By Dr.Abdul Ahad
In the same way it was unproblematic and undemanding for Narayan Kaul Ajiz, Azam Diddamari, Birbal Kachru and others to venture into intellectual and scholarly business as they came from opulent families with wealthy background.
But one wonders how resources less illiterate Kashmiri of humble Guluwan family, Rasool Gulwan could compose an amazingly discerning and definitive book on his first-hand experiences about men, matters and places in those old days when Kashmir was cut off from rest of the world for want of facilities. The only thing that helped him to traverse the impossible passes of Kashmir and accomplish his hotly pursued ambition of writing an authentic book was the company of Englishmen in whose service he journeyed across the borders of Valley and came in direct contact with different peoples and cultures.
We are yet to recognize this grand Kashmiri of by gone days whose phenomenal intellectual prowess was long ago accredited by a bighearted alien nation, the English people. Why should we the petty, tiny, forgetful chums of impious Saed makars and Neem hakeems, Battakhs, Battchis, Hens and Goats, Terbazes, Chooglikhors and Dopundalals and upholders of Sherek and un-Islamic castecism, remember/recognize low caste,” notorious” Gulwan? It neither fits in our scheme of things nor evokes the social approval of Kashmiri society which is overwhelmingly fortified by ancient complexes in spite of loud claim of having shed off un-Islamic mind-set. Has extra special emergence of Rasool Gulwan, as lone, solitary illiterate, untaught writer of the preceding century,exercised a caustic, biting effect on our petty minds and little envious, spiteful hear to ignore him like a fly? Are we not yet mentally prepared to acclaim the contribution of those not belonging to particular community or societal genre? Or is it because we are too shallow, parochial, class ridden species to accept even the past reality not to speak of the present reality? Or is it for the reason that we are swayed to believe that past has no meaning for us that we feel least concerned about those who have opened its vistas for us to erect the flagpole of our identity ? Have its relics no place in our itinerary of priorities? Are these devoid of necessary ingredients to impact our society?
Strange it may seem that though not remembered at home by his own people, Rasool is respected abroad overwhelmingly by people who are ethnically and linguistically different from him. We may decline to remember Rasool as a unique writer of autocratic Kashmir but no power on earth can withhold from him the status he enjoys in the annals of world’s most prestigious and reputed University, the Cambridge University, which recognized his talent long back in 1923 when it published his manuscript titled “SERVANTOF SAHIBS with a lucid preface by none other than Young Husband. There is hardly a traveler who hasn’t noticed his mettle while compiling his Travelogue on Kashmir. It is only scatterbrained Kashmiris with racist attitude his own people who have denied our younger generation an opportunity of drawing inspiration from the wisdom of untutored, instinctive and insightful writer of Kashmir by ignoring him totally. Even inclusion in school curriculum” of an essay on his works and thoughts would have poised the youth to respect the leading pioneer of English writings/prose in Kashmir irrespective of caste he belonged to.
Then there is the illustrious Hassan Khoihami who burnt midnight oil to treat the empty history syndrome left over by Kalhana the father of history by tracing the missing links of Kashmir history. He has been able to make available to us the list of fifty Kashmiri Kings conspicuously absent in Kalhana’s Rajatarangnt. He compiled his stupendous volumes on history, geography, religion and culture of Kashmir after pains-taking research and undivided attention to detail. There is genuinely a compelling need for every serious scholar to go through these volumes before making out his formulations.
But compared to Rasool Gulwan, Hassan had an advantage of his lineage, education, , articulation,methodology,diction and unrestrained access to material available with individuals, shrines and institutions. Being the educated progeny of Peer family Hassan’s indulgence in history writing was more a serious quest than a leisurely passtime. His knowledge and background made it for him a trouble-free pursuit earning him a lot of approbation and applause both within and outside. He became so famous that some neo-rich Kashmiris began boasting to have descended from his genealogical tree by getting prepared shajra-i-nasab accordingly to make us believe what is not true. The offspring of these imposters have gone a step further; they are fond of using double titles/ surnames, moving around conceitedly with no shame.
Hassan’s works are stupendously rich, rewarding and monumental; reflecting his terrifically exciting innate talent, scholarship, foresight and unlimited love for his birth burg vividly. But we have sadly failed him to reach our new generation which is unfamiliar even with his name not to speak of his works. To reminiscence his contributions to Kashmir’s historical literature we have to come up to the mark and re-evaluate his works critically to bring to the fore his Kashmir centric expositions which are undoubtedly the starting point of mental constructs of our present day writers, scholars and historians.
Equally annoyıng is the ignorance we have been manifesting with regard to Hamidullah Shahabadi, a veteran writer of his times who risked his life and assets by openly reproving and ridiculing the brazen savagery of Ranjit Singh’s rule in Kashmir. Through his unparalleled Shehr-i-Napursan [Bebujinama) he exposed the myth of Shaer-i-Punjabs “bigheartedness” that reverberated in Muslim bashing, closure of mosques and persecution of peasantry against which his protests were so virulent that the Sikh establishment ran amok to banish him from Kashmir.
Likewise Khalil Mirjanpuri”, a writer of great caliber and author of Tarikh-i-Kashmir is buried deep in dark, dilapidated dingy corner of Research Library under less than two feet dust which has accumulated there owing to our off hand attitude and callous ignorance. Even serious scholars seem ungrateful to this writer who made flames of Gulab Singh’s tyranny and money-grabbing politics public through his writings.
Even Mohmad-Din Fauq and Prem Nath Bazaz are victims of our cold-hearted attitude, We are oblivious to their astounding contributions to Kashmir’s history, politics and culture and insensitive to what they did for us by extending their unconditional, unrelenting support to Kashmir’s struggle against autocracy and vandalism of emerging political forces of the times.
The limitation of space does not allow us to mention here names of many more historians who are obscured due to our callousness and ingratitude. It is better we educated our people to remember and respect the writers of yore who have done us proud by unraveling various knots of our ethos than to beg the authorities of Universities to raise commemorative plaques or set up Chairs in their names. To venerate our insightful historians the civil society can do a superb job by christening after their names bazaars and institutions whose nomenclature is constantly reminding us of an era when even small children were conscripted for beggar; when damsels in distress were forced into white slave trade for augmenting State revenues; when calling for Nimaz and cow slaughter were crimes punishable by death; when Muslims had to pay Zari-Nikah (marriage tax) and tax on dried cow dung. That will also help us wash off lots of ghastly memories of despotic rulers whose names are strongly reminiscent of awful tales of oppression and exploitation of hapless Kashmiris of the last century.
…Concluded
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.
