FIFTY YEARS OF AVTAR KAUL’S ( 1939-1974) FILM ‘ 27 DOWN’

                                                                 

                                                             ( A K Bir with Rakhee Gulzar )

                                                               (Avtar  Kaul on the sets )

FIFTY YEARS OF AVTAR KAUL’S ( 1939-1974)  FILM ‘ 27 DOWN’

 

“Jo rukay to koh-e-garaan thay hum,

jo chalay to jaan se guzar gaye

Rah-e-yaar hum ne qadam qadam,

tujhay yaadgaar banaa diya........"      (Faiz Ahmed Faiz)

 

(For when we stayed, we rose like massifs,

And when we strayed, we left life far behind;

fellow-traveller, every step that we ever took

became a memorial to your life.)

 

Some very rare filmmakers get recognition from their first venture apart from earning the love and affection of the audience. And then if this filmmaker meets some unfortunate fatal accident, the nation feels shocked and sad. This is what exactly happened with Avtar Kaul. Kaul was snatched in the prime of his youth by the roaring Monsoon waves of the Arabian Sea when he tried to save a drowning friend. This all happened when he was to receive the Award for his debut film under the New Wave Cinema banner. Had he lived, he would have done to Indian cinema what Abbas Kiarostami did to the Iranian cinema or Jean-Luc Godard did to the French cinema.

 

2024 marks the 50th anniversary of Avtar Kaul's passing and the 50th anniversary of the '27 Down' movie. To commemorate this occasion, the film was screened at the IFFI Goa 2024, with the presence of lead actress Rakhee and A K Bir, the National Award-winning cinematographer of '27 Down'. Vinod Kaul, the nephew of Avtar Kaul took it upon himself to play the lead role in commemorative events of his illustrious uncle. I feel beholden to Vinod  Kaul for some photos and details for this write-up.

 

AVTAR KAUL: THE MAN BEHIND THE FILM

 

Avtar Kaul was born on 27th September 1939 in Srinagar, Kashmir, into a family of 6 siblings. He studied both in Kashmir and Delhi before moving to the United States in 1960 where he joined ‘The Institute of Film Techniques’ in New York and completed his diploma there in 1963. From 1964-1968, he was enrolled in the City University of New York for a Bachelor's degree in Film Making. Although he came from a humble family, he put all his energy into the idea of realisation of his big dream of filmmaking.  Vinod Kaul, nephew of Avtar Kaul informs this:-

 

 “As a student, Avtar Kaul wrote two short films, one on the problems of ageing called The Golden Years and the other on communication gaps called The Turning Point. He was also the director of a short film on deafness called ‘The Sounds of Silence’.To make ends meet, during his studies, he had a variety of odd jobs unrelated to filmmaking until in 1964 he was employed by The British Information Services, New York as a Production Assistant and later promoted to Editor for their informational and cultural programmes for the television. After working there for a few years, Kaul returned to India and was hired in 1970 by the Merchant Ivory Productions, as an Assistant Director for their film Bombay Talkie. He has left behind a finished screenplay called,’ Chandu’, whose script also centres on human relationships trailed by the expectations of society and family. The screenplay tries to discover the attitudes and pressures fostered on the protagonists by social forces and their reactions to them. ”

 

My friend Yusuf Bhat told me this:-

 

" Avtar was a very friendly person. I vividly remember he had taken two rooms in the YMCA, Mumbai Central and used to run his office from there. He used to live probably in Meher Apartments, Anstey Road those days. Initially, Avtar Kaul had selected me as the editor of the movie. I had signed the contract. The movie was named 58 Down. The name was subsequently changed to  '27 Down.' The film had Bansi Chandragupta as art director. Then Narinder Singh, the sound recordist was also very brilliant. Avtar was much more focused. He made everyone give 100% to the film. He wanted me to be present at every shot whether indoor or outdoor. I had little time for that. Then we had arguments in the editing room.  The negatives were handled by me at the 'Famous Cine Laboratory ', Taradeo. He was thoroughly professional in his approach.  He didn't agree to some suggestions. I moved out of the project. But he was a great man. I was paid full remuneration as per the agreement. I believe I was paid 3500/- by him. That was a big amount those days.  I am talking of 1972. Late Ravi Patnaik edited the film after I left.27 Down got the Filmfare Award but Avtar Kaul didn't live to receive it."

 

As a filmmaker, Avtar was a hard taskmaster. He didn’t even spare his brother. “He would shout at me if I made a mistake,” said Pradhuman Kaul.

 

Tragically, Kaul's life was cut short in a fatal accident in Bombay at just 35 years old, ironically on the same day his National Awards were announced. He never got to witness the accolades his film received, leaving behind a poignant legacy in the world of cinema. July 20, 1974, Avtar Kaul was invited to dinner at a sea-facing Bungalow in the Walkeshwar area of South Mumbai. A K Bir was at his rented apartment with a few friends. That night, Bir got a call from Delhi, informing him that 27 Down had won two National Film Awards. It was a time to celebrate. A K Bir remembers this:-

“We were expecting Avtar to come and celebrate. However, at around 1 am or so, I got a call from the police, asking me to identify a body.”

 

They learnt that Avtar Kaul had gone to the beach. He was sitting on the parapet along with a friend who lost balance and slipped into the roaring Arabian Sea. Kaul dived into the sea to save his friend, but neither survived. The roaring Monsoon waves proved fatal. Avtar was taken first to one hospital and then to another, and he died on the way. Pradhuman Kaul wasn’t in Mumbai at the time the tragedy struck the family. He had returned to Delhi to look after his ailing wife.  Pradhuman remembers:-

 

“It was shocking for all of us. We had heard that he was getting the Award just the previous night.”

Avtar Kaul’s untimely death was a great setback to his brother Predhuman. He was deeply disturbed and could not do anything in the cinema after that. He returned to Delhi and worked for a while with a theatre group and later joined an insurance company. Avtar Kaul's wife, Anne, had lost her father around the same time, and couldn’t travel to India for the funeral. Anne returned to the US halfway through the shoot.

 

THE FILM: 27 DOWN

 

.The film was released at a time when Amitabh Bachan had started his ascent up the star ladder, Shyam  Benegal had released  'Ankur ' and M.S. Sathyu had arrived with his Garam Hawa. It was during this period, that the Film Finance Corporation helped Mrinal Sen to produce Bhuvan Shome, Basu Chatterjee to make   Sara Akash and Mani Kaul for his Uski Roti. The trend that came to be known as 'Parallel Cinema 'had already become visible.  Avtar Kaul was keen on adding his name to this Parallel Cinema. With the encouragement of FFC chairperson BK Karanjia, Kaul set out in 1972 to make his first film. He started looking for a good script. Apart from directing the film, Avtar Kaul (1939-1974) also arranged finances from FFC (later known as NFDC). He wrote the script and dialogues and personally selected the talented cast comprising of M. K. Raina (1970 batch NSD graduate and a man from theatre), Rakhee Gulzar, Sadhu Mehar (He shifted to Oriya cinema),   Om Shivpuri, Rekha Sabnis and Sudhir Dalvi. He arranged the music from Bhuban Hari ( Hari Prasad Chaurasia and Bhubaneshwar Misra).

 

The film is based on the Hindi novel Athara Sooraj Ke Paudhe, by Ramesh Bakshi. Avtar Kaul picked up the book from the Delhi bookshop. He liked the novel and decided to make a film based on the novel. That is how 27 Down was born. He sounded his younger brother, Predhuman Kaul about the project. Pradhuman Kaul quit his job with the Indian Air Force to help with a production that was a challenge for the brothers. Predhuman Kaul remembers this:-

 

“I had never seen a shoot before that. We shot on more than 40 actual locations. The film could be made only because the people involved in the film were all young. The most prominent crew member was Raakhee, who was already a movie star. Avtar initially wanted to cast director Bimal Roy’s daughter Aparajita in the lead role. Rakhee came on the recommendation of FFC’s BK Karanjia. She accepted the role because she liked the storyline."

 

Avtar Kaul signed Bansi Chandragupta as art director for the project. Bansi Chandragupta worked with Satyajit Ray,  Jean Renoir, Mrinal Sen, Shyam Benegal, Basu Chatterjee, Ismail Merchant, James Ivory and Aparna Sen. Narinder Singh, the well-known sound recordist was also signed for the project. Narinder Singh had also worked with Mrinal Sen.

 

The film had many first-timers including A.K. Bir, the Film and Television Institute of India-trained cinematographer who was 22 years old at the time and had never shot a feature. The crew faced many problems. Raakhee was a known face, and the crew had to show her travelling in trains or walking through crowds. Shooting with her in public spaces and platforms was difficult.  For some shots, the unit had to seek the help of the police. However, everything kept rolling and moving in a positive direction. And Avtar had complete confidence in M.K. Raina who had already graduated from NSD and was noticed for his acting skills in some popular Hindi plays. The shooting at the busy VT station in Mumbai was done secretly. Nobody knew that a film was being shot. M. K. Raina in his dress appeared like a genuine TTE (Travelling Ticket Examiner).  Even people were seeking information on trains from him. When people learned about shooting, the team 27 Down had packed up. The camera was placed away from the public gaze.

 

The film explores urban alienation, something no Hindi film has done before. It follows the life and tribulations of Sanjay played by M K Raina. Sanjay wanted to study art but had to take up a job with the Railways as his father wanted the son to have a stable life. It is during one of his journeys on the Bombay suburban line that he meets LIC agent Shalini, played by Rakhee. They develop a fondness for each other and soon Sanjay is ready to express his love, but his feelings are not reciprocated. His marriage is fixed by his father, and it turns out to be his biggest obstacle. Some years later, he runs into Shalini on another train journey and realises that they are very different people now. The film uses the metaphor of the journey of life to capture the stops and connections a person makes in it. The idea of a missed station and the world of possibilities it could have brought is symbolic of missed chances in a person’s life. 27 Down is a beautiful, introspective and poetic film about a person’s attempt to escape societal norms, to search for and embrace his desires and values. Rail becomes a metaphor for a linear life, with a predictable beginning and end.

Upon completion, the film received two prestigious National Film Awards in 1974 - Best Feature Film in Hindi and Best Cinematography. In the International festivals, it received the prestigious Ecumenical Prize at the Locarno Film Festival and the Film Dukaten Award at IFFMH Munich, Germany. The film premiered at The Festival of Singular Films on September 23rd 2024, at GES-2, Moscow, as part of The Retrospective Programme celebrating the film's lasting legacy.

 

Even after 50 years, this film remains timeless in its treatment having not resorted to melodrama. The relationship between two young people is dealt with a sensitivity that was rare for its time, mirrors the best of what can be seen today and is equally compelling and relevant to today's audience. In the last shot of the movie, the monologue, over a frozen close-up of Sanjay goes like this, “Now I have neither to run nor to return. Now I don't want to reach anywhere. I just wish to walk." Let me conclude with lines from a poem of Bulgarian poet Nikola Vaptsarov  (1909-1942):-

 

“History, will you mention us

in your faded scroll?

For the hardship and affliction

we do not seek rewards,

nor do we want our pictures

in the calendar of years.

Just tell our story simply

to those we shall not see,

tell those who will replace us –

We fought courageously.”

 

(Avtar Mota)

 

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.

MANSAR LAKE OF JAMMU IS DYING

                                        

MANSAR LAKE IN JAMMU  IS DYING

We visited Mansar Lake today. The Lake appears to be struggling on  many fronts   to survive.

 How can tourism be developed in Jammu if the Mansar Lake is left to die  ? Seen in a photo ,the Lake  gives a majestic look but after a visit, one can see its total  neglect both as a 12000 year old  water body and also as a place with enormous tourism potential . I found the Lake  needing  colossal development on all fronts.  

(1) There is no   parking facility for visitors to the Lake. 

(2)  The decks where from  fish are fed are broken at many places . They need to be replaced by RCC structures.

(3) No vendor be allowed inside the lake and the garden as too much of littering is  visible in the garden and also in the lake's water.

(4) On 21st December 2024, I found 6 groups cooking food in the garden .

(5) There is no walkway around the Lake .

(6)  Clean drinking water facility needs to be set up at  4 or 5 points .

(7)  Other than old paddle boats, there is no  attraction on the lake surface. 

(8)  Lake garden needs massive  green turfing , flower varieties, renovated pathways and better landscaping .

(9) The boarding/  lodging  facilities need to be developed and made attractive for visitors. At the moment these are poor if not primitive.

(9)The Lake Ghats need to be developed .

(10) The toilets are filthy and stinking .

(11) There is no trusted and reliable  food chain's stall  outside the lake  . Food sold inside or outside the lake is unhygienic .

(12) Restaurants , vendors and eateries need to be moved out of the lake and the garden. 

(13) Vendors and petty traders are occupying  the garden and the paths leading to the garden. 

(14) The sewage water from the  restaurants  and houses pours  into the lake  .This alone is sufficient for the death of the Lake .

It appears that the  scenic beauty  and the tourist  potential of the Lake has been  underestimated   by the  authorities . It will not be incorrect to say that everything  looks  ordinary and  neglected at this place . 

It was surprising to observe the fish of the lake coming repeatedly on the surface of the water with mouths open ; perhaps gasping for air .Almost all the feed thrown at them goes down as the fish are either overfed or are coming to surface for oxygen. I don't know . We also saw some dead fish along   the lake bank .

There is a Surinsar-Mansar Development Authority.What this authority does,we don't know ?  We don't know the financial grants and the  spending pattern of this Authority .And there is a dire need for fostering a sense of ownership over the lake which alone can contribute to its preservation.

Since decades, the Lake has been  reciting loudly  Ghalib's couplet and seeking intervention  of the establishment :

"Hum ne maana ke tagaaful na karoge lekin,

Khaaq ho jaayenge hum tum ko khabar hone tak " 

( Avtar Mota)

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.

ELECTRIC POWER THEFT IN J&K

                                         

THE HEATER IN THE KITCHEN : A True Story of Secularism Baichara and Applied Electrical Engineering

There was a time in Jammu and Kashmir when electricity was not a commodity to be purchased. It was a philosophy to be experienced. It was not measured in kilowatts. It was measured in faith. And like all great faiths it united people across divides.

The news item that appeared in Greater Kashmir on December ninth two thousand and twenty three tells us that the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited has launched an extensive campaign to combat power theft. Day and night inspections are being conducted. Videos are being shared on X. In one viral video from Chanapora a consumer is seen using underground wiring to siphon off electricity. In another report a shop in downtown Srinagar with a sanctioned load of three kilowatts was found using more than ten kilowatts.

For a new generation this is shocking. For my generation this is nostalgia.

For decades till the nineteen eighties and even later power theft in Kashmir was not a crime. It was a culture. It was a community service. It was dare I say the most successful experiment in secularism ever conducted in the valley.

THE MORNING RITUAL AT FOUR AM

No person who has lived in the erstwhile state can claim that he does not know what a kitchen heater is. It was not an appliance. It was a member of the family. It lived in the kitchen usually fitted lovingly inside the traditional hearth the daan or chulha made of clay and soot and memories.

And we did not get up at seven. We got up at four. In the dark and biting cold of a Kashmiri winter four am was the time when the honest and the dishonest both woke up with the same purpose.

The entire mohalla would wake up to the same sound. Not the Azan not the temple bell but the faint hum of a hundred heaters switching on simultaneously. Water for washing and bathing was to be heated. Rice was to be cooked. And more importantly the hardest Rajma that had refused to soften despite hours of boiling was to be finally taught a lesson. So at 4 a.m. while the rest of India was asleep Kashmir was awake watching Rajma boil.

The heater was sold everywhere. Electric shops sold it. Grocery shops sold it. Even the shop that sold stationery ,sold replacement coils. When a coil broke and it broke often our womenfolk did not call an electrician. They repaired it themselves. With a pair of tongs a little skill and a lot of confidence they would join the broken ends of the nichrome wire and bring it back to life. From broken pieces , ingenious Kashmiris made boilers. From dead heaters they made new heaters. It was recycling before recycling became fashionable. It was Make in Kashmir before Make in India was even imagined.

The result of all these heaters switching on at four am was predictable. The voltage would drop to a level where a hundred watt bulb glowed like a dying ember with a deep sense of resignation. Nobody complained. We understood. This was collective responsibility. If everyone steals together no one is guilty. That was our social contract.

THE DEPARTMENT OF GENEROSITY

This great movement could not have succeeded without the full cooperation of the Electricity Department now known as the Power Development Department. Three categories of officials formed the holy trinity of our secular power grid.

First the Lineman. He was not a lineman. He was a statesman. He was a counsellor. He was the keeper of our secrets. For a modest monthly consideration he would make your meter dead. Not slow. Dead. Completely dead. The disc would stop rotating. Time would stop. And you could run two heaters a boiler and still pay for a single bulb. If you were anxious he would reassure you in that immortal Kashmiri phrase, Ma he gham ba chhus na' which translated means do not worry at all I am there.

He was a man of honour. If there was to be an inspection by some enthusiastic officer , the lineman would inform you in advance. You would then hide the heater cover the chulha with a lid and assume the expression of a person who has never seen electricity in his life. You would say heater what heater we only use wood.

Second the Meter Reader. He was an artist. He would look at your meter which showed three hundred units write down eighty in his book look at your face assess your capacity to pay and then write down another figure in his heart. A brief exchange of pleasantries and a small token of appreciation would ensure that your bill remained within the limits of your spirituality.

Third the Clerk at the revenue counter. He was the most secular of them all. He practised Baichara in its purest form. Whether you were Hindu or Muslim whether you came from Habba Kadal or from Rainawari whether you were rich or poor he had the same rate for everyone. If you owed three hundred rupees to the department as per the ledger you paid one hundred rupees officially twenty rupees personally to him and he would write in bold letters on your receipt 'Balance Nil'. No outstanding. No dues. Full stop. That certificate was more powerful than any degree. It was a passport to another period of uninterrupted supply.

This was secularism in action. No discrimination. No communal bias. The Hindu could steal by hooking. The Muslim could steal by tampering. The Sikh could steal by bypassing. And the clerk would give them all the same Balance Nil certificate with the same smile.

THE HOOK THAT HELD US TOGETHER

The hook or kundi as we affectionately called it was the great leveller. It was a simple piece of wire thrown over the main service line. It did not ask for your religion. It did not ask for your caste. It did not ask for your political affiliation. It simply gave you power.

In some houses the meter was bypassed entirely. In some houses the meter was made to run backwards. In some houses a changeover switch was installed a sophisticated device that allowed you to switch from honest supply to dishonest supply within a second if you heard the sound of an official vehicle.

During inspection if at all it happened the lineman would take the inspecting officer to the house of that one unfortunate consumer who had not paid the monthly retainer. The officer would find a flagrant case of theft impose a fine the consumer would pay the fine plus the pending retainer to the lineman and harmony would be restored. The officer would go back to his office feeling he had done his duty. The lineman would go back to his area feeling he had maintained order. And the consumer would go back to his heater in the kitchen.

This was not corruption. This was management. This was a perfect public private partnership before the term was invented.

THE MAN WHO PAID REGULARLY

I must tell you of a scene I once witnessed inside the court premises in Srinagar. It has stayed with me for more than 40 years.

A poor man had been booked by a senior team for power theft. The team had come from outside the circle. They had not taken the local lineman into confidence. They had caught the man red handed and confiscated his heater. The heater was produced in the court as case property. A rusted coil still inside a dented tin body. The pride of his kitchen.

The magistrate looked at the man and asked him two questions. "Why do you steal power. Why do you not pay tariff regularly".

To the first part the man remained silent. To the second part he replied with complete sincerity and even some hurt in his voice. He said," Jenab I paid every month to the line man".

He repeated it slowly as if the court had not understood. "Jenab I paid every month to the line man. Every month without break I have paid to lineman or the meter reader. Even when the hook slips out from the power lines I pay to lineman five or ten rupees to put it back. How can it be that I will not pay. Jenab I cleared all balance due to lineman yesterday before coming here. ".

For him paying the tariff did not mean paying the department. Paying meant paying the lineman. In his moral universe he was not a defaulter. He was a fully paid and compliant consumer. He had never missed a payment. Only the recipient was different.

The magistrate smiled. The man was fined .

WHY WE BELIEVED IT WAS FREE

Kashmiris were not dishonest people. They were idealistic people. Kashmiris  genuinely believed that electricity should be free since Article 370 envisioned it as a concession for ILHAAQ ( accession to Indian Union ) .There was another reason . Because it came from water. And water came from the Jhelum and the Chenab. And those rivers flowed through our land. And the land belonged to us. Therefore the electricity belonged to us. 

" Jis Kashmir ko khoon se seencha vo Kashmir hamaara hai"

It was simple logic. If you have a river in your courtyard why should you pay for its water when it is turned into light.

The rest of India paid for what it consumed. We consumed what we felt was already ours. We were not stealing. We were merely collecting our ancestral property in the form of electrons.

And so from Khanabal to Khadanyar ,the heaters glowed at four in the morning. The coils shone like small suns inside our clay hearths. The air smelled faintly of burning dust . And the meter that innocent little box on the wall stood still in silent meditation.

THE END OF AN ERA

Now that story is over. Almost. Today most areas have smart electronic meters. These meters are heartless devices. They do not understand Kashmiri hospitality. They do not accept twenty rupees. They are connected to a central grid through a communication network. They report your consumption every fifteen minutes to a server. They cannot be made dead. They cannot be made slow. They have no soul.

People have adjusted. They now pay through the Sahuliyat application or at the designated Jammu and Kashmir Bank branch. They grumble but they pay. They have learned that if you use ten kilowatts you must pay for ten kilowatts. It is a painful lesson in capitalism.

But in some pockets of Srinagar and Jammu the old spirit refuses to die. There are still unmetered areas. There are still houses with Kundi connections. 

                                         

(Representational picture of Power Theft)

 When we talk of Kashmiriyat and secularism and Baichara today we often talk in abstract terms. We talk of shrines and saints and shared culture. But for a generation secularism had a very concrete and visible form. It was a heater in the kitchen.

Power theft was perhaps the only activity in which Kashmir was truly self reliant truly secular and truly united. People of all divides joined together with one mission. Steal Power. And they succeeded.

Now when the smart meter blinks green or red in your veranda remember that blinking light is not just counting units. It is bidding farewell to an era when stealing power was not a crime but a collective cultural performance practised at four in the morning with great skill great camaraderie.

(Avtar Mota)

..

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.

Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.

GOOD BYE USTAAD ZAKIR HUSSAIN (1951- 2024)

                                         

GOOD BYE  ZAKIR HUSSAIN  (1951- 2024)

In style and technique, he resembled neither Ustad  Ahmed Jan Thirkawa nor Pandit Shanker Ghosh .Though his father and Tabla wizard,  Ustad Allah Rakha collaborated with some Western masters, Zakir removed the fence and broke all barriers in music. There is hardly any musician in the Western world who hasn't acknowledged , appreciated and either  collaborated or desired to collaborate with Zakir Hussain. He gave international name and fame to Tabla ,the Indian percussion instrument. Some percussionists who were his close friends include Billy Cobham , Mickey Hart and Virgil Donati. For Indian musicians, he remained a humble friend philosopher and guide. I have seen him appearing tallest as he touched the feet of some senior musicians of the country,   a sincere demonstration of Indian culture and ethos. Zakir Hussain never considered himself a Guru. He believed in  and also  practiced Albert Camus's  words,  " Don’t walk in front of me… I may not follow

Don’t walk behind me… I may not lead

Walk beside me… just be my friend." 

And to an interviewer , Zakir Hussain once said this :-

" Don't worry about being a great master or Guru , just try to be a great student . As long as you are a great student , the well of knowledge will not dry up." 

One among  many compositions of the master that I liked was "Shiva's Damru" . Through percussion beats, he created  magical effect  of a combination of  Shiva's  Tandava and Parvati's Lasya dance . 

 Zakir Hussain's brothers , Taufiq , Qureshi and Fazal Qureshi, are also accomplished percussionists, continuing the family's musical tradition. Zakir has worked with several Western artists in his lifetime, including names like Yo-Yo Ma, Charles Lloyd, Béla Fleck, and Edgar Meyer. He has also won four Grammy Awards  in his entire career apart from Padma-Shri, Padma-Bhushen and Padma- Vibhushan .

He liked to wear elegant silken Kurtas . He loved South Indian food . Nearly four decades ago, he relocated to San Francisco with his family, where he  made remarkable contributions to the global music scene. However, he kept his Indian roots intact. It never occured to his Indian fans that Ustaad lived in the US. In the West , he would speak about  Indian classical dances, Ajanta- Elora sculptures, backwaters of Kerela,  Kalbeliya dancers of Rajasthan , Varanasi Ghats , Sacred Himalayas, Hindustani Classical 1usic ,Indian films and many other subjects close to his heart.His wife Antonia Minnecola , herself a trained Kathak dancer , gave him enough space for his creative activities . Antonia, who is lovingly known as Toni, had received training from the legendary Sitara Devi.

The duo dated for a good seven years before marriage. However, their marriage was not easy as they tied the knot without Zakir's mother's approval.

                                           

                      

Inspite of his stature and fame, Ustaad remained a family man ; a helpful brother, a caring husband , a compassionate friend and an affectionate father to  his two talented daughters .And Zakir Hussain's  father was a proud Dogra who hailed from a village falling in  Samba district of Jammu. Ustaad Allah Rakh spoke fluent Dogri and was also honoured by Dogri Sanstha, Jammu. 

Zakir Hussain pursued his education at St. Michael's High,Mumbai  School and later graduated from St. Xavier's College in Mumbai. Hussain also earned a doctorate in music from the University of Washington.

Jaya Parimu, retired professor of music has this to say  :-

" Zakir Hussain  was a phenomenon .He shared a unique sweetness with Ahmad Jan Thirkwa .But was ahead of him in innovative techniques.So mush so that he made tabla to speak,sing and dance . Ghaseet and Meend  , a vocal and instrumental bastion ,Zakir made his tabla playing both Gamak,Ghaseet and Meend .With phenomenal skilled hands and fingers, down to earth attitude , he was a genuine devotee of Indian Shastriya Sangeet   and deities of music . I miss him a lot ,though he lives on as he has left a rich legacy behind."

Ustad Zakir’s influence extended to academia as well. He served as an Old Dominion Fellow and full music department professor at Princeton University during the 2005–2006 academic year. He also worked as a visiting professor at Stanford University, where he shared his profound knowledge of rhythm and music with students.

He had respiratory problems due to lung fibrosis. Inspite of the best treatment , he couldn't be saved . Peace be to his soul. Such artists tread the surface of this planet rarely and  after many centuries .

( Avtar Mota)

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.

CHAMAN LAL HAKHOO (1938-2021)): AN UNSUNG NOVELIST, WRITER, BROADCASTER AND ARTIST

CHAMAN LAL HAKHOO (1938-2021)): AN UNSUNG NOVELIST, WRITER, BROADCASTER AND ARTIST

 

                                                                   

  (Chaman Lal Hakhoo…Photo Source …Family of C L Hakhoo )

 

In Kashmiri literature, one finds an acute shortage of novels. One can count the novels on the tips of fingers and in all one can’t sum up more than 15 worthwhile novels written in toto. Kashmiri literature has lagged in the novel genre. However, this area achieved a breakthrough after Chaman Lal Hakhoo came up with his 700-page Kashmiri novel titled,’ Wasturvanuk Seh’ or ‘The Lion of Wasturvan’.About this novel O N Kaul writes this:-

“The Lion of Wasturvan is an amazing tale of Ahmad Lone and Dina Nath in the background of the happenings in Kashmir starting from the impacting incident of July 1931 to the time when in 1948 Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah took over as the prime minister of the J&K state. It is a candid and interesting story of politically exploited Kashmiri people, their biased opinions, and unpredictable characters. It is a story of their mutual love, hate, camaraderie, and affection reflected in the joint political struggle they were caught in. The novel is a blend of fiction and history.   Many political happenings make the tale.  Notable is the incident of the 13th of July 1931 and the rise of the Sheikh.  Then other important events include the massacre at Kanikoot, Jinnah’s and Gandhi’s visit to the valley, the Sher-Bakra conflict, the Roti-Agitation, the tribal raid, the refugee influx and exodus of Kashmiri Pandits and many other incidents that finally led to the appointment of the Sheikh as the interim Prime Minister of the state.   There was a brief but interesting event: the unfurling of the Pakistan flag at the head post office in Srinagar on the 14th of August 1947.   There are other interesting incidents.”

It is worth mentioning that Chaman Lal Hakhoo was born at Badiyar Bala.  a locality in Srinagar city that happens to be the birthplace of many stalwarts in the fields of literature, art, social service, and other public arenas. Eminent artists such as Shiv Nath Raina, Dina Nath Walli, Mohan Raina, Som Nath Butt, and Bhushan Kaw hailed from this locality. Noted musicians like Omkar Raina (sitarist), Krishen Langoo (composer), and Santoor player Tej Raina also hailed from this locality. The area was home to notable figures such as playwright and broadcaster Bansi Nirdosh, scholar and writer Prof Ratan Lal Shant, community leader Pandit Hriday Nath Jatoo, poet and scholar Padma-shri Moti Lal Saqi, and the well-known perfume maker Govindh Joo Navdhara, among many other prominent names across various walks of life.

CHILDHOOD, UPBRINGING AND FAMILY

Hakhoo was a brilliant child.  Pandit Rugh Nath Hakhoo, his father was a man of ordinary means and as such, the boy was admitted to Jabri School (a free school opened by Maharaja Hari Singh). After completing matriculation, he was admitted to Amar Singh College where he completed his graduation in 1958 and later did his post-graduation in Hindi in 1960 from the Kashmir University. About the Jabri School, Hakhoo had this to say:-

“The school at Gund e Ahalamar was the dirtiest place one could find in the city. We were given brooms and ordered to clean the rooms before classes started. I have some strange memories of the school days, the teachers and my classmates. I am penning these memories in my forthcoming book. My playground was just a vacant plot adjacent to the school building. Sometimes we would play in the lane leading to the house of artist D N Walli or in the lane leading to the house of artist Shiv Nath Raina.”

Young Chaman Lal Hakhoo was a frequent visitor to the Raina family of Badiyar Bala. There were artists and musicians in the family and a man of creative bent of mind had enough to remain engaged in that house. Mohan Raina ( artist ), Shiv B=Nath Raina ( artist ), Onkar Raina ( sitarist ), Tej Raina ( Santoor player ), Jawahar Raina ( musician and singer ), and many more creative people lived in that house of Rainas.

He was married to Late Smt. Savita Hakhoo, who passed away in 2020. They were happily married for over 58 years, and he also left for his heavenly abode just 4 months after his wife's passing. He is survived by his Son Rahul Hakhoo (Noida) and daughters Bhavana Kaul (Delhi) and Shushi Hakhoo Gaur (Seattle) and their families.

CHAMAN LAL HAKHOO AS ARTIST

Not many people know that Chaman Lal Hakhoo had also learnt the art through his association with Pandit Shiv Nath Raina’s family, S N Butt and D N Walli. He started with watercolours that he had learnt from D N Walli but moved to oil paint and did some paintings that are present with his friends, relations although a good number were lost in the turmoil of the 1990s in the Kashmir valley. About his learning painting, Hakhoo said this:-

“Mohan Raina had a special aura. He was a very talented artist and a man of multiple tastes. I would watch him as he painted. He smoked a pipe and looked like a European in his immaculate dress. I was always scared of him. I would gossip with Onkar Raina, the Sitarist. Then I would also visit artist D N Walli’s house. I would keenly watch him as he painted with his watercolours. I have seen him painting while sitting in his folding chair on the bank of the Marbal canal on the backside of Gul Bhat. I was keen to pick up paintings but couldn’t go beyond hobby drawing. Later, I tried my hand at watercolours and did some paintings. These paintings are scattered like my community. Some are in Kashmir, some with my relations, some were lost in the turmoil and a few are with my daughter in Seattle USA. D N Walli also painted a portrait of my father Pandit Rugh Nath Hakhoo which decorates the living room of my house at NOIDA. I also frequented the house of Som Nath Butt. He was a great influence on me. I learnt many things from him. Unfortunately, he would work in an irregular style due to his alcoholism. But whatever he taught, is ingrained in my mind to this day. He was kind enough to introduce my father to army officers (who were buyers of his paintings) as an astrologist.”

CHAMAN LAL HAKHOO’S CAREER PATH

Immediately after completing his post graduation in Hindi, Hakhoo joined Roopa deve Sharda Peeth Mahila Mahavidhyalaya as a teacher. He remained there till 1962. About his days at the Roopa Devi Sharda Peeth Mahavidhyalalay, he said this:-

“It pains me to see the premier school turned into debris by terrorists in Kashmir. The manuscript, the library and the entire school infrastructure turned to ash when some miscreants set it on fire. It was a premier institution for the education of girls founded by a saintly person Pandit Parmanand.”

After leaving the school, he joined J&K Mineral’s department as a senior assistant but left the job to join the Films Division, Mumbai as a scriptwriter. In between he also worked as an art critic for the Times of India, Mumbai edition for about 3 years. He returned from Mumbai in 1972 and joined Doordarshan, Srinagar. Serving Doordarshan for about 24 years, he retired from this organization in 1996. From 1996 to 2005, he edited DD-Arc, a monthly English magazine of the archive department of Doordarshan. As an outside producer, he was commissioned by Doordarshan to produce some very popular features and programmes like Viglan Him Ki and some popular musical features on personalities like Sufi poet Sochha Kraal, modern poet Dina Nath Nadim, G R Santosh, Poet Mehjoor, and Bhakti poet Mahatma Parmanand.

PRODUCTION WORK AT DOORDARSHAN SRINAGAR AND OTHER KENDRAS

Chaman Lal Hakhoo joined Srinagar Doordarshan and thereafter moved to Jalandhar Kendra, and in 1992, he was transferred to CPC Delhi where he retired as Deputy Director. Initially, he joined as a producer (staff artist category). Later, he cleared UPSC for his selection as Programme Executive.As an executive producer in Doordarshan, Hakhoo is known for producing more than 300 Children’s programmes, about 160 programmes on rural subjects, 700 sports-related programmes, more than 400 popular folk music programmes, apart from light music programmes, series on saints and Sufis of Kashmir, programmes on the environment, health-related programmes, quiz programmes, Kavi Sammelans and Mushairas.

A mention needs to be made of some documentaries produced by Hakhoo that became quite popular and were telecast from all the Kendras. In this category, one can include his documentaries like Raag Roop Rang, Pilgrimage Places in Himachal Pradesh, Customs and Traditions of People Of Haryana, Silver Jubilee Celebrations of Doordarshan,’ High Altitude Warfare, Deccan Horse ( The Tank Regiment of Indian Army ), BSF Operations, Human Sacrifice Festival in Himachal Pradesh, Sports Industry In Punjab, Operation Blue Star In Amritsar and  ! 984. He also led the Doordarshan team that covered Operation Black Thunder in Punjab (Awarded by Japan) and live telecast of all the hockey matches in the Asian games in 1982.

For Srinagar/Jalandhar Doordarshan, he did some prolific work like producing Dr Faustus and also writing its TV adaptation. He wrote and directed some  TV serials like; Dr Zeero ( 6 episodes-1977 ), Aadmi ( 4 episodes 1978 ), Vugrai ( Moti Lal Kemu ), Lal Ba Drayas Lo Lare ( Moti Lal Kemu ) and Rang Vich Bhang ( 35 episodes in Punjabi introducing Jasbir Bhatti ). He also did the TV adaption of Akhtar Mohiudin’s story Dandh Vazun, Hriday Kaul Bharati’s Yi Ti Akh Inquilaaba, Ali Mohammad Lone’s Adam Hawa Ta Iblees, Anton Chekhov’s Ward No 6, Stevenson’s Markheim, Grand Rehearsal, Chameleon, Six Characters in search of the Author, Death of a Clerk, Honey Talk,  Jung, Sehar, Mujrim and many more. He scripted and produced the documentary Baraf Paani Aur Pahaad. For Jalandhar Doordarshan, he wrote and produced Manto’s ‘Ganje Farishte ‘.It was sent in the chain for the All India telecast. He was also a Guest Lecturer at Punjabi University, Patiala while he worked with Doordarshan in Jalandhar, Punjab.

He devised a set format for the agriculture feature programme, “Butraat “with a stock character Hassan Rather who became a household name in the Kashmir valley. The programme is continued in the same format.

Fayyaz Sheheryar, former Director General, Akashvani had this to say about Chaman Lal Hakhoo:-

"As the World saw the advent of Television in 1929, India received it with an astounding inquisitiveness in 1959. All India Radio sprouted an adventitious branch and TV began sending terrestrial signals in parts of India as a new department of AIR. With Television in India assuming the name “Doordarshan”, separation of the two became inevitable resulting in existence of Doordarshan Kendras (Television Centres), initially in some major capital cities which included Srinagar. Professionals of Radio on a careful selection basis were earmarked to run Doordarshan. The government imparted, in batches, training to them in the then-prestigious FTII, Pune. The areas included production, direction, set design, and videography /aesthetics to name a few. Thus, a galaxy of television professionals appeared in India's broadcast landscape. A young mind of Kashmir who had traversed barefoot, the diverse fields of pedagogy, creative writing, Films Division, and print media started emitting his unique light in a glamorous platform of audio-visual broadcasting. By now, you would have got the inkling, he was none other than Chaman Lal Hakhoo. He came with an ingrained belief, originally postulated by John P Robinson & endorsed by Geoffrey Godbey that “Television is clearly the 800-pound gorilla of free time”. He would, therefore, often advance the hypothesis that television viewing would steadily decrease creativity which established the wide perception among the then-available upper middle class that Radio created healthy images without letting its audiences divert their attention from life’s multifarious fads necessary for them not to lose sight of, come what may. He conceptualised issues for television adaptation, made many enthralling shows, and earned applause but remained more devoted to the table in his office and the table in the edit suite. He held his pen and contributed more through his prolificacy.  He ardently aspired for an undefiled television, an opinion that shot up his credence, especially among the hardcore professionals. The turmoil in Kashmir broke his courage beyond redemption. He watched the upheavals from a distance. This grieving destruction of his motherland which he had enjoyed as a cradle of tranquility could not end his wait for the return to the valley of his ancestors. He will be missed by his friends and well-wishers today and every day."

This is what noted broadcaster Brij Nath Betab had to say about Chaman Lal Hakhoo:-

“I first heard this name from Akashwani Delhi, from where I heard his drama in the popular programme "Hawa Mahal".I was a college student then. Before I joined Doordarshan as a staffer, I was doing programmes as a "casual talent.". Hakhoo Sahib was the producer. He was very helpful and always guided me. I vividly remember that one day he invited me to his room where he gave me about a dozen photographs and asked me to prepare a Photo Feature for the telecast. Those days DD would use many photographs. As he sensed my discomfort, he asked me to sit down and dictated to me the entire script for the feature. That was his greatness. He was deeply respected for his talent as a producer of Documentaries and Dramas. When he published his books Nange Pather and Vasturvanuk Sehh, he remembered me and sent me the book on both occasions. He was a great human being. I miss such great human beings.”

Rajesh Kaul, a very senior official from Doordarshan had this to say:-

“He was honest to the core and a very affectionate person. He would love his juniors and share his knowledge and experience with them. He was a great teacher who taught many who later did very well in DD, especially in sports productions. Apart from being a lively conversationalist, Hakhoo Sahab had a remarkable sense of humour. He excelled in every field where he tried his hand. His contribution to Kashmiri folk music changed the presentation style of Chakkar-te-Ruff to a grand folk ensemble wherein a single folk party was replaced by 3 or 4 folk parties in colourful rural costumes to perform on a single stage. This enhanced visual elegance and added sound resonance to an otherwise dull programme. He was a helpful human being and a good friend. As a critic, he was sincere and truthful focusing on the subject and ignoring the person. His criticism was always   for improvement.”

BOOKS AUTHORED BY CHAMAN LAL HAKHOO

Hakhoo had been contributing to magazines and periodicals right from his college days. He was a regular contributor to Partap (a Magazine published by S P College, Kashyap (the first Hindi magazine published from Kashmir, Yojna –Tameer (  J&K Government ), Times of India ( Mumbai edition), Navbharat Times ( Mumbai edition ) Saptahik Hindustan ( New Delhi), Sheeraza ( Cultural academy J&K )Samkaleen Bhartiya Sahitya – Indian Literature Today ( Sahitya Akademy ), Free Press Journal ( Mumbai )Miraas ( New Delhi) and Naad ( New Delhi ). Some well-known books authored by Chaman lal Hakhoo could be listed as under:-

 

1 Wasturvanuk Seh (The Lion of Wasturvan) ..Kashmiri novel

2 Nanga Pathaer (The Naked Drama).. Kashmiri novel

3 Juloosan Hund Shahar (A City of Processions) ..Stories Collection in Kashmiri

4 On the Balcony …Novel in English

5 Ode to the Vines in My Backyard …Novel in English

6 Valley of the Naked …Novel in English

7 Darling of the Russian Soldier’s Wife …Novel in English

8 Filling Between Graves … Essays and Stories on the Exile of Kashmiri Pandits.

                                                          

  (Photo of some books authored by C L Hakhoo…Photo Source …Family )

 

The exile forced upon him and many others from his community was always painful for him. He always missed his birthplace. Possibly his talent and contribution remain unnoticed in an environment driven by values of expediency and utility. Wasn’t his contribution worth any recognition from the establishment? I end this write-up with some lines from a Gazal of Urdu poet Juan Elia.

‘Jo guzaari  na ja saki ham se

ham ne vo zindagi guzaari  hai

Oss se kahiyo ki dil ki galiyon mein

raat din teri  intizaari  hai’…..(Juan Elia )

 

(Now tell him that for all the days and nights

The lanes and paths within this heart

have been waiting for him to arrive.

And I have simply  lived a life,

that was impossible  to live for me.)

(Avtar Mota)

PS

(1) ( This essay is a registered copyright material published in Avtar Mota's book, 'The Bright Stars Of Foggy Nights   )

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.