Haan, so yesterday, I said to Kulchoo, “Congratulations, beta.”
“What for?”
“For Basant,” I said.
“What’s that?” he asked.

Haw, look at him! Doesn’t know Basant even. He’s become a foreigner. I tau fully blame Kick Cock and all this social media shedia. He’s so busy looking at hurry canes in Thailand and football matches in Milan that he’s forgotten about our own culture. Next, he’ll be asking me kay what is Holloween?

So, I said to him, very gently, very sweetly, “Beta, Basant is kite flying festival in February. In not so olden days, Lahore was famous for it. On that day, everyone wore yellow and climbed on to rooftops to fly kites. Lots of rooftop parties happened and gaana bajana also and much halla gulla. Foreigners used to come from Isloo to take part and Karachiites who, poor things, never had anything like it, used to come from Karachi. Even some Indians from India came. When there was still aana jaana and uthna baithna between us. Whole weekend was non-stop fun.”

“Before my time,” said Kulchoo. “So, what happened to it?”

“It was band.”

“Why?”

“Because people, some people fell off rooftops and guvmunt said kite strings cut........

© Dawn (Magazines)