Salman Rashid

Travel writer, Fellow of Royal Geographical Society

Travel writer is a whistle blower
12 April 2013

Unfortunately travel writing in Pakistan is thought to be only describing the picturesque beauty of some place, mostly mountain country which we think is exotic. How many travel pieces have we seen about travels in deserts? And how often do we read of someone being concerned with the destruction of, say, the summer palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Rasulnagar (Gujranwala district)?

The travel writer, especially a native travel writer, is essentially a whistle-blower. His role is not only to inform readers about the country, but to bring to notice the destruction that has or is taking place. We have to move forward from being mere givers of commonplace descriptions of extraordinary places. It goes without saying that the travel writer must be a voracious reader. Only then he/she can move away from the mundane to a higher plane.

There are only three obligations of the travel writer: to be truthful, to be truthful and to be truthful.

Labels: About, Gujranwala: The Glory That Was, Travel Writer, Travel Writing

posted by Salman Rashid @ 08:00,

4 Comments:

At 12 April 2013 at 15:03, Lia said...: True. Let me add that every writer is obliged to tell the truth. Even fiction writers should write what they honestly believe.
At 12 April 2013 at 22:18, M Behzad Jhatial said...: truly said indeed...
At 13 April 2013 at 12:15, Kausar Bilal said...: Nice post. What about capturing regional cultures; people, their philosophy, traditions, life-styles, professions, talents, potential professions of the area, influence of modern age or so? Is a travel writer concerned about it as well?
At 14 April 2013 at 11:47, Lahoremassagist said...: Right, but who listens in this din?