It has been a long six months since the Building Peace Project was launched. But, it is with particular shame that I admit to zilch contribution from my side, so far. Power cuts, poor Wi-fi connectivity and clashing schedules have been major hurdles, as also, the edgy reluctance on my part to put pen to paper (or is it, fingers to keyboard?), which have kept this space woefully empty. Empty, of course, excluding Salma's obstinate efforts at carrying the blog forward.
Having now confessed to past sins of inertia, I must acquaint the Reader with the two halves of this blog: Salma and I. I am Rouble. Born in Calcutta, the former capital of British India, twenty years old, and currently a pugnacious law student. Salma has already made a foray into this blog with her enthusiasm to salvage it, so she probably does not require an introduction. But, humour me, will you? I have the aching compulsion to introduce her from my perspective.
Salma... Salma... Salma! She is 25 years old. She is from a small town in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. She has a Masters degree in Chemistry. She has volunteered for a multitude of social causes. She presently works as the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of Government Schools for girls. She defies stereotypical assumptions. She is an inspiration.
Salma and I became aware of each other's existence back in February this year, and since then, our worlds have grown to accommodate the steady, blossoming bond rooted in mutual respect, affection and understanding. Apprehension of opening up to a person of seemingly polar culture, and the expectation of an awkward process of familiarising myself with my project-partner through the virtual world, were nagging weights in my often socially inept psyche. Yet, we began talking. And, that is all our little seed of friendship needed to germinate into definite camaraderie. We hit the moment C.S. Lewis was talking about, when he said, "Friendship is born at that moment when one man says to another: "What! You too? I though that no one but myself... " "
We talked about the books we read, the ideals we follow, the hopes we have. Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the simple idea of goodness, and a world for all, were all found to be common ground. Both our mothers were conspiratorially laughed at for chiding us, in vain, to tidy our hair before video-conferencing. Feckless electricity supply systems in both countries were cursed at when our Skype sessions were disrupted. The newly-elected Prime Ministers of both nations were resolutely scrutinised. The problems of illiteracy and poverty plaguing our countries were lamented over. Hopes of a better tomorrow and ambitions of being harbingers of change were gushed about. Thus, Salma and I found common ground. A Pakistani and a 'Hindusthani' found common ground.
