Of Black Sky and Swinging Lights

Thursday, April 07, 2005 | 9 comments

by

Madiha Aijaz

[Click on any photograph for a larger version]

For us, the Pakistani children of the early eighties, Funland has always held high reverence. Karachi's narrow spaces and abundance of high-rise apartment buildings never allow Karachiites the privilege to enjoy outdoorsy activities. I spent most of my childhood cycling or skating in cramped apartment compounds, finding my way through swinging cricket bats and misdirected balls and dodging over-zealous cricket fans.




The 80's was the period of Zia's regime in Pakistan when all forms of entertainment came under strict censorship. The female clan was to cover their head; it was horrifically called the 'dupatta policy of PTV'. Unlike the sixties and seventies when cinema-going was part of urban culture, clubbing was always the elite's favorite pastime, alcohol wasn't illicit either and tambola parties were amongst the many available options to unwind and enjoy.

The eighties became a little too stifling for the liberal middle class. The children, oblivious to the political make-over, nonetheless had fewer available choices - a couple of fast-food joints like Mr. Burger and Jan's, Baloch Icicles - the only ice-cream parlor, the sea-view beach, the one-rupee-ticket aquarium next to Lady Lloyd's pavilion, and the open spaces of glittery Clifton Funland.



The ads expounded the family feel; the 80's lot grew up with 'ammi, abu, muno, chhotu, abb sub chalein gae funland' -- so our desi-style theme park became the epitome of entertainment, for it was our version of Disneyland, our real-time fantasy of oscillating motion and swirling night sky, our very own roller-coaster ride, our make-believe world of Vegas's glittering lights with a huge but never operational casino in the background.



The Hully-gullies, the Merry-go-round, the Pirate-ship, the Electric balloons, the Bhoot-bangla, Dodging cars in disco-lit-Indian music-blaring-dome and our one and only bowling arena constituted Funland then. The soft ice-cream cones, the gentle sea breeze, plenty of Suzuki FXes, Charades and Sunny Nisans in the parking lot ... make for my vivid Funland memories. Twenty five years down the line, I am not sure if things have changed for better or for worse. There are many such theme-parks around the city now. Air-conditioned malls have sprung up in every nook and corner. Eating places are multiplying every day. Gaming and bowling seem to be the hot sports for the young. Family outings are no more a frequent occurrence, for such things are categorized as obsolete these days.

The good old Funland has tried to retain its glitz and glitter but with no success. The only people who seem to be frequenting the place are the young men with their burqa-clad dates, hoping that no one looks at them straight in the eye, or the migrant workers from the Frontier and Punjab who bring their visiting families to impress them with the Karachi 'lights'.




Every now and then, one of these NGOs organizes afternoon melas at Funland, to entice the nostalgia-struck people, but they haven't had much success. Perhaps modern Karachi doesnt want to live in the past any more.

Thursday, April 07, 2005 | permalink | 9 comments

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