During a book launch function, I caught the glimpse of a book carried by my friend seated nearby. The hard bound and the glittering cover evoked an interest in me .To have a detailed look I asked for the copy. Few more things attracted my attention which included the title , its author and the photo print of a post card . The title of the book ‘Hayat e Rahim, its author Peerzada Gulam Ahmad Mehjoor and above all the post card written by Dr. S M Iqbal .I also purchased the book ,being always a book lover. The introduction to the book by the author and historian Dr. Abdul Ahad is an added attraction for any book lover to go through the entire book. So happens with this reviewer.
The book has been distributed into four sections. Before we talk about the main content Hayat e Rahim is actually the life story of a revered saint whom Mehjoor calls Taj ul Awlia, Sultan ul Fuqra ,Badshahi Bahar o Bar , hazrat Shah Abdul Rahim Sahib Qalandar Safa Puri ,Kashmiri (RA) . Despite the life story of the saint we find it is the complete history of Kashmir at that time as we flip the pages with deep interest and keen observation. The book is dedicated to the poet of east Dr. S M Iqbal who inspires Mehjoor to continue writing about Kashmiri literature. Through the post card writing Dr.Iqbal thanks Mehjoor for the copy of Hayat e Rahim which the poet of east has read keenly and believes Mehjoor will continue writing about Kashmir .He insists that Mehjoor should particularly concentrate about Kashmiri poets. The post cart is dated 6th April 1923.
In his preface Abdal Mehjoor, the publisher of present edition, explains as to how much difficult it could have been for Mehjoor ,around one hundred years back, to publish the book for being a person getting four and half rupees as monthly salary .But the help came from friends and relatives and some of the well wishers. As mentioned above the book is not only the life story of the saint or description of mystic control prevalent in Kashmir that time but is an elaborate history of the time last years of 19th century and earlier period of 20th century particularly the tragedies befalling the majority community .The ill fated Kashmir Muslims and the treatment by the autocratic rulers is an another dimension of the content. Due to the famine the entire population of the villages would be wiped out . The dwelling area of the revered saint Safapora which faced famine is described by Mehjoor is his words, “ In 1878 when the age of revered saint was 39 years Kashmir witnessed severe famine which killed thousands .A large number of people bid adieu to the respect and the patriotism and migrated to far off places. Many mothers left their children halfway who perished in unbearable conditions. Innumerable people starved along the roads and pathways . Not to talk of shrouds there was none to lift the dead bodies. Revered saint distributed everything in the name of God. During famine this arrangement was made robust. When he finished feeding common travelers and poor he would pick fruits from trees and feed the hungry. Some people belonging to that era are still alive who vouched that when the saint climbed the trees starving people assembled below the trees .Since famine had weakened the people none had the energy to go up the tree ,instead God had bestowed the saint with courage that he did not remain aloof from serving the people.
Mehjoor draws the scenario in words the pathetic situation in Kashmir when youth were forced to army recruitment against their wishes and to take part in the operations of first world war. Mehjoor records the incidents when the revered saint had left the world , “ When the issue of recruitment propped up the residents were in deep distress due to the fact that they were incapable of such operations . Every village was asked to provide atleast one person. As the people were unwilling the village heads like Nambardar and rebellious landlords enticed some poor people or the low caste persons to get recruited against some monetary considerations. People were fed up with the forcible recruitment and migrated in large numbers to other cities just to save themselves from the brutal onslaught becoming dead in the eyes of their relatives, near and dear ones. On one hand the rural people were bearing the brunt of recruitment and on the other hand urban dwellers faced shortage of foodgrains. I am witness to one incident when a person came to buy paddy for one rupee but the cruel peon used a stick to beat him up. The person did not retaliate but returned after some time with the same request. He received same treatment again and again till I took him to a corner and advised him not to get humiliated repeatedly .With moist eyes he talked about his children being hungry for four days and his visit to the government run ration depo .When people were confronting these situations Cholera swept the area reducing it to ghost city.
In his analytical piece acclaimed author M.Y.Taing acknowledges that Hayat e Rahim is the first biography in Urdu written by a Kashmiri speaking author. Before that some Pandit authors had written a few in English and Mohamad Din Fauq wrote many in Urdu. Taing further writes that in this book there are certain instances, record of our present and past, which if not finished but have been overshadowed by the machinations by the powers that be. Some of them still remain which are Kashmir specific like Samavar, Ambri apple, Harisa , Hangul, Shawls, and the like. According to Taing Mahjoor highlights the contribution of Kashmiri intellectuals like if Iran produced Firdousi who wrote Shah Nama in sixty thousand stanzas our own Shaiq wrote shah nama Kashmir in eighty thousand stanzas. In comparison to Masnavi of Moulana Roumi Mirza Akmal Din Badakhshi wrote Bahrul Irfan in eighty thousand stanzas.
Taing believes Mehjoor as a truthful person who along with most of his relatives belong to Peer clan but does not hesitate to target them with his sarcasm and blunt criticism. Taing recalls a renowned poet Maqbool shah Kralwari ,who wrote Gulrez, and despite being from the Peer clan himself targeted the same with his piercing sarcasm.
Mehjoor faced lot of difficulties in retrieving the details of early life of the saint as the illiterate Kashmiris were of no help. But one day divine help appeared. “One day when I was in slumber in one cabin of the saint’s dargah he appeared in my dream and informed when Ranjit (the cruel Sikh King) was leaving I came.
“Hayat Rahim Is the milestone of Mehjoor’s literary travel .” writes M Y Teng.
Dr. Shadab Arshid (Asstt.Professor Persain deptt Kashmir University ) has beautifully analysed Mehjoor’s Nalai Mehjoor. He writes, Mehjoor is one among those lucky poets who heard the echo of his fame during his youthful days. And in response to his literary contribution he was called The Poet Of Kashmir. Most people recognize Mehjoor as the poet of Kashmiri language but very few people are aware of his abilities and services in other fields…….In Persian language his research paper Tazkira Farsi Shoura Kashmir is a masterpiece. This is an invaluable compilation about the life history and their representative poetry .
Under the title “Shahar e Aashob “ the city of chaos Mehjoor encompasses the attitude towards common Kashmiris in a unique and captivating poetic style .In addition the condition of revenue department, both past and present, has been picturized. Following stanzas are presented as an example.
Khita e Kashmir humchoo firdos e bareen Az sar e Sir Lawrance yaksar hama gulzar shud
Kashmir is the first area which resembles heaven with green top. It became the flowery garden through the attempts by Sir Lawrencee.
Dafa shud jor e sazawar wa rafa zulum e kardar AZtufang madalat shaq seena shaqda Rashad
People were saved from high handedness of Kardar and Lawrence’s gun ripped apart the Shaqdar’s chest so that peace and justice prevails in Kashmir.
Arshid further writes, “ if Nala Mehjoor is called the poetic summary of the book Hayat e Rahim it won’t be far fetched . This is highly appreciable Aarifana Masnavi wherein every word stands for the highest status of the revered saint…….In its initial stanzas that ocean of mysticism , and familiar with Almighty’s secrets ,the king of saints , the crown of glorified souls , king of oceans and land and guide to the pious path soulful greatness, the intrinsic benefits, the glory of benevolence, have been use to explain with love and respect. In these stanzas the saint is referred to as the Tabib e dana, chara saaz, haqeeqat daan, makhzan ilm o hunar , dastgeer bay kasan, waqif asrar arsh o la makan , gham rubaie, shakar zaban , mahir israr w sarwari , razdan showkat paighambari, mursil sultan khooban , jjaisay awsaf aali w alqab .
Under the sub title Hayat e Rahim ; Valuable and rare manuscript, famous author Manshoor Banhali writes, “………Mehjoor is of the opinion that for the present pathetic condition of Kashmir dwellers contemporary scholars and preachers are not only responsible but present day Peer devotee equation comes under the target. The Peer devotee equation has become a fiefdom of Nambardars and chowkidars . Due to knowledge and poor educational status the illiterate commoners have become easy targets for exploitation. ……..but one person possessing highest mystic stature has set his foot on the road to correction and human service.”
In part 2nd Mehjoor elaborates the system in the following words, “ In a Pir’s home on the birth of a male child he is given elementary education through few Persian and Kashmiri books including amulet writing which becomes his acceptance among illiterate masses as the religious scholar. And ironically if a daughter is born she can later control the human population through her husband . And incidentally the common people are distributed by the pirs among themselves with people having no knowledge about their sale. These pirs have fine and adorable clothes with a very attractive horse etc which has influence over common people as not the religious scholarship but the physical profoundness is an added attraction making it easier to gain control over them. Some of them have established contacts with low level government officials and work is got done against some consideration rather commission . These people deliver sermons against English language and declare those as infidels who learn English language……………but in such a dark scenario a person like Hazrat Rahim Sahib propping up is a gift .
Rahim Bhat ,as was his clan name, liked company of mystics and religious people since his childhood. He left for unknown destination at the age of twelve years and when he returned after many years he had donned the clothes of the mystics .He spoke Persian compared to his mother tongue which implied he lived these years in some place in Persia. He stationed himself in a field where people attended in droves , nearby residents heard about a Sobedar yearned to meet him.
During the period Zaman Shah Durrani occupied the throne in Kabul and Abdullah Khan Alkozi represented him in Kashmir. He presented himself before the saint , arranged a seat for him , released money for the eatery and gifted the field which remained in tact till the last order of Durrani’s.
In 796H Hazrat Mir Mohammad the son of Amir Kabir RA visited Kashmir and Prim minister of the time Pt. Seha Bhat converted to Islam and was renamed as Saif u Din .After some time his daughter was married to Mir Mohammad RA .This person later turned into a super excited Muslim thereby causing demographic change which became source of highly derogatory wording on part of non Muslims. Subsequently, a village was established naming it Saif Pora which over the years became Safa Pora.
At a time Mohammad Aim Khan Durrani became Subedar of Kashmir who proved the most tyrant .He is believed to be the catalyst for downfall of Durrani regime in Kashmir. He was credulous and acted on people’s fabricated reports without verifications. As someone carried the news of having a treasure with the saint the Subedar sent in two police officers to arrest the saint and confiscate the treasure but instead the two fell on his feet and became his disciples. But angered by the unwarranted action saint declared that Durranis are on way out which actually happened within one year. The episode happened in 1233 H
I will like to end my review by a para by Prof.Mir Syed Tyeb Kamili , “I have read this manuscript keenly and enjoyed its literary taste as well as its ethical sweetness. I an confident that whosoever goes through this content with sincerity and mannerism he/she will love the behavioral people .And will understand that love for God and for the mankind is the supreme way of life. One who is the lover ,Aarif, he actually lives over here and his life is immortal and exhilarating. While analysing the script historian and author Dr. AbdulAhad observes , “his exhilarating book Hayat e Rahim whose first printed copy was perused with delight and appreciation by sir Mohmmad Iqbal ,the poet of the east and 2nd edition of which is seeing the light after about a century ,is the classical example of his extra ordinary writings on Kashmir’s spiritual journey from early to medieval to modern times .
After going through the script I feel it should be the priority for book lovers particularly interested in peeping through the history of Kashmir authored by someone who seen most of it himself.
ABOUT THE REVIEWER
Er.Shafi Ahmad is a columnist and can be reached at wanishafi999@gmail.com
