It was almost as if time stood
still for a few minutes. As I walked out of Karama Centre in Karama, I noticed
Asatullah. A cobbler by profession, he plys his trade right outside the rear
entrance of Karama Centre. Amidst all the glitz and glamour of Dubai, here is
the other side of Dubai. The old world charm still survives.
Asatullah is originally from Afghanistan
but has moved his family to Pakistan. He claims to be in Dubai for about 15
years although he also mentions that this could be completely wrong and that he
may be a resident of Dubai for much longer. There is something amazing about
the way he goes on with his work with very little change in his tools over the
years. He uses the most basic of tools and may have never seen the kind of
tools which cobblers use today.
If one were to observe the spot
where he sits, you couldn’t help notice the businesses everywhere. Everybody
seems to be in a tearing hurry to get things done. And yet when you sit with
Asatullah, it’s almost as if time stands still. It is the old world charm of
Dubai that we seem to have lost completely.
