DESPARDES — IT’S A WATERSHED day in the history of the subcontinent. “The future trajectory of Pakistan and India cross over,” says a Pakistani defense expert. “We take a flight towards inclusiveness and tolerance and India takes the path of bigotry and intolerance”.
Kartarpur Corridor opened today (Poet of the East Allama Iqbal’s birth anniversary coincidentally). This video of Bulleh Shah poetry being sung by one of the residents at the site says and wraps it all up in Pakistani-style Blues…
In yet another bright sliver of changing faces as the country crosses the Rubicon from terrorism to tourism, inclusiveness, diversity– all things money can’t buy (rest with cash & MasterCard) are two microcosm events of interest…
And the violinist in Islamabad who attracts music lovers to his ‘fusioned numbers’ like honey bees.
October-November (Fall/Autumn) has been a Spring. A broad stroke of the brush is the upcoming 13-day Art Festival in the capital (starting Nov 18) in which more than 230 artists worldwide will showcase their works.
It follows October visit (5-day) of Prince William and Kate Middleton. The great Royal lady internationalized shalwar kameez and dupatta in ‘green’ as ‘the color’ (moveover Black) and it become a fashion statement worldwide– even barefoot visiting a mosque is an added plus to the fashionistas.
All these add up to the re-emerging albeit real (or ought to be according to some observers) side of the region with Pakistan as center of gravity– “priceless,” says one.
