The Razor’s Edge
Feroz R Khan July 7, 2003
#111 Posted by friend on July 15, 2003 2:58:52 pm
Ajeet & Dost,
I also have a small story to share. Told to me by mother who was a kid at the time of partition.
They used to live near Mussoorie and had a muslim gujar named Kallu who used to take care of family cow. Dehradun and Mussoorie were initially riot free but soon it got tense. As mother`s family used to leave in a sparsely populated area (as were other people), they were also scared. Males of family were trying to save business scattered in Sialkot, Ambala and other places and were hardly at home.
one day Kallu came to our mother`s locality and pleaded for his saftey. Kallu kept crying ``I am your cow lala ji, please don`t send me away``.
Unfortunately no one was brave enough to provide him shelter and instead collected money to buy him a bus ticket to Lahore.
That night people heard that the bus going out of Mussorrie was attacked on way to Dehradun and bodies thrown in ``khud``. My mother is not sure if Kallu was in that bus. But she always ends this story with moist eyes.
I also have a small story to share. Told to me by mother who was a kid at the time of partition.
They used to live near Mussoorie and had a muslim gujar named Kallu who used to take care of family cow. Dehradun and Mussoorie were initially riot free but soon it got tense. As mother`s family used to leave in a sparsely populated area (as were other people), they were also scared. Males of family were trying to save business scattered in Sialkot, Ambala and other places and were hardly at home.
one day Kallu came to our mother`s locality and pleaded for his saftey. Kallu kept crying ``I am your cow lala ji, please don`t send me away``.
Unfortunately no one was brave enough to provide him shelter and instead collected money to buy him a bus ticket to Lahore.
That night people heard that the bus going out of Mussorrie was attacked on way to Dehradun and bodies thrown in ``khud``. My mother is not sure if Kallu was in that bus. But she always ends this story with moist eyes.
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#110 Posted by dost_mittar on July 15, 2003 2:48:51 pm
More on Noor....
Date:16/07/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/07/16/stories/2003071606190100.htm
Front Page
Noor safe after surgery, Babar not so lucky
By Divya Sreedharan
Photo: K. Gopinathan
BANGALORE JULY 15. The prayers and sincere wishes have not been in vain — little Noor from Pakistan is doing well now after a successful heart surgery today.
The open-heart surgery, initially fixed for Wednesday morning at the Narayana Hrudayalaya here, was suddenly advanced to Tuesday ``in the best interest of the child,`` said Rajesh Sharma, paediatric cardiac surgeon who led the operating team.
The 13-member team worked from 7.20 a.m. to about 1 p.m. to plug ``two holes`` in the two-and-a-half-year-old child`s heart. Dr. Sharma said the child was ``stable`` and kept in the hospital`s Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU). ``If Noor responds well, she can be kept in a post-operative ward for four to five days.``
Meanwhile, Babar, a six-month-old Pakistani child, who had been in the ITU since Wednesday last, battling pneumonia, died late on Monday.
The infant was brought here through a circuitous route: Karachi to Dubai and then to India. The rigours of the journey had weakened the child. Dr. Sharma told The Hindu that Babar`s parents had left the hospital to return home.
Noor`s parents — Nadeem Sajjad and Tayyaba Nadeem — said they had seen their child after the operation. ``We could not sleep last night. Even this morning we were very anxious. It seemed as if time stood still. And only when Dr. Sharma came out smiling from the operation theatre, we understood everything was all right,`` Mr. Sajjad said.
Noor`s mother thanked God. ``I entrusted my child to Allah. His grace, the doctors` skill, and everyone`s blessing and prayers have helped her,`` she said. Noor`s elder siblings, Tehsin and Mahrukh, would be apprised of the child`s condition, the parents said.
Enduring questions from the media, the Lahore-based couple said their daughter was lucky. Mr. Sajjad said they were given priority for seats on the Delhi-bound bus from Lahore. In fact, doctors said the surgery had been done at the right time and the child`s condition could have become more complicated, had the surgery been delayed.
Noor`s father said he felt at ``home, 4,000 miles away from my actual home. We thank every mother, father, sister, and elder, who has prayed for her.``
He said they would have had to go to America (brother Naeem is a nephrologist in Boston) if the bus service had not been resumed.
Though many philanthropists were ready to foot Noor`s medical bills, currently at over Rs. 1.4 lakhs, Mr. Sajjad said they could afford it themselves.
Dr. Sharma said Noor did not need follow-up visits to the hospital. ``There are good doctors in Pakistan and they can be consulted,`` he sa
Date:16/07/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/07/16/stories/2003071606190100.htm
Front Page
Noor safe after surgery, Babar not so lucky
By Divya Sreedharan
Photo: K. Gopinathan
BANGALORE JULY 15. The prayers and sincere wishes have not been in vain — little Noor from Pakistan is doing well now after a successful heart surgery today.
The open-heart surgery, initially fixed for Wednesday morning at the Narayana Hrudayalaya here, was suddenly advanced to Tuesday ``in the best interest of the child,`` said Rajesh Sharma, paediatric cardiac surgeon who led the operating team.
The 13-member team worked from 7.20 a.m. to about 1 p.m. to plug ``two holes`` in the two-and-a-half-year-old child`s heart. Dr. Sharma said the child was ``stable`` and kept in the hospital`s Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU). ``If Noor responds well, she can be kept in a post-operative ward for four to five days.``
Meanwhile, Babar, a six-month-old Pakistani child, who had been in the ITU since Wednesday last, battling pneumonia, died late on Monday.
The infant was brought here through a circuitous route: Karachi to Dubai and then to India. The rigours of the journey had weakened the child. Dr. Sharma told The Hindu that Babar`s parents had left the hospital to return home.
Noor`s parents — Nadeem Sajjad and Tayyaba Nadeem — said they had seen their child after the operation. ``We could not sleep last night. Even this morning we were very anxious. It seemed as if time stood still. And only when Dr. Sharma came out smiling from the operation theatre, we understood everything was all right,`` Mr. Sajjad said.
Noor`s mother thanked God. ``I entrusted my child to Allah. His grace, the doctors` skill, and everyone`s blessing and prayers have helped her,`` she said. Noor`s elder siblings, Tehsin and Mahrukh, would be apprised of the child`s condition, the parents said.
Enduring questions from the media, the Lahore-based couple said their daughter was lucky. Mr. Sajjad said they were given priority for seats on the Delhi-bound bus from Lahore. In fact, doctors said the surgery had been done at the right time and the child`s condition could have become more complicated, had the surgery been delayed.
Noor`s father said he felt at ``home, 4,000 miles away from my actual home. We thank every mother, father, sister, and elder, who has prayed for her.``
He said they would have had to go to America (brother Naeem is a nephrologist in Boston) if the bus service had not been resumed.
Though many philanthropists were ready to foot Noor`s medical bills, currently at over Rs. 1.4 lakhs, Mr. Sajjad said they could afford it themselves.
Dr. Sharma said Noor did not need follow-up visits to the hospital. ``There are good doctors in Pakistan and they can be consulted,`` he sa
#109 Posted by stuka on July 15, 2003 8:27:08 am
Dost Mittar: I dunno. I am enjoying the exchange between the Indian brigade and HHRehman, if only because wit is being applied in making comebacks. I say this seriously, insults are better than ignoring the other especially when humor is involved.
Llet us be clear about the fact that nostalgia for Pakistani culture is dying out amongst Indians. The only ones who do are people like you and Ajeet. I honestly believe that in my generation of Indians, I am more an exception than the rule. Hell, I argue and fight with Pakis and am a hawk on national security matters. But I retain the ability to differntiate between culture and politics, people and governments. Most Indians who know of my hawkish views on Pakistan (rather Kashmir) are turned around and surprised when I seem to get along best with them as well. They think it is a dichotomy. In my mind, being patriotic and wanting what is right for your own country is no reason to hate the other.
But, Indians who have no exposure to Pakistan are not able to differentiate between the two. Therefore I would rather have gaali galoch than a brick wall between the two countries.
Llet us be clear about the fact that nostalgia for Pakistani culture is dying out amongst Indians. The only ones who do are people like you and Ajeet. I honestly believe that in my generation of Indians, I am more an exception than the rule. Hell, I argue and fight with Pakis and am a hawk on national security matters. But I retain the ability to differntiate between culture and politics, people and governments. Most Indians who know of my hawkish views on Pakistan (rather Kashmir) are turned around and surprised when I seem to get along best with them as well. They think it is a dichotomy. In my mind, being patriotic and wanting what is right for your own country is no reason to hate the other.
But, Indians who have no exposure to Pakistan are not able to differentiate between the two. Therefore I would rather have gaali galoch than a brick wall between the two countries.
#107 Posted by arjun_m on July 14, 2003 9:41:12 pm
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#106 Posted by Ajeet on July 14, 2003 9:41:12 pm
Dost mittar#104,
Your story reminds of oy my maternal uncle who was ninteen at the time of partition. He was a rebel from a very young age and was always causing grief to his parents and my father. The family at that time lived in Rawalpindi, but just before the riots started he had gone to Punja Sahib, not to visit the Gurudwara, but to visit his friends because he grew up there. He was riding his Ikka, a one seat horse carraige, his pride possesion. When the riots started, he released the danger he was in, but instead of going to Gurudwara and maybe joinging a group of people going to India, he opened his hair and acting like a muslim rode all the way to Ambala. The family in the mean time thought that he had parished. Imagine their surprise, when he showed up a month later, dusty and tired, but Ok otherwise, complete with his ikka and ghoRi.
Your story reminds of oy my maternal uncle who was ninteen at the time of partition. He was a rebel from a very young age and was always causing grief to his parents and my father. The family at that time lived in Rawalpindi, but just before the riots started he had gone to Punja Sahib, not to visit the Gurudwara, but to visit his friends because he grew up there. He was riding his Ikka, a one seat horse carraige, his pride possesion. When the riots started, he released the danger he was in, but instead of going to Gurudwara and maybe joinging a group of people going to India, he opened his hair and acting like a muslim rode all the way to Ambala. The family in the mean time thought that he had parished. Imagine their surprise, when he showed up a month later, dusty and tired, but Ok otherwise, complete with his ikka and ghoRi.
#105 Posted by ferozk on July 13, 2003 11:52:55 pm
re: dost-mittar # 104
God bless Sardarji! That was a funny story and it was also a human story. Thanks for sharing it. Hope you are enjoying your summers in the SARs infected Great White North and keep those Canadians out of trouble!
Best Wishes!
Ciao
God bless Sardarji! That was a funny story and it was also a human story. Thanks for sharing it. Hope you are enjoying your summers in the SARs infected Great White North and keep those Canadians out of trouble!
Best Wishes!
Ciao
#104 Posted by dost_mittar on July 13, 2003 9:14:51 pm
ferozk#103
The second story is more hilarious than poignant. It relates to a sardarji (who else?) and shows the indomitable spirit of man.
This sardarji was a student at Government College, Lahore, during 1947 and staying at a hostel of the college. When the college closed for the summer vacation, sardarji went home to his parents in Amritsar for the holidays. So, when the riots started, sardarji was safely placed in Amritsar.
All was well, except for this small matter of the new Raleigh bicycle that sardarji had purchased earlier that year and to whom he was quite attached. When leaving the hostel for home, sardarji had locked his bicycle and left it at the hostel`s bicycle stand. So, when the riots subsided somewhat, without telling anyone, he one day took the train to Lahore. While there, he hired a tonga and went to his hostel. He found his bicycle in tact right where he had left it. He put the bicyle on the tonga, rode back to the railway station and took the train back to Amritsar.
Thus was sardarji united with his beloved Raleigh!
The second story is more hilarious than poignant. It relates to a sardarji (who else?) and shows the indomitable spirit of man.
This sardarji was a student at Government College, Lahore, during 1947 and staying at a hostel of the college. When the college closed for the summer vacation, sardarji went home to his parents in Amritsar for the holidays. So, when the riots started, sardarji was safely placed in Amritsar.
All was well, except for this small matter of the new Raleigh bicycle that sardarji had purchased earlier that year and to whom he was quite attached. When leaving the hostel for home, sardarji had locked his bicycle and left it at the hostel`s bicycle stand. So, when the riots subsided somewhat, without telling anyone, he one day took the train to Lahore. While there, he hired a tonga and went to his hostel. He found his bicycle in tact right where he had left it. He put the bicyle on the tonga, rode back to the railway station and took the train back to Amritsar.
Thus was sardarji united with his beloved Raleigh!
#103 Posted by ferozk on July 13, 2003 8:09:02 am
re: Dost-Mittar
Yes, I have to agree with you that this is turning into quite a forum for rediscovering the lost love between Indians and Pakistanis. What you said is true and on the human level of people to people contact, there is hope. I have no hope in the ability of our governments, though. The cynic in me says that the reason both governments decide against people to people contact is that maybe the sirkari babus do not want peace.
I would love to hear about the other story, when you have the time to share it.
re: ana deborah
The comment was still appreciated. Thank you!
Ciao
Yes, I have to agree with you that this is turning into quite a forum for rediscovering the lost love between Indians and Pakistanis. What you said is true and on the human level of people to people contact, there is hope. I have no hope in the ability of our governments, though. The cynic in me says that the reason both governments decide against people to people contact is that maybe the sirkari babus do not want peace.
I would love to hear about the other story, when you have the time to share it.
re: ana deborah
The comment was still appreciated. Thank you!
Ciao
#102 Posted by harimau on July 13, 2003 8:09:01 am
Ref wholly-precious-you #84
[“Sax, all references to Hazarat Ayesha are now the sole and exclusive property of my new nicks I_Slam_Islam and Islam_Is_Lame.”
...sigh...really, unkal harimau...just when i feel there`s hope for you yet...... ]
Never give up hope.
For one thing, I_Slam_Islam and Islam_Is_Lame did not post anything despite claiming exclusive rights.
For another, the claim prevented Sax from saying anything that might offend some of the nicest people on Chowk such as you.
But you got to admit that those two new nicks (as yet unregistered) are kind of cute.
[“Sax, all references to Hazarat Ayesha are now the sole and exclusive property of my new nicks I_Slam_Islam and Islam_Is_Lame.”
...sigh...really, unkal harimau...just when i feel there`s hope for you yet...... ]
Never give up hope.
For one thing, I_Slam_Islam and Islam_Is_Lame did not post anything despite claiming exclusive rights.
For another, the claim prevented Sax from saying anything that might offend some of the nicest people on Chowk such as you.
But you got to admit that those two new nicks (as yet unregistered) are kind of cute.
#101 Posted by harimau on July 13, 2003 8:09:01 am
Ref ana_dobarah #95
[as much as i disagree with harimau meow-meow`s points, and how he makes them, i have to say that he`s hit on something here!]
Even as I was taking the metaphorical 2x4 to Herr Rehman`s keister, I was aware that my posts would cause pain to the general Pakistani population which, I assure you, was not my intent.
[once hatred has burned holes through someone`s heart, those holes don`t always get filled. and too many of us are walking around with these holes in our hearts.]
Reflection and repentance are our only hope if we are to become decent human beings.
[as much as i disagree with harimau meow-meow`s points, and how he makes them, i have to say that he`s hit on something here!]
Even as I was taking the metaphorical 2x4 to Herr Rehman`s keister, I was aware that my posts would cause pain to the general Pakistani population which, I assure you, was not my intent.
[once hatred has burned holes through someone`s heart, those holes don`t always get filled. and too many of us are walking around with these holes in our hearts.]
Reflection and repentance are our only hope if we are to become decent human beings.
#100 Posted by jay on July 12, 2003 9:55:33 pm
harimau 90,
There is no pak identity other than as a jihadic center. That is the very reason the pakistanis try to pass themselves of as Desi. The y are fond of this expression, it is a shame and disgrace to be a pakistani. Even the nepalis and srilanksns have an identity, nothing for pakistanis. A nation that considers gaznavi as a hero and dawood ibrahim as honoured guest, only identity they can have is a jihadic one, we kill all kafirs and if we cannot find one as in the case of pakistan where the hindus have been finished off, we create new ones like ahmadias and shias.
There is no pak identity other than as a jihadic center. That is the very reason the pakistanis try to pass themselves of as Desi. The y are fond of this expression, it is a shame and disgrace to be a pakistani. Even the nepalis and srilanksns have an identity, nothing for pakistanis. A nation that considers gaznavi as a hero and dawood ibrahim as honoured guest, only identity they can have is a jihadic one, we kill all kafirs and if we cannot find one as in the case of pakistan where the hindus have been finished off, we create new ones like ahmadias and shias.
#98 Posted by hrrehman on July 12, 2003 1:13:31 pm
All of you Hindus missed the whole point of the article as usual,
don`t blame you, take your heads out of you rears. Do you guys
realize what`s happening to you lower caste people, I have posted
so many articles on abuses to Hindus here in the USA but you guys
refuse to believe it, Just blame it on the ISI.
don`t blame you, take your heads out of you rears. Do you guys
realize what`s happening to you lower caste people, I have posted
so many articles on abuses to Hindus here in the USA but you guys
refuse to believe it, Just blame it on the ISI.
#97 Posted by hrrehman on July 12, 2003 1:13:31 pm
#86 by harimau on July 12, 2003 7:55am PT
What can I do buddy, good looks are a curse.
What can I do buddy, good looks are a curse.
#96 Posted by rsridhar on July 12, 2003 1:13:31 pm
re: Pakistani restaurants
As some interactors are saying here, one would indeed be hard pressed to find a genuine Pak restaurant. The same is true for Bangladeshi restaurant. I used to go to a restaurant that had a name ``Pride of India`` or some such thing in Manhatten, NY. I was shocked to find that the owner was a Bangladeshi. I also used to frequent a restaurant in Chicago run by a Pakistani. You enter in that place and you feel you are in Pakistan. Sherwanis everywhere. All dishes are marketed as Indian.
When one tries to market a cuisine, one also at the same time is telling the buyer : look, we are so and so and we have these nice things to offer. India is a marketable brand since this name has been in existence for at least 2 centuries. So is Greece or even Afghanistan.
Pakistan is a new nation. It will take time to create a brand. Until then, even Haleem may have to be sold as an Indian delicacy.
Really, if you ask me, there is nothing like a Pakisani cuisine. Let any Paki on chowk name one dish that came into existence after Pak became a reality. That would qualify as a Pakistani cuisine. For those who feel good about labelling a dish as this or that, it does not matter. I would still enjoy my ``parantha`` even if someone says that this is a Sindhi and not Punjabi dish.
Sridhar
As some interactors are saying here, one would indeed be hard pressed to find a genuine Pak restaurant. The same is true for Bangladeshi restaurant. I used to go to a restaurant that had a name ``Pride of India`` or some such thing in Manhatten, NY. I was shocked to find that the owner was a Bangladeshi. I also used to frequent a restaurant in Chicago run by a Pakistani. You enter in that place and you feel you are in Pakistan. Sherwanis everywhere. All dishes are marketed as Indian.
When one tries to market a cuisine, one also at the same time is telling the buyer : look, we are so and so and we have these nice things to offer. India is a marketable brand since this name has been in existence for at least 2 centuries. So is Greece or even Afghanistan.
Pakistan is a new nation. It will take time to create a brand. Until then, even Haleem may have to be sold as an Indian delicacy.
Really, if you ask me, there is nothing like a Pakisani cuisine. Let any Paki on chowk name one dish that came into existence after Pak became a reality. That would qualify as a Pakistani cuisine. For those who feel good about labelling a dish as this or that, it does not matter. I would still enjoy my ``parantha`` even if someone says that this is a Sindhi and not Punjabi dish.
Sridhar
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