That man on the street

Rumana Husain’s book is a reminder that there is more to Karachi than lawn sales, garden parties

KARACHI:

Rumana Husain’s Street Smart is not only a visual treat and a great coffee table adornment but also is exceptionally insightful. Most of the people like us have lived in Karachi for long periods of time, but have somehow never been introduced to the ones that keep the wheels of his tumultuous city turning. The ones who wake up at the crack of dawn, to not only ensure their livelihood, but to ensure we have their various skills at our disposal; when and if we need them.

Husain’s book shifts the limelight onto such individuals via interviews and photographs and I’m glad she does, because we now get a glimpse into their lives, their hopes and dreams and their struggles. Whereas previously, they were just our doodhwala, our chauffeur or the lady down the street selling flags in various shades of proud green.

The author is one of the founding members of the I Am Karachi movement, and as per the foreword written by the eloquent Ghazi Salahuddin, the book is a “concentrated effort (along with the movement) to underline the potential strength of the city”.



Aptly titled Street Smart, the book, with its glossy pages and striking images, is a quick read. But it leaves a mark. It makes you wonder about all the people you see on the streets of Karachi and how they’re familiar yet complete strangers.

All stories are interesting because of the history of these professionals, their struggles and their successes. But some are particularly memorable. One of these stories is that of Ali Nawaz, the cap hawker or topi bechnay wala. The pictures taken of him are vibrant and engaging; the glint in his eye catches the reader immediately. There is hard work etched on the lines on his face, yet there is hope and even a little humour in his eyes. He introduces his trade by proudly stating “No Sindhi worth his name stays away from sporting Sindhi caps in different colours and designs right?” His story is similar to many of those in the book. The long hours, the dependent family and being away from home is a theme that repeats itself often.



Husain takes us on a visual and written tour introducing us to a flower seller, newspaper vendor, mango vendor among many others who have come to Karachi to carve out a bit of a better life for themselves and their families. Another thought-provoking story is that of Niaz Husain who is a scavenger. He had started off as a helper to the cook at Quetta’s famous Serena Hotel. He states that it may seem that his position would entail good salary and free food but that was far from the truth. He was unable to make ends meet and eventually gave up. He begins his day at 9am, looking for open plots of land to find paper and plastic bags, which he then sells to his employer for a meagre amount of Rs200-300. Sometimes he stumbles upon food but that’s rare. He ends his interview by saying, “I have been doing this for five years now; what else can I do? Life is tough!”

There is a surprising lack of women featured in this book. There is the poppadom hawker Khadija Bai and cleaning cloth hawker Surayya, as well as Bashiran, the flag seller. But that’s where the list ends. Husain has highlighted this as well, stating the lack of security and protection on the streets as a possible reason. The stories are many, but the message is clear. For me, Husain’s book was a wonderful read because it helped me understand my fellow Karachiite. It’s a gentle reminder that the city is much more than coffee shops, lawn sales and garden parties.

The author is a published short story writer and blogger, with a background in advertising. She is a voracious reader and is passionate about travelling. She tweets @sufipanda

Published in The Express Tribune, January 31^st, 2016.

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