In the Quest of Childhood Memories

The previous post of mine says that how I spent the day of 12 Rabi ul Awal (EID MILAD UN NABI), half of the awake time I spent in roaming in the city and other half was spent in office and on Sunday it was a double job first there was a test to take and then office again. In those two days I was not able to visit the areas where I somehow visit on these two dates of Islamic calendar. And the main reason for me to go out is to see the decoration and the celebration of the birthday of the greatest Man in the history of this universe.

On Monday March 6 2010 I had a shift which ended at 6 pm so I decided to visit Sadder Bazaar Lahore. However before going there I asked my colleague, Usman Saeed, who lives in saddar, as If bazaar is being decorated, To make sure my plan. Well on every 14th of Rabi ul Awal this bazaar is decorated in the celebrations of Eid Milad u Nabi (S.A.W).

It's been long back, perhaps 2000, that I visited this very place on 14th of Rabi ul Awal. The memories of that visit were the real factor which dragged me to that place. I reached there after Maghreb prayer what I realized that I have reached their bit early as the process of decoration was still on. The lightening was on its peak, many stages were settled, and the high sound speakers were spreading the voice of Naat (poetry in which Prophet Muhamad S.A.W. is praised)� in the air. There were few things which got my attention and my camera saved them for me and my memory.

I saw many mud made models while I was passing thorough a street. These models are called “PAHARHIAN” in Urdu and Punjabi the meaning of Pahari is MOUNTAIN. These mud made models have a big attraction for me since my childhood-I also made them in 2001, and it was a good experience to make them and decorate it with color coated wood powder and toys. The best part of this model is the water factor, a pond or a fountain is an integral part of the Paharhi. The digging process for the pond is done with a great efficiency as there is a system of drain is also made so that water does not get overflowed and spoil the whole model. I and my memories, I think the love and fascination I have, about these models can make me to write so long that this post might not end, so let's keep this Pahari post for some other time and resume to Sadder Bazaar.

After roaming different parts and streets of the bazaar I was coming back home, I also met one of my colleague there, not the one who confirmed me about the decoration, and he said that he used to study in an academy over here and since than he visit this place every year. Well the memories I have with the date and the place were really rich this time there was more of an artificial thing that could not touch my heart as it did before. Though I forget all the stress that I was carrying after a hectic shift and I was feeling good after visiting the sadder bazaar.

I also floated a tweet when I was backing home:

i must say, Sadar Bazar on 14th Rabi ul Awal is one of the #AwesomePakistaniThings via @rai_azlan http://bit.ly/aVLuHY

I know I am bit confused with this as at one end I say that I had good time there but on the other end I say that it was bit artificial one. The real sense of celebrating this day was missing somewhere, and here I am not pointing the feelings of those people who did all the effort whole heartily and believe me I respect the feelings of those people. I am talking about those who spoiled the whole soul of the event. I came to know that there in a street the path was blocked and on a stage dance was going on. Oh God! Where are we heading to, I am not a hypocrite I listen to music and I enjoy it but yes I believe that respect is something which is bigger than the things you enjoy. The news of dancing and all that was the one which shattered my views. On the day when about 1483 years back idols were bent in gratitude the fire in the Persia which used to be worshiped was cold-down and many miracles took place just in respect of the arrival of the Greatest ONE. Than how can we who claimed to be his followers and proudly call ourselves Muslims can do such stupid thing on such day.

I always say that timing is the thing which defines who you are and a foolish one always do a wrong thing at a right time. I maintain that Sadder bazaar on 14 Rabiulawal is an #AwesomePakistaniThing but the factor of respect and honor and the real soul of the event must stay alive, because I do not want to see the words of my colleague to become true “Rai, you are talking about the artificial thing believe me in coming year this artificial thing will also vanish and then you have to bear the thing which panic you today”. The issue is with the priority and I think that next year the organizers of the event try to maintain the real soul of the event so the so called “conservative Liberals” like me enjoy the event and cherish the memories of childhood and get pleasure from the celebrations.