Urdu: 'in purdah'
Some weeks ago there was an international Urdu conference in Islamabad. It became an official gathering in the sense that, apart from two top government bodies devoted to Urdu, one of the sponsors was the Capital Development ... People Like Us Across The Border
RAWALPINDI: Poor porters at Atari pray daily for influx of visitors from Pakistan so that they can earn a reasonable livelihood for their families living hand to mouth in nearby villages. So do cycle rickshaw operators, bus drivers and small ... Baisakhi - A Very Punjabi Festival
Mela mood dominates as devotees make their way to Damdama Sahib.
Mela mood dominates as devotees make their way to Damdama Sahib. Photo Dev Inder,...Remembering Bulleh Shah
Punjab's Sufi-mystic poet Bulleh Shah (1680-1758) lived in the times of the downfall of the Mughal Empire characterised by ideological and political chaos. Religious bigotry was on the rise at the time. He wrote about common people, their sufferings ....Lahore: once upon a time
Hindus would shower flowers on the Muharram procession while Muslims flocked to the great Ram Leela festival held in the Minto Park behind the Badshahi Masjid, and took part in the Diwali and Dusehra celebrations...A Famous Uprising
In the past, the colonial powers that were in control of the countries in Africa or the Asian subcontinent had the habit of dubbing different native movements for self-rule as Ghadars, meaning rebellions or mutinies. British rulers of India called the first ,...Theatre with a purpose
AT last, Ajoka Theatre has succeeded in forcing its way into the Lahore Arts Council. One says this because last week the council successfully organized the Ajoka Summer Theatre Festival. ...Sunil Dutt: a humanist, a Punjabi, a world citizen
According to their family belief and legend their ancestor Rahab Dutt was settled in Arabia and had met Imam Hussain and became his admirer and supporter. He and his seven sons died fighting on the side of the Imam at the battle of Karbala ...The Bhangra
Local Languages: a Cultural Heritage Or Vice?
THE rate at which the nation's languages is gradually being subsumed by the influence of western cultures - languages - cannot be quantified. To many parents, they cannot just find a simple reason why they should bequeath to their children the ...