At the outset, I'd like to state that I have never visited Karachi. It's on my bucket list though. Yes, I suspect this admission might invite eye rolls from some of you. Fed partially by writings by authors from across the border, and interactions with some of them at literary festivals, I have attempted to build an image of this city by the sea, emerging from its colonial hangover, just like Bombay, and trying to strike a balance between the modern and the traditional.

"Karachi is a lot like Bombay; especially when I see parts of Colaba and walk past Fort's Gothic buildings," revealed award-winning author Kamila Shamsie, during one such conversation towards the end of an interview on the sidelines of Jaipur's literary mela several years ago. Shamsie went on to share a few more details about its people, food and chaotic yet infectious vibe that was tough to abandon. Countless Google searches later, the city's sights and sounds intrigued me further. Since then, my antenna would go up each time I heard of or read about goings-on, especially around its architectural and historic influences.