And the World Changed
Page 37
“Pradeep,” he said, his eyes grave. “We think that place is dangerous. We need your help to know for sure. A lot of people are counting on you.”
“What’s the problem at Saindak?”
“Oh, nothing’s wrong there. But Koh-e-Sultan is showing signs of waking up again.”
I stared at him. Koh-e-Sultan may have been a formidable volcano once, but it hadn’t erupted in 800 years. “That’s absurd!” I cried.
Quietly, Mr. Ruknuddin said, “We certainly hope so.”
To appease all, the government insisted on keeping the investigation as low-key as possible. That meant limited research, limited funding, and big risk.
I thought nostalgically of the United States.
In any case, we submerged ourselves in the task. The seismograph spat out pages of data like the ECG reading of a coma patient. The prognosis wasn’t exactly discouraging. Koh-e-Sultan would either erupt any time in the next fortnight, or remain dormant for at least another 52 years. At least we had time to prepare for the disaster.
Unfortunately, it was our preparation that gave us away. Although we had been discreet in our collection of mud samples and seismic information, we could not have been secretive about evacuating the locals and their cattle from the scene. “Soil testing” was quite a plausible reason. Or at least it had been until our delineation marks were discovered. The Chinese investors were the first to hear of it. Then came the locals. Next was a large array of reporters from all over Asia. Most annoying was a European diplomat who doubled as an amateur geographer.
We had tried our best to evacuate the place but the public’s love for show prevailed. On what we imagined was Judgement Day, the outskirts of Takht-e-Sultan were a circus! The locals had gone through a lot of trouble. Thanks to them, the “spectators” in question could witness the entire event from an adjoining plateau, which, despite its awesome view, was safely several kilometers away. Heaven knows that I have seen nature at its most ruthless. I have worked myself through calamities without flinching, but that day I prayed. Every vein in my body quivered as I imagined lava licking off life.
Eventually restlessness got the better of me. Ignoring the incredulous glances of my teammates in the Research Office, I headed to the outskirts. The frenzy there was unnerving! I could sense the fear and the excitement. We all stood together and waited.
4:30, 5:30, 6:30 . . . The lion would continue to sleep! Relief flooded through us like an elixir. We hugged and shook hands and cheered. Europeans, Chinese, and Baluchis: Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Muslims, and a Hindu all brought together by circumstance. Fate had painted these disparate backgrounds into one picture.
I saw a Pakistani journalist help a Sikh one photograph the scene. An Indian journalist who had come up to cover the economic benefits of the refinery was discussing it with a Chinese businessman—no notebook in hand. Suddenly the sting of having once been “Sunflower Pradeep” dissipated. When I saw the diplomat hug a tribal chief, I remembered Mr. Ruknuddin’s old words and they started to make new sense. The tribal chiefs, notorious for their love of war, posed for photographs and then went off together to offer Prayers of Thanks.
When one of the Chinese businessmen boomed: “Pakistan zindabad!” tears filled my eyes and I cheered, for I knew exactly what he meant.
At last, I had come home.
GLOSSARY OF SOUTH ASIAN WORDS
Abba: Father
Achoot: Untouchable; lowest caste of Hindu
aiiay: Enter! Welcome! Come in!
ajnabi: Stranger; foreigner
ajrak: Ancient hand-block–printed patterns associated with the province of Sindh
alam bardar: Standard bearer
Allah-u-Akbar: God is great
Allah-wali: A woman dedicated to God
alu ka bhartha: Mashed potatoes, spiced and fried
Amma: Mother
Ammijee: Mother
amrit: Nectar, water of life, ambrosia
Angrez: The British
apa: Appellation for elder sister
araam: Rest, calm, ease
araam-say, bhai, yeh hamari behenain hain: “Go easy, brother, these are our sisters”
arrey: An exclamation of familiarity with several connotations, for example, “Well!” or “Oh!” or “Hey!”
Ashura: The tenth day of Moharrum
Astakhfarullah: God forbid
Ayat: Quranic verse
azaan: Muslim call to prayer
badmash: Miscreant
Baji: Appellation for older sister
baraat: Marriage procession
bari: Larger, older
batashas: Crisp, fluffed white sweets that are made of boiled sugar
behen: Sister
behen-chod: Sister-fucker
beta: Son; also a non-gender-specific term of affection for a child
beti: Daughter
bhabi: Brother’s wife—also used for wife of close friend
bhai: Brother
Bharat Natyam: Classical South Indian dance
Bibi: Lady
biryani: Rich festive dish of rice and meat/chicken
boski: A type of silk with a matte finish
chacha: Paternal uncle
chachi: Wife of paternal uncle
chameli: Sweet-smelling double jasmine whose fragrant buds are often strung together as personal ornaments for women, particularly for a young bride, but can also be used on other occasions
chappals: Thronged sandals (Bata chappals are chappals bought from the well-known shoe store chain, Bata)
charas: Hashish, hemp
chowki: Wooden platform
chunri: A gauzy head covering with colorful patterns created by tie-dyeing
dadi: Paternal grandmother
desh: Country, homeland
desi: Pertaining to the subcontinent; belonging to desh
diyar: Cedar tree
Dhamal: Sufi dance that embodies mystical ecstasy
Dukhmo: Towers of Silence, the area where Parsi funeral rites take place
dulhan: Bride
dupatta: Gauzy scarf-like covering
Eid: Religious festival; Eid-ul-Azha celebrates the end of Ramazan, the month of fasting; Bakr-e-Eid commemorates and emulates Abraham’s sacrifice
fajr: Dawn, early morning
filmi: From a film
gharara: A pajama made so wide and flowing and with many gathers that it resembles a skirt; a gharara suit includes the knee-length shirt that is worn over the gharara; the large dupatta, which is draped over the shoulders and can be pulled up to cover the head, if need be
ghazal: An Urdu poem with clearly defined meter and form
ghungroos: Wide leather swatches covered with tiny metal bells
goonda: Thug
gora: White
gullies: Narrow lanes
haan: Yes
hai: A general exclamation of lament
hakim: Doctor; a practitioner of traditional medicine
haleem: A special dish created by cooking a mixture of wheat, spices, and meat for many hours
hanh: Yes
Hanuman: Hindu monkey god
haraam: Forbidden; sinful
haraam-kari: Sinful doings
haveli: House; large and spacious dwelling
Hehna?: “Is it not?”
hijab: Head covering that hides the hair
iddat: The mandatory four months and ten days of seclusion that a widow must observe after her husband’s death to ensure that if she is pregnant, the child’s paternity cannot be questioned
Ik minit, yaar: One minute, mate
Inglestan: England
ittar: Perfume or scent, usually oil based
jaan: Dear, darling
jaib: Pocket
jamun: Tree with large purple edible berries
jee: Yes; as an appellation, this is a term of respect
jenab: Sir
jharoo: A type of broom
joora: Coiled hair worn as a bun at the back of the head
jungli: Uncivilized; wild; from the jungle
kameez: Shirt
karak chai: Strong tea, usually a specialty in bazaars, or road stalls
Karbala: One of the holy cities of Islam where the Battle of Karbala took place
Karbala Gamey Shah: Site in Lahore where the Muharram processions end
Kathak: A classic dance form in the northern areas of South Asia
keema: Mince
khadi: Handwoven cotton
khais: Large shawl worn by men
khala: Maternal aunt
khas ki tatti: Large matting of sweet-smelling reeds
Kitni der laga di: “It’s taking so long”
koel: South Asian cuckoo
kothi: House
kothi-wallah: Owner of the house or property
Kurukshetra: The plain where the mythological Battle of Kurukshetra took place in the Hindu epic, Mahabharata
kuwan: A well
lassi: Cool drink made of diluted yoghurt and sugar or salt
ma: Mother
Maajee: Mother
maatam: The ritual and rythmic beating of the chest with the right hand in lamentation during the rites of Muharram
machera: Fisherman
madar-chod: Motherfucker
Mahabharata: Sacred Hindu text and epic
maidaan: Empty plot or open common land
mali: gardener
mannat: A religious supplication entailing a vow
mashak: A large leather pouch in which water is carried
Mashallah: By the grace of God
Masih: Christian
masjid: Mosque
maulvi: Muslim cleric; maulvi sahib is a respectful form of address
mehfils: Social or cultural gatherings
mehndi: A party with specific rituals, including songs and music, which is an intrinsic part of a wedding but takes place a night or two before the actual marriage ceremony
meri: My; mine; for example, meri jaan means, “my darling”
Mia: Lord, master; can also mean husband
mohajir: Refugee; terms used for ethnic communities that migrated to Pakistan at Partition from India
mohalla: Neighborhood
momani: Maternal uncle’s wife; aunt
mynah-bird: A type of starling
na: “No,” but depending on the context, if used as question, can also mean, “Isn’t it so?” or, “Don’t you agree?”
Na ro Zainab: “Don’t cry, Zainab”; Zainab was the granddaughter of the Prophet and among the captives after the Battle of Karbala. Her lamentation for her kin, including her martyred brother, Hussein, and her sons killed at Karbala, is central to the poetry and elegies recited in Moharrum. In Shia Islam, both she and Fatima, her mother (the Prophet’s daughter) are venerated in their own right.
nani: Maternal grandmother
namaz: Prayer
nashta: Breakfast
nazrana: Money given as a blessing or offering
nikah: Marriage ceremony
nutfa: Seed, sperm
paan: Leaf of the betel plant that is dressed with various condiments and chewed
pani: Water
paratha: Fried rounds of bread made from wheat flour
parda/purdah: A curtain; also indicates the segregation of the sexes in a traditional Muslim household, and women who observe the veil
pari: Fairy
patwari: Steward
peshwaze: A traditional dress worn by women since Mughal times that consists of a tightfitting, bodice-like shirt that flares out from the waist to the knees like a skirt. Worn over a type of pajama that clings to the legs.
pooja: Form of worship for Hindus
prem: Love
Qul: The reading of a Quranic surah at the conclusion of a soyem
Ram: Hindu God, hero of the Ramayana epic
Ramazan: The month Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset; Ramadan
randis: Prostitutes, whores
rasmalai: Light curd cheese balls soaked in cream and syrup
rishta: Marriage proposal
sakhi/saheli: Friend; a term used exclusively for women, indicating companionship and sorority
saqi: The cupbearer; beloved; an image used metaphorically in Urdu poetry
shalwar: Baggy, ankle-length trousers
sheesham: Rosewood
shikar: Hunt
Sindhi: Belonging to the province of Sindh
sindhur: Vermillion worn by Hindu women in the parting of the hair
sola topi: A sun helmet made from the pith of the sola, a swamp plant
soyem: The final mourning rite on the third day after the funeral
supari: Small chips of betel nut, coated with condiments, to be chewed; also used to dress paan
Surah: Chapter of the Quran
surma: Collyrium used to outline and beautify the eyes
thali: Tray, large plate
thero: Wait
tika: Jeweled ornament worn on the forehead—to adorn newly wed brides in particular
tilak: Red mark worn on the forehead by Hindu women
vataan: Country; homeland
Wa laikum Assalam: “Peace be upon you”; is said in response to the greeting “Salaam aleikum,” which means the same thing
wah: Wow! Wonderful!
Wazir: Minister or counselor of state in a Muslim country, sometimes spelled “Vizier.”
Ya Ali! Ya Hussein: Cries of lamentation in Muharram calling upon the names of Ali, the Prophet’s son-in-law and his martyred son Hussein
yaar: Mate; pal
zenana: Women; the women’s apartments in a segregated household
zindabad: Long live
Zuljana: The steed that Hussein rode at Kerbala; a white horse representing Zuljana is part of the processions of Muharram
ACKNOWLEDGMNENTS AND PERMISSIONS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank Saba Gul Khattak and Kiran Ahmed of the Sustainable Development Institute in Islamabad for bringing Ritu Menon and me together; Ritu Menon and Women Unlimited for making this book possible and for their kindness and hospitality in Delhi; Ameena Saiyid and Ramik Akhund at Oxford University Press in Pakistan for their continuing support; Rukhsana Ahmad and Moazzam Sheikh for their help; Aamer Hussein and Anjoli Roy for introducing me to new writing; The Feminist Press, in particular Gloria Jacobs and my editor Anjoli Roy for their cooperation and painstaking care; and, as always, I owe a special thanks to my family: Saleem, Saman, and Kamila.
—from the Editor, Muneeza Shamsie
PERMISSIONS
The Women Unlimited edition of this volume included the following stories, whose copyright information follows:
Talat Abbasi, first broadcast as a prize winner in the BBC World Service short story competition, 2000. Reprinted from Bitter Gourd and Other Stories (Karachi: Oxford University Press, 2001) with the permission of the publisher and author.
Humera Afridi, first published as “Circumferece” in 110 Stories: New York Writes after September 11 (Ulrich Baer, Ed., New York: New York University Press, 2003). Revised version, “The Prince of Hubris,” printed with the permission of the author.
Fawzia Afzal Khan, altered and abriged version first appeared in Aizah Magazine, volume 3, issue 2, December 2003, Atlanta, Georgia. This version a chapter of a memoir in progress, Sahelian: Growing Up with Girlfriends Pakistani Style, is published with the permission of the author.
Feryal Ali Gauhar, excerpt from chapter 9 from The Scent of the Earth in August (New Delhi: Penguin, 2002). Reprinted as “Kucha Miran Shah” with permission of the author and Penguin.
Uzma Aslam Khan, from Trespassing (New Dehli: Penguin, 2003). Reprinted with the permission of the author and Penguin.
Shahrukh Husain, first appeared as “Rubies for a Dog” in Women Who Wear the Breeches: Delicious and Dangerous Tales (London: Virago, 1995). Revised version, “Rubies for a Dog: A Fable,” printed here with the permission of the author.
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Sorayya Khan, from Five Queen’s Road (New Delhi: Penguin Books India, 2008). Reprinted with the permission of the author.
Nayyarra Rahman, from I Belong: A Collection of Short Stories (Karachi: British Council, 2004). Reprinted with the permission of the author and the British Council.
Hima Raza, printed here with the permission of Anjana Raza and Begum Nasim F. Raza.
Roshni Rustomji, from Asian Americans on War and Peace (ed. Russell C. Leongand Don T. Nakanishi, Los Angeles: UCLA Asian-American Studies Center Press, 2002). Revised version reprinted with the permission of the author.
Qaisra Shahraz, to Prof. Liesel Hermes for the original publication of the story in Germany, and Holding Out: Short Stories by Women (Manchester: Crocus Books, 1988); Writing Women: Twentieth Century Short Stories (Berlin: Cornelsen Verlag, 1991). Reprinted here with permission of the author.
The following stories are new in this edition of And the World Changed, and their copyright notices are as follows:
Bushra Rehman, from Pulp Net: Online Home of New Fiction (February 2007). Reprinted with the permission of the author.
Sehba Sarwar, Soot copyright © 2008 by Sehba Sarwar. Published here, for the first time, with the permission of the author.
Bapsi Sidwa, from Orphans of the Storm: Stories on the Partition of India (UBS Publishers’ Distributors Ltd., 1995). Reprinted with the permission of the author.
Sara Suleri Goodyear, from Meatless Days, copyright © 1989 by The University of Chicago. Reprinted with the permission of University of Chicago Press and the author.
Photo Credits
Author photographs copyright © 2008. Copyrights in the individual photographs are in the names of the authors. Printed with the permission of the authors.
Photographer credits:
For Talat Abbasi’s photograph: Lars Mathisen
For Humera Afridi’s photograph: Ahad Afridi
For Fawzia Afzal Khan’s photograph: Noman Isanisland
For Aamina Ahmad’s photograph: Shehryar Piracha
For Feryal Ali Guahar’s photograph: Irfan Jamil Rahman
For Uzma Aslam Khan’s photograph: David Maine
For Rukhsana Ahmad’s photograph: Linda Brownlee, courtesy of Renaissance One