MIRZA GHALIB IN GUJARAT
Ashleshaa Khurana

On 15th of February, 1869, the greatest flag bearer of ‘Rekhta’-Urdu poetry, Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan better known by his non de plume ‘Ghalib’ passed away in poverty at his haveli in Bullimaran,Old Delhi.

Although he had never set foot in Gujarat, Ghalib had very strong liaisons with the Mir community in the state; his pupils and patrons with whom he kept in constant touch via his beautiful penmanship. According to him, communication through letters meant “sau kos se ba-zaban-e-qalam baatein kiya karo aur hijr mein visaal ke mazey liya karo” (Keep writing even from a hundred miles afar and keep alive the joy of meeting even in separation.)

“While Ghalib’s poetry in profound Persian had a divine connect, the prose in his letters focused on human relationships.”, points out veteran Urdu literary critic,Varis Hussain Alvi,retired Head of the Department,St.Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad, “Hence the text not only reads in simple Urdu but also in a very casual and conversational manner. His fondness for his disciples was remarkably obvious within his correspondence. He always addressed them as ‘beta’ or ‘dost’.”

In his book “Mirza Ghalib and the Mirs of Gujarat” author and direct descendant of the Nawab of Surat, Mir Jaffar Imam shares with readers sixty one letters addressed by Ghalib to patrons and students in Surat and Baroda. Among his favorite patrons was H H Nawab Mir Jafur Alee Khan of Surat. Ghalib saw a role model in the Nawab who, like him belonged to a military background and protested against the Britishers .He described the Nawab’s lineage as”Een Silsila Az Talae Naab Ast/ Een Khana Tamam Aftab Ast “(this family has sprung from the mine of purest gold, like the radiant Sun, it illuminates the globe) Upon the Nawaab’s death in 1863, Ghalib grieved deeply and wrote a Persian couplet in his honour.

Ghalib’s disciples in Gujarat wrote under the pen names of Sayyah, Wafa, Jadoo and Mayal.On being invited by Sayyah, his favourite Shagird, to Surat for a celebration. the master of mellifluous verse known for his rueful sense of humour wrote back how in his old age “Aana mera Surat tak kisi surat haaiz imkaan nahin” this lover of wine, women and song then added,” In Bombay and Surat English wines are available and if I would have come there and attended the celebrations, I would have drunk them”

Another verse written in praise of Mir Gulam Baba Khan’s initiative to educate the girl child ran thus, when translated, “The Begum’s school –going is a blessed event, made possible by the Nawab’s luck and pluck; as it is to further the Noble cause of learning, Let it bring for all a reign of joy profuse!”

A hundred and forty two years after his demise, Ghalib lives on in the hearts of Gujaratis.”One of his most oft quoted ghazals ‘Na tha kuch toh Khuda tha, kuch na hota toh Khuda hota, Duboya mujhko hone ne, naa hota main toh kya hota…..’ was a favourite with the Mir of Kamadhia, Gujarat”, says music writer Adil Bhoja,”interestingly, its last couplet runs, “Hui muddat ke Ghalib mar gaya, par yaad aata hai, woh har ek baat pe kehna, Ke yun hota toh kya hota.”
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/surat/Ghalibs-Gujarat-connection/articleshow/7497462.cms

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Dilemmas of a Surti writer

The romance of Parle Point fell with the mini Eiffel that we Surtis prided ourselves in.

The Eiffel always was a soft corner for this writer who began penning’ Khoobsurat’three monsoons ago with’ if it’s Eiffel, it must be Parle Point”.

Over the weeks that have flown by, the response from fellow Surtis has been overwhelming and as entertaining as we all are notoriously famous for.

My siblings and I grew up in a home that had a vast library which ranged from Blyton to Gibran. My parents, fond readers themselves, believe in education from the quality of reads, more than institutions.Hence, learning literally began at home, even as my mother aspired aloud (as all mothers do) “paper maan aave evu naam karjo”, and well her wishes came true, in a way.

Today’s Khoobsurat is about sharing the queries that came in from all of you.

The Glamour-
Pretty Neighbor-Oh! Did YOU write on the Eiffel today? Journalists are paid very badly, you know?

At a party-Why do they only run your photograph and no other writer’s? Oh, you are a columnist? So, special treatment?

Via e-mail-Hiiiiiiii! Will you do frensip?

School senior –I also write, on how dirty and corrupt the bahumali is, they never run what I send. Whom did you send your article to?

Sister from USA over phone-Girl, you should always get your hair done before taking a photo! Change your photo please.

Via SMS-aapse bhi KHOOBSURAT aapke andaaz hai!

At a restaurant-Aren’t you the person who writes Khoobsurat? Your photo size changes with every article

Father-Your face looks like a weather balloon. Does Khoob-surat mean ‘lots of face”? Writing and all is fine but you are too intelligent to not do something about your weight.

Reader-I file all your articles, do you?

Husband-Where is your mind?

The Gumption

Friends-How much can you write about Surat?

Readers-Why do you write only about Surat?

Visitors-You write so much, about Surat?

Maternal grand mother-You haven’t written enough about Surat, have you?

Via email-Now that you have written about kitly tea, when will you cover the coffee hotspots?

Via sms –Can you write about khaman and dhokla and fafda and marcha with the recipes also?

Via –email-I went and ate all that you wrote in your column and put on 2 kilos in two weeks.

Via email-We are lucky to know about historical culture of town can you write more days of the week?

Via phone call-Can I meet you?

Via email-I also write, where did you learn to write?

At a kiosk-Have you written about these vada pavs yet?

Strangers-What are the advertising rates? Are there discounts for obituaries?

Friends-How could you write this about us?

Friends-How could you not write this about us?

Strangers-Will you write this about us?

Spouse-Which world do you live in?

The Guts-

Via email-Can you write more about alcohol and dry state.

Via SMS-Don’t you think you write too much about alcohol in a dry state?

I was born a Patel, but as the name up there suggests, have a boisterous fun loving Punjabi ma in law who has a social circle equal to the population of Australia. Ever so often whenever she drops in, she inadvertently finds me with my head huddled into the puter.
” Ki kardi pay hai? Jado dikho likhdi padhdi hai” she remarks fondly (what are you doing? always reading or writing) “Kinne paise mildey ne enni mehnat de?”(How much do they pay you for all this hard work?)
As I dig my head even lower in the lap top and mumble my meager means as a writer,she is shocked and says,”Hai! Enne paise mein ki honnda hai aaj kal, chad parey, chal bahar nikal, kitty join Karle!”(What happens with such little money these days? leave all this and come join a kitty).

Mr. Khurana-Do you have ANY clue about what’s going on in the house?????????????

The Glory-

Readers-Your column make us laugh and learn.

“Your column today, touched our hearts and we cried it out.”

SAPUTARA: GUJARAT’S WET AND WILD GETAWAY.....
Nestled within the mist kissed mountains of Sahyadri, is the state’s lone hill station, Saputara. Perched at an altitude 875 metres above sea level, this plateau within the Western Ghats is well worth a visit in all its monsoon glory.
The ghats that lead to what is known as ‘ poor man’s Switzerland’, offers as good a view as that from a TGV.Dang’s dense, deciduous forests form a natural canopy as the road zig zags over the gently flowing Ambika River. Folk lore goes that Lord Rama spent 11 years in exile in these very forests. Monsoon’s magic helps create scores of tiny waterfalls in the rocky, black soil terrain that mingle into the moss covered marshes.
Devoid of any colonial structures or commercial mall road, Saputara is small enough to be covered in a day, yet, offers all the essentials of a hill station. One could take a paddle boat ride in the lake by the central park and later walk the expanse of the Governors’ hill to embark on a ropeway trip, a kilometre long cable car ride that provides a picture postcard perfect view of this hill resort.
At walking distance is Gandhi Shikhar, the Sunset point, flocked by visitors to see the surrounding tribal villages bask in a warm golden glow as a blanket of stars slowly covers the sky. The rose garden, step garden are well maintained and the museum that houses traditional tribal artefacts also offers a workshop on the same. The Sunrise or valley view point serves the purpose spectacularly with an added view of the adjacent Malegaon. The forest log cabin here is a wooded wonder.
While berries, nagli roti, fresh honey and bamboo pickle are local must haves, tourists also cross over the 4 km.border into the state of Maharashtra for a slice of Konkani cuisine that can be washed down with an alcoholic drink. Gamanlal Kapadia, who makes it a point to visit Saputara every year points out that,’ No other hill station in India offers this kind of simple, natural beauty.’ He smiles as he adds, ’It helps that Maharashtra is a stone’s throw, for travellers who complaint about the dry state.’
The trekking trails of Saputara offer mild to rough challanges; one can further enrich the experience of walking the wild side by seeking permission to visit the Vansda National Park, previously the property of Vansda’s Maharaja. An enthralling forest experience; tall teak trees, mango groves and gigantic creepers are decorated with several species of orchids and wild mushrooms. Dense due to the 2200 -2500mm rainfall it receives, this region of Dang is home to endangered species of Leopards, Pythons, four horned Antelopes, Pangolin, Rusty-spotted cat, Civet, Barking deer, Giant squirrel, Hyenas, 115 winged species like Great Black woodpecker, Malabar Trogan, Grey Hornbill, Emerald Dove, Paradise flycatcher, Sunbirds make it a bird watchers delight and Leaf insects, snails, centipedes, millipedes trudge along the trails.
Also located in the Dangs is the Purna Sanctuary, where one horned Rhinoceros, wild bulls, sloth bears and elephants resided;during the past,Mughal period. The thick bamboo forests here form an organic network of beautiful green tunnels with species such as Chinese, Golden and Beer bottle;The Chopada Badaro,Safed sissar and Sissio are amongst the other tree species preserved here. Laced with the Purna and Gira rivers it is inhibited by a number of tribes like the Bhils, Gamits, Warlis, and Dangis. Their acrobatic folk dances on the beats of traditional instruments like the pavry and drums are very popular.
Further on, the clearing at Gira falls, provides an ideal picnic spot. Gushing down from a height of 75 feet, the waterfall creates silvery cobwebs of fog from which a rainbow often shines through.
Though the forest department has constructed a road right upto the waterfall, environmentalists feel that the beauty of nature should not be tampered with. Snehal Patel, President of Nature Club, Surat says,’ So far, the Dang belt has been clean, green and pollution free but it is fast deteriorating. We must see to it that concerned authorities act fast and ban plastic and disposable goods, make this area vehicle free so tourist may enjoy walking, keep it free from noise pollution of loudspeakers so that one may enjoy the natural bird calls. Make gas cylinders available to local hotels so that they do not deplete wood by using it for cooking and heating water.’
At a distance of 420 kms from Ahmedabad, Saputara, 'the abode of snakes' offers a serene, wet and wild experience to lovers of Nature.

SANTU RANGILI’S OPEN LETTER TO THE EDITOR....
Dear Sir,
Since your esteemed paper is running,’Dance of Democracy ‘as the theme for elections, I, as a representative of Gujarati theatre, would like to humbly present our effervescent Gujarati poetry to enhance it.
We hope to see our much loved netas dance on the same someday.

The next P.M. might be from Gujarat, but since he is not from the constituency that he is standing for, Advaniji might to sing this for his road show-‘Heee eliya ,heeee baaju,heeee bhaila [yodelling]Hun Amdavaad no rickshawalo, navso navvanu numberwalo, Amdavaad batavun chalo,Evi rickshaw haakun, hairatwaan mein uparwalo,Jyan mandir hoye tya jarur hoye koi boot chorwawalo.................’

Which reminds me, our presentP.M. can be given a slow song by Mohammed Rafi., since doctors have advised adequate rest,‘Kahu chu jawaani ne pachi vali jaa, ke ghardapan nu ghar maaru aavi gayu chey, mann ne na gamtu ghardapun nu dahpun, pun tan taaru sagpun bhulaavi rahyu chey.’

The graceful danseuse Mallika Sarabhai might go for Mehul Surti’s,’ude ude rey patang Gujarat no, mann ma umtey umang.

I hear Mr.Kashiram Rana is very sad and though he has not been given a ticket, he is still hopeful and would justify the song,’’diwaso judaai na jaay chhe, ey jaase jaroor milan sudhi, maro haath jhaali ne lai jashe mujh shatruoj swajan shudhi.'

Of course, we have special songs for the royal family of politics and keeping in mind the love that Kalawati, Mayawati and all the womenfolk have for the dear baba Rahul Gandhi our group would like to perform with him on Narsinh Mehta’s,’Jal kamal chhandi ja ne baala, swami amaro jaagshey, jaagshey, taney maarshey, maney baal hatya laagshey.’

For dearest Soniaji, I have chosen one from my own play which goes,’Bolo pa, ph, ba, bh, ma’.I think she will love it and learn well.

Of course, that just leaves our C.M., Mr.Modi, many of my friends believe he should be the P.M and when that happens someday, I think the most apt lines for him would be by the great poet of Gujarat-Wali Muhhammed Wali, who called himself Wali Gujarati and wrote ‘Dar Firaaq-e-Gujarat.Some of its translated lines read-‘Parting from Gujarat leaves thorns in my chest, my heart on fire pounds impatiently in my breast, what cure can heal the wound of living apart? The scimitar of exile has cut deep into my heart.......And thank God’s mercy Wali! He let that passion remain. The heart’s still anxious to catch a glimpse of my Gujarat again!
Yes, I think Mr.Modi would certainly feel like that, like Wali Gujarati did, on parting with Gujarat.

Respect and regards,
Santu Rangili.