Page 23 - Pakistan Link - October 20, 2017

COMMENTARY OCTOBER 20, 2017 – PAKISTAN LINK – P23

n By Dr Amineh Hoti The Magic & Power of Classical Dance We were privileged throughout the eve-
Islamabad ning to hear these and a number of other
powerful messages by this strong outspoken
hakespeare in the Twelfth Night wrote, woman who had challenged even the ter-
“If music be the food of love play rorists who blew up the Sufi shrine of the
Son.” The legendary Sheema Kermani peace-loving saint, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. He
proved to us at a recent event called “The reached out to people of all faiths and none.
Magic and Power of Dance”, The title ‘Qalandar’ is given to a saint of very
on the 5th of October 2017, high spiritual station who has the deepest love
at the beautiful unparalleled for God and His creation.
Serena Hotel in Islamabad But the terrorists, in this deadly bomb
that a similar aphorism is attack, killed 88 innocent people and injured
equally as true: if dance be 300 in Pakistan. Sheema arrived at Lal Shah-
the food of life, carry on. baz Qalandar and danced the devotional
Sheema Kermani is a dhamaal dance in red clothes, the colour of
phenomenon in herself. She is Pakistani, the saint. Through this devotional dance all
Muslim and wears a sari with a bindia on her inhibitions were transcended, even that of
forehead, Plumeria flowers in her hair and, gender. She was expressing a form of protest
that evening, wore three red roses as a brooch against all those who oppress communities
on the upper left side of her sari shoulder. On in any form, and all those who take innocent
stage she danced gracefully, gently and el- lives. Here she had chosen the path of accu-
egantly but spoke with great power, force and mulated knowledge and learning through this
passion, while all along challenging the status expression of classical dance – a path that the
quo. great peacebuilders: the lovers-philosophers-
My dynamic friend, Perveen Malik, who saints had chosen: Moulana Rumi, Ameer
leads the voluntary organization, The Asian Khusrau, Bulleh Shah, Madhu Lal Hussain,
Study Group (ASG), which invites foreign Shah Latif Bhittai and Shahbaz Qalandar.
and local communities to learn about the Sheema also had an important message
culture, customs and crafts of Pakistan, had for elite men. She said instead of mujras where
organized the event. The ASG is known for women dance crudely and vulgarly to titillate
its rich and vibrant events and excursions all gatherings of men, classical dance is graceful
across Pakistan: trips up the stunning Hima- and artistic. Yet these same men in positions
layan mountains and deeply historical cities, of authority choose to engage in widely held
dating more than two thousand years old, like local mujras where women are degraded, but
seductive Lahore. On this occasion, she had Sheema danced to the grief-stricken po- She said her teacher or Guru, Mr Ghan- feel threatened by classical dancing which
managed to fill the large Shamadan Hall – the etic song (ghazal) of the lover in Faiz’s poem shyam (a convert from Judaism) and his wife, empowers women.
hall of glittering traditional chandeliers – with Dasht-e-Tanhai (desert of solitude) who had dedicated their lives to teaching dance Someone in the audience suggested that
illustrious guests hungry for an evening of in- was separated from his beloved but held her in Karachi from whom she learnt the art. if any foreign government wanted to fund any
telligent entertainment. Here were a large au- memory close in his mind and through the Sheema, who has her own school and has activity in Pakistan, it should be these sorts
dience – featuring diplomats, dignitaries, top power of memory on closing his eyes felt his been teaching since the last forty years, said of projects, setting up schools and shared
businessmen and ladies, thinkers and schol- beloved’s presence and essence. The symbol- that dance was prehistoric; it was present in creative spaces so that we build goodwill and
ars, teachers, media people and others from ism here is also to exile as Faiz was separated ancient civilizations such as Mohinjodaro, avoid destructive military forces and sneaky
all nationalities, including Austrian, Hungar- from his own home country. Harrapa and the Indus Civilization. Classical spies. Focusing on military activities over
ian, Australian, American, Pakistani, and In- With a twirl of her wrist, and a flicker of dance is the accumulation of centuries of hu- bridge-building projects will only lead to
dian. her eyes, symbolizing connectedness, warmth man knowledge. soured relations, the loss of innocent civilian
My uncle Akbarzeb, Pakistan’s High and energy, Sheema indicated the drama of In fact, she pointed out that even yoga lives among already impoverished people and
Commissioner to Canada, who had just re- two lovers’ pining a la Romeo and Juliet. In emanated from the region that is now Paki- breed more extremism.
turned from his post and my aunt and uncle, her presentation, she told us how this was an stan, even though India alone is known for Sheema’s message is one of love for hu-
Zeenat and Ziad Alahdad who had moved art and a subject that encouraged love and yoga today. But because this region was manity and universal peace. To counter ha-
back from Washington DC to Islamabad after peace – in the most profound way, the body shared space pre-partition both regions claim tred and death, she explained, creativity such
several decades away, were also present,and was the instrument of expression. She also it. Pakistan, she pointed out, has a rich deep as music, dance and art are a form of therapy
eagerly enjoyed every moment of the evening. pointed out that unlike in Western dance, history going back millions of years and we and serve to uplift humanity – they are a cure,
My friend Farah Rehman who had enthusias- such as ballet, where men and women have need to celebrate and acknowledge this rich and a bridge to make us better human be-
tically alerted me about the event and brought gendered roles – the man picks up the wom- past so that we better understand ourselves. ings and to develop a world which celebrates
me here sat beside me. An MBA graduate of an, and not vice versa, in South Asian classical Dance is not restricted to any single national- harmony, togetherness and diversity. Like so
George Washington University in Washing- dance, both genders could do the gentle dance ity or religion – Christians, Hindus, Muslims, many other good people who live and work
ton DC and a lover of Urdu and Farsi (Per- called Lasya and the harder Tandava (mascu- Sikhs and so forth can all learn the art of this in creative spaces in Pakistan, she said, her
sian) poetry, she greatly appreciated the po- line) dance because, as Sheema explained, bodily expression in order to encourage cre- work “will go on to reflect human beauty and
ems of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, the famous Pakistani each of us have the attributes of both man and ative expressions and set creative spaces for love and our struggle towards local and global
revolutionary poet. woman within us. ourselves and our children. peace.”
Pakistani Hindu Women Ride High on Thar Development Wave

n By Riaz Haq as part of a plan to employ locals. When SECMC launched its
CA Highlighted in recent news reports Female Dump Truck Driver Pro-
s the world celebrated the are two Hindu women in particu- gram near the town of Islamkot
International Day of the lar: Kiran Sadhwani, an engineer in Thar, Kiran Sadhwani, a female
AGirl, the Thar develop- and Gulaban, a truck driver. engineer, visited several villages to
ment boom was empowering motivate women to apply for the
Pakistani Hindu women with Thar Population job and empower themselves, ac-
jobs in nontraditional occupa- The region has a population of cording to the Express Tribune.
tions ranging from engineering 1.6 million. Most of the residents “Not all women who are working
to truck driving, according to are cattle herders. Majority of them as dumper drivers are poor or in
multiple media reports. These are Hindus. The area is home to dire need of money. It is just that
pioneering women will hopeful- 7 million cows, goats, sheep and they want to work and earn a liv-
ly be a source of inspiration for camel. It meets more than half of ing for themselves and improve the
young girls. the milk, meat and leather needs lives of their families,” she told the
of the province. Many residents paper.
Thar Development live in poverty. They are vulnerable SEMC is hiring 30 women
Thar, one of the least devel- to recurring droughts. About a truck drivers for its Thar projects,
oped regions of Pakistan, is seeing quarter of them live where the coal according to Dawn.
unprecedented development ac- mines are being developed, accord- Hindu Woman Truck Driver in Thar, Pakistan. Source: Reuters
tivity in energy and infrastructure ing to a report in The Wire. Summary
projects. New roads, airports and Some of them are now being located in block II. SECMC is pay- pole.net. He says that the company As the world celebrates the
buildings are being built along with employed in development projects. ing villagers for their homes and is paying villagers above market International Day of the Girl, it’s
coal mines and power plants as part Makki saw an underground coal agricultural land. prices for their land – Rs. 185,000 good to see the Thar development
of China-Pakistan Economic Cor- gasification pilot project near the SECMC’s chief executive of- ($ 1,900) per acre. boom empowering Pakistani Hin-
ridor (CPEC). There are construc- town of Islamkot where “workers ficer, Shamsuddin Ahmed Shaikh, du women with jobs in nontradi-
tion workers and machinery visible sourced from local communities says his company “will construct Hindu Women Employment tional occupations ranging from
everywhere in the desert. Among rested their heads after long-hour model towns with all basic facili- Sindh Engro Coal Mining engineering to truck driving. These
the key beneficiaries of this boom shifts”. ties including schools, healthcare, Company (SECMC), the largest pioneering women will inspire and
are Thari Hindu women who are In the first phase, Sindh Engro drinking water and filter plants contractor working in Thar desert empower young girls to pursue
being employed by Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) and also allocate land for livestock coal project, has committed itself their dreams in Pakistan and else-
Coal Mining Company (SECMC) is relocating five villages that are grazing,” according to thethird- to hiring locals wherever possible. where in the world.
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