Mansoor Malangi the melodious Saraiki musician on October 8, 2017When I look back to three decades ago, a soft-spoken singer singing Saraiki and Punjabi songs at Pakistan Television Corporation’s Lahore Studios comes to my mind. Often we appeared in the same programmes doing our respective bit. His full name was Mansoor Ali Malangi. He was the son of Pathan Ali, born in town Qasim […]
Shaukat Ali the indisputable Punjabi folk singer on October 6, 2017 Whenever Shaukat Ali’s name is mentioned among the fraternity of singers, musicians and music lovers, everybody speaks very highly of him. He must have conducted himself with honour in front of them all for them to speak like that about him. I, for one know that he once climbed all the long stairs of […]
Mehnaz Begum cultured and melodious on October 3, 2017Mehnaz Begum, one of the most melodious singers of Pakistan, was born in 1950. Her fame was due to her ghazal and playback singing in films. She could also sing geets, thumris, dadra, kheyal, marsia, noha and soz with equal ease. She got training from her mother Kajjan Begum. She was an offshoot of Kajjan […]
Memoirs of a globetrotter on September 25, 2017It was unearthing for me when Amir Bin Ali mentioned that the national flower of Japan, which is cherry has its origins from the Himalayan mountains near Islamabad in Pakistan. With the passage of time, its growth spread in other parts of India, America, Canada, Korea and Japan. In Japan it is called Sakora in […]
A compilation of 11 intriguing short stories that are hard to put down on September 22, 2017Infatuation with one’s feet is the theme of Irfan Ahmad Urfi’s first short story titled Paair (feet) in his book Paaun (feet). The meaning of both the words is the same. He could have selected one for the title of the book as well as of the short story. It all started when the central […]
Collection of literary works informed by naturalism on September 15, 2017Tasteer is just not a literary magazine. It is continuity in book writing. Its April-June 2017 issue is a voluminous literary collection on all aspects of literature. Eminent poet Naseer Ahmad Nasir discusses the real meaning of naturalism, curricula and comparative literature in the editorial. The site Literary Devices defines ‘naturalism as a literary genre […]
A compilation on the immense contributions of Rafi Butt for Jinnahs Pakistan on August 26, 2017It was on August 14, 1947 that Pakistan came into being due to the untiring efforts and determination of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The division of India witnessed a lot of killing and loot on either side of the border. Our previous generation sacrificed many lives and their possessions before reaching Pakistan. On August 14, […]
Expressing tragedies in a delicate manner on August 9, 2017While reading the story ‘Lab-e-Gore’ (on the brink of the grave) in the short stories’ book titled Shah Moosh (Rat King – a myth) by Saima Iram, this reviewer was surprised at the detailing in which Saima Iram has gone to establish the characters of her story and knitted them in words. It is a […]
Using metaphors to depict Gods creations on August 2, 2017We know that the phoenix is a mythological bird that obtains new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor. When it perceives its impending death, the phoenix ignites itself in a magnificent fire. In time, it re-emerges from its own ashes – reborn, renewed and very much alive. Saadat Saeed’s poetry book titled […]
A commendable literary compilation on July 27, 2017The literary information that the magazine Takhleeq has been providing since 48 years continuously on monthly basis at an affordable price, is commendable. In June 2017, Muhammad Sajid provided some basic information on the great Ravian teacher Professor Sabir Lodhi who was born after a lot of praying at the shrine of Hazrat Allauddin Sabir […]