Rango: Time for Action Replay

(This article , written by me, was published in the 'HORUS' magazine, the in-flight magazine of Egypt Air)

At the last crossing just before the Abdeen Palace, in a poor and unassuming neighborhood in downtown Cairo, is the Tanbura Hall that hosts the last-known exponent of Rango every Thursday evening.

Rango is a musical instrument and its music was brought to Egypt by the Sudanese people- first when they came in as conscripts into the Egyptian army in the 1820s and then later by those who were brought in to work on the cotton plantations in the 1860s. These reluctant exiles settled in the cities of Alexandria, Cairo and Ismailia, bringing their folk melodies and instruments with them, and sought solace from the loneliness and the harshness of their lives in music.

At the Tanbura Hall, we are treated to this repertoire of songs created in exile-songs of longing to return to their homelands, humorous marching refrain and the Sudanese wedding songs.

The Rango ensemble, fresh from their triumphant one-month long tour of UK in July this year, set the mood with their songs performed to simsimiyya and tanbura lyres, with percussion provided by shakers made of recycled aerosol cans.

Their performance has a new exuberance; they have just heard that their debut album, Rango:Bride of theZar, has been selected as one of the 10 best albums of 2010 in the respected London-based Songlines magazine.

But the piece de resistance of the performance is yet to come, when the 190-year-old Rango is unveiled-literally –to an appreciative audience. The instrument deserves the ceremonial unveiling-after all; it is one of the only two that can be found in Egypt.

Xylophone-like, with wooden keys and resonators fashioned out of Sudanese vegetable gourds, the Rango music had faded into oblivion after the death of the last of the old masters in the year 1975.

The Rango was traditionally played along with the tanbura at the soul cleansing and healing Zar rituals and gradually evolved to being performed at wedding celebrations and other social events. However, it could never quite shake off the stigma of being a trance-inducing and spirit-invoking music and was shunned by the Egyptian society.

Ibrahim Zacharias, founder and director of El Mastaba, the Center for Egyptian Folk Music was determined to bring back the Rango into the public realm and to rescue it from the brink of extinction.

“I first heard about the Rango in the year 1994 from my friend, the veteran Ismailia musician El Wazery,” recalls Zacharias. El Wazery had fond memories of the beautiful Rango nights in Ismailia before the war of 1967 and particularly remembered Hassan Bergamon. Hassan had moved to Cairo and taken up playing the more versatile Tanbura. Consequently, no-one knew that that Hassan could play the Rango.

Zacharias finally traced him in the year 1996. “When I met him, the first thing I asked him was whether he still could play the Rango and second whether he owned any,” says Zacharias.

Since Hassan did not own a Rango, the battle was only half won. Zacharias visited the homes of the old masters and over a period of time won the trust of their families who entrusted the last two Rangos xylophones to him.

21 years had elapsed since Hassan last played the Rango, but when he laid his hands on the instrument again, it was like “I had found myself again,”

The Rango instrument and its player secured, the next step was to organize the band. With veteran drummers, Zar singers and ritual dancers wearing mangor belts made from goat horns, Hassan’s rango ensemble made their stage debut in Egypt in 2001. Energetic and frenzied, alternately foot tapping and soulful, the Rango music is a cacophonous symphony.

The efforts of Zacharias and Hassan have revived the Rango in Egypt but the road ahead remains rocky. The gourds out of which the Rango is fashioned can be found only in the south of Sudan and with the passing away of the old masters; knowledge to assemble the Rango has also faded. The old Rangos are fragile and may not survive the relentless pounding for a long time.

However, there is a ray of hope-the El Mastaba has recently discovered an English musician, who is a specialist Rango maker and has commissioned a brand new Rango, likely to be brought to Cairo at the end of November.

But again, the bigger hiccup is manifesting the spirits of the old masters from the gourds of the old Rango into the new one. “The musicians and players of Rango believe that every player who plays the Rango leaves a part of himself inside the gourds and the invisible spirits are moving around the gourds hoping for a communion with the spirits of the old masters,” elaborates Zacharias. And the implications of this belief in an instrument that has been passed on from generation to generation, are huge. 

And what about the next generation of Rango players? Hassan, who is 62 years old today, is extremely passionate about music-he kept at it despite family opposition. In fact, as a child, he stole out of his house clandestinely on a number of occasions to play music.

But, surprisingly, none of his children play the Rango. Quiz him as to why did he not share his talent with his offsprings, he answers simply “I saw the Rango and I fell in love with it; I did not see the same love in my children.’

The Cultural Scene in Cairo

Situated as it is in the Middle East and North Africa region, Cairo’s enviable location makes it a melting pot of diverse cultures. As a newcomer to Cairo, the best way to “take the plunge” is to take advantage of the numerous venues across the city that play host to cultural events. On any given day, you can attend a musical performance ranging from classical, jazz, or Arabic music, lose yourself in an enthralling ballet performance, visit a contemporary art exhibition, dance to live music or watch a new foreign film.

Some of the cultural hotpsots of Cairo are:

Al Sawy Cultural Centre in Zamalek is one of the more interesting venues in Cairo. This “happening” place is tucked away under the 26th of July Bridge and is the scene for everything from plays, movies, musical performances to yoga programs and even painting, photography and arabic classes. No better place than this to serve as the “introductory class” for the cultural scene in Cairo (http://culturewheel.com/)

Also in Zamalek is The Cairo Opera House, the premier performance venue in Cairo. It comprises of a Main Hall, a Small Hall and an Open Air Theatre. The Cairo Opera Company and the Cairo Symphony put up regular performances during the season. The hallowed halls are graced by a number of visiting ballet and contemporary dance troupes. The Main Hall of the Opera is the place to head to if you are in the mood for dressing up-a jacket and a tie are a must to attend performances here. (http://www.cairoopera.org/index.aspx).

Performances that cannot be accommodated at the Cairo Opera House find a platform at the Ghoumariya Theatre in downtown. Also managed by the Cairo Opera House, the Ghoumariya theatre plays host to foreign dance troupes and more recently was the venue for performances under the auspices of the India Culture Week.

Definitely, one of the better musical experiences of Cairo is listening to the Zar songs at Makan in Downtown. (http://www.egyptmusic.org/). Zar music is practiced in Upper Egypt and is distinctly African. The performance area is like a big living room-you can either lounge on the carpets in front of the performers or sit on the chairs to enjoy the sublime music.

The Al Genenina (garden) theatre is a 500- seat open air amphitheatre inside the Al Azhar Park on Salah Salem road. The ambience lends to the charm of the wide range of musical performances that are put up here. Go early before the performance starts to catch the sun setting over Cairo. Admission to the performances is usually free.

Manasterly Palace on Rhoda Island (also called Manial Island) is another inspiring venue and is also one of the finest buildings in Cairo. The International Music Centre holds its instrumental and Chamber music concerts here. If you are early for a performance, you have time to enjoy the pleasant wait on the balcony overlooking the Nile. (http://www.manasterly.com/).

Apart from this, many of the nightclubs like Cairo Jazz Club, After Eight etc also feature live performances, albeit their music is western-influenced. The Whirling Dervishes or the Tannura dancers at the Al Ghouri caravansaray, near the Al Azhar mosque, are mesmerizing to watch. The explosion of colours, the rhythmic music and the passion of the performers leaves you entranced as does the beautiful architecture of the venue Wilkalet al Ghouri is Cairo's best preserved example of a medieval hotel (Wikala in Arabic). At dusk, the lights come on; the lighting only enhances the performance. Entrance is free and the seats fill up fast. But it is worth going early to occupy front row seats.

Movie buffs have never had it so good. Many cultural centers regularly screen foreign films series. They are not always subtitled in English, though. The French Cultural Center (http://www.cfcc-eg.org/), the Cervantes Institute in Cairo (http://elcairo.cervantes.es/es/default.shtm), the Goethe Institute and the Italian Cultural Institute are the most prolific. The Indian Cultural Institute, screens enjoyable Bollywood movies, popular amongst the locals. Most of these screenings are free. Another reason for the movie goers to cheer is the Cairo Film Festival, which takes place around the end of every year. Several theaters participate in this weeklong festival that screens uncensored versions of the films.

Art aficionados are spoilt for choice with many venues spread out across the city. In Downtown is the Atelier du Caire-one of Cairo’s older galleries, bringing together writers and artists. The entrance to the Masrabiya gallery, also in downtown, is to be found in the alley of an ahwa and has some of the finest artworks on display.

The most popular cultural venue in downtown is the Townhouse Gallery located in a “working area” with car mechanics, sign painters, carpenters and coffee shops occupying the surrounding space. The main building is three-storeys high and houses exhibition halls, a library and studios. The adjoining building, the Townhouse Factory was an erstwhile paper factory. The Gallery promotes independent artists by providing an outlet for their work and also provides studios for the resident artists. It also hosts lectures, film screenings, workshops, music and theatre performances (http://www.thetownhousegallery.com/main7.html).

Another culturally wealthy area in Cairo is Zamalek, which has a high concentration of galleries tucked away in the narrow alleys, all within walking distance of each other. The Zamalek Art Gallery (http://www.zamalekartgallery.com/index.php), the Gezeira Art Centre and the Islamic Ceramic museum showcase some noteworthy stuff.

Darb 1718, a non-profit contemporary art gallery, located in the heart of Old Cairo has managed to carve a name for itself as one of the bastions of independent art. The venue is best known for hosting unique art exhibitions and art installations. (http://www.darb1718.com/Pages/ShowPage.aspx?pageid=1).

With its collection of nineteenth century European masterpieces, the Mr and Mrs Mahmoud Mukhtar museum is a must-visit, as much as for its impressive collection as for some stunning views across the River Nile. The huge stained glass window leading upto the second floor is beautiful; so are the antiques that are on display. Photography enthusiasts must check out the Contemporary Image Collective, occupying the second floor and rooftop of a charming villa in Mounira. It focuses on visual images and apart from exhibitions, film screenings and performances, it also provides photography workshops and lectures.

Keeping your “cultural quotient” high is never going to be a problem in Cairo with so many unique experiences to choose from!

My Cake...My Cupcake!

Cupcakes have a way of warming your heart. Their shape and colours pull at your heartstrings. Cairo has surely got onto the bandwagon of cupcakes and is today a cupcake lovers’ delight. With so many shops dedicated to cupcakes, one is spoilt for choice.

To begin with, there was Sugar and Spice, which used to cater lovely cupcakes for parties, even before they started their cafe in Zamalek, in a lane off Brazil Street. Soon, Nola’s cupcake opened on Brazil Street (again in Zamalek!) and was the first outlet in Cairo that was dedicated to cupcakes. Here, the feast starts with the eyes as you look at the rows of prettily decorated cupcakes, arranged in the glass shelf on one side of the shop. Nola sells cupcakes in two sizes and the most delicious ones are the peanut butter and the cupcake with the chocolate frosting. My personal favourite is the red velvet cupcake with the cream cheese frosting on the spongy cupcake.

You can’t have too much of a good thing. Even before it opened its doors next to the iShop in Zamalek, Crumbs had made quite a name for itself catering to baby showers and birthday parties. The signage at its door beckons you indoors. It says “Stay Calm and Have a Cupcake.” But your sangfroid is the first thing that goes out of its doors, the moment you step in and see the moth-watering cupcakes. The Oreo cupcake with the Oreo cookie center is delicious, so is the Crumbs birthday cake topped with M & Ms and filled with chocolate chips. In fact, recently, Crumbs has opened a second branch at Maadi on Road 9.

Dina Cantina does not have an outlet but its website (http://www.dinacantina.com/) offers the opportunity to create your own cupcake. Orders can be placed only through the internet, but the response is very fast, once you have placed the order. Dina Cantina’s cupcakes earn some serious brownie points on presentation; they almost look too good to eat. However, Dina Cantina does not sell cupcakes by the piece; an order of a dozen cupcakes has to be made and they also charge a steep delivery charge of LE 25.

The husband-wide duo of Rasha and Sherif also make cupcakes to order and they can do almost anything with it. “You just have to dream it and we can make it;” asserts Rasha. They can be found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/chocoravi/. I have found their prices to be the most reasonable and with high quality and personalised service too!So, this Christmas, go ahead and get your cup of cake!

Mapping Egypt's Political Parties

This a beautiful diagram that explains the political parties of Egypt. Post the 25th January revolution, a number of political parties have beeb hastily clubbed together. The diagram at this link gives some idea of their ideologies and and affiliations. And the best part is that it is interactive. By clicking on the name of a party, it is possible to get more information on the background of the party. So go on, educate yourself!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2011/nov/22/egypt-election-political-parties-interactive

The Anafora Retreat Center

In the middle of nowhere, two hours’ drive out of Cairo is the Anafora Retreat Center. Intended as a place of prayer and silent reflection, this Retreat on the Cairo-Alex Desert Highway offers the perfect sanctuary and haven from the hustle and bustle of life. Anafora is run by the Coptic Orthodox Church and welcomes people from all over the world within its tree dappled precincts.

As soon as you enter, there is the Anamnesis building at the entrance, which serves the day visitors to the Retreat. Some distance away is the main building called ‘Anafora’, which means ‘sacrifice’. Here you can enjoy a cup of tea before going onto the terrace for beautiful views across the Retreat.

Bishop Thomas has designed all the buildings at the Retreat, using materials that people of Asyut use to build their houses. Bricks made of red mud and straw are used as the building blocks and afterwards the whole building is coated in mud and straw. The emphasis is on using natural materials. The thick walls and the natural materials ensure that the inside of the building remains cool, without the need for air-conditioning. In the distance, you can see the conference and training centre –it is called ‘Anastasia’ which means ‘lifting up’ in Coptic. At this training center, girls from the less developed region of Upper Egypt are trained in hairdressing, embroidery etc, thus equipping them to lead better lives. The Retreat welcomes day visitors as well as people who want to stay for a few days to enjoy the nature’s bounty. Individual huts for the accommodation of visitors have been arranged in the shape of a question mark. The dot at the end of the question mark is a chapel-indicating that all answers to the question of life can be found here. A few of the huts are white in colour, amidst the other earth-coloured ones, signifying that people of all nationalities and religion are welcome in the retreat-we may differ from the outside but we are all essentially the same.

The highlight of the Retreat is the meditation center. Beautiful architecture on the outside and aesthetically done up from the inside, it beckons visitors to enter and enjoy the solitude. There are no straight lines here, only curves and this makes for excellent acoustics, doing away with the need for a microphone. The floor is covered with woven multi-coloured rugs. There are benches and chairs along the sides for people who cannot sit on the floor. On the multi-coloured rugs are large pillows made of the same material as the rugs and are woven at the Retreat itself. To provide support while kneeling down, stools have been thoughtfully placed behind each pillow.

There is an opening cut into the ceiling in the shape of an eye through which light streams inside as also seven small plates of coloured glass set into the ceiling to let the light in. The back of the meditation center has brightly painted paintings that look like mosaics. The artist has made these designs using the ‘iota’ –which is the first letter in the name of Lord Jesus.

All visitors are offered free lunch, which is a simple fare of rice, beans, raw vegetables, freshly baked bread and a dip. The visitors have the run of the place and can either spend time in the mediation center or wander around the vast farm. A blue concrete moat runs around the Retreat and surrounds the chapel. Sometimes, the moat is filled with water from the underground springs, lending a charm and coolness to the place. This water is then pumped out and used to irrigate the vast rows of fruit trees and other crops, like the mango and date orchards and the geranium and the hibiscus trees.

Nature is revered at this Retreat and there is a small workshop on the premises where they make soaps and essential oils to cure a number of ailments, including for weight reduction and hypertension. All the products are made using the herbs that are grown on the grounds of the Retreat. The fruits are used to make jams and preserves and all these products are on sale at their shop on the premises. It is a marvel that amidst the aridity of the desert can be found such a flourishing farm. The proceeds from the sales of these products contribute to making the Anafora Retreat Center self-sustaining.

There is also a well-stocked library on the premises, where books in a number of languages can be found. In fact, the library is a nice place to spend time reading or just day dreaming. And if nothing seems to catch your fancy then enjoy the outdoors under the rough shade houses. Let your thoughts drift as you observe the myriad patterns made by the sunlight trickling in through the plam branches of the roof.

for a day visit call Sister Sara on 012 3812604

Banat Al Ghad:Girls of Tomorrow

A lot of my friends in Egypt often ask me whether I am aware of any NGOs that they can contribute their time to. There are a number of NGOs that are doing a lot of good work and are worthy of one's time and contribution. Here is the story of one such organisation -Banat al Ghad-that is working with street children, especially the street girls.

It was fascinating to talk to its Executive Director, Rania Fahmy, who took me through the starting up of the NGO and the expansions and developments that it has seen. Particularly interesting was to hear about the challenges that they face in convincing the parents of the street girls to let them live at the facility, rather than put them on the street.

You can read the whole story here.

Spa at the Four Seasons, Nile Plaza

Having a day out at the spa is the ultimate in relaxation. All the five star hotels in Cairo boast of spa services. I had the opportunity to review the spa at the Four Seasons at Nile Plaza for Community Times.

You can read the review here

Orchids in Egypt

When you think orchids, you think Holland. But a lone man grows orchids in Egypt and claims that they are even better in quality than those found in holland. He is a neurosurgeon by profession and took on growing orchids as a hobby.

For more information, check out my story in Community Times magazine.

The Ultimate Fuul Experience!

Anyone who has lived in the Middle East is familiar with fuul, a dish of fava beans which is the staple of the region. There are of course, variations from country to country-the kind that we had in KSA was mashed and creamier. In fact, for a long time, I just did not like the kind of fuul that I found in Cairo. Here, the fava beans are not mashed and it is usually prepared bland, with the tomatoes, onions, and the peppers added later on.

But then I had the fuul at Mahrouz and I can vouch for the fact that it is the best! Located in a lane near the Canandian embassy in Garden City, it is hugely popular. Nothing more than a little 'hole in the wall', there are plastic chairs and tables for ambience. But you come here for the fuul and not the ambience - and the fuul does not disappoint.

There is no menu and you have to pay close attention as the waiter rattles off the fuul dishes available-fuul iskandrany with tomatoes, onions, peppers and tahina (my favourite), fuul with shatta (chilli powder) and hot oil, fuul with butter, fuul with salsa and plain fuul. The eggtarians will just love their omlettes (spanish or regular) and the fried and the boiled eggs that can be ordered along with the fuul.

To mop up the fuul, there is the stack of baladi bread that is plonked on your table. Ask it to be heated and the hot bread enhances the taste of the fuul. You can also order side dishes of salads, white cheese and pickles.

Of course, there is no written cheque at the end and when it is time to pay, one of the waiters comes to your table, throws a cursory glance at the dishes and pronounces an amount. You are so satiated that you will not bother asking for the break-up. Also, the fact that it is not too much to pay for such a delicious meal will have you reaching for your wallet without any qualms.

However, after a couple of visits, just out of curiosity, I did figure out how the pricing works. It is generally, LE 6 for each plate of fuul and omlette, and LE 15 for every helping of salad. The figure is of course, rounded off to make it easier.

During Ramadan, the lane where the eatery is located is brightly lit with lanterns and rows and rows of tables are added to accomodate the hordes of people who arrive there during the suhoor. It can be quite an experience to have a suhoor meal at Mahrouz; however one must go early enough to grab a place.

The place is open from 4 p.m. till 4 a.m. everyday. The address is Haras Street, Garden City. It can take one a couple of wrong turns to find the place. Roughly, take the left near Nile Kempenski from the Corniche street and take the second left (it is more like a U-turn) and then take the first right. When you reach the crossroads, take a left (again it is almost a U-turn) and you are in the lane of Mahrouz.

It is All About Menus!

After the Otlob webiste (the ordering for home-delivery website in English), another website that can enhance the food experience for expats in Cairo is http://www.elmenus.com/. The tagline for the website says it all "It'a all about the menu!"

The menus of restuarants are listed on the website and it is possible to search for these restuarants by name. This is a boon, if for example you want to try out a new place but are not sure of what to expect at the restuarant. Through accessing the restuarant's menu on this website, you can avoid disappointments-both in terms of the food available and the prices.

If you are seized with the urge to eat a particular type of cuisine or even a particular dish, the website provides the possiblity of searching for restaurants offering that cuisine or dish. For example if you want to have a burger, then you type in 'burger' in the box provided for the search by cuisine and lo and behold!, all the restuarants that have burger on their menu will be listed together with details of the variety of burger and their prices.

You can search for restuarant menus by cuisine, by area, by special features (wi-fi, delivery, outdoor seating etc) or even use the website to get a list of restuarants and their menus that deliver in a particular area.

However, the website cannot be used to place the order at a restuarant. It does list the address, the timings and the telephone numbers of the restuarant. So, at least it does away with the necessity of saving the menus of your favourite restuarants for the purposes of ordering in food.

Their homepage has some interesting reviews of resturants by patrons, listings of the top five restuarants and the top 5 foods etc.

Eating around Cairo has never been so easy!