionally girls) have won places on movies by top directors. The Show that I want to talk about is Bollywood, blind-date and arranged (and staged) marriage all rolled into one big media circus. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Activism, Arts and Crafts, Cinema, Citizens, culture, Dance, drama, Heritage, History, human rights, Humor, Identity, Images, India, Islamism, Kashmir, magazines, Media, men, minorities, Music, Pakistan, Partition, Politics, poverty, Punjabi, Religion, Rights, Rural, sex, south asia, Terrorism, Theatre, Women, youth
VIVA LA BRADISTAN MELA
THIS IS BRADISTAN (courtesy Daily Times - this article was first published.Sir Cam was the Guest columnist for Bradistan from Mela 2003.Dil Nawaz’s comments and updates for2008 will appear within brackets 2009 Mela will be held on weekend of 13th and 14th of June 2009) Here in was a mighty fusion of cultures: Eastern, Western, English, Pakistani, Indian, African, Arab and others — a potpourri of sounds, smells, and sights … Read entire article »
Filed under: Arts and Crafts, Cinema, Citizens, culture, Dance, drama, Europe, Heritage, History, Humor, Identity, Images, Imperialism, India, Islam, Languages, Literature, Media, minorities, Pakistan, Photos, poetry, Politics, Punjabi, Reviews, Society, south asia, Sufism, Theatre, Travel, video, youth
Guardian Article: The seeds of resentment
Aki Nawaz PTH: Aki Nawaz is the Front- man in British Rock band FUN<DA<MENTAL.The article ( coutesy Guardian UK) is re-published,continuing the debate on Racism in UK. Just as multiculturalism failed and died, so will the concepts of integration and diversity. Ruth Kelly’s new commission is, frankly, absurd. In these desperate times, it registers zero on the priority list of important steps needed to create understanding. Bigger steps need to be taken towards acknowledging that the government and its mismanaged Muslim representatives are living far away from the reality of emotion of the communities. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Activism, Al Qaeda, Citizens, Colonialism, culture, Dance, Democracy, History, human rights, Identity, Images, Imperialism, India, Islam, Islamism, journalism, Left, Media, minorities, movements, Music, New Writers, Pakistan, Politics, poverty, Religion, Rights, Society, Taliban, Terrorism, USA, violence, war, youth
Will India Accept Zardari’s Olive Branch?
President Zardari’s Peace formula for india and Pakistan The PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT under President Zardari started peace initiatives with India taking tentative steps to liberalise Trade and tourism with India. Zardari send delegations comprising of Civil society SAFMA,PIPFPD and HRCP members for back-channel diplomacy with India after 26/11 terrorist attacks. Zardari’s live webcast (his firstever) with english speaking Internet users in India and coining terms like “we are all half Indian/half Pakistani” was very optimistic. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Activism, Benazir Bhutto, Citizens, culture, Dance, Democracy, dynasties, Heritage, History, Identity, Islam, Islamism, magazines, Media, minorities, Pakistan, Politics, south asia, Travel, UAE, USA
Ifti Nasim: Muslim and Gay?
By Bradistan Calling Ifti Nasim also known as Iftikhar Nasim is a pioneering Pakistani gay poet who now lives in the U.S. He has written many books of poetry in Urdu and English languages. He has also written prose in both languages. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Activism, Arts and Crafts, Books, culture, Dance, Identity, men, minorities, Pakistan, Politics, Rights, sex, Urdu, USA, Writers
Int'l Performing Arts Fest Spotlights Liberal Pakistan
By Beena Sarwar (IPS) LAHORE, Nov 18 (IPS) – Some 370 foreign actors, musicians, dancers and puppeteers have defied the warnings of their friends, families and governments to participate in an international performing arts festival in Lahore, cultural capital of the world’s `most dangerous country’. The privately organised 12th World Performing Arts Festival, Nov 13- 23, showcases Pakistani and international dance, theatre, film, music, and puppetry in the largest such event in the region. This is the 26th international festival organised by the Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop (RPTW), a group launched in Karachi in the early 1980s by the family of the late Rafi Peer, the Germany- educated `grand old man’ of modern Pakistani theatre who died in 1974. His youngest sons, twins Faizaan and Sadaan, started out with puppet and theatre performances in Karachi. In 1992, they organised the first international festival in their native … Read entire article »
Filed under: Citizens, culture, Dance, drama, Pakistan, Society
Struggling to dance
By Beena Sarwar An evening of classical dance at the Arts Council Auditorium, Karachi was a moving tribute to young, upcoming dancers — and most of all, to Sheema Kermani Sheema Kermani shines through her students. At an evening of classical dance in Karachi on May 24, she performed and showcased the work of sixteen students, ranging from newcomers to experienced dancers. The end of the over-two hour long ‘Jugalbandi’ that juxtaposed dance styles on one platform, drew sustained applause and a standing ovation from much of the audience filling the Arts Council Auditorium to its 500-strong capacity. It was a moving tribute to young, upcoming dancers — and most of all, to Sheema Kirmani for her lifelong dedication as a teacher, creativity as a choreographer and as a dancer herself. … Read entire article »
Pakistan: Maha Shivratri festivities at Katas Raj Temple
Thousands of Hindu pilgrims are expected to attend this event in Katas, located un the Punjab province of Pakistan. “Maha Shivratri falls on the 13th (or 14th) day of the dark half of ‘Phalgun’ (February-March). The event marks the night when lord Shiva performed the Tandav dance (the dance of destruction).” “Maha Shivratri means the night of Shiva, and ceremonies are pre-arranged chiefly at night time. Maha Shivratri is the night on which lord Shiva and Parvati … Read entire article »
Filed under: Dance, India, minorities, Pakistan, Religion, Society
Dr. Enver Sajjad – An Enigmatgic Icon
temporal The first ever-commissioned play to be telecast in the subcontinent in November 1964 was written by Enver Sajjad. He was bestowed with Pride of Performance in 1989 for his valuable work in literature. And he got the ECO Award of Excellence 2004 in history, literature and culture. His screenplay are so deftly written that a prolific writer like Ashfaq Ahmed once confessed that he learned to write screenplay from Enver Sajjad I was at Riaz Rafi’s studio apartment one evening. Rafi as he likes to be called is an artist with a nagging conscience. I was in the midst of doing an in-depth profile of him. (project shelved indefinitely–cannot get permission to use some quotes.) … Read entire article »
Filed under: Arts and Crafts, Books, Dance, Fiction, Karachi, Literature, Theatre
segueing slogans of the year that was (2007)
by temporal in forms and flavours — none tasty, it descends for the thief of baghdad it was sudden blackness amidst shouts of allah o akbar for the feudal daughter of sind shouts of ji’yay bhutto reverberated between shots between denial implosions …………………and self explosions cremations and burials life collected shards of dreams conscience shriveled, hope sighed and …………………..lucifer danced slogans segued colours of death —parched brown, uranium tipped gray hopeless-muddy in waters of oceans ………………….and rivers and the kids played with their broken tonka trucks … Read entire article »
Filed under: Dance, Democracy, Islam, Justice, Languages, Literature, Politics, World
"Arts Pakistan" – a place to visit
by Raza Rumi The art world of Pakistan is not given the attention it deserves. But amends are being made. Arts Pakistan, or Artspak, is a recently developed website, with an exclusive collection of videos, paintings and photographs that depicts the country’s vibrant art scene. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Arts and Crafts, Dance, Pakistan, Photos, Theatre
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