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
King of Pop Michael Jackson (1958-2009) Rest in Peace
We at PakTeaHouse join the rest of the world in mourning the passing of the King of Pop. For many of us, he was the only face of western music in Pakistan the 1980s. We grew up admiring him, trying to moonwalk like him and trying to scream like him. The King led a tormented life. May he rest in peace now. As for us, we were lucky to have lived in the era of the King … Read entire article »
Filed under: Music
Obituary:Kashmir Broadcasting Corporation
Stop Press: Kashmir Broadcasting Corporation suddenly suspended its satellite transmissions globally after one year of success broadcasting.This incident is most unfortunate and shows a lack of financial backing for independent TV in a climate of global recession.There was no official confirmation of this interruption. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Activism, culture, Democracy, drama, Education, Elections, Europe, History, human rights, Identity, Images, Imperialism, India, Islam, journalism, Justice, Kashmir, land, Languages, Left, Media, minorities, movements, Multinational Corporations, Music, Northern Areas, Pakistan, Partition, Philosophy, Politics, poverty, Punjabi, Religion, Reviews, Rights, Rural, Society, south asia, Taliban, Terrorism, Theatre, Travel, Urdu, video, violence, war, Women, Writers, youth
Songs for Pakistan
Zia Ahmad has sent this exclusive post for Pak Tea House. We also welcome him as an author at this blogzine. (Raza Rumi) Some time back I was watching a local TV show with a friend in which some utterly forgettable pop band was invited to play a patriotic song. Like the band itself, the ensuing song was utterly forgettable with the frequent done to death chants of “…choollaingay aasman” (something to do with touching the skies and breaking the sound barrier). The friend wondered aloud if there was any other country that produces patriotic songs so prolifically. We shared a chuckle and switched to some other channel. It is a fair possibility that there might be some other nation on this planet who expresses musical nationalistic fervour in such prodigious … Read entire article »
Poem: Waris Shah Vs Aitzaz Ahsan
by Bradistan Waris Shah Vs. Aitzaz Ahsan (In the Court of Supreme Judge ALLAH The Almighty) A Tribute to Late Amrita Pritam aaj aakhaaN Aitzaz nuuN aaj aakhaN AITZAZ AHSAN nuuN, kitoN Chamber vichchoN bol, te aaj kitab-e -Knoon daa koii aglaa varkaa phol ik Uthyaa sii Wada Kanoon Daan, tuuN likh likh maare Byaan, aaj SWAT DE Dhiyaan rondiaa, tainuN Aitzaz Ahsan nuN kahen Jaag dardmandaaN diaa dardiaa, Jaag Pakistani Jaag … Read entire article »
Filed under: Activism, ancient civilisations, Arts and Crafts, Citizens, culture, Democracy, Europe, Fiction, Heritage, History, human rights, Identity, India, Islam, Islamism, journalism, Justice, Languages, lawyers movement, Left, Literature, Love, Media, minorities, movements, Music, North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan, Philosophy, poetry, Politics, Punjabi, Religion, Rights, Rural, Society, south asia, Sufism, Taliban, Terrorism, youth
Pakistani singer Iqbal Bano dies
PTH expresses its deepest sorrow at the passing away of the legendary Iqbal Bani who shall never be forgotten and live through her music. RR M Ilyas Khan of BBC News reports as under: Renowned Pakistani singer Iqbal Bano died on Tuesday in the eastern city of Lahore aged 74…. Ms Bano was best known for her semi-classical Urdu ghazal songs and classical thumris, but also sang easy-listening numbers in 1950s films. Few singers of classical music matched the … Read entire article »
Interview:British-Pakistani Novelist Tariq Mehmood
UK Political Debate: Q & A with Tariq Mehmood Tariq Mehmood is a broadcaster, writer and filmmaker. His first two novels are both set in Bradford UK. He has published two illustrated books for children. Tariq co-directed the award winning documentary Injustice. He is the editor of Sangi, the only magazine in his mother tongue, Pothowari in UK. Tariq and Rock musician Aki Nawaz host the Political Show “The Point” in UK on sky satellite 836. Tariq is visiting Pakistan to cover current political situation. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Activism, Arts and Crafts, Books, Cinema, Citizens, culture, Democracy, Education, Europe, Fiction, Heritage, human rights, Identity, Images, India, Islam, Islamabad, journalism, Kashmir, Languages, Left, Literature, magazines, Media, minorities, movements, Music, New Writers, Pakistan, Politics, Religion, Society, south asia, Sufism, Travel, video, Writers, 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
Pakistan girl band creates a stir
By Syed Shoaib Hasan BBC News, Islamabad “We have been doing music together since we were six years old – as long as I can remember,” says Haniya Aslam, as her cousin Zeb (Zebunissa) Bangash sits beside her. “It started out as a fun thing at family functions. “Music was very much a part of our family set-up – my father was an aficionado and all my uncles could play an instrument. “Our grandmother was … Read entire article »
Tufail Niazi – Pakistan’s Greatest Folk Singer
Fawad Zakariya It was in my teens, almost 25 years ago, when I first heard Tufail Niazi singing “MeiN naiN jaaNa Kherian de naal” from Heer Waris Shah in that uniquely rustic and melodious but exceptionally virtuosic voice that has brought tears to my eyes many times over the years. Of all the wonderful music I grew up with (mostly because it was what my parents played in the house) this song … Read entire article »
The music of Baltistan is dying
By Aoun Sahi (for the NEWS) Wazir Himayat Hussain hails from the family of Wazirs of Khaplu, a district of northern areas of Pakistan. He has served in Radio Pakistan for 27 long years. These days he lives in Skardu, headquarter of Baltistan region. He remained associated with Balti language programmes much of the time during his service with Radio. His love for Balti music, started in 1976 when he visited his home city Khaplu as radio producer and recorded classical Balti music during a musical event. In 1980s he got an opportunity to work with renowned German researcher Dr Renate Sohenen on Balti Music. Later he also worked with some Japanese music researchers who visited the area to study Batli music. These days he is writing a book on classical … Read entire article »
Filed under: Arts and Crafts, Music, Northern Areas
Patti Smith's Tribute to Benazir Bhutto
by Shaheryar Ali “My Politics is mingled with poetry and Romance” “I have learned politics from Rivers” Zulfikar Ali Bhutto I am daughter of Indus, I am daughter of Taxila, I am an heir of this 5000 years old civilization Benazir Bhutto “Mein Baghi hoon, Mein Baghi hoon”, “I am a Rebel” Benazir Bhutto [reciting a poem to millions who came to greet her at Lahore in 86] Bhuttos were strange people, they became myths in their lives, like the Nehrus, Allendes, Nasirs, Arafats, they … Read entire article »
Filed under: Benazir Bhutto, culture, Democracy, dynasties, History, Music, Pakistan, Politics
"Musheer" Video- when music articulates politics
by Raza Rumi A group of young firebrand revolutionaries – alas what an alien word it has become these days – has created this fabulous music video. The inspiration is a poem by Habib Jalib called “Musheer” (advisor) that Jalib composed as a satire against Hafiz Jalandari during Ayub Khan’s era. As the man on the guitars, Taimur Rahman says, “It is equally valid today”. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPsr1RnEfWo] The vocalist is ”comrade” Shahram Azhar and Mrs Rahman is in the background. Of course the trio are activists of the Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party. Taimur Khan helped them produce it. I must say that Shahran’s voice is quite soothing. At least the Left is not dead in Pakistan – we need plural voices against neo-liberalism for an egalitarian and more just Pakistan. A detailed introduction is below: … Read entire article »
Filed under: Left, movements, Music, Pakistan, Politics, video, youth
Pakistani musicians in NWFP long for better times
Things are likely to change for Zareen Gul…? Read this story from the Daily Times. Zareen Gul sits on the floor of his small recording studio in the Pakistani city of Peshawar and complains that he feels like a criminal for wanting to make music. A dusty computer and several recording machines are stacked on racks in his two-room Shama Recording Studio in the city’s busy Khyber Bazaar but nothing is switched on. Gul, who … Read entire article »
Filed under: culture, Islamism, Media, Music, Peshawar, Society
Recent Comments