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The tale of a sandman

Hasaan Haider | Ali Umair Jaffery Published February 6, 2011
My name is Syed Ahmed Hussain Shah Bukhari but people call me Asif. I am from Rahim Yar Khan, a village in Punjab.
My name is Syed Ahmed Hussain Shah Bukhari but people call me Asif. I am from Rahim Yar Khan, a village in Punjab.
This art of making sculptures out of sand was given to me as a blessing from the All Mighty Allah. I have been making them since my childhood.
This art of making sculptures out of sand was given to me as a blessing from the All Mighty Allah. I have been making them since my childhood.
My father passed away when I was young and so my mother and I came to Karachi. Over here I saw tall and beautiful buildings and whenever it rained I used to gather damp sand and make those buildings exactly as they were.
My father passed away when I was young and so my mother and I came to Karachi. Over here I saw tall and beautiful buildings and whenever it rained I used to gather damp sand and make those buildings exactly as they were.
I am not educated at all because we were not rich and after my father's death our conditions became worse. I was seven when I began sitting at my cousin's shop where he taught me how to sketch.
I am not educated at all because we were not rich and after my father's death our conditions became worse. I was seven when I began sitting at my cousin's shop where he taught me how to sketch.
I used to copy his sketches and redraw them over and over again to achieve excellence.
I used to copy his sketches and redraw them over and over again to achieve excellence.
One day I was walking along the shore at Seaview, Karachi, where I saw young children making a sand castle. I went up to them and said, ?you dig the sand and give it to me and I will make sculptures for you.?
One day I was walking along the shore at Seaview, Karachi, where I saw young children making a sand castle. I went up to them and said, ?you dig the sand and give it to me and I will make sculptures for you.?
I have a very good photographic memory. Once I see things in reality or in photographs, I can make them without seeing them again.
I have a very good photographic memory. Once I see things in reality or in photographs, I can make them without seeing them again.
I have been to the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam only once in my life and have never seen the Taj Mehal in India in real life but I can make their sand sculptures as their images are saved in my mind.
I have been to the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam only once in my life and have never seen the Taj Mehal in India in real life but I can make their sand sculptures as their images are saved in my mind.
Mostly, I like to make lions, the Mazar-e-Quaid, mermaids, crocodiles, and the Badshahi Mosque. Besides these I can make the Khyber Pass, the Red Fort, the Taj Mehal, the Eiffel tower and much more.
Mostly, I like to make lions, the Mazar-e-Quaid, mermaids, crocodiles, and the Badshahi Mosque. Besides these I can make the Khyber Pass, the Red Fort, the Taj Mehal, the Eiffel tower and much more.
I go to the sea shore on Saturdays and Sundays to show people my talent. Within five hours I can make about six to seven sculptures. People come, watch and go and a few give me some money too. In these two days I earn so much that I can spend my week without any problems.
I go to the sea shore on Saturdays and Sundays to show people my talent. Within five hours I can make about six to seven sculptures. People come, watch and go and a few give me some money too. In these two days I earn so much that I can spend my week without any problems.
Making these is not as easy as it seems as it requires hard work and dedication. People do appreciate my work but only in front of me and as soon as I leave I do not understand why some people trample on the sculptures and break them.
Making these is not as easy as it seems as it requires hard work and dedication. People do appreciate my work but only in front of me and as soon as I leave I do not understand why some people trample on the sculptures and break them.
I create these sculptures because my mother believes that one day I will become something great. It is only because of her prayers and the public's prayers and support that I am able to carry on. In the end I would like to give a message that if some one likes my work they should come see me at Karachi's Clifton beach and I will show them my work and will share my skills with them.
I create these sculptures because my mother believes that one day I will become something great. It is only because of her prayers and the public's prayers and support that I am able to carry on. In the end I would like to give a message that if some one likes my work they should come see me at Karachi's Clifton beach and I will show them my work and will share my skills with them.

From the shores to the Himalayas, Pakistan is a country abundant in talent. In my quest to find unique flair in the city of Karachi, I went through almost every street and came across a lot of remarkable aptitude but the one which impressed me the most was this one. It is remarkable how this individual turned the sea sand into stunning sculptures. – Text by Ali Umair Jaffery, photos by Hasaan Haider/Dawn.com

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Comments (20) Closed
Waqar
Feb 06, 2011 01:51pm
Awesome piece guys !
Recommend 0
apakistani
Feb 06, 2011 02:53pm
Awesome :-)
Recommend 0
hira
Feb 06, 2011 03:52pm
dis sandman proves talent isnt limitd to being rich or learning at universities. Diamonds r found widin coals!
Recommend 0
Mikal
Feb 06, 2011 04:45pm
A truly inspiring piece, well done.
Recommend 0
samana
Feb 06, 2011 06:48pm
mashallah..
Recommend 0
AnOverseasDawnReader
Feb 06, 2011 09:37pm
What a unique talent! I wish this sandman very well and hope that he is an inspiration for some of our youth with negative and destructive emotions.
Recommend 0
Raza
Feb 06, 2011 10:13pm
Spectacular work, we should admire the artist and should help him be famous in the world.
Recommend 0
adnan
Feb 07, 2011 04:56am
i am really impressed for all these pieces of art.i wish i myself and some other dawn readers should help him which he requested in the last.
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M Mustafa Khan
Feb 07, 2011 03:09pm
Next time I am going to Pakistan, I am taking a bunch of people to see this guy. Seriously, somebody should sponsor him for professional training. Street art deserves more recognition in our country and a few classes at the Indus Valley Art school wont be asking too much. Maybe a couple of years down the line, he might be representing the country in Intl Sand sculpting competitions
Recommend 0
Nazi
Feb 07, 2011 03:56pm
it shows that talent is GOD gifted
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Kumar
Feb 07, 2011 06:08pm
Awesome! I am enjoying your work from the comforts of my home in New Hope, PA. Asif Bhai your talent is great as you said its the God given gift and we all should encourage. Wish you the success and we all readers should sponsor you to travel across the subcontinent may be across the world to showcase your art to others. Good luck and God speed!
Recommend 0
tes
Feb 07, 2011 10:34pm
the marvel artisan...awsome!
Recommend 0
M. Athar Shah
Feb 08, 2011 09:43am
Mashallah, very nice and artistic aproach. Thanks to Dawn for exploring the hidden talent of Pakistan.
Recommend 0
Sitara
Feb 08, 2011 03:07pm
Great!!! may this young man be blessed and may the stonehearted people who cannot give him something do not break his sculptures when he is away and i will request the competent authorities to sponsor his talent so that he may be of good to his mother and our country and i will request MR. Mustafa khan who has commented that he will bring some foreigners with him that he must do it plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. may Allah bless you Asif bhai thank u dawn for such a nice effort.
Recommend 0
Hasaan
Feb 09, 2011 09:19pm
Thank you for your appreciation.
Recommend 0
Hasaan
Feb 09, 2011 09:21pm
Thank you for being inspired.
Recommend 0
Hasaan
Feb 09, 2011 09:23pm
I hope so too. That was the whole point of sharing with the world his talent.
Recommend 0
Hasaan
Feb 09, 2011 09:28pm
He can be spotted between the early evenings till dusk at the Sea-view beach nearly every day and definitely over the weekends if you or someone you know would like to help him.
Recommend 0
Hasaan
Feb 09, 2011 09:30pm
Thank you for searching for this talent on Dawn.com
Recommend 0
Hasaan
Feb 09, 2011 09:34pm
You're most welcome for praising the Dawn.com team. We have the same hopes and wishes as you do too.
Recommend 0

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