I am on a family visit to Pakistan... Islamabad and Lahore are exotic, beautiful, and larger than life. I have grown up on stories that my Muslim grandmother from Lahore wove... stories about Eid, and kheer, about flying kites, and dancing with hoor paries (fairies!), about the amazing and plentiful foods, about living from the heart, sufi, rumi, kahlil gibran...
So when I finally arrived here two days ago, expectant, receptive, and delighted to be a part of a family wedding, all my senses are open. Hungry, dreaming, mind wanting to experience what my grandmother described!
Lahore Airport is like what I was hoping. From the instant I set foot on Lahore soil, people were wishing Salaam Valeikum, opening doors, and generally filling our hearts with a sense of welcome so alien to New Delhi. Smiles and handshakes, fill our souls with pleasure... the bathroom is a dream. And no one pestering you or "expecting" a tip, unlike some bathrooms in Delhi airport... I smile as I start on my journey out of the airport and into the warm avuncular arms of my dear Imtiaz Mamu, my uncle who, like me, has decided to heal the world, with reiki and other such therapies, my soft ex farmer, salt of the earth Imtiaz Mamu... Lahore is pure L-O-V-E!
But Islamabad is a completely different ballgame! From the instant I step into the airport, I am greeted and assaulted by different emotions and feelings. From the two porters standing at the front "guarding" "their" luggage trolleys, only wanting to help those who wanted to pay them, to the urine smelling toilet with the old hag wanting a tip only because she was there... to the taxi drivers who want to rip you off, to the people we meet who want to immediately "slot" us into what work, what socio economic background, etc... Hello, have we reached another Delhi? Islamabad is pure P-O-L-I-T-I-C-S.
And then I see it. Clear and simple. Whenever a city revolves around politics, like Delhi and Islamabad, love has to be disintegrated. There can be no love with politics. But I sure wish it were possible!
So, tell me, what do you think? Do you think our politicians should try and heal India with love? Especially in this flag waving 60th year of India's independence, should our leaders look at changing India with love, rather than discrimination. With freedom, rather than fear. With no religion, rather than secularism. And a focus on our children and old people, the future and past of our country... rather than the selfish able bodied young people, the present...?
My answer: a resounding yes!
What do you think?
Love,
Jhilmil
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