ASHOK VAJAPAYEE'S POEM IN ENGLISH TRANSLATION

                                                                                    

PHOTO by… Sandeep Mota In Greece

To this photo I am adding a poem “ TUM JAHAAN KAHO “ by Ashok Vajpayee  (    Born 1941 ) well known Hindi Poet , Critic and Art administrator  . He retired as   very senior officer from  Indian Administrative Services . He was also a Chairman of Bharat Bhawan  Bhopal apart from being a member of Executive Board of  ICCR and Sangeet Natak Academy . Ashok Vajpayee was also chairman of Lalit Kala Academy ( 2008 -2011 ) .

In 1994 , his Collection of Verses " Kahin Nahin Wahin" ( Nowhere , There only ) won him the prestigious Sahitya Academy Award.

 I Have also done simple English rendering of this poem for those who do not understand Hindi ...He has  also  translated works of four major poets from Poland  into Hindi. This  poem bears visible influence of Modern Polish poetry.

( Tum Jahaan Kaho )

Tum Jahaan kaho
Vahaan chale jaayeingay,
Doosre Makaan mein,
Andhere Bhavishya mein ,
Na kahin Pahunchaane vaali Train mein …

Apnaa Bastaa Boriyaa Uthaakar ,
Radhi ke bojh saa
Jeevan ko peeth par laadh-kar 
Jahaan kaho Vaheen chale Jaayeingay ,
Vaapas iss shahar ,
Iss chogaan , Iss Aangan mein nahin Aayeingay..

Vaheen Pakshi Baneingay 
Vriksh Baneingay ,
Phool ya shadbh ban jaayeingay ,
Jahaan tum khud nahin aanaa chaahogay 
Vahaan tum kaho to chale Jaayeingay..

( Ashok Vajpayee)

My simple English  of this poem goes as under ...

Wherever you tell me ,

I shall move to that place

 Another house ,

Towards a dark future

or board a train that goes nowhere .

Carrying my Bag and Baggage,

Like a pack of waste material ,

Carrying this life too on my back,

 Wherever you desire ,

I shall move to that place .

 And Never shall I return

To this city ,

This Meeting point ,

This courtyard .

There , At that place ,

I shall become a bird or a Tree

or a flower or just  a Word .

A place , where you yourself   won’t like to come  ,

If you  desire ,

I shall move to that place only..

( Autar 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\.

THE FINEST EVER TRIBUTE TO HINDI CINEMA ACTOR SHYAAM

                     
                                                                               

ACTOR SHYAAM ( 1920-1951 )

Elders all over the country ,fondly remember Actor Shyaam. I am told that "DIL-LAGI" , co-starring Suraiya, remains his best known film. It was directed by AR Kardar. The tragic romance of the film made it a big success at the box office. People still remember the song " Tu Mera Chand Main Teri Chandni" that touched new heights of popularity all over the country during those days. Shyam-Suraiya hit pair also acted in " Naach "and "Chaar Din".  He also acted in hits like Mann Kee Jeet (1944), Majboor (1948), Patanga (1949), Chandni Raat (1949), Meena Bazaar (1950) and Samadhi (1950). His heroines included some leading  actresses of that period like Naseem Banu , Nargis , Rehana , Nimmi  and Meena Shorey .
                                                                               

Shyaam ( Sunder Shyaam Chadha ) was born in a middle class Punjabi family from Sialkot  . His father was a store keeper in Medical Department while his grand father was a village Patwari.He was handsome with sharp features.    Right from his college days , he nursed a deep ambition to join films .

Starting from Punjabi Cinema at Lahore , he eventually moved to Bombay sometime around 1946. And from 1948 till his death in 1951, he rose to become an undisputed heart throb of his Fans all over the country .He was a Graduate from Punjab University and remained  a lover of  English  literature .

Not many of us know that Shyaam also wrote Articles in English that were Published in Blitz during those days. 

While shooting for the Film Shabistan co-starring Naseem Banu, Shyam fell off a horse and  died of Head Injuries in a  Hospital on April 25,1951. This incident broke many Hearts . His Fans  in India and Pakistan were shell shocked with his tragic end.
                                                                                 

                                             ( Shyaam and Naseem Bano in Shabistaan 1951 )

            

Some days back , I came across the most wonderful and detailed   write up on Shyaam by Prof. Ishtiaq Ahmed .Prof. Ishtiaq Ahmed (Born 1947 ) is a Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Stockholm University. I like his unbiased articles and research oriented work especially his book..." The Punjab Bloodied, Partitioned and Cleansed: Unravelling the 1947 Tragedy through Secret British Reports and First-Person Accounts (Karachi: Oxford University Press, 2012; New Delhi: Rupa Books, ).Prof. Ishtiaq Ahmed was born at  lahore and is a Swedish citizen. He is connected with many universities world over .
                                                                          

                                                                ( Prof. Ishtiaq Ahmed )

I quote from  Prof .Ishtiaq Ahmed's write up on Shyaam ,

 Quote

" Shyam was born as Sunder Shyam Chadha on February 20, 1920 in Sialkot, whereas he grew up in Rawalpindi where he graduated from the famous Gordon College. Against his father’s wishes, Shyam made his film debut in Lahore in a Punjabi film, Gawandi (1942). His co-stars were Veena, Manorma, M Ismail and Asha Posley. Veena, a Muslim, and Manorma, a Christian, both from Lahore, later established themselves in Bombay, while M Ismail returned to Lahore soon after the partition. Asha became a famous Lollywood actress, initially playing the heroine but later became a character actress, mostly type-cast as a wicked woman.

Shyam acted in many memorable films whose songs continue to haunt people. I will name only a few here: Mann kee jeet (1944), Majboor (1948), Dillagi (1949), Patanga (1949), Chandni Raat (1949), Meena Bazaar (1950) and Samadhi (1950). Shabistan was released in 1951 though the last scenes were filmed with a pathan, tall and stately like Shyam, though his face was not shown.

Shyam was probably the closest friend of Saadat Hassan Manto in Bombay. The two shared an apartment for quite some time. Shyam was also a close friend of another great Urdu writer, Krishan Chander. Both wrote articles on him that could be considered very powerful and moving obituaries. The common observation of both was that Shyam was an exceptionally humane and broad-minded individual. He was also a generous and caring human being who took care of his stepmother and stepbrothers and sisters with great affection. He nevertheless always felt a great void in his life because his mother died when he was very small and he continued to miss her.

He visited Lahore in 1948 and a function was held at the Capitol Cinema on the good old Abbot Road; I believe Capitol Cinema still stands in the same place though the last time I saw it, it was in an advanced state of dilapidation. During the function, Shyam sensed that things had changed fundamentally even though many of his Muslim friends were still loyal to him. Lahore was not the same anymore.

However, Shyam’s links to Lahore were rooted in deep love. He had married a Muslim from Lahore, Mumtaz Qureshi, better known as Taji. They had two children together. While their daughter, Sahira, was born while Shyam was alive, their son was born posthumously, two months after his death. Taji’s elder sister Zeb Qureshi acted in a few films in Bombay. Both sisters returned to Lahore after Shyam’s death. Zeb Qureshi was married for a while to the maternal uncle of a good friend of mine.
Mumtaz Qureshi later married a gentleman called Ansari; hence the children were raised as Muslims. His daughter became a noted Pakistan television artiste, Sahira Ansari, who later married a colleague, Rahat Kazmi. Rahat and Sahira Kazmi are well-known television artistes. Shyam’s son Shakir should be somewhere in Pakistan or elsewhere in this big wide world if all went well for him thereafter. I have seen the video film of Dilip Kumar’s first visit to Pakistan. In it one sees him spotting Sahira Kazmi in the audience and saying that he was glad to meet the daughter of his friend (Shyam) after all those years.

While researching for today’s article, I managed after a considerable effort to trace a nephew of Shyam, Vikram Chadha, all the way to Pune, Maharashtra. Vikram is a lawyer. I phoned him from Stockholm and had a long conversation. I learnt that a nephew of Shyam, Bimal, works for The Indian Express and a younger brother, Harbans, lives in Chandigarh.."    Unquote

  Post partition , After Manto moved to Lahore, he wrote an essay " Murli ki Dhuun" on his friend Shyaam . In Bombay ,Shyaam , Shahid Latif, Raja Mehdi Ali Khan and Manto shared accommodation .Manto and Shyaam lived together in Poona as well for some time. Manto calls him fun loving , liberal   and a  man with roving eye for  good looking women.

Manto writes ,

“ Post Partition, After I shifted to Lahore permanently , It so happened that one day I received a letter from Owners of TEHSEEN PICTURES Lahore . They had received a direction from Mumbai that Rs 500/= was to be paid to me immediately . In fact Actor Shyam had passed on this direction. I believe my friend and actor Shyam had come to know about my financial Problems .I was paid 500 rupees by Tehseen Pictures and tears welled up in my eyes . After Partition , Shyam once came to Amritsar for promotion of his film. He also paid a visit to Lahore . I rushed to meet him. He was in Lahore , which had turned thousands of miles distant from Amritsar . And Shyam also visited Heera Mandi along with his friends . Shyaam was a lover of beauty. I believe death must be beautiful else Shyaam would have never died . ”
                                                                               

 

                                                        ( Shyaam And his wife Tajji )
                                                                              

                                                             ( Sahira Kazmi Daughter of Shyaam  )

                ( Sahira  kazmi daughter of Shyaam with her husband Rahat Kazmi )

 Shyaam was working on two films, Kale Badal, with the "Lara Lappa" actress Meena Shorey, and Shabistan with Naseem Banu, at the time of his demise.He died after a nasty fall from horseback, at the young age of 30 while shooting for Filimistan's Shabistan directed by Vibhuti Mitra , The reins of the horse slipped from Shyam's hand and he was thrown off the horse and received head injuries . He was rushed to Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. Shyaam 's wife Tajji died at karachi in 2000.

Shyaam 's wife Tajji  died in karachi in 2000.

 Apart from Dalip Kumar , Shyaam was a close  friend of noted urdu writer Krishen Chander as well. On his death , Both Manto and Krishan Chander wrote heartfelt obituaries in which they came to the same conclusion – that Shyam was not only a large-hearted man and sincere friend but also a most enlightened and compassionate human being.


Shyaam had told his wife that they shall be naming their to be born son as Shekhar. Tajji named him Shekhar but after Shyaam' s death and her second marriage , Shekhar was brought up as Muslim and named Shakir. Shakir is reportedly a doctor in UK.Shakir was born possibly two months after Shyaam' tragic death.
                                                                              

                      ( Delhi Based Journalist Bimal Chadda and Nephew of legendary actor  Shyaam )

Shyaam's younger brother Harbans Chadda moved to live in Delhi post Partition. Another brother moved to Pune. Bimal Chadda , noted Journalist is Shyaam's nephew who was fondly named as Billu by Shyaam. Bimal is Harbans Chadda' s son. Recently  Prof . Ishitiaq Ahmed has informed us that Bimal  Chadda is  i the process of completing a  Book  on his legendary  Uncle Shyaam which is likely to be Published shortly.

 Vikram Chadda , another nephew of Shyaam lives in Pune .

I Conclude this post on Legendary Shyaam with some lines from a poem of my Favourite  Bulgarian poet Nikola Vaptsarov .....

"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. "

So long so much on Shyaam..
( Autar Mota )

so long so much on Shyaam..

( Autar 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\.

THE GREAT GAMA WRESTLER ( GAMA PAHALWAAN ) WAS A KASHMIRI

                                                                             

GAMA PAHALWAAN OF AMRITSAR

Recurring floods , famines , cholera epidemics  and lack of opportunities   drove many kashmiris towards Plains of the country  since early years of   nineteenth  century  . though some trickle had started much earlier. Amritsar, Ludhiana , Sialkot and Lahore   remained the  preferred Destination of these migrant  kashmiris.  Again after  Maharaja Ranjit Singh invited  shawl weavers and kashmiri Artisans  to Punjab, another group of people from kashmir migrated out and   settled   in Ludhiana  and Amritsar for development crafts and    Shawl Industry . As time passed , this group ensured education of their children who eventually  moved to various Jobs and vocations . From amongst this group of kashmiris , Punjab had some proud nationalists who were at the forefront of country's freedom movement . This group also produced some  reputed Lawyers , Poets , Playwrights , writers  and even wrestlers of world  renown. Amritsar remained a favourite destination of and concentration of kashmiris . Even Shamas Fawuir, the tallest Sufi poet from kashmir,   had also moved to Amritsar for some years but decided to return to his native place . Agha Hashr kashmiri ( Playwright and poet ) too would  frequent Amritsar before partition.

Kashmiris who moved to Punjab were mostly  from Kulgam , Anantnaag , Shopian and other areas of south kashmir that used to be worst hit by floods and famines .And it is believed that Wrestlers of kashmiri origin belonged to a family tree that had migrated from  Anantnaag district .   These Butts, Mirs, Dars, and Lones moved to many cities of Punjab for settlement and after partition of the country , they moved  mostly to Lahore,   which city ,  owes its special cuisine   to this sect of kashmiris

Apart from Sufi Tabassum ( Urdu  poet , scholar and Translator  ), Sadat Hassan Mantoo ( Noted short story writer of the subcontinent  ) ,  Saif Ud Din Kitchloo ( Veteran Congress leader who opposed creation of Pakistan ) , Nawaz Sharif Butt ( Present Prime Minister of Pakistan ),  Abdul Majid ( Co founder of communist party of India at Tashkant in 1925 ) ,Amritsar was also home to   some prominent  World Wrestlers of kashmiri origin .And one such Wrestler  named Ghulam Mohd Butt Aka Ghulam Bux aka GAMA Pahalwan , rose to become world wrestling champion  or Rustam E Zamaana . He  was an illustrious son of  another noted wrestler Aziz Butt or Aziz Bux Aka Aziza Pahalwaan. And then Imam Bux Pahalwaan, Ida Pahalwaan , Azam Pahalwan, Aslam Pahalwaan , Akram Pahalwaan ,  Hamida Pahalwaan  , Hassu and Goga Pahalwaans  also  belonged to  this  kashmiri family Tree   from Amritsar.

As per Dr Amandeep a research scholar from Guru Nanak university Amritsar :-

“There is a new dimension to anti colonial consciousness among Kashmiris living in Amritsar just before the partition of the country . The notable amongst them are Abdul Salam Rafiqi, Dr Saifuddin Kitchloo and Abdul Majid. Abdul Majid, a Kashmiri was one of the founders of the communist party of India in Tashkent in 1925. Dr Kitchloo, the hero who inspired struggle against Rowlatt Act, went on to play a leading role in Indian National Congress movement..In 1891 the number of Kashmiri Muslims in Amritsar was 21, 261. It was one-third of the total Muslim population and one-sixth of the total population of Amritsar. By the last decade of the ninetenth century a few Kashmiri families had become rich enough to influence the politics of the Amritsar city. Among these families were Shaikh Ahmad Sadiq, chairman of the Amritsar Muncipal Committee, Shaikh Sadiq Hasan, a member of the Central Legislative and Punjab Legislative Assembly for Amritsar, Shaikh Muhammad Sadiq, a member of Punjab Legislative Council from Amritsar.The strongest opposition to Rowlatt Act passed by British Rulers in march 1891 was organised and led by Dr Saif Ud Din Kitchloo in entire Punjab.  With Satyapal, Dr Kitchloo surcharged the people of Amritsar emotionally on Ram Naumi day i.e. 9 April. For the first time in the history of Amritsar, the Muslims had joined the traditional Hindu festival. It was the Hindu-Muslim unity which was disturbing for the authorities. Dr Satyapal and Kitchloo were taken into custody and deported to Dharamsala. The move proved self-defeating. "

                                                                     

 The story of  GHULAM  MOHD  BUTT  OR GAMA PAHALWAAN ( 1882-1960 )  would be incomplete without mentioning the name of  Raja Bhawani Singh of Datia state ( presently In MP ).Raja Bhawani singh in particular patronized GAMA's father  Aziz Bux Butt , a well known wrestler of his time . Unfortunately Aziz Bux Butt died when Gama was too young and it was his maternal uncle Ida Pahalwan who took GAMA under his care and trained him initially .Apart from Ida Pahalwan , GAMA also received initial training from his uncle Buta Pahalwan. Buta was also from a kashmiri family of Amritsar .It may be mentioned over here that Raja Bhawani Singh Ordered closure of all  offices for a week including Courts when Aziz Mohd Butt or Aziz Bux Pahalwan ( father of GAMA ) died suddenly   .

Barkat Ali who has written a brief Biography on GAMA informs us ,

“Aziz Baksh’s death left a deep impression on his young son. Gama was, in fact, not told of his father’s death for almost a year, during which time he is said to have gone searching for him through the neighborhood lanes where he and his extended family lived, following the routes he had travelled while being carried on his father’s shoulders in hopes of meeting him along the way or finding him at a friend or relative’s house. Being regularly  told that his father wanted him to become the world’s greatest wrestler, Young GAMA  assured his trainers that he shall do so by hard work and discipline . This also gave GAMA  a deeply rooted, driving ambition to be the best  that his father wanted him to be . That also made  10 year old child GAMA to win his first  Exercise competition  organized by Maharaja of Jodhpur . It was a competition of DANDS ( Push ups ) and BAITHAKS ( Free Squats ) participated by senior wrestlers from various states .“

GAMA’s mother also hailed from a family of kashmiri wrestlers of Amritsar . His biographers have described GAMA as " Simple , truthful , almost illiterate and a clear headed person who called a spade a spade."

Before 1947, GAMA won wrestling competitions at Gwalior, Bhopal, Tikamargh, Datia, Indore, Baroda, Amritsar, and Lahore . Around 1909 he gained recognition as Indian champion when he defeated his famous rival Gulam Mohiuddin( another well known wrestler of kashmiri origin ).And then in 1910,he pinned the mighty Rahim Sultaniwali in a wrestling bout at Allahabad. Rahim Sultaniwali was a renowned wrestler of Punjab who  belonged  to a kashmiri family from Gujranwala.

Renowned wrestling promoter R B Benjamin brought him to England in 1910 where he threw challenges to almost all wrestlers of the world . This tour was co sponsored by Sharat Kumar Mishra, the Bengali millionaire for whom it was a way of demonstrating the strength of Indian physical culture right in the heart of the British Empire . It was in England that he became a world wrestling icon. After defeating Raheem Bakshi Sultaniwalla ( Six feet 9’’tall ), Gama became a symbol of strength and masculinity in the entire subcontinent. But after defeating the greatest wrestler of his time, Stanislaus Zbyszko ( from Poland ), Gama became the world champion and the title of Rustam-e-Zamana was conferred on him. This feat he performed  when Maharaja of Patiala organised a wrestling competition between GAMA and his Polish Adversary . I shall add a little more on this famous Gama - Zbyszko    wrestling bout .

In  January 1928, Maharaja of Patiala arranged a Grand bout in Patiala that involved GAMA and his Polish opponent  Zbyszko. In fact a special stadium was erected at Patiala  to accommodate the spectators  . Before a 10000 strong crowd that included Maharaja of Bharatpur , Nawab of Bhopal ,  Senior British officials  like Harcourt Butler and  Leslie Scot ,Maharaja of Kashmir and Royals from Patiala family.  To the surprise of all , Gama threw Zbyszko to ground in flat 42 seconds and won the title . The crowds turned jubilant.  Even Maharaja of Patilala personally came down to embrace GAMA and gifted him his own Pearl  Necklace and a silver mace. . GAMA was also granted a annual stipend of 6000 rupees from Patiala Darbar. The Hindustan Times issue of 31st January 1928 carried  Headline as under..

“GAMA  JUMPS LIKE  A LION AND THROWS DOWN  ZBYSZKO IN JUST 42 SECONDS . OVER A  HUNDRED THOUSAND VISITORS TURN JUBILANT “

Even Gandhi ji  made mention of GAMA’s  victory  as a contributory factor in creating Nationalistic feelings across the country  at that point of time .

When prince of wales visited Lahore in 1922, he personally witnessed a wrestling bout involving GAMA . So much was the guest pleased with GAMA’s style of wrestling that he offered  him thirty pounds and a silver mace .

GAMA defeated anybody and every body in wrestling bouts in India and abroad . From Rustam e Punjab he moved to become Rustam e Hind and finally Rustam e Zamaana.GAMA also defeated Jesse Paterson from Sweden in a professional bout before formally Retiring in 1952.

Gama also created a  record in weight lifting. In 1902,While in Baroda  for a wrestling Bout , GAMA lifted a stone weighing about 1200 Kgs  that was lying in Nazarbaug Palace Mandvi .This particular stone lies preserved in a Museum in Baroda with a Note with regard to its lifting by Great Gama . The stone was shifted inside the Museum with the  use of a  Hydraulic Machine . 

                                                            

 ( Gama with his brother Imam Baksh In an Exhibition wrestling bout outside Red Fort Delhi 1940 )

During his active period as wrestler , Gama was consuming twenty liters of milk, half a liter of clarified butter or what is known as Desi Ghee , about 2 kgs of Dry fruits and four kilograms of fresh fruit per day. In Jodhpur , he was under the supervision of his Guru and wrestler Madho Singh who had recommended this diet to him. GAMA was also fond of kashmiri YAKHNI. He was put on five hundred DAND and BAITHAKS and a rigorous two hour exercise schedule (that included weight lifting as well ) per day by his GURU.

GAMA is known for introducing DAND ( Push Ups ) and BAITHAK ( Free Squats ) for wrestlers . Even Bruce Lee copied GAMA’s style of DAND and BAITHAK and meticulous daily exercise schedule .

Renowned Indian Wrestler Dara Singh  ( 1928-2012) also adopted GAMA’s exercise  schedule , diet and DAND  BAITHAK  . And Dara Singh rose to become RUSTAM  E HIND . Dara singh moved to cinema in 1952 and could not focus on wrestling  alone .

 Paying grand tribute to him as a lovely human being , a prominent Journalist from England writes ,

“ He stood like a rock outside the colony of his Hindu neighbours, facing down a violent mob during Partition riots. That is how a wrestler should be ”

 Prof.Joseph S Alter  author of “ The Wrestler's Body: Identity and Ideology in North India” says,

“ Gama embodied strength and self-determination in the years when India was struggling for independence.”

According to Percy Longhurst, another wrestling journalist,

“The Indian system of training… has results beyond the development of great strength; it creates most remarkable powers of endurance while at the same time increasing agility. Gama, Imam Bux, Ahmed Bux – all when in action, impressed by the cat-like activity of their movements, the feline readiness with which their muscles responded to the demands of the moment, which is one of the attributes that make for the winning of falls.”

And GAMA’s son in law was none other than Dr.Hafiz  Butt the well known kashmiri physician of Lahore . And Mrs Kalsoom Butt or Kalsoom Nawaz sharif ( wife of Pakistan’s Present Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Butt ) is the  daughter of Dr Hafiz  Butt .

Life was not so easy for Ghulam Mohd Butt or GAMA PAHALWAN ( 1882-1960 ) after he migrated to Lahore ( Pakistan ) post partition . He found no patrons like Raja Bhawani singh of Datia or Raja Jaswant singh of Jodhpur or Maharaja of Patiala who patronized wrestlers .

He died in Lahore's  Mayo Hospital from multiple complications like Hypertension , Cardiac complications , Asthma , Arthritis and other ailments .

                                                    

 After meeting  Gama for the last time in Mayo Hospital bed , Wrestling journalist , Walter Steinhilber wrote ,

"The chief physician led the way through what seemed miles of antiseptic reeking corridors - ward after ward. At last we were ushered into a cold, dark and dank cot-crowded room. And here, wrapped in a blanket, squatting on his high hospital bed, I found the 'Great Gama' in the flesh. A body that was ravaged by arthritis. "

During his illness , GAMA needed money badly for his treatment . Financial Support came from some mysterious source who was later identified as seth G D Birla ( Industrialist ) from India . Seth Birla also assured Gama of monthly pension . This gesture moistened the eyes of GAMA. This philanthropic gesture acted as a catalytic agent and  thereafter ,   Government of Pakistan also paid for his treatment  at Mayo hospital  . Seth  G D Birla was  a great Fan of GAMA.

It may be pertinent to mention that another wrestler who rose on the wrestling Horizon of the world along with GAMA was BHOLU PAHALWAN ( 1922-1985 ). Bholu also belonged to a Kashmiri family of renowned wrestlers from Amritsar .After 1947, he decided to move to Lahore . The real name of BHOLU PAHALWAN was Haji Manzoor Hussain  . Bholu was a nephew of great GAMA.

The legend of GAMA continues to  live in all the Wrestling AKHAARAAS  of the subcontinent.

( Autar 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\.

ACTRESS WAHEEDA REHMAN'S FACE CONVEYED HER DEEP EMOTIONS

                                                                                 

                                                                               

                                                

THE PAIN OF INDECISION PORTRAYED BY  ACTRESS  WAHEEDA REHMAN (Born 1938)

"Jaayeingay kahaan soojhtaa nahin
Chal padde magar raasta nahin

Kyaa talaash hai kuchh pataa nahin
Buun rahein  hain dil Khwaab dum Ba dum.."

My simple English rendering of these great lines of late Kaifi Azmi goes as under ...

 " Where should we go ? Unable to decide .

Unable to find a   path ,still we set off for the journey.

What do we seek  ? We know nothing.

And  moment after moment ,
This heart keeps weaving  dreams  alone ....."

                             

( Autar Mota  )

                                                                                           

AN EXPRESSION OF INTENSE LONGING…

WAHEEDA REHMAAN

And for this expression , SAHIR LUDHIANAVI wrote …

“Aaj Sajan Mohe Aung Lagaa lo

Janam Safal Ho Jaaye …

Hridai Ki Peeda Deih Ki Agni

Sab sheetal Ho Jaaye ..’

My simple English rendering would be.....

( Love ! Hold me close Today ,

And I may conquer this Existence..

The pain that wreathes in the soul ,

And the fires that burn in the body

May also cool down …)

( Autar 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\.

WELL KNOWN URDU WRITER KRISHEN CHANDER WANTED TO DIE IN POONCH

                                                                              

Salma Siddiqui

(Photo by Dr Liaqat Jafri Mumbai 2014)

My thanks to Prof. Liaqat Jafri from Jammu for giving me three issues of Urdu Magazine BE-LAAG.My interest in the Magazine is the lovely literary articles that Dr Liaqat Jafri writes in his capacity as Editor Gosha e Adab ( Editor Literary segment)

Read 2 issues only. One with a detailed interview of poet Nida Fazili and the September 2015 issue that has a wonderful interview of Salma Siddiiqui wife renowned Urdu writer late Krishen Chander(1914-1977). Both interviews done by Dr Jafri personally.

Kashmir comes up repeatedly in Krishen Chander's work. But he brings Poonch , Bafliaz and other areas also  in his stories . In fact he was born and brought up in Poonch  and wanted to die peacefully in his birth place..

As per his will , After his death in 1977 , A part of his  Ashes  ( Astiyaan ) were immersed in Poonch river with due official arrangements . As a matter of fact Wajahat Habib Ullah ( IAS ) , the then DC of the town  personally carried the Kalash of the Ashes for immersion in river Poonch . Again as per his will, a portion of his Ashes was  Buried inside the Fountain Garden in Poonch  town that has now been renamed as krishen Chander Park.

                                                               

          ( First page  of the Article by Dr Liaqat Jafri in  urdu Magazine BE-LAAG with Dr Jafri's photo  )

Here i upload some excerpts from Dr Liaqat  Jafri's recent interview with Salma Siddiqui...

" Salma. Saari duniyaa ghoom liya mein ,Lekin Kashmir se achhaa kuchh bhi nahin"

Krishen Chander

"1947 ke baad ka zamaana dangon ka zamaana thhaa.Hindu Muslim munafarat apnay urooj par. Donon eik doosary ke khoon ke pyaase aur aissay mein Delhi ke eik Hotel " RAJDOOT" mein Zindagi ka risk le kar me aur krishen Din guzaar rahe thhay. Donon mazhab ke log hamaäri talaash mein Thhay"

Salma Siddiqui.

"Agar surankote (near Poonch) mein Kissi sahib se zameen lease par le kar eik kachaa kotha tameer kiyaa jaaye, to iss ki laagat kyaa hogi.Mein Aakhri saans Poonch mein Lena chaahataa hoon"

Krishen Chander.

" Jenab me to athiest hoon.Kyaa Hindu kyaa Muslim meray Liye sab baraabar.Agar hain to sab mazhab achhay hain .Varnaa koyee bhi nahin.Mazhab to eik Hi hai INSAANIYAT."

Krishen Chander

" Inn Hi mulaaqaaton ke dauraan Eik martabaa Ali Sardar Jafri ke saamne krishen ne mujhe shaadi ke Liye kahaa. Salma agar tum inqaar karti ho to me tumhein Bahut barri sazaa doonga......Mera Kalam kabhi koyee. Tehreer nahin likhegaa "

Salma Siddiqui to Dr Liaqat Jafri.

" 23 November 2014 ko Naseer Ud Din shah ne apni theatre team ke saath Mumbai ke Prithvi Theatre mein "Poonch ke Jo Eik Shahar Thhaa" drama khelaa.Mujhe bhi poori industry ke saath dekhnay kaa ittefaq huva.Yeh vohi drama thha Jo uss ne 23 -24 November ko jashn e krishen Chander ke havaale se aap ki daawat par Jammu mein khelnaa thhaa."

Salma Siddiqui to Dr Liaqat Jafri.
                             

          (A memorial dedicated to the  writer inside krishen Chander Park in Poonch town.  Photo Source ..BELAAG magazine  )

"Poonch Meray Liye Bahut hi khaas hai.khaas oss Liye ki yeh Lafz krishen ki zubaan se baar baar sunaa hai. Pehlay roz se jab me krishen ke saath thhi.Aur phir shaadi ke baad woh mujhe apni family ke saathh Poonch le gaye to mujhe woh jagah nihaayat pasand aayi. Khaas toar par mujhe Poonch ke havaale so Jo manzar Ab bhi Yaad hai woh vahaan ke Shahar ke beechon beech behnay vaala dariya. Mujhe paani aur dariya se Bahut Dar lagtaa thhaa lekin wahaan ja ke mujhe yeh lagaa ki dariya to Bahut mohabbat karnay vaali shai hai. Aur krishen Ji ka kyaa kahoon. Hum jab Poonch pahunchay to unhonay juun Hi apnay Poonch ke dariya ka kinaara chhuva to bagair kuchh Sochay samajhe kapday pehnay huve Hi dariya mein chhalaang lagaa di."

Salma Siddiqui to Dr Liaqat Jafri.

“ Dekho Liaqat , Bachay ki Vilaadat ke baaray Maa se ziyaada badaa Gawaah aur kaun ho saktaa hai ?  Krishen ji ki Paidaaish  Poonch ki hai. Krishen ke Vaalid Poonch ke uss waqt ke Dogra Maharaja ke Zaati Physician Thhay. Unn ko Bharatpur Rajasthaan se Khasoosi tor pe  Poonch bulaaya gayaa thhaa. Krishen ki Maa uss waqt Hamal Se thhi. Krishen Hamal mein Thhay. Ittefaaq se Maa ji ke rishtedaar bhi Poonch se thhay . Woh chaahati thhi ki yeh sab muamalaat Doctor sahib ki dekh rekh mein  Poonch mein hi tai pa jaayein .Issi liye woh bhi doctor sahib ke peechhe peechhe Poonch Aa pahunchi . Maa ji ne Mujhe khud yeh  theth poonchi zubaan mein kahaa hai “ Beshaq paida hoyaa si ithhay Poonch, ithhay Poonch , Hor kithhay ?”

Salma Siddiqui to Dr Liaqat Jafri.

(Autar Mota )

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