Pathway to the past

July 24, 2005

By Amar Jaleel

The old hangouts and restaurants in Saddar have disappeared, taking with them the non-violent, liberal and secular culture of Karachi


Certain stories related to our personal past take us along a nostalgic journey into the days gone by. The weekly column, Karachi Notebook in Dawn often opens door for me to walk in and mingle with the unforgettable Karachi culture of yesteryear. While reading Karachian’s column on fast vanishing Irani restaurants in the metropolis, I unconsciously glided back into the days when Karachi was a nonviolent, liberal and a secular city. I feel like picking up the thread from Fredrick’s Cafeteria the Karachian has so fondly made mention of in one of his recent columns.

We had a number of neat, clean and decent Irani restaurants in Saddar alone. On the first floor of the famous, now defunct, Fredrick’s Cafeteria was a bar under the same management. Entrance to the Cafeteria and to the bar was common. If you felt like going to the bar, you had to climb a mosaic staircase adorned with flowerpots, and paintings hung all along on the walls up to the threshold of the first floor.

The bar was frequented by Amars, Akbars, and Anthonys. They did not quarrel on the question of punishment for vices and rewards for the virtues. Amars were happy with their Swarg and Nark. Akbars were happy with their Jannat and Dozakh. And, Anthonys were contented with their Heaven and Hell. They did not see sense in poking nose in each other’s faith and belief.

Adjacent to the Cafeteria’s entrance on the ground floor was the main hall, laid out with neat and clean tables and cushioned chairs. Alongside the main hall was a small, well-maintained lawn flanked with seasonal flowers. Cane chairs and table were spread all over the place under the sprawling branches of the tall trees. The Cafeteria lawn was frequented daily late in the evening by the cricketers returning from net practice sessions at Jahangir Park.

Fredrick’s Cafeteria was a favourite spot for barefoot multimillionaire Qasu Udhara, the fisherman turned gold smuggler who stunned Governor General Iskendar Mirza and his beautiful Iranian wife Naheed with his riches. The First Lady Naheed Iskendar Mirza was related to Nusrat Bhutto, who after a decade or so herself became the First Lady of Pakistan.

A block away from Fredrick’s Cafeteria was (and still is) Karachi’s prestigious English bookstore, Thomas and Thomas Booksellers. Writers, poets, scholars, students, lawyers, judges, bureaucrats, politicians and the rulers used to purchase the books of their choice personally from Thomas and Thomas. After entering the bookshop, they spent hours browsing the books.

The proprietor of Thomas and Thomas Booksellers, late Mr Nazir Ahmed and I lived as next-door neighbours near Saeed Manzil for over 40 years. From him I picked up the habit of reading books. He was a soft-spoken gentleman to the core of his heart. He never ever took advantage of the rulers’ frequent visits to his bookshop. It is hard to come across such saintly persons nowadays in the world full of intrigues and deceit. Thomas and Thomas Booksellers are still there surrounded by the shops selling anything, everything and nothing.

A few paces away from Thomas and Thomas Booksellers at the corner of the same block was Cafi George. It is a remarkable observation of Karachian that Irani restaurants were mostly located in corner of the buildings. I vividly recall numerous booming Irani restaurants occupying corners of the mansions looking over several crossroads from Keamari to Takri. On Takri (hillock) stands the imposing mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam. Apart from a main hall, Cafi George had a row of family cabins. The Cafi was well-known for its chicken and vegetable cutlets, crispy French fries, and mutton patties. Now countless wall clocks ironically stare at you from innumerable timepieces of the shops occupying the premises of the vanished Cafi George.

Almost in front of defunct Cafi George, an underground passage takes you to the other side of Victoria Road now called Abdullah Haroon Road. As you emerge from the underground passage you find yourself in the vicinity of Saddar Post Office and deceased India Coffee House. After partition, the new management gave it a new name, Zelin’s Coffee House. A block away from the forgotten Zelin’s Coffee House, the specious Persian Restaurant and its bakery adorned the corner of Elphinston Street, now renamed Zebunissa Street. The Persian Restaurant is no more there. The opposite corner was occupied by Gulzar Hotel and Restaurant. Its falooda dipped in thick milk and ice-cream was extremely popular among the visitors to Saddar. Now a shadow of its past glory, Gulzar Hotel and Restaurant exists with a new name, Khyber Hotel.

At the back of Gulzar Hotel was Jehangir Park, a nursery for the young cricketers like Khalid Wazeer, Wallis Matthias, Duncan Sharp, Ikram Illahi, Munaf, (they all played for Pakistan), Antae Dessoza and Dalpat. It is now a haven for drug addicts and criminals.

Across the main gate of Jahangir Park on the other side of the defunct tram junction was located Boman Irani’s Restaurant on the corner of the Bohri Bazaar Street. It was famous for its crisp khara biscuits and karak chai. A huge neem tree stood magnificently on the pavement in front of the Boman Irani’s Restaurant. Neither the neem is there nor is the Boman Irani’s restaurant.