Shopping for nephew and niece

SHOPPING FOR NEPHEW & NIECE

Last Friday (day before yesterday), I decided to go to Variety Books in Liberty Market, Lahore after a long time. Basically, I wanted to purchase some nice books for my niece and nephew (brother's kids) who were visiting us along with their parents from Dubai. They did Eid with us and my elder sister also came here along with her family from Rawalpindi.

When I reached Variety Books, the shutters were down even though time was just 4 pm. The guard said that the store was closed down due to death in a family. It was a bad stroke of luck as the guests were leaving next day. I had no choice but to go to an other book store Iqbal Book Corner but it did not have the kind of books I was looking for. My niece is an aspiring painter and I wanted to give her a book of landscapes and natural scenery.

The Islamic book center was near the Arts section and I couldn't resist going there. A nice book on Data Sahib caught my eye there (with accounts by various writers over centuries on Data Sahib) and I bought it along with 15 pocket-sized books on Supplications by Rasool Allah (s.a.w.w.) "Piyaaray Rusool s.a.w.w. key piyari duain) costing 20 Rs. per copy. I already have this book with me since many years but wanted to buy more to present it to others.

So this was the shopping I did that day when in fact I went out to look for some art books. However, after returning, I did give a copy of duain each to my brother, sister-in-law, nephew and niece.

- S Roman Ahsan.