I have been invited to speak on the possibilities of a visa-free South Asia at a seminar in Lahore - chief city of Pakistan - on September 16, 2006. The train to the border-town of Amritsar will leave from New Delhi Railway Station on the evening of September 14.
Bothered about Books
It is yet undecided as to what books to take along. I was reading Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan — the Julia Child of Italian cuisine — but it is not clear if the cookbook could complement my short stay in Pakistan.
In that case, should I take V. S. Naipaul's twin books on travel - Among the Believers: An Islamic Journey and Beyond Belief: Islamic Excursions Among the Converted Peoples? (The books should be read in this order only.)
Mr. Naipaul, in spite of having a Pakistani wife, had been extremely critical of the way Islam is practiced in the countries he traveled — that included Pakistan — and so perhaps it would not be wise to have the book in my shoulder bag.
However, there's a small comfort: when I traveled to Pakistan for the first time, earlier this year, I hardly found any good bookshop and worse, I failed to meet any Pakistani who was fond of books. So who will bother about Mr. Naipaul? But again, if the custom officer accidentally happens to be a literate fellow, fond of reading book reviews, if not books, and familiar with the views of Mr. Naipaul, than I could be turned back. It is a disturbing possibility.
No thanks.
Appeasing the Muslims
How about prominently displaying Martin Ling's Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources while crossing into the country? That is certain to make a good impression on both the pious and fundamentalist Muslims alike.
Mr. Lings was an acclaimed British scholar of Sufism who studied at Oxford, taught English at the University of Cairo, and concluded his career working in the British Library in London. In between, besides converting to Islam, he annually used to produce well-reviewed Shakespeare play editions. In fact, his biography of Muhammad reads like a delicately written novel, at times appearing like a melancholic Shakespearean drama.
Even for those who detest Muhammad, and there are many, this book remains a necessary read for the sinful purpose of pure pleasure alone.
But why I'm so inclined to take Martin Lings? Is it to please the Muslim Pakistanis? A Muhammad book for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan? What next - a Talmud for Haifa? Isn't it circumscribing one's choices to the expectations of narrow-minded religious conservatives?
Article comments
1 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Nice piece, as always. Just to throw this into the mix for now or down the road: If you're in the mood for a Naipaul anthology of essays, try "The Writer and the World"--I reviewed it a while back.
2 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
here
3 - Moin Ansari
Ms. Soofi:
We thank you taking the trouble to visit Pakistan and write about the country. Just think about it. Underneath the suspicious skepticism, distrusting cynicism, and corny sarcasm, doesn’t your narrative shows some basic prejudice? In all honesty, you display blatant ingrate behavior, and abuse of the Pakistani hospitality!!!!
I am amazed that you have wasted so much cyber-space in building a case against Pakistan and Pakistanis "it is a tale told like an idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing".
It is amazing that among 150 million Pakistanis you could not find any book-readers. It is an absolutely astounding statement that perhaps reeks of some deep-rooted prejudice.
There are entire areas of Lahore and Karachi dedicated to book publishing and commerce called Urdu bazaar. One can even find old and rare manuscripts there. Of course now there is amazon.com and a host of Pakistani websites that offer local and internationally published books. Karachi's Clifton, Lahore's defense, and Islamabad offers Western style of bookstores. One simply had to do a google search, but that would have been too much work for the author of this blog!
Obviously, you tried to be humorous. Your corny humor, scorn for everything Pakistani and basic Pakistanphobia
Here is a list of books you could have taken to Pakistan:
Night Song by Michael Brook Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Festive Food of India and Pakistan by Louise Nicholson
The Rough Guide to The Music of Pakistan (Rough Guide World Music CDs) by ROUGH GUIDES
Sufi Music of India and Pakistan: Sound, Context and Meaning in Qawwali by Regula Burckhardt Qureshi
Pride and Passion: An Exhilarating Half Century of Cricket in Pakistan (The Jubilee Series) by Omar Noman
Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh
Friends no Masters by Mohammad Ayub Khan (ex President of Pakistan)
The Indus Saga by Aitzaz Ahsan
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: A living legend by Ahmed Aqeel Ruby (Unknown Binding - 1992)
SUFI MUSIC OF INDIA AND PAKISTAN: SOUND, CONTEXT AND MEANING IN QAWWALI by Regula Burckhardt Qureshi
Zulfi Bhutto by Stanley Wolpert
Food for Pakistanis around the world by Raziuddin Shaikh
The Empire of the Great Mughals: History, Art and Culture by Annemarie Schimmel
Lonely Planet Pakistan & the Karakoram Highway (Lonely Planet Pakistan) by Sarina Singh, Lindsay Brown, Owen Bennett-Jones, and John Mock
Jinnah by Stanley Wolpert
Making Muslim Space in North America and Europe (Comparative Studies on Muslim Societies, 22) by Barbara Daly Metcalf
Kashmir in Conflict: India, Pakistan and the Unending War by Victoria Schofield
The World of the "Untouchables": Paraiyars of Tamil Nadu by Robert Deliege
Islamic Revival in British India: Deoband, 1860-1900 (Oxford India Paperbacks)
New Pakistan by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Qawwali, music of Islamic mysticism in Pakistan ([Asia Society. Performing Arts Program. Monographs on music, dance and theater in Asia ; v.4]) ([Asia Society. Performing Arts Program. Monographs on music, dance and theater in Asia ; v.4]) by Regula Qureshi
History of God by Karen Armstrong
“Unholy War” by Cooley
The Arts and Crafts of India and Pakistan by Shanti
Speeches and statements, July 1, 1972-September 30, 1972 by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Social Movements and the State (Readings in Indian Government and Politics series) by Ghanshyam Shah
Baluch Tigers by
Khalistan: The only solution by Partap Singh
A history of Farangi Mhal by Francis Robinson
Moral Conduct and Authority: The Place of Adab in South Asian Islam by Barbara Daly Metcalf
The Third World, new directions by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
In Dravidian Land: Frontline Reports on Anti-Dalit Violence in Tamil Nadu, 1995-2004 by S Viswanathan
Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War, and the Roots of Terror by Mahmood Mamdani
A History of Islamic Societies by Ira M. Lapidus
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto of Pakistan by Kausar Niazi
4 - Rana Singh
So much prejudice in so small a space! Ms. Soofi, get a life. I visited Lahore and had one heck of a time among Pakistanis.
Your dream was to go to a prostitute in Lahore?! IS this a fetish, if so you could neednt have wasted a trip to Pakistan, there are plenty of similar women available in a whorehouse near your own hometown. The misery of the women is the same!
5 - Suzy Rosenberg
I found this by accident and was so looking forward to a reasonable article. I found this nonsense. Absolutley amazing garbage. How could one person be so prejudiced against a group of people..
Ms. Soofi, learn to live
6 - Chan Akya
The author seems to think that India is a paradise. Ask the Dalits, Kashmiris, Muslims, Tamils, Nadus, Bihiaris, Benglalis and generally the poor.
I could present a long list of books that denegrate India, but why bother!
7 - Kuldip Nayyer
We need to develop good relations between India nad Pakistan, and this surely does not help
8 - Natalie Bennett
This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net, which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States. Nice work!
And I do think some of the commenters here should note the tone - I read this as firmly tongue-in-cheek and playful. And it promotes some excellent books.
9 - Mayank Austen Soofi
I thank everyone for their comments. I particularly offer my thanks to Mr Moin Ansari for listing books that we all could find informative and entertaining. I regret if my piece has hurt the sensibilities of my readers. But I would not like to change it. I'm back from my Pakistan trip and intend to write a series of articles dealing with my stay there.
10 - Susan Rosenberg
Why would a prejudiced author visit Pakistan, if all she wanted to do was to berate the host country.
If I visited Palestine and put everything Palestinain down, would I be any better than the fringe of Palestinain society that we all abhor.
11 - Moin Ansari
Please read some of the books listed, and kindly take them with you next time you visit the country that you hate.
Maybe you can enjoy the wonderful cradle of the Gandhara civilization, the center of the Indus valley Civilization, the heart of Sikhism, and the epicenter of the Soofi Muslims who are revered in India and Pakistan.
Late is more popular in Pakistan than any Pakitani singer. Many Indian movies now start with Pakistani music, and one of the lead singers in India is Adnana Sami Khan. These are the prophets of our common heritage.
it is hard to build bridges of harmony, and easy to fan fires of hate.
Music, Language, fashions, food...there are so many wonderful things that Indians and Pakistanis can share....
12 - Mayank Austen Soofi
Mr. Moin Ansari,
I agree completely with you. It is easy to fan fire but difficult to build bridges of brotherhood. Pakistan is a fabulous nation. Did you read my articles following my Pakistan visit? Also, please visit my new blog Pakistan Paindabad (pakistanpaindabad.blogspot.com) which I have started to present a more appealing aspect of your country which foreigners (including Indians) are usually not familiar with. Can you please send a private e-mail to me? I'll like to sort out few queries about Pakistan with you. You will see my contact mail id in my blogs. Thanks for writing again.
Susan, thanks for your comments. By the way this 'prejudiced author' is a 'he', not 'she'!
13 - Shadow
Mr. Soofi,
I do like the flow in your articles and how you can weave a comic caper around admittedly routine mundane tasks. A day in your life, your visit to a city etc. Reading a bunch of your recent posts it is apparent that you like books. I mean you like books. Seriously, you need to start liking things other than books. Don't you think ? When I have a book on my lap when I butterfly press in a gym, to me I need to get a life or I'm just vain. Same about your Pakistan visit. Did you ever think of going out and meeting people and not wasting time with books while there? Savoring new cuisine, or talking to strangers. It definitely would have given you more material than just books !. I'm scared your next posts will be about what books you take to places you have not ventured yet in your posts blog. Let me suggest you a book you seem to need "Go Get a Life for Dummies"...
You should write more about other stuff. A la "Run Away Bride and Groom...."
14 - Mayank Austen Soofi
'Shadow',
Thanks for showing so much concern. No, I mean it. But I did not read books while in Pakistan. I went to Heera Mandi - a red light district. I drove around in Lahore. I attended lunches and dinners. i went to cafes. Perhaps you haven't read my travelogues which I wrote following my Pakistan visit..
By the way, today am reading 'War & Peace' and enjoying it.
15 - harold bergsma
Dear MR Soofi, I came upon this by accident but thought to respond briefly. I grew up in NWFP India/Pakistan and still consider it my first home, Urdu my second language. Next time while travelling try taking along a new novel, ONE WAY TO PAKISTAN by Harold Bergsma . See Amazon Books for readers comments and reviews especially the comments of Mc Mahon, Manley and Jarchow on the book's cover. I agree with Moin Ansari, Pakistan is a fabulous country, its people wonderfully hospitable, its culture one of the oldest.