SNEAK PREVIEW OF INTRODUCTION OF PROPOSED BOOK,
ON ETCHINGS AND AQUATINTS M.A. RAHMAN  CHUGHTAI

All dedicated works are meaningless without the input of financial considerations. In a country where the State is least concerned with Ideology or Aesthetics to define itself, and the only moving force is GREED, forgetting the valour of those who create the country. It seems today acquisitions are the driving force of our nation, where Truth has become alien to society.  We were planning a book on the valid contribution of Chughtai artist to the Graphic Arts, and realize under the present condition it is an impossible dream. Even those who are eager for it to be written are very miserly towards its actual possibilities. An introduction was written, so we present the same as part of our blog to get the message across the world. Some English faces associated with the artist in the field and some etchings. Enjoy!

Background

The career of Abdur Rahman Chughtai started with his experiment in various fields. The one which stuck with him was photography. With one of those old Wooden box cameras, with Zeis lens, he stumbled into photography. From there the progress to Photo-lithography was a natural conclusion. After taking his certificate from the Railway Technical School in 1911, he enrolled in the Mayo School of Arts in search of a printing career. The diploma from Mayo was around 1915. After that he joined the Mayo School of Arts in the Photo-lithography section. In no time he was heading the department, and teaching other students. A group photograph at Mayo School of Arts in  1918, verifies the same position. With the title of a Munshi, he was sent to the Archaeological Survey of India head office for advanced learning. A certificate of 1919 clarifies his position of same. The date is from 21st July, to 4th September, 1919, and he is certified as well up in the mark of half-tone etching. These 43 days of training set the pace of his career in etchings. Obviously this enquiry is about his career in etchings only, and we have not touched other things at this time.

Moving forward in Etchings as an Engraver

The design impulse was rampant in him, and through designs, he created the urge to do dust covers, both for friends, as well as clients. In fact it was a continuation of work on new technology on the guidelines of his original naqashi mentor, Baba Miran Baksh. The printing training was being used for line printing. Obviously not satisfied with outcomes, he moved towards the city of London for advanced training. It was in 1931-32, that he made his first etching, under the guidance of private mentor, Etcher Smart. The artist complained that his mentor was very parochial in spirit, and when working on any specialized  process of etching, would turn his pupil out of the room. Although the basis for engraving was laid in that visit, nothing special could be done. His first etching was “Under the Arch”, and it is a small scale plate work. But professionals have even praised that output of his as an exceptional first one. It is pure luck that a print of the same has survived the times. The quest for engraving was ever more.

In the Indian region no importance was paid to the Art of Etching. Abindaranath Tagore was persuaded to try the same, but could only end up with the joke of the print being “His first hatching”. This is in itself documented by Indian Art historians. A lot of various print techniques were going on in India from the 16th century, but mostly Biblical subjects by priests in India. No relation to Fine Arts. It is said that various Indians tried their luck, but it was firstly Mukul Chandra Dey, who was sent abroad for learning etching skills. He was part of the Kala Bhavan Club set by Rabindarnath Tagore at Santiniketan in 1919.

“The new era in Indian art began with the establishment of Kala Bhavan at Santiniketan in 1919 by Rabindranath Tagore. The creative atmosphere of the newly established art college received a new energy in the graphic art movement in India when in 1921 Nandalal Bose took charge of Kala Bhavan. Mukul Chandra Dey was also part of the club.”

What they produced is not known, and no headway could be made in the etching field. It was probably in the 1950s that serious undertaking started in the field of etching in India. This was when progress in the etchings field in the grand traditions of European Masters was already underway in Pakistan. And only the artist Abdur Rahman Chughtai was heading that movement in Pakistan. Yes, no doubt, the artist Chughtai was the pioneer of such work in Pakistan, and amongst the very first founders in the Indian region. Of course the Indian Art historian is blind on the subject.

AS PROMISED THE STORY OF FIFTY YEARS OF CHUGHTAI MUSEUM;
WRITTEN AND READY, BUT PRINTING MAY BE DELAYED AT PRESENT.

It was not an easy task.Going through the box files of last fifty years, and browsing the daily diary and the documents, and there is so much material that I can write volumes of those years. But what was important development is necessary to remember, perhaps even to forgo many other things. In no equal terms can it be forgotten that going through the years was an emotional  venture, along with the archives of same. The ups and downs of those years take the breath away at times. Many people may not understand, but I lived those  times. Many times bitterly alone to face the music and anger of people in power.  

It is amazing the kind of people I met,  including Presidents, Prime Ministers, Secretary Generals, agents of foreign agencies, diplomats from all around the world (including seven American Ambassadors), and the admixture of all kinds of Pakistanis. Retired as well as active Generals of Pakistan Army. Even at times US Marines from Afghanistan. From the richest people in the world, to basic faqeers of the street. Obviously never kept a count, but would exceed hundred thousand people, reflecting a lifetime of contacts.

Researchers came from all over the world, as well as all parts of Pakistan. From PHD degrees, to term papers of school children. And our own research went on all the time, including archiving of our assets. And we printed each year our research to distribute it to lovers of Lahore, absolutely free of cost. People wrote from all over the world too, and we sent them things. Chughtai Sahib carved a name for himself, and we carved a name for ourselves, oblivious of the morons surrounding us most of the time.

A complete generation is gone, and our regular faces of visitors are gone. Some dead, some transferred, and some too old to come. In fact the mailing list is becoming obsolete with age. Updating is not enough. We made it first in 1975, and in 2025 interest in the Arts has waned, not increased with time. But we have kept on our struggle for aesthetics in Pakistan.

Tomorrow is an illusion. My father used to say is kiyamat comes, what is a gardener supposed to do with a plant in his hand ready to be planted. My father said he should plant same. His job is to plant, not seek recluse that things are  not going go be anymore. For after all our faith tells us the after life we will all reach. Perhaps Chughtai Sahib will be commissioned by Allah to paint pictures for those who reach heaven. WHY NOT? The future is indeed bright for the good.

YES, LEGEND OF CONCUBINE ANARKALI CRASHES DOWN;
THE BIZARRE REVELATION FACE OF QUEEN SAHIB JAMAL,
NO WALLS, NO BONES, FROM CHURCH FINAL MAUSOLEUM.

Our historians have written about the legend of Anarkali. The incest stories started by bastard English man William Finch, trader and gossip maker sitting in the bazaar. The concubine wife of Emperor Akbar, buried in Attock in a befitting mausoleum. Her name given by Prince Jahangeer himself in his memoirs as Maryiam Bibi, and his beloved Queen discovered by historians as Sahib Jamal. Yes, C. Grey reveals that the bones of the Queen were taken out and buried under a turret of the mausoleum. Perhaps still there, for in the renovation process of the Tomb of Anarkali, nothing was discovered in the deep dug hole. No walls, no bones, nothing but the treachery of the British in belittling our stalwarts all the time with misleading statements.

Let us see what William Finch says about Islam, and attributes it to Emperor Jahangeer:

“All this is nonetheless show as such with the King about Christianity he affirming before his nobles that it was the soundest faith and that of Mahomet lies and fables”.

Is that even remotely possible for Jahangeer to say something like that. Habitual liar!

Now comes the question as to the body (bones) of Sahib Jamal. C. Grey was the first to write the story of Anarkali, in the Punjab University Historical journal, and points out:

‘When the tomb was converted to a Christian church in 1852, the body was removed and reburied in the left-hand tower facing the mausoleum where it still remains, not far from the tombstone which once covered the grave within the building”.

It was my long held wish that some fresh digging should take place to clear all the hullabaloo. It finally came true. The Anarkali tomb is finally being renovated. Excellent! The place of burial dug and nothing found there. No walls, no choked concubine. But remarkable a unique thing happened. The walls cleared of the white cement revealed beautiful frescoes. Nothing new. But there were many Mughal Angels on the walls. Not Christian cherubs. BUT THE MOST REMARKABLE THING VARIOUS FIGURATIVE PAINTINGS OF A QUEEN. Finally Sahib Jamal comes out in the open. I have asked a friend to take photographs of all the figures  and we will do a study on it. But rest assured now, that the Legend of Anarkali is just a romantic thought created by writers and films and uninformed people. DO WE KNOW OF ANY MAUSOLEUM IN THE WORLD TO HAVE FIGURATIVE PAINTINGS OF THE LADY  BURIED IN IT? Remarkable finding. Enjoy we will do more on it.

THE PATHOS OF SHAH ALAM AND HIS TIMES
A PUNJ SURA WRITTEN BY HIM BEFORE BLINDNESS
SURROUNDED BY MIR JAFFERS AND MI6 007 SABOTEURS

If you read even a few pages of the history of Shah Alam, you shudder with the complexities and pathos of that time. The backbone of all nations are the Armies and the enemy knows that to gain inroads to the nation, the Army as to be dismantled. Warriors of the Timurids like Zaheer ud din Babar were not puppets under any hands. Each King in succession had the Army in control. Prince Dara Shikoh lost his battles for he was not battle hardened in any way and sought the recluse of so called Black Magic to try to end the war in Kandahar. Obviously it was lost. Emperor Aurangzeb rose to prominence for he was battle hardened till the very end. At the age of 92 years, he was ready for war with all enemies, When Kings were left to indulge in the charm of the palaces, relish the foods, wear the fancy dresses, entertained by ladies, or sexual gimmicks, the end result is always the same. The rise and fall of civilizations always take place.

Even a brief look at the times of Shah Alam is beyond comprehension. Lack of rain, lack of food, earthquakes, meteor rain, revolt of Army for pay and salaries. Connivance of various Ministers to get to being the Regent of affairs. The end result in 1784 is that Shah Alam is thrown on the floor and his eyeballs removed to be blinded forever. Even a Court painter was called to record the historical scene . And then came the scourge of the Syed brothers, the Ghulam Qadir tyrant of all times. Ghulam Qadir was so cruel, that not only he got Shah Alam blinded, he starved to death member of the Royalty, placed the ladies on walls of the Fort to be observed by all, and to have even Royal Princesses stripped naked and fondled by his soldiers. He asked his soldiers to make them beget illegitimate warriors instead of the wimps they were producing as Mughal Royalty.

When Shah Alam’s eyeball;s were throw out, he was asked what he could see. And he said between him and the asking Minister he could only see the Quran. Strange words for an Emperor, and yet four years before in 1194 AH 1780 AD, the Emperor had finished writing an illuminated Punj Sura (Five surats of the Quran). Shah Alam is no more and yet the Punj Sura is still there. The result of his last years, a treasure of the future.

Ghulam Qadir was to die his consequential end. An historian writes of it like this:

“So Sindia ordered that Ghulam and the former superintendent of the imperial harem were to be tortured to death. Ghulam ears were cut off and hung around his neck. With his face blackened, he was paraded round the city in a bullock-cart. Next day, his nose and lips were cut off and again he was shown to the city. The following day his eyeballs were torn out and yet again he was placed in a cart and trundled slowly though the streets. He eyes were followed b his hands, and then by his feet. Finally his head was cut off and the corpse was hung upside down from a tree.”

“Screams of the tortured filled the harem. Servants were held over fires to make them disclose the whereabouts of hidden jewels. Others had boiling oil poured into the palms of their hands.. Eunuchs were beaten to death. Shah Alam was himself brought out of his prison and subjected to less extreme torture. He was made to sit in the burning sun without food or drink. He was continually threatened, and Ghulam would — without warning— fling his arm round the ex emperors neck and blow a cloud of acrid smoke into his face.
Finally the edge of madness when Shah Alam was thrown to the floor and his eyeballs taken out.”

What had been done to the Mughal ladies had never been done before. Many were starved to death in the eyesight of the people on the Fort walls. Also stripped naked and fondled by common soldiers in front of all. Humiliations were complete and Ghulam Qadir paid the price.

Who gained? First the French General De Boigne and then the British visitor Thomas Twining. Then Lord Wellesley stepped in for the advantages. General Perron took control of northern India. With a pension Shah Alam could stay in the palace, the rest was for the British alone. In fact substantial treasure fell into the hands of the French mercenary Lestenean, who left for British territory and later for Europe with his windfall. DIVIDE AND RULE AND 007 ASSASSINS all were there in full force. It was the Mughal Army which was fist brought down with discord. The House of Timur had finally fallen and Hindustan was left bare for centuries to come.

Did we learn any lessons! Today the situation is still the same. Foreign lobbies are working to throw our army in disarray and take our assets. Hatred destroys people. There is every reason to believe that there is unnatural hatred for Muslims primarily Pakistanis for our CODE OF LIFE. Anarchy is being generated for us but by the Grace of Allah, we will come out of this malaise and be Pakistan again. So be it!