A TOY SELLER IN BHAATI GATE
HEROISM AT ITS BEST

Menace of beggars in Lahore

My uncle Abdur Raheem Chughtai used to discuss things with me. Analysis of his long life. He said he had never seen a Pathan beg for his living anywhere. A Pathan never raises his hand in front of anybody. Stuck with the most menial of jobs, he still serves himself with dignity. Today we see HATA KATAS, full bodied men and women, begging at every cross roads, and realize the shame of the Nation, which has learnt to extend its hand as beggars.

But why blame them? Our leaders are even worst beggars, raising their shameless hands in  front of everyone  the world, and hoarding their wealth, so that it may burn them in hell itself. A shameless lot of politicians surround us. We wait for the day when they will be brought to task. If not here, surely in the next world.

But there have always been men of dignity. In the Mohalla Chamala, inside Bhatti Gate, in front of a small house, was the shop (a mere wood board on a thara) of a man, who was POLIO stricken to the core. Perhaps by birth abnormality or anything else, only his face was normal. Bearded with pleasant countenance, he would lie there on the stairs of his house, selling small toys. His whole body was twisted, mangled legs, mangled hands, mangled torso, it was even frightening to look at his body. He was not able to stand, or even sit. He could only lie down and twist some half movements. And instead of begging, he sold toys in his house.

We used to buy toys from him. Not expensive toys, all toys, for two and a half annas at that time. Probably he made half an anna on sale of one toy. In today’s terms, that is not even peanuts for anyone. But what he sold, made him eat a dignified meal every day. I never knew his name, nor I ever asked him. We were actually somewhat afraid of him too. But his face was so radiant, so full of life. Dignity unexplainable. He also used to sell sweets (golis). One anna for perhaps six or eight of them. Such minor businessman, with a giant of a dignity. May Allah rest his soul in peace! I think he was a beacon light for any and could be a beacon light for our wretched leaders of today.

Halal or haram are concepts we had in our life. My father never let GREED invade his life. He earned with dignity. Most people took advantage of him, particularly his so called best friends. Interestingly that my father never carried money. He never put money in his pocket. He hated to even count money and if he had caught me counting money, maybe he would have slapped me. Yes, slapped me for paying attention to money.  My father gave me halal for life, and I give halal to my children. And Allah forbid that I indulge myself otherwise. I live in a house that my father built in 1938 (land bought in 1931). Previously he lived in a house built in 1758 (yes 1758). Yes, I drive a car, model 1977. Yes, 1977. I eat the best kind of food, I send my children to the best schools possible, for the best education. I wear good. I feel good. This nation has not even given me my daily bread, but I have spent crores on the nation itself, for public good. No one really cares. Yes, I am in tension most of my life, but there is a contentment that no SOB kanjar of haram can take from me. I have a happiness no haramzada can ever have.

LAST OF THE GREAT NAQASHS
HUJRA OF WAZEER KHAN MOSQUE

Changing times

When the Wazeer Khan mosque was completed, a set-up was put in place. This set-up took into account the future needs of repair, maintenance and changes in the mosque. The corner hujra inside the mosque was given by Nawab Wazeer Khan to the family of Lutuf-ullah Ahmad Muhandis. The family was to take responsibility for the mosque aesthetic requirements. The hujra changed hand within the family in time and in the Sikh period, it was occupied by Umar Din Naqash. Umar Din is mentioned by Nur-ud-din Chisti too, in his famous book ‘Taqeeqat-Chisti’. There is an agreement between Raheem Baksh Mimar and his brother Elahi Baksh (Natha) dated 23rd June, 1858, on  the sharing of property on the death of their father, Mian Muhammed Salah Mimar on 11th May, 1958.  Elahi Baksh was the father of Umar Din Naqash.
Umar Din had one son by the name of Baba Miran Bakh. He was the husband of Karam-un-nisa, sister of Mian Kareem Baksh Mimar, father of M.. Rahman Chughtai artist. Baba Miran Baksh was hence the PHUPHA of our artist.

It is interesting that there are photographs of the Baba in archives. A photographic portrait made by the artist M.A. Rahman Chughtai. A group of photographs made by the family of Abdullah Mussavar of Sikh Court. And there are photographs of the Court of Wazeer Khan mosque, showing the naqashi students running about in the compound, including the Chughtai brothers. All four brothers, Hussain, Abdur Rahman, Abdullah and Abdur Raheem were students of the Baba at one time or the other. This is quite clear.

Most of the work of the Baba is not preserved. There are bits and pieces here and there.For instance the famous writer of Lahore Ghulam Sarwar Lahori, has mentioned the contribution of Baba to the dust cover of his book, as well as a sketch for the published Harmain-ul-Shareef. It is in our archives. We have a couple of nikah-namas made by him, including a naqashi for Barkat Ali. But we do know that his output was extra-ordinary and uncharted works must be at many places. His father’s work is represented by a sumptuous Quran with many pages of Naqashi, and his son’s work (Muhammed Hayat naqash) is represented in the collection of Lahore Fort Museum. All these are well know.

The Baba was an avid music lover and played the Sitar all the time. On a sharing of CUP OF KAVA in front of his hujra, a gathering used to be held, to listen to him playing the Sitar. The concept of Sitar playing in a mosque seems strange in these times, but it was very normal  then. There are hadees(s) about music recitals in the Quran in many ancient times, including those of the Caliphs.

We are told of incidents in his life. Dr Abdullah Chaghatai used to recall a time when on Eid day, the Baba had no money at all, and sold the ‘sonay-day-warq’ (gold leaves in artist’s cup) for Rs 2 to celebrate the occasion. In any case Baba Miran Baksh was the FIRST TEACHER of the artist M.A. Rahman Chughtai and that is a record in itself. The student excelled the Baba and became a Master Naqsash of his times. Dr James Dickie used to say that the naqashi work done by the artist excelled the naqashi work done at the court of Emperor Jahangeer and that indeed is a fact to understand.

The working instruments of the Baba are with his family as well as some with us. Some of his works still exist with members of his family.

ARE CROWS REALLY INTELLIGENT?
EXPERIMENTATION WITH REAL CROWS

Changing behaviour of all

We are fed with tales of the intelligence of crows. Every one will recall the story of the thirsty crow, whose beak could not reach the water level in a vessel. The crow went on throwing stones in it, and the water level came up. It is really a fancy story and is meant to educate us. But actually take a vessel and start throwing stones in it, and you will realize the vessel will get cluttered with stones and the water level will be still down and out of reach. Although an article in the magazine ‘Current Biology’ reports that this has actually been experimented as a success. Obviously it all depends on the type of stone used for the purpose.

Such an intelligent animal, and yet totally paranoid. How is that it gets frightened by just plain action of it? Children throw imaginary stones at crows and the crow yelps and flies away, even when there is no stone. Indeed crows are like cowboys, trigger happy all the time.

Crows are also totally competitive. You throw a piece of food, and the crows fight for the same. Totally disgusting behaviour of not having the ability to share with others. But if you throw a number of pieces together, there is no room for them to fight with each other over the piece and they lose interest in the pieces of food itself.

And then also totally greedy. Fighting with others, not content with one piece, a crow would try to pick up three, four pieces all in one beak at  the same time. The more you watch the animal, the more you think of it as a crazy off shoot of evolution.

And the one thing that comes to your mind is their comparison with our politicians. Greedy, thirsty, and paranoid and totally selfish. Indeed the assembly of Crows is reflective of our society. That is why we have the legend of Kalila and Dimna, or the Assemblage of Crows, as a tale from our past, meant to educate all Princes in the Machiavellian art of survival, in which evil always triumphs over virtue. That is the history of crows.

SEVEN THOROUGH BRED HORSES
ANCESTORS OF ALL ARAB HORSES IN PAKISTAN

A ship wreck in Rann of Kutch

The Hindu epic Mahabharata talks of the sacrificial HORSE in Bhadeswar, known as Bhadervati, and that is certainly an ages old reference. The legend continues that all thoroughbred horses of India and Pakistan belonged to this dry sandy area of Rann of Kutch. And it was called Kachacha at that time. And this news is not exclusive, it remained the folk lore of all ages.

The legend has it that an Arab Ship got wrecked on the coast of Ran of Kutch (Wars were fought here in modern times too). There were seven thorough bred horses on board. These ere rescued and from it, mating done with others. The result a lineage of thoroughbred Arab horses sprung into the region. Abu-Fazl at the Court of Emperor Akbar could relate this tale, and the details of it. It means that centuries later the legend was still intact. Other historians have talked of the same too.

Historians think that the ship wrecked on Rann of Kutch was a Shimali ship, or a ship of Ismaelis. That may or may not be the case, but the Shimalis were happily co-existing with the Jains and Hindus of that period much later in time. So the horses could have belonged to the Ismaelis. It may or may no be so! But here is one other aspect worth considering. The Ismaelis have always been in love with horses. The sacrifical horse mentioned in the Mahabharata and the horse used in the Shia rituals of mourning are already history, but there is more. The esteemed Agha Khan has always been a lover of horses and horse racing is literally in the blood of generations of Agha Khans. You see the Agha Khan horses racing in international events and winning races. In 1938 the famous horse SULTAN of Agha Khan was a Derby winner in England. So horses and Ismaelis are really hand in hand with each other.

Obviously the region was invaded by various parties over a long period of time. They brought in their horses and various breeds, inter-bed and resulted in the horses we see today. The Mule itself is an experiment of horse breeding of the region.

In Lahore we find the horse as a motif used by various potters over the centuries and various figurines of horses have been discovered with time. The figurines itself are a novel way of studying horses of Lahore, and a separate blog can be written about them. The aesthetics of horse design shows the technicality of horse breeding itself. It is interesting that M.A. Rahman Chughtai always lived from centuries in the Mohalla of Chabuk Sawaran in Lahore city, and by chabuk-sawaran we mean literally horse-riders of Lahore. Strange coincidence!

THREE CONSPIRATORS
PATHETIC ENDS

Allah’s Law of Mukufat

Quaid-e-Azam fought till the end for the dream of Pakistan. It was realized within his life time, while Dr Allama Iqbal missed the day for it. M.A. Rahman Chughtai of course experienced Pakistan and devoted his best for it. His contributions towards Aesthetics in Pakistan was recognized by the FIRST PRIDE OF PERFORMANCE in Fine Arts in 1958. And a little later in 1959, by the title of Hilal-e-Imtiaz, the highest for Fine Arts, for decades, till the awards became a joke in the hands of imbecile Governmental officials, and worthless politicians.

The artist visited East Pakistan in 1952, and later in 1965, to cement relations between Bengal and West Pakistan. The mood in East Pakistan was well. They had the intellectual back bone for the Idea of Pakistan. And tragically the artist also saw the break-up of Pakistan, which melted the core of his heart with utter regret.

Deprivations make people do different things. Street smart people evolve a compulsion for enhancing their wealth and political prowess. Power becomes a disease for them. Sheikh Mujeeb ur Rahman, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Indira Gandhi had all the symptoms of these manifestations.

The result that in cahoot with each other, they planned the break-up of Pakistan. And they succeeded with the active role of secret agencies of India, Israel, USA as well as USSR. East Pakistan was sprung away by brutal force from the rest of the country and millions of loyal Pakistanis executed by the rubbish Mukhti Bahinis. Indira Gandhi galoted over the so called destruction of the two nation theory, while the other two consolidated their hold on their geographical entities. The end result, all three died violent and shameless deaths at the hands of their own wrong doings. Who gained? No one. Allah unhappy with the satanic role of these politicians. Pakistan the first step towards an international harmony of thought was set back by years.

I also remember the hundreds of Bengallis we met, and the happiness at the dream of tomorrow. What the three did to them is heavy on the three even today. The curse of these families is there. The wrath of Allah is upon them. For generations they will see no rest and peace. Many will not die their natural death. That we see ourselves. Hasina Wajid has started another reign of terror. Her retribution is not far away. You will see it for your self soon! That is the Law of Mukufat. Good results in good, bad results in bad. Those people are brimming with bad now. Escape is impossible from Allah’s principles.

AKBAR’S RELIGIOUS EXPERIMENTATIONS
ABU-FAZL AS CONSPIRATOR

Legacy of religious hate

The world is full of various views on Akbar. He is full of praise by all but the wrong reasons. A young Mughal Prince consolidated a vast Empire on foreign soil, no mean achievement for any one at all. But the success of his rule meant the success of another Muslim Empire, and that was detested by all the  rivals. The object was simple, snatch from him his passion for his own way of life.

How did Akbar die? Jahangeer himself tells us of his last moments of his life. Akbar opened his eyes and recited the kalma, and died. Much to the chagrin of all, that was the Death of a steadfast Muslim as all Muslims would love to dIe. Reciting the Kalma is the ultimate vow for Muslims. When he was born a Muslim,  lived as a Muslim, and died as a Muslim, what was all that religious experimentations for? My uncle Abdur Raheem Chughtai and I used to discuss things like that. I just asked what was Akbar trying to achieve with all the loose talk about all religions? My uncle smiled, and said it was merely a clever politician, trying to unite the disparate believes in his domain, by making fools of every one. To every religion and its scholars, he was trying to say, ‘I am ready to opt for your way of life”. And that he never intended. Every religious fanatic at one time or the other, not only thought but proclaimed that Akbar had joined his religion. He fooled the Zoarastrians, the Jains, the Hindus, even the Christians with adopting some of their rituals and on verge of acceptance stepping back from it. All such people confirm this themselves.

And all these religious fanatics were saying wrong things. The Christian missionaries openly wrote:

“our ears hear nothing but that hideous and heinous name of Mahomet (GOD FORBID-our affix)….. In a word, Mahomet is everything here. Antichrist reigns. In honour of this infernal monster (ASTAUR KRILLA-our affix) they bend the knee, prostrate, lift up their hands, give alms, and do all they do.”

Is this talk healthy for co-existence? This is straight talk from the enemies of Islam. How could Akbar or anyone at that time accept this kind of talk? It send ripples of disgust in any Muslim of any time.

There is no doubt of the intellectual prowess of Abu-Fazl. His ancestors came from Yemen, and his father Sheikh Mubarak was a strange person. He could be a Sunni, Mahadavi, Naqashbandi or liberal, depending upon the ruler himself. This kind of hypocrisy was evident in Abu-Fazl too. Working in utter hypocrisy, he was undermining Akbar right from the start. And he never wanted Jahangeer (Prince Saleem) to succeed his father. His job was to drive a wedge between father and son. That is why Prince Saleem had him assassinated for this reason.

The Zikri Mahadavi, a sect which still exists in Pakistan, are actually outside Islam itself with their views, on same lines as the Ahmadiyah movement of the 19th century. It is strange that after every hundred years we come up with so called reformers who take us away from the principles of Islam itself. Our job is merely to analyze. Everybody welcome to their way of life, but no one has right to interfere in ours.

The conspiracy of Abu-Fazl in trying to foul the life of Akbar is evident but he has made himself so indispensable,that even Akbar could not see the consequences of his hidden actions. With four wives, many concubines, excessive eating habits (30 lbs everyday), he was having the time of his life and wanted to bring Prince Saleem in chains to the court. Fortunately the Mughal Empire was saved from devastation, and father and son agreed on peace. These conspiracies were ever there and are part of a political setup.

ROUND THE WORLD
CULTURES DIFFER, NEEDS SAME

Mitigating prejudice of differences

I used to read the classic ‘Around the world in eighty days’ and every time it would stun our reality, that there is a difference of one day in such a travel. Well that happened to us too. Travelling around the world, we found that in Japan, we spent the same day, TWICE. Yes, we gained one day in our life. We had raced against the Sun itself. Probably 22 cities we touched. Different people, different cultures. Yes, all with same needs.

The best society is that which asserts its identity but never imposes itself on any other. Co-existence is the key to things. World peace depends on acceptance of diversity. Diversity is good for the world. Diversity is healthy. But the Imperialistic view is different.

It is all about concentrating everything in your own hands. Politicians were adept at this thing. But the men behind these men are even more ruthless. By bedding with the devil so many times, they have become the reincarnated devil themselves.

An evil has been unleashed on the world. The Haves have no sympathy for the have-nots, and the have-nots obviously lay unconcerned about anything. The harmony of society is gone. In a music tone, you skip a tone, and there is discord.

In society you have skipped so many bare essentials, that society itself is at stake. People want to rum away now to the Mars and to the Moon. But will they take their same set of usurping ideas there too. An impotent UNO watches as a spectator to all its this silliness, with the bureaucrats happy in their perks only. Disorganized revolutions bring more discord in the world. The Intellectual with all his strengths remain impotent in an environment of sinews of government. Power rules! For how long?

HUJRA OF MIR MAHDI
OLDEST EXTANT MONUMENT IN LAHORE

A relic of Syed Mubarak Shah days

The year is 1421. Historians report that there was not a single person left alive in Lahore. Syed Mubarak Shah had seized control of the reign of power in Delhi. In 1398 Jasrat Ghakkhar had taken control of Lahore, and Sayyid Mubarak Shah himself came from Delhi, and routed him out. There was a need to rebuild the city as it was said that only OWLS inhabited Lahore. A programme of reconstruction was started and buildings came up, and people from all over the region, were invited to inhabit Lahore, and make it a city again.

The area of Miran de Kohi is a very ancient area of Lahore. It is said that the Saint Hussain Zanjani, preceded Hazrat Ali Hujveri (Data Darbar) here in Lahore. In Mughal times we have the magnificent mausoleum of Sultan Mumtaz Shikoh, son of Prince Dara Shikoh, who was buried in the garden of his mother. Nadira Begum is herself buried in the Mausoleum of Hazrat Mian Meer in Lahore, in a garden, which preceded the Saint himself.
In Mughal times, the area was very old, and occupied by some unknown person, by the name of Mir Mahdi, and it was known as Hujra of Mir Mahdi. Judge Muhammed Latif the historian of Lahore, calls it by this very name in his book. But what is really old in that area?
The IDGAH obviously, which is the oldest extant Muslim monument of Lahore.

We do not know its present condition but in the 1950s it was still there. A masjid to say the IDD prayers. It had all the aesthetics of 15th century, perhaps even earlier. The Kalma was there on it with a roundrel  of calligraphy in stucco. It was worth preserving in all its scale. There were other Idgahs of earlier period. One was in the village Baini Dhilwan near the Indian border, and the other near the Masjid Shaheedganj Lahore. But the officials are in no mood to preserve all this. Not even a NGO does it. All the NGOS can do is to destroy our identity. No relief in site. At least we can document it.

THEFT OF GATES OF SULTAN MAHMUD’S MAUSOLEUM

Silly aspersions of Hindu story-telling

The myth is evident even today. Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi stole the Golden Gates of Somnath. The accusation gets repeated again and again and has led to so many misunderstandings that it needs to be corrected once or all. Truth must prevail now about these actual Sandalwood Gates of the Mausoleum of Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi.

The Mausoleum of Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi was built by his son Sultan  Masud Ghaznavi, and in no way relics of a Mandir could have been placed on a sacred monument of the Muslims. Could his son have commit’ed this outrage against Muslim sentiments? Not in a million years.

The myth was perpetuated to the extent that the most silly Lord Ellenborough made it his personal ambition to get them back to India around 1845 AD. Some writers have written that the Gates were removed and taken to the British Museum. Others talk it of being placed in the Agra Fort. What was the truth? Captain Van Orlich published a detailed engraving of the same in his ‘Travels to India’, published in 1845. They were then in the Agra Fort. One look at the Gates should have made people hang their Heads in shame. Pure Islamic designs with Arabic Kufic inscriptions on them. Masud Saad Sulaiman the Lahori poet has given the existence of wonderful carpenters and naqashi carvers in Lahore. The illustration is self evident.

Syad Muhammed Latif in his ‘History of the Punjab’ eulogizes Lord Ellenborough for bringing them back after centuries , and places them in British Museum. Dr Nazim corrects the same in his history of Mahmud Ghaznavi by writing:

“the misguided enthusiasm of Lord Ellenborough who believed that the gates were of the temple, which the Sultan was supposed to have carried away.”

The image is rare and here we give it to you. The Gates of Somnath stolen from Mandir of Somnath are Islamic designed Gates with Arabic Kufic inscriptions. The temple of Somnath was a LINGAM carved out of mountain and that is a another story worth telling. What is next about story telling? Truth breaks the shackles of falsehood.

REDUCING STRESS OF LIFE
STOP WATCHING MEANINGLESS MEDIA

A recipe for sanity

Once upon a time there were rational newspapers run by thinking journalists. The aim was always to better society in all ways. The Pakistani Ideology was behind all these people. Then PTV came to Pakistan, and it too, followed same principles, setting standards, never set before in Pakistan. All good and everything in order. Then General Musharaff thought of bringing in mass media to Pakistan, in the hope that such a progress would be beneficial for the country.

Years later we now fully realize that it was an exercise in uselessness. The Breaking news phenomena has brought our nerves to an end. I can tell you the news for the next few decades of the Pakistani media. Bomb blasts, Strikes, Dharnas, empty promises, inauguration of useless public programmes, raise in prices of petrol, other things, cases against fellow politicians, opening of cases against corruption, quashing of cases against politicians, and what not? Full it up, there would be nothing else. Nothing else would be considered newsworthy. Elections, electoral fraud voting, you name it. There will be nothing new.  Many days will be spent on speculating about the new person coming in various posts and after they have won, many days in talking of the right and wrong of choices.

What am I losing here? My peace of mind, as a first. My rationality, for a second. And thirdly, all my hopes for the future. My advice. Buy some DVDs of your choice and watch them. Grab some news on Al-Jazeera and Russia Today. And watch if you must, watch PTV world. It is still a blessing. And if you have time, talk to your parents, to your wife or husband, to your children. Share moral and ethical values. Relate stories of the past. Read Aesop Fables again and again. Buy story books from the past. Read some good novels. Start a history course. And if nothing else, take out your board of CARAM or even your sheets of LUDO. Relax. And nothing else, kiss your spouse good night and have plenty of good night sleep. Wake up fresh in the morning?

Erase media hype from your life, once for all!