Written By: Adam M. Haidermota
From 29th January until 17th February, The Dawood Foundation (TDF) is looking to transport Karachiites back to the 1950s. “Karachi in the 1950s and All That Jazz” is an interactive exhibition where TDF is looking to transform their social space, ‘TDF Ghar’, into a scene from the iconic 50’s, where attendees can enter a Karachi of a different era.
TDF is the charitable arm of the Dawood Hercules Group, a large conglomerate in Pakistan. Most of their work is focused on education, while they also provide aid for disaster relief and social development. One of their most recent and valuable initiatives was the restoration of a 1930’s house in Karachi, now named TDF Ghar.
TDF Ghar has become a safe space for Karachiites to come and study, play board games, discuss ideas, or drink chai. It recently gained some media attention when the famous comedian, Junaid Akram set up a crowdfunded library in one of their rooms.
The TDF Ghar is an incredible space for Karachiites of all ages to enjoy. It has amongst the best views of Quaid-e-Azam’s Mazaar in the city, and the old antiques which decorate it create a wonderful, almost museum-like ambiance. Its outdoor café evokes the old-fashioned Iranian-style cafes of the early 1900s where the great poets and writers of our recent history would gup shup.
In this recent interactive exhibit they’re planning, TDF has taken it a step further. With it, they are attempting to take Karachiites back to the 50s, an age which we tend to romanticize a great deal. By taking us back to these early days of Pakistan’s history, Karachiites will be transported to a time where terrorism, street crime, and corruption weren’t at the foreground of people’s minds. They will be able to forget the problems of the present and experience days where Karachi was internationally recognized as a cultural hub and tourist destination. At least for this author, I can’t wait to attend!
