REWRITING HISTORY OF LAHORE IN A FULLY ORCHESTRATED WAY’
ERASING PAKISTANI IDEOLOGY, AND ALSO MUSLIM CONTRIBUTIONS.

The first question is simple, “Can it be done?” It is my firmest belief that try can all combined, it cannot be done. But the enemy knows more than anyone else. Hit Culture first, rest will follow. Thousands of books in the region, and thousands of archaeological sites, all under control of those opposing our Ideology. Lahore is ready to be sold to the highest bidder. There is a reason for so many Plazas being built in a bankrupt society, namely the next set of owners. When I look at the so-called experts lecturing us, I actually feel their knowledge and analysis of a baby who does not know how to clean his diapers. The result trying to spread their filth on others.

Many years back there was a news in the paper of a plan to demolish the walled city completely. I was amazed at this news. Can any knowledgeable person even conceive of erasing at least 1000 years of history? Then came the British times effort to talk of meaningless creation of Loh, to the making of the city. To authenticate this baseless statement, a Mandir of Loh was created in the Lahore Fort. Mind you the two sons of Ram had nothing to do with this area, and when dug, around 1923, some jaw fragments and bones were discovered, and those disappeared with the connivance of Hindu Society, namely Sanatan Dharm Yudah Salba.

Ahmad Hasan Dani Views

In 1973 the legendary scholar of Pakistan Ahmad Hasan Dani delivered a lecture on Al-Beruni” in the city of Kabul. Amazing that Kabul is seen as hosting a Pakistani scholar. But Kabul was a city of intellect and arts for a long time. Not surprising that it happened then. Dani Sahib in his erudite way explains everything. He dismisses the so-called connection of Loh son of Ram with Lahore and we attach the paragraph on same. Worthy of being read. But most interesting he isolates different Lahores and capitals and names. And he says that the city was founded near the river IRAWATI (present Ravi), and that is why it was called IRAWATIAWAR. It was later modified with use as RAVAWAR. He says Panini’s grammar tells us that RA and LA are interchangeable grammarian words, and that is why we have the word LAHAWAR, or presently LAHORE itself. Lahore is simply by tradition CITY ON RAVI.

An uncertain Munshi Sujan Rai

It is very romantic to speak of the twin cities of Lahore and Kasur and link them to perhaps two brothers Loh (actually Lava) and Kasu (actually Kusa), son of the legendary god Ram Chandar of Hindu religion. Certainly, Loh is remembered as the son of Ram Chandar, but little is known of a brother Kasu. This Lahore idea was first floated by a Hindu writer Munshi Sujan Rai  perhaps in 1691 AD (the amazing fact is that no old manuscript is known, and when it covers 40 years of Aurangzeb’s reign, all manuscripts have date of death of Aurangzeb too (years later), and the earliest manuscript is dated 1168 AH or 1754 AD and even that has some missing and replaced pages, and even more amazing of the five manuscripts known, not one has his name in it) in Khulasatul Tawareekh, as compared to simple statement of Lahori writer Ahmad Zanjani in Tuhfa Sawaleen in 1043 AD (648 years previous) which ridicules this conjecture. But nowhere was mentioned that his Mandir exist in the Lahore Fort. No mention of same even with Kanhaiya Lal in 1884, and up to the best of my knowledge it was Judge Muhammed Latif in 1892 AD, who narrated the existence of Mandir, and speaks of it being in a deep hollow which is descended by wooden stairs. Or rather ladder if you call it. Not very clear really. Made to mention but no image in his book.

Mian Muhammed Fauq historian

Mian Muhammed Fauq is a well-known historian of our region and has written on Lahore too. Rare to find his books, we come across the in different conditions. But very strangely there is a strange mention in his book on Lahore, related to the Lahore Fort. Let us translate what he has to say in understandable terms:

“Besides the mosques in Lahore Fort, there is a Mandir in the fort, that even today proves the bigheartedness of the Mughals Emperors, This Mandir is in a space with a huge pit in it. It is said that this pit is that of Raja Loh, son of Raja Ram Chandar, who is responsible for making New Lahore. The level is same as the Fort, there is a reason for it that it is very old and Mughals left it intact. In reference to this Mandir, the society Sanatan Dharm Yudah Salba were having letters communication with the Government. So on 11th December, 1923, members of Yud Sahba, and Superintendent of Archaeology went to see the same, and this area was covered with debris, the same area was cleaned from all sides. Cleaning the Mandir or Samadh, and one can see a dilapidated dome (gum band) and under two feet one could see leaves and earth all around. This two feet deep one could see a flower. Its level is same as that of Hazuri Bagh. After cleaning and digging, on 13th December, 1923, there were discovered bones of hands which at present generation comparison, were very large, and the face had very sharp teeth which were also discovered there. After studying them it seems that at that time, humans were much taller and stronger at old days. These bones were taken into possession by Sanatan Dharm as being the bones of Loh, son of Ram Chandar. However, the Department of Archaeology thought that these bones were of pre-Buddhist times of some extra ordinary large person. “

Where did the bones go? Perhaps preserved by the Archaeology department. Perhaps taken by Sanatan Dharm people. No one knows. A look at the newspaper of those times may reveal a lot of things. The Mazar of Nau-guzza has changed over the times too. Only a small portion is left by now. It blocked the road leading to Pani da talab. And there was a trough of water for the horses built by the municipal corporation. We have written a complete book on the Nau-guzzas for the first time ever. The details are fantastic. An iconic image recovered from the depths of Lahore all the time point out the giants, and with a familiar head dress on its head, it surely has Arabic and Egyptian background. Jewish and Islamic history recalled here. Genesis points out the expulsion of giants from the holy land, from where they fled to other areas in the East.  But this is a blog only. More research will come eventually!

We are not done, more will follow.

YES THOUSAND THOUGHTS RUN THROUGH AN ARTIST MIND;
FEW REACHES CLIMAX. MURRAQQA PAINTING WASTED VIGIL.

No work by M.A. Rahman Chughtai is ever made without a thought and with it comes symbolism, an entire story much before the creation of a master piece. The work “The Wasted Vigil” is very much there in the various editions of the Murraqqa and much appreciated. An author even named his book on the same subject. There is so much poignancy in the subject of a beloved waiting for the appearance of her lover,  person who never came and left the ache of waiting in the entire body. The romantic aspect of Ghalib’s poetry catches us immediately, and we can imagine the various feelings he went through in his life at personal level.

But the same verse is qualified as an image by the artist. There are alternatives. Enjoy an alternative which never got made but was conceived by the artist and after all he selected  version which he thought was best. Bu this version is no less. The empty bed, the blook of verse as she holds either a flask or a diva in her hands. Her clenched hands show her anxiety of missing her lover. We saw it, we shared it. Enjoy!

Remember the original paintings were on same paper, same size, same year of 1926 or so. Relish the mystery.

MURRAQQA E CHUGHTAI: THE BEGINNING, THE PROCESS;
COMPLETION IN ADVERSE CIRCUMSTANCES AND SUCCESS.

In 1926 Sir Akbar Hydari, Prime Minister of Hyderabad Deccan was in Lahore, and Dr Allama Iqbal wanted to meet him. He requested the Chughtai brothers to accompany him to the House of Justice Sir Muhammed Shafi, and later to house of a Parsee couple. on Fane road, behind Lahore High Court. Dr Iqbal took the brothers in his own car at that time and a long discussion was held there. In that same meeting Sir Akbar Hydari was told of the proposal to publish an illustrated Murraqqa related to Mirza Ghalib. For details see blog

http://blog.chughtaimuseum.com/?p=2948

THE PRESENCE OF SIR AKBAR HYDARI IN LAHORE – A CAR LIFT BY DR ALLAMA IQBAL TO CHUGHTAI BROTHERS – Chughtai’s Art BlogTHE PRESENCE OF SIR AKBAR HYDARI IN LAHORE A CAR LIFT BY DR ALLAMA IQBAL TO CHUGHTAI BROTHERS An event in Lahore of historical nature The University of Punjab in 1926 invited Sir Akbar Hydari Prime Minister of Hyderabad Deccan to Lahore to preside over its annual convocation and distribute degrees to students. Dr Allamablog.chughtaimuseum.com

The same was also discussed with the art critic G. Venkatachalam, of Madras, who knew the Maharani of Cooch Bihar well as a patron. The result Rs 5000 came from the Maharani in 1926, and the project started, but as a commercial partnership. It was a business arrangement. But the cost of publication was staggering and the artist ran out of money. This is one of the reasons that the First Edition has different binds to it.  In 1927, Dr Allama Iqbal requested the Nizam of Hyderabad to fund the project more, by supplying further Rs 5000 for the same. This help probably never came. The letter is preserved and published in Hyderabad Archives.

The obvious reason resulted in variations in the First Edition as well as variations in the editions that followed. Many paintings were also changed in the process and had different versions.  Complete guideline are required obviously. The editions were depending on availability of paper, Rexine, book binders, printing presses as well as the old London based letter press plates. Even the same pigment inks were no longer available.  The Press imported never worked,  was sold and replaced with another press “Art Falcon” from another publisher, on Mohan road, Lahore. For lack of money, the printing was even done by the two brothers, as well as his maternal cousin. It was an uphill task but the resolute will of the artist carried him through to his first international success as a publisher. The rest is history.

Finally the artist had offered the complete set of paintings to various organizations. One place was Aligarh University and Vice Chancellor Sir Ross Masood (letter there). Others too. But Princess Durre Shahwar came to rescue and bought the whole set for the Nizams Palace in Delhi. The works hung there for very long time. Where they are now, NO ONE KNOWS. Perhaps even in Australia, perhaps in some Governmental coffers in India. Subject to research.

ARCHIVES OF ETCHINGS AND ETCHING PLATES;
AND INTENDED SKETCHES: A MISSING TREASURE.

We know that reputation is that M.A. Rahman Chughtai made 300 etchings. We have a record of at least 239 etching and aquatint prints. But we also have a record of more than a hundred plates, with many plates showing works, which never got to the printing stage. And we have hundreds of sketches made for etchings which never got etched on plates. A phenomenal artist of all times, and this society has become so philistine with time, that it has forgotten its aesthetic background.

In any case we present a few impressions of scanned plates with powder in the lines and photoshoped to clear them. Enjoy a missing treasure! The full realization that indeed he was Modern Master of Islamic civilization.