Once upon a camera Beautiful Chaos: an evening at the beach

PAKISTAN | Monday, 14 January 2013 | Views [1003] | View Smaller Image

At dusk, a horse rider is seen galloping by the sea. This moment is forever etched in my memory as it reminded me of the carefree days of my childhood. This young man seemed to embody that freedom as he rode oblivious to the buzz of the city and its citizens. He seemed so free with each stride striking a musical note to one's ears. It was almost poetic...

Tags: karachi, pakistan, clifton

In the evening, locals relax on the shores of Sea-view beach in Karachi. This was my first time at an actual (oceanic) beach in nearly 20 years. I was born in Pakistan but grew up in Toronto, Canada so experiencing the Indian ocean & the Arabian Sea up-close was a surreal experience.

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My house-keeper carrying his young son, walks towards the water. His name is Badshah & he requested that his face not be revealed. His father was an Afghan refugee who worked for my extended family. I met Badshah when he was a young boy. After his father's passing, he was raised by my god mother to whom he is ever loyal to this day. Badshah is content with very little. I once asked him if he wished he was richer. He said no. His struggle makes him more grateful for what he has. Not many people are as lucky, he said. It was heartening to see the genuine simplicity in the normal & routine movements of daily living & that people still preferred a simple life.
When I first arrived in Karachi, Badshah had heard that my wish was to walk on Karachi's sandy beaches. These places hold fond memories as my family use to frequent them often when I was a child. To my pleasant surprise, with only a few days left to my departure, my wish came true when Badshah & his family took me to Seaview & Clifton beaches. I am forever indebted to his generosity & service.

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Once upon a camera Beautiful Chaos: an evening at the beach

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