The Underdog

All you need is one string of hair to cast a spell on someone. Pakistanis are superstitious. And, it’s always best to wear drab colours to look like everyone else. You don’t want to invite envy. You don’t want to look like a tourist in Karachi: the city of violence, the city of life.

For shopping, shiny places like Dolmen Mall in Clifton tempts anyone to waltz around stores like Nine West and Mango. But, I want to see Pakistan for its authenticity. I visit Hyderi Market in North Nazimabad, the largest sector in Karachi.

The car weaves around congested streets littered with rickshaws, and barefoot beggars. Car horns blared and entire families sitting on motorcycles whizzed by. At Hyderi, the parking lot is just dirt where a filthy boy wearing broken sandals cleans cars in hopes of some charity. Always keep your wallet close. Thieves are everywhere. Even the chalky-faced man with red lipstick dressed in a sari, holding out his hand for money is suspect.

Through the bustle of street vendors, trash covers the sidewalk and men crowd around. Their yellows eyes stare down any woman passing by and they stick out their fingers for a feel. I wander into a shoe store with a gaping hole in the ceiling. From it, a man peers down as someone below barks out numbers. He disappears and throws down a couple of boxes. I admire the fancy bejewelled sandals encased behind glass doors. The man above drops the box, and I buy it for a few Canadian dollars.

I also need to buy fabric to darn a few shalwar kameezes, fashionable Pakistani suits. Moving deeper inside, the hallways become narrow like little mazes. Fans blare at high speed, and I sit down at a stall where two men walk around shoeless on a white, cushioned floor. Behind them, I look in awe at the hundreds and hundreds of fabrics stacked in every colour and design possible. The storeowner hustles a customer. She bargains a few dollars off the aquamarine coloured fabric the other men measures with a stick. An olive skinned boy creeps nearby. His hat bobs while he balances a tray filled with empty glasses. The measuring man yells at the boy as he hands over the empty chai cups. I slip a few rupees onto his tray.

You come to Hyderi to bargain for unique Pakistani crafts like rugs, bangles, and feather hats.

To see its true glory, one should visit before Eid al-Fitr, a holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. One can feel the excitement, get hands adorn with henna, and stroll around the bazaars open all night.