MANY YEARS WITHOUT RAIN
VARIOUS FAMINES IN LAHORE

Crushing dry leaves for flour

It was the year 1783. It looked like Nature had gone awry, The rain just stopped. There was no rain in Lahore for many years. Starvation was imminent. The rich were able to preserve flour hidden in their havellis. That is why you see false walls with cavities in them, where not gold, but wheat was hidden, and a hole made in it, from where wheat was taken out, a glass at a time. The Capital of the land of five rivers knew what hunger was in the real sense. And to compound things in a worst way, the plains were invaded by an insect named TITTAN, and it devoured whatever was there. To even further humble the Lahoris, the cows ate this insect and the milk and ghee were infected and not fit to eat. In mean time the Sikh bandits were creating havoc in and around the city, plundering villages and people. Thousands of people died of starvation, others fled to the hills. The wrath of Allah was on Lahore in the same way as it happened in the land of the Pharaohs.

We talk today of the flour as having become expensive, but what about the time, when it was no longer there. Extinction of animals and birds was also taking place, without recourse to water and food. Wheat and rice were not there. Somebody got the idea of using dry leaves for food. People started collecting dry leaves of trees, and would pound them in mortar and then make dough out of them, and cook chapattis out of them. Can we today even imagine that? It is said one blade of CHARI for cows was for Rs2 at that time, a fabulous sum of its time.

Famines in Lahore were not new. The famous one was in 1759 called CHOLAH FAMINE. There was one in 1813 called SATSERA FAMINE. And again in 1823. It seemed Lahore was suffering for there was no government to take care of its people. The same is happening today. Business as usual. It looks like Marie Antoinette having pastries while she could not imagine that while these were there in bakeries, why people were complaining about bread? Classical neglect which finally ,led to the French Revolution. Unfortunately it was destructive. We hope that if one occurs in Lahore, it is benign to the people, and may not be benign to others. Allah forgives us all!

THE WATCH-LIONS OF LAHORE
NO NEED FOR DOGS

One big difference between the East and the West is the love of dogs. The West drools over it’s dogs. The dogs can slip in bed with the owners, the owners can kiss and let the dog lick their faces; as well the dogs are shampoo(ed) and combed and what not?  Cuddling a dog is extreme fun for the West. In the East the dog is not considered much. Yes, the dog is there, but not as much loved as a watch animal for safety purposes, if ever used. In fact in our culture, the dog is considered ‘mac-roo’, and that literally mans an unclean animal. It is on record that Emperor Aurangzeb tried his best to clean Lahore city of street dogs. And there we remember the Walt Disney’s tale of the ‘Lady and the Scamp’.

When Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi conquered Lahore, and Ayaz Al-Najim made it a city of culture, there were many issues here. The requirement was to have Watch animals in Lahore. The soldiers were limited in number and had to take care of their posts. The jungle near Shahdara was a thickly populated one, with various animals. The Punjabi Lion was very much there. This lion is typical of this area and shown in drawings as of different kind. The African lion was never here. In fact there were a species of wild cats, which were considered very ferocious, and are still there in the area of Chakwal. Ayaz Al-Najm imported Lion-tamers from Ghazni to the city. Cubs were captured from the Shahdara jungle, as well as lions were mated in captivity. A lion menagerie was very much there. The Lions of Shahdara Lahore were the Watch-lions of the Lahort Fort.

Of course the historian Baihaqi tells us all this, but there had to be proof on the matter too. The earth of Lahore reveals many things, which we cannot even imagine. Abundance of sea shells are there, deep down the Earth. River rocks, a sand strata which tells us of the Noah flood in Lahore. And plenty of bones. Vast number of skeletons are discovered in the process, and not as in graves, but in mass burials, due to public illness or the causalities of battle itself. But the most amazing thing is abundance of bones of lions in the earth. And there we have definite proof of the use of lions as Watch-lions in the city of Lahore.

The most amazing spectacle of course would have been lions marching in Royal processions, and that at times headed by the sister of Ayaz Al-Najm herself, who had come from Ghazni to keep her brother, Governor Ayaz, company. What grand days those must have been? A Lahore we cannot even imagine.

NO NEED FOR PRIVATIZATION IN PAKISTAN
PRIVATIZE THE GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN

It will solve all problems

We grew up in various sounds from different directions. Capitalism, communism, socialism, even a rigid Islamic economic doctrine of past ages, and then the word of ‘Mixed Economy’ was coined, and even that seemed reasonable. No one bothered to elucidate the word of Allah to the economic issues of life. A situation where money does not create profit, but labour does. Where the excess of a society is distributed to all those in need. The aim a perfectly balanced society, an equilibrium which will only go up with time. The modern wizards think of it as a medieval gesture and not the word of Allah. No trust in Allah and yet each American dollar has written upon it “In God we trust’.

All assets must be in the hands of the Government of Pakistan, and for effecient running, various techniques can be tried, including letting the most efficient run the system again for rewards associated with their efforts. Labour create wages. Nothing else is in conformity with Divine laws.

The solution to the economic problems of Pakistan is not privatization at all. You are just giving away your assets to enemy hands and fat neo-cons bent up sucking the blood of the world like vampires. Efficient management of resources through best hands possible. Why the Government officials cannot perform? Simple for politicians are draining money to their own coffers and raping our resources.

There is a simple solution to all this. Do not privatize anything. That is not required. Just privatze the Government of Pakistan and give them a charter to follow. All economic ilsl of the country can be solved in one stroke. It is worth trying, please, anyone listening!

STRENGTH OF OUR COUNTRY
THE PAKISTAN ARMY

The whole world after it

In our Islamic history, the Head of the Government, was also Head of the Army. There was no bifurcation. The Caliphs, the Sultans, the Kings, all headed the Army of that Nation. That is why the decisions for the country were based on its defensive needs, and the requirements of the times. When the Army was thrown in Civilian hands, it would have been fine, if the system had brought forward the best and the honest of the society. But the present systems always bring the most corrupt and the most imbecile at the head of affairs and that person further recruits the most imbecile of the society to do his bidding. No sane man would work against the country and its national interests. That is why insanity prevails in the political system.

Quaid-e-Azam had no self-interest, he only made the national interest his own interest. And that thing was followed by some of his (not all) trusted comrades. It may not suit the western minded persons, but all Martial laws (hardly a martial law) brought stability to the country, and only went wrong, when they aligned themselves with a group of politicians to give a civlian face to their rule. What Field Marshal Ayub Khan did for this country, no other political ruler (after Quaid-e-Azam) has done so far. The list is endless, but the best part is that he made Pakistan succeed in all fields. He did not neglect development anywhere.

The funny part is that even today the man on the street (take a poll) favours (and we hear them daily) a Khomeini like renaissance in Pakistan  by a Military intervention, to ruthlessly erase the negative out of our society. And it looks that would be the final solution, when airports would be closed and no corrupt person allowed to run away or go into remote caves and feudal villages.  And then our crossings filled with quick justice. This is not for me to say, the people honestly believe that themselves. Is that anti-Islamic? The Quran itself tells us to erase the ‘Sharrar’ out of existence. If the Army cannot take the recourse of the backing of the Quran, will they trust a Constitution made by a Non constituent assembly. The Quaid himself is on record multiple times that we will be governed by the Quran itself. The world singing of heroes of those who oppose Pakistan in letter and spirit. It is time to rise Pakistan! My advice to Pakistan Army, interpret the Quran again and again. You will come to a valid answer. And you will find a legal cover for it too.

READER’S FEEDBACK
CENSORING VALID OPINION

Not the job of editors

All experience it. You read something in the newspaper,  you do not like it. You write a letters to the editors, thinking that he will impartially print your opinion. It is really never so. Everything is by plan. Opinions are censored even before they are written.

I try to write a Comment on international pages representing the Pakistani point of view. It is not even composed when it is erased. And if it is placed, it goes out the minute it is there. You modify the language lest that there is any objectionable matter there. Nothing. It is not that at all. You can abuse anybody as long as it is in line with jounalistic policy.

In Pakistan the proper LETTERS TO THE EDITOR never get published. For just as the active journalists, the man editing the letters is also under the payroll or influence of some lobbies. Nothing good for the country can get through. The shame of Planet Earth is enormous. The much hyped FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION never finds expression in reality. The loser is Planet Earth itself.

In Pakistan I wrote letters the Editor all my life. Hardly a few got published and that they did, when the editor knew me personally. Again an influence operating not the reality of opinions. I met a number of persons who say their names are on the banned list of the editorial page. Often they circumvent that by writing under pseudonyms. Sometimes even that does not work.

Who benefits with bad news and opinion about the country all the time? The enemies, of course. But the illiterate people are better off. Their views are not influenced by this malignant groups of people. They get the reality mainly from their parents, friends, as well as the environment. And here gossip does operate too. But our people, contrary to belief, have great common sense. They know enemies by instinct even before the word is passed around.

An anti Islamic view for instance is in vogue that the moon and the stars configuration is the same as it was in 1947. Ripe for more partitions. This kind of bloody crap is fed to us all the time. The actual reason to break our morale in ourselves. But there is one thing still with the people which keeps them intact and that is the Holy Quran itself. It will make people rise through all ordeals of life.

EMBARRASSING TO IMAGINE
FAILING THE WILL OF ALLAH

Fearing Failure

Your father expects things from you. You are afraid to fail him. Your mother expects other things. You are handicapped not to fail. Your sisters, your brothers! Your friends! Everyone. But all these you can perhaps forgo, but can you forgo Allah? I think the acutest embarrassment is in thinking that you might fail Allah.

It is not fear of hell, it is not fear of Fire that matters. It matters to feel that Allah gave us a challenge in life and we failed him. It would be acute shame to be there somewhere and to be told that you never did what was expected of you. And there is the ultimate matter, failing yourself.

A TURK GIRL IN LAHORE
ONE WHO RODE LIONS

Sister of Governor Ayaz al-Najm

History moves with a momentum all its own. A Turk boy slave bought in Ghazni by Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi grew up with talents surpassing many of the royals of his times. Sultan Masood sent him as a chaperone, with his son Prince Majdud to administer Lahore. In a short period Ayaz had made Lahore a city of Culture. Everything which went in the Muslim world came here. Intellectuals, poets, artists, calligraphers, wood carvers, carpenters, architects,  lace makers , in fact Baiqai list 200 types of professionals who came to make Lahore, Lahore.

A lady, we do not know her name, but we are told that she was either a sister or a cousin of Ayaz was invited also to come to Lahore. It was she who gave the ladies touch to the cultural developments here. Sultan Mahmud was very much in love with her but his courtiers had advised him not to marry her. History does not tell us if the marriage took place or not. At that time the environment of Lahore was full of lions. The Lahore Fort of Mahmudabad also had a collection of lions and lion tamers. It is said that this Turk girl used to ride a lion on her way to the court and as she would pass the street, people would cheer her up. It was a Royal custom of the times. People would shout SHER DE BACHI, that is daughter of lion. This phrase is such a stereotype in our culture, that even today, any brave girl is referred as Sher de Bachi.

Today Lahore boasts of all types of women population. From the extreme conservative to the extreme modern, we have all of therm here. Where Saudi Arabia does not allow women to drive cars (very anti-Islamic), we have women of Lahore driving motor cycles, including police women. Not many but they are there. Lahore girls have been not only flying aeroplanes, but also teaching flying to pilot learners. They are in the fore-front of the women revolution of Pakistan. Indeed they are Sher de Bachis in all ways.

COW RIOTS IN LAHORE 1845
BUTCHERING THE BUTCHERS OF LAHORE

Mohalla Kasab Delhi Gate area

The KOOKA sect was formed by one Baluk Ram in the year 1845. A carpenter named Ram singh inherited the position. They were interested in going back to the Pristine qualities of their religion. The Sikhs and the Hindus joined hands in this tirade and in 1845 a number of Butcher shops were raided in Lahore and some Butchers put to death. The aim that there should be no dispLay of beef meat at Butchers shop as it was against their principles. The British were in a quandary as what to do. Full control of Lahore was not in their  hands yet. The young puppet Dallip Singh was being groomed for complete take over. The  Cow riots as they were called were becoming more and more destructive.

An ultimatum was issued to the KOOKAS to mend their ways and they kept quiet for some time. But it was a mum before a storm. By 1871 the riots had spread to Amritsar, and a group of 12 Kooka assassins butchered again a group of Muslim Butchers. The British were in no mood to accept the challenge to their authority, and the Kookas were ruthlessly pursued and captured by them. Out of perhaps a following of fifty thousand Kookas, 300 kookas weree taken into custody, and quickly executed by the authorities. Everybody believed that it was an excess but that excess unless controlled would have left a scar on the reigning policy of thew British. Anybody disturbing the status quo was a risk to their rule.

The people who think that there is no Two nation theory, should wake up to the fact, that even in Lahore, there were separate Mohallas of the Hindus and the Muslims, and nobody dared to traverse the domain of others. And this division was always there. The theme of the Hindu mohallas was very different from the Muslim ones. The ‘SHARM’ or ‘HAIYA’ we talk of was alien to the Hindus living here, and strangely it is reported by many people of that time, that literally the Hindu girls were naked from the top and wearing flimsy dress from the bottom. It was indeed a threat to the culture of the Muslims. And this invasion of the undressed person is something we see in our media today, and forget that it was always so. Sex was one of the way to reach the Divine reality in that religion. In the Muslim area the approach was totally different. That is why Quaid e Azam gave us the famous saying about the two nation theory, which we will repeat later on of the people.

SULTAN MAHMUD AND AYAZ ABU-NAJM
THE CALUMNY OF IRANIAN SOURCES

Sacred turned profane by propaganda

Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi was a puritan Muslim. He is termed a Hanafi, termed also as a Karramite, and even a Shafite in the school of Islamic thought, but essentially he was a kind of Muslim, whose only reference was the Quran itself. This was resented by many.

In 1005, a band of slaves were brought to the market in Ghazni. There was a sick Turk boy in the lot, and Sultan Mahmud felt great compassion for him. Not only was the boy bought, but sent for care and education under his supervision. The boy Ayaz Abu-Najm was son of Ademaq, and very adept at things. Very soon he acquired great proficiency in everything and became an asset for Sultan Mahmud.

It was after the death of Sultan Mahmud, that his son, Sultan Masud also patronized Ayaz, and recognizing his great skill, sent him as a chaperon (could a characterless person have been chosen for this) to his own son, Prince Majdud to Lahore. The Prince was a young child of eight years,, and it was Ayaz who governed Lahore. Within a short span of time, he made Lahore, Lahore, and to this day his contributions stand up in time. The fact is that many sources count Ayaz as the founder of Lahore itself.

There was a sister of Ayaz Abu-Najm (some historians think she was a cousin), and Sultan Mahmud was in love with her. He consulted his courtiers on the possibility of marrying a slave girl and the courtiers advised against this union. The history of Baihaqi is lost in many volumes, otherwise we would have learnt more about this girl. There is a great possibility that Sultan Mahmud may have married the sister of Ayaz Abu-Najm. This girl used to ride a lion in Lahore and is remembered as SHER DE BACHI to this day. A figurine of hers is in the collection of Chughtai Museum. More about her later.

The Iranians resented the advancement of Islamic values made under Sultan Mahmud. The Caliph of Islam had himself patronized Sultan Mahmud and bestowed many titles on him. The world had rejoiced at his victories. Not being able to speak for 500 or 600 years, the Iranians could restrain themselves no longer, and innovated the calumny of a homosexual relation between Sultan Mahmud and Ayaz Abu-Najm. A more ridiculous thing cannot be imagined by any sane mind. The character of both was without blemish, and this kind of accusation, to be made after five or six centuries is fit for laughter only.

The character of Ayaz Abu-Najm was so much without blemish, that he is loved to this day in Lahore. A mausoleum destroyed by the Sikhs, where only a grave was left, was repaired by some persons on a private scale, and today his ‘barsi’ death anniversary is commemorated by a dedicated group of people. If there had been a blemish in his life, today after a 1000 years, people would not have loved him as much as they do today.

BAHADUR SHAH OF MOCHI GATE
THE FIRST ANTIQUE DEALER OF LAHORE

An amazing man in history

History itself has a short memory. What is known as fact in one age, becomes a mere legend in another. Every day we get things. Only the great events are left to remember. And then those events have interpretations.

My uncle used to talk about Bahadur Shah of Mochi Gate Lahore all the time. He had a shop, and he had a thought. He knew how to collect things and he needed to sell them. My uncle used to tell me that England as well as Europe are full of things supplied by Bahadur Shah. And the record is easy, for his seal ‘Bahadur Shah Mochi Gate’ is on back of many of those things.

There were two ancient astrolabes in our house. And somehow Bahadur Shah got wind of them. He persuaded my grandfather Kareem Baksh Mimar to give both to him. They perhaps lie now in some foreign collection, unknown as to the source of them. As Kareem Baksh belonged to the family of Ustad Ahmad Mimar Lahori, what to say was the background of both the astrolabes?

We even now have miniatures with the seal of Bahadur Shah on them. A photograph of his exists in international archives. He is worth remembering. He was a man of vision. A 7th century rarest mathematical manuscript of Euclid was with him and lies now in a foreign collection. Another famous manuscript with five Behzad and Behzad School miniatures was with him too. Then the same was bought by Jalal ud din and Elahi Baksh publishers of Kashmeeri Bazaar Lahore. It went places till it is said to have reached the collection of Mian Fayyaz, the famous UBL banker, who became a collector in Lahore. People are remembered by what they did. Dealing in historical artifacts, Bahadur Shah stands forgotten with time. This is homage to the memory of a man long gone from the history of Lahore.