Ode to Benaras – Ghalib’s grand vision
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A Brahmin resident of Benaras |
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Ghalib |
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Benaras: “forever spring†|
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It is incredible that a Muslim poet who prided himself on his Turkic ancestry and invoked the “warrior†past in his day-to-day conversation (through his letters) could compare the divine light at Mount Sinai to the lamps at Benaras |
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he cancer of communalism and bigotry in South Asia continues to haunt us. These days, the Muslims are once again a subject of intense, though not always fair, scrutiny in India: their loyalties are being questioned and many are potential terrorists if not already abettors of violence. The post 9/11 world has contributed to the demonising of the Muslim identity and history to surreal heights.
The recent bomb blasts in Delhi have placed the communal discourse on the front pages. The invaders and violent Muslims have done it again. A friend called me from Delhi and narrated the profiling that takes place at marketplaces and how the gulf between different communities is widening.
There was a time, not in the ancient past, when in Delhi the greatest of Urdu poets Mirza Ghalib (1796-1869) lived in an age when Hindus and Muslims shared common saints, dargahs and even popular gods and goddesses. Written accounts of this age – the mid to late 19th century – relate how intimate co-exitence of “Mussalmans†and “Hindoos†had led to a relative amalgamation of customs among the common people. And poets like Ghalib could see the commonalities of spiritual streams:
I n the Kaaba I will play the shankh (conch shell)
In the temple I have draped the ahraam (Muslim robe)
The verse above delineates the Sufi concept of fana (or dissolution of the self in divine reality) and the unity articulated by the ancient Indian texts such as the Vedanta. Sufis were to elaborate this as the wahdat-al-wajood (Unity of Being) philosophy.
Ghalib’s vision of a secular man and society were therefore largely shaped by the crystallisation of a centuries’ long evolution of co-existence, of a culture that was inclusive and beyond the rigidities imposed by clergies. When still in his teens, Ghalib moved to Delhi from Agra. A proud descendant of Turkish ancestors, Ghalib was a phenomenal mind and a poet gifted with boundless imagination. Through his life he suffered financial insecurities that made him look for patronage first at the Mughal Court and later from the British Government. However, his poetic imagination blossomed and his mastery over the craft and soul of Urdu ghazal is universally acknowledged.
Persian is no longer an accessible language for most readers in India and Pakistan. Ghalib was proud of his Persian verse. This is why the discovery of a lesser known Persian mathnavi (a long rhymed poem), Chiragh-e-Dair (the temple lamp), has left me amazed at the range of his vision and the integrity of his intellect. Ghalib’s modern Indian biographer, Pavan Varma, has produced a competent English translation of this Persian mathnavi in Ghalib: the Man and the Times . Translations never do justice to the originals, but the grandeur of Ghalib’s thought process has not been lost in this translation.
May Heaven keep the grandeur of Benaras
Arbour of this meadow of joy;
For oft returning souls – their journey’s end.
In this weary Temple land of the world,
Safe from the whirlwind of Time,
Benaras is forever Spring.
This poem was written when Ghalib broke his journey to Calcutta at Benaras. Benaras, or Varanasi, is a revered site in Hinduism, believed to be where time originated. Varanasi is also sacred in the Buddhist scriptures, as well as in the great Hindu epic of Mahabharata . Dotted with ancient temples and ghats , the embankments along the river Ganges have attracted millions of pilgrims for centuries. Ghalib’s journey to Calcutta was made with the intent to petition the British authorities for the resumption of his royal pension, which had ended with the Mughal rule in India. Ghalib resided in Benaras for a month or so and imbibed the temporal and spiritual beauties of this ancient city.
The masnavi in a symbolic way cites Kashi as Kaabaa-e-Hindustan, something that clerics in India and Pakistan would not tolerate in the 21st century.
The Kaaba of Hind;
This conch blowers dell;
Its icons and idols are made of the Light,
That once flashed on Mount Sinai.
These radiant idolations naids,
Set the pious Brahmins afire, when their faces glow
Like moving lamps…on the Ganges banks.
It is incredible that a Muslim poet who prided himself on his Turkic ancestry and invoked the “warrior†past in his day-to-day conversation (through his letters) could compare the divine light at Mount Sinai to the lamps at Benaras. This is a poem of extraordinary beauty, of cultural grace that romanticises Ganga (Ganges River), Kashi (another name for Benaras) and their magnificence through a unique set of images:
Morning and Moonrise,
My lady Kashi,
Picks up the Ganga mirror
To see her gracious beauty,
Glimmer and shine.
Later in the mathnavi, the poet questions a “pristine seer†who knows the “secrets†of whirling time: “Sir, you will perceive/ That goodness and faith, fidelity and love/Have all departed from the sorry land…/Brother fights brother./Unity and federation are undermined./ Despite these ominous signs/ Why has doomsday not come?â€
The seer rather poignantly points towards Kashi and smiling gently tells the restive poet that the “Architect,†is fond of Kashi’s edifice that is the source of all colour in life; and He would not like it to “perish and fall.†And the pride of Benaras soars to an eminence, “untouched by the wings of thought.†This was not the first or the last poem to be inspired by the ambiance of Benaras but for a Muslim poet to compose it was phenomenal. I wonder if today such lyricism and cultural inclusiveness is even remotely achievable by any poet of the subcontinent.
Admittedly Ghalib’s unconventional views were not fully shared by many Muslims. However, if there was lack of tolerance, it would have been impossible for Ghalib to loudly proclaim his views and retain the immense following in Delhi and outside.
Pavan Varma, the translator and biographer, further tells us: “In a time of fundamental discordance with his views, it may not have been possible for a Hindu, Munshi Hargopal Tufta to become Ghalib’s foremost Shagird [pupil] and closest friend. Not would it have been possible for Ghalib to declare another Hindu – Shivji Ram Brahman – to be like a son to him; or for the Mughal emperor of his age, Bahadur Shah Zafar, to appoint a Hindu convert to Christianity – Dr. Chaman Lal as his personal physician.â€
Such times can only be imagined like the long-lost tales from a Never-never-land. This is an age of terror, profiling and fracturing of what was created by a millennium of cultural accords and understanding.
And there is no Ghalib to inspire and reclaim the music of human coexistence.
RR, we as common citizens do not feel that Muslims as a whole are to be blamed.
Do not feel upset due to the propaganda of a few fanatics. They belong to no religion.
Thanks for this post. It was highly enlightening.
It might be the war on terror that has led to profiling and distrust amongst communities in the west but in India it is the system of vote bank politics and reservations that has spread the cancer of intolerance.Each group feels its under siege and fails to see anything beyond its own vested interests and point of view.And the only ones happy are our down right morally bankrupt politicians.Watch out for more violence and mayhem in the months leading up to the assembly and general elections.
hard to forsee a Ghalib or a Kabir emerging in these times…….
The ancient city
flows with the river divine
It speaks of sins forgiven
and hymns forgotten
lost souls lament at its shores
while those awakened flow to their final abode……
>And there is no Ghalib to inspire and reclaim the music of human coexistence.
gardish main hain saat aasman,
ho rahega kuch na kuch, ghabrain kya
raza, surely one of the fundamental purposes of religion, of any system which claims a moral basis for guiding people in their daily lives, is to promote harmony between people, regardless of the primary system of belief.
in modern day puritanicaland, chacha ghalib would have been branded a heretic. blind followers of blind leaders spouting hate against everyone other than themselves would have dragged him by the feet through the streets. the only (temprorary) reprieve he would have got is during the argument between the lynch mobbers over which particular method of execution to adopt – shooting, burning, decapitation, stabbing, all the while chanting “inspiring†verses like
ya rubb dil-e-muslim ko voh zinda tamannah de
jo qalb ko garma de, jo rooh ko tarpa de
Shuker karen Qaber Dilli mein he, ya perh kur tu khod dalte Jamat walle——
Let me quote, as I have done before on this blog, my favourite sheyr by Firaaq Gorakhpuri:
Sarzamein-e-Hind pe awaam-e-aalam ke ‘Firaaq’
Qaafilay bastay gaye, Hindustan bantaa gayaa
Someone with a solid back-ground of “Sociology”, should look into the Hindu-Muslim problem in India. Sarojini Naidu had told Gopalakrishna Gokhale in the 1920s.. “I want the Hindu-Muslim problem resolved in 5 years”, to which Gokhale replied : “No my dear. It wont end in my life-time., and in yours”.
The background of communal riots. The rumour spreading mechanism. The Somnath background and the role played by the British to build that myth over a century. The first edition of “Anand Math” – how it was subsequently altered… What made [forced ? ] Bankin change the character(s)… These are symbolic incidents that come to mind at this moment. The list is long.
Terrorism is despicable. Infact, it is “murder” in the name of an ideology. RSS is an old practitioner of “mass murder”. The whole history of this sinister and evil organisation [the largest terrorist organisation in the world] must be documented for the world to know [does it wants to know ? thats another question]… I had written innumerable times : RSS intent is to inject so much hatred, that an average hindu would be so charged emotionally… that when he see a Muslim on the road., in the bus., a movie theatre., in a class room., in the vegetable market., the railway station., etc. he start beating the “Muslim” mercilessly. It is not a crime… infact it would a Virtue”… The Hindu mind is being conditioned in that way. Call it state of denial… whatever.
Average people may not be “killers”… but (and the but is important); when a Muslim family was killed in Vatoli, Bhainsa, Adilabad, Andhra Pradesh… [6 members – incl 3 kids]. 2 points to be noted on this horrific incident :
1) The media reported that a family of 6 “Hindus” were burnt alive in Vatoli, Bhainsa ! [which was a total lie].
2) Neighbours, all hindus… when asked next morning as to what had happened replied : “We dont know..”.This “we dont know” has a sea of meaning to halt ponder and reflect upon…
Point No. (2) is the most dangerous. The neighours might not have murdered., but they abetted in the crime. They must have seen what had happened… and yet…
The average Hindu is being forced to become a killer/rapist/ by the hate-factory of RSS (and its poisoned branches). There is immense pressure on the Hindu mind… Hindus are also human beings. Let us understand that. There is a barrage of hatred pressing their mind.. the idea being sold is :”Cleanse India of Islam and Muslims… that is a good “Karma”. Sri. Krishna and Gita are wrongly quoted (out of context) to justify murder…
The worst part is… this RSS hatred feeds the communal element in the muslim community… Communal elements of all shades are bad and despicable… but… there is a difference. Muslims have no organisation compared to RSS (and its 70 branches of poison).
The secular space is becoming narrow and narrower by the day. Is India’s secularism a sham ? Narendra Modi’s verdict is to “burn Muslims alive” wherever possible… Policemen and Judges come from society. Then dont fall from the sky. When the whole “society” is vitiated., dont expect higher values.
The Policeman of 2008 is different from the Policeman of 1960s. The Judge of 2008 is different from the Judges of 1960s.
The bureaucrats of 2008 (IAS & Allied) are different from the ones in the 1950s and the 1960s.. how did this change happen ? It is the slow poison of RSS that is working… and showing its result.
I am forced to say this… and i say it with a heavy heart. There seems to be a competition on who can be more “evil”. This beauty-contest mindset., will turn India into a Hindu Afghanistan. The Hindu Taliban (RSS) will not rest until they destroy India. RSS never participated in India’s freedom struggle… Come to think of it., Freedom Fighter Bahadur Shah Zafar’s [who led the 1857 Freedom Struggle – and died in Rangoon] progency is living in sheer poverty in Calcutta & Hyderabad …while Scindias are Chief Ministers [Vasundhara Raje] & MPs [Jyotiraditya] ! Strange and ironic.. Those who sided with the British are still Ruling… Tipu Sultan is being branded as a Traitor, while Scindia Family of Gwalior (financiers of RSS) hold a copy-right on Indian Nationalism !
Sorry to say, Muslims erred [taken for a ride] in 1947. The Hindus too, erred in 1992 (when they destroyed Babri Masjid… and called it “Vijay Divas”). Vijay/Victory over what ? There is no leadership of the calibre of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru [the finest and the greatest Hindu in the last century]., to explain to the average Hindu, the danger from the fanatic. Development / Real issues never matter to the average Indian. He is emotional and is taken for a ride by the fanatic. Alas…
Majoritarian democracies are genocidal.
assalam alaikum, you are doing a great job in the favour of society.
may allah bless you.
whenever you time plz go through this link:
http://deen-dunya.blogspot.com/
jazakallah khair
ALLAH HAFIZ
i never knew this…for me personally..benaras is something that boggles the mind.
how can so much chaos, filth and humanity exist in that limited space ? and the way the river ganga gets defiled continuously and is worshipped every evening in an orchestrated “aarti” is truly ironical.
government funds for cleaning of the ghats and temples get swallowed up and never reach their destination.
but in those days in the past – and may be it was the beauty of ghalib’s mind that saw what i can never and never will see…
for writer Persian is taught in many Indian universities and one can even appear in Indian civil services (IAS) with Persian as one of the optional as opposed to elimination of Hindi and Sanskrit from Pakistan
Could you refer me to the masnavi , complete in farsi!
Appreciate it for all your efforts that you have put in this. Very interesting information. “There’s folks ‘ud stand on their heads and then say the fault was i’ their boots.” by George Eliot.
That’s beautiful, but do you have the original poem too?
I had come here at this website for academic purposes, but after reading this I couldn’t stop myself from understanding what he really meant when he referred to Kashi as Kabaa-e-hindustan. You’ve put up a fabulous essay here. I’m glad i came here. Thanks and God Bless!
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