Tucked along a row of shops offering carpets, Turkish food, hostels, and a museum of toys, you will find a chalkboard outside a shop that flaunts none of its wares on the sidewalk. To discover what it holds, the curious need to take a step inside. This is Wardah Books. For 16 years, Ibrahim Tahir has…
Tag: religion
Canvassing the city
I ran across a delightful little brick-and-mortar store stacked floor to ceiling with the most incredible paintings. The owner showed me around, and introduced himself: “My name is Art.” True enough, I noticed his signature on the paintings. Why this pseudonym? I didn’t ask. Art has seen a fragile existence in the nation. During the…
Temple of Knowledge
Little Prayer Shop August is the month of the 7th month of the lunar calendar for Buddhists and Taoists. The gates of the Afterlife open and ghosts of the dead return to Earth to linger among the living. Families make offerings to appease the souls of the dead and pray for their well-being in the Underworld, and…
Shopkeeper Stories 