Monday
Sep292008
Family Photo
Monday, September 29, 2008 at 09:00PM 
This photo of my dad's family (I wrote about them in the last post) predates the partition of India and was taken in Malerkotla, a Punjabi state that my family, ahem, er, this is awkward, ruled for about three centuries.Far right, my grandfather. Grandmother in the middle and the two ladies on the far left are my father's half sisters. My grandfather's first wife died of TB, I think. The child on the far right is my dad, far left is his brother.
My father is the only person in this photo who is still alive. I wonder how that must feel for him.
I feel lucky to even have it. You know, maybe since I have it and others like it, the quest to instill a little sense of family history in my progeny won't be a total failure? Heh, I know you love how I worked the word progeny in there.
Incidentally, Eid ul-Fitr is on Tuesday or Wednesday and marks the end of Ramadhan.
So, go wish all your Muslim friends "Eid Mubarek."
What do you mean you don't have any Muslim friends?
Reader Comments (14)
Wait. Tuesday or Wednesday? You don't know which one?
And you do know, right, that my ancestor ruled over part of Pakistan - Peshawar, to be exact, right?
My last name means the bogeyman in Pakistan. Ask your father if he knows what Abu Tabela is.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paolo_Di_Avitabile
The Muslim world always argues about Eid ul Fitr. For example, if you still lived where we went to high school, Eid is tomorrow. But where we live right now, it's on Wednesday.
Are you serious?!!! I thought you were joking about the Pakistan thing on your site. I'm going to that site right now. For the record, everyone knows people from Peshawar are crazy. Seriously.
Nope - I was serious. My name means the bogeyman!
er... am I not seeing the photo?
If it makes you feel any better, there is a castle in Ireland named after my family. Because we used to own it.
Could anyone else not see the photo? I can see the photo...
I can see the photo and what a treasure to have it, Faiqa. I keep trying to get my Grandmother to tell me the stories that go along with hers. I want to know then all! Happy early Eid ul Fitr :)
I LOVE the photo!!!
Your progeny will be perfect, as she already is, right?!
Avitable being the boogeyman is not even remotely surprising, is it?!
hm, why can't i see the pic???
rw & crys: hmm. I have no idea why you can't see the photo?? How unfortunate that you're asking the only "brown" person in the universe who has no idea how to help you with Internet issues. LOL. I use Firefox?
britt: I'm just worried about all the cosmic karma being from a family with a feudal past might have on my life. Think about it. Castles don't just build themselves.
tami: Get those stories!! And thanks for the Eid greetings.
sybil: Not surprising. At all. I love the word progeny. Progeny, progeny, progeny. You just feel smarter.
Don't ruin my future and get all Roger Clinton on me...watch the dirty laundry (j/k).
Hey everyone, how cuteis it that my brother Ziadoesn't know he's the Roger Clinton in our relationship??!
Roger clinton in your internet world (sluuuurp).
what a special photograph! i think the woman on the far left looks like you! i am so behind reading your blog, but i love it ;) hope you had a great eid!