Band SANAM rocks India

A few weeks ago, Ben Kurian Thomas, a friend of mine who manages the work of many celebrities in Mumbai sent me a clip of the song Ishq Bulaava from the Bollywood movie Hasee Toh Phasee. The song is sung by Sanam Puri from the band SANAM. When I heard the song for the very first time I was captivated by Sanam's beautiful, melodious voice. Naturally, I started following the work of the band and I am pretty sure that they are going to reach a level of super stardom soon. The band has composed a song for the upcoming movie "The Amazing Spiderman- 2" and are well on their way to making a mark in the very competitive music industry in India.I managed to catch up with Samar Puri, a band member and also Sanam's brother.He quite happily agreed to be interviewed by me.

Read on to find out more in his own words.

1. Firstly Samar, thank you so much for taking the time out to be interviewed by me. I am curious to know, who is Sanam and Samar Puri? Tell me a little about your family background and life from childhood until present? Elaborate further on the other band members

As you know, Sanam and I are real brothers, Sanam is the younger one and we have this spiritual connection. :)

We are a Punjabi family.Sanam, Mummy, Papa and I have been together through thick and thin.

One thing I wanna tell you is that we have shifted house a hundred times.. haha. I was born in Muscat and then shifted to Delhi where Sanam was born.  Then Dehradun, Delhi, Noida, Back to Muscat, Delhi and then finally Mumbai. Phew.. We have been changing houses almost every year. We love animals, and have 2 doggies, Cleo & Kai (They are like my kids) :)

Venky S, Who was my batch-mate in Indian School Muscat (Muscat) when we were 15, formed our first band together called 'Distorted' Hahaha.. He used to play rhythm Guitar that time. Musically I've learned a lot from him. After schooling he went to chennai where he met Keshav and they had a band called 'The previous band'. Then Venky went to Bangalore where his family is. He is an amazing jazz/swing singer started doing shows.

Keshav had moved to work with Furtados in Mumbai as brand Manager of Pearl Drums. He was looking for some people he can make music with and we were looking for a drummer. Venky told us about him and it clicked. Thats how the band was formed. Venky used to travel from Bangalore for rehearsals and shows.

2. Do you belong to a musically inclined family? Did you and your brother go for music and singing classes or did it just happen naturally?

We don't belong to a musically inclined family but our papa is an amazing powerful singer but never took it professionally. We took classes when we were young but don't remember anything as we were very small at that time. After that we did everything on our own. Learned from our own experiences and personally we believe in learning on our own. :)

3. How did the band "SANAM" come together?

 As I told you Sanam and I were looking for a drummer in 2009. Venky helped us meet Keshav and then Venky also joined us after we won this Times Music Nationwide Pop band hunt contest called "Supastars'. Around 1,400 bands took part and we bagged the coveted title and had a 3 year contract. After that we changed our name to 'SQS Project' and met Ben Thomas and things got much much better. Many fans asked us what 'SQS Project' stands for and it was a pain to explain. So we decided to change it to 'SANAM' as its a Hindi word that means 'Beloved' or 'Lover', one word, easy to understand and connects with the audience. 

4. What inspired you to be a part of the music industry?

I want to change things for the better & make people happy and do it through music.

5. If you could be granted one wish and have any skill or talent in the world, what would it be?

I have it. Just need to keep learning and get better everyday.

6.  What are your favourite websites? 

illgaming.in for gaming (Best gaming website in India)

Facebook obviously

Then metacritic.com where I check movie, music and game reviews and stuff.

I like watching movies so i check imdb.com.

I love watching this Japanese Anime called 'ONE PIECE' on WatchOP.com

7. I am sure that the female fans are going gaga over you and Sanam...You guys look like twins and are of course good looking. So any plans on the marriage front? Do you have a girlfriend? Does Sanam have a girlfriend?

Marriage.. Its too early to think about it.

Both Sanam and I are single :)

8.  Where do you see the band five years from now? What are your plans for the future?

Our plan is to keep making/writing songs. I believe what we do now becomes the future. We'll just keep working.

9. Define success... What does it mean to you?

If I'm happy, I'm successful. No matter what, always smile. :)

10. How many times a week does the band meet up for practice? How do you train? Does the band have a teacher for guidance?

It depends, We try to rehearse whenever we can. Yes we have a teacher, His name is Ben Thomas (our manager). He's actually more like a friend / brother / father. :)

11. What has been the bands most memorable performance thus far?

Our First show at VJTI college, Mumbai when the crowd was singing our own songs. Nothing can beat that feeling. That day will always be special for Sanam, Venky,Keshav and I.

12. What advise would you give to young aspiring musicians out there?

Keep learning, Never give up. If you're good and your dreams high, Nothing can stop you!

Thank you Samar for taking the time to answer these questions. Desert Moon wishes you all the best in your future endeavours!!! This is definitely one of the most inspiring interviews that I have ever done. I am so honoured and proud to have interviewed a band that is all set and ready to make an impact globally. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.

Check out the band's latest song they composed for the movie " The Amazing Spider-Man 2"

Some of their other hit songs include "Ishq Bulaava" and " Teri Aankhon se"

The man behind " An Emerging Mystery"

When I made the decision to move to Riyadh a few years ago, I was bombarded with negative comments from friends and family with regards to Arab people and the Arab culture. I was told that within a month I would return to South Africa as Arabs are extremely bad people. Of course, I did not allow these opinions to influence my mindset and perception of the region. In every country you can find the good, the bad and the ugly.  I had the best time of my life in Saudi Arabia. I met and interacted with people from all over the globe and my best friends are now Saudis. Personally, I believe that the media is partly to be blamed for projecting the nation in a negative light.  However, one gentleman in particular, an Englishman now residing in the Middle East is creating waves across the Gulf through his photography. Sebastian Farmborough aims to showcase the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in a positive light through his own personal interactions with the local people of the country. It was an absolute pleasure conversing with him and I want to thank him for taking the time out to answer my questions. Read on to find out more in his own words...

1. So, tell me, who is Sebastian Farmborough? 
Well, that's a good question. Nobody has asked me that one before and to be honest with you, it is not something I have given a great deal of thought to. Photography is my life and producing images that move people is what it is all about for me.I was born and educated in England, but since then I have lived in the US, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Chile and now the United Arab Emirates. I love languages and interacting with different cultures, it makes me feel as though i am constantly learning something which I value greatly. 

2. Who or what inspired you to become a photographer?  
 It was the work of Bill Brandt that drew me into the world of photography, before that I wanted to be an architect. I became captivated by the way he used light and texture to mislead the onlooker into seeing something that was actually never there. 

3. When and why did you move to Saudi Arabia? What is it about Saudi culture that fascinates or intrigues you?
I moved to Saudi Arabia from Spain in 2003. Spain is a wonderful place, but I knew that financially I was not going to be able to advance my photographic aspirations there. While the principle motivator behind the move might have been a monetary one. I also wanted to find out what the region was really like, having been in Manhattan during September the 11th and exposed to the media coverage that followed. My friends and relatives strongly advised me not to go, but I was sceptical and wanted to find out for myself. 

What fascinates me most about Saudi culture is that it is so misunderstood. Saudis actually have a great many qualities which we Westerners would do well to learn from. I really envy how close their family relationships are and admire their generosity and hospitality. The respect they show to elder generations is wonderful and their sense of humour really was a pleasant surprise. 
However, the best thing about Saudi Arabia is Ramadan. During that month, it is impossible to walk down the street at sunset without somebody inviting you into their home to break the fast. It is inclusive, it does not matter if you have a family or not, or whether you are the same religion or not, everyone just wants you to join in and that spirit really is infectious.  

4. Whilst the rest of the world has a negative perception about the Kingdom and its people, particularly Saudi women, why have you decided to portray them in such a positive light? 
Personally, I am fed up of seeing images of veiled women that look like obscure, oppressed objects and of angry looking bearded men. It is no wonder that the Western perception of the Kingdom is so negative.  I had some wonderful experiences there and I found it very disheartening when my well educated Western friends just did not believe me. They often accused me of being brainwashed, which is ironic really. 
There is a different side to Saudi Arabia, one which the Western media has failed to cover. It is that which I plan to portray. I am an artist, not a journalist so I can choose to focus on the positive. Of course, this is not the whole story, but these are chapters that have yet to be told and I am convinced that they would better enable Westerners to understand and ultimately accept such a dramatically different culture from their own. 

5. What advise would you give to expats residing in the Kingdom?
There are two types of expats in the Kingdom, those who focus on what they cannot do and those that focus on what they can. My advice is to make sure you are the latter. Learn Arabic and get out there and meet the people. I know this is more difficult for women, but you can find ways. Integration is so rewarding. Try and find the best of both worlds.

6. What is your opinion with regards to the polygamous relationships that exist in the Middle East?
Personally, I would not want to be involved in a polygamous relationship. I do not believe that you can love in equal measure, but I do understand the reasoning behind it.  

7. What do you think about interfaith marriages?
The romantic in me would like to think that love conquers all, but a marriage is between two families, not just two people so it does represent a major stumbling block, particularly once the children arrive.  Personally, I wouldn't mind my wife being of another faith, but how would her family react? And how would we raise our children? See what I mean, it's complicated. 

8.  If you could be granted one wish and have any skill or talent in the world, what would it be?
Oh, that is an easy one, I would like to be an awful lot better at learning languages. It would be amazing to be able to communicate with everyone. 

9.  What are your favourite websites? 
Favourite websites, hmm, i would probably have to say Facebook. I have moved around so much over the years that if it weren't for that one, I wouldn't have any friends. 

10.  Where do you see yourself five years from now? What are your plans for the future?
Once I have reduced the misconceptions surrounding Saudi Arabia. I would like to do the same with Iran or indeed Pakistan. These three countries are where most of my friends are from and that certainly would not have been the case had I paid attention to our media. 
My photography is all about cross-cultural communication and making people realise that essentially we are all the same. 

11. Define success... What does it mean to you?
Success for me is to leave a legacy. I love the idea that my photographs will continue to bounce around the globe long after I am gone.

Once again, thank you Sebastian for taking the time to answer these questions. Desert Moon wishes you all the best in your future endeavours!!! 

Check out Sebastian Farmborough's interview on BBC ARABIC

Why have Muslim women allowed a patriarchal system to hijack their place and role within the Islamic world?

(muslimahwalkingaround.wordpress.com)

I was meaning to write this post a long time ago but I just didn't get down to doing it. As I devour my slice of pizza and sip a glass a ice cold coke I am now eager to fire away. A few months ago I was invited to a family gathering where I met members of the extended family and of course guests that I was not familiar with. Whilst introducing myself I was asked where am I from, am I married and of course whats my profession. As the conversation continued I made mention that I was abroad for a number of years and I returned to my home country to be a part of a new family business, Medix Pharmacy. There was a few women in the gathering who happened to be from a staunch ultra conservative background, but take note that when these women were young, they had their own businesses, wore swimming costumes etc etc..Now that God Almighty has guided them they suddenly appear as "the holier than thou" type. As the conversation ensued I was told, that a woman's place is at home. A woman should not be involved in the business world but rather stay at home and rear a dozen kids. Naturally I was boiling inside to retaliate but I simply kept my cool as it was meant to be a get together.

What fascinates me is that when the first verse of the Quran was revealed " read in the name of Thy Lord who created man from a clot of blood".. God Almighty didn't associate gender to the word read. Where did this notion or idea come from that women should not educate themselves, persevere and excel in whatever respectable field makes them happy and gives them a sense of inner satisfaction and accomplishment. Throughout history there has been many noble Muslim women of note that have held positions of power and contributed significantly to society during that era. Let me elaborate further by starting off with Khadija (Peace be upon her), the wife of our beloved Prophet Muhammed (saw). She was a super successful business woman and through her contribution Islam spread far and wide. Umma Ammara, also known as Nusayba Al ansariyya participated in the Battle of Uhud. She carried a sword and a shield and is remembered for protecting the Prophet (saw) against his enemies. "‘Ā’isha was the wife of the Prophet Muhammad who had perhaps the most influence on the Muslim community after his death. She played a central role in the political opposition to the third and fourth caliphs Uthmān ibn ‘Affān and ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib, even leading an army against the latter at Basra in 656. Although she retired from political life after her defeat, she continued to play a major role as a transmitter of Islamic teachings. She is one of the major narrators of hadith in the Sunni tradition. In many ways, she is among the most controversial figures in early Islam, especially since the implications of her actions for women’s participation in scholarship, political life, and the public sphere clashed with later conservative conceptions of the role of women. For more about ‘Ā’isha and her legacy, read Denise Spellberg’s excellent book entitled Politics, Gender and the Islamic Past: The Legacy of ‘Ā’isha bint Abī Bakr (1996).Lubna of Cordoba was originally a slave-girl of Spanish origin, Lubna rose to become one of the most important figures in the Umayyad palace in Cordoba. She was the palace secretary of the caliphs ‘Abd al-Rahmān III (d. 961) and his son al-Hakam b. ‘Abd al-Rahmān (d. 976). She was also a skilled mathematician and presided over the royal library, which consisted of over 500,000 books. According to the famous Andalusi scholar Ibn Bashkuwāl: “She excelled in writing, grammar, and poetry. Her knowledge of mathematics was also immense and she was proficient in other sciences as well. There were none in the Umayyad palace as noble as her.” [Ibn Bashkuwal, Kitab al-Silla (Cairo, 2008), Vol. 2: 324]."

"As philanthropists and benefactresses, Muslim women like Queen Zubayda, wife of 9th century Caliph Harun Ar-Rasheed in the Abbasid dynasty, deserves mention because of her huge contributions to public works such as building wells and guest houses on the major routes that pilgrims took to Mecca, as well as building wells and reservoirs. In addition, Queen Zubayda was an intellectual who expressed her political thoughts in public besides supporting poets and writers, regardless of their religion, and religious scholars and the needy. On the Western side of the Muslim Arabic world, 9th century’s Fatima al Fihriyya in Fez, Morocco founded al-Qarawwiyyin mosque which became one of the oldest Islamic schools and colleges operating until the present time. Among other women who built schools was Banafshaa’ ar-Rumiyya of the 11th century who restored schools, bridges, public housing for homeless women in Baghdad, besides having her own school endowment. Moreover, Fatima of Cordoba was a 10th century librarian who oversaw 70 public libraries containing 400,000 books."

"Finally, as queens and rulers, Muslim famous women that stand out are Arwa al-Sulayhi, an 11th century Yemini who ruled for 71 years and was known as the Noble Lady. Sultana Shajarat al-Durr took control over Egypt after her husband’s death in the 13th century. Sultana Razia, on the other hand, was the only female to sit on India’s throne in Delhi for four years in the 13th century. In central India and closer to our contemporary world, a family of women rulers ruled over the principality of Bhopal from 1819 to 1924, the last of whom was Begum Kaikhursau Jahan. This family was famous for building railways, water works, and a postal system."

Of course the list continues but with so many Muslim women within the Islamic world making significant contributions to humanity, I fail to understand why has the Islamic world become patriarchal forcing women to take the back seat when that was never how how it suppose to be in the first place. Where did this idea come from that it is the sole responsibility of a woman to iron, cook, clean and raise a dozen children. Why can't a man cook, clean and iron? Shouldn't it be a shared responsibility. The trend seems to be changing though with more and more Muslim women educating themselves and taking up important positions within society. This however comes at a price. In Muslim Indian communities an educated woman is viewed as a threat so naturally you are not considered marriage material. I had a hilarious situation a few days ago where a friend of mine wanted to introduce me to her friends brother. When the gentleman was informed about my qualifications and other media related activities I am involved with, it scared the pants out of the guy and naturally he refused to meet me. I find it fascinating how people judge others based on profession or material wealth. People have this notion that if you driving a fancy car or you living in a huge home that you spoiled. They fail to see the bigger picture and that is the individual themselves. Isn't personality and character more important than wealth and materialistic possessions.. With the world economic situation in dire straits wouldn't it be a pleasure having a partner that also works and assists in running a home. Whilst there are men out there who prevent their educated wives from working out of spite and jealousy, there are also women out there who have this notion that a woman's place is in the home. This kind of woman refuses to work or do anything extra. The poor husband works his butt off whilst the wife abuses and spends money lavishly. Shopping, visiting beauty salons and watching TV from morning to night is how time gets spent without taking into consideration the husbands financial situation. A marriage situation requires two to tango and I fervently believe that both partners need to educate themselves, work hard and build a future together. If two people love each other they should support each other through all of life's trials and tribulations. Why should one partner work hard whilst the other spends it all without showing any sign of appreciation. I hope that the women at the gathering I attended read the above article. I wonder how many of them actually know the history of Muslim women in the Islamic world. The irony of the whole discussion though was when I stood up to leave, I was halted by one lady who asked if I knew a good Muslim female gynaecologist. I simply grinned, shook my head in disbelief and left. I firmly believe that if you educate a woman, you educate a whole nation. Whilst Islam is a forward thinking religion, why have some sectors of the Muslim world gone backward instead of moving forward? Why have Muslim women allowed a patriarchal system to hijack their place and role within the Islamic world?

When is the crime in this country ever gonna stop?

(Picture courtesy of the Pakistan Tribune)

In this damn country even a delivery service is considered dangerous. We got a call this morning to deliver medication and other baby items to the Maraisburg Church located on the main road. We usually always deliver to the church and hence it was normal for us to hop into the car and deliver the items. The church building is quite eerie and dilapidated. Hence we always park across the road in the day care centre where it is busy and secure. Suddenly out of no where two gentleman approached us with a cheque folded in a pamphlet. They then told us that Dean, the gentleman who called is not available but he said that we must hand over the packet to them. Naturally, my colleague and I refused stating that we do not accept cheques. We will take the cheque to a bank first, get it cleared and then we will return with the parcel. We then went to FNB bank down town. The queue was horrendous and to be honest the tellers didn't know whether they were coming or going. The bank cleared the cheque without any verification. We then returned to the day care centre to drop off the parcel. The two men disappeared. Upon enquiry it was discovered that the men are part of a syndicate targeting businesses in the Florida area. They use the church's name to order products, issue cheques in return for goods. The cheques obviously bounce and business owners take the knock. It was quite hilarious to learn that a few days ago they ordered sandwiches from a local restaurant claiming that the church is having a charity event and that many platters are required. The driver delivered the sandwiches and he was reimbursed with a cheque that naturally bounced. After two days the driver went back to the church to enquire only to learn from the pastor that there was no charity event and that the church did not require sandwich platters. In our case we were smart in a sense that we did not hand over any items..The cheque got cleared and we had our stock. Then we realized that the cheque is possibly stolen. We then scampered down the road back to the bank where it was discovered from the manager that a client called wondering how come money was withdrawn from her account. Before the bank started their investigation with the camera footage, my colleague and I arrived and returned the money. Naturally, we were thanked and praised for our honesty, quick thinking and integrity. It is just flippin sickening to think about the kind of society we living in. We pride ourselves in helping people that require our assistance. With one call, we get medication delivered or we there if someone falls down and needs assistance. But after what happened today I must say that I honestly feel we just need to shut down this service totally. Our lives were at risk today. We could have been hijacked or robbed in broad day light. We would have simply become another statistic.. I am so angry. I don't mean to be rude or racist, but may be Number 1 and his cronies need to be robbed and thrashed, only then he might just realize that the common citizen lives with fear and paranoia in this country every single day. When is the crime in this country gonna stop?