Blast from the past: Take a look into the past before you embark on your next journey

Pursukoon Baithak features 28 benches that have been gifted to the citizens by 50 artists.

KARACHI:

The Cantt Railway Station wore an appealing look this Sunday as porters and commuters explored and marveled over the pop-up museum set up by the Citizens Archive of Pakistan (CAP).

The inauguration of the pop-up museum, the recently-renovated and the Pursukoon Baithak by Pursukoon Karachi added to the energy of the busy station as commuters and porters curiously stopped by to examine the latest additions to the historic railway station. CAP’s pop-up museum, conveniently located a few steps into the grand central hall of the Cantt station, invited the audience to take a look into their collective past before they went forward on their journey. The old suitcases, incorporating informative screens and headphones, placed outside the walk-through museum pulled the audience in through the two gates.



“We chose Cantt station because we wanted to support the efforts by Pursukoon Karachi and make it available for people who have never been to a museum before,” said Swaleha Alam Shahzada, the executive director of CAP. She added that the museum was specifically designed for those who were too shy to partake into cultural events. “When we got here, people were huddled together and they did not know if they should come inside,” she reminisced. Subsequently, Shahzada and her team spoke to the onlookers, inviting them inside to take a look around.

“CAP wants to create a museum in the long run. This is the first step towards that goal”, she revealed. The mini-museum, which is currently focusing on the theme of travel, will change its content from time to time.

“I learnt new things about the creation of Pakistan as well as things related to the railway station that I never know before,” said a porter, Saleemullah who hails from Shikarpur. “The police help centre used to be a very congested place,” he recalled. They have made it quite spacious and friendly-looking.”

The museum offers something to intrigue people from all walks of life. “It shows a glimpse of history that we did not know about,” said Seemi Hasan, a member of the audience. “As an architect, the technique and the effort that brought out the originality of the structure are very impressive.”

Marvi Mazhar, the heritage consultant at Pursukoon Karachi, who has been a key figure in the restoration process, briefed the chief guest, Sharmila Farooqi, on their efforts. “We should have outreach programs and guided tours to bring kids from different schools here so that they can mingle with each other and learn about the station and the history,” she suggested.

Pursukoon Baithak

The Pursukoon Baithak in the Baithak Park at Cantt Station features 28 benches, gifted by the collaboration of over 50 artists, designers and architects to the citizens as part of the efforts by Pursukoon Karachi. A tree was also planted at the site during the inauguration ceremony, dedicated to the martyrs of the Peshawar school carnage.



“We have funded these benches ourselves”, said Fazli Azeem who collaborated with Ramiz Baig to make a bench, titled ‘The sleeper’. The artists explained that they had borne in mind that sometimes passengers have to wait for long hours for the trains and they need a place to lie down.

The three-month efforts of the artists were translated into designs that are usually only seen in art galleries. The inspiration for these benches comes from railway tracks, tresses, rocking chairs, carts, the concept of unity, faith, discipline, pavilions, old traditional chairs or simply the idea of being in transit.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2014.