Visiting Pakistan as a kid was full of wonder and excitement. I loved visiting the markets, getting treats and, getting spoiled by aunts and uncles. As an adult, my visits back home are now concerned with learning more about society, culture, resistance, art and literature. I always have a huge sense of excitement at discovering Pakistan, as clichรฉ as it might sound and, I recently realised that I still have that same sense of sheer excitement at being back home as I did during visits as a child and teenager.
I managed to attend 2 days of the Lahore Literary Festival which was held last weekend (22-24 FEB), a chance to see literary and intellectual figures. I feel accomplished, in my humble but sincere journey to learn about Pakistani intellectual and literary history which is full of resistance against patriarchy, the state, colonial legacy and military rule. I attended the Islamabad Literary Festival back in 2014.
Despite being free, the literary festivals seem to be a little elitist since many or most of the events are in English. What is a literary festival asked a youngster I met in Islamabad at Kavita's music school. I explained that the festivals are full of lectures, panel discussions and, book launches. Another friend, much older, staying in my flat in Monrovia as a houseguest asked whether we had to sleep in tents.
The excitement of attending the Lahore Literary Festival was bubbling in me for days leading up to the weekend. I was going to see Lahore's intellectual splendour, a city of a thousand tales and identities.
Kavita and I hopped on a Daewoo midday on Friday 22 February. We enjoyed the ride but I have noticed that the Daewoo buses are falling apart. I noticed other bus services and I might avail those next time. We arrived in Lahore at around 5 PM. I ordered a Careem but got confused because there are 3 exits at the Daewood Terminal and, called the Careem Captain, trying to find him. I was standing at one of the exits, close to a polluted canal, trying to make him explain where I was, getting more and more irritable, holding my bags and minding Kavita. A security guard offered to speak to the Careem Captain. (What a battle of wits it can be when you are trying to find your Careem Captain. "Aap kidhar hain?" "Jahan aap ki location hai.") I looked around the immensely hectic traffic and, in a few minutes, we found our Careem. It was about a 20-30 minute ride to the Hotel. During the ride, I learned I was being driven by an entrepreneur. Not only had he invested about 6 cars in Careem and hired 6 drivers (he sometimes drives the Careem himself to show leadership to his staff) but he was a also a digital fashion designer. He explained that embroidery is now designed digitally and done by machines. He explained his family had invested in Japanese textile machines 10 years ago and, have been in this business since then. He had taken several courses in digital design. He said he was working with brands and, supplied the major textile market. I was really impressed!
By the time we got to the Hotel and, checked in, it was 6:30, close to 7 PM and, the first day of the Festival was about to be over. (Too bad, wish I had been able to see the first day, too, especially the talk on Fahmida Riaz.) Just as we were getting to the hotel, I noticed that the Alhamra was a stone's throw away. For the evening, I opted for Cooco's Den, described in this article as a museum with a restaurant. The restaurant's museum was closed for renovation but the restaurant, even at night, is a little magical. It is full of statues and sculptures, from Greek goddesses to the Buddha. After getting some really crappy service and, being re-located to a table, I was placated by one of the managers who showed me the art. I asked him what the reaction is to all ุจุช and, he said the response is they are art and not worshipped. For sure, the space is almost radical. See the shot of the Mother Mary with the backdrop of the Badshahi Masjid. What a contrast! There was live music and several rooftop spots to climb up to and find a table. The haveli is extremely high and it was freezing cold up there.
Day 1 (Day 2 of the Festival, 23 FEB). How do you choose which session to go to within a time slot? It was excruciating to choose one from 5 exciting themes and topics and personalities. On Saturday, I attended :
On Day 3 of the Festival, 24 FEB) I attended these sessions:
The Crying Game conversation was fantastic although I think it could have been a lot more structured and, delved much deeper into the misogyny that is on display in Pakistani dramas. And, I don't know to what extent we can frame this descent into cheap and vulgar depiction of women as merely "Indianisation of Pakistani dramas", which was one argument coming across from the panel. It would have been interesting to see a more robust exploration of why Pakistani TV plays have gone the route they have. Otherwise it was a treat to see Atiqa Odho, as resplendent and stunning as ever, as well-spoken as ever. I was also taken by the younger actor, Iqra's story as having been brought up by a single mother. (While walking into the hall, I overheard some sniggering about Iqra by two ladies that, Iqra was too young and inexperienced to give any commentary on misogyny)
I purchased a copy of From Kargil to the Coup: Events that Shook Pakistan by Nasim Zehra last year and have it somewhere. Didn't read it yet. I enjoyed this session although the author would speak a bit incoherently and sometimes it would be hard to follow her. She would go off tangent and, speak at length. It was a treat to see BBC's Owen Bennett-Jones, a face one has seen many times on BBC. Otherwise it was an engaging session. According to Owen, this is an extremely well-researched and documented account of Kargil.
Listening to Ayesha Jalal was such a treat. I watched her in two sessions and, she is explosive! Not your typical, demure, hushed toned, and quiet session. What a clear and forceful personality, what presence and what range of subjects she is an expert on. I have never read her work so, I think I should get hold of her work. She said she much preferred Nandita Das' Manto than the one made in Pakistan by Sarmad Khoosat. (I haven't seen the latter but was blown away from Nawazuddin Siddiqui's performance and the way the film captures the time of Partition and some of his stories)
Kavita was such a good companion. She dutifully attended every session with me. Sometimes she napped in my lap or she would make some drawings. She befriended a British lady who had come with her Pakistani friend (both their husbands were lawyers in London) during the first day's lunch hour.
I got some pictures taken with some famous figures including Salima Hashmi, Sarmad Khoosat, Sanam Maher and, Zehra Nigah.
Kavita and I had to dash off at about 4 or 5 PM on Sunday back to the hotel. I hurriedly packed and then caught a Daewoo bus back to Islamabad. We reached around midnight. My mother and brother had just come in from London so it was nice to come back to a full house.
I leave you with some quotes from the stage from various sessions that remained long with me:
"No reduction in honour killings."
"I will not waste my or audience's time by answering your question."
"We are not teaching history but ideology in our education system!"
"How can you be safe when your mother and brother are plotting your murder in the next room?"
"Lakhon Mein Ein is a realistic film."
"You become a writer by studying literature and history."
" You have to institutionalise policy. It can't be personal diplomacy, practiced by inviting India to your son's wedding."
"Blasphemy is the new obscenity."
By the time we got to the Hotel and, checked in, it was 6:30, close to 7 PM and, the first day of the Festival was about to be over. (Too bad, wish I had been able to see the first day, too, especially the talk on Fahmida Riaz.) Just as we were getting to the hotel, I noticed that the Alhamra was a stone's throw away. For the evening, I opted for Cooco's Den, described in this article as a museum with a restaurant. The restaurant's museum was closed for renovation but the restaurant, even at night, is a little magical. It is full of statues and sculptures, from Greek goddesses to the Buddha. After getting some really crappy service and, being re-located to a table, I was placated by one of the managers who showed me the art. I asked him what the reaction is to all ุจุช and, he said the response is they are art and not worshipped. For sure, the space is almost radical. See the shot of the Mother Mary with the backdrop of the Badshahi Masjid. What a contrast! There was live music and several rooftop spots to climb up to and find a table. The haveli is extremely high and it was freezing cold up there.
Day 1 (Day 2 of the Festival, 23 FEB). How do you choose which session to go to within a time slot? It was excruciating to choose one from 5 exciting themes and topics and personalities. On Saturday, I attended :
- Book Discussion- From Kargil to the Coup: Events that Shook Pakistan/ Owen Bennet-Jones in conversation with author and journalist Nasim Zehra.
- Book Launch - A Woman Like Her/ Sindh poet and activist Amar Sindhu, author of The Sensational Life and Death of Qandeel Baloch Sanam Maher and Divisional Police Officer, Bahwalnagar Ammara Athar/Moderated by noted activist and artist Salima Hashmi.
- "Tareekhi Aur Siyaasi Shaoor Urdu Adab Mein" / Exploring the Political and Social Consciousness in Urdu Fiction and Poetry / Ameena Salyid, Nasir Abbas Nayyar, Harris Khalique and Amar Sindhu/ Moderated by Asif Farrukhi
- The Crying Game / Are Pakistani TV serials misogynistic or do their stories actually resonate with women? / Actor Iqra Aziz and actor Atiqa Odho / Moderated by Fifi Haroon.
- Between Remembrance and Forgetting: History as Freedom / Hameed Haroon in conversation with Aysha Jalal.
- Book Discussion - Back to the Future / Award - winning essayist and novelist Pankaj Mishra with Mohsin Hamid
On Day 3 of the Festival, 24 FEB) I attended these sessions:
- "Chand Girhain" Sarmad Khoosat in conversation with Asghar Nadeem Syed
- Women Past Categorisation. Women authors cannot be defined by their gender alone. Leila Aboulela, Roopa Farooki, Alexandra Pringle and Maha Khan Phillips and Moderated by Rosemary Hilhorst (British Council, Country Director)
- Asma Lives! A Celebration of Pakistani icon whose legacy has helped shape human rights and activism in Pakistan. Nida Ali, I.A. Rehman, Seema Iftikhar and Gul Rukh Rahman Moderated by Farida Shaheed.
- Manto and the Recovery of Imagination with Ayesha Jalal, Khaled Ahmed and Salima Hashmi. Moderated by Osama Siddique.
The Crying Game conversation was fantastic although I think it could have been a lot more structured and, delved much deeper into the misogyny that is on display in Pakistani dramas. And, I don't know to what extent we can frame this descent into cheap and vulgar depiction of women as merely "Indianisation of Pakistani dramas", which was one argument coming across from the panel. It would have been interesting to see a more robust exploration of why Pakistani TV plays have gone the route they have. Otherwise it was a treat to see Atiqa Odho, as resplendent and stunning as ever, as well-spoken as ever. I was also taken by the younger actor, Iqra's story as having been brought up by a single mother. (While walking into the hall, I overheard some sniggering about Iqra by two ladies that, Iqra was too young and inexperienced to give any commentary on misogyny)
I purchased a copy of From Kargil to the Coup: Events that Shook Pakistan by Nasim Zehra last year and have it somewhere. Didn't read it yet. I enjoyed this session although the author would speak a bit incoherently and sometimes it would be hard to follow her. She would go off tangent and, speak at length. It was a treat to see BBC's Owen Bennett-Jones, a face one has seen many times on BBC. Otherwise it was an engaging session. According to Owen, this is an extremely well-researched and documented account of Kargil.
Listening to Ayesha Jalal was such a treat. I watched her in two sessions and, she is explosive! Not your typical, demure, hushed toned, and quiet session. What a clear and forceful personality, what presence and what range of subjects she is an expert on. I have never read her work so, I think I should get hold of her work. She said she much preferred Nandita Das' Manto than the one made in Pakistan by Sarmad Khoosat. (I haven't seen the latter but was blown away from Nawazuddin Siddiqui's performance and the way the film captures the time of Partition and some of his stories)
Kavita was such a good companion. She dutifully attended every session with me. Sometimes she napped in my lap or she would make some drawings. She befriended a British lady who had come with her Pakistani friend (both their husbands were lawyers in London) during the first day's lunch hour.
I got some pictures taken with some famous figures including Salima Hashmi, Sarmad Khoosat, Sanam Maher and, Zehra Nigah.
Kavita and I had to dash off at about 4 or 5 PM on Sunday back to the hotel. I hurriedly packed and then caught a Daewoo bus back to Islamabad. We reached around midnight. My mother and brother had just come in from London so it was nice to come back to a full house.
I leave you with some quotes from the stage from various sessions that remained long with me:
"No reduction in honour killings."
"I will not waste my or audience's time by answering your question."
"We are not teaching history but ideology in our education system!"
"How can you be safe when your mother and brother are plotting your murder in the next room?"
"Lakhon Mein Ein is a realistic film."
"You become a writer by studying literature and history."
" You have to institutionalise policy. It can't be personal diplomacy, practiced by inviting India to your son's wedding."
"Blasphemy is the new obscenity."
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