We travel not for trafficking alone: March 2021

Kavita is over the moon of course. We practiced riding it, with the training wheels still on, of course. We first rode to the mochi at the end of Agha Nasir/Major road junction to pick up a few bags we had given him.

We then practiced riding the bike around the green belt.

We put the bike back and then walked to F-11 Markaz for some fun. We had juice at a new joint , Juice Time.

F-11 is becoming a restaurant/café hub. It was full of people out to eat and enjoy themselves. The owner of Juice Time came over to greet us and, told us their restaurant had just newly opened. She pointed out at the huge crowd waiting to be seated at Tayto's which was offering a 50% discount. She said more restaurants were scheduled to be opened. I wished her luck.

There's a new Chai O'Clock (Kavita and I had their very lame gol gappas in F-7 and their tea wasn't anything special either) on a corner. It explains the work that was going on in that corner.

Chai is the hottest restaurant/café business idea and there are so many fancy designer 'dhabas' now on offer. Their decor /style reflects the new penchant for photograph-ability, for bold colours. But there is very little originality or focus on quality. If one idea clicks, everyone copies it! Chai O'Clock has the same yellow theme that Chikachino has. The menus are almost the same. How dull and boring!

Is there really enough business for this "chai chaap " to go around?

And, the best tea is still available at the Quetta Tea cafés. It is cheaper and comes in so many more varieties. And, more humble spaces although Quetta Tea 20 in F-10 has that coffeeshop feel but thankfully it hasn't overdone its decor or menu.

See video here.

On the way back, we played a little detective.

Monday 15 March 2021

I've been waiting and seeing what Malala will be up to after she comes into her own.

I've been waiting and seeing what Malala will be up to after she comes into her own. Until now, her appropriation by the global mainstream of Nobel Prizes, UN Ambassadorships, international jet setting to lay a brick or two for a girl's school had some benefit of doubt. But news that Malala has signed deals with Apple tells me she is not getting off this international ride to capitalist stardom , this journey that will be littered with talk shows, TED talks, workshops, photo ops, and lectures. It is deflating instead that all that struggle will just be swallowed up a machinery that props up the structures of oppression.

Malala teams up with Apple

See: Malala teams up with Apple for content aimed at women, children.

Tuesday 9 March 2021

Writing Aurat Azadi with twigs and red flowers

What glorious weather we have these days: not to cold, not too hot.

For our evening walk today, we wrote Aurat Azadi in beautiful red flowers, those from the cotton silk tree, a tree I looked up on Google.

There is a driver who works at a nearby house who helped us and kept bringing us the gorgeous red flowers. I asked his name but I forget. So, I apologise for referring to him only as a driver. I wonder what he would have though if he knew we were writing Aurat Azadi with red flowers.

Kavita loudly says salaam to the chaukidaar, the security guards and the mochi in our neighbourhood.

We met some children nearby who were apparently 'not playing' but 'talking.' I think they were Chinese kids and then I saw their mothers taking a walk, pushing younger ones in strollers. Or , prams. I forget which is more an Americanism or Britishism.

Kavita wants to come tomorrow to see if the art will still be there. I said, not likely. Also, wasn't it nice to know that we just made this for a moment.

I am so proud to be Kavita's mother

I am so proud of my daughter Kavita who marched from Press Club to D-Chowk with me at Aurat Azadi March. She was tired but she still marched. She was in the dalla last year that was rained with rocks by mullahs but she still came with me to march this year, excitedly holding and showing her poster that she had made the night before. She was next to me during the speeches, the performances and also danced with me. She got tired and bored but patiently stayed until the end. (And hungrily ate biryani and shami kebab at Comrade's warm home in the evening) I am proud of Kavita who has attended so many marches, protests, WDF meetings, made posters, and, because she is so smart and brilliant, has learned so many feminist arguments, logic and analysis. She keeps demonstrating her learning to me and with friends and family members. I am so proud to be Kavita's mother.

#AuratAzadiMarch2021