Daily Times

LLF is a stark reminder that in the wake of exponential growth of internet and technology, what had gone amiss were creative spaces for engagement

Imagine a place where hospitality is not measured by the size of one’s pockets; where the clamour of the bazaars is more entrancing than the sinuous buzz of shopping malls; where quintessential old cafes and bookstores are more titillating than the young hotspots; and where entertainment means food, politics and poetry — at all hours and at any table. But imagine no more because Lahore is just such a place.

Pakistan’s cultural capital continues to brandish its regal past in its well-conserved buildings. At the same time, it manages to reignite its wild romance with music, culture and art whenever grudge-bearing establishments attempt appropriating that. Pakistan’s challenges are no secret. The world changed dramatically in the past decade militarily, politically, socially and economically. For us, it also meant waking up to a series of articles in publications like The New York Times and Wall Street Journal pointing to an enemy that lived within. Since then, a country riven with extremism has been the only image of Pakistan portrayed in international media — painting more than 200 million people with a single brush stroke.

At a time when anxiousness on a multitude of issues such as the role of media, institutions, democracy, culture and freedom of expression was ballooning — the Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) emerged as a space where intellectual dialogue was celebrated and where contemporary literary commonalities between cities and nations were discovered. Its stimulating discussions, packed auditoriums and multidimensional perspectives prove that Lahore’s romance with literature is undying.

The festival is a stark reminder that in the wake of exponential growth of internet and technology, what had gone amiss were creative spaces for engagement where a free flight of imagination and ideas that shape the public discourse could take place. Lately, the LLF and its crew of thinkers, writers, musicians and artists have hopped across the Atlantic to New York City.

The second LLF at Asia Society in New York last week was yet another full day of intellectual buzz; bouncing of ideas contextualising the modern world and its relationship with Pakistan. It also featured stories of the city’s Sufi soul and traditions and, to top it all, a grand Qawali performance.

If London is a water-colour, New York is an oil painting, then Lahore must be a miniature — S.J. Aijazuddin kicked off the session on Mughal art history, fanning out Peter Shaffer’s remark.

Music was a recurring theme — from Tahira Sayed singing a Kaafi and Faiz Sahib’s poetry to Ali Sethi and Ustad Akhlaq Hussain performing classical compositions. Similar in terms of the brilliance of their writing but poles apart in humour and method to their craft — Nadeem Aslam and Mohammad Hanif had the undivided attention of the audience when they broke down the world of conspiracy theories.

Leading authors, diplomats, and scholars including Ahmed Rashid, Ambassador Robin Raphel and Saskia Sassen spun the discussion on populism, media, fake news and the global rise of the right-wing. Raza Rumi and singer Tahira Syed paid tribute to the history of the Subcontinent, Sufism and tradition, whereas the ingenious Shahzia Sikander showcased her journey (with other collaborators) that brought a centuries old manuscript Gulshan-e-Ishq to life.

The discussions and performances were a reflection of today’s Pakistan as a conglomerate of rich heritage, diversity, complexities and myriad voices.

LLF ended in true Pakistani tradition with a beautiful Qawali performance by the inimitable Fareed Ayaz and Abu Mohammad and brothers who sang Bulleh Shah and Amir Khusrau — only to leave the audience craving Lahore even more. Possibly one of the finest tributes given to LLF and the platform it presents was by S.J. Aijazuddin in Khalil Jibran’s words: Yesterday, we obeyed Kings and bent our necks before Emperors. But today we kneel only to truth, follow only beauty, and obey only love.

Natasha is currently based in New York working for the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children; a global platform for ending violence against children in all settings and forhappier and safer childhoods everywhere. She has a Masters from New School University.and has worked for several United Nations projects on ending violence against women and children. If she didn’t work in her present job, she would be telling stories of unsung heroes from Pakistan; teachers, writers, musicians, social workers and those of her home city; Lahore. She tweets @natashajaved1