END OF AN ERA: KHUSHWANT SINGH

The death of any human being is always cause for sadness, but today our sadness is also a celebration of a keen mind and a prodigious wit. Khushwant Singh (1915-2014), who died at the age of 99 in his beloved city of Delhi, has left our world poorer for his passing but richer for the hundreds of irreverently insightful works he left behind in articles, books, poems and essays. 

According to his son he died peacefully and with his mind as alert as ever. The author of more than 100 published works, Khushwant Singh was a towering figure in the culture and literature of the subcontinent, whose name remained a byword for honesty and laconic wit, a touchstone for generations of future writers wanting to explore the life of India. Born in Khushab, in what was then united India, to a prominent Sikh family, he attended Government College Lahore, before reading for the bar at Temple's Inn, London. A colourful career led him into legal practice, then the Indian Foreign Service soon after partition.

It was in the early 1950s that his career as an editor and writer began, working for the Hindustan Times and other newspapers, and penning his first story collection, The Mark of Vishnu and other Stories, which revelled in the irony and criticism of religious superstition and communalism that he was to become famous for. As he himself said, “Writing is where I succeeded. I was a flop in everything else.”
A strong proponent throughout his life of friendship and close relations between India and Pakistan, perhaps his most famous work, Train to Pakistan, explores the traumatic events surrounding partition and the communal violence that followed in its wake. Train to Pakistan reveals not only the heartbreak and upheaval of that time, the destruction of age-old communities and friendships, but is also scathingly critical of government and the manipulation of the poor and ignorant by the wealthy and powerful, a theme that remained constant throughout his career. 

Another constant, which earned him a degree of notoriety, was his explicit and graphic exploration of sex and the sexual life of India, through which he lampooned numerous figures from Mughal emperors to modern politicians. No one, especially no one in power, was safe from his jibes. When asked how he was such a prolific writer he quipped, “They haven't invented a condom for the pen yet.” This naturally earned him a reputation for a roving eye, but he remained a committed husband to his wife until her death thirteen years ago.
Khushwant Singh's passing is a moment of great sorrow, but his rich legacy remains to guide us, best summed up in his own words: “Your principle should be to see everything and say nothing. The world changes so rapidly that if you want to get on you cannot afford to align yourself with any person or point of view.” RIP Khushwant Singh, you will be missed.

Courtesy: Daily Times 

POLLUTION, RESOURCE & OUR IGNORANCE

Pollution is nothing but the resources we are not harvesting. We allow them to disperse because we've been ignorant of their value. -R. Buckminster Fuller

The environment has never been high on the list of government priorities in Pakistan, at either a federal or provincial level. Successive governments have either had more immediate problems

like terrorism, or never thought the issue important enough. 

However, with Pakistan’s international ‘image’ a prime concern for the present political leadership, it is possible that a recent report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that lists three Pakistani cities — Lahore, Peshawar, and Quetta — among the top 10 most polluted cities in the world may spark some government interest in the environment and sustainability. The report used measurements of particulate matter in the atmosphere; the sources of particles include dust from construction and building materials, burning wood, coal or animal dung, industrial emissions, and most importantly burning fossil fuels for power generation and transport. 

The Pakistani cities combine these factors, though the lion’s share is attributable to industrial emissions and petrol and diesel fumes churned out by inefficient car and truck engines. Anyone driving in Lahore knows what it is like to get a mouthful of diesel when one of these smoke-machines drives by. There are no emissions ratings or other safeguards.
The environment, however, is not a single-policy problem. Environmental changes through human activity can substantially alter the quality of life in societies, which is why aware governments go to great lengths to preserve natural ecosystems and habitats. The necessity for sustainable sources of energy production is increasingly clear, with governments investing heavily in solar, wind, or other forms of environmentally sustainable energy generation. Pakistan’s pervasive requirement for power won’t allow such solutions in the short term as the government plans more coal-fired power plants. However, more research must be funded and projects developed to shift the burden of power generation away from fossil fuels. 

Habitat and forest preservation are another key aspect of environmental policy, which have been left hostage to various timber and poaching ‘mafias’. Pakistan has about 4.2 million hectares covered by forests, which is equivalent to 4.8 percent of the total land area, down from around 14 percent in 1947. Compare this to Japan, which, despite having a higher population density, still has 70 percent forest cover because of far sighted environmental policies. Forest, marsh, and river communities are among the poorest segments of society, being heavily dependent on the environment for their livelihoods. Forest degradation affects rural livelihoods, especially for those at the bottom of the socio-economic scale. 

Sustainable energy development, preservation of natural habitats and forests, curbing timber and land mafias, and emission controls and penalties for industry and vehicles must be prioritized in order for Pakistan to remain an environmentally sustainable state. The efforts of many countries show that development and environmental preservation aren't mutually exclusive; in fact they are deeply intertwined.  

Courtesy: Daily Times

HAI O RABBA NAHIO LAGDA DIL MERA- RESHMA SINGS SWANSONG

Obituary

HAI O RABBA NAHIO LAGDA DIL MERA

RESHMA SINGS SWANSONG

MAHTAB BASHIR

mahtabbashir@gmail.com

+92 333 5363248

ISLAMABAD: For many the legendary folksinger Reshma was ‘A Voice of Cuckoo’ or ‘A Queen of a Desert’ but for me she was one rare breed of artists par excellence who refused to leave her identity and patriotism despite having fame and money.

Always clad in a trade mark Rajhasthani gharara and colourful Chunri, Reshma became an instant hit in a realm of folk singing at the age of around 10 after she was spotted singing Sufiana kalam at the shrine of Hazrat Shahbaz Qalandar where a Radio producer Saleem Gillani (also close friend of my father) arranged her for make a recording of ‘Laal Meri’ at Radio Pakistan.

Born in Rajhasthan in a family of a Bajnara (Gypsy) in around 1947, she was migrated to Pakistani region after the partition took place- first in Sindh and later settled in Punjab province.   

Her fame, later, had crossed the border as she was able to perform live in India during the 1980s when India and Pakistan allowed exchange of artists. Subhash Ghai used her voice to great effect in the film ‘Hero’- which featured one of her most famous songs, ‘Lambi Judai’. At that point, Indian premiere Indira Gandhi being an avid fan of Reshman wished to meet this folksinger who had mesmerizing voice.  

In October 2002, Reshma performed at the Brunei Gallery in London to a packed hall of Pakistani expatriates. In 2004, she recorded ‘Ashkan Di Gali Vich Mukaam De Gaya’ which was used in the Bollywood film ‘Woh Tera Naam Tha’ and was also a hit record in India. In January 2006, she was one of the passengers on the inaugural Lahore-Amritsar bus- the first such service linking both parts of the Punjab since 1947. The bus had 26 passengers in total of which 15 were Pakistani officials.

Reshma was diagnosed with throat cancer in the 1980s. Later her health deteriorated. President Pervez Musharraf to come to her aid, giving her one million Rupees to help pay off a bank loan, as well as putting her on a secured assistance of 10,000 rupees per month. He also helped her secure a plot of land for herself, but that did not go through due to the change in government.

The vegetarian legend singer was hospitalized in Lahore in Doctors Hospital on 6th April 2013. The caretaker government elected to pay all her medical expenses. Reshma fell into a coma in October 2013 and died on 3rd November 2013.

Having earned various accolades including ‘Sitara-e-Imtiaz’ by the government of Pakistan, Reshma sung a number of hit songs that later on hum by public at large. Few of her famous hit tracks include ‘Lambi Judai’, ‘Hai O Rabba nahion lagda dil mera’, ‘Akhian nu rehn de akhian de kol kol’, ‘Wei mein chori chori tere nal’, ‘Dama Dam Mastt Qalandar’, ‘Sun charkhe de’, etc.

This scribe has met the folk singing diva twice, first on July 28, 2009 and lastly on February 8, 2012 and found Reshma is deteriorating health. She was frail and exhausted but spoke highly about the love people gave her over the years and about the prosperity of Pakistan- who gave her the identity.

While having a dinner with Reshma at Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) where the administration of PNCA invited her to give red carpet reception for her illustrious career in music, I asked her couple of quick questions but she was unable to answer because of her dwindling health. While dining, taking autographs and snaps, one of Reshma’s close relative asked me to pray for her health she might not be along you in future. I told him the whole nation and all over the world wherever Reshma’s voice is being heard - are praying for ‘Queen of Desert’ to recover soon.

Though illiterate academically, Reshma gave me autographs on the night writing her name in Urdu. I wanted to talk to her more but she was unable to … and asked me for a glass of water. The mild-spoken Reshma with the impression ‘Hai O Rabba Nahio Lagda Dil Mera’ sang her swansong on November 3, 2013. RIP Reshma!

Here are the links of two meetings with Reshman

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\07\29\story_29-7-2009_pg11_10

Daily Times (July 28, 2009)

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/02/09/city/islamabad/frail-reshma-still-has-young-voice/

Pakistan Today (February8, 2012)

Mahtab Bashir is a journalist based in Islamabad. He can be accessed at mahtabbashir@gmail.com

Hürrem Sultan says she hates her boy friend (Can Ateş)

Meryem Uzerli catapulted to fame due to her role as Hurrem Sultan in the Turkish soap Muhteşem Yüzyıl (Magnificent Century). An Urdu dubbing of the show “Maira Sultan (My King) has captivated the Pakistani audience, who remain glued to the TV screens when the soap is on air. Hurrem has become a household name here.

Meryem, 31, won the Best Actress Award in 2012 for her immaculate depiction of a woman who tried everything to win the heart of Suleiman The Magnificent, the Turk king. Despite the fame and massive appreciation, Meryem left the drama series in 2013 and went to Germany. Another Turkish actress played her role in the last 4 episodes of the series.

Meryem says she suffered from “Burnout Syndrome” and had to split up from Can Ateş, her boyfriend, a notorious Turkish playboy, after she became pregnant and he forced her for an abortion.

Meryem is currently expecting her baby and undergoing therapy while living a quiet life in Germany.

Meryem Uzerli (Meriem Sarah Userli) has become a worldwide star after being selected for the Hürrem Sultan (Roxelena) role.

She was a modest actress until fame knocked her door. A cast search led her to become one of the most popular actresses in recent years.

Meryem Uzerli was born in Kassel – Germany. She was the 4th child of her family. His family was formed by a Turkish father and a German mother.

In her early childhood the family was moved to Hamburg and Meryem Uzerli started to take acting lessons. From 2000 until 2003, she studied acting at the Frese acting studio in Hamburg and took part in minor parts in several German productions. Until the cast selection of Magnificent Century (Muhteşem Yüzyıl) she was working as an actress in Germany and she was far away from the fame when she has now.

The turning point of Meryem Uzerli’s life is the cast selection of the Turkish tv series “Muhteşem Yüzyıl - Magnificent Century”. The selection took eight long months.  Just like Hürrem Sultan’s challenge to be the one for Magnificent Süleyman, Meryem Uzerli worked hard to get the role by showing her talent over the other candidates.

After the announce of the results of this important selection. Meryem Uzerli was called from Turkey. With a brave decision, she left her life and family in Germany and moved to Turkey.

Besides having a Turkish father, Meryem Uzerli unfortunately could not speak Turkish very well. Just like Hürrem Sultan she started to learn Turkish. Her accent was a key point of the realism of her role. And she performed the role very well.

In the year of 2011, Meryem Uzerli won the best woman actress award for two times and in 2012 she won best woman drama actress award.

In her private life, she enjoys riding, swimming and basketball. Also she likes walking in the famous streets of İstanbul as Nişantaşı and Etiler. Her favorite sports team is Galatsaray, her favorite foods are sphagetti and kebab, deserts are sütlaç and muhallebi, her favorite colors are blue and red.

Meryem Uzerli, who plays Hürrem Sultan on the famous Turkish series “Magnificent Century”, has left the country to seek treatment at a clinic in Berlin for burnout.
The producer of the series, Timur Savcı, said they had decided to go on without Uzerli. Uzerli is having psychological problems and cannot solve them, Savcı said. Uzerli had said previously that she had burnout syndrome. However, the director’s assistant Burcu Alptekin said Uzerli worked only five days a week. Since Uzerli left the series and went to Berlin, many things have been written about her. 

While some of the reports said she had left the series for money, some said it was because she worked a lot. The only right thing about Uzerli is that she had psychological problems. According to the latest reports on Uzerli and the “Magnificent Century,” the series will continue with a new, older Hürrem Sultan. The series will continue the storyline 15 years later and Hürrem will be older, the producer said.
Uzerli’s boyfriend, Can Ateş, told daily Hürriyet that Uzerli had gone through very hard times. “For three months many bad things happened, and many people said Meryem Uzerli had left the series for money. However, she had health issues.” It is said that Uzerli earned less money than the rest of the leading actors in the series. Ateş said: “Uzerli not that kind of person. Money is not the issue here.” 

Can also added that Uzerli was currently undergoing treatment and had a doctor’s report. However, added Ateş, even the producer did not believe her situation and her health condition. The producer of the series said Uzerli would have to leave her hotel room by May 31.
Savcı could not reach Uzerli and asked the hotel to empty her room and the hotel team sent an email to Uzerli. “People thought that I do not pay her the money that she deserves, and this made me an unfair man. I do not know what Uzerli thinks, and I could not reach her. But I want to solve this problem as soon as possible.” The series will finish one week early because of the crisis, he added.

Courtesy Hürriyet Daily News