Who is This Mysterious ChowkStaff ?

Chowkstaff ...

Hopefuly you will consider me for that TV channel of yours...

:) Looking forward to Chowk revolutionizing Pakistan, and South Asia...

-Manto

WOW!!! Thanks for this wonderful article. I don`t think this article should be removed from the Front Page. Or, create a link to this article called the origin of Chowk or something...WHATEVER..ITS NOT THE TITLE THAT IS IMPORTANT BUT THE REQUISITE DEPTH THIS ARTICLE PROVIDES.

Caps were for emphasis..not to shout.

By saying all this, you may just have taken away the mystique from the Chowk.

Or maybe it was time the curtain was lifted.

The earlier theme of ``ideas & identities`` was more encompassing than the revised theme confined to ``India Pakistan Crossroads`` . You are taking out other South Asian states.

My compromise suggestion is to broaden the scope to the ``South Asian Ideas & Identities.``

My first encounter with Safwan was when, in my early interactions, I had posted a nasty post about Altaf Hussain. I feared some MQM goons may try to harm me. I wanted no identity at Chowk. I wrote an e-mail to Chowk asking them to delete all my information from their database.

Safwan responded, assuring me of my safety. I met him when I visited his town a few years ago, to-date the only Chowkie I ever met. He treated me to wonderful Kabul Restaurant. I cannot recall the whole conversation (too much wine, perhaps), expect his first question: why “Godot”? The second thing I remember is that he said I reminded him of...yes, you, Sohail!!! I felt quite offended at that which I cleverly did not show (no offense to you Sohail...it’s just the ego thing...I think I’m unlike anyone else...) I also remember my curiosity about the origins of his unusual name.

What you say about Safwan is all true. He is absolutely a wonderful human being, maybe the finest I ever met.

Chowk by no means is perfect; yet, just like nature, it is perfect in its imperfection. Congratulations to a brilliant idea conceived, put in practice, and maintained so well. That’s no mean achievement. Chowk has given this lonely soul a space and an outlet for which he is truly grateful.

Impressive stuff.....you people deserve all the praise,encouragement and support we can conjure up.
cheers
raza

The Germans have a few sayings, which I would like to share with the Chowk staff and all the Chowkidars, who have made this site the melting pot of ideas, and idealism.

The first one is, ``immer vorwarts`` and it means ``all ways forward`` and I hope, on Chowk`s birthday, that Chowk is always in the vanguard of new ideas and challenging old myths.

The second one is,``ich haben ein kamaraden`` - I have a friend. In Chowk, I have a friend, and in the Chowkidars, I have friends and though we may disagree, there has never been a loss of respect for those, who have helped me better understand the world around me. They have offered and showed me a new way of looking at things and that, in most cases, has made all the difference. My thanks to you all!

Saima ji, this is for you and I apologise to you! I apologise, because you have to read my articles and the fact that you publish them simply encourages me to write more! :)

Best wishes to all Chowkies and I look forward to the day, when the First Internet Consitution for South Asia will be debated, reasoned and written on Chowk ending all our problems! I know! Idealism dies hard in a cynic!

Happy Birthday Chowk! Wish you many more!

Feroz R. Khan

This is a surprise! I never thought anyone would unveil ChowkStaff! And I was always wondering about the people behind it and how it came about in being what it is today. Now this is definitely some much valued information. Chowk is most certainly a very commendable achievement, not only for its creators but also those who have kept it alive for six years. It`s great to know that a lot of great minds have enabled this show to be on the road. Keep it rolling, and rolling good.

I believe there was something written by one of the co-founders regarding the making of chowk. But i believe that was two or three years back. And, it was not as detailed as this.
Good to learn more about the people behind such a well-minded effort.
Like F.R.Khan said:
Happy Birthday Chowk! Wish you many more!

Wow! This is one of the best articles I have ever read on Chowk. Thank you, Dr Rabbani. I agree with Stuka; this one should be up permanently on the front page, a link to Chowk`s history.

Saima Shah`s article (Say Something Let`s Talk) was the first article I read here at Chowk. (I think I owe her some sort of debt for that, for inviting me here.) I`ve always found her to be a wonderful writer, a pleasure to read, perhaps because she combines her love of writing (which is delightfully evident) with a profound sense of responsibility to her subject.

Feroz sahab`s said it quite nicely when he says ``In Chowk, I have a friend, and in the Chowkidars, I have friends and though we may disagree, there has never been a loss of respect for those, who have helped me better understand the world around me. They have offered and showed me a new way of looking at things and that, in most cases, has made all the difference. My thanks to you all!``

Ich haben ein kamaraden

As one of those who left and returned, I enjoyed reading this piece.

Chowk staff has done a good job over the years. However there are areas in which they`ve made terrible mistakes. Chief amongst them was the sudden manner in which they unveiled the `new look` chowk. No new articles were posted and replies were hardly updated for a couple of weeks. I suspect Chowk lost quite a bit of its readership at that time.
The other goof was the entire 12-head fiasco. I believe the guidelines laid out for Chowk interacts were more than enough to deal with the menace. However they decided to let the wound fester for a long long time before taking the drastic step of throwing the bugger out. Whatever the resolution, action should have been taken much earlier.
Also I believe Chowk will not really prosper apart from the 200-300 core following it has, unless a more dynamic and business savvy person takes over its day to day affairs. Even a purely voluntary movement like open-source software has a leader in the form of Linus Torvalds.

later
-sac

Sohail -- thanks for introducing the mysterious Chowk Staff -- in such an eloquent way --

CHOWK -- a Brilliant Bridge Built By Brilliant Brains! -- no wonder --

Chowk shows what the subcontinent of India Pakistan COULD HAVE BEEN if populated by such brilliant tolerant minds --

but alas it was not to be so -- as Faiz would say:

yooN nu thaa maiN ne faqut chaaha tha yooN ho jaaey....

Despite coming to chowk for years I had only a vague idea of its history and its creators. How very cool and interesting. Thanks Sohail.

Well, I haven`t been on Chowk that much; was briefly interacting for a few months. But good to read the documented history.
And HEELLLOOOOOO.....Jawahara tum zinda ho?

Hi MNI *waves* Yes, I am finally zinda. Barely :-) Drop me an email some time. What are you up to? Use my dhart2@yahoo.com address.

One of the most moving pieces I have ever read.

My deepest respect and admiration for Umair A. Khan, Safwan Shah, Ginni Dhindsa, Radhika Nagpal, Wasiq Bokhari, Saeed Jaffer, Asad Khan, Adnan Lawai, Saima Shah, and Shahid Mahmood-but particularly Safwan, Ginni and Saima.

I believe that Chowk is a cyber ``contact zone`` and has the potential to be part of a South Asian knowledge making and documenting movement. And this potential is unlimited!

Please put this piece somewhere where it is readily accessible-every person who logs onto Chowk SHOULD read it.