We Are Not In Their Shoes

Since the day I had a surgery until today I had read eight books and watched five movies. I've discovered, skipping serious physical activities has allowed me to have some luxurious moments like: I don't need to stop at the gym after work or putting on my running gear on Saturday and Sunday morning and pound the beach or running trail along Charles River. But I do really miss serious workout.

On the other hand, I managed to read all the books I had put aside to read. These are the books I put back on the bookshelves when I found myself attracted to another interesting books. Teacher Man by Frank McCourt, Dancing Girls of Lahore by Louise Brown, Fisher King by Paule Marshall, Islam and Democracy- Fear of the Modern World (second time) by Fatema Mernissi, Women of Sand and Myrrh by Hanan al-Shaykh, On Writing by Stephen King, Rule By Secrecy by Jim Marrs and Ceritalah-Malaysia in Transition by Karim Raslan (Nina in Amsterdam sent me this book).

When I read bibliobibuli's latest entry about Shantaram is banned in Malaysia, I wonder if any of those people read Dancing Girls of Lahore. I wonder if Dancing Girls are on the shelves in bookstores in Malaysia. You see, Dancing Girls of Lahore is about the lives of women in Lahore's red light district called Heera Mandi. These women had been trained and groomed even before they hit a puberty to become prostitute.

They are frowned upon by society, most of them are illiterate, they live in a cramp buildings which are not save. Their lives are within the walls of Heera Mandi.

And when these women have children, they continue to groom their daughters to take their places, because by the age of thirty their loyal customers will be more interested in their daughters even the customers are old enough to be the little girls grandfathers.

I wonder if they will ban Dancing Girls of Lahore because all these women are Muslims and their loyal customers are Muslims men. Some of them have tittles and influence in their society. 

Some of these young girls, as young as eight years old are sent to Gulf states for some old sheikhs who collect virgins. Not that they keep these young girls, but these old pedophiles have one thing in mind. They molest the young girls as many as they could and hide behind their tittles and money.

Some of us would get upset and defensive when it comes to issues like  prostitution and adultery. The first thing we will say, Islam prohibit prostitution. But then we always confuse between what is written in the Book and what we do in daily life.

I wonder what makes these people think by banning books and movies or sensitive issues, people would stop from doing it. Tell your self, "Don't forget to call so and so,". You turn around you forget about it because our brain react to the opposite.

Tell your child, "Don't open that drawer." You think your child would listen?

When I finished Dancing Girls of Lahore, I was emotionally exhausted-sad, angry and a little wiser about another lives in another place.

Comments

[Azah]

5 weeks! I am so jealous. Enjoy your visit home and eat lots of good food for me. Speaking of Water, I also enjoyed it very much - my eyes were puffy the next day from crying.

[anasalwa]

Jackie,
I'll be away for five weeks. I haven't had a real vacation since year 2000.
I've heard about the movie and saw the book at the book store. I'm thinking of getting it too. I rented the video, Fire (a relationship between two women)by the same director Deepa Mehta. It was amazing. And Shabana Azmi, the main character in Fire was mesmerizing.

Sharon,
Perhaps we should write more about books and movies that stimulate our minds:))

kish,
we cannot hope for them to be more open, but we always could make an effort to go out find out ourselves. We cannot let people do the thinking for us.

[bibliobibuli]

thanks for linking me

i haven't heard about this book being banned, but reading your description it would probably be a good candidate LOL - i will look out for it.

which just shows how silly it all is. and you're quite right banning makes people want to read things more. i hope to create that desire even more strongly by writing about the books that get banned to create interest ... and that to some extent undoes the power of the banners

hope you're feeling better. very nice blog.

[kish]

one day NST news paper came out with a story about ex-wife of Sir ...oh i didn't remember his name the ex-Beatles singer, who sell herself to rich, famous and influences muslim arab. i hope they will be more open about this kind of issue. hope to get the dancing girl of lahore soon....

[Jackie]

Have a safe trip! How long do you get to stay? I want to read the Dancing Girls now. It's a different country and culture, but have you seen the movie "Water"? It's by an Indian director (woman) and is the third in her series - the second was "Fire" - (I can't remember if the first was "Earth" or some other element). It too is about women who are treated poorly by their society, simply because they are widows. I loved the movie.
I am also very happy for you that your biopsy was negative! Take care.