A flowering in the House of Lords

LONDON: Lord Khalid Hameed of Hampstead hosted a reception at the Attlee Room of the House of Lords on 5th February to celebrate the publication of the “The Flowering Desert: Textiles from Sindh” by Nasreen and Hasan Askari.

The invitees included Indian origin peers and members of the Indian diaspora in London as part of the intent was to demonstrate that there was an increasing awareness in Pakistan of the historical relevance of minorities in the country.

Hasan Askari, who spoke briefly on the occasion, said the book was not intended to be a work of profound scholarship but in writing it, Nasreen Askari and he had discovered how significant Sindh was in the links between India, as was, and the cultures of Central Asia and Persia.

There had been some academic interest in the subject but this fact merited a wider audience. The other subject that was raised was the significance of the Hindu community in the arts, crafts and culture of Sindh before 1947.

The book has been well received both in specialist textile publications as well as the mainstream media, such as The Guardian and the World of Interiors and there is already talk of a reprint.

When asked what would happen to the Collection, described in the book as having been built over nearly 50 years, Hasan Askari said he had no idea but it would be a pity if it was dispersed.

Book sales are not allowed in the House of Lords but as there was considerable interest in acquiring copies, the entire proceeds of sales as a result of this function would be donated to Concern for Mental Health, a charity that Hasan Askari has supported over many years.