EditorInjila Baqir Zeeshan

Sub EditorsFatima Zehra NaqviSahar Iqbal

Creative HeadBabur Saghir

Graphic DesignersJaveria MirzaSana AhmedMian Nasir

PhotographerMohammad Amir Baba

Contents

19luxury Warm wintry

All that glitters 8

Interview: Samiya Mumtaz:

Down to earth 16

Fashion: Warm wintry luxury 19

Massarat’s makeovers 25

Fall Fiesta 27

Travel: Where his highness tarried 29

Art 34

Books 36

Recipes 38

Films 42

Stars & Starlets 41

Glamstock: Christmas special 44

Taroscope 48

Aunt Athena 50

Riverstone recently launched its

flagship store in Ali Towers on MM

Alam Road which was followed by a

fashion show. The event was organised

by Bilal Mukhtar Events & PR.

Riverstone flagship store launch

Samiya Khawar Mumtaz is a household name today for her portrayal of Saba in the hit drama serial ‘Meri Zaat

Zarra-e-Benishan’, yet she has the persona of a girl next door with absolutely no hint of stardom gone to her head.

She is a farmer with a degree from the US, a successful businesswoman who digs and ploughs for her food, a single mother whose kids are self sufficient in basic homeopathy, and above all a TV actor who does not have a TV in her house. What’s more, she tells her right age without being asked, and refuses to wear makeup for a photo op.

Straight backed and slender, Samiya sits cross legged on her charpoy with a self assured dignity of a woman, totally at ease with herself. Wearing a self stitched tunic, which she later changes for an off - the - rack Raja Centre creation, she talks about her life that is both intriguing and inspiring. Her heart shaped face is earnest, and her somber eyes crinkle at the corners when she smiles. She does that a lot, and more so when her children are around.

If you sit in her minimalistic living room, chatting with her two delightful kids about a cow name Bano and a calf named Baniyan, sipping salted lassi, and admiring rag dolls on the walls amongst hoards of books, you cannot help but wonder, “What kind of a man would let this one go?”

But Samiya does not want to talk about her marriage. Not because there is bitterness there, but because she has so many other interesting things she’d rather talk about. PT: You don’t look in your mid thirties at all. What is your secret?

SM: Actually, I am not in my mid thirties. I am forty. And the secret is nothing but healthy eating, active life style and generally keeping a disciplined routine. I wake up at 6:30 in the morning every day, and am mostly an outdoor person.

By Adiah Afraz

Samiya MumtazDown to earth

She is a farmer with a degree from the US, a successful businesswoman who digs and ploughs for her food, a single mother whose kids are self sufficient in basic homeopathy, and above all a TV actor who does not have a TV in her house

16 I December 19 - 25, 2010

PT: Is it true that you used to ride a bicycle as a young girl all the way to pick up your brothers from school?

SM: I still do it. I have done it for as long as I can remember. I used to go to col-lege on a bicycle. It is a great way to keep fit. That, my farming, and of course walking in the park.

PT: Don’t you face any problems rid-ing a bicycle around Lahore, owing to be-ing a woman and your popularity?

SM: (laughs) You know when you live in Pakistan you sort of get immune to men staring at you no matter what you do. You develop this skill of looking right through them or past them. But you are right it does become difficult some times. In fact, in recent years people have somehow be-come more ‘talibanized’. I can’t give up my life style just because of that.

PT: How do you keep your skin so smooth despite all that exposure to the sun?

SM: I do nothing, really. Tried sun block once, but felt it got in the way of fresh air. If you think my skin is healthy it must be because of all the organically grown food I eat.

PT: Before we come to your organic farming, please tell us something about your life and childhood. You have a very colourful resume. What have been your inspirations?

SM: Well I was born in Karachi and my inspiration has been the people around me. My whole family is inclined towards music and arts. The link to the arts is very strong. My father and brother are architects. One of my brothers is a professional miniature artist. As children each of us used to learn at least one musical instrument. I got my dance training from Mrs. Indu Mittha. My grandfather’s sisters Uzra Butt and Zohra Saigol are professional actors. They used to work with us in Ajoka. Zohra used to dance with Prithvi Rajkapur. Zohra’s husband Kameshwar was a dancer and they had a dance school in Lahore.

PT: You went to the US to study thea-tre, but ended up in farming. How did that happen?

SM: I started off with theatre but I found that there is a huge cultural dif-ference in the way we express ourselves through our bodies, our expressions and

our voice, and the way people in the west do it. For example their was an exercise on ex-pressing timidity, and I realised that timidity for us is entirely different from timidity in the west: there is aggression in there timidity. So I just felt that this is not working out the way it was supposed to.

PT: But you still did thea-tre in Pakistan?

SM: I have worked with Ajoka for fifteen years. I had al-ways admired Madiha Gohar’s work. We, as a family, always made it a point to attend the performances to show solidar-ity with her. The reason was that during the Martial Law, theatre was illegal, as congregations of any kind were not allowed. Over time I became very fascinated with the kind of themes they dealt with. I went to ask Ma-diha to let me act. At first she flatly refused, because I had no exposure to such things but eventually ended up getting deeply involved.

PT: Assume that you are filling out a form. What would you say in the profession sec-tion?

SM: I would say Farmer.

“When you live in Pakistan you sort of get immune to men staring at you no matter what you do. You develop this skill of looking right through them or past them. But in recent years people have somehow become more ‘talibanized’. I can’t give up my lifestyle just because of that”

I 17December 19 - 25, 2010

sells my produce such as cottage cheese and homemade sherbets etc.

PT: How do you juggle so many things in a day? Does it affect your family life?

SM: I do feel sometimes that I don’t have time but I manage. I get up early

and am back from my walk and cycling at the time for my children’s breakfast and school. Four or five times a week I go to the farm. Then I go to my shop Panjeeri. I try to get done with all of that by the time my children get back from school. I don’t socialise at all, we don’t watch TV. I think it is better to read books and play sports.

I encourage my children to learn the Arts. My son learns and tabla, my daughter likes to paint.

PT: What about acting?SM: I am very choosy about my pro-

jects. Normally the projects come to me and since I am selective it is manageable.

The children can either go to their father’s or I make sure that when I am called out of city for work, my mother is not trav-elling and she stays with them.

PT: So do you think having an infrastructure in terms of joint fam-ily or financial security is impor-tant for a woman to make a career?

SM: I think all you need is moti-vation and passion to do what you re-ally believe in. You automatically find a way regardless of your gender.

PT: Is it a myth that work-ing women dedi-cated to their careers end up sacrificing their marriage and fam-ily life?

SM: A man knows what he is getting into when he marries a work-ing woman. There are many other fac-tors involved for a marriage to work. As for family life I

think working women’s children give them more respect in the long run.

PT: Have you ever thought of crossing borders to look for your type of work?

SM: I was once offered something by Mahesh Bhatt but frankly dance and song routine is not my kind of work.

PT: You are involved with acting but you call yourself a farmer. Aren’t the two things poles apart? Where did farming come from in your life?

SM: Farming has been my ambition. It is very healthy. I tried doing a desk job and I realised that my body couldn’t adjust to that. I felt that I needed to be do-ing something that involved phys-ical effort. Maybe because health has always been very important. Apart from that when I was studying Poli-tics, Sociology and Anthropology in America. I tried to understand the rural realities. I believe in order to understand a reality you have to experience the reality itself by physically being involved.

PT: Where did the idea of Daali come from?

SM: Initially it was a way of utilis-ing the food that we grow with such love and care, without fertilizers, without any artifi-cial methods. So my friend Marium and I launched Daali earth foods.

PT: What is the difference between Daali and Panjeeri?

SM: Actually a lot of people don’t know that but I am no longer involved with Daali pri-marily because it was taking me away from my real passion of farming. Panjeeri is an outlet that

18 I December 19 - 25, 2010

Phot

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Massarat Misbah is a very talented beautician. She has the ability to transform any face to make it look appealing and charming. Her magical touch can do wonders for any woman belonging to any age group. Lounge brings you makeovers of real women and not just fashion models.

We begin by cleansing Areeba’s face with moisturiser and cleanser to help merge the base with the skin.

We apply light colour base according to skin tone. Compact powder is applied on the base to give a smooth look.

Silver base eyeshade is applied before applying black eyeshade. Silver highlighter is applied to make eyes prominent.

Mascara, eyeliner and kohl are used to enhance the shape of the eyes.

Pink blush-on gives cheeks a youthful, rosy look.

Light pink lipstick is applied on Areeba’s lips.

After makeover

Massarat’s makeovers

You are invited!to send in your picture with a few words

about yourself and you can

WIN A FREE MAKEOVER

to be featured in this column. Just write to us on:

lounge@pakistantoday.com.pk

After makeover

I 25December 19 - 25, 2010

They are among us. Look to your right…and then left…and you will see them all over the place;

in the shopping malls, in the best beauty salons; at parties and in colleges. Whether it is the traditional Shalwar Ka-meez or the western inspired looks, they have made sure that they are decked from head to toe in the latest fashion. Look into the mirror and you just might find out that you have become one of them! You have turned into a clone.

When did this happen!? How did this happen!? The “cloning process” took some time. Most likely, the affliction started in your teenage years. These years can be hard. Your hormones are sky rocketing, causing mood changes and other transformations in your body. If you talk to most teen-

Say ‘No!’ to cloning!

In a society that discourages individualism, you started to read the same books everyone else was reading; you started to listen to music that everyone else was listening to; thus you started wearing identical clothes

agers they will say that the beastly pimples are the worst. That makes it even harder to fit in.

In a society that discourages individualism, you started to read the same books everyone else was reading; you started to listen to music that everyone else was lis-tening to; thus you started wear-ing identical clothes. As the years went by, you never questioned any of these things. Nor did you try anything new when it came to art, books or music, the fundamentals of what makes a person an indi-vidual. You were officially the member of the club: Clones. This, also means, you had be-come a “fashion victim.” Either buying cloth-ing that don’t fit, sacrificing our bodies for un-comfortable clothes, or adjusting our bodies to the latest trends in fashion (like crash course diets, plastic surgery, etc).So, you end up look-ing like everybody else. In that attempt, you end up looking unattractive, in clothes that are two sizes too big (or too small), or the col-our you’re wearing is doing nothing to flatter your own beautiful complexion, but worst of all, you have lost you.

So, before I even go through the diverse

styles that exist and the one that is perfect for you, you have a job to do. Find out that person you lost, long ago, that still exists within your-self, hidden away in layers of pretense and the “voices” of others.

Your job this week is to do what YOU LIKE. Read books that grab your attention, lis-ten to music that you get lost in and when you go shopping, listen to that inner voice, deep inside you, telling you how great that outfit is…and buy it. I leave you with this quote, “Fash-ion fades, but style always stays the same.” - Coco Chanel. Till we meet again. Salut.

Ms Chic

26 I December 19 - 25, 2010

Velvet is back with a bang and paired with the right trimmings or embellishments can make outfits a true hit. Dark colours and velvet with jamawar or banarsi as the second piece will keep you relatively warmer and make you look elegant

A few years ago, dressing up for winter seemed like an alien concept. Women would go on wearing chif-fons and silks and shiver till the weather changed. Dressing up according to

a unique winter style is a recent notion for Lahore. Ladies now look for elegance and style in their winter attire and couple it with woolies and jackets. Fashion now has seasons! The global concept of an Autumn/Fall Col-lection has arrived in Pakistan and taken the local fashion industry forward by leaps and bounds.

There is widespread awareness of diverse patterns, fabrics, styles, cuts and colours which compliment every face and body type accord-ing to the freezing temperatures outside. No longer do women stay back in the comfort of their heated lounges; they seek to redefine their lifestyle, approach and an overall sense of being by wearing what best speaks out their personalities. The woman of today has finally succumbed to the ever evolving fashion facet and dwells in the abundant variety and choice of clothes, accessories, shoes and a distinctive style of putting all these together for a new day, a new season.

Winter is all about layers of clothes; the more the better. Be it Eastern or Western, be-ing covered and keeping warm might be the basic need for this frosty time, but at least we now have the liberty to do that in style. A rich culture of maintaining oneself by keeping up with the latest trends has transcended upon us. We want to follow fashion; we want to look nice even on a day so cold it might just feel like another ice age is around the corner. We all own sweaters, jackets, scarves, cardi-gans, boots, shawls and even gloves. The only question is how to create an ensemble which might give this particular year a different edge from the previous ones.

By Shahbano Khan

Fall FiestaWhat’s hot and what’s not

White and Ivory are the rage this year

I 27December 19 - 25, 2010

Although new fash-ion always takes shape

from old trends, free-dom echoes from the clothes we wear today. Our fashion sense is extracted from the times we live in and the world we see. Fashion itself is an art they say, and designers are no less than artists who use us as

their canvas. Imagine a world without a basic aesthetic sense of style and fashion! In this arena, the designers who set trends for us to follow are really our gurus!

A basic article of clothing like a coat or a basic accessory like a woolen

cap might not change its true use or ap-pearance but in winter we can accentu-ate every angle, cut, fabric and texture

to give it new meaning. Wear a waistcoat underneath the coat and voila you get

a formal look. Or wear a colourful se-quenced Jamaican cap and you might just be making a statement altogether.

The point is to bring out our inimi-table personalities keeping within the boundaries of the basic inclination to fashion for the season. But as much as we might like to deny the fact, we all have the ability to make use of what-

ever we might have in our wardrobe to convey our true outlook in a very chic

and sassy way. Our Western clothing is more or less based on what we

see on our cable channels and what we read about in all the fashion magazines and articles. We haul out the new designs from the ongoing global culture. The colour trends this sea-son are dark, neutral and drab with relaxed styles – brown, deep purple, mahogany, plum, navy blue and grey with a glimpse of khaki and camel brown. But the strongest colour this season is the mysterious and powerful black and the bold and sensual red. Red appears to be the favorite this fall be-cause it combines an intense attitude of elegance and femi-ninity.

Androgynous women seem to be the inspiration of this year’s fall collection. In Greek ‘andra’ meaning men and ‘gyne’ meaning woman is a term used to describe a mix of both feminine and masculine characteristics. In fashion, this means you have the expressive qualities of a woman and instrumental qualities of a man in the way you dress. Now would not be a good time to give away oversized coats, or your Dad’s old check office suite and those 80s’ retro jack-ets. Ladies, don’t be afraid to wear outsized boyfriend jackets, trench coats, black office outfits and wide flared pants. Add

some flavour with dark-coloured belts, silk scarves and bold coloured button-downs to detail your personality. The theme of style this winter is an exquisite blend of simplicity with emphasis on stylish cuts, edges and glamour. This trend is shaping a new, more confident, sexy and relaxed woman who has a vibrant yet modest aura around her. The point is not to show skin but hide it with well tailored suites, slim skirts and long cardigans.

The military trend has been quite popular in the last season and looks like it is here to stay: Russian army jackets with tassels in electric colours, high length boots and wide army belts are the rage. Female dandy is also the hottest style this time which is in-spired from the 1800 British ar-istocracy. Every-one and anyone who is creative and loves taking chances with the way they look can try something bold like high-waist pants, high-neck shirts and high-col-lared shirts, which mostly appeared in Vivienne West-wood’s collec-tion; and well-cropped jackets showcased by Karl Lagerfield, band hats, gal-lowses, bow ties, e m b r o i d e r e d capes and tomboy

Try something bold like high-waist pants, high-neck shirts and high-collared shirts, which mostly appeared in Vivienne Westwood’s collection; and well-cropped jackets showcased by Karl Lagerfield, band hats, gallowses, bow ties, embroidered capes and tomboyish looks

28 I December 19 - 25, 2010

ish looks. Don’t worry, all these masculine clothes will not let you be mistaken for a boy, and will only accen-tuate your feminine features.

Tights in every pattern and col-our are the newest must-have and you can wear them with anything from big hoods to big boots. For those of you who don’t really think the grunge look this season is what suits you best, you can always add a womanly touch to the clothes you wear. Printed jackets are the rage this time and designers have used big and psychedelic patterns in neon colors. Fur and lace have made their way on the runways and appear a lot in the Fall Gucci Collection 2010/2011. Also, leather is here to stay. Leather jackets, leather bags, boots, pumps and pants are all about giving a bit of a biker-chic look.

To complete the winter look, go for bare minimum makeup and a matt look with crimson blushed cheeks and puck-ered plum lips. Winter season usually suits our hair and it becomes glossy and manageable. Hottest hair accessories are hair bands and flowers and now would be the perfect time to try short haircuts or crazy hairstyles since it is less frizzy and your hair is able to breathe. For fi-nal touches, wear metallic chunky jewel-lery or metallic bags and lo and behold we have a woman of the age who’s ready to hit the city!

When it comes to Eastern winter attire, ladies would rather pass the idea altogether or else it eventually boils down to eastern wear being converted

to western with sweaters and cardigans to ward off the cold. There’s not much one can do to emphasise on our culture more through the way we dress especially in these freezing temperatures. At the end of the day there’s a trade-off between flaunt-ing our kameez cuts, em-broidery, the ruffles of the shalwar and keeping warm as well as bringing out our true ‘desi’ ethnicity.

The number one eastern clothing item this season would have to be our shawls. We own shawls in every size, colour and textile; be it the ever so popular Pashmina or the more graceful Shahtoos. The best part is that shawls can be incorporated in both eastern and western wear. Throw one with your coats or wrap it around the kameez; the point is to radiate elegance while car-rying it off with style. Local designers these days are also using pashmina and jamawar shawls to create kaftans and other eastern shirts.

The basic trend of shalwar kameez from last season has been seen this year too. Chooridar with frilly flared frocks or stylish culottes with a long kameez in delicious colours and contrasting pat-terns have rocked the city. Lengths have been long for the past couple of years and have been carried on for long styl-ish cardigans. But beware: short lengths are slowly coming back! Kashmiri thread work is also a favourite amongst

designers. Silhouettes are flowy and experimental but the embellishments are seen to be quite traditional. This is where we see a fusion between the east and west.

Since winter is the wedding season, it’s no longer compulsory for us to get our chiffon and silks made. Velvet is back with a bang and paired with the right trimmings or embellishments can make outfits a true hit. Dark colours and velvet with jamawar or banarsi as the second piece will keep you relatively warmer and make you look elegant and grand.

The idea is to have fun and experi-ment with all the cosy materials. Throw on different colours and patterns which might not match, because the trend this season is pattern on pattern. So exhibit who you really are by putting together a show of clothes.

Be electric, be passionate, be eccen-tric, and be crazy because at the end of the day, if you’re warm and comfortable with the way you look, you’ll be able to beat the cold!

The military trend has been quite popular in the last season and looks like it is here to stay: Russian army jackets with tassels in electric colours, high length boots and wide army belts are the rage

Burberry’s enthralling winter range

I 29December 19 - 25, 2010

Ent

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ters

.Travel

Clearly it would have been used by the Nawab himself for it had a Raj façade with colonnades, Corinthian capitals and arches

Jajja Abbasian is the kind of place one would scarcely ever notice. To begin with, it lies on a road and a defunct branch railway line that very nearly goes nowhere. I say very nearly because it lies fifteen kilometres northwest of

Khanpur (south Punjab) on the highroad to Chachran. I hadn’t noticed the place when I passed through to Chachran some 16 years ago on my way to ride the Indus Queen across the Sindhu to Mithankot.

There was in Jajja, I was told by a

friend, a mansion built by Nawab Sir Sadiq Mohammed Khan Abbasi V. As well as that, Jajja was also the birth-place of Birbal, one of the Nine Jewels that adorned the court of Akbar the Great. He wasn’t certain however whether or not there was a 16th century monument to commemo-rate the coming into this world of that remarkable Birbal. This he left to me to ascertain. And so it was that I found my-self in Khanpur, where I picked up a guide and we drove out westward along the old railway line to Chachran.

Back in 1994 when the government

was busy succumbing to the pressure of the transport mafia (that should rightfully be tried for high treason and hanged) and axing line after railway line, I hadn’t felt very confident for the survival of the 30-kilometre branch line from Khanpur to Chachran.

Not long after that trip, I heard that service on this line was suspended for be-ing financially unfeasible. And now, my

By Salman Rashid

Where his Highness tarried

30 I December 19 - 25, 2010

Insi

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Word was that Birbal was born here but there was no monument to mark the spot of that event. Nor too was there any other building dating back to the Mughal era.

guide Khalid pointed out, even the rails had already been uprooted. The raised line bed sans rails was still there, but in time this will be levelled by local farm-ers and incorporated into their lands. As the line was phased out, so too will be the people who carry the memory of the strident whistle and the woof-chug of the old steam engines that worked the service until its demise some years ago. The line will not pass into history; it will simply be forgotten. That is our way.

We drove past a row of houses and stopped by a dusty single storey brick building. The place certainly did not be-come a Nawab, but Khalid said this was it. I was disappointed. Nawab Sadiq Mo-hammed had extravagant and fine taste, so how could he have ordered such a drab piece of architecture for his own use, I thought. A couple of men hanging around came up to chat and told us we were looking at the followers’ quarters. The main building, said one of them who was an Abbasi family retainer, was past the wide-arched entrance to one side.

We followed the man into the en-trance. There it stood forlorn and for-gotten: the stopover place where the Nawab tarried when he travelled from Dera Nawab near Ba-hawalpur to the shrine of

Ghulam Farid, his religious men-tor, at Mithankot on the far bank of the Sindhu. Khalid said he had heard that the place also served as a hunting lodge for in the 1920s this was largely riverine forest. We went in through the arched portal wide enough to permit a light lor-ry to pass and I was immediately captivated by the spreading ban-yan smack in front of the façade.

The semi-circular central ve-randa was joined by a wing that swept in a graceful arc from the gateway. This side wing contained the guest rooms reserved for the nobility that accompanied the Nawab on his hunting expeditions. Years of a lack of maintenance had caused most

of the plaster on the entire building to peel off exposing the brickwork. There were no frescoes or stucco ornaments on the walls, but immediately in front of the main door in the circular veranda the floor was embel-lished with a large black-and-white device

The abandoned Jajja Abassian railway station.

I 31December 19 - 25, 2010

Faca

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showing blossoming irises amid sinuous branches. This was a Nawab’s residence, after all. Built of brick and mortar, the building typified the colonial vernacular architecture that became popular with the upper classes of undivided India from the latter decades of the 19th century.

The door was askew in its housing and the arch above it cracked. Though the plaster was peeling, the naked bricks had luckily not yet been attacked by salinity. I pushed in the unlocked door and entered the dusty audience hall. No echoes of past glory rang in my ears, only my footfalls bounced off the bare, dusty and cobweb-draped walls whose whitewash seemed ready to shine with a mere dusting. The high ceiling above was made of timber planking, its border decorated with a cat-enation formed by a series of two-lobed devices in green and orange. The devices were either kidney-shaped or resembling an irregular figure of eight. The chain was interspersed with circular motifs. Good bit of work, I thought.

On the other side of the audience hall was another adjoining building. The retainer said this too was a guest house, but clearly it would have been used by the Nawab himself for it had a Raj façade with colonnades, Corinthian capitals and arches. The steps leading into the veran-da were framed by balustrades on either side. These latter ended in a delightful leaf ornament that formed a serpent head which, in turn, was shaded by an acanthus leaf. Lovely it must have been to behold when kept in good fettle.

But that was long years ago before the State of Bahawalpur was amalgamated by the government of Pakistan. Abbas Abbasi, the last acknowledged Nawab, struggled to keep the family together and when he died, disunity among the many heirs soon frittered away past glory. While

they bickered over the division of spoils from the richer properties, the Jajja palace seems not to have escaped their malefic at-tentions either: local lore has some vague stories concerning the breaking in and plundering of the household effects by some members of the family. Surely when the family was not looking, others would have helped themselves as well.

The front door of the Nawab’s quar-ter was padlocked, but the retainer led us around to enter from a side door. Early morning light slanting in from high ven-tilators gave the empty corridor an eerie look and I asked the man if there were sto-ries of troubled spirits that roamed here on dark nights in quest for peace they may yet never find. But there were none, said the retainer whose name I never learned. Nothing. Nary a tale to be gleaned. Only the plunder of family heirlooms by members of the family. What a shame, I thought.

The corridor that had a splendid tiled floor was lined with rooms on either side. These were either bare or at best were left with a webbing tape bedstead or a rickety chair. Folks really had been hard at work here for even the wash basins and com-modes were ripped out of the toilets. A room connecting this part of the building with the large audience hall contained some items of furniture that were left over after the plunder. Here was an assortment of chairs, a couple of tape beds, a dressing table without a mirror, dining table and what we called a doli – the airing cup-board with wire meshing.

I would give anything to know what happened when they were removing this stuff. Could it be that as one part of the family was at work, another arrived to throw a spanner in the works? Each party accusing the other of theft, nobody was able to make off with this little bit that

remained and by common agreement it had to be left here to be auctioned at some time.

Khalid had earlier told me that Nawab Sadiq Mohammed Khan always came by his special railway coach which was parked at the station. Leaving the palace we drove the half kilometre to yet another forlorn building: the railway station. The dado stone on the façade read ‘Jajja Abba-sian’ distant 17.75 kilometres (from Khan-pur). The year of construction was 1908. That was long before our blighted Forest Department had discovered the accursed eucalyptus (or the several species of orna-mental rubbish and the date palm that we now know as trees) and good people who raised public buildings planted the mag-nificent pipal. And so both flanks of the station were shaded by tall pipal where koels sang even on a dry beginning-to-get-hot April morning.

We returned to the town centre to ask about Birbal’s birthplace. Word was that he was born here but there was no monu-ment to mark the spot of that event. Nor too was there any other building dating back to the Mughal era. Abu’l Fazl, anoth-er one of the Nine Jewels, who wrote that famously interesting Ain e Akbari was not very fond of Birbal (as the Ain tells us) and he would not have made mention of where his rival was born.

There was consequently no way of knowing if this bit of lore sticking in the collective memory of Jajja Abbasian and refusing to go away was true or otherwise. I suspect, one day a casual re-reading of the Ain might just solve this puzzle either way.

Salman Rashid is a travel writer and photographer who has travelled all around Pa-kistan and written about his journeys. He is rated as the best in the country.

Photos by the Author

32 I December 19 - 25, 2010

Art

The artsy crowd of Lahore is so enamoured with group ex-hibitions that these days sel-dom does one

find a solo artist on display. Going with the trend, Drawing Room Art Gallery hosted an exhibition titled ‘Slick’. And this too turned out to be a cor-nucopia of major names of the art world from these parts.

The exhibition showcased works by R.M. Naeem, Atif Khan, Jamil Baloch, Waseem Ahmed, Unver Shafi Khan, Ayesha Durani, Rehana Man-gi, Noor Ali Chagani, Nazakat Ali Depar, Mudassar Manzoor, Madiha Sikander, Irfan Hasan, Imran Mudassar, Imran Chan-na, Huma Iftikhar, Akbar Ali, Adeel uz Zafar and Aakif Suri.

While most artists on dis-play were rather well known, it also marked the first occasion when tutor and the taught shared gallery space.

Naeem and his work need no introduction. A renowned patron and teacher of art, his influence and creative genius can be found in many of the new generation artists in-cluding Aakif Suri and Irfan Hasan. As for the vast spread of Naeem’s work, it incor-porates a diverse variety of themes and intricate subjects. With his well worked out sym-bols, elements and aesthetic trajectory, this visual maestro

By Mustafa Naqvi

The more the merrierDrawing Room Art Gallery’s exhibition titled ‘Slick’ was a cornucopia of the major names of the art world from these parts

34 I December 19 - 25, 2010

keeps the viewer in his thrall for far longer than one intends to.A sculptor and painter rolled into one, Jamil Baloch is a

visual narrator. Cruelty and agony of war and violence are not only captured in the mixed-media works by him but he is one of the few who makes one feel than just view the given situation. Baloch’s work is much more than mere art pieces for display, for these reflect human sentiments and emotions in a manner that indeed gives them a life of their own.

Waseem is one of the few people who juxtapose two entirely separate things into one, enabling the viewer to go on a creative rollercoaster of wit and skill. A trained miniaturist, Waseem’s neo-miniatures blend the violent fundamentalism around us with witty subjectivity to create something entirely new and pleasing to the eye.

Taqmeel

Tolerance

Conflict

Unver Shafi’s series of works named “Fabulist” not only have the most interesting names but are also some of the most quickly recognisable and likeable aesthetic magnets. His works are meticulous, full of sexual wit and innuendo with names like ‘Slurp’, ‘Indian fauna’ and ‘Two forms’.

Rehana Mangi and Mudassar Manzoor are two contempo-rary artists who not only experiment successfully, but they also provide a whole new dimension to the traditional craft of min-iature painting. Mudassar adds gold, acrylic, and impressions to his range of gouache on wasli

miniatures. This not only provides the surface a new me-dium but also a whole new pattern of thought. Mangi works with hair as her medium of choice, applying them on wasli to create intricate, eye teasing patterns that can keep one bound by their sheer level of detail and dedication that went into making these mini marvels.

Madiha Sikandar and Nizakat Ali Depar are somewhat of parallel travelers. Nizakat paints on railway tickets, his scenes are the most common things one would find around – random people, coolies, stray dogs, fortune-telling parrots. These train tickets and the visual treasure trove he makes on them is remi-niscent of his travels to his home town in interior Sindh.

Like Nizakat, Madiha’s work has taken the traditional wasli out of the picture she paints on books – some of them really old and rare. Specializing in Mughal miniature has given her the edge of using these books as the surface on which she lays out nostalgic pieces of work which are often very introspective in nature.

Irfan Hassan is the modern day Piper, his work has an aura of mystery, grandeur, eeriness. One major quality in his work is the line between myth and reality where one ends and the realm of the other begins is very hard to find. Aakif Suri’s “Hukum ka Badshah” and “Do more” are very interesting works of art not only in their original notion but in terms of honest skill and integrity they carry. Imran Channa’s Badshanama series is a multitude of large scale works that are an amalgamation of traditional Mughal miniature images juxtaposed into providing a whole new meaning and visual thought to them.

Ayesha Durani’s skill is mesmerizing. With crisp fluidity she establishes herself as one of the finest amongst the con-temporary miniaturists. Her work is soundly feminine and the elemental usage of mannequins is something of a stroke of crea-tive genius.

Huma Iftikhar and Adeel uz Zafar work from the scratch quite literally. Huma’s work with integrated objects, overlap-ping stairs and confusing imagery is not only keen but interest-ing. Adeel’s skill and creativity is ravishing. With the imagery coming from stuffed animals, stuffed toys and cuddly playthings his medium is the entire opposite. Etching on paper and sheet in terms of medium can be dubbed an adventure, but he has pulled it off gloriously well.

Akbar Ali’s series of regions and religions is quite interest-ing. Character profiles, ethnicity, geographical notion all sub-merge into his colorful platter offering a visual treat.

With his juxtaposed self-portraits, war planes, artillery, weapons of sheer violence, Imran Mudassar’s effectively por-trays war and its lasting impact on people. His tour de force though is portraying the naked human flesh on top of war rav-aged and shell ridden walls that also have calligraphic insignias on top of them.

All in all, a pretty captivating experience, but then with such diverse range of art on display it was bound to be.

I 35December 19 - 25, 2010

Books

By Syed Afsar Sajid

General (Retd) Khalid Mah-mud Arif (b.1930) is a vet-eran soldier having served the Pakistan Army with dis-tinction, from1949 to1987. He is also an accomplished writer on issues of strategic

and geo-political importance, national security and good governance besides being a recognized poet of Urdu.

In this perspective, the present book is his third in succession after ‘Working with Zia’ (1995) and ‘Khaki Shadows’ (2001).

‘I am a soldier by profession and a peacemak-er by choice. I was a 17-year-old college student in 1947 when British India split into two inde-pendent dominions of India and Pakistan. It was hoped that the two emerging countries would part as friends and live in peace. This expecta-tion did not materialize. The long-cherished joy of freedom’s dawn turned into a nightmare.’

This is the rationale behind this book which, in the author’s words, briefly narrates ‘the com-plexities faced by Pakistan’ in the wake of the intrigues cooked up by the Hindu leadership in connivance with the British overlords to the ut-ter detriment of the native Muslims and their new homeland Pakistan. The solution to the im-passe as suggested by him, though a little facile, implies that ‘both countries should negotiate peaceful settlements with open hearts and vision-ary statesmanship’.

The book has 14 chapters with succinct but ‘speaking’ titles like Around the Homeland, Part-ing of Ways, Emancipation, Agriculture, Innova-tive Learning, Bureaucracy Evolution and Perfor-mance, Enslaved Valley, Loaded Water Bomb, Looming Energy Crisis, Flawed SAARC, Media Paradoxes, Hurdles in Trade, National Security Syndrome and Looking Ahead.

In a lucid style, the author has described the events leading to and issuing from the emer-gence of Pakistan along-with their sensitive over

Within the ‘arc of crisis’!

Title: Estranged NeighboursIndia – Pakistan

1947 – 2010Author: General ® K. M Arif

Published by: Dost Publications, Islamabad-Lahore-Karachi

Pages: 344 Price: Rs.595/-

Merits of the book apart, the end of the book does not fully synchronize with its beginning insofar as its avowed theme is concerned

36 I December 19 - 25, 2010

tones. He rightly attributes the flawed implementation of the Partition Plan to Lord Mountbatten who was overtly bi-ased against the Muslims and their lead-ers. Gen. Arif’s long stay in the higher echelons of power coupled with his emi-nent position as a serviceman facilitated him to study and analyze the situation at home and elsewhere objectively, from a point of vantage. His balanced com-ments on the civil services in the coun-try reflect his catholic approach.

Kashmir and its offshoot the In-dus Basin water disputes are the major bone of contention between the two ‘warring’ neighbours, India and Paki-stan. The author has discussed the two kindred issues with authentic facts and figures. The disgraceful role of General Gracey, the then acting C-in-C of Paki-stan’s Army, in the embryonic stages of the Kashmir issue has been mentioned in detail in the chapter titled ‘Enslaved Valley’. The derogatory contents of the letter written by the General to a friend in Pakistan in May 1963, betray the prejudice and partiality of the British mind vis-à-vis the dream and reality of Pakistan.

The title ‘Loaded Water Bomb’

symbolizes the portents of the water shortage in the country in the back-drop of the ongoing water dispute between the two estranged neighbours, India and Pakistan. It is a deft analysis of the is-

sue from different angles converging on the standpoint that ‘water shortage is a lethal weapon that can quickly ex-plode public emotions. This must be de-fused by political vision and democratic norms’. The chapter on the ‘Looming Energy Crisis’ is meant to serve a timely warning to the powers that be regard-ing the enormity as well as urgency of the situation suggesting that Pakistan ‘needs to develop an energy mix that is affordable to public for domestic and industrial use’. Nuclear power genera-tion might refurbish the contemplated energy mix.

Reviewing SAARC as a forum of regional cohesion and harmony, the author remarks that ‘conditionality of unanimity in the decision making process has made the SAARC process a hostage to the whims of any single country’ and that ‘no region can pros-per economically on a long-term basis if its contentious political disputes are permanently kept under the carpet’.

The chapter on ‘Media Paradoxes’ is quite enlightening. The author rightly opines that ‘free and vibrant media committed to accurate and responsible journalism is a national asset’ and goes

on to say that media ‘enhances its own credibility and builds up national im-age. Over-projection in media is coun-terproductive. Media has its limits. It cannot produce miracles out of a jug-gler’s hat. Governments stand or fall by their performance and not through media coverage’.

Reverting to the subject, economic relations between the two countries (In-dia and Pakistan) have also suffered be-cause of the political factor. India has to curtail its hostility and hegemonic de-signs against Pakistan in order to curb the prevailing tension in the region. The writer’s views on the national se-curity syndrome amply demonstrate his political insight and analytical ability.

In the concluding chapter of the book, he pointedly identifies Pakistan’s difficulties at the moment as political poverty, injustice to justice, economy under stress, curse of corruption, fam-ine of good governance, diplomatic difficulties and security syndrome and analyses them discreetly to finally come to the conclusion that ‘a prosperous and strong Pakistan holds the key to the peace and security of South Asia as a whole’ and that ‘the road ahead will require hard-headed decisions with a clear-sighted vision by all stakeholders of the region’.

Merits of the book apart, a percep-tive reader might, however, note that the end of the book does not fully syn-chronize with its beginning insofar as its avowed theme is concerned.

The solution to the impasse as suggested by him, though a little facile, implies that ‘both countries should negotiate peaceful settlements with open hearts and visionary statesmanship’

I 37December 19 - 25, 2010

Chef Abdul Manan has worked with Royal Palm, World Fashion Cafe, Hot Wok Cafe in Lahore, Eye Television Network, ALite, Masala, Style360 and APlus, and also runs his own catering business by the name of Urban Gourmets.

Method

For pie crust, mix butter with flour, add salt and knead with chilled water to make stiff dough. Roll out dough into ¼ inch thick round and line a 9 inch pie tin with it. Prick the base with a fork. Blind bake for 10-12 minutes. For the filling, melt butter, add onion and sauté. Add sausages and fry until golden. Now add flour and cook for two minutes. Gradually add milk and cream and along with cheese and cook until thick. Remove from heat, add beaten eggs and pour this mixture in baked pie shell. Bake at 180 C for 35-40 minutes. Serve hot.

Christmas Recipes

INGREDIENTS

Pie crust

Creamy Chicken and Onion Quiche

Plain flour 250gmButter 175gmEgg yolk 1Salt ½ tspChilled water

Filling

Chicken sausages, chopped 1 ½ cupOnion, chopped 1 Green chillies, chopped 2 Butter 1 tbspPlain flour 1 tbspMilk ½ cupCream 1 cupEggs 4Cheddar cheese, grated 1 ½ cupsPepper to taste

38 I December 19 - 25, 2010

MethodLight a grill or preheat a grill pan. In a medium

bowl, stir the 3 tablespoons of olive oil with the vin-egar, shallot, garlic, chile, ginger and cilantro. Fold

in the mango and season with salt.Drizzle the shrimp with oil, toss to coat and season

with salt and pepper. Grill the shrimp over high heat, turning once, until lightly charred and just

cooked through, about 4 minutes.Transfer the shrimp to plates and top with the

mango salsa. Mound the arugula leaves alongside and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pep-

per and serve right away

Celebrity’s favourite

Grilled Shrimp with Mangoes and Chile

Lamb Souvlaki

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar1 small shallot, minced

1 garlic clove, minced (optional)1 red Thai chile, minced

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 mango, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch diceSalt

2 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveinedFreshly ground pepper

1 cup baby arugula

Rich Fruit Cake Nicole Kidman

Plain flour 2 cupsButter 1 cupSugar ½ cupBrown sugar ½ cupEggs 3 Baking powder 1 ½ tspCinnamon powder ½ tspNutmeg powder ¼ tspOrange peel 2tbspGlace cherries ½ cupAlmonds ½ cupWalnuts ½ cupRaisins ¼ cup

METHOD

Mix all dry ingredients in flour. Beat butter and both sugars till creamy. Gradually add eggs and beat till fluffy; fold in flour mix. Lastly mix in all nuts and fruits, pour batter in an 8-inch square tin and bake for 45 minutes at 180 C. Cut and serve.

INGREDIENTS

I 39December 19 - 25, 2010

METHOD

Heat oil and fry wings until crisp and golden. In a pan, put both sauces and bring to the boil. Put wings in the sauce mixture, toss and mix well. Serve piping hot.

Chicken wings with skin 1 kgBarbeque sauce ½ cupHot sauce ¼ cupOil to deep fry

INGREDIENTS

Fried Chicken Wings in Hot BBQ Sauce

Walnut Brownies

Plain flour 1 ½ cupCoco powder ½ cupBrown sugar ½ cupCastor sugar ½ cup Butter 1 cupEggs 3Walnuts 1 cup, choppedEssence optional

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

Mix all dry ingredients in flour except sugar. Beat butter and both sugars till creamy. Add eggs gradually and beat until fluffy and light. Fold in the flour mixture and walnuts. Grease 9-inch square baking tin, put the brownie mixture and bake at 180 C for 40 minutes. Allow to cool. Cut into squares and dust with icing sugar to serve.

40 I December 19 - 25, 2010

Stars & starlets

Mercifully these two don’t pretend to be friends. Of course, when asked direct questions about each other, Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra — who bonded during ‘Aitraaz’ and fell out over Shahid Kapur — normally say innocuous things like, “Oh, we have no issues with each other. Blah, blah...” But the fact remains that they do have very strong issues. And these came to the fore recently when Kareena bared her fangs on a talk show and said, “I wonder where Priyanka got her accent from?” Not to be outdone, Priyanka who is coming on the same show shortly with none other than Shahid, had people at the shoot in splits when she said, “I want to tell Kareena that I got my accent from the same place where her boyfriend (Saif Ali Khan) got his.” PC reminded the show host (and all those who tune in) that she, too, had studied overseas and therefore had access to an accent just like so many others in Bol- lywood. Of course, having been given the opportunity to take a dig at Bebo, Piggy Chops wasn’t going to let the opportunity pass with just one direct hit. Later, PC made it known to the host that people in the industry didn’t take Kareena too seriously. “I’m flat- tered that Kareena thinks I am a good actress,” she is said to

have remarked. “But other-wise I don’t think people take Bebo too seriously,” is what PC reportedly said. And she hit one final nail when she was asked what she would steal from computers of

Bollywood superstars like Shah Rukh Khan, Shahid, Kareena and others.

Known for her smart replies, PC giggled, “Does Kareena have a computer in the first

place?” Hmmm... one can see round two of this cat fight happening soon.

Priyanka blasts Bebo!

‘I want to tell Kareena that I got my accent from the same place where her boyfriend got his’

December 19 - 25, 2010 I 41

‘Gulliver’s Travels’Release date: December 22, 2010Director: Rob LettermanStar cast: Jack Black, Emily Blunt, Jason Segel, Chris O’Dowd, Amanda Peet, Billy ConnollyGenre: Adventure

Synopsis: Jack Black is bigger than ever… as Gulliver, a perpetual underachiever and wannabe travel writer at a New York newspaper. When he finally makes an effort to actually venture out the city to write a travel piece, a storm-tossed voyage lands him on an island inhabited by tiny folks called Lilliputians. After a rocky beginning, the gargantuan Gulliver becomes an inspiration to his new six-inch-tall friends. He brings them modern-day wonders like a PDA and music video game – while they help him kick it old-school during his travels through this unforgettable world.

‘Ada... A Way of Life’Release date: December 24, 2010Director: Tanvir AhmadStar cast: Ayaan Ahmad, Nauheed Cyrusi, Ayesha Jhulka, Rahul RoyGenre: Drama Synopsis: ‘Ada... A Way of Life’ is the tale of Ayaan. Son of a noble human being Anil Anand, and a religious mother, Aamina, he traverses life between crime and spiritual antecedents. Ayaan embodies the trauma of moral certainties crumbling like sandcastles in the face of contemporary disarray. Ayaan’s life is a search for wholeness, for values he can live and believe in. The conflicted character of Ayaan Anand is a modem tragedy as he becomes part of the criminal stream, even as he searches for the ultimate truth, the ultimate happiness. ‘Ada’ is a film of moment, as it compels as to re-examine the youth-crime phenomenon in a very poignant and engaging story.

In cinemas now!Films

‘Country Strong’Release date: December 22, 2010Director: Shana FesteStar cast: Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim McGraw, Garrett Hedlund, Leighton MeesterGenre: Drama

Synopsis: A rising young singer-songwriter becomes involved with a fallen country singer. As they embark on a career resurrection tour with her husband and man-ager and a beauty queen-turned singer, romantic entanglements and old demons threaten to derail them all.

42 I December 19 - 25, 2010

‘Little Fockers’Release date: December 22, 2010 Director: Paul WeitzStar cast: Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Teri Polo , Blythe Danner, Dustin Hoffman Genre: Comedy

Synopsis: It has taken ten years, two little Fockers with wife Pam (Teri Polo), and countless hurdles for Greg (Ben Stiller) to finally get “in” with his tightly wound father-in-law, Jack (Robert De Niro). When Greg and Pam’s entire clan — including Pam’s lovelorn ex, Kevin (Owen Wilson) — descends for the twins’ birthday party, Greg must prove to the skeptical Jack that he’s fully capable as the man of the house.

‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham’Karan Johar-directed ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham’, popularly known as ‘K3G’, is an elegant portrayal of love and passion. Although beautifully made, it is difficult to digest the idea of a physical and intellectual communion of two people from totally different backgrounds. Rahul Raichand (Shah Rukh) is the adopted son of a rich and famous Indian business tycoon. After returning to India with an MBA from London, he falls for Anjali (Kajol), the daughter of poor denizen of Chandni Chowk. While his father has big plans for him, Rahul shatters his drams by marrying the unschooled Anjali and is ostracised by papa Raichand. In the sub-plot revolves the story of Pooja (Kareena) and Rahul’s younger brother Rohan (Hrithik) who also experience similar feelings of love for each other. The film is renowned courtesy its three legendary lead pairs belonging to three generations of Bollywood cinema – Amitabh-Jaya, Shah Rukh-Kajol and Hrithik-Kareena – who shine in this movie about generation gaps that won big bucks at the box office.

By Beenish Mahmood

‘Tees Maar Khan’Release date: December 24, 2010Director: Farah KhanStar cast: Akshay Kumar, Akshaye Khanna, Katrina Kaif, Raghu Ram, Rajiv Laxman, Arya BabbarGenre: Drama

Synopsis: Only once in a blue moon is such a great criminal born who is fearless as well as shameless! Now is the blue moon and the great criminal is Tees Maar Khan. He steals cons and cheats all with such alarming audacity that even shame shies away from him! He and his gang comprising of Dollar, Soda and Burger have managed to keep the police, world over, on their toes. Then one fine day international an-tique smugglers, the Johri Brothers, assign Tees Maar Khan

the biggest con job of his life. He must rob antiques worth 500 crore rupees from a heavily guarded moving train. Will Khan and his merry gang, with some unwitting support from his wannabe-actress girlfriend, Anya, and a greedy Bollywood superstar be able to pull off the greatest heist in history?

Timeless Classics

I 43December 19 - 25, 2010

44 I December 19 - 25, 2010

I 45December 19 - 25, 2010

46 I December 19 - 25, 2010

I 47December 19 - 25, 2010

Your dreams will get you where you want and creative passion is possible. You will enjoy this week. Traditions matter a lot as you call the family down. Try not to eat too much otherwise indigestion can make you ill. Your partner will offer you extra love this week. Work will demand your undevided attention,but the good thing is you will quickly get done with pending work.

Your spread shows that this week you need the patience of a saint. People not listening to you will threaten your calm personality. Try to be patient with everyone and your partner will also show you c o m -passion. This will be a good week to improve your listen-ing skills. You will be able to motivate yourself to make some extra cash. You might want to sign up and join a saving scheme before the New Year resolution rush.

The self-card Jan 21 - Feb 19DUA/AQUARIUS

JAL/PISCES

The aura card Mar 21 - Apr 20FIZA/ARIES

The strength card Jul 24 - Aug 23QUWAT/LEO

The growth card Jun 22 - Jul 23IRTIQA/CANCER

The love card May 22 - Jun 21

ASHIQ/GEMINI

WISAAL/TAURUS

Your spread shows that excitement is in store for youngsters. Romance is in the air. Money matters are a bit tricky. Tact and diplomacy see you through at work. Long lost friends/relatives pop up again. This week is very favourable for domestic affairs. You will be given complete freedom at your workplace. Home and family life will remain fine.

Your spread indicates that you will find yourself decidedly lucky and can safely bet on the long shot. You are definitely building your strength up and working towards a goal. Working for others will bring comfort as you build up your funds. There is travel in the works for you, which is connected to your business and to your career. Money might be coming your way. Family matters are good. Some pretty wild ideas will be set in front of you.

Your spread shows that someone you really like will give you immense pleas-ure. Expenditure will rise till the end of this week. Financial gains from past investments cannot be ruled out later in this week. Family members will be helpful. Outdoor activities will give you excitement and entertainment but will be very expensive. You will enjoy interacting with people who belong to other religions, countries or cultures.

Your spread indicates that if you just re-member to emphasise cooperation and teamwork in all that you do this week, you will be well-rewarded. Relationships with your partners or mates could require a lot of your attention but should also be very pleasurable. Attending lectures, exhibitions and seminars would help you build new and important contacts. Stone of the week is Garnet.

Rely on your intuition in order to make the correct decision. Financial limita-tions will give you some depression. Peo-ple around you will welcome your new ideas. Evening with friends will be pleasant but avoid excessive eating or you may suffer serious stomach problems. Working on your self image is extremely important. This week is excellent for social as well as religious functions.

Your spread shows that it is a good time to spruce things up around you, even if it might cost a little something. You might be focused on discussing something important with a partner or mate right now. And you ought to be able to resolve things very favour-ably. You will probably be fairly eager to take on any ad-ditional challenges at this time. Just don’t forget that rest and relaxation are necessary. Stone of the week is Topaz.

THE ZODIAC AND EASTERN TAROT By Mariam Aftab

Dec

embe

r 19

- 2

5, 2

010

The ambition card Dec 22 - Jan 21

AFTAB/CAPRICORN

The sensitivity card Feb 20 - Mar 20

The physical change card Apr21 - May21

48 I December 19 - 25, 2010

The patience card Aug 24 - Sep 23THEHRAO/VIRGO

The magician card Sep 24 - Oct 23SAHIR/LIBRA

The confusion card Oct 24 - Nov 22

INTISHAR/SCORPIO

The luck card Nov 23 - Dec 21KISMET/SAGITTARIUS

Tel: +92 (42) 35751231, 35710452Websites:www.mariamhealingcenter.com, www.innerstrengthhome.org

Celebrity Couples&

CompatibilityPrince William and Kate Middleton

Prince WilliamJune 21, 1982

Paddinton, UK9:03 pm

Sun Sign: CancerMoon Sign: Cancer

Kate MiddletonJanuary 9, 1982

Reading, UKUnknown birth timeSun Sign: CapricornMoon Sign: Cancer

Q: What is the best way to remove the effects of evil eye?

A: Take shawar using a little bit of salt.

Mariam Aftab is a renowned healer offering self-help courses and counselling services. Readers can send in

their questions regarding any problems at mariamhealingcenter@gmail.com

Ask the Expert:

Mariam Aftab

Your spread says that close relationships should be easier though you may have to be-ware a tendency to take partners too much for granted, or indeed to rely totally on their advice which is not always realistic. Investment made this week will enhance your prosperity and financial security. Tact will be required while handling colleagues. Tooth ache or an upset stomach may create some problems for you.

The card of the week is Hifazat (the pro-tection card), which means that outflow of money will still create hindrance in execut-ing your projects but the money can slip eas-ily through your fingers because your financial position will improve. Putting your creative ability to positive use will reap good benefits. Anger is dangerous for your health and finance, so be patient.

Your spread indicates that you will spend lavishly on yourself and your relatives. Don’t let your personal problems interfere with your professional work. Friends will bring in pleasure and extend you their unconditional support. Seek advice of trusted people. Do not overspend on en-tertainment and recreation otherwise you will regret later. Dedication and loyalty towards your work will bring in desired results.

Though Prince William and Kate Middleton have opposite zodiac signs, the two have come together to serve a purpose, and that purpose is intricately tied into William’s public role as Prince of Wales and future King of England.

Both have Pluto, Saturn, and Mars in William’s 9th house of international affairs, public speaking, and higher education. William and Kate share an

intense emotional bond, strengthened by their ability to communicate with one another. They know each other well and their relationship is mutually

supportive. It is not an “easy partnership”, but the rapport between them is so intense, it outweighs many of the so-called negative aspects.

The card of the week is Aftab (the ambi-tion card); this shows that participating in spiritual seminars and social activities will be high on your agenda this week. You will feel excitement and calm by helping needy people. Over-work can be dangerous for your health, so be careful. New financial schemes can come your way but think carefully before making any commitment. You will in-cur losses if you make hasty decisions.

I 49December 19 - 25, 2010

Dear AA,

My 12-year-old son is having an affair with two girls. Not only is this very shocking and alarming for me but also he has lost interest in his studies and games. I have even confiscated his mobile but it is of no use. I am tense and don’t know what to do. I am worried about his future. Please suggest a way to tackle this problem. Mom-in-a-fix Dear Mom-in-a-fix,

Such problems are becoming quite common among the young generation, owing to excessive exposure to television, Internet in addition to lack of communication between children and their parents. It’s very important for you to have a friendly relationship with your children. Parents who have a close contact with their children usually do not face such problems. I will advise you to start developing a friendly rapport with your son and keep a vigilant watch over his activities. Go about this gradually, or else your son will become more rebellious. Dear AA,

I am being harassed at my office. Guys are asking me out and they are sending indirect messages through my friend. It is very weird and distracting for me. Although I give them the I-don’t-care attitude, they are least affected and are getting on my nerves. Every day there is a new proposal waiting for me. How do I avoid this problem? Harassed

Dear Harassed,

It’s a very common thing and not so difficult to handle. The best thing is that you are already ignoring them, but apparently it’s not enough. You must take it seriously and inform your office management about it and let them handle it professionally. Dear AA,

My husband goes to the gym every day but I don’t and am gaining weight. Whenever we go out together people pass embarrassing comments. My friends claim openly that I don’t look good with him and it makes me self conscious and under confident. I have tried a lot to lose weight but unfortunately couldn’t. Please tell me how to overcome this problem. Mismatch Dear Mismatch,

Your husband is fit because he makes the effort to live a healthy lifestyle. This decision has led him to be regular in his exercise regimen. If you want to match him in fitness, you should match him in discipline. Whenever you need to achieve any goal, the simplest way out is to find someone who has already achieved that goal and follow every thing that person did. And my dear, you are lucky enough to have such an ideal in your husband. The ball’s in your court now.

50 I December 19 - 25, 2010