...............................Day to Day life of Pakistans street ....................
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The cobbler, the entertainer, the old watchmaker - a footpath adventure
What stands out in Karachi is its pluralism and thriving diversity, perhaps best encapsulated in the streets of old city. There is a pulsating energy here among the vendors and walking craftsmen, each with their own set of skills, toiling away for a daily wage.
It's easy to glance past them in the crowd for they have been internalised as an essential feature of the city. But here lies the paradox: we utilise their labour in our daily lives, refer to them by their profession, but their anonymity never seems to bother us.
Behind every '
kachray wala', 'fruit
wala' and '
bandar wala' is a story waiting to be unraveled.
With a quill and parchment
Muhammad Iftikhar in his roadside shop at Pakistan Chowk.
With a pensive look and a pen in hand, Mohammad Iftikhar looks at us, puzzled, as we ask him where the art of
Khatati(calligraphy) stands in the current times. He smiles, shrugs his shoulders, and shakes his head with despair.
He talks about a time when 20 to 25 calligraphers sat along the pavements of Pakistan Chowk alone. Now there are just two. The decline started in the 90’s when Corel Draw gained importance and many calligraphers lost out.
Iftikhar blushes when we ask him about the projects he had worked on. “You must have seen Pyaray Afzal and Jackson Heights? Those were my recent ones. I was also asked to make the logo for Bahria Town.”
Muhammad Iftikhar wants to set up his own calligraphy exhibition someday. He managed it once at Frere Hall, but is now overburdened with expenses.
Polishing a future
Muhammad Aqeel while working on a wooden framework for a mirror.
Muhammad Aqeel, 32, has been polishing wooden frames since he was 18. His 14 years of experience makes him one of the most skilled people in Karimabad. He looks quite old for his age, though his eyes suggest that it is merely his appearance that has undergone such change.
He works at a fixed wage of Rs 400 per day.
The roadside entertainer
Eman Allah poses with his monkey.
Hailing from Rohri Sindh, a dazed Emaan Allah firmly holds the chain clasped around the little
monkey accompanying him. He orders the monkey to sit, but the little creature continues to squirm around him. It is quite apparent that the bond between Emaan and the monkey is strained, as the monkey fails to comply with basic commands.
“I used to do odd jobs earlier and came to the city with him to earn more money but the conditions don’t look too good here,” he says.
More than a decade ago
bandar walas were a common sight, as were the children trailing behind this fantastical Pied Piper. Today, it has become a rarity.
Now they can sometimes be seen near traffic signals, with monkeys trained to scare passengers by climbing onto windshields, begging for money.
Emaan Allah shares a similar story.
Mending souls
Naushad Khan at his roadside spot.
Seventy six-year-old Naushad Khan has been mending shoe soles for the past 50 years but as he converses with one of his customers, it appears that he has a knack for mending souls too.
Referred to as Goldberg, the famous wrestler, the bald
mochi or cobbler is reluctant to talk about his craft, which is considered one of the oldest jobs in the city and usually provides opportunity to settlers coming from the northern side of the country.
But when Naushad finally agrees to talk, cynicism takes over:
He then boasts with pride as he gives a toothless smile:
“I am from the times of Quaid-e-Azam. I have seen this place when it was not densely populated, everything was vacant and this entire place flourished right before my eyes.”
Lost in the alleys of nostalgia, Khan sahab busies himself in sewing a shiny black
pathani sandal as one customer places himself alongside him to strike another conversation.
