Beyond Borders

While Indo-Pak diplomatic circles attempt a tough number on political level,a Pakistani poet and playwright banks on cultural vehicles to connect people

Last Saturday,under the silver light of the super moon at midnight,Pakistani poet and playwright Mazhar Tirmazi searched for a piece of home,one hed never seen,but had only heard about. He found the warmth of it all in Sarhal Qazian a village in Punjab,where he found the grave of his ancestors,an experience 59-year-old Tirmazi describes as magical. I was healing the wounds of the partition. I was born in Pakistan,but the experience of that strong connect with India comes from the stories I heard from my mother, says Tirmazi,who is in town along with 31-year-old Saira Altaf,a photographer,painter and classical music connoisseur from Lahore and their guide Shumita Sandhu. The three are working on a slew of unique projects like conferences,slideshows and a documentary that will bring forth many untold stories of the time of Partition.

This is not just a walk down the memory lane,but a unique endeavour and platform for thinkers,musicians,painters and poets across borders to get together and build bonds, says Sandhu,as she talks about Saanjhe Rang Panjab De,their project,which gets small groups to India and Pakistan on a regular basis for story readings,art exhibitions and interactive sessions. It all started at a Punjabi conference in 2004. The exchange of ideas that began there has continued ever since, says Sandhu.

But that is not all since the trio is also trying their best to reunite people from across the border. We met a fruit-seller in Lahore,whose sister was working near Amritsar and the two had not met for more than 50 years. We arranged for a visa and had him come to India to meet his sister, says Tiramazi,who now divides his time between Pakistan and London. He has used various stories of Partition and woven them into a play titled A Lifetime of Tiptoes in the past. This visit will probably make me write the second part of the play, says Tirmazi. Apart from re-recording a song from the play,Tiramazi is also working on creating an interesting slide show that will blend the classical music of Salamat Ali Khan,the poetry and songs of Trimazi and photographs by Altaf. The slide show will run at the studio of the Department of Indian Theatre,Panjab University on Sunday.

While here in Chandigarh,the three are working on Voices of Partition,a documentary based on Partition,which will narrate itself through the voices of people who have lived during that time. Reconstructing oral histories with audio recordings,music and pictures,the documentary will reach the audience through radio,Internet and private screenings. The trio is interviewing people in both India and Pakistan for the project. We realise that there was a sense of bonhomie at that time. Our anguish deals with how all that was lost and taken away. Still,there is so much yearning for each other, says Tirmazi,who adds that they recently recorded the experiences of an 86-year-old chana seller living in Chandigarh,who moved to India in 1947. They were all affected,they still long for their homes and people. Through them,we too are still finding where we belong,and so the journey continues, concludes Sandhu.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Loading Taboola...