2011 in review: Kiran Bashir Ahmad Blog review.

Dear readers, thanks for your repeated presence here on my blog in 2011. You all contributed to the interaction and made writing a joyful process. The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys (they call themselves that), prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog and you can click on the link below to see what they have prepared. A note to self: more people seem to be interested in fruits … not the ones of hard labour – not everything I say has a metaphor linked with it – but those that grow on trees, rather than world affairs. For once I don’t know whether to shake my head or grow fruits while the sun shines. Happy New Year! Keep reading and God bless us all in the coming year.

much love,

Kiran Bashir Ahmad

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 5,300 times in 2011. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 4 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Once Upon a Melting Pot

Apple of your eye, apple pie

Silken stress cut peel

I will not melt in oven strength

Or under grounded heel

Of crush stricken fantasy meet.

 

Melt in your mouth margarine

Sticking to the crystal boat

With pieces of my shredded shyness

Rubbed in by a rough shod toe

I slip away ashore.

 

Maybe still in marmalade pot

The orange will be an orange

For me to find my place

I grovel among the pleading mass

And the silver spoon thrusts me in.

 

Crust and crumbs I cling to you

As purveyors of the deep

As discarded survivors in the care worn dish

When fruit and nuts will mix

Yet again be whole.                   

Is it Time?

‘I believe in good’,

that was the past.

Is it time to make a change?

Do I rue the past for what it was?

Do I see in the ashes a flame?

Or is it a negative still

that shows false colours to me?

Black, blue and green

Is the world truly a better place

Than the lens lets me see?

 

Questions, questions,

useless rhymes.

Floating petals,

littered far.

Lick , lick the ragged fragment of sweetness

and make ashes ever more.

The dust that raised the grain of trust

will be dust and nothing more.

 

The autumn hues of sadness burst

and leave in place a taste

of molten gold, of coffee burnt,

of just another name.

3.50pm. 12/12/2011

Celebrating Otherness – Invocation of the Sufi Spirit in the New Millennium

 This is the full text of a paper written for and presented at the International Sufi Conference held in Bhopal (India) on 18th, 19th and 20th November 2011. It is being reproduced here with the kind permission of the organizers at Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature (FOSWAL). My special thanks to Madam Ajeet Cour, President of FOSWAL for all her love and to Ms Noor Zaheer and Mr Rafaqat Ali Khan along with Ms Ayesha Zee Khan for their trust and support.

P.S. References for this paper are available on request.  For those who do not wish to go through the entire paper, a synopsis in the form of an Abstract is available in the Abstracts section of this site.

Pdf downloadable version: Celebrating otherness Invocation of the Sufi Spirit in the New Millennium

Video link on youtube: Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZD9UN6lSFzU&feature=share

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUmsPniK9AU&feature=share

Introduction

 My heart has become the receptacle for every form;

 It is a pasture for gazelles and a convent for Christian monks,

 And a temple for idols and the pilgrim’s Ka’aba,

 And the tablets of the Torah,

 And the book of the Quran.

 I follow the religion of love; whichever way its camels take,

 For this is my religion and my faith. (Ibn al Arabi – In King & Brockington, 2005).

The way of the Sufi is synonymous with the ideals of ‘Love’ the concepts of oneness with the ‘Beloved’ and the path or ‘tariqa’, beginning with repentance and going on towards perfection by means of purification. This unique path then traverses the levels of giving – first with the deeds of the body, then with those of the lower soul and finally with the higher soul or spirit. Seemingly the spiritual ascendance of the mystic places Sufism at a higher level than what most ordinary mortals aspire to in the materialistic world (Baldick, 2000). This paper examines the common man’s perception of Sufism in keeping with contemporary thought and holds that awareness and acceptance of ‘otherness’ of the metaphorical ‘other’ and also of oneself as the ‘other’, may be one of the most important factors in the Sufi solution of finding oneself amidst the current global turmoil.

In the new Millennium as we reflect on the changes within the last decade and beyond, we see that the connections between the South Asian Diaspora have been evolving continuously. Geopolitical routes have in many instances given way to barriers for dialogue as well as progress and while we all may not be able to relate to the agonizing process of forming bonds only to have them all broken again and again, we can all perhaps relate to the continuity of emotional bonds that reverberate through the centuries. These are bonds of the heart that have their roots in culture and tradition – and cannot be said to have come into their own without the contribution of the peace loving believers of equality; the Sufi saints.

Dynamics of the ‘other’ and ‘otherness’ – a general view

In this world each of us strives to make our own identity. Psychologically speaking, the self concept evolves as a result of interaction first with the home environment and parental values and then when it comes in contact with friends versus ‘other’ groups – the resultant sociological in-groups and out-groups. Contact with the community establishes patterns of thought and a sense of belonging, ‘us’ versus ‘them’ and finally the Nationalistic versus Global identity. We learn and unlearn continuously as we grow. As such the influences that shape our view of ourselves versus ‘others’ develop as a result of our perception of individual differences.

In the general view then, links to the Sufi spirit can be found in the vestiges of theological thought where the word ‘ghayr’ or ‘other’ is attributed first to all except the Creator and secondly is taken as a manifestation of anyone with a separate and distinct set of beliefs. Three different viewpoints occur regarding the word in the predominant mystical thought:

• ·       While many Sufis take ‘otherness’ to be a man-made falsehood and believe that communion with the Creator can only be reached through dissolution of all sense of self and otherness (Whitehouse, 2007),

• ·       there are those as well who maintain that recognition of otherness as important in terms of living in harmony in this world.

• ·       In Arabic and Persian, the close links between the words ‘ghayrat’ (jealousy) and ‘ghayr’ (the other) have often been construed as a jealousy of any other beliefs if followed and the concept of the jealousy of God. However, this idea is not mentioned with the word ‘ghayrat’ in the Quran, nor do we find a mention of jealousy (Chittick, 1983).

 

This paper focuses on the aformentioned second aspect of the Sufi spirit focussing on the respect for the otherness of the others and attempts to give a roadmap for the kind of measures that may be taken to revive the flickering light so that it may be passed on to future generations. The works and anecdotal instances from the lives of Rumi, Bullhe Shah and Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai have been cited as relevant examples that work around the idea of cordial relations of respect with all and sundry.

  

Traditional thought in Sufism – a view of the ‘other’ and ‘otherness’

Sufi tradition has never involved the usage of harsh words or weapons to push forth a viewpoint. Arberry (2000), mentions how

 … love and honor for all religious traditions was not always popular … and often provoked criticism … A story is told that one such public challenge came from a Muslim dignitary, Qonavi, who confronted Rumi before an audience. “You claim to be at one with 72 religious sects,” said Qonavi, “but the Jews cannot agree with the Christians, and the Christians cannot agree with Muslims. If they cannot agree with each other, how could you agree with them all?” To this Rumi answered, “Yes, you are right, I agree with you too.”

This small anecdote is but one of hundreds of such instances in the lives of prominent Sufi saints. The language of love has never proved a catalyst for the creation of boundaries. Road, train and air links aside, the links in the Sufi way are those of the heart and soul. While we have our dominions to define ‘culture’ and individual passports to define our identity, our inner core and lifestyle is defined by our beliefs and these in turn are deep rooted in religion, tradition and culture. It is therefore unfortunate indeed that a large proportion of our masses are barely cognizant of the complex nature of the contributions that have been made by Sufi poets and elders towards the blossoming of the civilization currently living in the Indo-Pak subcontinent. The difference lies between hearing, seeing and actually understanding.

Sufi music, folklore, mystical traditions are popular and gain new followers by the day but the spiritual essence is lost in simply sticking to the obvious and the material. Current musical trends have brought Sufi music closer to the younger generation by encapsulating it in modern formats such as Pakistan’s Sufi Pop and the Sufi Rock culture. Musicians and bands from Pakistan have created a new genre like Junoon initiating Sufi rock – a blend of Western hard rock with Sindhi, Punjabi folk, Qawwali and Sufi poetry. Bullhe Shah’s poetry remains popular within its new environs and different contemporary singers have tried to give it new angles by musical experimentation ranging from blues to rock. The focus remains on the identity of the self and the respect for the other.

 Bullha, what do I know who I am?84 Neither am I a Muslim in the mosque nor am I in the ways of paganism, nor among the pure or sinful, nor am I Moses or the Pharaoh; Bullha, what do I know who I am? Neither in the books of doctors I, nor indulged I in bhan 85 and wine, nor in the wine-house in the company of the bad, neither awake nor asleep. Bullha, what do I know who I am? Neither in happiness nor in or-row, nor in sin or purity nor of water nor of earth, nor in fire nor in air. Bullha, what do I know who I am? I am not of Arabia nor of Lahore, nor an Indian nor of the city of Nagaur, neither a Hindu nor a Muslim of Peshawar, nor do I live in Nadaun. Bullha, what do I know who I am?

Other singers like Abida Parveen and the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan with their rendition of mystical and devotional poetry have duly mesmerised audiences in International concerts. It is to them that we owe the current revival and popularity of Sufi poetry among today’s youth who were drawn earlier to western pop rather than local flavours. 

Each year, devotees flock by the thousands to shrines in the subcontinent from Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai in Sindh, Hazrat Muinuddin Chishti in Ajmer Sharif, Sayyid Bulbul Shah in Kashmir and Baba Hazrat Bulleh Shah in Punjab only to listen with devotion to the local performances and participate with fervour and then go back out of the spiritual bubble to their material abodes and the daily life issues that confront them at their homes. While most derive some benefit from the interaction, more often than not, it is still seen that their lifestyle denotes their materialistic desires and their aggressive attitude, lack of tolerance and barely a notion for the respect of the otherness of the ‘other’. A sharp contrast from the teachings of the Sufis as explained in Bhittai’s view of the lifestyle of a Sufi or any lover of the Lord (Butani, 1991).

 Palaces do not attract them,

 Nor women nor servants

 Nothing binds them:

 The renouncers leave everything behind.

 A message came from the Lord:

 A full moon shone

 Darkness disappeared

 A new message came from the Lord:

 It does not matter what caste you are

 Whoever come, are accepted. (Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai)

 Ironically they veer far away from the simple life and pacifist teachings of the Sufis whose shrines they have been visiting, all the while claiming to be in spiritual communion with them.

The Sufi brotherhood commands respect for all, even if they follow different beliefs and no distinction of caste or creed. It claims that there is a difference but the distinction and label of being right or wrong is relative and situational. Take the following example that works on the concept of right versus wrong, cited by Arberry, (2000) translating Rumi,

“A westerner lives in the West. An oriental comes to visit. The westerner is a stranger to the oriental, but who is the real stranger? Is not the oriental a stranger to all the West”

While tolerance is also an important element of Islamic religious philosophy, it must not be confused with thinking that all spiritual teachings only belong to Muslims per se. There are Hindus, Muslims as well as Christian Sufis following the essentially inclusive path of Sufism and vociferously negating rigid doctrines that support extremist activities (Baldick, 2000). Some Muslims, such as The All India Ulama & Mashaikh Board (AIUMB) (2011), have recently spoken up in large gatherings against terrorist activities and reiterated the understanding of the spirit of Sufism as a means of projecting love, not hate. How we identify ourselves and each other is but a vehicle for understanding each other and our differences – and it is better that we learn from these unique attributes rather than attempt to blot out each other’s existence. According to Rumi,

“This whole world is but a house, no more. Whether we go from this room to that room, or from this corner to that corner, still are we not in the same house? But the saints who possess God’s jewel have left this house, they have gone beyond. Mohammed (PBUH) said, ‘Islam began a stranger and will return a stranger as it began.’ In this way, Rumi’s words come right through time and ask us today, “Can you accept that a true Lover of God could carry God’s authority? Can you see, because of what they carry, they will always be a stranger to this world?” (Arberry, 2000).

Picture this to yourself: A tree heavily laden with some of the most beautiful flowers on it in varying degrees of bloom; as buds and as full blown flowers. Some will bear fruit, others will wither and fall. Are the ones that fall any less than those which do not? Some would say yes, but in the circle of life, change is inevitable. It is only the perception of change that creates the difference. Still another question arises of how significant this difference really is? The tree is the metaphorical bearer of the human race, the origin with which we all aspire to attain Oneness through identity, through recognition of form and even through the analysis of our various Scriptures. The branches are different, the levels are different but in the end, we are all blossoms of the same tree.

Invoking the Sufi Spirit in the new Millennium

 Scholars have remarked on the new Millennium as a herald of integrative thought and action and greater progress of mankind as a whole both technologically and materialistically. While nihilistic ideals are there, spiritually the implications have been discussed in philosophical and theological terms. The dawning of the Age of Aquarius in the new Millennium has been prophesied to bring about greater levels of spiritual awakening globally and signs of the penultimate era can be found in the Indian Satya Yuga or the Age of Truth, the Christian tradition of the 1000 years of perfection or the controversial but still widespread Muslim belief in the significance of 1400 years after the Hijri calendar being the time nearer to the eternal afterlife and the day of Judgement (Godfrey, 1999). The message of the Sufis rings clear through the ages, refrains from passing judgement and makes us all spiritually in communion with each other, if only we understood it better. In the current tumultuous climate what better spiritual awakening can there be than to develop an understanding of our ascetic and mystic heritage. Asia and its geographical subdivisions South Asia, Central Asia and South East Asia are richer than most in Sufi traditions and many of these can be explored in order to combat popular myths, and establish the roots of tolerance of the ‘other’. This is imperative if we all are to co-exist as peaceful neighbours.

Through this paper it is proposed that four areas related to the Sufi teachings; lifestyle, love of the Creator, poetry and current influences are added to the current syllabi of religious or social studies in our respective countries at high school or college level. This would lead to a deeper level of analysis and understanding based on spiritual connectivity.

A brief online survey for this paper was undertaken by this researcher globally with almost 95% of the respondents having South Asian origin and ages ranging from 18 – 60. The survey was undertaken in order to assess quantitatively and qualitatively 1) whether knowledge of Sufism had ever been a part of their curriculum, 2) what were the avenues by which they had learnt about Sufism, 3) what were the areas covered in their curriculum related to Sufism in school or college and 4) what areas would they like to study or want their future generations to study. Many participants went on to give their individual viewpoints in detail about the need for inclusion of Sufism in the curriculum and the flaws in the way they had been taught and these were analysed qualitatively.

The results were startling in terms of the way they indirectly reflect on the issues of intolerance and lack of understanding we face in our current context.  Out of the nearly hundred plus respondents of the survey, more than 26% had never studied about Sufis or Sufism in their school or college and moreover those who had studied it, either read books on their own or studied it at school level. These studies were found to be limited to the study of poetry, biographical information, lifestyle and historical influences, were basic and did not promote analysis. The greatest deviance was seen in the case of ‘current influences’ as only 5% respondents reported having studied it in their curriculum while 42% said they would like to see it as a part of their or their future generations’ curriculum. The other contender was the area of ‘lifestyle’ where nearly 62% of the respondents were interested in learning more about the attributes of the Sufi tradition along with information about their way of life. It was also interesting to note that only 2% respondents felt that this topic should be removed from the curriculum and should not have any additions made to it, while the rest were all in favour of adding details and making it more analytical.

The survey showed that currently the study of Sufi lifestyle or activities is limited to brief biographical descriptions at a high school level in most countries in the SAARC region and hardly anywhere is analysis and critical thinking encouraged. How can we even hope to create an interest in Sufi traditions and practices without planting the seed of curiosity in the younger generation? Then again, junior school is not the best time to create this interest or promote deeper comprehension. It is the high school or college level where interest can be generated and sustained. Studying the current influences and effects of Sufi teachings of the past as well as contemporary elements are vital as they would help our next generation to relate to the dynamics of geo-politics as humanists than dogmatic radicals.

Conclusion

The basic instinct of every human teaches him to bond with others – others like him and the concept evolves as he grows, looks around him, inside himself and learns from again ‘others’ how to differentiate. Each new difference brings with it, its own set of prejudices until the divisions of gender, caste, religion, race, or ethnicity among the rest force him to abandon his basic instinct and struggle to find his own identity. However, in this lifelong process he loses a part of himself to the environment. The Sufi traditions evolve beyond the usual practice of identity formation and the search for meaning as they have already attained the next step. Renunciation of the self – the ego and attaining wholeness with the world is a part of this creed and fusion with the Creator its ultimate goal by celebrating the ‘otherness’ of the others and knowing that to them, we are the others – blossoms of the same tree. The legacy we leave today for posterity will define how they see themselves and the world around them. Development of a thorough understanding, not only of Sufi poetry and biographical information but the context within which it all stands based on historical, lifestyle and current influences, is necessary for the evolution of our future generations. Let the future belong to generations that are not force fed dogma but instead learn to think and analyse themselves and ‘others’ from the third person perspective – seeing the whole and not just the parts. The gentleness and peaceful offering of a tolerant Sufi tradition can go a long way in sowing the seeds for a better tomorrow.

‘And…’ A dedication to Prof. Kausar Bashir Ahmad

Dedicated to my late father, Prof. Kausar Bashir Ahmad - a visionary, educationist, architect, artist, poet and gentle soul who left us for his eternal abode on this day, five years ago. May Allah grant him the highest of places in Heaven and bless him in every way.

For more on his life and work, please visit: http://kausarba.wordpress.com

And it will be November again.

The evening chill reminds me

That I have but little time

Before the shadows of the past bestir me

And take me on that incline

Where progress is slow.

 

And it will be November again,

When dark corridors take on meanings anew,

When footsteps dwell in places small

And life begins to ebb and stall.

Bitter sweet, sour,

I dream of the summer sky instead.

 

And it will be November again,

When the eyes will search and rue – .

A life fulfilled, the bonds outcast

And the Earth out spins what’s due.

Yet that not there will be untold

And November, Daddy, will stretch again.

 

 

8:00 P.M

Sunday, 25^th October 2009

Micheal Crichton

Three years ago, the sun of 4^th November 2008 brought with it the unwelcome news of yet another author’s demise. This time it was John Michael Crichton – the one time anthropology Professor and author of enlightening and thought provoking novel-turned-films such as Jurassic Park (1993) and The Andromeda Strain (1971). He also wrote under the pseudonyms of John Lange, Jeffery Hudson and Michael Douglas. The last pseudonym was adopted while teaming up with his brother Douglas Crichton to write ‘Dealing…’ (1970).

 

Born in Chicago on 23^rd October 1942, Crichton had a long and fulfilling life. His early leanings were invariably towards English literature even though he abandoned the course it due to disillusionment in the teaching methodology. A stint at HarvardMedicalSchool went the same way. However, till then he had found his forte – films. Westworld (1973) gave him the break he needed and then on, he and his writing flourished.

 

The popular television series ‘ER’ was his 1970 brainchild called Emergency Ward initially but Steven Spielberg got far more interested in converting Jurassic Park into a film. During the shooting for the latter ‘ER’ also found a solid footing in television.

 

At the set of 'Coma' in 1977

His writings were kaleidoscopic, each new design permeated with the theme of either technological dangers or medical complications. Mystery novels, his first calling, interspersed the others at intervals. Critics have speculated on the overly dramatic nature of his novels yet none has anything but admiration for his lucid style of writing combined with wry humour and effortless manner of communicating complex scientific phenomena to his readers. He researched his material extensively and brought to life well rounded characters, be it the 10^th century Muslim in Eaters of the Dead (1976) or the psychologist in Sphere (1987).

 

On a personal level, his life was nothing short of tumultuous. Apart from the educational ups and downs his five times married and four times divorced status added to his emotional baggage.  Believing in the occult, he had his own person exorcised in 1986, the year before his fourth marriage.

 

As complex and fast paced as his novels, Crichton is a difficult person to analyse in a few lines. As he brilliantly though in a rather sordid way, put it in the first line of his autobiography: “It’s not easy to cut through a human head with a hacksaw.” Poignant, if the head in question is teeming with questions that each have more than one answer… The head of Michael Crichton.

 Photos courtesy:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08311/925761-44.stm

http://www.destinationhollywood.com/movies/jurassicpark/feature_michaelcrichton.shtml

 

Should Karachi Zoo be shut down?

To cage or not to cage?

Browsing through an array of notifications that hits my screen every few minutes or so, I was recently stirred by an ongoing debate on one forum. The topic in question was about the efficacy of the Karachi zoo and whether it should even exist or not. Keeping for and against points towards one side, quite a case can be made for both aspects.

Perhaps one of the things that struck me the most was how many people there were right! If I existed in my bubble I would undoubtedly say that having a zoo in Karachi is a useless venture and be done with it. Yet, my bubble was broken long ago. Agreed, that in the case of the zoo it is quite painful to see the animals slumbering in smelly cages, especially the ever sleeping lion, yet it could be taken as a personal opinion. I am completely against the concept of keeping any wild or pet creature in a cage. It is against nature, demeans God’s creations and is tantamount to cruelty which no religion or civil society teaches. Reminds me of St Mary’s asylum in Bethlehem and the commotion it caused in history because there humans were being treated in the same way as animals. Think for a minute of our own selves in those cages and it is enough to make one shudder.

At the same time, I’ve come to realize that change cannot be pushed forward impulsively. One needs to remove a brick and place another in its place so the infrastructure doesn’t collapse. The zoo wasn’t made in a day and the jobs even though being understaffed are provided for and cater to several families. At the same time, there is a case for using the zoo as a ready made lab for the creation of a healthy genetic pool for endangered species.

On the other hand, conservationists feel that the main reason the zoo has survived so far as an open place in the heart of the city is because we have a valid excuse ‘there are animals in it and it’s a recreational space’. Without that excuse there is little between a bullet and a bullet to stop land grabbers. And we do need that open space as a breathing space in the middle of the city. Further while we of the car and facebook world bubble have our dens and haunts, many women living in the locality look forward to the day when it’s a ladies only day and they can easily spend their time there. On special occasions, ladies are not allowed inside and yes, there may be several pickpockets. I was once told that on such days men rule the place and sadly consider it great fun to poke animals to make them react. Brutal and callous yes, but the more we shut down and avoid such instances instead of re-educating, we are not giving anything to society. The concepts will not change.

The need of the day is to plan carefully and listen to different views as well along the way. There may be more than just animals at stake here. Food for thought… There should be adequate provision of open places for entertainment for masses rather than the elitist population only.

One of my earliest memories is of seeing finally all those wonderful animals that I had before then seen only in books as a five year old child. The wonderment and pleasure at the size and beauty of it all in that bright afternoon is a happy memory. So it is with others, photographers and nature lovers alike who go and spend time at the zoo on cloudy days and enjoy the open space. On good days it is still a great place to be. Long winding walks, greenery and the vast expanse of land make it an ideal picnic spot as well, especially for those who do not have the means to bear with the expense of carting their offspring to the beach and buying goodies for them there from the shops dotting the area. The convenience of the location as well as the economy of biying sweets and affordable snacks from vendors near the zoo cannot be undermined.

One suggestion of dealing with the knotty issue at hand is of converting the current facility into a focus on a petting zoo with pet animals in open spaces and trained staff to guide children how to handle such animals. Baby animals and pets may be better able to elicit responses of warmth than of poking and ridicule and change the concept of the zoo as many have it at present.

The problem with most petitions is that they communicate aggressive action and impulsivity – they denounce something and do not provide suitable alternatives. As a result many noteworthy causes fall flat as those in the Government feel they will face additional protests from a variety of people especially the employees if they listen to the voices of concern from civilian bodies. A shelter or petting zoo is a good alternative that would keep the space and the jobs intact, while getting rid of the abhorrent and expensive to maintain wildlife in cages concept with an always sleeping lion to go with it. He definitely needs to be out in the jungle where he belongs.

As for shutting down the zoo? Definitely NOT an option.

For a view of the improvements made in the zoo since its inception and to know more about the history, I recommend reading:

http://www.groupin.pk/blog/karachi-zoo-garden-animals-timings-pictures-attractions-for-kids/

 Photos courtesy:

http://www.care2.com/news/member/285806679/540773 , http://www.ysapak.com/YSAforum/index.php?topic=4059.42 , http://www.groupin.pk/blog/karachi-zoo-garden-animals-timings-pictures-attractions-for-kids/

Karachi Rain – Lessons to Gain

storm clouds...

Good old rainy ‘moonsoon’ or ‘MANsoon’ season courtesy the creative tongues of our media wallahs, is here again in Karachi. After a dry spell of several years and the last memorable drown-the-roads rain in 1992, we seem to be getting it all back again. While no animals or male species can be seen pouring from the heavens, the ones on the street are a sorry sight. Stranded on the roads, stuck in jams of their own making, the people of Karachi face their biggest friend turned enemy – water. The city infrastructure just can’t digest any more rain and there may just be a guttery Venice in the making.

Grumble or rumble, this is the Karachi of my childhood, the roads where I have steered that ‘kaghaz ki kishti’ (paper boat), splashed in puddles, got drenched in the rain and smelt the earth together with crispy fried goodies, heard the buzz in the air of happy sounds of laughter, shrieks of joy on spotting a rainbow in the sky and got stuck in HUGE adventures being stuck in the middle of water with open manholes dotting the way; not knowing which step would take me down under and these are the lessons I’ve learnt:

1. When it rains it pours, see one drop and run.

2. Necessity is the mother of all, if you don’t have a raincoat, wear a ‘shaaper’ (shopping bag) on your head.

3. All that is water, may not be water – watch your step!

4. Make hay while the sun shines, have a bath while it rains.

5. If someone splashes you from one side, splash him on the other.

6. When life gives you lemons make lemonade, when it gives you rain in Karachi, make pakoras, mosquito repellents and generators.

7. It doesn’t matter if you’re revealingly wet all over, all your ‘izzat’ (dignity) happens to be atop your head, which MUST be covered on a priority basis.

8. Look before you leap, you may just find an open manhole hidden beneath.

9. Every cloud has a silver lining, make sure your clothes do too!

10. Every dancer has her days, and sometimes they lead to rain.

11. Avoid air and water like the dengue, wear a tent!

12. There is water at the end of every tunnel, learn to swim!

Early Interventions for Children with Speech and Language Developmental Delays

Diagnosis is a critical element of clinical psychology. Working in a clinical environment day in and out exposes one to a multitude of disorders across all age groups. Quite often in my clinical work I find myself wishing that a certain patient had approached a psychologist for help at an early age so that the problem would not have intensified. Unfortunately in spite of the data available for psychological practice in Pakistan, most parents consider it a huge stigma to bring a child to a psychiatrist or psychologist. Many schedule their visits at times when others are at work or school, especially in a joint family setting and issues are avoided rather than addressed. In short, we relive the vestiges of the ostrich syndrome again and again until the issue at hand becomes severe enough for school authorities to take note and call in the parents. It is at that time that psychologists are frantically urged, pushed and rushed into giving ‘reports’ and providing that elusive diagnosis.

Here, I have outlined some basic points for parents to consider in cases where they either suspect a developmental delay or where their child has been diagnosed with a disorder such as Down’s syndrome, Mental retardation or has Autistic features. It is by no means a complete review and if you want details and help,you will need to contact a qualified psychologist.

UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS:

In cases where a child shows developmental delay in his speech and motor functions. The early intervention plan formulated for him includes aspects from these areas.

Developmental delay means that a child has not attained developmental milestones expected for the child’s age in one or more of the following areas of development: cognitive, physical (including vision and hearing), communication, social-emotional, or adaptive development.

Clinically, a developmental delay is a delay that has been measured using clinical opinion, appropriate diagnostic procedures, and documented as a 12-month delay in one functional area; or a 33% delay in one functional area or a 25% delay in each of two areas.

As children change from “toddlers” to a “preschoolers,” they are “transitioning” from the early intervention process to a process more suitable for preschoolers and a revision is usually needed as they turn 4 years old and beyond.

The Concept of Reward:

Do you remember your childhood? Do the words, ‘gift’ and ‘surprise’ ring a bell? if they do, and the memory is pleasurable, it is probable that you were rewarded appropriately by your parents and they did not overindulge you. Rewards given appropriately and not as bribes or given far in extnet of the behaviour expected, work. When parents complain about rewards not working I have frequently observed that this is usually due to the fact that the so called reward has no value in child’s eyes – it is something that he can get in anycase if he screams loudly enough, throws a tantrum or if his parents really want him to be quiet. ‘If you listen to me you will get a choclate…. okay … you will get two chocolates… okay three… and finally *slap* and *drag*… parental guilt attack and a few more chocolates later… a heavy sigh with ‘these children are just uncontrollable’ …’.

For a child’s progress it will be necessary to reward him when he manages to perform an activity successfully. For most cases of developmental delay related to speech (if no physical reason is found) such as correctly voicing his needs etc, the procedure of the reward can be as follows:

1. Select a behavior for which the reward will be given.
2. Select a suitable rewardsuch as it can be a favorite toy or simply clapping by the parents – anything that makes him happy will do. Keep in mind that the reward needs to be valued by him for any effect to take place and it must be given immediately.
3. When working towards any goal in your mind, start off with rewarding every single time he makes the slightest push towards the desired behavior, and then later increase the level of response expected by the child before he gets the reward. Make sure that non performance does not get that reward any longer. For e.g. in order to help him get what he needs, for the first four days, reward for a behaviour already being followed so he may be rewarded whenever he points towards an object he wants, then reward for the next four days whenever he makes some articulate sound while pointing (not merely screaming), then for another four days reward when he imitates or makes some attempt to imitate you as you name the object (do not be strict about accent and pronunciation) and so on, until he starts naming the object on his own. After the first four times, vary the reward that is, you do not need to provide the reward each time but instead provide it randomly and eventually stop. You can give a bigger reward as a closure for an older child and tell him that this ‘game’ has now ended.
4. Patience is the key here and the parents will need to show the child exactly what response will get him the reward several times before he even starts imitating them.

SETTING UP GOALS – THE HOME BASED PROCESS:

As a parent you need to set up both short and long term goals based on an understanding of your child’s needs, strengths and weaknesses. A psychological counselor can help you in this process.

 Long term goals are important as the child nears the preschool or school age. These describe the expected growth in the child’s skills and knowledge over the next year as a result of the special education that he receives. Goals should be positive, measurable and achievable. This will help understand the child’s level of growth from year to year.

 A good goal can be made by asking these four simple questions:

• WHERE? : The setting or under certain conditions
• WHAT WILL BE ACHIEVED? : Skill(s) or specific behavior. This part begins by asking yourself what the child can currently do and then making markers based upon achieving a specific skill in a specific period of time.  Be REALISTIC and research well before setting up a goal that involves a child being perfectly potty trained at age 1! You are raising a human being, not a robot. And yes, I have come across people who have expected that.
• HOW? : To what extent and in what manner?
• WHEN? : At what point. Specify the time and age level of your child when the aforementioned will be made possible.

N.B: Regularly matching the progress report provided by school teachers with your short and long terms goals worksheet will help you in this process. Six monthly meetings with your child’s teachers are also essential for updating yourself.

 AREAS OF CONCERN:

Information and checklists provided herein are to be used as a guideline and not for final diagnostic evaluation. Interventions are provided at the end and are meant to be used by the parents at home.

Articulation problems: A child may have difficulty in articulation. This is a difficulty with pronouncing sounds to make words. There are many reasons children have difficulty in making sounds. These include hearing problems, poor muscle control, cleft palate and lip or learning problems.

The checklist below shows the age at which native English speaking children use a sound correctly. Marking your child’s age, with a pencil, after every few months in the area on the left, will give you an idea of his progress in his level of articulation.

Your child’s age	Age	Sounds Acquired
	3	m,n,h,w,p
	4	b,t,d,k,g,f
	5—6	v,j,s,1,r
	7	z,ch,sh,th

 As a rough guide, a normal child’s speech can be understood by a stranger:

• 25 per cent by age one,

• 50 per cent by age two,

• 75 per cent by age three, and

• 90 per cent or greater by age four.

Interventions for articulation problems:

As children usually respond very well to sounds and music, they can be taught to articulate using a variety of techniques involving visual and auditory stimuli:

•     Certain toys available in the market produce sounds when buttons are pressed. Your child can be encouraged to play using toys that call out the alphabet phonetically. The parents need to say the letter aloud in the same manner and encourage the child to repeat. Initially this may yield no result but do not give up.
•   While producing a sound, proceed systematically starting from ‘A’ and going till ‘Z’. Stick to one sound for some days before progressing.
•   Certain sounds such as ‘o’ involve very obvious lip movements and the child can be taught by making him place his fingers on the parent’s lips and tracing the shape while the sound is being produced.
•   For sounds such as ‘t’ and ‘d’ or ‘b’ and ‘p’ that have similar lip movements, these should be exaggerated in front of the child to make it easier for him to imitate.
•   Another idea is to place a mirror in front of the child reflecting both the parents and the child while the sound is being produced.
•   The correct behavior should be rewarded.
•   Do not get upset if the sound produced is less than perfect. For most children, articulation becomes better after age 4.

Language problems: In addition to articulation, some children also has difficulty in expressive language skills and show developmental delay. Please bear in mind that a child who has a speech, language, or listening problem upon entering kindergarten will be at a distinct disadvantage for learning and participating in class. In kindergarten, children are expected to follow verbal directions,f ollow stories, learn and remember new concepts,  answer questions, mimic the sounds and words shared in class, and recount information using speech that is understandable to others. Some children may need regular speech therapy in order to be able to follow these basics.

Checklist for early speech and language milestones:

Place a tick mark in front of each statement if true, every 4 months, in order to obtain an idea of how your child is developing.

By age 3 to 4, usually children:

use sentences of 4 to 6 words ____

comprehend and answer simple w – questions (who, what, where, when) ____

show an interest in how and why things happen and how people feel ____

ask questions, usually who or what questions ____

follow concrete, two to three-step directions (e.g., “get your shoes, put them on and then come here”) ____

talk easily about daily activities, especially what they are doing, just did or will just do (e.g., what they did with friends / during the day) ____

talk to themselves and mostly their toys while playing ____

tell a basic story or sing a song ____

give directions like “fix this” ____

Interventions for language problems:

The following can be used to give a child some of the basics and prepare him for all that is to come in the preschool environment.

Book reading:

•   Indulge in book reading with your child. Make a bedtime story a regular habit before putting him down to sleep. This increases vocabulary and helps with parental bonding. It also reduces the incidence of not wanting to go to sleep with most children falling asleep before half the story is done!
•   Place him beside you with your face at his eye level and make sure that his attention remains on the book if you are reading from one. Initially, the child may not be able to pay attention for more than 1 minute. Start off with a short 1 -2 minute story and increase the time slowly as he starts responding. Normally, a 3 years old child is able to listen to a story / poetry for approximately 5 minutes.
•   Go slow and pronounce each word loudly and clearly. Vary your tone where necessary.
•   When he gets distracted, tap twice on the picture in the book to get his attention towards it.
•   Make sure books with big pictures are used that are familiar to him.
•   Point to each picture using the child’s finger(s) / hand and let him trace it as you say out its name.

Talking:

•   Make a habit of talking to the child, whether it is in the bath, at mealtime or on an outing.
•   Keep in mind that he will learn more from being talked to directly rather than hearing two people talk to each other as happens in cartoons.
•   As before, reward him every time he makes an attempt to answer back using sounds. Later he may be rewarded upon imitation of the word spoken by you.

Please note that all the points mentioned above are meant to be used as guidelines only and are not an alternative for proper psychological guidance.

Pakistan Zindabad!

Torrential downpour in the country, emergency situation due to floods in Badin, earthquake of 5.7 magnitude in Karachi and Balochistan and the Anthem record of 5000 plus enthusiastic people braving the lashing rain and wind in a stadium in Defence, Karachi - we finally usher in Pakistan’s 64th anniversary celebrations.

image courtesy Google.com

The land of green and the sea of blue,

The Quaid had thought it a dream come true,

Freedom from injustice and every kind of harm,

It would provide the muslims with a much needed balm…

A much younger version Kiran had written these lines on the occasion of Pakistan’s 50th anniversary. 14 years later, the idea of ‘freedom from injustice and every kind of harm’ rings in my ears. Negative portrayals have far overtaken the positive aspects in media reports.

Think positive we are told, and then the buzz dies down after 14th August as the days pass. There are those silent workers who continue their work… the Edhis of the age who never even solicit limelight while their worldly counterparts aka politicians light up million dollar smiles while doling out ration and supplies to the poor.

Google doodles have finally given in to repeated demands and come up with a suitable portrayal of the 23rd March monument of the famous Pakistan resolution monument and the crescent and star symbol replete with green and white colour.

Green for the muslim masses and white for the minorities – or the sum total for the ideals of purity. A secular state? Iqbal’s dream or Quaid e Azams? Changing of the guards ceremony at the mazaar – the Navy taking over as guards in the wake of the PNS Mehran incident; are they worthy or not? The debatable issues are endless, but is it even worthwhile getting into these debates?

The ones who want to work do not need to have every little detail cited and clarified, before starting their work. While the time for action bit may be a cliche’ , it stands before us clearer than ever today.

64 years have passed since Pakistan’s freedom. What freedom you ask? The freedom of choice.

In our lives each one of us has boundaries. In the true sense, none of us is ever or ever can ever be completely ’free’. The bonds of religion may restrict one, the bonds of family may restrict another and so on.

Freedom of choice is the only idea that allows us to move in the little squares we step on in our daily lives. Today, if you decide to use this freedom of choice to do a good deed, howsoever small it may seem, who can stop you? And if we all decide to use our time and endeavour to do something good, the ripple effects will surely grow.

So, go and give someone the gift of your time; talk to a person who is ill, handicapped, facing life’s troubles and heal the pain. Go and give someone the gift of hope. Show someone that you care, be it human, animal or plant life. Live within that square you have been boxed into… Its the message in the lights of those mobiles that came on at the National Anthem record when there was no light…

Where there is a will, there is a way and today will be a new day if you make it different in some way… Will you?