Lahore is burning
[reportedly] 27 dead and dozens injured – no respite for us. Once again, in less than a month Lahore has been ravaged by terrorists.…
Shobhaa De notices blogs from across the border
Shobhaa De has noted the ramblings of yours truly on her blog: I came across a Pakistani blog that took him to the cleaners…
Words that come on my tongue – Bulleh Shah
Shahidain has sent this lovely translation of Bulleh Shah’s verse. moonh aaee baat na rehndee ey Words that come on my tongue cannot be…
Mysticism has assumed role of popular religion, says Indian scholar Dr Fatima Hussain
Dr Fatima Hussain said the current intellectual propensity was to debunk religion on the pretext that it had been a cause of bloodshed throughout…
More on Varun Gandhi
Amarjit Chandan has sent another article on the Varun Gandhi’s saga. My views have been quoted again. Naveen S Garewal Tribune News Service, Chandigarh,…
Varun Gandhi is a scary bigot
A post at Pak Tea House and the subsequent sharp comments have attracted some ire among the readers as to what is Varun Gandhi…
The Battle over Hindu History
Author Wendy Doniger, Professor of the History of Religions, University of Chicago’s Divinity School , writes on this blog about her new work. This new…
Postcard from Agra
Published in The Friday Times As Indian TV channels broadcast stories on Pakistan’s domestic infighting, and rumours of a new coup d’ etat, my…
Contemporary Pakistani literature in the age of terror
I am posting the synopsis of my paper entitled Silhouetted Silences – contemporary Pakistani literature in the age of terror, that I presented at…
Build The Peace Consensus
By Sadia Dehlvi The trail of terror continues with cricketers as the latest target. The Mumbai and Lahore attacks, public executions and the murder…
Fatehpur Sikri
Fatehpur Sikri – March 16, 2009, originally uploaded by Jahane Rumi. I was in Fatehpur Sikri a week ago. I love going there again…
Har Lehza Ba Shaklay But-e-Ayyar Baraamad
A Kalam of Jalal Ud Din Rumi Performed by Farid Ayaz Qawal Har lehza ba shaklay but-e-ayyar baraamad Dil burd-o-nihaan shud Har dum ba…
In Agra – attending the SAARC writers’ moot
Finally managed to reach Agra to attend the SAARC Literature festival organised by the inimitable Ajeet Caur. It is a lovely event with people…
29th SAARC Festival of Literature to debate terrorism
The SAARC Festival of Literature is slated to begin from 12th March in the city of Taj Mahal, Agra and will come to close…
Saluting Rehman Baba who braved bigots through the ages
Pakistani women hold flower arrive at the shrine of 17th century sufi saint Rehman Baba in Peshawar on March 7, 2009. Multiple bomb explosions…
Nightingale of Peshawar falls silent
My piece published in The Friday Times The bombing of Rehman Baba’s shrine is more proof that we are slipping, inch by inch, into…
Desecration of Rahman Baba’s tomb is desecration of humanity
The SCN press release echoes my sentiments at the disgusting act of vandalism in Peshawar. It is a befitting metaphor for the barbaric bigotry…
Reclaiming melody
Izzat Majeed was raised in a household where good music was an object of reverence. His late father, Mian Abdul Majeed was an avid…
Suicide Democrats
I am appalled by the recent events that have yet again stirred instability and uncertainty into Pakistani politics. Those of us who voted in…
Sad times in Lahore
What a sad day it was – a city that usually glows with spring colours and crisp air was a death-zone. Everyone was afraid…