The examples of incredible men and women who with their constructive attitude have given a faces? to human society with their lofty ideals in the diminishing years of their life abound the history of civilizations. The contemporary Kashmir is equally bursting with ingenious oldies who are busily engaged in smartening up its milieu through the contributions they are steadfastly making in different directions including literature, poetry, social sciences, religion and politics. By doing so they are undoubtedly putting into practice what Mahjoor has advised in this couplet:
Leave toying; with kettle drums
Let there be thunder storm and tempest
Yes an earth quake.
Old is gold goes the saying. But this maxim doesn’t fit in well with the mental acuity of a huge number of people and is not palatable to new young generation. They generally mull over old people as a diminishing variety, a spent force, a listless lot and an unnecessary burden and dismiss this quotable quote as mere aphorism; a cliché which they believe is far away from truth; having no relevance and meaning at all. But theft perception proves wholly incompatible with the reality when they look around and find a big platoon of oldies engaged in shaping up the ethos and image of their societies; making people what they are, through their contributions; odd age being no impediment in their way. People like Khushwant Singh amply and aptly justify this wise saying. Even at the age of ninety six plus he doesn’t give up what has sustained him so far and earned him fame: the practice of writing which he is in no mood to give up even for a while till he is alive. Though intense opulent and sensuous enough to earn him the notoriety of “India’s Dirty Old Man” over obsessed with sex, women and wine, his writings are highly valued and appreciated for their merit, beauty and a razor sharp lyrical prose.
Likewise Devanand, the heart-throb of sixties is even more active and full of zip than he was fifty years ago. He keeps writing, producing and directing films with same vim as before even though he is old enough to embark on such an exciting and difficult enterprise.
Similarly L.K. Advani , the grand old face of Hindutva; the protagonist of the Hindu fundamentalism and Muslim bashing is entirely reluctant to give up his political career. He is so dynamic that he can easily beat a staunch young Hindu activist, in his twenty’s, not only in mauling his adversaries but also in organizing and leading the Padyatras and the Rathyatras tirelessly for days together to register his hegemony and above all his enmity against the minority community.
Even bigger surprises are furnished by history which is replete with examples of remarkable men and women with positive outlook and urge for refurbishing society with lofty cultural stocks and high values and for setting people free from bondage and alien domination. Bahadur Shah Zaffars, the last Mughal emperor is one such example. His accomplishments manifested themselves more glaringly in his old age than his youth. He practically paved the way for a literary renaissance and a remarkable cultural flowering in the sub-continent by creating a court of unsurpassed brilliance besides extending tremendous patronage to poets like Mirza Ghalib and Zauq when he had already crossed the age of eighty two. His advanced age didn’t come his way in playing the role of top-ranking insurgent to challenge the all-encompassing British power ; the East India Company and its cronies.
Turning to our own contemporary Kashmir we find it bursting with ingenious oldies who are busily engaged in smartening up its milieu through the contributions they are unwaveringly making in different fields including literature, poetry, social sciences, religion and politics. Who is not familiar with name of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the towering politician of ripe age known his uncanny prowess, acumen, unshakable attitude, remarkable consistency of purpose and foresight? Frequent arrests and jail sentences have done nothing to deter this old man from doing what he does to recast the resistance five of Kashmir. He continues representing Kashmiri aspirations with such vigour and steadiness that the politicians and leaders of the age of his sons fail to manifest even three percent of that. You may agree or disagree with what he says or does but you can’t resist appreciating his determination, his fortitude and his grit: his virtues which ate appealingly worth emulating by those who dabble in politics and, thereby, set out on their journey of playing with the future of Kashmir wittingly or unwittingly. Incredibly enough, these intrinsic qualities have won him an impressive number of fans who are always in the forefront to applaud him and never fail to come out in the open to strengthen his hands. His honesty of purpose, his devotion to cause, his guts and character have won him in Dr. Sameer Kaul a great admirer who has written a beautiful critique of him in a lucid prose.
To be continued
Dr. Abdul Ahad is a well-known historian of Kashmir. He presents a perspective on the Kashmir issue and talks about Kashmir’s history and individuality and personality.
