Friday, April 3, 2015

Miyan , My Nana

It comes to you in scattered memories.
Like bits and fragments of a corroding mosaic pattern.
I am talking of an entire era gone by.

Interestingly those childhood memories sometimes peep through the clouds of time in a casual conversation with one's own children
But most vibrantly they pour in when you are in the company of your school friends, cousins and siblings. Each one has shared a patch of their life with you. And together for each one the experience of going over that shared past brings a sense of enriched fulfillment

Radiant with golden rays of the setting sun at a point far away in the horizon, and promising to rise with renewed sparkle and vigour ushering in a new dawn ...
The past and the future thus meet in the present moment !

The vastly spread out palatial kothi with its arched gates and long baradariis, high ceilings, huge rooms ... intricate mosaic floors and walls ... still stands.
Many years ago the towering wooden gate would open in the morning and an uninterrupted flow of men and women would start soon after breakfast time.

Miyan ( My Nanaa ) would sit on a comfortable chair with long arm rests from morning till afternoon listening to people who would come to meet him on issues ranging from legal and political to personal and family.
Everyone who would be there at lunch time was inevitably his guest and would join him in the dining room at the oval dining table ...

We as children were always in awe of him and hence whatever I know about him is through Mummy telling us about the kind of person he was and the values he held close to his heart ...

I don't remember having any conversation with him .... We used to use the private side entrance so as to not disturb Miyan in his meeting, to go upstairs to where Ammi Jaan (My Naani ) would be busy  preparing paan-giloris for the people sitting with Miyan downstairs, or cleaning some part of the house with her marked thoroughness, or some such other activity ...
Miyan was more  a man of the people and for the people, greatly loved and respected through the town ...

Miyan would retire to his room after lunch for a siesta.
Early in the evening he would go to the family mango orchard adjacent to the Kothi, which also had a small graveyard, the resting place of family elders who were no more ...
Miyan would sit there reciting The Holy Qur'aN for some time

He was very fond of gardening.
He loved planting all sorts of trees and looked after them like an affectionate father taking care for his children.
Some of the trees planted in his time still stand like silent onlookers as Time passes through their branches and leaves.

Miyan was deeply religious, but not a fanatic or extremist ...
During Holi and Diwaali when people from the neighbourhood visited him he took their greetings  with great respect and affection

Also Mummy told us a small story to illustrate how sane and logical he was
One evening, when the town and its outskirts were experiencing a a communally charged atmosphere, Miyan had just finished the asar-ki-namaaz, his personal attendant came in to inform that there is a group of people outside who wish to meet him urgently.

They were the residents of a nearby village.
They spilled out their fear nervously.
They had heard that a mob was planning to desecrate a Masjid in their village in the darkness of the  night
Naturally they wanted Miyan to do something to stop it.
At least talk to the authorities and get police force out in the village for protection of the Muslim place of worship
Miyan's response must certainly have stunned them for he said :
"Look I believe that Masjid is a house of God / Allah / Khuda ... and  He is responsible for the protection of His House ... We need not interfere, He will do His best"
Perhaps he knew that if at all there was any truth in the rumour the presence of police without nay untowrd happening could serve the mischief mongers' purpose.

Miyan was opposed to Indian Muslims leaving India during the most scarring and nerve-shattering national tragedy called The Partition of India.
He would counsel the victims of violence, often providing financial assistance too to those who had lost their belongings, urging them to not leave their place of birth.
I am reminded of him very intensely every time I see Balraj Sahni in "Garam Hawa"

He was a great champion of education and women's emancipation
In matters of marriage also girls in the family had the liberty to choose and voice their dissent if they did not agree on certain things
Also noteworthy is another fact that even in those traditionally orthodox times purdah was never forced upon the women in the family.

These are just a few glimpses from a life lived simply and for the larger benefits of the common man rather than selfish materialistic gratification.
Miyan did not preach with words
His actions and life style were his teaching to those who came in contact with him.
He was Simple, philanthropic, secular, broad minded, logical, patriotic, respectful, with a warm sense of humour.
I am overwhelmed, but not surprised, to know how immensely he is respected even today not just by those have seen him, but also by those who have only heard of him through their parents and grand parents

These are the kind of Stories from the past that we must pass on to our children .
We really don't need to remember which king killed whom and in which battle or which of the battles were holy.
Anything that results in killing and bloodshed cannot be justified how much ever religious scholars try.
In fact violence finding religious sanction is certainly and most horrifically man-made.
It serves political agendas and desecrates religion.

Stories of pseudo valiance carried forward from generation to generation have done humanity no good.
One such, and perhaps the most recent in our History is that of the Partition of India.
It has since been used to generate and ignite self defeating emotions of Hurt and guilt, victim-hood and self pity and doubt and suspicion

There is now an urgent need to dig out positive stories from the past and share them widely
Tales of love and compassion may help people to think better, feel better ....and do better ....

People like MiyaN were blessed.
Even their memories help to light up dark moment with hope for a better future, making the connection with one's past a pleasant experience.
The chain from past to present to future must be one that adorns us with positive energy instead of being a chain that strangulates liberty.