Chapati Mystery

An Abandoned Man

by patwari August 3, 2011

If tear-streaked faces of broken families begged you to stop killing their sons, would you reflect and see your wrongs, or would you still load your guns? For every girl who lost a father, every wife now a widow, I hope you see that you have spilled, the blood splattered on my window * I [...]

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holydays

The Hamburg Type

by sepoy August 2, 2011

I recently visited Hamburg and decided, on a lark, to only photograph street typography. The results are here. Enjoy. Some of the photos document the Iranian traders of carpets who came to Hamburg in the 1870s and 80s. There is also one photo of love, scream.

The Goat-Spy Diaries – From Dajjal Island to Keemari Jetty

by Jassasa August 2, 2011

Click on Page 1 to read the diary from the beginning Page the Third—In which Jassasa learns the truth about the infamous Dajjal Island and the circumstances of his landing at Keemari Jetty A VAGUE ANXIETY took hold of me as I steered my vessel toward the source of light which was now blinking [...]

The Goat-Spy Diaries – “Oye, Jassasa!”

by Jassasa August 1, 2011

Click on Page 1 to read the diary from the beginning Page the Second—In which is revealed how Jassasa started in search of the designated land aboard a steamer furnished by Providence NO SOONER DID I inform Master about the End of Time thing than he turned upon me with an I knew it! They [...]

The Goat-Spy Diaries

by Jassasa July 31, 2011

Being the private papers of Jassasa, the goat-spy of the true False Messiah, the End-of-Times Deceiver, the One-Eyed Antichrist aka Dajjal Page the 1st—In which is revealed how Dajjal and Jassasa were alerted to the approach of the End of Time OKAY, SO NOW it’s confirmed: Evil’s really risen in the world. This morning [...]

Coming very, very soon…

by lapata July 30, 2011

imperial watch

Dic Lit

by lapata July 26, 2011

I. A Terribly Attractive Man I probably first heard the name Qaddafi on the radio, from NPR, an always present background noise in my childhood. But the name only acquired meaning when I heard it uttered by my Great Aunt in a stage whisper to my mother: “That Mr. Qaddafi is terribly attractive!” She hissed, [...]

holydays

Coming Soon

by sepoy July 26, 2011

The Middle Man

by sepoy July 20, 2011

I was asked, by Murtaza Vali, to write for a “Manual of Treason” which dealt with the notion of treason and affiliation in the colonial and postcolonial settings. I offered to write on the case of Seth Naomul Hotchand (1804-1878) and the annexation of Sindh in 1843 by the East India Company. The essay was [...]

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imperial watch

American Democracy was a form of self-murder, always. Or of murdering somebody else.

by sepoy July 15, 2011

Studies in Classic American Literature (1923) by D. H. Lawrence BENJAMIN FRANKLIN had a specious little equation in providential mathematics: Rum + Savage = 0. Awfully nice! You might add up the universe to nought, if you kept on. Rum plus Savage may equal a dead savage. But is a dead savage nought? Can you [...]

imperial watch

Funny Face

by lapata June 28, 2011

You fill the air with smiles For miles and miles and miles Though you’re no Mona Lisa For worlds I’d not replace Your sunny, funny face I love your funny face Your sunny, funny face You’re not exotic but so hypnotic You’re much, too much If you can cook the way you look I’d swim [...]

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WTWFA Now Available on Amazon

by sepoy June 12, 2011

Yes! If/when you buy it, and read it, I would appreciate comments on Amazon (be partisan!) and also your grandmother wants this book. love, s

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univerCity

On Academic Blogging with Amitava Kumar

by sepoy June 7, 2011

The esteemed Amitava Kumar, who wrote the foreword for the CM book, interviewed me for his column on academic blogging: Manan Ahmed is a historian. He is also a blogger who started the blog Chapati Mystery. His blog-posts have been curated into a book that is coming out this month. Manan’s publisher asked me to [...]

Over at The Caravan

by sepoy May 31, 2011

I have a piece in Hindoostani glossy magazine The Caravan Beta. It is about my research trip to Uch Sharif. Actually, no, but almost about that. Here is a paragraph that didn’t make the cut (or got cut, rather) but I liked it: To make conversation, I told him about the Arab migrations of the [...]

holydays

Announcement: CM BOOK!

by sepoy May 10, 2011

Gentle Readers. It has come to this. On or about May 31, 2011 you will be able to purchase Where the Wild Frontiers Are: Pakistan and the American Imagination – a curated, edited collection of my posts from CM and elsewhere. Some fine folks have contributed immense amount of their time and talent to make [...]

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At Sea

by sepoy May 4, 2011

I. Rudolph says to the sheriff, “For five long years you’ve tried. And you can search as long as you like, you can try with all your might, but I’ll see you in the sweet bye and bye. I’ll see you in the sweet bye and bye.” Sheriff says to Eric Rudolph, “Through caves and [...]

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univerCity

Lapata ka pata

by sepoy April 19, 2011

EVERYONE IN NY GO SEE LAPATA Wednesday, April 20, 5pm This Is Not That Dawn: A Book Launch Symposium on the English Translation of Yashpal’s Jhutha Sach. Jhutha Sach (1958-1960) is widely considered to be one of the masterpieces of Hindi literature, the most enduring of all works penned by militant Indian novelist, Yashpal (1903-1976). [...]

Lahore Snaps XV: A City About Food

by sepoy April 12, 2011

Lahore, if you want to believe me, is a city about food. The second most popular gossip in Lahore is about specific sites/corners in the city and the specific foods available there. The first most popular being a vehement disagreement/challenge/let-us-go-RIGHT-NOW-and-SEE about that food-stuff. Or maybe, this is just my Lahore. I mentioned earlier that I [...]

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Nabi Bux Khan Baloch, 1917-2011

by sepoy April 11, 2011

Belatedly, I have learned that the one of the most significant historian of Sindh, and one of the most meticulous historian in Pakistan, Nabi Bux Khan Baloch passed away on April 6, 2011. Almost every thing I have touched, directly related to my dissertation, was created, edited, compiled or reflected upon by Dr. Baloch. I [...]