From the Pharaohs to the belly dancers Egypt is a land of many wonders
AS I stepped into Karachi airport on that warm October morning, the scene at the departure lounge’s custom area reminded me of the used-clothes market. I was on my way to Cairo, land of the Pharaoh, on a business trip to attend a banker’s conference. I was quite excited and keen to visit this citadel of a once great civilization. But this scene at the airport, really stumped me. Baggage seemed to have been literally ripped open. I found out that the Customs has apprehended some West Africans who were carrying large quantities of drugs. Consequently, all passengers who followed were being treated as possible drug peddlers. Luckily for me, our bank’s protocol officer at hand and he whisked me through customs, check-in and immigration, in good time.
At about half past noon our flight flew out of Karachi and hours later, we landed in Cairo’s hot sunny afternoon. Since obtaining a visa for Egypt was a nightmare of enquiries and delays, we were ready to experience a possible tormenting session with the officials at the immigration counter. Travel post 9-11 has become a hazardous affair. Innocence has to be proven before the paranoid officials or else! However, all my fears came to rest when no questions were asked and my passport was duly stamped and given back to me with a smile. Now that is rare for a green passport holder! In the very first 30 minutes of landing in Cairo, I was on cloud nine.
The drive to downtown was almost an hour — it could have been longer but thanks to our driver aka pilot, we were flying past vehicles. I am quite sure, he had been trained for driving in a “death-wheel”. Late that evening, we checked into our hotel. The hotel itself is a unique experience as it on the banks of the Nile, has two towers and in-between them is the sandwiched palace of Omar Khayyam, that now houses most of Marriot’s restaurants including an imposing reception lounge. After freshening up, we had an exotic typical and sumptuous Egyptian dinner, in the courtyard restaurant, which was filled with music, to the accompaniment of fine cool evening breeze. And of course, dinner was followed by belly-dancing.
Egypt has been a unified society and a political community for over 5,000 years. In 332BC Alexander of Macedonia occupied Egypt. He must have been seen as a deliverer to a people who conservatively believed in the conception of divine kingship. History tributes Alexander for making sincerely conciliatory actions upon occupying Egypt. He did not stay long and then departed on other campaigns.
Modern day Egypt received its independence from Great Britain in 1922. Its strategic location and political importance has made it a pivotal country in the super-power’s contention for influence in the region. Egypt has a population of almost 50 million people, of which 46 per cent reside in urban areas and remaining 54 per cent are in the rural areas. Almost six per cent of over 1 million sq. kms. of its territory consists of the Sinai Triangular peninsula that forms a land bridge between Africa and Asia.
The next day, we visited the Khan Khaleli Bazaar, which is larger version of our Karachi’s Bohri Bazaar. Close to the Bazaar is the Husseini Mosque, where the tomb of Syeda Zainab graces Egypt. Along with my friends I went to the mosque, offered Naufil and later Fateha at the Mazar of Syeda Zainab, grand-daughter of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the daughter of El-Syeda Fatima and Sayedna Ali Ibn Abu Talib. We later also visited the shrine of Syeda Nafisa, another grand-daughter of the Holy Prophet.
Adjacent almost to the Husseini Mosque is Jamia Al-Azhar. We promptly walked across and visited its beautiful mosque. Inside the mosque, there are student chambers or hostels. i had a brief chat with one of the students who was from Indonesia and had come all the way here in search of knowledge.
Later in the afternoon of day two, we visited the Pyramids. Just referring them as a wonder of the world also seemed not worthy enough of its grandeur, dominance and prominence. Pyramid, in geometry, is a solid figure formed by connecting every point on interior to a plane. A pyramid is thus a special case of a cone, a solid, bounded by planes. The Egyptian burial customs were generally of a magical nature. The pyramids were used for burying the Royals. The Great Pyramid that originally rose to a height of 482 feet that now stands 31 feet smaller having been destroyed by nature, was impressive. Its base is 230 meters and an estimated 2.3 million blocks of stones, weighing between five to 15 tons were needed to build the Great Pyramid.
The second Pyramid i.e. Pyramid of Chephren although smaller in size, is visually as large as the Great Pyramid. This Pyramid was built by Chephren and since he did not wish to be disobedient to his father by building a higher Pyramid, he intelligently chose a higher plateau to build and hence achieved almost same height. While all my friends were queuing to go inside the Pyramid, I refused to be lured. The thought of mummies and the claustrophobia it may cause deterred me from being adventurous. And anyway, Hollywood’s adventure flicks had made me conscience of the dangers that lurked within!
To protect myself from the scorching Sun, I wore the traditional Arab head gear, one of the gifts of the land. Whilst my friends were inside the Pyramid, I stood reclining against the giant stones. An Arab, traditionally dressed with an unkempt beard, approached me and spoke in impeccable English and accent, “Where do you come from?” Before I could answer, he placed his hands on my cheek and said “You have a pious face! Are you Muslim?” I said yes, to which he murmured, SubhanAllah.
“Are you married and do you have children?” was his next question. I said, yes and am blessed with two loving sons. To this, he dug his hand into his, what seemed an endless pocket and brought out two cobalt blue stones and a metal figurine of a mummy. He said “The stones are for your children and the mummy for your majesty i.e. my wife — this would bring you good luck.” Then as if it make sure nobody else hears he whispered “Keep it in your pocket.” He left wishing me good luck!
From the Pyramids, we moved to the Sphinx, which in ancient Egypt, was a stone figure of a lion in a recumbent attitude, the upper part of the body being that of a human, usually male rather than female. This celebrated Great Sphinx of Giza guards the entrance to the Nile Valley. The statue was intended to represent the God Hor-em-Khu or Horus and is believed to antedate the IVth Dynasty, which began about 2700BC. I gazed into the eyes of the Sphinx and he seemed to talk back to me “Why do you look at me so intently?
“Many generations, many centuries have come and gone by — you would also go away, but I shall stay here. I have seen the Alexanders, the Napoleons and their ilk who have all faded away — so shall you and your generation.”
I couldn’t contest and hence refused to conserve further with the Sphinx.
From there we drove to an “oils and perfume” outlet, that claimed to be a supplier of the base oils to such renowned names as Nina Ricci, Christian Dior, Armani etc. The owner cum manager, Ali was excellent in his presentation about each perfume. Many business schools could benefit from his selling skills. Consequently, all of us ended up buying substantial value of oils and perfumes. Whilst, our items were being properly packaged, some of us came out of the shop and indulged in light conversation. My mind was, however, still wondering on the “gifts” given by that old man at the Pyramids which remained in my pockets.
I consulted Hafeezullah Saheb, the most devout and religious person in our group by narrating to him the Pyramid incident. I asked what should I do? He remarked, “We accepted Islam by rejecting idols, figures, stones ....”
“Should I therefore throw it?” I remarked.
He said “Yes — Allah is Kareem”.
I pulled the stones and the figurine from pocket and threw it into a nearby flower bed to the chant of “Allah Kareem” by all my friends. Later in the evening, we were enthralled with a dazzling light and sound show at the Pyramids. The Nile is the principal geographical feature of Egypt. Rising in equatorial Africa, it enters Egyptian territory in the South, then flows northward for 935 miles and empties into the Mediterranean Sea. On day three, in the evening, our hosts entertained us with a cruise on the river Nile. The dinner was exotic and sumptuous. Later there was belly dancing and some of us who did not quite enjoy it, went up onto the deck and had a great view of Cairo city. To have a meal in Egypt without belly dancing is a myth. I think it is only breakfast where you can eat without feeling pangs of pain in your belly. Even watching the movements can give anybody pains and aches.
We spent our day five in Alexandria, which was an enjoyable drive of almost four hours from Cairo. We visited the museum, the Amphi theatre and the palace. The all-seafood lunch was taste lingering.
To visit Egypt and not to buy its cotton would have been sacrilegious! If it was not for Beenish, who goaded us all to buy, not so much of impulsive shopping would have taken place! Lastly, a word about our guide, Ms. Isna, a trained Egyptologist, who be-laboured on every visit to even pre-Islamic sites to give it an Islamic character.
From the Pharaohs to the belly dancers Egypt is a land of many wonders 
