The Seer without a Future

I took this photo in a fair at the Race Course Park (now renamed the ‘Jilani Park’). The renaming of old buildings and roads is a separate rant, so I won’t get into it right now :-)

The ‘Palmist’ himself was an interesting figure, and his marketing ploy was what made me take the photo. ‘Only God Knows Better’, well maybe, maybe not. What is also interesting to note is the mixing of pseudo sciences, Palmistry and Astrology, which he seems to be unaware of. (Well also the different spellings of his name).

But what is ultimately the most ironic part of the photo is that the seer sitting there in his makeshift booth telling people about their future is unaware that he doesn’t have much of one himself.

Photo: The Seer without a Future.
Nikon D200. Nikkor 18-70mm. ISO 800. 1/60s @ f4.

Happy Birthday Pakistan, my sincere commiserations

Driving around Lahore today looking to find a photo that would sum up the 59^th Independence Day of Pakistan I could not bring myself to take a picture of the hundreds of thousands of ‘patriotic’ citizens running around in their Paki green attire. Some of them would have made interesting subjects and there was no lack of enthusiasm among the revelers, but I kept wondering just exactly what they were celebrating.

59 years of unfulfilled promise, corrupt inept leadership and poverty?

I drove around for an hour or so and finally saw the ad above on the Jail Road. Just a Pakistani flag, an innocent face and a simple message. I’ll take that over misplaced optimism any day.

By the way, it is interesting to note how the white strip in the Pakistani flag has become less and less important over time, just like the role of the people it is supposed to represent.

Photo: Happy Birthday Pakistan.
Nikon D200. Nikkor 18-200mm. ISO 100. 1/125s @ f5.6.