Recollections of Annemarie Schimmel
Rehana Hyder writing for the Friday Times My first recollection of Annemarie Schimmel was as a teenager in Delhi in 1969, in the year…
The Sound of Data Darbar
NEW YORK, May 6, 2017 — Me and classical singer Tahira Syed. We explore Lahore’s, and arguably Pakistan’s, cornerstone of Sufism, the shrine of…
Karachi Literature Festival: The great divide
The third Karachi Literature Festival concluded recently. I am posting a short piece of mine which was published by the News on Sunday. Another…
Karachi Literature Festival 2011 Programme
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE All set for the 2nd Karachi Literature Festival Karachi (31 January 2011): The 2nd Karachi Literature Festival is all set to…
Jaipur, Faiz and Ali Sethi
Ali Sethi recently attended the Jaipur literary festival and his extraordinary performance is now accessible to those who were not there. I should thank…
Miracle Worker Explores Sufism
By Archana (Mail Today) WHEN it comes to weaving a web of words, no one does it as well as Khushwant Singh. The nonagenarian…
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…
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…
Raza Rumi was in Delhi
A budding writer from Lahore visits the city of his beloved author. I was [pleasantly -why lie] surprised this morning to discover a story…
Chiragh-e-Dair (Light of the World) – Ghalib on Benaras
Mirza Ghalib spent a month in Benaras during his struggles for the restoration of pension. The city left a lasting impact on him. I…
Shaming Literature – ‘Sir’ Salman Rushdie
The current controversy on Rushdie’s knighthood has several dimensions. Amid the knee-jerk reactions alluding to the grand-conspiracy-against-Islam, it brings out various layers and levels…
The Reluctant Fundamentalist – Book Review
Mohsin Hamid’s second novel is out. It has made to several bestsellers’ lists and invokes a theme central to our times. I am posting…
Remembering Bedil
For Indians unfamiliar with Urdu or Persian literature Bedil presents a bit of a paradox: he was born in Patna (died in Delhi) but…
khushwant singh
http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20070416&fname=Cover+Story+%28F%29&sid=1 Magazine| Apr 16, 2007 khushwant singh Spring Of The Patriarch Don’t be fooled by this image of repose. At 92, India’s grand old…
“Man-Bitten” Ghalib: introducing himself
Ghalib’s immortal and complex poetry transcends time and sometimes even the boundaries of human thought. The translation of this ghazal was found in Mirza…
We Are All Dr Faustus – Parveen Shakir
Last month, in the freezing climes of Islamabad, we talked about Parveen Shakir, Pakistan’s popular poet who died at a young age. One of…
Body Loom – by Pakistan’s notable poet
Body Loom by M. Athar Tahir Published in the Daily Dawn (reviewer- Muneeza Shamsie) There have been so few notable English language poetry collections…
Orhan Pamuk’s recognition and the complex world we live in..
The characters in my novel are groaning under the burden of universal ideas. Overtaxing yourself with powerful ideas is practically a Turkish passion Orhan…
Adieu Naguib Mahfouz
Naguib Mahfouz is no more. He passed away on August 30, 2006 at the age of 94. Mahfouz, was the first Arab writer to…
Writers in Anguish
I was touched by this letter dated July 19, 2006, its stark language and passion searching for “what was once called justice”. This lament…