Kavi Shankar's Blogs

They say seven people in the world look exactly alike. I only ever met one—my doppelgänger. He was the scion of a wealthy family, while I came from modest means. Back in college, he arrived in a luxury car; I traveled by bus. At first, my classmates were confused. "Why'd you come in a car yesterday but take the bus today?" they’d ask. Puzzled, I’d simply lower my eyes and mutter, "That wasn’t me." Eventually, everyone realized I was just an ordinary student who happened to look like someone rich. Oddly enough, my resemblance to him began to pay off. At salons, restaurants, and shops, I started receiving unexpected VIP treatment. It felt strange at first, but I grew used to the attention. College ended. Everyone went their separate ways. I moved to a big city and lost touch with my old classmates. Years later, while walking down a busy street, a luxury car screeched to a halt beside me. I instinctively stepped back, startled. A voice called my name from...

A heartbreaking incident recently took place in Chachro, Tharparkar, where a voiceless camel was allegedly blinded after its eyes were gouged out or so badly injured that it lost its sight. Its only "crime" was entering a field in search of food. The Chief Minister of Sindh immediately took notice of the incident, and the police arrested a few suspects. But an important question remains: will arrests alone stop such acts of cruelty? The incident reminded me of something I witnessed nearly thirty or forty years ago. A powerful landlord in Thatta owned a grand mansion where politicians, senior officials, tribal leaders, and influential people gathered every day. Servants were always busy attending to guests, and his wealth and influence impressed everyone. One day, he was informed that a few donkeys had entered his banana orchard and were eating the crop. Blinded by anger, he ordered his workers to cut off the animals' legs up to their knees. The helpless donkeys suffered f...