an itinerant observer

At the end of the year, change becomes imminent in Karachi. The crisp and fresh winter air (relative only to Karachi’s summer air, mind you) induces one to take up change in all its glory. Therefore, as the denizens of the megapolis pushed ahead with renewed hope for 2019, I too became intoxicated by their excitement. “What change shall I bring about?” I asked myself. When self provided no ready answers, I looked around for change projects that I could take on. I even asked my fellow travelers for suggestions. A few enthusiasts rattled off their new year’s resolutions, thinking that I would pick something of their interest. The list ranged from working towards the elimination of poverty, disease, violence, and workplace harassment, to acceptance of keto/paleo diets, dance therapy, weight and stress management lifestyles, and so on. To me all that seemed like a lot of effort vis-a-vis work, time and money. I went back to self for further introspection. I mulled about a sin...

As happens frequently now my mind (heart?) tends to gravitate towards the next writing mission for the Karachi - Houston diaries. “Perhaps you should take a break from writing a new entry? It is after all a break from work too”, I felt like telling myself the other day. But the muse intervened. “Write about ritual customary celebrations in Karachi and Houston.” The muse obviously won. Ritual celebrations that are supposedly suffused with religion are always interesting to observe. This year’s barri (big) Eid is a case in point. A few days prior to the start of this celebration, some family members, males for the most part, enthusiastically promoted touring the animal bazaar. “We’ve got to pick the choicest goat, sheep, buffalo, camel, or a combination”, said my cousin-brother. That seemed to be a valid aspiration – for him. What I learned from him: factors that weighed into the selection process, other than price, included type and number of animals the neighbors were buyin...