<<Religion, 'Deen' (the Way) or 'Dharma' (duty) are personal self-government instruments. Unfortunately they have been used too much for political and other purposes.>> 

Well said. The striking similarity between certain aspects of Sikhs and Muslims is mystifying. Sikh gurudwaras project out domes that resemble mosques. Also Sikh 'kirtan' sound so much like 'marsia'. The melodies of film 'Heer Ranja' typify this. In some way this familiarity exudes a feeling of oneness. 

<<He has described the position correctly. There is no such thing as security at the synagogue. It is open and welcoming. Visiting Indians of all backgrounds, as well as foreigners, flock in there.>>

Thanks for the vivid description of the Cochin synagogue. I never knew that it was looked after by Government of India Archaeology. I don't think the Bombay synagogues fall under the Archaeology. Besides the synagogue on Omar Khadi there is another one on Samuel Street (Pala Galli) across Masjid Bunder. It's intriguing that the Bombay synagogues are right in the middle of Muslim localities. 

In fact in many ways the Jews customs are similar to those of Muslims. The Jews like Muslims eat only 'halal' meat. I recall once while in London (sometime in the 80s) there was a row over 'halal' meat and it was the Jews who seemed conspicuous by their total abstinence from it. They were even more effective in their protest than the Muslims. 

Also the burial rites that the Jews perform seem identical to those carried out by the Muslims. 

While the day Friday (Jumma) is sacred to Muslims the Jews have theirs on Saturday (Sabbath). 

By the way, those keen on Indian films may know that actors David and Nadira were Jews. 

<<Regarding Abdulrazak Fazal's paean to Indian restaurants and food, I wonder if he recalls "kuku paka" served in the back streets of Dar in the early 60s?  I have always wondered at this Swahili contradiction (linguistically speaking) and have also searched, in vain, for a workable recipe for this simple dish.  Can anyone help?>> 

Thanks for reminding us of kuku paka. You must have eaten it and thus relishing its taste. It is a Zanzibari/Coastal speciality. If i'm not mistaken any dish relating to 'tui'(coconut cream) is termed 'paka'(spread over), hence 'kuku waku paka' or 'samaki waku paka'. 

The little i know about its recipe - Get some freshly squeezed coconut milk and mix it with red chillie paste, curry powder, salt and lemon. Half boil the chicken along with garlic and chillie pastes, salt and lemon. Then roast it for some time. Also boil the 'tui' to thicken it. In the end pour it over the chicken. 'Kuku paka' is ready (lol). Further, i'll check with the ladies and come back to you. 

<<It is a bit of overkill, in my opinion, including boiled eggs and potatoes. The dish I referred to earlier which we ate for shs.2.50(incl rice) was plain chicken in a light runny sauce, using thin coconut milk. Just to put you in the picture, I lived in Dar in 1955, Mwanza until 1958, thereafter 2 spells in Zanzibar, interspersed with a short period in Moshi, and Dar again from 1961 to 62 (I was there for Independence in the stadium).>>  

You're right, the Africans/Wangazija/Arabs use thin coconut milk in their preparation  of 'kuku waku paka'. 'Mama Tilie's is watery but commands sizeable clientale. The Wahindis(Indians) use thick cream for eating 'kuku waku paka' with chapati, paratha or mkate waajam but prefer thinner if it is to be eaten with rice. Not many make use of tomato sauce or potatoes. 

It was nice of you to tell us about your stay in Tanzania. Did you have a governmental job in Zanzibar? You were there for independence in the stadium and me too. We'd come on holidays from Zanzibar. Daressalaam was in the grip of festivities and the entire city illuminated with lights and decorations. We packed ourselves in a pick up and headed for the stadium. The atmosphere there was electric. Britain was represented by Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. At the stroke of midnight Tanganyika became independent. Amidst cheers and roars its flag was hoisted. The crowd went ecstatic. They had their aspirations of Uhuru, and hoped to thrive and prosper. Sadly all the hopes have withered away. Day after tomorrow (9th Dec.) in the midst of economic deprivation we will be observing the 43rd anniversary of our independence. God help us. 

<<Yes Abdulrazaq, I remember that programme and also Prafull Gajjar and that Goan chap John? and Bhanu & Indu Khatau and Babu Ali sing live on Zanzibar radio. I remember AIR Gujarati programme for East Africa used to have a programme called 'Shrotani Kruttio'>> 

I heard Babu Ali sing in a couple of programs. Bhanu and Khatau I suppose used to sing in fetes held at the Old Fort.  

I've a vague memory of listening to that description of Zanzibar on 'All India Radio' and everybody at home getting delighted to hear about Zanzibar. Great! The 'All India Radio' was a must at our place and everyday we would listen to it religiously. My favourite was the 'news' by Nanalal Vassa and Pramukh Tanna who had peculior way of intoning the news item, as if they were talking to us. Another favourite of mine was 'gamne chore' and of course 'aapki farmaish'. 

The 'Radio Pakistan' broadcast in the morning for East African Asians was another worth a listen. Its lady presenter Fatma Mansuri had also sharp and melodious voice. Another favourite was Yunus Maqsood, the male announcer. Fatma and Yunus presented  'aapki farmaish' programme (Indian songs) on Sunday mornings. 

<<I think we may be talking about two different Popes! The Papal visit I referred to was in the late sixties or early 70s.>> 

Certainly, the old Ugandan Asians could not have been in Uganda in the 80s or early 90s. Anyhow, I was referring to Pope John Paul II. To be exact, he conducted the mass at Jangwani Ground in Daressalaam. It could not have been 60s or early 70s, for he ascended to the position of Pope in 1978 when I happened to be in Dubai and we watched the ceremony (I don't recall whether it was live or a news item). I remember seeing on TV the white smoke emanating from the chimney and the declaration being made. If I'm not mistaken, the previous Pope had held the post for just a month or so and passed away. In fact within a span of two months the Vatican recorded the passing away of 2 Popes. Let somebody verify this. 

<<Oh, what songs in those days!>> 

The mere mention of these songs fill us with nostalgia, nothing to supersede those songs of 50s & 60s. 'Yaad kiya dilne' was so tuneful (Hemant Kumar at his best), and so was Manna Dey's 'Tu pyarka sagar hai' (Seema). In the still of the night KBC (The Indian Service of Radio Kenya)lilting 'raat bharka hai mehma andhera...Rafi, or on a rainy night coming up with Rafi's melodious 'zindagibhar nahi bhulenge woh barsaatki raat' (barsaatki raat). On 'eid day' the presenter in his/her husky voice greeting listeners with Rafi-Lata's 'eidka din...(soni mahwal). So eventful! I'm also reminded of passengers at Mombasa harbour boarding 'S.S.Karanja' and bidding their dear and near ones farewell while a tap recorder on the deck played Lataji's soulful 'bachpanki muhabbatse dilko najuda karna...'(Beju Bawra with Maestro Naushad's unforgettable music). 

<< we sing a song in Kutchi on the day of Pasli, celebrated only in Kutch & Kathiawar -first Sunday of Shravan - and tie a thread made of seven strands on our brothers' wrists; [Rakshabandhan is on the full moon of Shravan as Jameela has told you all] : We hit a sopari with a dasto [pestle] and sing : 'Den daakan, bhoot palit, je manje bhaa jo matho gure tenja sat tukar thija' - literally, 'Whoever - an evil spirit - demands the head of my brother, may he be torn into seven pieces' >> 

I read it out to my old mother and she was delighted. My maternal were from Madday (Mandvi). It made her nostalgic and she rendered the following 'duo' to me:- 

uth nana, we nana, nane vigar nar nimmana. 

ubhe duje unt, vithe duje bakri, jesi vare va terike dije puth. 

koiji meri disine pindhjo bhungo na pugaije. 

saathi budhi naathi. 

goda, to chai petke oda. 

matrai maa mathejo gha, kha to kha na to chulme po. 

nai ladi nodi, tane khuche terodi, mare tutte menodi. 

<<However he did not know, when I pointed out, that Golo meant Ghulam and hence slave. I pointed out the closeness Ithnashri women had with the Swahilis because of Ayaha.>> 

While 'golo' may be a slang word for 'African' interestingly the Ithnashri zealots of those days in Zanzibar nick named their sons 'Golo' out of fervency and devotion to their 'imams' and saints. 

In reality Ithnashris in Zanzibar were very old settlers and their priority seemed acquaintance with Africans and Kiswahili. Several of them even got married to African ladies and hence a sizeable number of 'Chotaras' (half caste) among us. Obviously the Ithnashri ladies had contact with the African ladies and the resulting closeness between them. Would you believe in Zanzibar it was quite common for elderly Ithnashri ladies to smoke? This was because of their connection with the 'Agha' (Persian) ladies for whom it was customary to smoke. 

<<I know all about some elderly Ithnashari women smoking and having the African women sing at weddings and all that. Yet some didn't allow music in their homes or allowed their bahus to wear saris. Only the long gown and pacherhi were appropriate.>> 

It's usual to sing 'maso maso manangu usimone maso' and other Kiswahili songs during weddings but these are not accompanied by any music. It is against the Shiate code of ethics to play or listen to music. It's not that we do not listen to music but that is tantamount to sinning. 

The long gown and pacheri were traditional Khoja attire. The saris and short frocks came into vogue later on and initially detested by the traditionalists. 

<<This is from today's BBC on line. What do the ' locals ' think?  Do the tourists get hoodwinked? Are they that gullible? I guess moving the Kenya/Tanzania border next by 20km. would make it all ' kosher '.>> 

There is nothing new in it but this coming from the minister himself is not fair. Why should we be deprived of earnings genuinely due to us? The Tanzania Tourist operators have been grieving this aspect all along. In particular in the past when we’d ‘exchange control’ and foreign currency was hard to come by. Kenya grabbed a chunk of our earnings by laying claim to such wonders as Ngorongoro and Kilimanjaro. 

I do not think the tourists get hoodwinked and are not that gullible also but at the same time would not bother much about the actual locations of these natural spots as long as they are in the vicinity of the Kenya/Tanzania border. Overall Tanzania with such resorts as Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro, Serengeti, Manyara and Zanzibar offers better sights to tourists than Kenya. 

<<Although I do vaguely recall the houses in Zanzibar were identified by the type and or colour of the door, I cannot recall if they were so crafted. >>

Yes, the doors in Zanzibar were peculiar and could be identified by the type of their craft and colour. They would often be referred to while showing direction to outsiders. The one in your post portrays a different craftsmanship. It’s not surprising if there could be a few such doors hidden here and there in those lanes. This craftsmanship has evolved from Zanzibar’s Portuguese and Indo Arab settlement. The African labour then toiled through the passage of time and carved the doors into various designs. 

Zanzibar is famous for its dark coloured doors embossed with metals. All the historical spots such as Beitalajaib, Old Fort, Palaces, Museums and certain Government offices and hotels adorn these doors. 

<<One other thing-we Kutchis are very intimate in relationships...>> 

You're absolutely right. Kutchis are intimate, loving and very much concerned about others. That was an excellent text by you and makes a lot of sense. You're a real genius having come up with some brilliant terminology, a clear explanation of what relationship is all about. Bhatias and Khojas hail from Kutch and there is a lot of similarity between the two. We affix 'bai' or 'bha' to the names of elder sisters and brothers. Also as you rightly put it some Kutchis refer to their mums as bhabhi or bai. I myself and everybody at home call my mom 'bai'. If i'm not mistaken in Gujarati if you refer to a lady as bai then it is derogatory to her. Indeed every community has its own ways of saying things. 

By the way, what does 'savare' in Kutchi mean? Is it yesterday or tomorrow? 

 <<Dr Goradia's surgery was not on Portuguese. We lived on Portuguese Street.>> 

Wasn't Dr. Goradia's clinic on Portuguese St.? May be i'm mixing it up with Dr. Mehta's clinic. 

You are right, we tend to forget characters like Bahadur. He was amazing. There was something mysterious about him. 

What struck me during my visits to Kutch and Kathiavad was the backwardness of our 'Khojavad'. It was conspicuous by its dinginess and shabby outlook. It could be due to the poverty of its inhabitants. I understand before the partition it was very lively. Baqirbhai poses an intriguing question. Why couldn't you walk alone through the Muslim area? Could it be due to communal unrest? 

<< ...We have always kept in touch and memories of our childhood and our Zanzibar have been a great topics of most of our long letters to each other. recently I suffered a set back and could not bring myself to tell her I had Cancer of the breast so ..yes, I wrote about our home Zanzibar and eventually got round to telling her .what I am going through and my travelling in my dreams makes me feel good.>> 

That was very touching. The Almighty is great, our prayers are with you. Your love for Zanzibar is truly great. I can understand your feelings as there is nothing like childhood memories. Rightly it is said that one belongs to where one's pleasant memories are and the childhood ones are always pleasant, and that too the childhood which was spent in Zanzibar. People like you had experienced its superabundance and will always cherish its fond memories. There was a great mystique attached to it, a godsend gift to us Zanzibaris. 

<<There was an article in a reputable Gujarati magazine ABHIYAN a few years ago about some Ismailis in Kathiawar wanting to reclaim their Hindu status within the Lohana community as many of them lived like Hindus all their lives, never eating meat and so on. Some old folks had left instructions with their kids that they wanted to be cremated and not buried. The Lohanas refused to readmit them.>> 

The Lohanas may have refused to readmit Ismailis into their society/community but nobody can impose his/her wishes on the faith/beliefs of others. Religion is purely a matter of individual conscience, it is your instinct for certain faith. However you may dislike me, you can not stop me from becoming a Hindu if I have derived faith from it; nor can I stop you from becoming a Muslim. One may be shunned by a society but religion bars nobody from professing his/her faith or belief in it.                                                                                                                               

<<I remember going to the docks as a child when Gandhiji's ashes were brought to Zanzibar . The whole Asian community was there to pay tribute to the great Mahatma. The ashes must have then been taken to Jinja to be scattered  in the Nile.>> 

I never knew about this, quite historical. By the way, did Gandhiji pay a visto Mombasa or any other East African coastal towns on his way to South Africa (long before he joined politics)? He might have visited there but then he was not a known figure and hardly anybody knew him. Any idea? Is it mentioned in any of his books? 

<<The picture you paint of conditions in Tanzania, even if perhaps they have some degree of observer negative bias.>> 

You could be right, for I’m viewing the situation from the angle of a daladala (local bus for commuters) back seat (to quote Cynthia Stacey, an English lady who is our local journalist). Those in the low income bracket are victims of inflationary spiral and form bulk of the population. They live below poverty line. Agreed, GDP has risen but at the same time disparity widened, an obvious outcome of improper distribution of wealth. 

<<From your previous email to Sophia, you mentioned that you were in Moshi in 1958, are originally from Moshi ?>> 

No, I'm not from Moshi. I was merely quoting Sophia. 

Occasionally during Christmas or Easter I go there to visit my sister. Once in the early 70's whilst with NBC I was sent there for a week to sort out certain issues at its Kilimanjaro Zone. I'd put up at Livingstone Hotel (now Moshi Hotel I suppose). 

My favourite spot is Marangu Falls. The Kibo Hotel around there is all serene and commands spectacular view. Of particular poignancy is the ringing of bells and hymns emanating from the church behind the hotel. 

<<It is all these little things that make the difference.>> 

There is no denying the fact that little things matter and make the differerence. We ourselves had similar experience, like the one that you related about your friends. Our vehicle had to be towed for a considerable distance whilst on our way to Serengeti from Ngorongoro. There is no doubt that in terms of facilities and marketing Kenya is one up on Tanzania. Also there is every possibility that the funds provided for the development of our tourist industry are not being channeled properly. In this respect we ourselves are to be blamed, but that does not entitle Kenya to lay its claim on Kilimanjaro and Ngorongoro. 

<<They used to have '' PANCH TANTRA'' stories translated in kiswahili  by some of the young  team   comprising famous Steven Mahando , Benjamin Mkapa who is our Presedent and others . Mwalimu Nyerere was a very avid reader of these stories , and even is said to have joked about it  in one of his press conferences  asking them to wait so that he could finish  the astory !.>> 

Thank you very much for relating Janardhanbhai’s reminiscences. That was very interesting, President Mkapa translating those stories and Mwalimu reading them. This is the beauty, or else we would not get to hear such talks.