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Mohammad Farooq

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Mohammad Farooq

Category Archives: Family Portraits

My Angelic Grandmother

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Posted by Mohammad Farooq in Biography, Family Portraits, General, Life, Memories, Tributes

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Picture: Mohammad Farooq

Eternal beauty has its facets, charms, and uniqueness. However, inner beauty possesses the density and depth which leaves a lasting impact. The distinctiveness of inner beauty does not subside, lose its sheen/shine over a period. Its reflection remains eternal and never fades away until the time of mortality runs out. Having witnessed the inner beauty of Zakia nano over thirty-five years, its existence and refreshment retains its aura and continue to be enchanting. Her presence bears a hallmark of elegance, dignity, contentment filled with bloom on that beaming smile of hers leaves you in awe.

It isn’t less than a blessing to be in the presence of such a benevolent lady, who has not only showered us with love but exhibited examples of virtuousness, mercy, kindness in every given way. Having spent a considerable amount of time in her presence, I have nothing but profound respect for her. Since childhood, I have received her love, care, and warmth, which has always left me clamouring for more. Not only her charisma but her towering personality has influenced us in every given way. I never saw my real grandmother; she died a few years before my birth. However, Zakia nano filled that void I never felt the absence of my maternal grandmother. While growing up and being a frequent visitor to 6 Nisar Road for over three decades, there has not been a single moment that I haven’t cherished and enjoyed in her presence. Her deft touch, softness and innocence always melt our hearts retain that magnetism. Moreover, Zakia nano has never differentiated between her real grandchildren and me and has always treated us equally and fairly. She has doted on all of us, and we can never pay back the love we have received except for praying for her health.

Zakia Hamid Jalal with her sister Safia Manto

Rarely do we find true blessings in our lifetime in any form, but God has granted Zakia nano with it in abundance. I have a lot of anger deep resentment which she somehow can interpret and decipher. Whenever I have faced such a situation, her words of wisdom and kindness to be steadfast in times of adversity and to remain calm have always helped me. There are no holds barred with her in my case There are no holds barred with her in my case. She has always listened to my grievances, offered guidance, advice in exchange. She gleams and blooms of an angelic presence, bestowed to her by God. Whenever I felt dejected, she has always raised my spirits with her gentleness and kindred spirit, which evokes a spirituality that I am devoid of. In her presence, you feel soothed and relaxed, with no sense of ever being overawed or overwhelmed.  She somehow figures out whenever I feel troubled or disturbed. She has such a profound sensitivity coupled with a beautiful soul that has always filled us with joy.

Her heart is full of love and affection for everyone and neither does it harbour any malice or bias towards anyone. The principles she instilled in her children and the generosity they exhibited throughout their respective lifetimes towards countless people bear her imprints. Never has she glorified herself; despite possessing such a beautiful heart and soul. Her observance and keenness at this age are exemplary. Her nature is subdued, and calmness personified. You can see the frown upon her face for the things she dislikes and disapproves of. Whenever I misbehave in front of her, she politely tells me to lower my tone and behave properly instead of scolding or rebuking me. Lastly, I can never say no to any request put forth by her. She encourages me to pursue my passion for reading and write as much I can.

The solitude and sublimity in her eyes have always been reassuring. It not only gives us strength but provides lessons of forbearance and sustenance in times of adversity. She remains the foremost example of humanity that I have come across in my entire life. From childhood till adulthood, I have looked forward to seeing my beloved Zakia nano. A visit to her house over the weekend has been a ritual for our family for decades. In her presence, I have always felt enlightened. She has fulfilled her role of the family patriarch with dignity and honour. The respect she has earned over her lifetime speaks volumes about her virtuosity. Not only is she forthright but retains that aura of simplicity and down to earth demeanour for which she is renowned. She is a model of excellence and learning from whom we all have drawn a lot of inspiration. Neither has she ever devoured things like so many people do, but her frugality remains exemplary.

No words can capture the essence and pay tribute to a woman of Zakia Nano’s calibre. She has filled the void of my late maternal grandmother, who I never saw. To have lived in the shadow of my angelic grandmother has been nothing short of a revelation. I consider myself not only lucky but privileged to have had the distinction of spending years with such a compassionate, kindred, and humane lady. Not only is being her grandson a badge of honour, but I also feel blessed that God gave me such a doting and loving grandmother. Our entire family owes a debt of gratitude to Zakia nano for bestowing us with so much affection we pray that God grants us her with an abundance of good health.

A man for all seasons: Shahid Jalal

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Posted by Mohammad Farooq in Art, Family Portraits, History, Humanity, Inspiration, Life, Memories, Tributes

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Image Credit: Ayesha Jalal

There are few places like home where you find yourself mystified by its aura of artistic and literary beauty. These places are not only visuals and spectacles of it but are vestiges of those who have lived there, made their presence felt and left an indelible impact. Their permanent imprints not only remain etched in our mind but are explorable around us.

Such an artist and painter extraordinaire, Shahid Jalal left us yesterday for the heavenly abode. A larger than life character, whose persona not only evoked his soft but outspoken demeanour, but who was also an intellectual, avid reader, a successful chartered accountant, but last and foremost a brilliant painter. He was a humble man, jovial, cheerful, and empathetic human being who was least candid about his achievements but was very approachable unlike other maestros of the art. He was an all-rounder, with a swathe of hobbies which included cooking, travelling, watching movies, and ingratiating with different cultures without any recourse to judgement. His simplicity unlike many of his other contemporaries coupled with a sharp intellect and intuition were hallmarks of his personality. Equipped with an unbelievable sense of humour, Mr Jalal could share tales from yesteryears and astound you with his sharp memory. Born on August 13th, 1948 to Hamid Jalal and Zakia Hamid Jalal, he was the eldest of three siblings which include his sisters Sabiha and the renowned historian Dr Ayesha Jalal.

I was privileged enough to have seen and witnessed him from close quarters courtesy the bond and the close relationship he shared with my mother Nuzhat Manto, who is also his aunt, cousin, and sister-in-law. Mr Jalal’s father was also the nephew of the legendary Urdu short story writer Saadat Hassan Manto and was married to his youngest daughter Nusrat. Married to Nusrat (my aunt) in 1972, both complemented each other and brought the best out of each other. Not only did they share an impeccable bond, but their understanding was exemplary. The fusion of both was reflective in the affection and love they shared for each other. Having virtually grown up seeing Shahid Jalal, I remained in awe of him and the manner, he conducted himself. There was not a hint of materialism in him despite his achievements and successes throughout his life. Honest to the core, but as he once told us that he was extremely ambitious, something we failed to notice personally. Not only was he easy-going, but devoid of any hang-ups, was outspoken and blunt to the core. I observed no notion of pride or ego in him, he was driven by his sociable and charitable causes with The Citizens Foundation with whom he was closely aligned for many years.

Image Credit: Ayesha Jalal

Familial bonds are driven by closeness and love, Mr Jalal ensured he helped those around him whether it was family members or his domestic help, he was always present irrespective of the situation. Morally upright and his honesty remained a highlight of his life, whose credentials could never be questioned. Much akin to his father, Hamid Jalal he shared his traits of empathy and kindness but emulated him in many other ways which would have made him proud. His artistic lineage and legacy remain alive and distinct with the contrasting visual aesthetics which were represented in his paintings. The sprightliness and brightness of his paintings, those contrasting colours his observant eyes captured were representative of who he was. His paintbrushes weaved magic and stroked the contours and beauty of nature’s sumptuousness in his artistic canvas. His paintings were a visual delight to see and left you stunned with his repertoire of skills he possessed. Imbued with multiple talents, not only was he a food connoisseur but he was so well-read and well versed in many facets of life, it was nigh unbelievable.

Image: Mohammad Farooq
Shahid Jalal’s paintings exhibition circa March 2017

Shahid Jalal’s paintings exhibition circa March 2017
Shahid Jalal’s paintings exhibition circa March 2017

I recall a trip as an eight-year-old in the summers of 1992 to Shogran, Naran and Kaghan in Khyber-Pakthunkhwa. His sense of adventure and passion knew no bounds; he genuinely knew how to enjoy holidays. He took us for long walks in the mountainous terrain around Shogran, we passed forests and our sense of foreboding knew no bounds. His keenness of exploration and revelling in those long walks, having food from a roadside Dhaba and introducing us to exotic new foods was his speciality. Around him, you could never feel bored but his candidness and frankness of tolerating guests for long periods was not his forte. Being an early riser, he was meticulous about his routine which included taking his dog Brandy for a walk, eating healthy food intermittently before lunch which was inculcated by my aunt Nusrat. Also, he used to go for painting early morning to capture the spirit of what he observed and saw before sketching it on his canvas. The Jalal household legendary for cherishing its afternoon sleep was also in-built in him and he derided those who visited or called in the afternoon. He was disciplined in his way and never imposed his will or thoughts on others. Equipped with a sharpness of mind, he never advised anyone of us unless we sought his counsel. Magnanimous at heart and frugal, Mr Jalal never exhibited any materialistic tendencies but evoked humanity and equality throughout his chequered life. A self-made man who rose through the ranks with sheer hard work and diligence, his career and life were an example for all of us on how to climb the ladder of success but not to lose sight of who we are and where we come from.

Embedded with a keen curiosity, he was a joy to interact with. It would be a disservice to not mention my aunt Nusrat, who as Mr Jalal’s wife and foremostly a friend complimented each other throughout their married life. The two individuals could not be more different; Mr Jalal a brash, outspoken, and frugal individual, on the contrary, is my aunt Nusrat, very principled, methodical, and quiet but with a mind of her own. However, I always felt that they were the ideal couple, not only did they have telepathy but the level of understanding and respect they developed for each other was unmatched. As my mother Nuzhat says, both were able to take the best of qualities of each other and forged them to the point of fruition. It is a testimony to the fact that my beloved uncle Shahid was unlike any other individual in our family, he was unique and special to all of us.

Rather than mourn my beloved uncle’s loss, I would like to celebrate his life which was full of accolades personally and professionally. He left an indelible impact on all of us, with his enthusiastic and positive approach towards life. As a father, husband, son, and brother, he vested his duties with genuineness and heartfelt love and retained no bitterness or grudges against anyone. He was like the changing seasons, who was always blossoming, bringing diversity and contrasts to our lives. His happy disposition, charisma, compassion, empathy, and kindness will keep illuminating our lives and those memories that he left behind will keep being cherished, remembered by every one of us. May God bless his soul. Amen.

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Me

Mohammad Farooq

Mohammad Farooq

Busines Journalist and ex-Senior Sub-Editor at Profit by Pakistan Today. Bylines in Dawn, Livemint India, Huffington Post, Express Tribune, MIT Techreview Pakistan,IGN Pakistan, . Interested in Technology affairs, history buff and Part qualified accountant.

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A lot has been going on…

  • My Angelic Grandmother December 14, 2021
  • A man for all seasons: Shahid Jalal August 19, 2020
  • The Merchants of Death June 18, 2020
  • The renaissance of reading books again September 25, 2019
  • Privilege is abusive July 31, 2019

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