Farheen Mukri

A Journey of Migrations and New Moons

"War broke out. His jaw tightens… his body's cellular memory recollects the trauma. Cautiously, I urge him to describe what he remembers. He shakes his head, with a sound of deep regret, and there is silence for a good half-minute. He is forming the words he wants to say, to manage his emotions. The humanist, compassionate side of my father comes to the fore…

Inner Anchorage takes you on a journey from a one-room flat in Bombay's crowded Dongri in the 1940s to the high seas of a seaman's quest for adventure through many voyages and migrations, all along holding onto an unshakeable faith in Divine Providence. Witnessing the chaos of the Great Partition in 1947, wars and apartheid of the last century, Captain Ismail Mukri faces many storms both at sea and in life. While life often forces us to succumb to societal pressures, this seaman stays his ground remaining resilient and principled. An inspirational account of his life journey as a Ship's Captain, a Teacher, a Mentor, a Friend while navigating his role as a father and husband to his family. This is a story, lovingly researched and written by his daughter, of a man who contributed significantly to the maritime academies of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Singapore.