SUFI

Sufi Festival

We're in Lahore, Pakistan at the moment, which is cool. Actually, it's not cool at all, it's hot.  But everything besides the heat is wonderful.  We have been here about a week now and should be heading north (towards the mountains) in a few days time.  Since we've been here we've spent a lot of time just wandering around the streets.  The people are out of this world friendly.  Wherever we go we're showered with presents of anything from string to keep your trousers up, to chai, to sweets.  People are genuinely hospitable, going 10 minutes out of their way just to walk you to the street you're looking for.  The streets themselves are wonderful in a crazy, 'oh lordy, I'm about to be mowed down by a horse & cart' kind of way! 

Wall of Death

The highlight of Pakistan so far has been a Sufi festival.  There were just us five tourists (a guy who's travelled overland from his homeland in the Czech Republic and a couple who've ridden a TANDEM here from their town in Austria!).  First we visited a fairground and watched what is called 'the wall of death'.  I don't know if you've heard of this, but I've never seen anything like it.  First the worst lady boys I've ever seen came out & strutted their stuff.  We then walked to the top of a gigantic barrel type construction & stood peering over the top.  The lady boys entered into the bottom & wiggled and jiggled for about 10 mins before what can only be described as an absolute psycho ventured out.  He (who was a 'he' wearing 'him' clothes) jumped on a motorbike & proceeded to ride it in circles around the barrel.  He rode the bike so it climbed the walls in circles, throwing his hands all over the place, going faster & faster - the whole structure which we were standing on was trembling & shaking as he got closer & closer to the top.  Paul kept telling me to take a picture, but I couldn't take my eyes away from this guy (incase he went into orbit!)...the lady boys were all still stood at the bottom chatting, some on their mobiles!  Absolutely wonderful.  One of the most bizarre things I've ever seen. 

Sufi Festival

We then crossed the road & went to the Sufi festival, which is another one of the most bizarre things I've ever been party to.  The festival was at a Sufi shrine, in celebration of the 'death day' of a famous Sufi.  The atmosphere was really magical, lots of lovely candles & a far more chilled out atmosphere compared to the mania across the street!  There was a circular crowd of maybe 100 people, around a few superb musicians (drummers, horn player and 2 bagpipers, with full on tartan bagpipes!!!!).  In the centre of this chaos was a Sufi man with long messy hair, wearing red robes. Spinning.  I'd heard about Sufi spinning from a few places but still wasn't clear exactly what it was.  So to clarify, Sufi spinning is a Sufi, spinning. Round and round and round.  It's kind of like a game called 'dizzy ducks' that we used to play at school, where you basically spin around and around until you fall over.  Well, imagine if you do that but you don't fall over.  These Sufis spin for hours.  How & why they don't throw up a lung like most people would, I'm not entirely sure.  It's really got to be seen to be believed. The music was incredible too & you had to fight yourself not to jump up and join in the spinning.

Because we are foreigners, we got prime seats in the front row, next to the host.  The host was a BIG man, adorned with BIG stones & jewels, he also had a BIG wallet with lots of 5rs notes (4p/6c), which he threw over the Sufi & continually gave to the musicians.  once we'd sat down & were really getting into the music; chain, breads and garlands of roses were thrust upon us.  A very kind man also gave me a beautiful silver pendant, which has a rare stone in it (called something like 'akaik'). He wanted diddly squat in return - just here's a gift, have a good night.  Incredible.  But have a good night we did.  I don't think I can explain this event at all, perhaps I'll try to recreate it when I get home - any volunteers for the Sufi spinner!?

It's been too hot to do so much during the day.  So we've been taking it easy.  We visited the museum, which was surprisingly not at all boring and also went to a mosque.  There was another Sufi night, which was fantastic.  Last night we went to a Kawali music night and tonight there's apparently a Sufi vocalist coming to our guest house to perform. People are so excited that they've gone out & braved the red tape & paid the 45p/60c for an alcohol license!  In this dry country, where only foreigners with this license can buy alcohol, it's always a good night for the guys who work in the hotel!

We went to the hotel owner's village.  I cooked for 6 people on an open fire (vegetable curry with chapatti bread), we showered using a pump & hose then slept under the stars!  It was a beautiful rural village.

I just wanted you all to know that Pakistan is a wonderful country & I can't wait to spend more time here.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z GENERAL

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