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Book launched for Chelsea Pensioners Fund

Paradise Found: Journeys Through Noble Gardens of Asia -- Book launched to raise funds for the Chelsea Pensioners Fund

HRH Princess Alexandra and Marquess of Salisbury discussing the Nokia-NSN-Karavan Women's Craft project in
area affected by the Earthquake 2005 in Northern Pakistan.

HH Princess Tunku Soraya Dakhlah of Malaysia had telephoned me last year to ask me to contribute towards a book that she was putting together on 100 best gardens of Asia. The book was being published to raise funds for the Chelsea Pensioners Fund for construction of facilities for them. I felt it was a great privilege to be asked to write for the forthcoming publication to which world renowned experts were contributing. It seemed an interesting venture, where contributors from Asia would help raise funds for a charity in the UK, at the same time present the gardens in their own country to a wider public.

But I was already working on two books, one on the Government House, Lahore and another, a coffee table book on Lahore, based on my Lahore Guidebook published some years ago and I seemed perpetually short of time. I had also been quite busy with the work with communities affected by the 2005 Earthquake in Northern Pakistan and had felt that I could not devote time to writing on another topic for which I would have to carry out time consuming research.

But Soraya was extremely persuasive and said she could give me more time if I needed in order that the piece could be completed. I had the choice of two gardens, the Hiran Minar at Shaikhupura and the Wah Gardens at Wah. I finally picked the HIran Minar for writing my piece.

In February I received an email informing that the launch of the book had been set for May 2008 by HRH Princess Alexandra and would my husband, Suhail Zaheer Lari, a noted historian, would like to attend it in the State Apartments at the Royal Chelsea Hospital, London, when a private showing of the Chelsea Flower Show would also be held.

Since Suhail and I both had to carry out research at the British Library, we decided to coordinate the dates so that we could attend this interesting event, at the same time, would be able to carry out research for our books. It was thus that we arrived on 16th of May in London.

We arrived at the Royal Chelsea Hospital and found our way to the State Apartments. The Apartments were part of the building built by Christopher Wren, the architect of the St. Paul’s Cathedral, and visiting the Renaissance building was an exciting experience in itself.

We arrived at the reception where drinks were being served and the completed book was on display. Soraya and her colleagues had done extraordinary amount of work in bringing out a remarkable publication. There seemed to be a select gathering of authors and sponsors. It was wonderful meeting Soraya and her husband Shariff. While Soraya is herself an author, her husband is a film producer. Soraya had been very interested in our work in the earthquake area and the four of us had a good discussion regarding the conditions there. They both promised that they would try and make it to Pakistan, which would be great!

After the reception the launching was carried out in an adjacent Hall, on the walls of which hung enormous oil portraits of various monarchs and those associated with the royal hospital including one of Christopher Wren.

We were introduced to the Marquess of Salisbury who turned out to be a very interesting person. He had been to Pakistan when his son was serving in Afghanistan and seemed to know a great deal about the country. He discussed with me at great length the situation in the earthquake area. As we were talking HRH Princess Alexandra moved towards us and the Marquess introduced me to the Princess. She had also been to Pakistan. I was keen to know if she had stayed at the Governor House in Lahore because then I could get her impressions and perhaps use them in the book I am writing on the Governor House. Alas, she had only been to the Rawalpindi State Guest House, also a historic building. She also wanted to know about our work in the earthquake area. I told her about the bead work of the women and showed the bead bracelet I wear. She said, oh, but this is beautiful. Would you like one Mam, I said. And, from I produced a bracelet and its pouch from my handbag. The Marquess was quite surprised. “Do you always carry these with you”. Yes, these are part of my PR pitch for the women of the area. How do you put it on, the Princess wanted to know, Shall I put it on for you? Yes please, she said. And as I struggled to put it on her wrist, the Marquess said, Mam there is a whole queue waiting to be introduced to you. Oh, It is ok, she said, I have enough time, let me put this bracelet on.

Unfortunately, Suhail had been caught up with a conservative Member of the Parliament and was not able to extricate himself to take a photograph of Princess Alexandra with the bracelet.

Suhail had also been talking to another Member of the British Parliament, Michael Curzon, the great grandson of Lord Curzon, viceroy to India from 1899-1905. I have always had a soft spot for Curzon, and I told the young MP, Viceroy Curzon did much to establish the Archaeological Survey of India, because of which so many of the historic sites were protected.

I was wearing my Sitara-i-Imtiaz award and many people asked me what it signified, one going so far as to ask me to tell him what were my accomplishments which merited the award.

After the speeches and launching of the book we were lead to the Chelsea Flower Show, which was being held in the grounds. It was wonderful to see how well organized the show was and the array of well arranged flower stalls and related products.

We had been there for three hours and for almost all the time, everybody stood and talked. By the end of it we were thoroughly exhausted and glad to make our way back to our hotel, we had chosen because of its proximity to the British Library in King’s Cross, London. Suhail and I spent next many days poring over antique material in the British Library for researching our books, before Suhail made his way back to Karachi and I went to visit our children in the US.