tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50393655942975386042024-03-12T20:34:38.538-07:00Chintan and SheharyarSheharyar Rizwanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09325385865826547286noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039365594297538604.post-82498403901662829082016-12-31T12:46:00.001-08:002016-12-31T13:04:05.728-08:00Surprise! Surprise!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;">Dear Sheroo!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;">I wanted to surprise you with something you might like, and I hope this is it. One of the new things I had determined to do this year was to revive this blog we had collaborated on for a whole year as part of the Red Elephant Foundation's Building Peace Project. Our last post was in November 2014. That is more than two years ago. Do you feel like giving it a shot again? I really enjoyed writing to you, and would love to do more. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;">See, amidst all this babbling, I totally forgot to wish you for the new year. I hope 2017 is excellent for you, a lot nicer than 2016 was. To be honest, I don't even know much of what 2016 was like for you. We were both so busy that we ended up not talking all that much. Khair, I promise to be a better friend this year. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;">Did you go out and celebrate New Year's Eve? I was at home most of the day with my parents, working on my laptop, reading a bit, and cooking a delicious carrot-cauliflower broth with some sautéed onions, grated ginger, ghee and pepper. Not your kind of thing, I know. Hahaha! And well, I also spent some time in prayer. It was a quiet, little celebration for me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;">Before going off to bed, I wanted to write to you. I hope you will consider seriously my invitation to resurrect this blog. Many people from India as well as Pakistan have told me that they used to look forward to our posts, and I am sure that others too would be interested in what we have to say. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;">If India and Pakistan were two individuals dating each other, their Facebook profiles would indicate 'in a complicated relationship'. Thankfully, you and I have learnt to relate to each other as individuals, and not as representatives of our countries trying to defend our governments' official positions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;">Let's hope that 2017 is better for our region. I want you to be able to travel to India, and visit all the places that you have been dreaming of. And I wish the same for all Pakistanis and Indians wishing to cross the border to meet friends, go on pilgrimages, study, see new places, or just see what the big deal about the other side is. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;">I have decided that there is no point in lamenting the inaction of our governments if we refuse to also be proactive in pursuing the agenda of peace. I plan to use the power of my pen (and keyboard) more diligently this year, and collaborate more closely with others who are interested in getting things between India and Pakistan to a better place. Our civilians could use all that crazy military expenditure for electricity, toilets, schools, so many things. Our soldiers could also get some respite from being unnecessarily made into fodder for this hungry war machine that is being operated by both politicians and the media.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;">Let's get our home in order, Sheroo. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;">Love,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;">Chintan</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;">(By the way, that photograph up there is from Srinagar. I couldn't find anything else to go with this post. Aren't the chinar trees just gorgeous? I fell in love with them when I went there recently. Thinking about how our countries have totally screwed up things for people in Kashmir makes me quite upset but let's talk about that another time.)</span></div>
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Chintan Girish Modihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812704858860566395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039365594297538604.post-40124422477347968872014-11-13T21:36:00.003-08:002014-11-13T21:47:45.567-08:00Dreams of friendship<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I am writing this letter at a moment when my mind feels like a gunny sack stuffed with too many potatoes. Pardon that metaphor. I've just finished writing an email that was difficult to find words for because I was trying to share my frustration and practice non violent communication at the same time. That can be exhausting, you know. I feel like by the end of this blog post, I will find myself breathing normally again. Writing to you always cheers me up.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Dolmen Mall, Karachi (Photo Credit: Haroon Sheikh)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I re-read your blog post. You had a lot of fun in Karachi! I'm glad. You don't travel very often but when you do you make sure that it is filled with joy enough to last you a while. I went to Karachi in April 2014. I was there for a short period - in fact, just a few days. So much was packed into that - meeting friends and their families, bun kebabs at Boat Basin, a play at Hindu Gymkhana, Abdullah Shah Ghazi's mazaar, Ratneshwar Mahadev Mandir, dinner at Kolachi, long drives...well, lots more! You mentioned Sattar Buksh Cafe. I didn't go there but I like the word play on Starbucks :-P I would like to visit Karachi again, and also go to Bhitshah, Sehwan, Hyderabad and Jamshoro. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Wazir Khan Mosque, Lahore (Photo Credit: Samreen Shahbaz)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I must confess, however, that Lahore felt safer than Karachi. This feeling comes from a mix of personal experience and what I've heard about Karachi from others. The amount of security at public places does breed some sort of insecurity. It seems like there is always a disaster waiting to happen. I could feel that tension around, quite different from the langour of Lahore. Anyway, let's not go down that road. Delhi-Mumbai and Lahore-Karachi comparisons can go on forever. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Wagah with Shabnam and Vipul <br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Security, anyway, seems like such an illusion. Mumbai and Delhi have so many high security zones yet we have terrorist attacks. Lahore does too. Hearing about the recent suicide blast at the Wagah border made me really sad. This is what I wrote on that occasion:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"Lahore, it has taken all of three hours for the grief to hit me. I'm on the suburban train back home in Bombay, seated by the window, wishing with all my heart that I could be with you. A friend says a busload of students from his college have rushed off to donate blood. I'm glad such folks still live within reach. Miles away, I mourn for you, wondering when I will see you next. You've always felt like home - safe, warm, mine. I hurt knowing you're hurt. I wish all the Sufis and gurus who walked on your soil could suddenly come alive and heal what's gone so terribly wrong. I love you, Lahore. I pray for your recovery."</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheHcEzUpqTYs0Gt2PAxyazpMJJB0zD4WYdXwzhrAQW2n9Yd05TATArKa-bulXXtgc06mtu0nGMGynCgEAc3woh90BHKVCy_Y4i51dEiatxSe7O6AfC3MdMzSYApT8SKQnmM7THCkmJ8WfU/s1600/Shah+Jamal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheHcEzUpqTYs0Gt2PAxyazpMJJB0zD4WYdXwzhrAQW2n9Yd05TATArKa-bulXXtgc06mtu0nGMGynCgEAc3woh90BHKVCy_Y4i51dEiatxSe7O6AfC3MdMzSYApT8SKQnmM7THCkmJ8WfU/s400/Shah+Jamal.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Shah Jamal's mazaar in Lahore</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">What is the situation like now? Are all the folks who got wounded being taken care of? I don't get to read much about them any longer. I guess those who write have moved on to 'cover' other tragedies. Yes, I too hear that slight note of cynicism in me. It just boggles my mind when I hear of all the murders being committed all over the world - by states, terrorists, freedom fighters, policemen, army personnel, rapists, everyone! What's even more horrifying is the knowledge that these people share a lot in common with you and me. It's not like they are a special brand of evil come into the world. They are making certain choices.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I am reading up a bit about restorative justice these days, and that is making me think about these individuals differently. What leads a certain person to rape someone? Why does a young man believe that killing people will ensure him a reservation in heaven? How does someone come to believe that freedom can come only from picking up a gun? These are difficult questions. I am wondering about how one can think of peace and justice in ways that do not condone human rights violations and also create space for those who've chosen violent means to heal themselves.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With my friends Gerish and Margaret</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">There must be a way. There must be. I need to go find it. If you meet my friend Margaret Hepworth from Australia, she will almost certainly convince you that anything you dream of is possible. She was in Mumbai for a few days to conduct workshops with various schools. I attended one of those. This one was called 'Almost Impossible Thoughts'. The title came from a conversation between Nelson Mandela and his jailer Dirk. They shared a warm friendship. Margaret gave us a handout, which told us a lot about how this friendship grew and what it meant to both of them. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At a hotel in Kathmandu soon after Mandela's passing<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love Margaret! She's amazing. I feel like we are going to work on many wonderful projects together. She, like me, believes in integrating education, arts and peacebuilding in our engagements with children. I am hoping to meet her in Delhi again. Oh, by the way, did I tell you that she invited me to speak about </span><a href="http://friendshipsacrossborders.wordpress.com/category/fab-stories/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Friendships Across Borders: Aao Dosti Karein </a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">during the 'Almost Impossible Thoughts' workshop? She wanted to use the idea of cross-border friendships between Indians and Pakistanis as something that could be dismissed as an almost impossible thought, or be celebrated as a dream whose time has come!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">See, I am already feeling better.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Love</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Chintan</span></div>
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Chintan Girish Modihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812704858860566395noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039365594297538604.post-77333157192694429492014-10-17T15:13:00.000-07:002014-10-17T15:13:25.022-07:00Better late than never<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-GB">Dear Chintan, </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">First of all, let me tell you how
apologetic I am about disappearing from the blog for so long. I think I became
lazy, or I think I felt I didn’t have enough to write about. But now, I think I
had had enough and started feeling majorly guilty about not contributing
because I didn’t participate in the project to remain idle and not do anything.
A lot of people in the group are so active on the Facebook page and that added
to my guilt. But anyway, I’m back!! </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">I’ll just briefly take you through whatever
significant I remember happened in the last few months, starting with my very
very exciting trip to Karachi. You know, the last time I went to Karachi was
around 17 years ago and naturally don’t remember anything. Even that trip was a
touch-and-go one since I went straight to a wedding as soon as I landed there,
attended functions over the next few days and returned. Basically, I had never
actually ‘seen’ seen Karachi. Until now. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">This time also I had gone for not one but
two weddings, but since they spanned over around eight days I managed to take
out enough time to visit the places there that I had heard a lot about or
really wanted to go to: popular cafes/restaurants, malls, the beach and landmarks.
And I’m SO glad I got to do everything and go to all the places I wanted to in the
little time I had there. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Port Grand -- the Karachi port at night. </td></tr>
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I went to the much talked about Sattar
Bukhsh cafe, Boat Basin – the port there, Seaview -- the beach (from a distance though as it’s
closed these days), Kolachi -- a seaside restaurant, the huge Dolmen Mall,
Zainab Market, Atrium Cinema (where I watched <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukhtar" target="_blank">Dukhtar</a>) and a few other places.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6xt7y_lpiVL4jKSvPTL7SwDu0Jh6VK3KPovpJ0M6mqWdJT8-jbFISXt73ZRoWaM4oAWU5d8BsmnLnKQmRZ3U19inFf8g2xL3Cs4_CjzXUffVUAlYa95YsTiOYeqHL1vGh2XLiOkvVw/s1600/WP_20140928_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6xt7y_lpiVL4jKSvPTL7SwDu0Jh6VK3KPovpJ0M6mqWdJT8-jbFISXt73ZRoWaM4oAWU5d8BsmnLnKQmRZ3U19inFf8g2xL3Cs4_CjzXUffVUAlYa95YsTiOYeqHL1vGh2XLiOkvVw/s1600/WP_20140928_005.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The closed beach</td></tr>
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You must be wondering why I had to go to a
mall or a cinema, but the fact is in Lahore we don’t really have anything that
qualifies as a mall and the cinema was also bigger as compared to those we have
here. And I had some amazing seafood (my favourite kind of food) there and
would definitely have it the next time I visit Karachi. </div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">And as for the weddings, one was my second
cousin’s and the other my very good friend’s. At the cousin’s wedding I met SO
many people that I probably never had at one place ever. These were my mom’s
relatives that I had been instructed to meet: her cousins and their families,
her aunts and uncles and other important people. I was meeting most of them for
the first or maximum the second time in my life, so it was extra special. I
like meeting family because I consider them the most important people in your
life even if they don’t think so. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">So my very eventful and extremely tiring
and adventurous trip to Karachi came to an end with lots of memories with cousins
to cherish, until next time, Inshallah. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Then came Eidul Azha or the ‘bari Eid’ as
we call it. This Eid is always boring as it is all about the slaughtering and
distribution of meat so you don’t get a lot of time to meet anyone. The other
Eid – Eidul Fitr or ‘choti Eid’ – is relatively fun since one gets to meet
people and go to lunches and dinners and hang out with friends. On the bari
Eid, we usually have a family dinner at one of our relative’s place that is
either a one-dish affair. Since most of my cousins and close relatives in Lahore
have moved abroad, we’re not left with a lot of people at Eids, which makes it
even more boring. The second day friends usually take time out for each other;
and we did too. The sad part is I only get two days off on both Eids since I
work for a newspaper, while everyone enjoys three or more holidays. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">In between the above two events, how can I
forget that you visited Lahore. It was nice meeting you once again, and finding
out about that cultural centre you were at. Also, meeting you benefited me in
another way: you told me Samreen was working with an NGO that is working for
LGBT rights. That gave an awesome idea for a feature, and currently I’m
pursuing Samreen for it. Thank you for making that possible </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBHyNLt1C1GFzPtgfcdimhaiK7No-ED6IwkeRiJuauXwWGUJteHKuHmRZ3hUDtdsgOnQ8Xhej2S2KrAhqymI-5OqrThWNqx3nVn3Pvotkar7CTQvNgbs-PsC6G7YVupaMC7NnAUxhx1A/s1600/WP_20141003_010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBHyNLt1C1GFzPtgfcdimhaiK7No-ED6IwkeRiJuauXwWGUJteHKuHmRZ3hUDtdsgOnQ8Xhej2S2KrAhqymI-5OqrThWNqx3nVn3Pvotkar7CTQvNgbs-PsC6G7YVupaMC7NnAUxhx1A/s1600/WP_20141003_010.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jab we met, again</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Shortly after, came the news of escalating
clashes at the Line of Control and Kashmir in which quite a lot of innocent people
on both sides of the border had been killed. And the ‘clashes’ kept increasing
by the day. The worst part was and still is that media on both sides tries to
pin the blame on the other side only adding fuel to the fire and giving an
opportunity to hawks and jingoists on both sides to undo the little progress,
if any, made towards peace between India and Pakistan. On our side, at least,
the media shows what it’s fed by the army and obviously not abiding by the ‘orders’
will result in grave repercussions. I don’t know when and how will the media be
disciplined about such sensitive issues, but in such circumstances it’s the
people on both sides who need to act a little intelligently and not blindly
believe what they’re being shown. But then again, we don’t have enough educated
people around to understand that, and that’s what the media cashes in on. But we
can all contribute to dispelling impressions created by the media by educating our
people in our own little way – anyone we have a discussion with. It just might
slowly and gradually help.</div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">And as I write this, I know the situation at
the border hasn’t cooled down. But we can all make some effort, as little as
possible, on our own. So many people are doing amazing work for Indo-Pak peace,
including you, Beena Sarwar and the Aghaz-e-Dosti team, to name a few. More power
to all of you and I hope more people come up with such initiatives on both
sides, only then can we expect some sense to prevail. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">On this note, I conclude the blog with the
hope that I’d be as regular as possible. I’m sure I must have missed something
here that i should have written about. But I’ll leave that for the next blog or
I’ll be blank for the next few months again. Waiting to hear from you, now. </span></div>
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<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB">Cheers. </span></div>
</div>
Sheharyar Rizwanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09325385865826547286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039365594297538604.post-3064599835471503942014-08-29T00:55:00.001-07:002014-08-29T07:23:25.941-07:00How Life Could Be<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Dear Sheharyar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I am back from a wonderful three weeks at the Seeds of Peace International Camp in Maine, USA. When I was setting out for this unique opportunity to live and learn with fellow educators from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Jordan and USA, I knew I was signing up for something remarkable. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQixy84sejcIbq1W5ZCtIxAu0fEU-2qNQ2JZUnxGnzmgQ9HlkcieFPCulKJAyExuvcJ_y8NyX7EgnDRkUDvWVFwHKc7GiuyWgfCvpc6sYdvR9vYtYzjJeCGYBfdYmbvSsmTps62dNDnk4d/s1600/With+Ahmad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQixy84sejcIbq1W5ZCtIxAu0fEU-2qNQ2JZUnxGnzmgQ9HlkcieFPCulKJAyExuvcJ_y8NyX7EgnDRkUDvWVFwHKc7GiuyWgfCvpc6sYdvR9vYtYzjJeCGYBfdYmbvSsmTps62dNDnk4d/s1600/With+Ahmad.jpg" height="640" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With my friend Ahmed from Palestine</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I hadn't imagined, however, that the experience of being a Delegation Leader from India would be so rich and inspiring that I wouldn't miss home even for a day.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_OP3m-nlzVA4nJkDyHitKhfB9IHTnt_KUhLqgXUsVdq5j4Qnl_Dc3kzRhHkjUQzmhxWgpFyHxCDOwejfgd_nGWI-6rRrXMpDTobhGtn6TcFAYNSMIaO4i2dU8YFVF_o9aabUrtY_L6kRy/s1600/delegation+leaders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_OP3m-nlzVA4nJkDyHitKhfB9IHTnt_KUhLqgXUsVdq5j4Qnl_Dc3kzRhHkjUQzmhxWgpFyHxCDOwejfgd_nGWI-6rRrXMpDTobhGtn6TcFAYNSMIaO4i2dU8YFVF_o9aabUrtY_L6kRy/s1600/delegation+leaders.jpg" height="355" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delegation leaders with Seeds of Peace DL staff, Photo credit: Bobbie Gottschalk</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I guess that happened because I was exploring a deeper sense of home that the spirit craves for - one that isn't tied down to location, routine or familiarity but rooted in a recognition of something vast and expansive. I didn't want to come back. To be truthful, I haven't entirely come back. I am in those trees. I am in the waters of that lake.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFU1-aq9dofEM9pYrAtWelRfiJuUFHi8k4NseZsVlfPDaMKc7AtPi51jAgb5JTf4PF7mcnQWfO-kgem7ZRySooJUjazChn9u3zViE03TfL2lMXfU6XpJ22hMAMo_qU0gS6FYgUjIyc6dD4/s1600/chintan+water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFU1-aq9dofEM9pYrAtWelRfiJuUFHi8k4NseZsVlfPDaMKc7AtPi51jAgb5JTf4PF7mcnQWfO-kgem7ZRySooJUjazChn9u3zViE03TfL2lMXfU6XpJ22hMAMo_qU0gS6FYgUjIyc6dD4/s1600/chintan+water.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside Andy and Paula's home in Casco, Maine, Photo credit: Sigal Sheinman</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And simultaneously, I am in Mumbai - a city that I grew up in but can't bear to live in for too long. This is a pace I cannot handle. There is too much aggression here, much too much. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqOWvDThiEiyXJxQ2C_TvID84NHvxm8n8TkAjJI-pjVrHMMGAbST_5M-Q9LlxmMu6olu849-N4Qn9v_3j45gZySiOcBSW_jF42YQ3-2UrcHoF08W9Gk12xufNuXIcAXlcBkxCTRAfwkzon/s1600/water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqOWvDThiEiyXJxQ2C_TvID84NHvxm8n8TkAjJI-pjVrHMMGAbST_5M-Q9LlxmMu6olu849-N4Qn9v_3j45gZySiOcBSW_jF42YQ3-2UrcHoF08W9Gk12xufNuXIcAXlcBkxCTRAfwkzon/s1600/water.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Maine gave me respite, and plenty of time with myself. I got to learn more about what brings me alive. I grew more comfortable expressing what I fear and resist. I didn't have to hold back my tears. I wasn't embarrassed about requesting a hug.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCOpFia-vfwdB76F1tXRvbVQVoDIq36t1rlgX8J9prDSZ37mjXGLu61LhpwHI8lJJwxjA1b7Y-xnlYYnw8Ych4h0ZkXgUbajTM31yFx6mzP8EgYbKuvnNhhS6el71QrVMaguT_-wVdjv-o/s1600/the+way+life+could+be.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCOpFia-vfwdB76F1tXRvbVQVoDIq36t1rlgX8J9prDSZ37mjXGLu61LhpwHI8lJJwxjA1b7Y-xnlYYnw8Ych4h0ZkXgUbajTM31yFx6mzP8EgYbKuvnNhhS6el71QrVMaguT_-wVdjv-o/s1600/the+way+life+could+be.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I welcomed the invitation to learn a new language - that of non violent communication, taught by Peggy and Tarek, our dialogue facilitators. With love and patience, they showed us how words could heal and help reconcile, how one could stop using them as ammunition in endless cycles of violence.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMjJoHkDzmvNPyAN4icXy9LEV27JECBBCIeBomKlLjwcWXNzfkyQxPJPI-jmD29IimGqHsQKQvS25T05Je7b99boGE90VDL5tub8h_XWHTSVhY7QCoN38dwWATGfqmKEKpJC9_TIsQcCe/s1600/portland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMjJoHkDzmvNPyAN4icXy9LEV27JECBBCIeBomKlLjwcWXNzfkyQxPJPI-jmD29IimGqHsQKQvS25T05Je7b99boGE90VDL5tub8h_XWHTSVhY7QCoN38dwWATGfqmKEKpJC9_TIsQcCe/s1600/portland.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Portland, Maine</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">At the camp, Palestinians and Israelis went kayaking together. Afghans and Americans cooked together. Pakistanis and Indians went for long walks, and huddled together by the bonfire.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQM8SPPgfp50WhYJSdr6FeBTIDedTQGiXj66pJ7p87vMgKU3ZzUni4g7sigfHSSmVP2qxTTYShRuy27M0qYEPxJTgZg25xo17PD40M4REQXCUqS-5uiPUur7pRiq-Z_G94IFqb6w2WfZ-/s1600/Cooking+with+Sana+Khalid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQM8SPPgfp50WhYJSdr6FeBTIDedTQGiXj66pJ7p87vMgKU3ZzUni4g7sigfHSSmVP2qxTTYShRuy27M0qYEPxJTgZg25xo17PD40M4REQXCUqS-5uiPUur7pRiq-Z_G94IFqb6w2WfZ-/s1600/Cooking+with+Sana+Khalid.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooking with my friend Sana from Lahore at Cow Island, Maine, Photo credit: Sonia</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Today there is criticism building around Seeds of Peace as an organization. Questions are being asked about its relevance, given the refusal to take sides in the Middle East.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Amidst the competing narratives, it can be easy to forget those radical moments of human connection that Seeds of Peace makes possible - an Israeli woman choking up while listening to a Palestinian man whose friend was shot dead, a Palestinian man listening respectfully to an Israeli woman who almost got killed on a bus that was attacked. This is why I deeply value the work of Seeds of Peace.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjzIpMt_hxRnqrz5SeeAm-d5JYv1b1fqDDopKp5Ir1YMZn9UfrXpF4Dh9TknfrR20GZQTfGs1Edd91V7OfSuZQip2G00owdZk1b1e6nlgshzeka5WPlTrX-0mc25oVqMm6BMnGfWd5fJB/s1600/Seeds+of+Peace+International+Camp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjzIpMt_hxRnqrz5SeeAm-d5JYv1b1fqDDopKp5Ir1YMZn9UfrXpF4Dh9TknfrR20GZQTfGs1Edd91V7OfSuZQip2G00owdZk1b1e6nlgshzeka5WPlTrX-0mc25oVqMm6BMnGfWd5fJB/s1600/Seeds+of+Peace+International+Camp.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I have seen that dialogue can be messy. People feel triggered when their country is blamed, when contesting narratives are presented, when their own experience is dismissed as a lie.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The emotional landscape is not a gently flowing stream. There are mountains and marshlands, volcanoes and underground springs. This is where facilitators like Peggy and Tarek came into the picture. They did a lot of skill building work with us, particularly around non violent communication.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Y6nLMyAflpZvGlkWNxzftSGWmfeYgbI7nNNtEqGeUc9o31Zw9LL07vmkpujlOdMAhAfQlyKgo7nWFIjStCDyKsHCz_68NYLcLswTm2ZnZaoxsRGmuJKJq2D1sY5ZPlzylzL0RoXRC9Rd/s1600/With+Peggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Y6nLMyAflpZvGlkWNxzftSGWmfeYgbI7nNNtEqGeUc9o31Zw9LL07vmkpujlOdMAhAfQlyKgo7nWFIjStCDyKsHCz_68NYLcLswTm2ZnZaoxsRGmuJKJq2D1sY5ZPlzylzL0RoXRC9Rd/s1600/With+Peggy.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Peggy on a sailing trip in Bath, Maine</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Much of the work participants were called on to do was not just in dialogue with the other side but also in an intense encounter with themselves - their pride, their pain, their beliefs, and their hearts. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">It is this inner churning that made it possible for an Afghan and a Pakistani to go swimming together, for an Indian to make a Pakistani her rakhi brother, for an American to apologize to an Afghan for the harm her government has caused to his people. I sincerely wish more people had such opportunities to experience warmth, play, friendship and trust with folks from what has been constructed as the other side.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLiB-LUC8wE708Giz1vSavtt2yaoXGcFNBAdi5IUpYYxmD-QewYs3xsD4QwRFH2IkoYdfwpPjIERIG2-zR0XEhZdGKNgeKRgFTdyac_qhF1sZNZPmYpAJucN1VgxKcP6LMVnfV5sznPhh/s1600/With+Fahad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLiB-LUC8wE708Giz1vSavtt2yaoXGcFNBAdi5IUpYYxmD-QewYs3xsD4QwRFH2IkoYdfwpPjIERIG2-zR0XEhZdGKNgeKRgFTdyac_qhF1sZNZPmYpAJucN1VgxKcP6LMVnfV5sznPhh/s1600/With+Fahad.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Fahad, my friend from Lahore</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">We are where we are because we refuse to open our minds and hearts. We continue to buy into hate propaganda. We do not place enough faith in our capacity to embrace. We can walk to a better place but we need to walk together.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1EolcV8tVzRvsAzarVOTtVb5XpZlKJ7C3JOrvCqRFbCgE0U4Z3NhqUWRhuDZZohW8TXEVi1pgvvcUgANVIaYpN2h89eIr2Ztpw6uTEyB_lma8NHR35UNIskG1lyLOjX9m8xEneB-Vwp_L/s1600/Lake+Pleasant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1EolcV8tVzRvsAzarVOTtVb5XpZlKJ7C3JOrvCqRFbCgE0U4Z3NhqUWRhuDZZohW8TXEVi1pgvvcUgANVIaYpN2h89eIr2Ztpw6uTEyB_lma8NHR35UNIskG1lyLOjX9m8xEneB-Vwp_L/s1600/Lake+Pleasant.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">There are two important festivals being celebrated in India today. It is Ganesh Chaturthi, the patron deity of which is Ganesh, the remover of obstacles and the lord of new beginnings. It is also Samvatsari, the last day of Paryushan, the eight day fasting period observed by Jains. It is a day of universal forgiveness - to forgive, and to seek forgiveness, for hurt caused through thought, speech and action. One festival seems to flow seamlessly into the other.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">As I celebrate these, I think of where we could be if India and Pakistan, Indians and Pakistanis, would acknowledge how we have hurt each other, how we can remove the obstacles in our relationship, how we can commit to new beginnings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Looking forward to hearing from you</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Love</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Chintan</span></div>
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Chintan Girish Modihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812704858860566395noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039365594297538604.post-89592149788493230062014-07-18T17:33:00.001-07:002014-07-18T17:33:32.630-07:00A ray of hope<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-GB">Miyan Chintan,</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Ramazan is in full swing here, there and
everywhere. While it’s way too bloody hot and humid to stay away from water for
over 14 hours, I should be the last one complaining. Fortunately for me (and
not really in line with the spirit of the holy month), I sleep till late in the
day because of my awful work hours and wake up just a few hours before the
Iftar time (that’s when you break the fast, for those not in the know), get
ready and go to work where I have Iftar everyday. So yeah, for me the rozas are
a walk in the park! </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Just like my family does every year, this
time too we planned one-dish Iftars where every week the few of my relative
left in the city (most have moved abroad) get together at someone’s house and
each family brings one or max two dishes. So far, the three we’ve had have
been, well, gluttonous with so much delicious food around. But it’s an awesome
time to meet family and just spend time with them talking, reminiscing old
times, enjoying the little kids around. I love these gatherings since I miss
out on a lot of family time because of working in the evenings. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Our everyday Iftar usually includes fruits
chaat, two types of pakoras (potato and spinach leaves) and batashay, which is
apparently something Indian or maybe Urdu-speaking that my mom (who’s from an
Urdu-speaking family and her roots go back to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Meerut</st1:place></st1:city>) introduced to my dad’s Punjabi family
who’ve all been going gaga over it ever since. And, of course, the staple,
dates and juices. It makes for quite a heartening meal but I feel an Iftar
would be incomplete with all these foods, although a lot of people would kill
me if they find out about my unhealthy eating habits. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2uDGbF-w-5NOmRYE_VNPOWGK-kzq-2RJ0FvmnO6Z-I8HAsAdFKd2b0wt-1d7opS6DxvueWWLx262GJ4PX3j-2ZXWmrRj5pc9NV87Pl02_W_rD5o1IG-UA7hVp0tddLF3i5dz9-qfm1w/s1600/533aa081e4b0b5efa999f27e_560x560.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2uDGbF-w-5NOmRYE_VNPOWGK-kzq-2RJ0FvmnO6Z-I8HAsAdFKd2b0wt-1d7opS6DxvueWWLx262GJ4PX3j-2ZXWmrRj5pc9NV87Pl02_W_rD5o1IG-UA7hVp0tddLF3i5dz9-qfm1w/s1600/533aa081e4b0b5efa999f27e_560x560.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The batashay are very similar to this. Just that ours are dipped in yoghurt.</td></tr>
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I’d love to know what Muslims in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> have for
Iftar because here at least there are some items that are common for every
family, e.g. the fruit chaat or dahi bhallay as a substitute. Sadly, we won’t
be celebrating Eid this time as two close family members died earlier this
year. So it’s just going to be a normal day. Let’s see, I don’t know what we’d
do. No work, staying at home, shops etc closed.</div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Taking a cue from your last post in this
‘blogversation’ of ours, I’d like to say it’s extremely heartening to see,
first, that Zee TV has taken this initiative of launching a channel that is
showing TV dramas from Pakistan. It’s such a laudable step, I feel! And
secondly, Indian audiences loving the dramas they’re watching. I’m amazed and
it makes me so happy. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">I’ve often had this debate with both
Pakistanis and Indians on the Aman Ki Asha Facebook group who want Indian films
banned in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
Their argument has been that if the exchange is not equal then there’s no point
in it. And they may not be entirely wrong. But my argument is that this should
be asked of the Indian government. No point in depriving our audiences of
something they’ve grown up on. Bollywood has a magnanimous market here, which
provides our people with some much-needed entertainment since we don’t have a
lot to do around here. Because of this, many more cinemas have opened up
generating employment, and the best part is that it’s reinforced competition
among the local filmmakers who’re churning out a lot of films now than before. It’s
a pity they don’t work, but at least they’re being produced; the effort is being
made and eventually this will lead to better films coming out of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s own
industry with time. There’s so much we are gaining from it. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86mLF-1NXN32ZzRAEefjNzADI9d59LFBGZ7luw0ZyjpQStdiqs99zJAuVqmX3dbOb0ddEx3C_4esJuwyZ7gJnD4jYqtQrV-ala87S-H_M54_0ipPPaFARCGIG8FXE8Fs6pwGFR4zHlw/s1600/zindagi001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86mLF-1NXN32ZzRAEefjNzADI9d59LFBGZ7luw0ZyjpQStdiqs99zJAuVqmX3dbOb0ddEx3C_4esJuwyZ7gJnD4jYqtQrV-ala87S-H_M54_0ipPPaFARCGIG8FXE8Fs6pwGFR4zHlw/s1600/zindagi001.jpg" height="216" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's doing exactly what it's slogan says</td></tr>
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This venture by Zee Zindagi has and will
continue to ease things up, I hope. This is just the beginning. More dramas
will be shown there, then there will be a time when our films are screened in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>. I myself
don’t watch Pakistani TV plays but know for a fact that SO many families are
hooked on to them. I just hope the ones being shown across the border project
something positive about the country and its people and not that we’re a bunch
of women-haters, which I have heard a lot of plays portray. There are some
plays that project women as victims of domestic abuse, weak, subservient to
husbands and God knows what! I don’t want such plays as part of this cultural
exchange, if I may call it.</div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">But it’s made me very excited that the
Indian audiences, including people from the film industry, have welcomed the
dramas, view it as a positive gesture and are liking them too. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Here’s hoping for many more such exchanges
to follow in various other fields. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">On this positive and happy note I conclude
my rant. Had waited to write this for some time. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Cheers and all the best for <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Maine</st1:place></st1:state>. Keep us all
posted </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></div>
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Sheharyar Rizwanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09325385865826547286noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039365594297538604.post-89025921148792052332014-07-05T04:23:00.000-07:002014-07-11T11:16:15.673-07:00Changing attitudes about Pakistan in India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Yaar, Sheharyar,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I loved the last blog post you wrote, especially your concerns around gender-based violence in Pakistan and India. It is really important that men speak up about violence against women, not simply to show that there are violent men and non-violent men but to call out patriarchy for what it does. I wish I could say with some degree of confidence that education helps to mitigate violence. Unfortunately, I cannot. Even men like us who condemn violence against women probably participate in this violence in ways that we are unaware of. There is so much to learn, all the time, about oneself and what's happening around.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Btuj_XXmnaBJhsYCBdPVeDbSKKWIZ1i6Yo3WBklqKultqD4JJ5lJAJ5mGTfBpynTz682CBbuVayReulkxe9M9WrC51jIWr-EPYUhpH6c2YQ4vy2W9O7UlCTZrhIyeeiwtgRLmV6dC-hh/s1600/vaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Btuj_XXmnaBJhsYCBdPVeDbSKKWIZ1i6Yo3WBklqKultqD4JJ5lJAJ5mGTfBpynTz682CBbuVayReulkxe9M9WrC51jIWr-EPYUhpH6c2YQ4vy2W9O7UlCTZrhIyeeiwtgRLmV6dC-hh/s1600/vaw.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">When I was a child, I remember an uncle slapping his 20-year-old daughter right in front of four other people in the family. No one said a thing. I was too scared. I don't remember too well but I may have been shivering. What I remember though is asking my aunt, "Why did he do that?" She said, "He did the right thing. She needs some disciplining." What do you say to something like that? And what amazes me, in retrospect, is how the mother did not stand up for her daughter. Instead, she legitimized what her husband had done. I cringe when I think of what would have happened to that daughter's self-esteem. She is a mother today. I wonder how she and her husband 'discipline' their children.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zShkVwKqWW3BG4qEjDiZt16Qqut7pCN3WUd9_FbLy2RnCohkyxw4EmMUQXE-4mHD6Tc_P-b_wZDaSHEqeAULryCKLwKyN_wU7U9TMxzYtNGeNZ_JxM6kmNbStvjD3rhUPyckWoWcjKOy/s1600/zindagi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zShkVwKqWW3BG4qEjDiZt16Qqut7pCN3WUd9_FbLy2RnCohkyxw4EmMUQXE-4mHD6Tc_P-b_wZDaSHEqeAULryCKLwKyN_wU7U9TMxzYtNGeNZ_JxM6kmNbStvjD3rhUPyckWoWcjKOy/s1600/zindagi.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy https://www.facebook.com/ZeeZindagiTV/photos_stream</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">That brings me to Kashaf and Rafia, my favourite people on the Pakistani show <a href="http://www.zindagitv.in/shows/zindagi-gulzar-hai/">'Zindagi Gulzar Hai'</a>, which is being aired on Zee Zindagi right now. I love how Rafia stands up for all her daughters, and commits to their well-being despite having a husband who brings them nothing but misery. I draw strength from watching the way they lead their lives. There are obstacles galore but they never lose their conviction. Kashaf is a brilliant student, and has been offered a full scholarship to study at university. Instead of being thrilled about this, her father wants her to give up the opportunity and get married. Kashaf is no doormat. Neither is her mother. They are quite different from each other but both are strong, resolute, hardworking and self-respecting women. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUwgYbdGIC4FW37474m66UlXxe3dNUSOxQ3X1PUxIiZRqL5tY65QNtFLoVSN9f5TutgZCxGMAttiG8Wd8Rd23LS0K90O2ikHBk0vo-2D1w0nnwJhXYjykZv6s4zzkT8SmahIXRxXCPAYp_/s1600/Zindagi_Gulzaar_Hai_Episode_12_574x358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUwgYbdGIC4FW37474m66UlXxe3dNUSOxQ3X1PUxIiZRqL5tY65QNtFLoVSN9f5TutgZCxGMAttiG8Wd8Rd23LS0K90O2ikHBk0vo-2D1w0nnwJhXYjykZv6s4zzkT8SmahIXRxXCPAYp_/s1600/Zindagi_Gulzaar_Hai_Episode_12_574x358.jpg" height="248" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy http://www.zindagitv.in/shows/zindagi-gulzar-hai/</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I feel that this television show from Pakistan and other ones that will soon be aired on Zee Zindagi will play a very positive role in changing attitudes that Indians hold towards Pakistanis. Viewers will get to see a whole range of characters, and that will make a difference. </span></span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">When I have done workshops with schools in India, I have been asked at least on three occasions, "Do women in Pakistan go to work?" My knee-jerk response would be "Yes, of course! Is that even a question?" However, I try to avoid being reactive. The question is not necessarily one that comes from a sense of superiority but one that comes from a mixture of ignorance and curiosity. They are surprised when they hear that the Pakistani women I personally know or have read about are teachers, professors, journalists, writers, poets, artists, researchers, politicians, actors, editors, lawyers, etc. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">The assumption that all Pakistani women are Muslim, burqa-clad and oppressed needs to change. These words are often thought of as synonymous, and that's tragic. However, these ideas will change. They will.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuHW_a43N6ZTApeHVw6OX26bYUTYedbyANtiNmcl1FPcdxSXi6gSH_AsTR5RwY90dWk_d25hJln9UxtY3_ipNOWv9CyA3pQ0xBGJjquZjnGiAFVs5UMsmuBY3sdwm3bXMguMiKBVLOxv1/s1600/FAB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuHW_a43N6ZTApeHVw6OX26bYUTYedbyANtiNmcl1FPcdxSXi6gSH_AsTR5RwY90dWk_d25hJln9UxtY3_ipNOWv9CyA3pQ0xBGJjquZjnGiAFVs5UMsmuBY3sdwm3bXMguMiKBVLOxv1/s1600/FAB.jpg" height="400" width="392" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A painting by my friend Ellie Cross, also the logo of Friendships Across Borders: Aao Dosti Karein</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">This collaborative blog that we write reaffirms my faith in the possibility of cross-border friendships to transform popular perceptions. I know many people read this. Some leave comments, some do not. Some write to me about how they felt, how something suddenly shifted inside when they read a particular post. Some mention it at a party. Some even know you by first name. They ask me about how my friend Sheharyar in Lahore is doing. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">It's beautiful, isn't it?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">*Big warm hug* </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Chintan </span></span></div>
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Chintan Girish Modihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812704858860566395noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039365594297538604.post-58029238795656274922014-05-30T15:01:00.000-07:002014-05-30T15:01:50.206-07:00To Indo-Pak peace and women's rights<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-GB">Hey Chintan!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">You must be away on your whirlwind <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> tour and
enjoying working and having a good time in the mountains. And I thought it was
high time I took my turn to blog; it was just that I couldn’t think of a lot to
write about. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">The past two weeks have given a lot of
people from both sides of the border both extremes: reasons to be ecstatic followed
by utter depression, dismay and frustration.
First the happy part! Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> on the
invitation of his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi for the latter’s
inauguration was probably the best thing to have happened between the two
countries in a long time. The visit and the conduct of both leaders towards
each other gave a lot of us much happiness and joy, thinking this could be an
opportunity for restarting the stalled dialogue and peace process between <st1:country-region w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:country-region> and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place>. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQecWFmj4N_PHob-qL2PSPlWwpE2bOccQwOcGxBr6gAfzjvGRt1cVMQwYaZpcOdF5fpAEkvJk8ODNGsUYjXijc-V0eJMXjGTGrsybnuycV-_3NTSV6-Gwj9OjZJhWj8wTLg7-x1-OuWg/s1600/59333869-d329-49c4-8911-0625dac9bb96wallpaper1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQecWFmj4N_PHob-qL2PSPlWwpE2bOccQwOcGxBr6gAfzjvGRt1cVMQwYaZpcOdF5fpAEkvJk8ODNGsUYjXijc-V0eJMXjGTGrsybnuycV-_3NTSV6-Gwj9OjZJhWj8wTLg7-x1-OuWg/s1600/59333869-d329-49c4-8911-0625dac9bb96wallpaper1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">My personal take on this visit and the
meeting of the leaders is that following the announcement of PM Sharif’s acceptance
of the invitation there was a lot of joy around. But shortly after, many
realised that there isn’t going to be a long, one-to-one meeting that could be
called ‘dialogue’ per se between the two, however, it wouldn’t be wrong to
assume the short meeting that took place could be a prelude to more detailed
and formal processes in the future that cold lead to the much-sought peace
between the two countries. All that in itself seemed quite promising and I for
one was overjoyed at the presence of PM Sharif in India and how both leaders
conducted themselves and that they had resolved to resume the stalled dialogue
process. Here’s hoping it’s a new beginning to a much friendlier <st1:place w:st="on">South Asia</st1:place>. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Another exciting part of all this was that
I was invited by an online Indian news channel, <a href="http://www.indiapostlive.com/">www.indiapostlive.com</a>, to participate
in a live show about the invitation to PM Sharif by PM Modi. Here’s the link: <a href="http://indiapostlive.com/modi-invites-sharif/">http://indiapostlive.com/modi-invites-sharif/</a>.
I wish I could be there live but due to my idiotic work hours I managed to send
in a recorded video message that they included. Some other show maybe! </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Now for the distressing part. All the
positivity had not yet subsided when that gruesome incident in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lahore</st1:place></st1:city> happened. Shockingly, <a href="http://www.dawn.com/news/1108900/woman-stoned-to-death-outside-lahore-high-court" target="_blank">a woman was bludgeonedto death</a> by bricks by none other than her father, brother and other male
members of her family for marrying the man she loved. While the story is
undergoing twists and turns as I write this, the basic fact that she was
murdered in broad daylight and that too in front of Lahore High Court while
people watched like bloody spectators. The father turned himself in and proudly
confessed to the murder, saying she had been killed for ‘honour’.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">This term ‘honour killing’ always freaks me
out. WHAT honour are you talking about in a killing? Bloody uneducated, feudal,
male chauvinistic lunatics! And this wasn’t the first such case. Many women
have been and are killed for ‘honour’ almost everyday while nobody can do much
about them because it’s the family that does it. And then there are rapes
happening every single bloody day, regardless of a girl’s age, even as little
as 2 or maybe 7 or 8. Gosh!! Even writing about it is giving me shivers. It’s
scared and depressed the shit out of me. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Then probably the next day there were tow
other news, <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Two
Dalit girls, <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/two-minor-dalit-girls-raped-and-hanged-in-uttar-pradesh/articleshow/35741642.cms" target="_blank">gang-raped, killed and hanged</a> from a tree in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>! And a
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/30/malaysia-gang-rape-teen_n_5415397.html" target="_blank">15-year-old girl gang-raped</a> by 37 or 38 frikkin’ men in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country-region>. For
heaven’s sake!!! If we weren’t troubled enough already. What is happening in
this world? Is this all a girl/woman has been reduced to? Mere objects of desire,
means for sexual pleasure, victims of tribal/feudal customs, exhibit power?
Really? Do they cease to be human beings? </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Education, which is also a topic we are
expected to discuss this month under the BPP syllabus, is key I feel. But the
sad part is a whole lot educated people are as misogynist, bigoted, male chauvinistic
as their rural or uneducated counterparts. So what do we do? Educating men in
this part of the world or maybe anywhere wouldn’t stop rapes or sexual abuse.
So what would? I get speechless when asked this question. Even when I think for
myself I can’t come up with a solution. This trend doesn’t seem to decrease,
yaar! Ufff so it’s been a very very depressing one week, and so far it
continues to be as more horrifying cases come up. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">So anyway, that was my part of the rant. And
that’s all that’s been consuming my thoughts for now. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Here’s hoping for a
better and friendlier future for <st1:country-region w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:country-region>
and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
And a peaceful world for women to live in where they feel secure, loved and can
take their decisions themselves. More power to women! </span></div>
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Cheers!</div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">P.S. I'm quite excited about a cousin's nikah coming up in two weeks. Yay!!!</span></div>
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Sheharyar Rizwanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09325385865826547286noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039365594297538604.post-48666091880350026362014-05-17T14:02:00.002-07:002014-05-17T14:24:02.998-07:00Young people bringing in the change<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">De<span style="font-size: small;">ar Sheroo</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;">It brings me so much joy to be able to write to you again. It has been almost a month since our collaborative blog has been parched for an update :p Before sitting down to write this, I read your last post again, and realized how much has happened between the writing of that post and this particular moment. And one of the most significant things that happened was that we eventually met, after all these months of corresponding over email, Facebook and Twitter, and having the occasional brief phone conversation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;">I am glad I got the opportunity to visit Pakistan for the third time, thanks to the organizers of the Children's Literature Festival and the Teachers' Literature Festival in Islamabad who invited me as a speaker and workshop facilitator. And owing to the generosity of the Pakistan High Commission, I was also able to get city visas for Lahore, Rawalpindi and Karachi. There is so much that I treasure from this trip. I had the most amazing time there, interacting with children and teachers, meeting old friends, making new ones, and visiting places that I have been meaning to for a long time.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;"> I am glad we could meet so many times during the short period I was there for. It would not have been possible had you not been so flexible about your timings. Your work involves night shifts but you gave up a lot of your daytime sleep to be able to meet up. That meant a lot to me. There is something quite special about meeting someone in person, as opposed to online interaction, isn't it? I remember us saying to each other that it did not seem like we were meeting for the first time. It seemed like we had known each other for several years. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;">I enjoyed being taken to some of your favourite restaurants, and also watching that film with you. Speaking of the film, <i>Revolver Rani</i> was crazy, wasn't it? We started off liking it, imagining that it would turn out to be a really cool spoof of sorts. However, it let us down terribly. Do you remember I told you I had a hunch that it wasn't going to be a very good film? Nevertheless, I did want to watch a Bollywood flick with you, considering how often we talk about movies. To be fair, the popcorn at the movie hall was good :p</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Before setting out for Pakistan, I was wondering what I would get you as a gift. A kurta maybe, a movie poster, a coffee mug with local motifs, a book perhaps. Those were the things I was thinking of but you said, "Chintan, bring me an Indian God." It is quite interesting that you said so. I knew what I would bring along soon as I heard that. The Ganesha I gifted you was bought years ago in Pondicherry, a seaside town I love going to every once in a while. I spotted it on a makeshift stall set up near a lovely temple called Manakula Vinayagar Kovil. That temple also has an elephant called Lakshmi right outside, heaping blessings on those who offer money that is passed on to the caretaker :-)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;">I loved what you gifted me - a <i>tasbeeh</i>. It is amazing how this particular object is used by people from so many spiritual traditions to build concentration or as an aid to chanting and prayer. Muslims use it, Christians do, and so do Hindus, Jains and Buddhists as well. This is precious, for three reasons: 1. It came from you. 2. Your <i>ammi </i>helped you pick this one for me. 3. I believe in the power of good wishes, healing intentions and blessings.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Before I conclude this post, I feel like sharing something I was musing about just a few hours ago. It was a late Saturday evening, and I was watching the film <i>Veer-Zaara</i><br /> on television along with my parents. This is a movie I saw years ago when it released in cinema halls, and I remember not being too impressed. However, my experience of it this evening was quite different. I have visited Lahore thrice, and that has made all the difference. Much of what I would have earlier dismissed as soppy really tugged at my heart. The violence of the lines that divide us, the suspicion in people's minds, the futility of our long-standing feuds, the suffering of divided families and innocent folks languishing in prisons on both sides - it hit me hard, once again. What really stayed with me is something that Zakir Ahmed (played by Anupam Kher) tells Saamiya Siddiqui (played by Rani Mukerji) at the very end - "Tum jaise naujawan in dono mulqon ki takdeer badlenge." (Translation: 'It is young people like you who will transform the destiny of these two nations.") So true! We are at it, already!</span></span></div>
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Chintan Girish Modihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812704858860566395noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039365594297538604.post-39752985979659548582014-04-18T15:01:00.000-07:002014-04-18T15:01:43.031-07:00Joy (or lack thereof), busy bee me and teachers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-GB">First up, apologies for being mega late with
my turn to blog. You remember during one of our conversations you reminded me
it was my turn and I thought otherwise. Yes, that’s what’s become of my memory.
Short-term memory loss<i> </i>issue<i> ho
raha hai</i>. Anyway, the past two weeks were incredibly busy with work and
family that I didn’t get the time to write. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">When I asked if there was something
specific you wanted me to write about, you said you wanted to know what brings
me “joy”. You know, quite surprisingly, I had never thought about this.
Ever. Till you asked me. I thought and I thought. But what came to my mind was
boring, clichéd and redundant. I realised there were certain moments that
brought me joy, not something or someone or some place or anything specific. It
was all cluttered, momentary. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Sometimes being with friends and family makes
me happy, something seeing someone else happy makes me happy, close family weddings
make me happy, music and dance makes me happy. But that’s pretty much it (or
maybe it’s my memory problem again). All this may make it sound as if there’s
been nothing significant in my life, but even that’s not true. My features
getting published, my going to the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region>, or someone praising me should
ideally make me happy, but they don’t/didn’t. And that I feel isn’t really
normal. I’m sure if a lot of people were in my place they would have been
ecstatic and over the moon over the ‘achievements’ I mentioned above. But well,
that’s me I realised some time ago. That’s how I am. Nothing will make me
overjoyed or excited or give a sense of achievement, because I tend to find a
logical justification for everything happening and in that case feel life taking its normal course. I go, “So what? It’s happening because blah blah blah…nothing unusual.”
Hence, I feel I’m an old, boring soul. No I’m not saying I’m unhappy with
myself; just that I’m not as fun as zillions of people out there. But then,
that’s also fine, I tell myself. Everyone cannot be same and alike. THAT would
be boring </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Now let me tell you what kept me busy the
last two weeks. I had quite a few social/fashion events to attend (for work), from small
fashion presentations to brand launches, to one of the days of a fashion week
that was held in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lahore</st1:place></st1:city>
last week. Then I also interviewed Farhad Humayun, lead singer of the band
<a href="http://overload.co.nr/" target="_blank">Overload</a>. They have a very distinct style of music. They use dhols and drums as
primary instruments and make very edgy, musical (if that makes sense) music. I interviewed Farhad
about a website he’s launching in a couple of days, called riotarts.com. He
says it’s his answer to the Youtube ban here so that people around the world
can have access to Pakistani music, audio and video. He says he’s taken on
board quite a few local musicians and continues to reach out to the rest of
them to contribute their stuff for the website. More details you can read when I
post a link to the interview as soon as it’s published. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsj6sc-B_nJmshU-pqWrFuaD9OGAbkdQq8FO4Y_SSkllGoUXdhEQGIwyr8iPSLh0rdgmGoXk-y28kLi29xau-wr79QbCtZ1DTf5UtRb6-CqxZs_JnkssupULvhU-kd951JIEDdn2fNA/s1600/1932636_10154036206155015_9084364224779102705_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsj6sc-B_nJmshU-pqWrFuaD9OGAbkdQq8FO4Y_SSkllGoUXdhEQGIwyr8iPSLh0rdgmGoXk-y28kLi29xau-wr79QbCtZ1DTf5UtRb6-CqxZs_JnkssupULvhU-kd951JIEDdn2fNA/s1600/1932636_10154036206155015_9084364224779102705_o.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With a friend and fellow journalist at the fashion week. Loved this funky jacket I wore.</td></tr>
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Family and friends also kept me quite busy.
I went to a very good friend’s nikah last Saturday, which was a lot of fun. As always,
I ended up being among the only three people dancing. Because we just had to! You
know, can’t control when the music starts playing, even, as per my brothers, if
it’s in the <i>chotha mohalla</i>. They even
say I can dance to a news bulletin. There were lunches and dinners with family
and friends, separately; friends get togethers, cousins visiting from abroad. I
even had to travel to and from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Islamabad</st1:place></st1:city>
twice, for less than 24 hours, in three days for some urgent piece of work. That
really made me frazzled and I’m still recovering. Have another friend’s wedding
to attend tomorrow Inshallah. I enjoy most weddings even if I don’t know anyone
there.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjooB_whNp3nIKMtBQHkGYe5N5qle3TU6Q2AsWpsB354sA9FQ4WiZnAjmzwDokD1564qVYtnAEPPjg2LNzlqr1actpZrryLc7w_zwueuik32MsXhh-dnHNW0dYcahW47mS6DaTmPTCmVg/s1600/1972443_10151954148911671_4189125457283564960_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjooB_whNp3nIKMtBQHkGYe5N5qle3TU6Q2AsWpsB354sA9FQ4WiZnAjmzwDokD1564qVYtnAEPPjg2LNzlqr1actpZrryLc7w_zwueuik32MsXhh-dnHNW0dYcahW47mS6DaTmPTCmVg/s1600/1972443_10151954148911671_4189125457283564960_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the friend's nikah, with other friends</td></tr>
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I may have missed a few things out. And you
know because of this hectic schedule, I couldn’t even watch any movies. I missed Mein Tera Hero, which I wanted to watch as its music reminded me of
those silly Govinda films, some of which were enjoyable too. Now I really look
forward to 2 States, which is out. Also, I'm a massive Game of Thrones fan. Its fourth season just started 2 weeks ago. If you havent watched it, NOW's the time!! I got hooked to it in the first episode that my friends made me watch. </div>
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I remember you also wanted to me talk about
my teachers that I haven’t liked. I even used a specific word for them ;) What
I meant to say was that I’ve never ever liked teachers, from school to
university, that have favoured a student, passed him/her at the cost of a
deserving student just because some students are thick with a teacher to get
favours at the end. And that has happened to me a few times, which I found
extremely unfair, obviously. You can’t talk to the teachers about it; that’ll
make them hate you even more and even justify their not giving you what you deserve.
But overall, I’m thankful I’ve had great teachers from whom I’ve learnt a lot. They
have all been very helpful, kind, guiding and encouraging towards me that developed
in me so much respect for them.</div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">And finally, many many congratulations on
getting that <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Maine</st1:place></st1:state>
peace programme thing. I’m sure it’ll be a lot of fun. I’ll formally
congratulate in person when we meet next week Inshallah. Looking forward your
trip to Pakiland, and then you writing about it. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Until then, keep rocking and smiling. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Sheharyar </span></div>
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Sheharyar Rizwanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09325385865826547286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039365594297538604.post-25064906912615062592014-03-30T12:33:00.001-07:002014-03-30T13:33:59.875-07:00Mortality, films and cross-cultural friendships<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Dear Sherry</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">It has been about two weeks since <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153986323245691&set=a.126627020690.219345.789190690&type=1&theater"><span style="color: blue;">Viqar Uncle</span></a>, your phuppa passed away. I hope the family is moving in the direction of healing. This is the second death in your family in the last two months. It must be a difficult time for everyone, and I hope all of you find ways of supporting each other through this. I'd like to be around for you, so if there is anything you want to share, just reach out and you'll find me there. </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Thanks for sharing with me </span><a href="http://www.chintanandsheharyar.blogspot.in/2014/03/ok-so-chintan-it-has-taken-me-quite.html" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: blue;">a little about Viqar Uncle's career as a teacher</span></a><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">. I am sure his students feel the loss, and also a lot of gratitude for what they learnt from him. Teacher-student relationships can be incredibly special. Many of mine have been. The person I am today is, in large measure, thanks to the wonderful teachers I have had. Their love, encouragement, constructive criticism and guidance have helped me shape my thinking and open my heart.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mira (a turtle from the Either Or store in Pune, India) reading bell hooks </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">My finest teachers have been those who haven't told me what to think and believe but who have created the space for me to ask questions, reflect, argue, challenge their ideas and mine, and pursue the love of learning. I feel grateful that at every period of my life, be it school, college, university, or after, I have found some amazing people to learn from. In a broad sense, so many people have been teachers -- </span></span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">family, friends, colleagues, mentors, </span><a href="http://www.teacherplus.org/last-word/what-my-students-taught-me" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: blue;">students</span></a><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">, and the people whose work I have read and admired. </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.teacherplus.org/bookfilm-review/inspiring-a-passion-for-teaching"><span style="color: blue;">One of my favourite writers</span></a> </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">on education is </span><a href="http://infed.org/mobi/bell-hooks-on-education/" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: blue;">bell hooks</span></a><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">, an African American feminist who brings together quite beautifully the seemingly disparate worlds of Paulo Freire and Thich Nhat Hanh.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">In the blog post you wrote just a few days ago, you mentioned a bunch of movies. Of those, I have managed to watch only two - <i>Shaadi Ke Side Effects</i> and <i>Queen</i>. I am quite fond of Vidya Balan and Farhan Akhtar, and that is what led me to the cinema hall. Though the film made me laugh a lot, I could not help noticing the familiar stereotypes around men's work and women's work. Of course, the film did try to turn them around a bit but not much. The most important thing that film left me thinking about was the amount of hard work parenting requires. And that willingness to put other people's needs before your own. I'm not ready for it. I wonder if you are either. What's your take on fatherhood?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">As for <i>Queen</i>, I simply loved it. Such a progressive film! It felt great to see a Bollywood heroine stand up for herself, and come into her own. Seeing her grow into a confident person was an education in itself. I felt the film was empowering at many levels, and not from the lens of gender alone. I found strength in Rani because of the way she managed to negotiate living in countries and contexts quite different from her own. Regardless of the many <a href="http://www.kulturstudierblog.com/2013/09/06/india-feeling-welcome-in-pondicherry/"><span style="color: blue;">cross-cultural friendships</span></a> I treasure, I have still not travelled outside Southasia, and I do have some amount of anxiety around how I would feel once I go to the US or to Europe. I felt Rani had something to teach me. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Zach, a very dear friend who lives in Seattle</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I am glad you wrote about your trip to the US, and how it felt to be there. I too would like to go. Berkeley is a place I feel a very special connection with. I cannot explain why. It is something visceral. I will be able to tell you only once I have had the experience. What I would love to explore in the US includes public libraries, street art, cafes, bookstores, various cuisines; most of all, the experience of cross-cultural friendships with people from all over the world. I have friends in Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, New York, and elsewhere but I have not had the opportunity to travel there yet. Inshallah, soon. I have applied for a program that might take me there. I will keep you posted. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful tree spotted in Bandra, a suburb of Mumbai, on a walk with my friend Adithya</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Now, I'll go back to a book that I picked up in Pune last week. It is called 'Just look up...to see the magic in the trees around you'. The author is Sadhana Ramchander. It is a quiet little book, with lots of pictures of beautiful trees, flowers, leaves, and plenty of poems and musings. I love trees, and I love hugging them. Have you tried it? You must. Hugging a tree, and resting your head on its trunk, is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world. Of course, you can enjoy it only if you are prepared to risk looking like a fool to others who don't understand. When I visit Lahore, I would love to spend time looking around at the trees in various neighbourhoods. By the way, if you were a tree, which one would you like to be? I'd like to be a banyan.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Looking forward to hearing from you!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Love,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Chintan</span></span></div>
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Chintan Girish Modihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812704858860566395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039365594297538604.post-52744853180785361572014-03-25T15:01:00.001-07:002014-03-25T15:02:35.172-07:00Never too late<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ok so Chintan, it has taken me quite a long
time to come up with my next blogpost; partly to be blamed on my laziness.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">But the major reason, as you’re already
aware, was the death of a very close uncle (my phuppa) just last week. I fall
short of words while expressing what he meant to all of us. Such a gentle,
kind, quiet, soft-spoken soul. He barely talked to anyone, but when he did, it
was always meaningful. He was an economist and was part of the famous Lahore
School of Economics. He had taught the late Benazir Bhutto at <st1:placename w:st="on">Oxford</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype>,
as well as many other major political personalities at the <st1:placename w:st="on">Forman</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Christian</st1:placename>
<st1:placename w:st="on">College</st1:placename> here in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lahore</st1:place></st1:city>. Anyway, the entire family was shocked
at his sudden death even though he had aged but was healthy and well. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Moving on, before this tragedy, I had
planned to watch almost all the good movies playing in cinemas: Queen, Gulaab
Gang, Shaadi ke Side Effects etc. And guess what, I couldn’t watch any of them
and now they’re almost off the cinemas. Too too sad. I really didn’t want to
miss Gulaab Gang and after I hear such raving reviews about Queen from
everyone, even people who didn’t really watch Bollywood movies, I had made up
my mind not to miss it. But who would have known what was in store. Khair, I
think ill have to download them all, just like I have eight others that I
haven’t been able to watch yet. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju0MvH8pKm6_LPrBFWuwaUMMxepR1i496dB4BefI9so3VAYfeyBetM2AT889hlTyQH-bgEYhfw6hgo9VI-X3J9_wdjtq8p6HjK_lDt5syzRG6uMoUsFaDA7bYirEkA5ssGpNPwNK_GNg/s1600/Gulaab-Gang-2014-Movie-Images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju0MvH8pKm6_LPrBFWuwaUMMxepR1i496dB4BefI9so3VAYfeyBetM2AT889hlTyQH-bgEYhfw6hgo9VI-X3J9_wdjtq8p6HjK_lDt5syzRG6uMoUsFaDA7bYirEkA5ssGpNPwNK_GNg/s1600/Gulaab-Gang-2014-Movie-Images.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I used to watch Comedy Nights with Kapil
regularly and couldn’t follow that either; it’s been a month now. But I sure am
successfully following Koffee with Karan regularly for some strange reason.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">So anyway, in your previous blog you
mentioned all the beautiful places you had travelled to in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> and some
interesting people you met during your travels. It was quite fascinating to
know at least someone had seen a lot of his country. Whereas look at me, I have
barely seen any city in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:country-region>
but <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lahore</st1:place></st1:city> just
because I live here. I’ve seen Pindi and some of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Islamabad</st1:city></st1:place>
but don’t remember the last time I went to its landmarks like Shakarparian, Daman-e-Koh,
Pir Sohawa etc. And <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Karachi</st1:place></st1:city>
it’s been a lifetime; I think I last visited it in the mid 90s. It’s a shame, I
know! I’ve also been to some places in the up north but that was also when I
was in my teens (and that is quite a long time ago). So you see, I’m such a
loser; haven’t even seen my own country properly <i>aur chala hoon doosray mulk
ghoomnay</i>. But yes, I do have been to the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region>, last year, on a month-long
journalists exchange programme and I can share that with you briefly. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Daman-e-Koh, Islamabad</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The programme was by the <b><a href="http://www.icfj.org/our-work/us-pakistan-professional-partnership-journalism" target="_blank">InternationalCenter for Journalists</a> </b>in America. I was part of a 13-member group of print
journalists from different parts of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:country-region>
to travel to the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region>
(and I was the youngest among them). As part of the programme, we were all then
sent to different cities and states and attached with newspaper organisations
there. We were supposed to shadow journalists and just learn and observe how
their working was different from ours here, and the difference was massive of
course. I wrote an <a href="http://www.expressnews.com/opinion/commentary/article/Historic-Pakistani-elections-will-affect-U-S-4515639.php" target="_blank">opinion piece</a> during my stay there because coincidently
our historic general elections were held while I was there, so I monitored them
and shared my opinion with the local Americans because while there I realised a
lot of them barely knew about <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
So I found that as an opportunity to tell them about our elections and why they
were so significant for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:place></st1:country-region>. I also did a local story about bats for the paper. It was an adventure and an experience of a lifetime, for I was there in an
alien country, around alien people, all by myself. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">You can read about my experience in detail
in this <a href="http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/commentary/article/Trip-to-U-S-helped-bridge-gap-for-Pakistani-4789599.php" target="_blank">piece </a>I wrote for the newspaper I was attached with there in the
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place>
after my return, and they were kind enough to publish it. I also <a href="http://www.mysanantonio.com/default/article/Malala-Yousafzai-resumes-education-advocacy-4672284.php" target="_blank">wrote</a> for them
about Malala Yousafzai’s historic speech she delivered at the UN General
Assembly. So this is my little travel history, nothing compared to your
extensive trips across <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Oh, by the way I didn’t get to watch that
video Kirthi shared; you know YouTube issues, even proxies don’t seem to work
now. Though I am trying to figure out a way. Did you watch it? </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Now that another one of my features got
recently published, which you were kind enough to share with the rest of the
group, I’m thinking of ideas for the next piece. Want to do an interview now. Oh
and hey, I started interacting with some cool people from across the border all
thanks to that Facebook group Miss Greatness Kirthi created for us. It’s been a
nice couple of conversations so far. Learning about them, the cities they live
in, culture practiced there, what they’re doing. The more you know, the more
you want to meet them in person. And it was lovely learning about Xavier’s from
you the other day. Until now I had only seen it and heard about it in Hindi
films. Gosh it sounds exciting and fascinating and from the looks of it,
resembles a castle. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Khair chalo, I’ve run out of stuff to talk
about. You know me and the time I get to write all of this at. <i>Is time par
toh kuch dimagh mein aa jaye yehi <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">bari</st1:place></st1:city>
baat hai.</i> I’m sure you already have your next blog ready considering how
efficient you are with words. I shall wait to see what you have in mind now and
also what Kirthi Jii has in that ‘curriculum’. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Until next time, Khuda Hafiz!</span></span></div>
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Sheharyar Rizwanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09325385865826547286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039365594297538604.post-35379354912686255542014-03-15T10:09:00.002-07:002014-03-16T00:30:20.077-07:00Sharing more of me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Dear Sherry</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">I enjoyed reading the blog post you wrote in response to mine, particularly the energy and spontaneity of it, the affection and laughter in it. What made it even more special is knowing that you wrote it after a long night at work, while you were sleepy and dazed. Having a job that requires you to come in when most of your friends are returning from their workplaces must feel like a bit of a challenge. Anyway, thanks, for making the time to write. My favourite part of </span><a href="http://www.chintanandsheharyar.blogspot.in/2014/03/dream-come-true-maybe.html"><span style="color: blue;">your post</span></a><span style="color: #666666;"> was this: "We'll meet up and I'm sure we'll bring the house down. Nobody would have seen more madness than we'll show them. Heehaaw!" Yaar, h</span><span style="color: #666666;">earing from you always brightens up my day. I'm sure you know that :-p</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What I look like when someone brightens up my day (Photo credit: Vibha Shah)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">I was wondering what you'd like to learn about me through these blog posts. Thankfully, you've given me a lot of ideas. This time, I'll share with you some glimpses from my recent travel experiences. There have been several in 2014 - Madikeri, Bylakuppe, Bangalore, Panchgani, Pondicherry, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Sakad. I am not able to recall anymore. I guess that's about it. There's something quite thrilling about travel. Tiring too. Yet it remains one of the things I love most.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside North Coorg Club, Mercara<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">I had booked a train ticket for the 1st of January. It took me from Mumbai to Mangalore, from where I boarded a bus to Madikeri. It is located in the Coorg district of Karnataka. On my second evening there, I was just walking around, and happened to come across this postbox, a little before the entrance to the Madikeri Fort. I like the sight of postboxes. I associate them with handwritten letters. Did I ever tell you that I wanted to be a postman when I was in second grade? I love writing and receiving letters. At that age, I imagined that I would get a lot of letters if I became a postman. Anyway, I still enjoy writing letters. Maybe I'll write you one someday.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfuIifJ9ohRre4ZvNK6SGWsEJSYEn1-SHruDZ82EymsVwxc09lkgwYgnZud0lShnlbij6V4bumRZnBpVuQq6y08aOVcf14ogqqWJU-xmrRlEtQAQhdxMK1hnFt9G9ebgGc43CO6mAl9yj/s1600/Blog+Jigmey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfuIifJ9ohRre4ZvNK6SGWsEJSYEn1-SHruDZ82EymsVwxc09lkgwYgnZud0lShnlbij6V4bumRZnBpVuQq6y08aOVcf14ogqqWJU-xmrRlEtQAQhdxMK1hnFt9G9ebgGc43CO6mAl9yj/s1600/Blog+Jigmey.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;">The real reason for my going to Madikeri was to use that place as a stopover. It is about two hours away from Bylakuppe, the site of a major Tibetan refugee settlement. I wanted to begin my year listening to the teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. And I did. I was there only for the last of 10 days. However, it felt beautiful. I feel closely connected to the Tibetan community because I have spent </span><a href="http://thealternative.in/inclusivity/meeting-the-dalai-lama-and-the-importance-of-compassion/" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;">five weeks</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"> with them in Dharamsala, a beautiful in the hills of Himachal Pradesh. This short trip gave me a chance to reconnect with them. I was also able to meet some of my monk friends from Namgyal Monastery, which is attached to HHDL's home. They received me warmly, invited me to have lunch with them, and spent some happy moments reliving our shared experiences in Dharamsala. Those five weeks were incredibly special. </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.teacherplus.org/2013/august-2013/secular-ethics-concern-for-our-fellow-beings">I</a><a href="http://www.teacherplus.org/2013/august-2013/secular-ethics-concern-for-our-fellow-beings"> received them as a gift</a></span> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;">from The Foundation for Universal Responsibility, an organization started by HHDL using the money he received along with the Nobel Peace Prize. I was one of around </span><a href="http://freepressjournal.in/presenting-poets-as-public-figures/" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;">30 young people</span></a><a href="http://freepressjournal.in/presenting-poets-as-public-figures/" style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"> </a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;">who had the opportunity to live with the Tibetans, attend Buddhist philosophy classes, learn meditation, volunteer with local NGOs like the </span><a href="http://www.tccr.org/" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;">Tibetan Centre for Conflict Resolution</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"> and </span><a href="http://sftindia.org/" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;">Students for a Free Tibet</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;">, and generally experience </span><a href="http://freepressjournal.in/the-momo-makers-of-mcleodganj/" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;">the beauty of life in the hills</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;">.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMU6oWuVtJd6RJm0QmyIohBy__u1jB5NgjZSCYmxiOpEpift9a4rbDrCGps_tAL_tdqSIk8Oqt3UtNkbrurR5j0prN-hSMIXI2JCg5J_R8lxu39HTTnHmvNn6OiyPNfTZr6jUKbCDZkN3U/s1600/Blog+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMU6oWuVtJd6RJm0QmyIohBy__u1jB5NgjZSCYmxiOpEpift9a4rbDrCGps_tAL_tdqSIk8Oqt3UtNkbrurR5j0prN-hSMIXI2JCg5J_R8lxu39HTTnHmvNn6OiyPNfTZr6jUKbCDZkN3U/s1600/Blog+6.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #666666;">What you see above is a picture of the three principal deities at </span><a href="http://www.namdroling.org/"><span style="color: blue;">Namdroling </span></a><span style="color: #666666;">Monastery (also called The Golden Temple) in </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bylakuppe"><span style="color: blue;">Bylakuppe</span></a><span style="color: #666666;">. They are Guru Padmasambhava, Buddha Shakyamuni and Buddha Amitayus (from left to right). There were plaques explaining the significance of each. I was quite excited by this bit, which I read on the plaque about Guru Padmasambhava: "He was born twelve years after the passing of Buddha, on the lake Sindhu, in the land of Oddiyana (the present day Afghan-Pakistan Border)." Such an amazing reminder of our beautifully connected histories, isn't it? When I was reading that plaque, I was instantly reminded of </span><a href="http://shirazhassan.blogspot.in/"><span style="color: blue;">Shiraz Hassan</span></a><span style="color: #666666;">, my friend in Rawalpindi, who loves historical monuments and searching for stories among ruins.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Later in the month (yes, I'm still talking about January), I was in Panchgani, where I met those beautiful people from several different parts of the world. We were participants at the</span><span style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/20647/making-democracy-real-2014-come-let-us-dissolve-these-borders/"><span style="color: blue;">Making Democracy Real Dialogue </span></a></span><span style="color: #666666;">organized by the Initiatives of Change at Asia Plateau. The first guy in that picture (the one with the camera) is Puvaan Jayandren. He's a Malaysian of Indian origin. His paternal grandfather used to live in Pondicherry before he migrated. We had beautiful long conversations. Yet again, I was struck by how depth and intimacy in </span><a href="http://www.makingdemocracyreal.org/much-common-youth-perspective/"><span style="color: blue;">interactions</span></a><a href="http://www.makingdemocracyreal.org/much-common-youth-perspective/" style="color: #666666;"> </a><span style="color: #666666;">are not necessarily determined by the length of time people have known each other. Some people, by virtue of the way they are, immediately inspire trust and confidence. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">In the same picture, you also see Kobi Goodwin in that lovely purple pullover. I was surprised to learn that he too was in Bylakuppe for the same set of teachings I mentioned earlier. I remember Kobi for his silence, the sincerity with which he listened, our brief exchange about Israel and Palestine, our early morning starlit trek, and for the verses he recited from the Torah during an interfaith prayer session one morning. I also met some people from Pakistan. The one who inspired me most was </span><a href="http://www.makingdemocracyreal.org/memory-justice-healing-evening-salman-rashid/"><span style="color: blue;">Salman Rashid</span></a><span style="color: #666666;">, a travel writer based in Lahore who I would love to see again.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">In the second half of January, I was in Pondicherry thanks to the invitation of my friend Payal Adhikari who teaches at a small village school on the outskirts of </span><a href="http://www.auroville.org/"><span style="color: blue;">Auroville</span></a><span style="color: #666666;">, a township that is home to people from various countries of the world. The blue house you see in the picture above belongs to Krupa, who I met thanks to Payal. Krupa is an artist, educator and </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sankalpajourneys"><span style="color: blue;">art therapist</span></a><span style="color: #666666;"> who lives in Auroville. That's a house built from a giant metal container. Krupa has designed it herself. I loved listening to her talk about it, seeing the vegetable patch next to it, and the fence around which she wants to transform into an affirmation-art installation space, where people can tie their 'intentions'.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">The red thread you see me tying is from the Buddhist teachings in Bylakuppe. I received it from one of the monks there. When Krupa told me about the installation, I remembered that the thread was still lying in my bag. I took it out, and tied it around, while chanting 'Om Mani Padme Hum', a beautiful Buddhist mantra which means 'May all beings be happy and peaceful'. The fence around Krupa's home seemed to me a lot like the jaalis one sees at shrines like </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nizamuddin_Dargah"><span style="color: blue;">Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya's dargah </span></a><span style="color: #666666;">in Delhi. It was a special moment in my friendship with Krupa. I hope to see her again.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">After spending a week in Pondicherry, I went to Chennai for two days. The most valuable part of that trip was getting to reconnect with Navaneet, my friend from college. He used to live in Mumbai before he moved to Chennai to devote himself completely to the learning of Carnatic classical music. Navaneet took me to the home of </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/keshav.keshav"><span style="color: blue;">Keshav Venkataraghavan</span></a><span style="color: #666666;">, a dear friend of his who is a cartoonist with </span><i><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/"><span style="color: blue;">The Hindu</span></a></i><span style="color: #666666;">, a newspaper you must have heard of. That is Keshav's desk. It was enchanting to linger over every little object in and around his work space. He showed me several paintings and murals, and lovingly answered all my questions. I also got to spend a fair amount of time with Navaneet's sister Jayshree Akka (Tamil word for 'elder sister') who shares so many of my interests. She is super-cool.</span></span><br />
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I'm moving towards the end of my blog post, and I realize that I have been able to share so little. Anyway, we have a year to go, and more, Inshallah. Writing this blog post made me revisit a lot that happened in the last few months. And through these recollections, I hope, I have given you a flavour of what delights my heart. Now I look forward to reading your post, and learning more about you, Sherry.</span></div>
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PS: Thank God for hyperlinks! :-p</span></div>
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Chintan Girish Modihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812704858860566395noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039365594297538604.post-41523884033026856422014-03-09T18:15:00.000-07:002014-03-09T18:19:39.864-07:00Dream come true? Maybe!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As Salman Khan would say on Bigg Boss, Hello,
Asalam-o-Alaikum, Namaskar, Sat Sri Akaal, Kemcho…</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chintan, to begin with, it was a massive
surprise when you and I got paired with each other for the Pakistan-India
Building Peace Project. Thanks a tonne for letting me know about it and
convincing me to apply when I was being a little lazy.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Just
the fact that we both knew each other before the project came along and
eventually getting selected and also being paired with each other couldn’t have
been more pleasant a surprise. And you know what the best part for me is? I
finally FINALLY may get to visit <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> (fingers crossed) at the end
of this project at the Peace Summit these good guys at <a href="http://www.redelephantfoundation.org/p/building-peace-project.html" target="_blank">The Red Elephant</a> have
planned for us. I mean can you believe it? My childhood dream -- that’s what I
keep telling everyone it is -- may actually come true. This reminds me of that
dialogue from Om Shanti Om, “<i>Kehte hain agar kisi cheez ko dil se chaaho to
puri kainaat usse tumse milane ki koshish mein lag jaati hai</i>.” So that’s
what I’m most excited about. We’ll meet up and I’m sure we’ll bring the house
down. Nobody would have seen more madness than we’ll show them. Heehaww!! </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But you know Chintu even if this wonderful
opportunity hadn’t come along I know we would have been communicating anyway.
Yes the biggest advantage of this yearlong virtual Building Peace Project chit
chat would be that we’ll be able to get to know each other in so many ways that
we may not have otherwise through our usual Facebook chats. Because what we’re
usually doing is what, <i>pagalpan</i>! But we may have to restrict that <i>pagalpan</i>
at least for these blogs as they’ll be public :) </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’m glad over the next one year I’ll be
able find out about your past, your present and what you have planned for your
future; your family, friends, your city, where all you have travelled within
India and outside, your education (I know you’re great with words), your
hobbies and so much more. And yes, I for one would like to talk about relations
between our countries and what people around us feel about it. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From some of our previous chats I’m so glad
to find out that some of our thoughts are so similar: we’re both <i>pagal</i>
(as you say), we both feel the need to be alone at times, we can both be
eccentric and enthusiastic yet serious and focused on our work and so on…. But
dude, you’re quite deep and spiritual in your thoughts and emotions and feelings,
and I’m definitely not. And you read books, which I don’t. But <i>chalo,</i>
there has to be difference also <i>na</i>, otherwise where’s the fun? Hehehe… </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span lang="EN-GB">Acha</span></i><span lang="EN-GB"> I’m not as efficient as you are
with words so it’s getting a little difficult to stretch this. By the way,
before I got on to writing this, I was watching my current favourite Indian TV
shows Koffee with Karan and Comedy Nights with Kapil (you know very well that
Hindi movies and music are among my deepest passions). Karan had Shradha Kapoor
and Aditya Roy Kapoor on his show this week, and man, both of them sing really
well. Yeah, they sang on the show. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh647C_t5E8E9J8tG2iWUk1GA8PLUZwo0-mrznxL_5-r4rfgTohbx9PgGgDWMuOfAG3u0sNAoz87YNcENeMiRnN_YiNL-3G0Zj2R6TLh2r7XAQ6vkLa8saOxFl49bCf7uyn3z4rRyhdhQ/s1600/aditya+and+shradha1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh647C_t5E8E9J8tG2iWUk1GA8PLUZwo0-mrznxL_5-r4rfgTohbx9PgGgDWMuOfAG3u0sNAoz87YNcENeMiRnN_YiNL-3G0Zj2R6TLh2r7XAQ6vkLa8saOxFl49bCf7uyn3z4rRyhdhQ/s1600/aditya+and+shradha1.jpg" height="320" width="298" /></span></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And
finally, if I ever get a chance to visit <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region>,
Inshallah, the five cities (because we get a visa for five only) I would want
to visit are <st1:city w:st="on">Delhi</st1:city>, Mumbai, Jaipur, <st1:city w:st="on">Lucknow</st1:city> and <st1:city w:st="on">Agra</st1:city> or <st1:place w:st="on">Goa</st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7gojgRVumR3qCOHIT91PoxuCv2Omx4nqX-SCfRUo7bTWoVh3cmmIOOhK09ucSsOv9xN0ePX8ayp7_C53jwVbs95_LXst-rLI9fvPLbZzT45oJp8T-_aBpLWQbNCtAEzIlWSJpb1g_Ow/s1600/Hawa-Mahal--Palace-of-Winds,-Jaipur,-India.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7gojgRVumR3qCOHIT91PoxuCv2Omx4nqX-SCfRUo7bTWoVh3cmmIOOhK09ucSsOv9xN0ePX8ayp7_C53jwVbs95_LXst-rLI9fvPLbZzT45oJp8T-_aBpLWQbNCtAEzIlWSJpb1g_Ow/s1600/Hawa-Mahal--Palace-of-Winds,-Jaipur,-India.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ok then,
until your next blog, Khuda Hafiz!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Sheharyar Rizwanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09325385865826547286noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039365594297538604.post-42231249305893397432014-03-08T12:07:00.001-08:002014-03-08T12:57:48.572-08:00Deepening our friendship<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Dear Sheharyar </span></div>
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I'm delighted to begin this 'blogversation' with you. Thanks for coming</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">up with that cool hybrid word. It's quite amazing, isn't it? I mean, the fact</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">that you and I applied for the<u> </u><a href="http://www.redelephantfoundation.org/p/building-peace-project.html"><span style="color: blue;">Building Peace Project</span> </a>around the same</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">time, and we both got selected. In addition to that, we also got</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">paired with each other to share this journey of cross-border</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">correspondence over a year, leading up to a peace summit where we</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">actually get to meet each other. Yay! :-) The universe sends these</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">surprises my way, all the time.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjog5Yt68yAxCwOYaVAFIpBt1Xi0v1dN5lB4jV8lPdWdCfa21w3EwYXaAAIfQaOBtZm7PHtFTZu3lVabrUI_rOjLGHzKO8LbFJlewfBKA4vZMluwj6EUGtFcHvZPqR-ayhIULViINpJ7eT8/s1600/gratitude.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjog5Yt68yAxCwOYaVAFIpBt1Xi0v1dN5lB4jV8lPdWdCfa21w3EwYXaAAIfQaOBtZm7PHtFTZu3lVabrUI_rOjLGHzKO8LbFJlewfBKA4vZMluwj6EUGtFcHvZPqR-ayhIULViINpJ7eT8/s1600/gratitude.jpg" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Expressing gratitude to the universe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Sherry, I am not sure what you think of this but I love the fact that it is</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">going to be a longish interaction, and not just a one-off conference</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">or workshop. Though you and I have been in touch even before we got</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">selected for the Building Peace Project, I think our friendship will</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">have an opportunity to deepen as we explore some of the topics in the</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">curriculum these folks have created for us. What I also like about the</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">format of this project is that we have a chance to share from a space</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">that feels personal, intimate and comfortable. There is no compulsion</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">here to use peace studies jargon or engage in superficial small talk.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Over the course of this year, I would love to know about your friends</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">and family, the school you went to, the places that you like visiting,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">where you feel most at home, about what moves you, what makes you</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">happy, what troubles you, about the dreams you have, about the crazy</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">things you have done, and just about anything you would like to share.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Yaar, in fact, I would love to hear about your relationship to Lahore, the</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">city you live in. I have been there twice, and I feel a special </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/348586/love-you-lahore/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">connection</span></a> to that place. I would love to see it from your eyes now.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnU6lMU9_B1tacZmPoVfAd83OXEVqnfl80VWyUPVZlUyzZw3ekIIlheqIwPT273ebCDaP6WuEiKX8XiKqdbLhkS9erGvpqL4l3SyCpyan0694TRmS0IEfdo1YUNl-xPGs9HMQKdcdwoxp/s1600/Government+College+Lahore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnU6lMU9_B1tacZmPoVfAd83OXEVqnfl80VWyUPVZlUyzZw3ekIIlheqIwPT273ebCDaP6WuEiKX8XiKqdbLhkS9erGvpqL4l3SyCpyan0694TRmS0IEfdo1YUNl-xPGs9HMQKdcdwoxp/s1600/Government+College+Lahore.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From my first trip to Pakistan - With friends at Government College, Lahore</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Sherry, I am glad that our 'blogversations' will be up for public</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">viewing so that people who read these can get a flavour of what can</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">happen when two crazy young men from two different sides of the border</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">get together in the hope that their little bit is a significant bit in</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://thealternative.in/education/read-with-me-finding-freedom-in-friendship-this-independence-day/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">healing the difficult past</span></a> </span>their countries share.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">However, I do not feel the need to restrict our conversation to topics</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">around India-Pakistan relations. That would be a bit pretentious,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">don't you think? There are so many things that make us who we are.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Nationality is just one of those things. Our shared love of films, our</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">ability to balance childlike enthusiasm with a deep affinity for</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">silence and alone time, our relationship to the work we do, the</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">journeys we want to undertake - these are things we have touched upon</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">in the past, and I would love for us to go further.</span></div>
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyVFBfPD2e81O1oGuY83nqEjUaLbLYZJ_qM8tlPq7Q4PCz3pmy9j16IgpncmlKgPy39ucIyWcNlu8U8S0KKG3KlboYMLSzm9Ap9QAe08Ifxfqn9Hu3stLI8dwBKUo-0juh75hSRw_p4Yau/s1600/the-forty-rules-of-love.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyVFBfPD2e81O1oGuY83nqEjUaLbLYZJ_qM8tlPq7Q4PCz3pmy9j16IgpncmlKgPy39ucIyWcNlu8U8S0KKG3KlboYMLSzm9Ap9QAe08Ifxfqn9Hu3stLI8dwBKUo-0juh75hSRw_p4Yau/s1600/the-forty-rules-of-love.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Okay, now I'm going to end this, and return to a fabulous book I have</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">been reading. It's called <a href="http://www.flipkart.com/forty-rules-love/p/itmczyrhhb9nngwq" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: blue;">The Forty Rules of Love</span></i></a>. I picked up this</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">one at Variety Bookstore in Lahore. However, I began reading it just a</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">week ago. It is written by a Turkish author named Elif Shafak. The</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">book is brilliant. It is teaching me so much about life and love,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">searching and seeking, welcoming change. Through this, I am learning</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">about Jelaluddin Rumi and his spiritual companion Shams Tabrizi. This</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">book is doing something to me. I feel it is slowly transforming me from</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">within.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Oh by the way, did you know that Rumi's parents were originally from Afghanistan, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">that Shams Tabrizi's tomb is in </span><a href="http://sacredsites.com/asia/pakistan/multan_shah_shams_tabriz.html" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Multan</span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">? I did not know these things. I</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">would love to go to Rumi's tomb in Konya, Turkey, and also to Shams</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Tabrizi's tomb in Multan. Sufism offers such a special way of</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">understanding the world, and connecting with oneself and people</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">around. I love it! I've been to Data Darbar in Lahore. The other</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">shrines in Pakistan that I look forward to visiting are Nankana Sahib,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Bhitshah, Sehwan Sharif, Barri Imam, Panja Sahib, and many others.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Inshallah, I will be able to go to these places someday.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivacaOWCsU8Cnz_PPomwxgyHIYBaRa_tOXHUR2epBpESNOQiof_9MEDucp4srG-vy4vIM_cG4daXKGprkdESrC-ro2ock2TGlSxxwSx1t-tP3tafBqvzu0vvgsyyg7mWnhFd4373SH2len/s1600/shah+inayat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivacaOWCsU8Cnz_PPomwxgyHIYBaRa_tOXHUR2epBpESNOQiof_9MEDucp4srG-vy4vIM_cG4daXKGprkdESrC-ro2ock2TGlSxxwSx1t-tP3tafBqvzu0vvgsyyg7mWnhFd4373SH2len/s1600/shah+inayat.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shah Inayat's mazaar in Lahore - My friend Omaid Malik took me there.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Chalo, I'm signing off! Now waiting for you to write! :-) Ab jaao, likkho na!</span></div>
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<br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Khuda Haafiz</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Chintan</span></div>
<br /></div>
Chintan Girish Modihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812704858860566395noreply@blogger.com0