Published in February's Newsline

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My article published in Newsline last month on the ban on Indian films

A thoroughly disappointing experience

Roasters has been around for a while now and though it has never been my favourite joint, primarily because I have always found its service slow, I have never had reason to complain about its food -- until my last visit this month. The deterioration in its food quality was shocking -- the food was largely cold and tasteless -- and the service was even more pathetic than I remembered it. When I complained to the waiter about the cold food, instead of doing something about it, he merely stared at me as if he couldn't believe what he had heard. Not only were the entrees cold, even the molten lava cake, which is always served straight out of the oven when it is at its gooey best, was cold and hard. And the waiters not only wore a nonchalant demeanour they were amused by our complaints, which was very irritating. I normally refrain from using any platform to air just negative views and whenever I review a restaurant I always present both its positive and negative sides, if any, but this time I have been so upset by their attitude that I have not been able to resist making my disgust public!

The Baron, Karbala -- A review

   On our recent visit to Karbala we stayed at the newly opened five-star hotel, The Baron. The Baron is the only five-star hotel in Karbala, and I can predict that it will start a new trend here to cater to the needs of those pilgrims who don't like to sacrifice their comfort no matter where they are, and in a matter of years there will be many such hotels, just like they have sprouted up in Mecca.
   However, for the time being no hotel comes close to The Baron in terms of the sheer luxury and facilities it offers. I have to say my only regret was we couldn't stay there longer, for our trip was too short and most of it was spent visiting shrines with little time to really enjoy its many comforts. However, having said that, I must admit that it was a great relief when we would come back exhausted from our pilgrimage at night, to find a luxuriously cosy bed, hot shower and clean towels waiting for us. The fact that there is a shuttle service to and from the hotel every half hour ferrying hotel guests back and forth from the pilgrimage site, is another great boon, especially when you are exhausted and not in the mood for a minimum 15-minute walk.
   With five restaurants overlooking their sprawling lawns and catering to cuisines ranging from Pakistani to Lebanese and from fast-food to Persian and Italian, and one within the hotel building where buffet breakfast is served, the hotel is not only providing an option to travellers for high-end boarding and lodging but also for dining that is a cut above the rest in the city. Not surprisingly, the restaurants have already become popular with drop-in clients.
   With modern rooms complete with free wifi and all necessary toiletries, not to mention the all-essential and often missing amenity of a kettle and tea bags and coffee satches; spacious, elegant lounges; gym and indoor swimming-pool facilities -- of course with separate hours for males and females -- The Baron seems to be on the right track. It also has a hamam and sauna facilities that is not in operation yet, but will hopefully be soon.
   But that is not to say that there are no teething problems in this five-month old hotel. The service needs to be improved and more waiters who understand English need to be hired so that they can understand what their guests want from them. And I wish someone would explain to the chef that a cheese omelette doesn't mean sprinkling cheese on top of the egg, rather than inside it. Housekeeping too needs to have a manager overseeing it, to ensure that used towels, bathmats, etc are replaced.
   In the larger scheme of things though, these are trivial matters that time and experience should be able to sort out.

Review of Priori eye serum

Okay, so I have been using this amazing product that I simply have to write about. I don't like to review anything unless I have experienced it first-hand, and since I have been using this serum for two weeks now, I feel quite confident endorsing it.  The beauty product I refer to is a smoothing eye serum, from the Priori range which specialises in anti-aging.

I must admit dabbing it lightly around the eyes every morning after a shower, just before moisturising the rest of my face, and every night when preparing for bed, I was not quite sure what I had expected would happen. Have my crows feet disappear, perhaps? Or if not disappear then at least not progress any more? Well, in all honesty, I don't think that either happened in these two weeks. However, one thing has certainly happened -- the shadows  under my eyes have practically disappeared. Anyone who knows me will vouch for the fact that my shadows were so deep that I looked like someone had given me two black eyes. Not only that, the skin around the eyes stays soft, smooth and supple through the day, though I hardly dab a miniscule amount on it in the morning. I'm  going to see if it's prolonged use does any other wonders, but so far so good. Give it a try, guys!

My travelogue published in Social Diary

My published travel piece on my recent visit to the northern areas of Pakistan

A spiritual experience within a physical exercise -- part 1

They say that only those perform Haj who are privileged to be invited by Him to His house. There is no dearth of stories of people who reach Mecca and yet are not able to perform this rigorous physical and spiritual ritual; that thought alone was enough to fill me with trepidation and dread when I finally embarked last month on this journey along with my husband. What if I fall ill, and can't do it? What if there's an accident? What if...

And so much did happen this Haj -- so many disasters that put paid to the plans and good intentions of the huge number of pilgrims, as they embarked on what turned out to be their last journey. But, mercifully, God was more than kind to both of us. I couldn't have asked for more. Not only did we manage to fulfil all our obligations in complete health and with relative ease, but we also became such great friends with some Pakistanis settled in different parts of the world that it made the entire experience a lot of fun.

So here's a diary of sorts that I maintained while at Haj:

14th sept - we left in the morning as we had to report three hours early for our noon flight. Flight was delayed a little, and we waited in the business class lounge till boarding. We met up with Sadiqa, the first member of what was to late become our motley group, and for whom my husband had agreed to pose as a mehram (a Saudi requirement that a male relative must accompany a young woman on pilgrimage) as she was travelling by herself.  When we reached Dubai, we said our prayers and did our niyats as guided by the maulana accompanying us. Our connecting flight was an Airbus A 380 - a massive aircraft . We lucked out as we got superb seats -- bulk head. Our luck didn't end there;when we landed in Jeddah the three of us were taken in a bus carrying pilgrims that had signed up for the executive package, to the VIP lounge where we sat in an air-conditioned environ and partook of tea, water and snacks and could use clean toilets. Hence, we never experienced the long and tiring wait in the heat at the airport that we had been warned about by all our friends. What's more, while there, we were asked to identify our bags in the luggage area, and discovered that in our absence everyone had been made to forcefully take polio drops even though they had certification of having taken the same prior to departure -- so we missed this discomfort as well! 
Next, we were transported in a freezing, air-conditioned bus and reached the hotel only to find Lady Luck was really smiling down on us -- we had been upgraded to Fairmont hotel although initially we had been told we would be in Swissotel. Not that the latter was of a lower standard, but the advantage of Fairmont was that the wifi worked there whereas it didn't in Swissotel -- as Sadiqa learnt to her chagrin. Our bathroom had a shower as well as a tub -- which I discovered most rooms didn't have and which turned out be a boon for soaking our tired feet -- and we also had a room with a view -- overlooking the haram -- so we could plant ourselves in front of the window and offer our prayers in direct view, something that women frequently didn't get to do even if they were in the haram, as they would mostly be relegated to an area that just overlooked a wall.
  As by the time we had all checked in it was around 2.30 am our moallim decided that we should do umra the following morning since there wasn't enough time to perform all the rites before fajr prayers. It turned out to be a wise decision as we were all tired and it would probably have been pushing ourselves too much had we stuck to our original plan of doing umrah in the night.

So the next day, which was also my birthday, we had an early breakfast and left for performing umrah. Just as I got a call from a friend wishing me happy birthday I came in full view of the Khana Kaaba so that instead of concentrating on making my wishes I was left with my attention divided! We performed umrah as a group and though it was very hot it was not overly crowded and we performed it with relative ease. I stayed on at the haram to offer my Zohar prayers but got place outside, as the women's section had got full by then. Exhausted, we mustered enough strength to go to the huge store, Bin Dawood, located in the Clock Tower where our hotel was also situated, to pick up a few things. After soaking our feet in the tub, we went off to have lunch at the food court - shawarma and fresh juices. Then showered and slept for a while.

We got up in time to offer our Asr prayers but again got space only outside the hotel in the walkway leading to the haram. Although it was my birthday we were so tired that we decided to just go for the buffet dinner at the hotel, which was part of our package. Pilgrims booked with other tour operators but staying at the Clock Tower also had their dinners at our hotel so my friend Rainie who was there also joined us. After dinner our tour operators had arranged for a Dua at the top-most level of the haram so we attended it and then came back and slept. 

On the 16th we went for ziarat of gaar e soar, gaar e Hira and the graveyard where Rasool Allah's family including his uncle Hazrat Abu Talib, and his son Qasim and others are buried. Although a gated cemetery where only special people were allowed to enter, the walls had openings through which we could see the desolate graves within, and offer our fatehas.
We came back and went for lunch at the hotel's high end restaurant with Rainie, and Sadiqa who had by then become our adopted daughter -- my husband had discovered at Dubai airport that she was the same age as our daughter, had two kids like our daughter, and had been married as long as she had, so had promptly shed all his inhibitions and begun to tease her relentlessly to which she would respond with due spunk -- to celebrate my birthday. After lunch we went for tawaaf where two other ladies, Marzia and Shehla who we had become friendly with -- both from Australia -- joined us. We managed to not only do tawaaf for everyone but also give bosa to the kaaba. Offered asr prayers in the haram. Also both times did our tawwaf within maqam e ibrahim and also touched it this day and saw the qadam. Sadiqa and I stayed back to say our Duas and sat in the tawwaf area to do it till we were shooed away. Came back to hotel, showered and sat on Facebook and then offered Namaz in room from where there is a clear view of the Kaaba. Ate dinner at hotel and went with moallim for ziarat.

Another fun article written five years ago!

A serenade to devotion

 By Shanaz Ramzi

Those living on or off Zamzama Boulevard or in Phase V, Defence Authority, Karachi, will tell you ‘It’s that time of the year again!’ and there won’t be one resident of these areas who will not know what the person is talking about.

Come end of August and one begins to wait with bated breath for it to happen – all wondering ‘will he or won’t he’? And then a sigh of relief – as one sees the now familiar banners all over the streets, unabashedly declaring undying love and devotion for his beloved.

First time we spotted the ‘Love is…’ banners some ten years ago, I remember most of us had laughed and had thought that it was a vulgar display of one’s affections. They were colourful square banners with the ‘love is…’ cartoon characters made on them, each banner saying something soppy – and at least five different varieties of them. They were restricted not just to the main boulevard and streets, but followed a set path, going all the way, down the lanes, presumably right up to the doorway of the recipient of these overpowering emotions.

The next year, when we saw the same banners displayed again, we were surprised and even tickled that there had been no letting up in the intensity of Casanova’s love – for most of us are sure that these could only be the work of a man. Soon we forgot about them – only to be reminded of the special day, the following year. We marveled at the perseverance of the man and began to wonder at the relationship between the two – was he her husband, father, boyfriend or were they just good friends?

After five years of this continued routine, we began to derive a certain sense of comfort from the familiar sight of these banners adorning the streets at the same time every year. If nothing else, it reflected a certain steadfastness in this person’s affection. The next few years reinforced this sense of security, particularly in the women of our area – love can be there to stay after all!

In fact, if anything, his love seems to be growing every year. Last year, for instance, our Casanova went a step further in his display of everlasting adoration. He had cute booklets called Book of Love especially printed and deposited in the mail boxes of some of the residents of the area – probably of those residing in the immediate vicinity of his beloved’s house.

And this year he has had special red envelopes printed, revealing the birth date – at least one mystery has been solved! – August 29, stating ‘On this special day…’ with a teddy bear printed on it in white. Inside are two stickers displaying the same teddy-bear on them with the saying ‘I’ll always be there for you’, and a booklet with cute bear pictures and comments – such as ‘Even when we don’t see eye to eye, we’re always heart to heart’ and ‘Always on my mind, forever in my heart’!  It also has a poem entitled Secrets of my heart – which seems to have been written by our mystery man, but the enigma of his identity is all the more magnified after reading the poem. The banners are different too – instead of the usual ‘love is…’ ones, they have a teddy bear made on them with same saying on all of them ‘Everything that is important to me I find in you’.

Many are of the opinion that the object of this devoted love is a child – that it is not possible for anyone, no matter how crazed, to shower one so openly with affection in a conservative society such as ours. Many cynics are of the opinion that he is a crackpot who has an extremely flamboyant way expressing his feelings, while some feel that he has too much money to squander and it is just a big joke. Maybe so, but one must grant the man credit for his perseverance and commitment.

Having toyed with the idea of writing about these banners for the past few years, the only reason for not getting down to doing it earlier was the conviction that it was a passing whim of a deeply infatuated soul. But time has proved otherwise. And these all too familiar banners seem to be having a pleasing effect on many of the residents of the area. One can’t help but feel that the joy of all those who have read these banners over the years deserves to be shared with others too – particularly in this tenth year of celebration.

I know one thing is for sure – the banners stay almost up till my birthday and come pretty close to the street where I live – so I get a kick out of them every year – probably as much as the actual recipient of these favours!

A mad hatters' Holiday

This article was published in Dawn five years ago. Thought I would share it with you'll as I had really enjoyed writing it.

A mad-hatters’ holiday

By Shanaz Ramzi

Winning a ticket to Dubai recently was a major incentive for me to organize a short fun trip with my friends, Ayesha and Zareen. With Ayesha already geared to spend a week with her family in Dubai en route to London, it took no time at all to motivate Zareen to accompany us on the expedition, if I may use the word.

Leaving Ayesha’s husband, Imran, to handle the more mundane details for us, such as booking a hotel apartment in a prime tourist area, Dera, near Al-Gurair, and stocking it up in time for our arrival, Zareen and I joined their family after a couple of days. With almost five days at our disposal, we had decided to pack as much action into them as possible – which started much earlier than we had bargained for. For, breezing through Dubai airport formalities, the two of us were whisked off, along with Ayesha, to Zareen’s sister-in-law’s (unknown as Bibi to all and sundry) abode for lunch, where Zareen discovered to her horror that she had walked off with someone else’s suitcase from the ramp! Zareen being Zareen – she is notorious in our group for committing bloopers – no one was really surprised. What was funny though was her reaction once she had got over her initial shock. She realized that she had actually succeeded in opening in before it had dawned on her that she had made a mistake – were far more impressive than her own and merrily suggested that she might just keep the bag, and forget about her own.

Jokes aside, we left in a panic for the airport, wondering if the owner of the bag had also been dim-witted enough to walk off with the wrong suitcase, an idea that Ayesha rejected outright. She proved to be right, for Zareen’s suitcase was lying at the airport, patiently waiting for us.

The mix-up sorted out, we were once again on our way. This time we went straight to the apartment that Ayesha’s family had already been occupying for a couple of days, and freshened up. Ready to paint the town red, we then set off for Wafi Centre, a shopping mall with a difference. Unlike the numerous malls dotting Dubai’s landscape, which tend to be like most other sophisticated concrete and steel structures found anywhere in the world, Wafi stands out for its exceptional décor and shops boasting a fascinating display. We happily whiled away a couple of hours in the mall, window-shopping for the most part, and appreciating the aesthetically decorated outlets, each a visual treat. Beginning with the quintessentially Arab tent in the centre of the mall, to the Egyptian pyramids and stone statues for the pharaohs at the hotel entrance in Wafi City, the area has plenty to attract and retain a tourist’s attention.

Ending the day with the last show of Spider Man, the latest Hollywood blockbuster, we came home, only to stay up a good part of the night, half of us chatting away, and the other trying to get some sleep in all the racket.

The next morning, we began the day by getting ourselves organised for the remaining four days of our holiday. After ensuring that we had at least one fun activity to do – other than shopping – every day, and making the necessary bookings, we left to locate Karama Centre, a shopping area that we had been told had unbeatable prices. Trust Pakistanis to dig out bargain centres, for sure enough, when we did finally find the place, it turned out to be worth the effort, what with children’s clothes and ladies’ shoes available at amazingly low prices. One word of caution though, never pay the asking price at this centre for bargaining is the order of the day here.

After spending a fruitful morning shopping, we went off to the Golden fork for lunch. Offering the most scrumptious grilled prawns imaginable, the food at the restaurant is as economical as it is enjoyable. Our energies restored, we made our way to the Engine Souk in Sharjah, an interesting shopping centre that seems to be generally overlooked by visitors, in the maze of the modern malls that overtaken Dubai. With shops selling gold jewellery, pure silver items and indigenous handicrafts from various countries, it has a lot of unusual items to offer, rarely seen in the fancier malls.

For the eveni9ng we had scheduled a visit to Burj-ul-Arab, the relatively new hotel on an island that has become not just the talk of the town, but of all tourists visiting Dubai. There was such a myth surrounding its entrance charges and we had been told by so many that it cost a phenomenal amount – something as ridiculous as $200 – just to enter the place that we were determined to find out for ourselves.

Mercifully, the cover charges, though high, are relatively affordable. One pays 100 dirhams to enter the hotel, and can spend the day there, exploring the beaches and partaking of snacks or meals. Since the cover charges are non-refundable it is advisable to eat to your heart’s content – or to the tune of a 100 dirhams, to be precise. As it was, we were five of us visiting the place, but even after gorging on a large variety of snacks, could not bring our bill anywhere close to 500 dirhams. Ultimately, our host, Bibi, landed up buying an exorbitant tie for her husband, for which she had to pay an additional amount, just to utilize the cover charges!

So much for the entrance fees, the hotel is definitely worth a visit. With architecture that is truly distinct and interior décor that is ornate to say the least – with bright blues, red and gold abounding – one can’t but find the hotel fascinating.

After a tour of the many restaurants harboured in the hotel, and plenty of photographs, we headed for home. But the night was still young, and we decided that we had not had enough of Golden Fork’s prawns. So back again we went, to eat the night away!

Day three was an exciting one for us as we had booked ourselves for a safari in the afternoon. So after spending the morning at City Centre, probably the largest and most popular of the shopping malls, and eating a light lunch of succulent hot-dogs at the Ikea outlet there, we came home to change for the evening. The only one in the group of nine that had any experience of what we were about to face, I thoroughly enjoyed the roller-coaster ride up and down the sand dunes at break-neck speed, since I was mentally prepared for it. The others, of course, went through what I had felt the first time – excitement and sheer terror!

We had to go in two vans as no more than six passengers can be accommodated in each, so the teenagers separated themselves from us. One must hand it over to the expertise of the wadi-bashers that they boldly ascend the crest of the dunes without a flicker of an eyelash and calmly control their four wheelers, while many of their passengers are shrieking at the top of their voices, and some are even feeling sick. Of course, there are those rare moments when a van does face problems surmounting a dune, but drivers invariably manage to overcome all odds and with most safaris comprising quite a few vans, help is always not too far.

A thoroughly memorable experience, the safari is highly recommended if you want a real taste of Dubai and don’t suffer from any back problems or motion sickness. Do your homework before you book yourself with any company because the rate vary and you could wind up paying as much as 100 dirhams extra per person, depending on who you have booked with. All offer the same facilities, more or less.

For instance, all vans stop every now and then at sites that present a picturesque view of the dunes and allow you photo opportunity. One of the stops is at a camel farm, where westerners get their kicks from watching these ‘strange’ animals from a close range. The ride culminates at an Arab tent in the middle of the dessert, where all passengers get off to be greeted by courteous Arabs, offering everyone dates and kawa. Unlike the Pakistani version of kawa, this one is not made out of tea leaves, but from coffee leaves. For those who wish to take camel rides, there are gaily decorated calems waiting to oblige, while the more adventurous go dune surfing.

Not interested in either, some of us decided to have henna applied on our palms – another attraction in Dubai – and then sat down to enjoy a quintessentially Arab barbeque buffet. The highlight of the evening for many is the last entertainment item – the belly dance. A truly scintillating performance, the dancer succeeded in pulling most of the participants on to the floor to join her gay abandon, finally calling it a night, at least for most participants. Not so for us, for, still full of energy, we went off to eat ice cream, and chatted into the wee hours of the morning.

With our vacation almost coming to an end – we were leaving the next day – everyone wanted to desperately finish their shopping, so after a magnificent brunch provided by Ayesha’s sister-in-law, we spent our fourth day hopping from one mall to another. We had kept an Indian movie as our entertainment for the day so we watched the late, late show of Meri yaar ki shaadi hai.

All good things have to come to an end and so did our holiday. We spent the morning of the fifth day packing, and on discovering that we still had place, shopped some more! Since going on a holiday is somehow synonymous with going on an eating binge, we went off to a thali restaurant for lunch, after which we bade Dubai au-revoir and set off for the airport.

my article on Umer Marvi published in Heritage mag

aSerenade to a dead breed

By Shanaz Ramzi

      One often reads tales of passionate and everlasting love between a man and a woman. In most cases, these legendary couples are no more than mythical figures – creations of folk lore, greatly romanticised over time. But sometimes, these romances are based on real stories, and so amazing are they, and so seemingly fairytale-like the protagonists, that it becomes difficult to believe that such people actually existed. One such story is that of Umar Marvi.

   According to Sindhi history, Marvi was a young and beautiful girl living in a village called Bhalwa, close to Umerkot. Hired-hands at farms by profession, her family was poor, but Marvi was a happy soul who loved her life, her village, and the people all around her.

   As the story goes, an orphan boy, Phog, lived with Marvi’s family, and attracted by her beauty, wished to marry her. But, Marvi’s heart was already given to another – Khet, her handsome, young fiancé who lived in a neighbouring village, and reciprocated her feelings. Depressed at being rejected, Phog left for Umerkot to seek his fortune, and found employment with Umer Soomro. In those days, Sindh had its capital at Umerkot and was ruled by Umer Soomro who was renowned for his justice, as much as for his appreciation of beauty.  

   One day Umer Soomro learnt of Marvi’s great beauty from Phog and decided to see for himself if she was indeed, as exquisite as she was made out to be. So, disguised as an ordinary villager, he went to Marvi’s village, and came upon her as she was drawing water from a well for her goats. Needless to say, the minute Umer set eyes on Marvi, he was smitten by her beauty. He asked her for some water, and as she poured it into his palms, he stood transfixed, the water spilling through his fingers. The well still exists, and is now famous as ‘Marvi jo khooh’, in memory of the day that the ruler of Umerkot fell in love with the village girl, Marvi.

   Umer returned to his home and from there began to try and woo Marvi by sending her expensive gifts and jewels. However, she refused all his overtures, and he soon realized that he was making no headway with her. Finally, frustrated and no longer able to restrain himself, he forcibly abducted her from her village, and rode off with her on his camel to his palace in Umerkot.

   So how, one may well ask, is this tale any different from the countless ones we see in Indian films, and how is Umer any different from the many feudal lords who cannot take no for an answer? The difference lies in both Umer’s and Marvi’s characters. Umer kept Marvi with loving care, showering her with every imaginable comfort in the hope that she would appreciate him for who he was – a man head-over-heels in love with her. At no point did he try to force himself upon her, as he wanted to win her over through love and not coercion. There are few instances today, and indeed, in history, of men displaying the kind of honour, integrity and respect that Umer showed Marvi.

   Marvi, on the other hand, was as resolute as they come. She was steadfast in her refusal of all luxuries bestowed upon her; loyal to her fiancé, and yearned for her village and her simple, happy life. So depressed did she become at being separated from her beloved hometown that she refused to change her clothes even though they had become tattered, or wash her hair, lest she lost the lingering perfume of her village that remained on her person.   

   Finally, Umer realized that Marvi was a lost cause. Nothing he could do or get for her could take the place of what she had been made to leave behind. As this truth dawned on him, the rebuffed ruler gracefully accepted his defeat, covered her hair respectfully with a ‘chadar’, and let her return home. So rarely does one come across a man of Umer’s standing who is willing to take the kind of rejection he did, and eventually sacrifice the object of his love and desire, that the famous Sindhi poet, Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, who has written poems narrating the famous love stories from Sindh and Punjab, such as Heer Ranjha and Sohni Mahiwal, made an exception in the title of the poem about Marvi and Umer, by placing the name of the male protagonist before the female one, as a tribute to such exemplary decency.

   But Marvi’s woes were not yet over. When she returned to her beloved village, she found that her chastity had been cast in doubt and she was being looked upon by one and all as a ravaged girl, who should be despised.

   When, try as she would, Marvi could not succeed in convincing everyone that she was as pure and untouched as she had been the day she had been picked up by Umer, she decided to take the ultimate test of integrity traditionally accepted by her people – walking on hot coals. The belief was that if a person was making an honest claim, nothing would happen to them even if they walked over burning coals, while if the claim was false, the soles of the feet would bear testimony to the lie by getting blisters.

   Marvi took the test and emerged unscathed, proving beyond doubt that she was every bit as chaste as she claimed to be, and that she had displayed exemplary loyalty and love for her people. Today, her name is as synonymous with commitment and love for one’s homeland, as Umer’s is for decency and true love.         

   

my article on Nisar Bazmi published in Heritage mag

The maestro lives on
By Shanaz Ramzi


   Speak to any Pakistani movie buff who watched and enjoyed local
movies from the fifties right through to the late seventies, and they are sure to rave to you about the music of the time. And while praising the ditties they are just as likely to mention the name of maestro Nisar Bazmi, who was responsible for immortalizing many a song.
   Born in 1924 in India, Bazmi had no musical background, hailing from a conservative family, but harboured a keen interest in music, which was recognized by one of his teachers. He managed to convince his father to send him to Bombay to learn music, and there he caught the attention of the prominent musician, Khan Saheb Aman Ali Khan who taught him music. Just 13 at the time, Bazmi quickly mastered the various ragas and musical instruments, taking all music lessons to heart.
   Launching his musical career in Bombay in 1937-38 as a playback
singer, Bazmi began his illustrious career with singing a couple of
songs for a small-time comedian called Mannan who appeared in action
movies. Almost simultaneously, Bazmi also became a casual singer on AIR
(All India Radio), Bombay, where he was paid Rs 15 per programme –
regarded as a substantial enough remuneration in those days.
  It was at AIR that Bazmi came in contact with Dinkar Rao, its chief
music director and orchestra arranger, who was also an accomplished
flautist. Rao took an instant liking to the budding singer and at his
behest the young Bazmi joined AIR in 1940 as a permanent staff artiste
for the princely salary of Rs 150 a month. Here began Bazmi’s informal
training and he started learning orchestra arrangements and
compositional techniques from Rao, who willingly shared his knowledge
and experience with his pupil.
   In 1944, Bazmi got his first independent assignment when he was asked to compose music for a musical play, ‘Nadir Shah Durrani’ for AIR. All the songs of the play became hits. So impressed was a film producer when he heard them that he immediately signed Bazmi for his next film ‘Jamna Paar’ which was released in 1946. From then, till 1962 when Bazmi migrated to Pakistan, he had composed music for 28 released movies -- there was also a substantial number that was released after his migration. Although most of them were low-budget films, he had the opportunity to work with some big names of Bollywood such as Aasha Bhosle, Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Anand Bakshi.
   However, it was after he came to Pakistan that Bazmi came into his own. The first film he recorded songs for was ‘Aisa Bhi Hota Hai’ produced by Fazal Ahmed Karim Fazli, who also wrote the songs for the film. Three songs of this movie, two of which were sung by Noor Jehan, one as a solo and the other as a duet with Ahmed Rushdi – ‘Ho tamana aur kya’ and ‘Mohabbat mein tere sar ki qasam aisa bhi hota hai’ respectively – became so popular even before the movie’s release that Bazmi was flooded with offers. The third song, ‘Tukra woh chand ka’ was sung by Ahmed Rushdi.
   Thanks to the hit songs of ‘Aisa Bhi Hota Hai’, he signed many movies including ‘Head Constable’ released in 1964 – prior to the release of ‘Aisa Bhi Hota Hai’ -- featuring some more hit songs. By now his credentials as a competent music director at ease in both composing and orchestrating songs – a rare quality in Pakistan in those days -- were firmly established. There was no looking back for Bazmi, and films after films went on scaling new heights, especially for his music.

   His musical score in movies like ‘Aadil’, ’Lakhon Mein Aik’ – all songs were hit including the Noor Jehan, Mujeeb Alam duet, ‘Saathi kahan ho’ – ‘Aag’, ‘Saiqa’, ‘Aasra’, ‘Jesay Jante Naheen’, ‘Andaleeb’ – all hit songs, especially ‘Kutch log rooth kar bhi crooned by Noor Jehan – ‘Shama Parwana’, ‘Anjuman’ -- all songs immensely popular – ’Tehzeeb’ – Noor Jehan’s ‘Laga hai Misr ka bazaar’ a particularly haunting number – ‘Umrao Jan Ada’ – every song an unforgettable one – ‘Mohabbat’, ’Anmol’, ‘Naag Muni’ -- all hit songs, especially Noor Jehan’s ‘Tun toh pai waron, man toh pai waron’ –  to name only a few, bear ample proof of his deep understanding of poetry, sense of orchestration and command on melody.
   From 1964 to 1978, Nisar Bazmi was one of the most sought after music directors of the Lahore film industry. He won a Nigar Award for best composer for the film ‘Saiqa’ in 1968; for ‘Anjuman’ in 1970; for ‘Meri Zindagi Hai Naghma’ in 1972 and for ‘Khaak Aur Khoon’ in 1979. He
composed many hit songs for Runa Laila, Ahmed Rushdi, Mehdi Hassan,
Masood Rana and Noor Jehan. About the latter he is known to have
said “She was the best vocalist Pakistan ever had.” He was also
responsible for introducing Alamgir to film music – remember, ‘Hum chale toh humaray’ from film ‘Jagir’?

   Apart from many superb scores for films Bazmi also gave the country a large number of patriotic songs like ‘Yeh watan tumhara hai’ sung by Mehdi Hassan; ‘Khayal rakhna’ crooned by Alamgir and Benjamin Sisters, and ‘Hum zinda qaum hain’ sung by Tehseen Javed, Amjad Hussain and Benjamin Sisters, which are remembered to date. The maestro has also been bestowed the ‘Pride of Performance’ award by the government of Pakistan.
   However, sadly, by 1981 due to the change of trend in film music and the declining popularity of cinema, not to mention his disenchantment with the industry, Bazmi scored his last film music in Lahore for ‘Mere Apne’. He then moved to Karachi where he made it his mission to teach music to young aspirants, and scored music for just one film in 1985 – ‘Hum Aik Hain’ – which also bagged him a Nigar Award for best composer in 1986. He remained out of the limelight for almost 11 years after that, agreeing only to compose music for all seven songs in Nadeem
Mandviwalla’s ‘Very Good Duniya, Very Bad Log’, after a gap from the
world of film music for more than a decade.

   With more than half a century spent as a highly respected music composer, and a hundred films to his credit including the ones he did in India, not to speak of the numerous people he imparted valuable music lessons to, Nisar Bazmi passed away on March 22, 2007, leaving behind a world much poorer for his absence.     
     
   

My article on a flourishing wedding industry published in Dawn a couple of years ago

A flourishing wedding industry
By Shanaz Ramzi


   Marriages have featured as the most important event in a person’s life in practically all civilized cultures, since time immemorial. In our part of the world, especially, wedding ceremonies have always tended to be elaborate affairs spreading over quite a few days and involving at least three to four formal occasions. Regardless of whether a person can or cannot afford to indulge in the festivities and celebrations associated with marriages, the prime concern has invariably been to put up the best show possible.
   But, when one compares the grandeur of today’s weddings to that of the finest of those of yesteryear, one finds that they are far removed from anything witnessed before in terms of conceptualization and execution. And, although admittedly, such weddings are confined to the moneyed classes, the trend is fast catching on so that even middle-income groups are now coming up with economical ways of introducing imaginative touches to wedding festivities.
   But, for those who have no budget constraints, or at any rate have
greater financial leeway than most, weddings have become nothing short of dream sequences from Hollywood or Bollywood blockbusters. In fact, many prospective couples actually model their entire wedding receptions on the lines of weddings picturised in popular movies. And to make all this possible and in fact, choreograph the wedding from start to finish are wedding planners, who take on most of the responsibilities of the wedding household, so that all that is required of the bridal party is to look fresh and welcoming when receiving their guests.
   In fact, Meinu Baigmohamad, Aayesha Valika and Yumna Ali Khan, three
friends who have teamed up as wedding planners and are highly popular, claim they even see to the arrangements inside the wedding household, so that the decoration of banisters, lighting, etc. is all taken care of by them! So involved do they become with their clients from the start -- from designing exclusive wedding invitation cards to suggesting where to sit, how to make an entry and which photographer to use -- that it becomes almost like a family affair for them. Sometimes, the trio even guides the bride as to what combination she should wear at the wedding.
  Yasmeen Katchi, who has been decorating stages for weddings for over
two decades and has over the years, become a full-fledged wedding planner, admits “Of late, wedding decor and management has developed into an industry.” Not surprisingly, the options today, are tremendous. These days, clients have the choice of either getting the entire wedding professionally planned; or just some aspects of it, such as stages or flower arrangements, giveaways or ‘mehndi thaals’ handed over to wedding planners.
   While on the subject of stages, always an important aspect of local weddings, today, according to some wedding planners, they could cost a minimum of Rs 10,000 for basic decor, although if one wishes to spend less than that, one could do it by opting for just floral arrangements for the scaffold. Expensive stage settings include backdrop, props, carpet, furniture and myriads of fresh flowers – one can choose local or imported depending on how much one wants to spend. Some people go all out and even have landscaped stages with waterfalls and simulated garden scenarios. Needless to say, the more elaborate the stage, the more the expenses.
   Anisa Khan, another wedding planner claims that she can detect the
difference in people’s tastes over the course of the last eight to ten years. Almost a decade ago, she feels, the demand was for relatively simple stages. “However, over the years, the trend has become to compete with balls and every couple wants their wedding to look different and more striking than any other.”
   Concurring with the view that not just stages but weddings have become very glamorous and elaborate affairs in the last few years Baigmohamad says “So stylish have weddings become today that more and more people are using the services of wedding planners to organize their events. They want sit down affairs, complete with round tables and fancy linen. There is a lot of stress on coordinated stages, entrances, ‘takhts’ and marquees.”  
   According to Khan, these days an average reception package for about 500 guests, which includes floral arrangements, a decorated stage, about 100 to 150 candles, giveaways, table-setting with napkin rings, ribbons around the glasses and fabric on chairs, costs over a hundred thousand rupees. So nowadays, when planning a grand wedding, in addition to all the trousseau expenses, one has to be prepared to keep aside a substantial sum as ‘style’ expenses.

     So grand have weddings become, in fact, that all occasions now tend to have themes. Often, the bridal outfit becomes the basis of the theme of the wedding ceremonies. Hence, if the reception attire is Eastern, then an ethnic or Mughal theme prevails for which ‘bara
daris’, ‘jharokas’, and ‘dyas’ lining the length of the pathway leading
up to the stage could be used. Non-traditional weddings have varied
themes, such as a black backdrop with stars on them, simulating a galaxy, or a gazebo to give a modern, dramatic touch. Similarly, ‘mehndis’ could have an ‘ajrak’, ‘chundri’ or ‘jamawar’ theme.      
   Recently, among the most stylish wedding organised by wedding planners was a Rajasthani mehndi, complete with a procession of
camel carts laden with ‘mehndi’ and professional Thari dancers! Another opulent wedding entailed a Greek reception. Decorated with golden organza curtains boasting a typically Grecian print, and complemented by stone urns, candelabra and green heart-shaped wreaths hanging on gold organza backed chairs, the event transported guests to another country altogether, if not another time zone.
   To assist wedding planners in organizing such grandiose functions are a host of other businesses, both big and small that have acquired new dimensions and professionalism that were missing say, a decade ago. Their services can also be hired individually by people who don’t want to spend mullah on wedding planners, and want to deal with them directly. Among these are the ubiquitous ‘phoolwalas’, who now not only provide flowers for all occasions, they are equipped to do stage décor and ambience décor all on their own – of course with the necessary guidelines provided by the clients -- that can leave one convinced that there is an event manager behind the affair.

   With ‘mehndis’ now becoming as important as the wedding day itself, an entire cottage industry has developed with people specifically catering to ‘mehndi’ accessories. ‘Mehndi thaals’, ‘mashals’ for girls and boys to hold, bridal canopy, ‘doli’, dowry boxes, baskets, giveaways and mirrored trays are a few of the items that are offered for purchase either indirectly through wedding planners, or directly by those involved in their production. Some wedding planners also rent out decoration items such as ‘rangolis’, candle stands and ‘jamawar’ partitions. Even boys can be hired to carry the ‘doli’ seating the bride!
   Women operating from the house have also joined the bandwagon, and
keeping in mind the latest trends, create wedding accessories for
purchase, as well as take orders. A case in point is Shamim Munir who
operates through her home under the name of Home Decor. She
supplies ‘mehndi’ platters, complete with sweet meats, flower bracelets
and henna. She also makes trousseau or dowry containers and quaint boxes for distributing ‘mithai’. Naheed Ansari is yet another enterprising lady who does entire ‘mehndi thaals’, giveaways, fruit baskets, and gift wrapping for in-laws.
   Another business that has become equipped as never before, to meet the changing and growing demands of clients, particularly for weddings, is that of catering. While once caterers merely provided food; tents; basic tables and chairs; crockery and cutlery; today you can have your pick of ambience decors, which include different colours and textures of marquees, carpets, lounges, wooden chairs and elaborate centre tables, nephrons, lamps, mirrors, carved doors, arches, lights, centre-pieces, candelabra, and what not. In fact, they have different options to suit different occasions, so that if it is a mehndi that one wants the caterers to provide for, they will do the decor in a traditional manner. As with the other services, their facilities could be acquired directly, or through the wedding planners.           

   Music has also become an integral part of weddings today, especially the mehndi function. Whereas, in the days of yore family and friends used to practice songs for months prior to the wedding, and the tambourine and ‘dhol’ were an intrinsic part of every wedding household, today it is a different scene altogether. DJs are hired for the mehndi function, and dance rehearsals are also held with them, so that they are in the loop of which music to provide for which meticulously choreographed Bollywood dance number. Needless to say, special clothes are stitched for all those participating in the dances so that the visual effect is nothing less than what one sees on the Indian screen.

   As for the wedding function itself, again depending on one’s taste and budget, one could opt for anything between a Bollywood singer flown in from India; a home-grown singer; and a jazz band, to a sarangi player and tabla nawaz for entertaining one’s guests these days.

   Designers too, not to be left behind, have begun to cater either exclusively to wedding wear or devote a good chunk of their time and inventory to the production of these luxuriant ensembles. Costing anywhere between Rs 60,000 to eight lacs depending on the design label and the intricacy of the work, these bridal outfits are one-of-a-kind and probably worn just once in the bride’s lifetime, too.

   According to Rizwan Beyg, how heavily a bridal jora is worked depends primarily on family budgets, rather than on trends. If there is only one major function held, then the ensemble tends to be heavy, whereas, if there are quite a few occasions, then the bride could get away with wearing relatively light joras on some of the events.

   There are some designers, though, who are now making bridal wear that are somewhat trendy, and made in a style that can give the bride maximum wear later. A case in point is SanaSafinaz, whose current bridal range includes “Long, Mughlai coats worn over ghagras boasting lengthy trails, and accompanied with long dupattas.” Says Sana “The ensemble makes a strong statement, and we have been adhering to simple, non-fussy cuts. Their advantage is they are relatively reasonable and one can get wear out of them later, by donning the coats with trousers.”

   Although no shoe designers have sprung up that cater exclusively to bridal footwear, there are a number of ladies now who make ornate and stone-studded footwear ideal for weddings, and take orders as well. The advantage of the latter is that not only are the shoes custom-made, making them more comfortable than what is available off the rack, the pair becomes exclusive, as often they are made in the bride’s desired combination.

   Many jewellers are also now doing bridal jewellery in keeping with the demands of the times. Gone are the elaborate full gold sets of yore. The jewellery now matches the clothes of the bride, and complete matching sets are no longer in vogue. According to Kamal of Nauratan Jewellers “Brides these days are very aware and influenced by designers from the west, so that they want to replicate designs made by Tiffanys, Bulgari, Cartier, etc.”
 As for beauty salons, so lucrative has the business become that you can spot one in practically every corner of a commercial area. Packages for bridal make-up that include a simple hairstyle but don’t include any of the other basics like manicure, pedicure and waxing, could go up to Rs 25000. Every renowned beautician has a signature style that is the reason for her fame, and depending on whether a bride wants to sport an eastern or western look, and of course the budget, one or the other make-up artiste is preferred.  

   According to make-up artist Shamaine “Doing a bride these days is a lot of fun as there is so much innovation in clothes and jewellery, leaving a lot of scope for the make-up artist to display their talent.”
  Another aspect that has become an integral part of weddings today is portrait photography. While any half-way talented photographer with a decent pair of lens used to suffice in the good ol’ days for taking pictures of the family and guests present at a wedding, these days the bride and groom shop for designer photographers who can take creative portrait shoots of the couple, either in their own studio or wherever the couple so desire. Hence, there are various photography packages now on offer which include a certain number of portraits, event photographs, albums, blow-ups and video coverage. It goes without saying that the cost of the package goes into thousands, and varies as much with the name of the photographer/studio as with the number of days and photographs desired.

   While many may think it is sheer extravagance to waste so much money on decor and pomp, not to mention clothes and make-up just for a few hours, one must admit that today’s weddings have given rise to an industry of sorts, creating employment for a large number of people now involved in catering to the burgeoning needs of elaborate weddings. And although, undoubtedly, the higher end of the spectrum providing such services is beyond the budget of a vast number of people, there are now so many affordable counterparts available in every category of service, that one can cut corners and still manage to have a stylish wedding.

Box One

What’s in this season –tips from experts

   Even when a wedding household decides to go with a wedding planner, and hands over all the arrangements of the various functions to them, they normally prefer to tackle the other aspects – such as designers, jewellers and make-up artists, themselves. However, often, even though brides-to-be are armed with information about which designers, jewellers and make-up artists they should patronize, they have little or no clue as to what they should actually get – and are only obsessed with the fact that they should look great. Since they aren’t really sure of what’s in and what’s out, they don’t have any idea what brief to give the designer, for instance, and similarly, are unsure of the kind of make-up they should go for.
   So, here are a few tips from experts for the brides-to-be this season. Recommends Sana Hashwani, the indispensable half of the SanaSafinaz duo “Go for colourful attires as colour is in this season. Bright and citrus hues have become popular abroad, and the trend has caught on here as well. Thanks to air-conditioned tents, wearing of strong, bright colours in the heat of October, which was once unthinkable, has now become possible.”
    Among the colours that style guru Rizwan Beyg suggests for this season are “Kashmiri pink, which is the new red now, as it looks good with diamonds as well; soft ferozis, and oyster pinks.”                     With regard to make-up, Shamaine says “Gold is very in this season. Make-up should be neither too light, nor too dark. Soft colours are in as are smoky eyes, while soft pink cheeks are the rage. As for hair styles, it is better to have the hair up in a bun, away from the face.”
   Seema of Ravissant Beauty Parlour concurs with Shamaine’s view that
the smoky look is in, but adds that shimmer is also in great demand this season. Says Seema “Reds and maroons are still popular with brides, as always, but the mat look has gone. There is a lot of concentration on the eyes, which are now very smoky, with a kohled look, while pale lips are sought. By and large, a natural look is fashionable, regardless of whether the wedding is in summer or winter. Hence, cakey bases are totally out. As for hairstyles, normally the front half is tied up, with very little back-combing. Loops are normally preferred when putting up the hair, rather than anything elaborate.”
   While seconding the opinion that a natural look is still very much
in, Rukhsana Tabani of Cistres, adds that translucence is the name of
the game these days. She adds “A dolled-up look is totally out and heavy foundation is avoided these days.” Also of the opinion that eyes are more heavily kohled nowadays, and the eye-lined look of the ’60s and ’70s has come back, Rukhsana says that the translucent look prevails for the lips as well, even though they have colour.

   Says Mussarat Misbah of Depilex “Pinks and peaches on the face are very popular and bronzers are totally out. False eye-lashes are a complete no-no, although eyes are the main focus of bridal make-up; and kohls and brown shades on the eyes are the rage. Eyebrows are very defined now, with maybe even a little colour added to them.”
   With regard to hairstyle, Mussarat opines a simple French knot is in, so that it can hold the weight of the dupatta, and the hair doesn’t get into the eyes.  

   As for jewellery, modern looking half-sets are popular these days. Today’s bridal jewellery is neither too light, nor too
heavy. According to Kamal of Nauratan jewelers “Those who want to go for ‘jhumars’ and ‘teekas’ these days, do so only to either return them after the wedding, or to exchange them with some other more practical jewellery. In fact, many don’t bother to invest in them at all and wear artificial ‘jhumars’ and ‘teekas’.”
   Kamal says sets with filigree work and stones are very in
these days; the stones comprise relatively neutral coloured gems such as aquamarine, peridot and polki which could be worn with almost any outfit.” Full sets are no longer worn, and long earrings are in, worn with necklaces, while matching rings and bracelets are avoided. Instead, plain bangles are fashionable.
  Another interesting trend in bridal jewellery that Shehrezad
Rahimtoola mentions is that of detachable necklaces, so that they can
later be worn in three or four different ways. Says she “What is in now are diamond chains, which can later be worn on their own, while the centrepiece can be worn separately on an ordinary chain. Similarly, stones are interchangeable in sets nowadays.”
   Among the stones that are popular for bridal jewellery, according to
Shehrezad, are brandy topaz, diamonds, green amethyst, rubies,
aquamarine, pink tourmaline and emeralds. “The gold look,” she says, is
totally out, as is “mom’s jewellery, and rhodium polish is being given to gold sets, to give it a white look.” She advises “Don’t match the stones with your clothes. Instead, play with colours so that they stand out, rather than blend in with your attire. So, if you are planning to wear off-white, don’t wear it with pearls, use emeralds instead. If you are planning on wearing red, use pink tourmaline instead of red rubies.”
   So, if you are making wedding plans, don’t forget to pick up a leaf
from the diaries of these experts. You won’t go wrong, and will be able
to face your D-Day with confidence!  

         

The Dos and Don’ts in organizing a wedding:

1)Start drawing up a list of invitees as soon as the wedding date
is finalized and keep adding on whatever names you recall as you go
along. It is always easy to eliminate later, but initial effort should be made not to forget anyone.

2) Give yourself plenty of time for distribution of cards so that
overseas invitees can receive their cards well in time. It doesn’t matter if they are not going to attend, the fact that you thought of them will be appreciated.

3) Maintain a diary that remains with you at all times. It should contain contacts of all people you are likely to use at the wedding time – event managers, photographers, make-up artists, designers, caterers, and so on; a list of To-do things and their up-dated status as time passes; a list of clothes given to the various tailors/designers/karigars and their status; and a list of gifts, their budget and their status.

4) Keep your house well-stocked with tit-bits, frozen food items and
squashes/soft drinks to serve a constant stream of drop-by visitors.
Don’t forget a stock of mineral water bottles for overseas guests, and
also ensure that you have enough bedding, toiletries, crockery and
cutlery to cater to the needs of your live-in guests.

 5) Don’t take it for granted that once a venue has been confirmed,
it stands confirmed, especially if the booking has been done way in
advance. Keep following up to check that the booking has not been
cancelled.

6) Never give the correct date to the designers. Always give
yourself a margin of at least a fortnight, for they will NOT deliver on
the scheduled date.

7) Make sure you get your fittings and trials done at least two to three weeks ahead of the scheduled date, and then try the kameez again just a few days before the wedding, as brides-to-be tend to lose weight. Also, try on your jewellery with your jora to see the effect. Sometimes brides realize at the last minute that the necklace string is too short or too long, or that the jewellery is not complementing the outfit.

    
8) Double-check with the make-up artiste the number of appointments
of brides on the date of your booking, and if the parlour has a standby
generator in working order.

9) Make sure that the sound system/band/singer you hire for your
events is in no doubt of the date of the event.