FarQuest Fariha's Quest: Finding an answer to the question "Why can’t Utopia be a reality?" Wish to add some colors of Utopia to this world because I dare to dream and strive to turn my dreams into reality!

…and no I’m not planning be an adakaara not because I don’t want to be but because I already ‘am…ask my ama about how well I can act being sick when I don’t want to go anywhere and shoo why do I always start bragging? :S The purpose of this post is to talk about Katha Theater’s humorous play “Main Adakaara Banoongi” which has been organized by Rotary Club and is being played at the Arts Council Auditorium since 6th June, 09 everyday from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. (in fact make it 11:00 p.m. ) I got a chance to to visit theater for the first time yesterday to watch this play and it was an absolutely wonderful and thrilling experience. Don’t have much time at the moment to write in detail about my experience but ‘am putting together this post to let you all know that if you want to spend some fun time away from the worries we are regularly surrounded by then you MUST go and watch this play. Another positive thing about this play is that, all its proceeds will go to different charitable projects of Rotary, at the top of which is the “Artificial Limb Project”. So, you will get a chance to get entertainment and contribute for a noble cause at the same time. It’s the last day of the play today so, please spread the word.

You can find some details about the play on KMB, CIO Pakistan’s website, Jehan’s ITLOW and Sana’s Mystified Justice

The ticket is for Rs. 700 and is available at Agha’s Super Market, Raintree Spa at Forum and even at the Venue.

I shall write a detailed post about my experience soon InshAllah

Disclaimer: The author has not been paid to write this promotional post and it is completely based upon her personal experience.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed,it’s the only thing that ever has” - Margaret Mead

I read this quote that I completely believe in, while reading a short interview of Dallas Jessup here who’s a 17 year young girl but a CEO, founder & spokesperson of/for “Just Yell Fire” and has made a difference in the lives of a million girls already.

Just Yell Fire’s message as their site says is:

“…. that girls and young women have the right to live their lives without fear of assault or abduction. The Just Yell Fire mission is to put predators out of business…”

They go to educational institutions and train girls the essential tactics of self-defense so that they can fight back if/when being sexually assaulted. I remember that this is exactly the idea that my ex-colleague E and I had in mind about 2 years ago and we kept dreaming about it but couldn’t turn it into reality and today when Jamash shared the link about “Just Yell Fire” with me, I felt my dream has come true. Being a female myself, I very well realize what one has to face when you are out of the comfy shelter and the protective shields that your family has created for you. It feels worst, when you can’t do anything but live with a continuous fear all the time. However, non-profitable organizations like “Just Yell Fire” appear to be a ray of light, a hope for all the females across the world. I so wish, they come to Pakistan as well and train a group here that can in return train more girls.

People might have heard me speaking against Female Harassment at various places and at different occasions and ‘am proud to say that I’m a feminist (please don’t confuse feminist with female chauvinist); but a lot might have probably thought of me working to launch yet another *NGO* which fights for female rights. If you are also one of them, then let me explain that it is not so, all I want is to change the mindsets of some people of our society, make them realize how torturous it is for women to listen to your lewd comments, see you staring and a lot more that merely is fun for you but can very qualify as female harassment as this unwanted attention is extremely disturbing for females. My primary objective will be to focus on the forms of females harassment that are given least importance yet they are the most common ones and for this I need not launch yet another NGO but rather contribute in my own little way through blogging online or otherwise by carrying out discussions/sessions that can trigger the changing of mindsets; because unless we change the way people think, nothing will work.

Flipping TV channels in the evening today, I came across the program "Awam ki Awaz" on CNBC Pakistan and the topic for the episode was "Prejudice towards Hijras" (Hijra is an urdu word for members from the third gender).  While the host interviewed different people from this community, asking them why they don’t choose to go for professions like others(men and women) do, most of them said, "..because of the attitude of these men and women" i.e.  because of us, the so called normal people. One of them told that she had studied till intermediate and wanted to study even further to become a doctor but had to quit because of the attitude of society towards them. According to them, people often end up making their life miserable and force them to go for the conventional "hijra" get up and activities even if they are not willing to.

As I watched the program, I realized how majority usually treats them with disgust and then various questions flooded my mind. Why don’t we let them lead their lives as we do? Get education and go for careers as we do, being what they really are? Why do we expect them to conceal their gender before they could work/study with us? Why the "Eww" feeling even when some of them actually make it big being famous designers/make up artists, we proudly wear what they design and pay thousands to get a makeover done from their salons?

Why can’t we simply accept them as they are and enable them to contribute to the society in more positive ways. No wonder one of them might end up doing something to make us and this country feel proud of! So, is this prejudice ever going to end?

"Am I still alive? " I guess so because internet hasn’t yet been made accessible at hell I believe (or even heaven if I’m lucky enough to land there ) The purpose of this mindless post is to get me back to some serious blogging again …a lot is happening in life…attending a lot of events, discussions, meet ups but havn’t been able to blog about most of them since was facing some major internet disruptions for the past few weeks and power outages to add to my suffering! So, in the little time I get to come online …I wud use twitter to make quick updates about the various happenings

Feb 18th marked the 2nd anniversary of my bloggy baby and makes me realize that now when I have been into blogging for more than  2 years (yes more than 2 years because before FarQuest I used to blog on MSN Live spaces) I should start some serious blogging. Till date I have mostly used this space for venting out my feelings about whatever I come across in my day to day life but now I guess it’s time to do something more than that.

I’m bored of the current theme of my blog…started smartifying 2 WP themes to convert them into Blogsome themes but  left both in middle…don’t know when will I be able to complete one of them…or I might get my own domain!!

Hoping to come back soon! 

So, FarQuest turns 2 today MashAllah…and before the clock strikes 12 and the date changes..I shud post the bday post.

Details later InshAllah. 

Image Credit: Wild Cakes on Flickr

IM, Emails, Blogs, Forums, Cell phones, Calls, SMS, Voice Chat and many more…..

Major Purpose: Communication 

and localization of all these communication channels…

Major Purpose: Improving communication by decreasing language barrier

In today’s digital age not many of us can imagine living without access to any of these communication media..

However, looking at those who don’t have access to any of these media can make you cherish the importance of the most elementary form of communication - face to face communication!

While coming back from office today, I saw two servant boys (about 12 years of age–yeah yeah I know CHILD LABOR but that needs a separate post) . While I was entering the elevator, one of them was already inside and the other one entered with me. When the one inside saw the other one coming, I saw an amazing sparkle in his eyes, he quickly pressed the button for reaching 11th floor on which the one entering with me asked, "Why did you press that?" He remained silent and just with the movement of his eyes told him that I did it for you.  The two guys moved  a little closer and their conversation started:

Boy 1: "Tun sindhi ahain?" ( Are you Sindhi?)

Boy 2: "Na main Saraiki" (No I’m Saraiki.)

Boy 1: "Hai mobile kathon watui?" (Where did you buy this mobile from?)

and to his this question Boy 2 again replied in Saraiki which I was unable to understand but by the time I stepped out of the elevator, both of them were conversing fluently with eachother, one in Sindhi and the other one in Saraiki.  Even though Sindhi and Saraiki sound a bit similar when spoken but still I was really surprised to see how the young kids start communicating in two different languages so quickly. I’m not able to pick Saraiki much despite being fluent in Sindhi so I was impressed even more and got this strange pleasant feeling as well to see that those whom we pity by saying unpriviledged because they don’t have all these modern communication channels are actually God-gifted to use what they have in the best possible manner; unlike us who in order to understand the content from any language that’s foreign to us will have to have Google Transaltor or else we’ll be al most helpless!

Yesterday, I was sitting all confused, a bit frightened too, not too willing to trust people because of the few people I have come across and who turned out to be completely different from what they seemed to be or what they claimed to be. One thought that was circling around inside my mind was "Whom to trust and whom not to?", "Who is true and who’s not? ", "Shall I forgive those who turn out to be liars/hypocrites?" and it was then that I sat down to get my daily dose of Quranic verses and amazingly enough I got my hands on this verse:

 Show forgiveness, enjoin Al-’Urf (the good), and turn away from the foolish (don’t punish them). ) (200. And if an evil whisper comes to you from Shaytan, then seek refuge with Allah. Verily, He is All-Hearer, All-Knower.)

(Surah Al-Araf Ayat No. 199) (Web Reference: Tafsir.com)

(Tafsir can be found here)

SubhanAlllah…what a co-incidence…i said to myself but just then i recalled what I had read in the book "Your Sacred Quest" by Wayne Dyer just a few days back; that we live in God’s intelligent system where there’s intelligence behind whatever happens.So true! Once you accept this, you’ll enjoy experiencing co-incidences as with this new perception, you’ll get to see the intelligence behind them as well

Undoubtedly,  He(SWT) is GREAT!

Scene 1

Me: Please let A know that Fariha has come to see her

Security Guard(while talking to A over intercom): Madam, Farida is here

A: Farida..who??

Guard: Madam, Farida!

Me: Err…Fariha ..FariHA..FariHA Akhtar!

Guard: Jee..she’s saying Farida Akhtar

Guard(hangs up and tells me): My wife’s name is also Farida

Me: DUH!!! 

Scene 2

Me (checking out shawls in the market) when a shopkeeper notices me and says "Jee baby kiya chahye aapko"

Me…..arrgggggggg…..

So, amidst all the frustrations, illness, vacations, enjoyment etc. etc…this is what I was going through.that’s nothing significant at all ..just decided to give myself and my bloggy some rest but I guess I’m back now!