Chowk Rant everyone writes for their own reasons. . .what is the big deal here?
this was actually on zeeshan`s interactor page (or was it the writer`s page?) if memory serves me correctly, for quite a while...it is old news, as he says.

i have characters in my head as well that i`d like to get out, there is much going on around us in the world that i would like to write about. *ponders* does that mean i`m bloody in love with meself? i used to stand in front of my cousins and tell them stories.
i guess there is a bit of the narcissist that exists in writers, in poets, in artists.

let it be. . .

i can see what zeeshan hopes to achieve in his writing. he`s being honest about it, even if it appears offensively egotistical. he also knows that it is not about him. .writing is not about him, to show what a great writer he is. . .he knows that the message, such as it is, is more important than the medium, the writer. we don`t write for no reason whatsoever. . .some of us write because we are compelled to. . .if there isn`t that `passion` (ouch!) for lack of a better word, for putting words together then why write? (i am asking myself that question more and more)
everyone writes for their own reasons, this doesn`t have to be yours. . .it is his. some writing is more purposeful than others. and that`s just the way the peanut butter chocolate chip cookie crumbles.

ma`salaama.

Culture Jam syd...
try `do you have running water in pakistan?` or `do they have toilets in pakistan` or `how is it that you speak english so well?`

Telic Chowk: A Personal Odyssey t.
ana dobarah will probably continue to contribute inspite of some negative reviews ; ) caveat deluge!

waisay just how personal was this odyssey?!?

farz:
nobody else does???? wah re!!!! i guess telling you you were missed is not the equivalent of welcome back. *throwing arms around you* vellcome baaaack farzana!!!! : )

tons of hugs and love to both of you
ana

In Loving Memory of Nazia Apa (aka Nazia Hasan) gawd it`s zeeshan vs. zeeshan. *exits quickly*

The Knee Count Issue so tell us, if you can, why you?

The Last Trumpets i cannot claim to know much about pakistani history, especially its political history because in the nine years that i lived there and went to school, i don`t believe a single thing i learned was true. . .in history that is. so reading this was somewhat of an eye-opener for me. thank you feroz.

and i agree with what yasser said in #19

and we don`t need to just convince the army of that wisdom, the people need to wake up to that as well. . .and how do they go about doing that???

~ana

Dislodging a Dictator Yasser,
I`m going to try and be as diplomatic as possible here, because then the crap hits the punkha and you tell me I`ve hurt your feelings and the last thing my weak failing heart can bear is to have hurt anyone`s feelings. : )

there have got to be more intelligent, dedicated people in pakistan who could be at the helm of the government than pinky dearest. the fact that such people have not come out, or been found and `cultivated` is at the heart of the problem in pakistan. if, and its a big if, feroz is correct and pakistan is only fit to be under administrative rule a la the burtanvis, then does it necessarily follow that the army and its COAS must do the ruling? but please, let it not be pinky dearest, or nawabzada nawaz or any of the khatmal we have right now.

and upon hearing your disavowal and disassociation from pinky once her conviction came through, it reminded me for some reason of something pinky dearest told an interviewer . when asked where she was in the political spectrum, she responded that she was center left (talk about like being more out in left field), but of course if the americans came to her aid, that position would change to suit the americans! so much for the courage of people`s convictions! not that i`m questioning yours yasser, but next time you put so much faith in someone to be the saviour. . .try someone who hasn`t robbed the people for her and her husband`s own greed. . .or stick with mills & boon loving pinky khanum despite all odds firmly believing she is the messiah. . .and yes, we all might as well give up on pakistan if we do that, and call it quits.
whatever you do. .follow the courage of your convictions, whatever that means.
ana

Harps!
lovely to see you back on chowk again.
more laters...love ya!

Hey Ram, What Have You Done to My Religion? mittarji:
i think i understand the basic point you are making with this article...and correct me if i`m wrong, but the point you are making here is that communalism taken to its extreme is bad, and the attitude of `the muslims had it coming to them` is wrong, and on both those scores i totally agree with you.
i agree with temporal when he says that ram is not responsible for what has happened to the hindu faith...the people are. and i also see what sameeroo is saying in terms of the muslim population in india. as for harimau meow meow, you seem to have touched a few raw nerves which have made him growl rather than meow. : - ). i know your heart is in the right place though and i appreciate this article.
cheers
~ana

mittar ji:
now that you ask...the next chapter will probably be about mari...or someone in mari`s life. it will probably have more than five characters, and more than two plots....just so everyone knows ahead of time!!!
but seriously, in answer to your question...the next chapter or story will be about mari, or about someone in mari`s life. : - )
appreciate your comments!
cheers! ana.

zeeshan,
to quote the oh so slick (yeah, right) austin powers: `oh beeeehave!`

and if i didn`t know you any better i`d kick you from wherever you are to hell...so convert, otherwise you WILL burn in hell!

heehee...only joking too. : D

your only beloved fan!
(that`s a joke too : - ) )

ijaz_gul:
hmmm....thank you. i`m not sure exactly how i was trying to bring attention to `my community` in particular. this is not a story that happens to christians alone, anywhere in the world. and i`d like to know where that is indicated in my piece.
i don`t see how this applies to miss benjamin looking for attention. if such is the case, then it should be applied to all writers on this forum. writers would like their work to be paid attention to...or is my thinking erroneous on this issue???

najma is meant to be in chapters...as i said it was perhaps too long for this forum. this is a story of najma`s life seen through the years by her little niece, who didn`t see much, but enough. the character `najma`s` life is not limited to one story, or one plot. . .as i write this, perhaps i could have broken this up and fed it to you all like that, but i chose not to.

we tend to always diverge from the article at hand anyway, without fail. i`m not sure what the point in discussing the problems of christians would be. if you`re referring to a brain drain of christians, well what does pakistan expect when it discriminates against christians, and subtly or unsubtly tells them that they do not belong??? i am not `forced` to make up `too many plots` or characters due to the frustrations of the christian community. i write mainly from what i know, from what i`ve seen around me, and i grew up surrounded by people who are from extended family and those who became part of extended family. to write a story, or a novel with just two or three characters is. . .well, i`d have to `force` myself not to. and if we`re going to discuss the problems of christians, well we should discuss the problems of shias, of ahmedis, of converts to islam who are not seen truly as `muslims` because their parents or grandparents did not convert, the problems with sunnis...all of pakistan is in crisis in terms of how we deal with each other and it has been this way for a very long time.

thank you for your comments.

ferozk, ally: cheers! i appreciate your feedback and comments.

i have a few minutes here on chowk since i don`t have free access to the internet today, but i just wanted to check in.

bat: thank you. part of what i wrote as my experiences as a pakistani christian is in the piece `fragments` which was in unplugged and is now in my i-log.

i was uncomfortable discussing the idea of authenticity before, and i am still not going to discuss it, at least in this particular case. i`ve written a story here, fragmented as it is, of a woman seen from the eyes of her little niece. if it`s written badly, i can deal with that, and work with it more. but i`m not going to go anywhere in terms of my expecting it to be believable. this piece deals with the pain and confusion of a little girl who watches a beloved`s life disintegrate through a perforated sheet (to use rushdie`s reference) and doesn`t know how quite to deal with it. if i have failed in conveying that as her story then back to the board i go.

i thank everyone, even those who lost interest in this for having made their comments.
cheers,
~ana

thank you for your comments so far....although i do have a bone to pick with the chowk editors...why is ms. naveeda listed as the writer rather than ana dobarah??? is there some confusion somewheres???

zeeshan...nice to see you here! you do bring up some good points. and of course the writer is not more important than the story...it is being told from mari`s point of view, but perhaps with another rewrite...like i said...i can only hope to improve on this. and i`m perfectly calm right now...so don`t hold back!!!

shandana...as always, your comments are very valuable!

samina: thank you. i`m not quite sure how to respond. and so, i`ll just give it some thought before i say anything.

i didn`t really think this was going to make it to chowk. it was too long, and even after constant rereads...i found mistakes that i failed to catch before submission. as to the choice between first person and third person... i`ve tried writing it both ways. i think a `more polished` writer can make it work both ways. i`m definitely not a more polished writer. :-)

once again, cheers!
~ana

Turkish Delight khamkhwa...

you believe in miracles and santa claus?!? i`m very happy for you! does that mean.....naah, forget it! : - )

Turkish Delight zor kis pe hua? `miraculously` par! ; - )