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Showing posts from July, 2019

Nostalgia Nalan: A Fascinating Transgender Character Of Elif Shafak

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It often happens in literature that we start living with the characters we read, those characters that are pure imagination of writers, even if we sometimes forget the stories but there are few characters that always live inside us and leave ever-lasting impacts. Characters like Hamlet, Oedipus, Achilles, Romeo and Juliet, Sherlock Holmes or Harry Potter are best examples of that. Likewise I have come across one such character while reading Turkish novelist Elif Shafak's latest novel "10 Minutes 38 Seconds In This Strange World", published in 2019. Most often we mainly find three types of characters in stories: (a) Protagonist: The lead character, a hero or the heroine of the story who tries to over come some sort of hurdle, one of the main characters in the story. (b) Antagonist: the villain, who tries to create hurdles in protagonist life, a negative character trying to make hell of hero's life, and (c) Supporting Character: Such character (s) could be fr

Jamshoro Barrage Turns Into Picnic Point After First Monsoon Rain

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Jamshoro Barrage turned into picnic point after heavy downpour at Hyderabad and its adjoining areas. As the Sindh Government announced holiday after heavy rain, people rushed to Jamshoro Barrage to enjoy the rainy weather. The first monsoon rain fall was witnessed in different parts of Sindh including Hyderabad, Jamshoro and adjoining areas. While 50,000 cusec water was recorded at Kotri down stream. However, residents of Jamshoro also faced problems due heavy rainfall as there was power outrage and rain water jammed the lives of people especially in residential areas including Gareebabad Model Town, Sandoz Road, Sayedabad, Shoro Goth and others. According to sources 181 mili-meter rain was recorded at Hyderabad, 98 mili-meter at Nawabshah, 59 mili-meter at Badin, 40 mili-meter at Mirpurkhas and 29 mili-meter at Nagarparkar. Regardless of this messy situation people of Hyderabad and Jamshoro visited the Jamshoro Barrage and enjoyed the weather, they

Cop-Cum Writer Omar Shahid Hamid Talks About His Novels

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His father was assassinated by a notorious Karachi hitman, while his police partner was murdered by the Taliban. Personal tragedy haunts the hard-boiled novels that are turning top cop Omar Shahid Hamid into one of Pakistan's most popular English-language authors. For nearly two decades Hamid has worn a badge in Karachi, the mega port city on the Arabian Sea that for years was rife with vicious political and extremist violence. Now a deputy inspector general, he is also fast becoming one of Pakistan's most recognisable writers, publishing four books in quick succession since 2013. His work has even nabbed the attention of major streaming outlets on the hunt for new original material from South Asia, including Netflix, which has already seen major success with similar material in TV series such as Sacred Games, about Mumbai's corrupt underworld. Hamid said the secret to his success is his unflinching accounts of political corruption, contract killers, and crooke

Students of Sindh University Protest Against Shortage Of Clean Drinking Water At Boys' Hostel

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The students of University of Sindh, Jamshoro staged a protest against university administration for not providing them clean drinking water at the boys hostel of the main campus and chanted slogans against the mismanagement of the university. The students claimed that the university was unable to provide the students clean drinking water due to which huge number of students were caught with water-borne diseases. They further claimed that they had complained regarding this problem many times and even submitted written applications but they got no response from the administration. However, the provost of the boys hostel Mr. Saqib Buriro reached the spot and held the talks with the students and assured them that they would be provided clean drinking water at hostels  of main campus. After which the students ended their protest.

Historic Tomb of Jam Chutto Discovered Near Sann

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Approximately four kilometers from Sann falls a small town Shalmani, where an ancient graveyard has been discovered. Commonly this graveyard is named "Jam Chutto Jo Qabrustan" by the locals. A Dome could be seen from far away built on a sand mound, there are two tombs that resemble of Choukandi tombs (situated 29 km east of Karachi, these  tombs are notable for their elaborate sandstone carvings and they are associated with a Sindhi clan Jokhio and are estimated to be built in 15th to 18th century).  The dome discovered here near Sann is ruined while there is just one grave inside it. Locals claim that these tombs were built with red sand stone and had a round dome. At present this graveyard that resembles of Chaukandi is ruined, while beautifully craved stones are laying on the ground. On of one the pillars of the tomb "Jam Chutto Dated: 1170 (A.D) is craved, it is written in Persian style. While there is no aut

Indus Valley Civilization: Aryan And Dravidian Hypothesis

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Ruk Sindhi is a well-known Sindhi journalist, researcher and historian, he was born on 05 August 1961 in Nawabshah district, his full name is Ghulam Ashgar Mangi but is better known with his pseudonym "Ruk Sindhi".  He did his graduation from University of Sindh, Jamshoro and from 30 years he has worked as a professional journalist. He was editor of Daily Sujag, Daily Jagoo, he was also associated with Daily Awami Awaz, Daily Soobh and several other Sindhi dailies. He has authored many books on history of Sindh. His book "Sindhu Sabhita: Aryan Ain Drawaran (Dravidian) Waro Mafrozo" (Indus Civilization: Aryan And Dravidian Hypothesis) study into division of Aryan and Dravidian has been published in 2019, by Sindh Salamat Kitab Ghar, and is spread over 120 pages and contains 22 sub-topics. In this book Ruk Sindhi has claimed that British historians and archaeologists under a serious conspiracy gave the concept of Aryans invading the sub-continent, so that the

People Who Declined Nobel Prize

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Nobel Prize is thoroughly regarded as the most prestigious award in the fields of Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, Literature, Economics and Peace.  It is awarded in recognition of extraordinary contribution by individuals in above fields. Nobel Prize was started from 1901 and from that period it has brought fame, money and recognition to the receivers. Only six people in history of Nobel Prize have declined to take it, four of them were forced to do so and two willingly refused: Boris Pasternak (1890-1960): was a Russian novelist, poet and translator, in 1958 in recognition of his literary contribution he was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature, his novel Doctor Zhivago was considered as a master piece of literature but he was forced by the Communist Party of Soviet Union for not taking the prize and he declined it. However, in 1988 his family accept the prize in his name. Jean Paul Sartre (1905-1980): was a French philosopher and novelist, while he is also considered

Tariq Ashraf Was Courageous Writer And Publisher: Speakers

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  The 27th Death Anniversary of courageous Sindhi short story writer and publisher Tariq Ashraf was held at Dr. N.A. Baloch Hall of Sindhi Language Authority of Friday, in which writers including Madad Ali Sindhi, Naseer Mirza, Aziz Gopang, Taj Joyo and others participated and hailed the efforts and courageous role of Tariq Ashraf for promoting Sindhi literature. They also paid glowing tribute to Tariq Ashraf for introducing and promoting new writers.  When Sindhi literature was facing tough time during One Unit and Zia dictatorship, Tariq stood up against that and started publishing a literary journal "Suhni" for which he was jailed many times, claimed the speakers. They siad that Tariq Ashraf  suffered jail and mental torture under Zia's martial law and Bhutto regime for espousing the cause of Sindh in his literary magazine Suhni which was banned by PPP regime.  It was also claimed that Tariq was a man of principles and despite of facing so many difficulties h

Sindhu Nawaz, Social Activists Demand Water For Badin

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The activists of Youth Action Committee led by Jami Chandio, Dr. Akash Ansari, Sindhu Nawaz Ghangro and others took out a protest rally from SP Chowk to Hyderabad Press Club against the man-made shortage of water at Badin District and demanded to stop that theft of water and provide justice to people of Badin, and immediately remove slit levels. In this regards the activists claimed that theft of water that was due share of Badin was an inhuman and intolerable act. The water crisis in Sindh was huge, but in Badin district the situation was worst, people were dying due to scarcity of water, while the corps in that district were also ruined. They claimed that five canals were established which were used to take away water of Badin illegally, while the water was shared on the basis of favoritism in that district. Famous poet Dr. Akash Ansari addressing the rally said: "our greatest enemy is our ruling class, especially those who are sitting in the assembly, they are our cu

Jain Temples At Tharparkar

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Tharparkar is one of the twenty nine districts of Sindh province. It is largest district of Sindh province by land area. It has the largest number of Hindu population in Pakistan. It is headquartered at Mithi. Thar has a fertile desert and the livelihood of Thari people depends on rainfall agriculture, Tharparkar has the only fertile desert in the world.                                               Jainism: Jainism traditionally known as Jain Dharma is an ancient Indian religion, followers of Jainism are called "Jains", a word derived from the Sanskrit word jina (victor) and connoting the path of victory in crossing over life's stream of rebirths by destroying the karma through an ethical and spiritual life. It is an off-shoot of Hinduism and its founder was Lord Mahivir.                            Jain Sites At Tharparkar: Most of the Jain temples and sites are located in the area around Nagarparkar, the site consists of a collection of abandoned

MET Dept Predicts Heavy Rain Fall In Sindh From 28 July

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 A weather system to enter in Sindh on July 27 from the east, will bring widespread rains in Karachi and other parts of Sindh, weather officials said in a forecast. Karachi will likely to receive first heavy rain of this monsoon between July 28 to 30, weather department said. The city today experiencing mainly cloudy and windy weather with chances of light rain or drizzle, a weather forecast said. Strong monsoon currents from Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal are likely to enter in upper parts of the country  weather department said. The monsoon currents bringing widespread rains, likely to spread central and southern parts of Pakistan from Thursday to Saturday, weather forecast further said. Pakistan Meteorological Department  said the monsoon rains were likely to start in Sindh, including Karachi, by the end of the ongoing week, adding that the weather system developing in the Bay of Bengal could cause rains in the province from July 28 to 31. “A low pressur

Famous Sindhi Writer Noor-ul-Huda Shah Celebrates Birthday

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Famous Sindhi playwright and short story writer Noor-ul-Huda Shah celebrated her birthday today. Sindhi writers and intellectuals paid her rich tributes on social media. Ms. Shah is well-known for her feminism, which could be seen from her writings. She has written dramas and plays for Pakistan Tele Vision (PTV), Hum TV and other channels. Her famous dramas include: Jungle Asmaan Tak Deewar Tapish Marvi Ab Mera Intazaar Kar Zara Si Aurat Ajnabi Raaste, and others. While she has penned down four collections of short stories including: (1) Jala Watan (2) Karballa (3) Rann Ain Runjh Jo Ethihas, and (4) Kedaro  Ms. Shah was criticized by moralists for being bold and blunt in her writings. In 1980s and 90s it was hard for conservative Sindhi society to digest her stories. Commenting on her stories in 2001, Noor-ul-Huda wrote that: "In every writer's heart a wish arises that if he/she could reject his/her published writings, delete them from the scene, and kee

Some Quotes Defining Brutal Nature Of Man

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Throughout the history mankind has witnessed several acts of brutality and tyranny that have ashamed whole of humanity, and one starts wondering why man is alive on this beautiful planet earth? Human history has witnessed endless bloodshed, mass murders, rapes and other such heinous crimes that put a serious question mark upon this creature being civilized. It has also given birth to another serious question: "would man ever become civilized?" Here are some quotes that define this brutal nature of man: (1) "I never wonder to see men wicked but i often wonder to see them not ashamed." (Jonathan Swift, 1711). (2) "Regimes whose rule is terror...... led by men to whom power has meant a licence to corrupt, maim and murder. Some men delight in things for no other reason but because they are ugly and infamous." (Samuel Butler, 1680). (3) "The Scourge of the sword...... throughout history it has been violent recourse of rulers who tort