Spring Festival In Jinnah Univerity

The season of spring brings the bloom to the nature’s beauty and this is why it is the best season of the year. The spring has always been celebrated in most joyful manner. Last Saturday, Jinnah University also arranged a Spring Festival for its students in which there were different activities took place.  There was a cultural show in which different departments were celebrating our diversified culture and were dressed up in different styles. A group of students displayed the Kailash culture another department was showing that how Rasm e Hina is celebrated in our society, one group was displaying the Thar Life Style and the recent drought that happened there. The most amazing performance was given on Sufism in which students were dressed up in an attire like the Sufis do and they performed the sufi dance outstandingly.  Apart from cultural show there was a concert and entertainment arrangement where new emerging comedian Ali Gul Peer was invited and he sung all his hit numbers including Wadairay Ka Baita.  To appreciate the participants of the festival, university had invited some renowned personalities from media.  The great living legend actress Durdana Butt visited the festival and appreciated the energy of the students.  This spring festival was the great manifestation of the celebration of spring here in Pakistan. And in spite of the scorching sun and open air arrangements students enjoyed the festival with the drinks and water bottles in their hands..

PALATIAL PAKISTANI WEDDINGS..!!!!

Whenever we see happiness all around with joyous faces and girls with singing songs in course, than we can guess with surety that there must be a Pakistani wedding. This is one of the most favorite occasions for everyone to celebrate new journey of a couple.

The tremendous occasion starts with Mehndi cum Mayyon ceremony. Now a days, these two events, Mayyon and Mehndi that was previously celebrated separately but is being celebrated combine for the purpose to cut down cost for both of the families.

Relatives no matter, youngsters or adults, specially girls, dressed up themselves in yellow color. Mayyon is the most enjoyable event where the event is decorated with flowers completely and there is a sensational fragrance of flowers everywhere. Relatives of bride to be and groom to be come forward for Rasm-e-Hina, and showcase wedding dresses which is tradionally called “Bari”. After Rasam, all the relatives play with Ubtan as well.

There is another session of dance competition takes place between both of the families, these all are those moments which gives merriment to everyone present at the event. After the event, bride and groom are not allowed to meet each other till Nikah. It is the main ritual which is followed by every Pakistani Bride and Groom.

After Mayyon and Mehndi, the main event comes which is “Barat” (the wedding Day), a big day for bride and groom when they are about to in a relationship of a lifetime as husband and wife. In this event the main palatial moment is Nikah, which recites by Qazi. It is basically a documented proof for a couple to be a sole mate legally, which is mainly comprises on two witnesses and the important part of Nikah is “Mehar”. Mehar is basically for the protection of bride and to give her freedom. When the bride and groom says “Qubool hai” thrice and sign on the documents a legally called Husband and Wife.

After Nikah, family members of Groom distributes Date to everyone as a sweet of marriage. Rukhsati is also an interesting and sad part of any wedding, where bride’s parents depart their beloved daughter with tears and blessings to commence her new journey. There is another ritual of placing Quran on the head of Bride at the time of Rukhsati which is not right from Islamic point of view but some people are still doing it.

Last but not the least event of the Pakistani Wedding is Valima, it is the only event which is being considered as Sunnah which has allowed by or Prophet (P.B.U.H). It is basically reception from groom’s end to introduce a newly wed couple with groom’s relatives and friends. Valima is necessary in Islam to complete a wedding, without Valima, wedding is considered as incomplete occasion.

 Another interesting thing which is not any kind of main event but it has been celebrated in most of the weddings in Pakistan is “Chauthi” which has came from the idea of fourth day of wedding, in which family members and cousins of bride go after Barat on Bride’s home and carry breakfast for the newly 

wed couple with them and after breakfast they take bride with them.

 

It is important to note that some of the customs/rituals followed in Pakistani weddings have no existance in Islam. However, the Pakistani culture has adopted those customs and traditions from the Hindu culture and weddings.

together we are rock .. alone we are stone for nothing

Celebrating Diversity

As Holi and Nauroz has been celebrated in Pakistan on march 17 and 20 respectively, this is the ideal time to talk about diversity in the workplace.

The obvious visible signs of diversity in every organization are color, gender, age and physical ability. Just below the surface are national language and religion. if we go a little deeper  , we have individual values , qualifications and customs. Deeper still are the life experiences that shape people’s personality, paradigms, talents and values.

Diversity is a strong asset for a company and must be seen as a business issue. Research has proved that mixed groups are significantly more effective than homogeneous ones in making effective decision due to the wealth of experience , perspectives , attitudes and approaches they bring to the table. However, there is no denying that when you bring together people with different religious beliefs and cultures, or women in what is traditionally a man’s world , diversity can cause stress and strain .

The way to inclusion is to not attempt to minimize that tension. Instead, use it as a force for productivity and creativity. The goal should be to change the organizational culture , not the employees who already have relevant job skills.

Traditional organizations attempt to train coach and coerce diverse employees to ‘fit’ within the cultural mainstream, where as leading- edge organizations recognize the difference between equal treatment and treating everyone the same. They recognize and respect the different perspectives, talents and communication styles of diverse employees and focus on distinguishing style from substance, so that many style and approaches can be accommodated without sacrificing effectiveness within the organization.

As the organization moves away from the homogeneous ideal towards creating a more viable heterogeneous culture , traditions, practice and embedded biases that characterize the status quo are discarded to make room for ways of doing things.

This emphasis on culture change rather then individual change is what results in innovative ways of doing business.