Amazing Sharjah

Sharjah is a modern city where people not only live peacefully, but also lead a joyous life. Here we do not only get to see clean roads and breathe clean air in a healthy atmosphere, but we also see tall and stunning towers, the fountains, the forts and the historical places that make Sharjah even more beautiful. That’s not all. Sharjah also protects its culture and showcases the heritage through different mediums.

Sharjah’s close association with marine life showcased at the just-concluded Sharjah Light Festival 2013 was quite impressive.

I realised this when I went to watch the Sharjah Light Festival shows at various places. At Al Qasba, the main venue, I was  surprised to see a huge crowd. There was hardly any place to sit.

While waiting for the event to begin, I observed it was not just the show that people were interested in. It was like a picnic spot as many people had brought pizzas, burgers and other snacks with them to enjoy. The entire atmosphere was charged.

I was curious to know what was going to be shown this year. In the beginning, the focus was on pearling and then we were shown the marine creatures, as well as boating and fishing in ancient days. But the most impressive was the last sequence when the entire Al Qasba building became a cruise ship and started floating.

When I went to watch the show on the internal façade of Al Qasba, it was even more surprising as the crowd was even bigger than outside the building. 

It was difficult to find a place to stand and watch the show from the bridge or on the sides of the canal. I had to wait for the crowd to leave the place so that I could watch the next show, which was quite awesome.

I felt fortunate to be a resident of Sharjah as people travel to faraway places to watch such amazing shows.

(Published in The Gulf Today on February 16, 2013)

Teamwork ethic

To cooperate with others is a common training that everyone gets at a very early age, both at school and home. We can even co-operate with others not only by helping them finish the work but also by sharing our things with those who need it.

But there are a few people who never co-operate with others. One of my friends never co-operated with us whether she was a part of a group project or not. And that is why she was getting isolated until the day when we decided to not mention her name in the credit line of a project. Then she realised that co-operating with others is very necessary and especially if you are part of a group.

A great example of co-operation was seen recently when we participated in the Republic Day celebrations at our school. Thousands of girls and boys participated in parades and group dances. It would not have been possible without everyone’s co-operation. They co-operated with each other and had practised very hard to make this a successful event. 

It is a great feeling when we work as a team. I got that opportunity again. Soon, we will be celebrating the Annual Day of my school. We all are excited. And we are practising a lot for each act. All categories are having children in groups who are putting great effort together to make this programme a successful one. Our teachers are also happy with our efforts. We have realised that if we co-operate with each other and do lots of hard work, we will be successful. 

(Published in The Gulf Today on February 9, 2013)

Net gain

Internet provides an opportunity to people to connect, inform and inspire others across the world. YouTube has made the Net even more popular as it also allows people around the world to watch and share videos. In fact, YouTube has become a popular medium of entertainment and research.

Recently, I realised that YouTube has also become the world’s greatest platform to show your talent as millions of people around the world watch it.

Last year, a south Indian actor became the most popular singer as his unique song “Why This Kolaveri Di” became an instant hit. He had just uploaded the video of the song recording on YouTube and millions of people watched it on the Net.

The Korean pop singer Psy became a household name after he uploaded his song “Opa Gangnam Style” on YouTube. He was barely known outside his country, today he is an international celebrity. Today we see many versions of the song and people dancing on that song. 

The most outstanding case was the success of the song “One Pound Fish.” It is a very funny video which is all about a Pakistani who got a job in the UK as a fish-monger. He used to sing this song to attract customers. One of the customers had made a video of him and put it on YouTube. Millions of people have watched that video and he has become a singer now. 

I believe, every person has a talent in him/her, but many of us are scared to show it to others. We must have that courage to display it, because there is an international platform like YouTube which is available for free and which can make you an international celebrity overnight.

(Published in The Gulf Today on February 2, 2013)

UAE’s cultural beauty

Every place has its unique traditions and cultures. We can find a lot of traditional differences as we travel outside our native place. Born and brought up in the UAE, I have always been interested in knowing the traditional system of the host country. 

I have seen many traditional practices of the UAE. But I always wondered how the Emiratis welcome their guests in the traditional way. Recently, I got that rare chance when I went to Al Ghail Fort, located on a hill in Kalba.

We were welcomed by the Emiratis in a very traditional manner. They welcomed us happily by singing the welcome song, while a few of them were dancing with sticks. That was a moment to relish. Everyone there was enjoying. 

They also offered us the traditional coffee known as Kahva with dates. We were given hot and crispy dosa-like dish called Al-Muhalla to eat which was stuffed with cheese and it was so tasty that everyone was asking for it again and again. 

I got to see the bedouin lifestyle closely. A few of them were sitting nearby and showing the visitors the traditional skills of making ropes and baskets with leaves of palm trees. They said that if dates are kept in those baskets and closed tightly, it will remain fresh even after a year. A few others  showed us how to knit fishing nets.

This trip was a thrilling one and also a learning experience for me because it taught me many things about the bedouin lifestyle. I got to know a lot about the culture of the UAE from this trip. It was highly enlightening. I would love to know more about this country and share with you.

(Published in The Gulf Today on January 26, 2013)

Save Nature

Nature has done a lot for us but still many of us keep damaging it in many ways. We must preserve nature as it provides us with everything which we need for living. I realised the need most during my recent visit to Kalba where an eco-friendly tourism project is being developed.

We stepped out of the bus before a bridge, which connects Kalba town with the protected area. It was a great sight to see clean blue water below the bridge flowing like a river.

When we talk about sea and adventure, it is always about clean beaches, motorboat, jetski, bonfire and barbecue party. Thus when I entered the protected area, I was surprised to see mangrove trees that grow in mud between the sea and land, and transparent seawater enabling us to see marine creatures rarely found on the beaches.

There were many nature-friendly activities arranged for us. Some children took bicycles to explore the area, while many others tried their hand at archery. Boating was another option.

I was scared when it was my turn to get on the boat. I could not row the boat properly as the oar was very heavy, so I just sat quietly and enjoyed the pleasant scenery around. I also saw fish and other sea creatures below the transparent water.

Later, we were informed that the government is developing an eco-friendly tourism project while trying to preserve the natural habitat of the marine creatures.

They have been planting various trees and are planning to bring more marine creatures and birds to make it a popular tourist spot. No apartments or hotels will be built around it.

It was not just a thrilling experience for me but more knowledgeable and an eye-opening trip. I would be happy to play my role in saving nature.

(Published in The Gulf Today on January 19, 2013)

Desert adventure

Desert safari is one of the most popular modes of outing for residents and visitors of Dubai. The most important part of this adventure is dune bashing.

But my recent desert safari was an eye-opener for me. I got to know many interesting facts about this popular adventurous ride.

As we were about to enter the desert, I was a little scared because earlier when I had gone for a desert safari, it was a very scary ride. But this time, the driver was careful while going down the slope or climbing up. It gave me confidence.

We went deep into the desert, going up and down the dune. The roller-coaster ride was amusing and amazing.

Since we were enjoying it, he took us for another round of dune bashing. It was a unique experience for me.

The kind driver gave us the advice never to go for cheap services. Since those drivers have to serve many customers, they drive quite rough, which can cause accidents and passengers also get scared, instead of enjoying the fun.

My next question was obvious, “When the passengers get scared during dune bashing even for a day, how can you do it daily?”

He replied, “It is our hobby and we love it. People get scared but they enjoy it. Even we enjoy it otherwise I couldn’t have done it regularly.”

The dune bashing was about to be over, but when I saw outside I got scared as we had gone deep into the desert. He said not to worry. “We have got the training. We are told to remember the scenes of the places from where we have entered. That is how we can go back to the places we have come from.”

The ride ended on a hilarious note. One of my co-passengers, a boy who had come from India, said, “Why were you so scared of the bumpy ride? This much bumps we get in our school bus in India.”

(Published in The Gulf Today on January 12, 2013)

Circus fun

I watched a Bollywood film where the two lead actresses played the role of animal rights activists. They carried out sting operations at a circus to prove that the trainers used to torture the animals in the name of training them. They returned with the authorities who seized the animals from the circus.

It reminded me that there was barely any animal act at the circus which I recently saw during the Sharjah Water Festival.

I was impressed to see the dancers and acrobats who simultaneously performed acts in water, on the land and in the air, while the jokers made us laugh.   But what amazed me at the circus was the feats by a few dogs as they performed according to their ringmaster’s direction.

But I missed other animals as I had read that the animals used to be an important part of a circus.

Later, I learnt that circus is a declining art, mainly because of the animal rights activists who keep complaining that the circus trainers torture animals.

Agreed, we should save animals. We must respect their rights and stop animal abuse. Because Mahatma Gandhi had once said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

I think there should be other ways to protect them, instead of closing down the circus and depriving people of enjoying the unique art of acrobats.

(Published in The Gulf Today on January 5, 2013)