Sadequain
Syed Sadequain Ahmed Naqvi (Urdu: سید صادقین احمد نقوی), Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Pride of Performance, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, also often referred to as Sadequain Naqqash, was a world-renowned Pakistani artist, best known for his skills as a calligrapher and a painter. He is considered as one of the finest painters and calligraphers Pakistan has ever produced.
[edit] Personal life
Sadequain was born in 1930, descending from a family of calligraphers. In late 1940s he joined the Progressive Writers and Artists Movement. His true talent was discovered by Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy who brought Sadequain into the limelight[1] He also spent some time in Paris augmenting his skills.[2] Sadequain received much praise for his calligraphic style, which is widely considered iconic by many critics of South Asian art.[3]
Life in Chronology
1930 - Born in Amroha
1954 - First solo exhibition in Quetta
1955 - Mural at Jinnah Hospital, exhibitions at Frere Hall and residence of Mr. Suhrawardy
1960 - Awarded Tamgha-e-Imtiaz and first prize in National Exhibition
1961 - Awarded “Laureate de Paris”
1962 - President’s Medal of Honor, Mural at State Bank of Pakistan, and exhibitions in France
1963 - Visited USA, several exhibitions
1964 - Illustrated “Le Etranger”
1967 - Executed mural at Mangla Dam
1968 - Executed mural at Punjab University Library
1969 - Calligraphy of Sura-e-Rehman
1973 - Murals in Lahore Museum
1974 - Exhibitions in Middle East and Eastern Europe
1976 - T.V. Series Mojiza-e-fun
1977 - Illustrated Ghalib
1979 - Mural in Abu Dhabi
1981 - Tour of India, murals at Aligarh, Banaras, Hyderabad, Delhi
1985 - Illustrated Faiz Ahmad Faiz
1986 - Mural at Frere Hall
1987 - died
2000 - Sadequain Institute of Arts & Informaiton Technology (simsit)
[edit] His work and Life as an Artist
[edit] Calligraphy
He carried the script with a flourish in all directions, giving it the 'power of space, vigor and volume'.[4]
Before Sadeqain, few painters had experimented with the medium in Pakistan. Sadequain is commended for bringing calligraphy into a mainstream art form, as most of the known Pakistani artists have followed Sadequain and calligraphic art now dominates the art scene.
Sadequain also painted classical literature from the poetic verses of Ghalib, Iqbal and Faiz. He belonged to the school of thought which enriched realism with lyricism.
Sadequain Illustrated French Nobel Prize winning writer Albert Camus, Ghalib, Iqbal, and Faiz
He did thousands of drawings and gave them away to his admirers. He wrote and published hundreds of quartets
Sadequain was the most prolific painter of the post partition Pakistan. He was constantly at work and he worked on large scale. He repeatedly stated that he was not interested in decorating drawing rooms of rich and powerful. He worked on large murals for public buildings symbolic of the collective labor of humanity and his work was mostly donated to the public.
Sadequain in his own words was primarily a painter of figures with allegorical significance.
[edit] Murals
Sadequain was a social commentator. His murals depict man’s endless quest to discover and develop the potentialities that lie within him. His murals are densely filled and tightly packed with images to render adequately the lofty subject. As a master muralist some of his works adorn the halls of:
- The State Bank of Pakistan (100 x 12 ft),
- The Power House at the Mangla Dam (200 x 30 ft),
- Lahore Museum, Lahore
- Aligarh Muslim University (70 x 12 ft),
- Banaras Hindu University (70 x 12 ft), and
- Geological Institute of India (70 x 25 ft)
- Frere Hall Karachi and
- Powerhouse at Abu Dhabi
- Punjab University Library
His monumental murals, in excess of thirty-five, represent unparalleled body of artistic endeavor by any artist of the country. These murals adorn the halls of State Bank, Frere Hall Karachi, Lahore Museum, Punjab University, Mangla Dam, Aligarh Muslim University, Banaras Hindu University, Indian Institute of Geological Sciences, Islamic Institute in Delhi, and Abu Dhabi Power House to name a few. To put it in perspective, his paintings and calligraphies in the building of Islamic Institute in Delhi alone cover more than seven thousand square feet.
Sadequain painted his earliest murals at Jinnah Hospital and PIA head quarters in 1950s. These murals have disappeared and their fate is unknown.
In 1961 he painted the huge mural (62'X10') in the Head Office of the State Bank of Pakistan at Karachi, titled "Treasures of Time,” in which he showed the intellectual advance of man from the times of Socrates to that of lqbal and Einstein. It is a linear creation that shows a pageant of intellectuals and thinkers of the Greek era, mathematicians and chemists of the Middle East, the scholars of the European renaissance, and the 20th century laureates. This large mural has endured transportation from the Sate Bank to Mohatta Palace (for the exhibition The Holy Sinner), and back to State Bank and has deep scars to prove the ordeal. As incredulous as it may sound, one of the corners of the mural was cut off to accommodate the outlet of an air conditioner’s duct.
Sadequain painted the ceiling of the Lahore museum entrance hall, depicting Evolution of Mankind, and additional nine large panels of calligraphies for the Islamic Gallery. The ceiling spans approximately 100 x 35 feet (11 m). This magnificent piece of work showed obvious scars of time screaming for help. However, it was consoling to learn that the Panjab government has allocated money for the restoration of the mural.
Punjab University houses the mural “Quest of Knowledge” in its library. The mural appropriately depicts the academic theme commensurate with the institution of learning where it is housed. Young men and women are shown holding high the key to learning that unleashes riches in their lives. The mural is mounted high up against the ceiling of the main library and appears to be in good condition.
The mural in the Punjab Library (adjacent to Lahore Museum) is mounted in the library hall located on the main floor. All four sections of the mural have been disassembled and dismounted because of the damage to the building due to water seepage.
The ceiling of the Frere Hall, displays in bold, the words, “Arz-o-Samawat” (Earth and the Heavens) bears a historical significance, since it represents the last piece of work by Sadequain. He died before he could complete it. Before he started painting the stupendous mural on the ceiling he dedicated it to the citizens of the great city of Karachi. The mural is for the citizens to cherish and it should be treated as a national treasure. However, because of the security conditions the citizens are deprived of entry in Frere Hall and the impressive historical building along with the Mural lie in desperate need of care. The bright colors Sadequain used in the mural to depict the Earth and the Heavens are fading away because of the environmental conditions. The large mural is painted on dozens of individual panels that are put together like the pieces of a puzzle. Several of the panels are detached and hang down under their own weight. It is only a matter of time before the panels start falling apart.
The mural titled “Saga of Labor” by Sadequain at Mangla Dam is a glowing tribute to the workingmen and women of all times and places who form the backbone of any society. The mural hangs in the powerhouse of Mangla Dam and so far endured the harsh environmental conditions of the huge enclosure that also houses gigantic electric turbines.
Banaras Hindu University houses one large mural. It is kept in good condition because of care provided to it by the authorities.
In addition to the murals mentioned above, Sadequain did many others, perhaps in the neighborhood of over thirty-five in all. However, whereabouts of several of them are not certain. For example one mural was done for the Naval Headquarters, but cannot be located. There was one done for the PIA’s office in Paris, which does not exist at the that location. There were murals dedicated to the War of 1965 that cannot be traced.
Sadequain painted thousands of paintings, drawings, and murals in his lifetime. He hardly ever sold his work and mostly gave it away; sometimes his work was simply taken, and sometime even stolen. In his lifetime there were two galleries named after him by the authorities, but they no longer exist.
[edit] Speaker of Truth
In an interview he said, “People ask why I don't paint flowers, butterflies and landscapes? I tell them that I seek the truth and I am after reality. I am not inspired by someone posing against the backdrop of roses in a vase or pink curtains. What inspires me is a person who has gone hungry for hours and is struggling for survival. The expression that lights his face at the end of the day when he has finally found some scraps, that is what touches me. I am a painter of the expression of reality.” Self proclaimed “Faqir,” Sadequain was outside society’s worldly greed or hypocrisy and called himself “speaker of truth.”
Best known for his calligraphies, Sadequain painted abstracts, drawings, and sketches on thousands of canvases, volumes of paper, and multitudes of other conventional and unconventional materials.
[edit] Renaissance of Islamic Calligraphy
Sadequain was responsible for the renaissance of Islamic calligraphy in Pakistan. He was one of the greatest calligraphers of our time and helped transform the art of calligraphy into serious expressionist paintings. He claimed that his transformation into a calligrapher was manifested by divine inspiration. He did not follow the tradition and created his own style of script. His alphabets exude motion, mood, and paint vivid pictures of the message of the word. Sadequain claimed that many of his paintings especially after the seventies had been based on calligraphic forms to portray images of cities, buildings, forests, men, and women.
In Pakistan, the art of calligraphy was relegated to a second-class status until Sadequain adapted this medium in the late nineteen sixties. Until then a few painters experimented with the medium but it remained as just that, an experiment. After Sadequain transformed the art of calligraphy into a mainstream art form, most of the known Pakistani artists have followed Sadequain and calligraphic art now dominates the art scene.
[edit] A True Artist
Many painters have emulated Sadequain openly and widely and even the copies fetch large sums for the copiers, an irony since Sadequain himself hardly ever sold his paintings in spite of offers from the royals and the common public. In a recent auction in a London auction house one of his painting was sold for $108,000. His masterpiece rendition of “Sureh-e-Rehman” has inspired many known painters of the modern era and it can even be found adorning the facades of many houses in Karachi in exacting resemblance of Sadequain’s signature script.
In nineteen sixties Sadequain was invited by the French authorities to illustrate the award winning novel “The Stranger” by French writer Albert Camus. Sadequain also illustrated on canvas the poetry of Ghalib, Iqbal and Faiz as homage to their place in classical literature. Sadequain wrote thousands of quartets, which address a common theme of social and cultural dogmas and published them.
A special word is warranted about the large murals Sadequain painted, which are spread all over the subcontinent. His murals depict man’s struggle, his achievements and persistent thirst to discover his endless potential. His murals are full of activity, ideas, and they read like an unfolding story about their particular theme.
One of his most powerful works is the gigantic mural measuring 200'x30' for the Power House of Mangla Dam. He completed it in an incredible period of three months during which he worked day and night. Aptly so, the mural is titled "The Saga of Labor," The mural, one of the largest in the world portrays the history of mankind. Its pays homage to its characters, which are exclusively laborers and worker, facing and struggling against the powerful elements of the nature.
Sadequain was a social commentator. He crafted his message on canvas by the aid of powerful symbols and rich colors. Characteristically he would address particular situations through a series of paintings, which would follow a common theme and yet maintain their individuality. His symbols transformed with time as he adapted to the changing conditions.
[edit] His Works
During nineteen sixties he stayed in interior Sindh in areas surrounded by desert where nothing could grow except cactus which would break through the rugged sandy ground. The sight of the wild cactus growing in scorching heat and surviving the harshest of conditions left a lasting impression on Sadequain. He adapted this symbol to depict labor, struggle, and persistence against natural elements of resistance and triumph of hard work.
Sadequain sketched numerous drawings titled Cobweb Series, Crow Series, Christ Series, Hope Series, and Sun Series during sixties, which were commentaries on prevailing social and cultural conditions. Sadequain saw cobwebs engulfing our society rendering it speechless and motionless. The Crow Series projected men as timid worshippers of scarecrows because they have lost self-respect and spirituality. Crows however are not intimidated and gang up on humanity in flocks and pick on lifeless humans. In the Christ Series Sadequain showed the crime being committed in front of the Christ while he was still alive on the Cross.
Contrary to man’s images portrayed in Cobweb or Crow Series of drawings, Sadequain glorified the hard work and labor of ordinary workingmen by showing them struggling with primitive tools during the stone age, developing agricultural land, discovering scientific breakthroughs, and exploring the universe. He sometime used Kufic script to form human images and carried that theme through vast canvases. One of the representative works of this genre is titled “The Last Supper,” which was awarded the prestigious Binnale de Paris award in France. Sadequain was awarded first prize in National Exhibition of Pakistan in early sixties. He was bestowed with several awards and medals in Pakistan as well as foreign counties. But he seldom attended the award ceremonies neither accepted the award money.
Sadequain had commanding knowledge of literature. He wrote thousands of “Rubaiyats,” which he published in several books. These verses have been adjudged unique and critically acclaimed by literary elite. Like his paintings, the verses also address the topics of human nature, virtues and weaknesses of society.
During his life Sadequain exhibited his works on all continents. His exhibitions in foreign countries were sponsored at State levels and were attended by large audiences of all walks of life. A “faqir” at heart he gave away most of his paintings to friends and foes, and painted gigantic murals in public buildings at no cost. He declared the giveaways as gifts to the citizens of the cities where the public building were situated.
Sadequain has been covered in the print and electronic media extensively such as the TV series “Mojeeza-e-Fun” which highlighted his work in a masterful documentary. “The Holy Sinner” is a book published in 2003, cataloguing a number of his paintings, which were exhibited at Mohatta Palace, Karachi during the same year. The massive book is one of the largest and heaviest ever published in Pakistan and it also has a collection of articles about Sadequain published previously in magazines and papers over the course of years.
[edit] Prominent works
- Lithographic illustration of L'Étranger by Albert Camus, 1965[5]
- Illustrations of the classical urdu literature, especially the poetry of Ghalib, Iqbal and Faiz on canvas.
- Painting, Aftaab-e-Taaza, illustration of lines by Allama Iqbal, 9 by 6 feet (1.8 m) - Site http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicorn_Gallery
[edit] Reverence
The mammoth book “The Holy Sinner: Sadequain” recently published, is a tribute and celebration of this Pakistani artist's vitality, innovation, restless fervor and immense amount of energy. This book launched as the third stage of a monumental project with the same title is possibly the largest art project in the sub-continent to pay tribute to a single artist under the aegis of Mohatta Palace Museum. The first stage of the project was an exhibition of paintings of Sadequain under the same title and the second stage of the project; a black and white catalogue of Sadequain's work was launched last year. The fourth stage of the project will consist of four documentaries; both in Urdu and English language and one special feature film would be produced about the internationally recognized artist.
The book of about 700 pages, weighing 12 kg, includes reproduction of some 400 of Sadequain's creations, supported by an anthology of critical commentaries by the artist's contemporaries and journalists including renowned artistic figures and critics. It contains essays on the great artist and plates of his paintings and sketches. The sections in the book consist of Photographic Essay, Critical Approaches, Recollections, Reproductions, Catalogue, Pictures at an Exhibition, Rubaiyat, Photo Epilogue, Afterward, Life and Works. The book is largest monograph in the region complied and produced to pay unprecedented tribute to a single artist, setting a new trend for paying tributes to artists in South Asia.
Some of the themes of the paintings in the book are 'A stranger in paradise', 'Endless purgatory', 'Rhapsody in Blue', 'Wheel in fire', 'A long day', 'Of human bondage' also included in bold form the poetic verses of Ghalib, Iqbal and Faiz.
The book is primarily based on the famous exhibition of paintings of Sadequain titled, “The Holy Sinner: Sadequain.” which ended about a year ago and was by far the largest-attended and longest-running exhibition in the history of Pakistani art. Salima Hashmi, daughter of the late poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz and Hameed Haroon, proprietor of Dawn Publications were the co-curators of the groundbreaking exhibition. The exhibition, featuring more than 200 non-calligraphic works of the Amroha-born artist, was held at Mohatta Palace Museum and it remained open for approximately one year.
The exhibition was attended by more than 90,000 art lovers at a cost of Rs100 each who saw rare paintings and murals by Sadequain whose commercial worth, at a low estimate, was more than Rs500 million.
Sadequain was an untraditional and self-made, self-taught painter and calligrapher who, created mysterious and mystic environment with his bold and uninhibited use of media and lines had a cult like following in his own lifetime. His unique style, whether pertaining to his paintings or calligraphy, was widely referred to as “Khat-e-Sadequain-e” primarily evolved during his stay at a Karachi seaside desert called Gadani. The Holy Sinner: Sadequain contains over 400 of his series of drawings, paintings, and murals, each representing a different phase of his career and depicting his unique strokes, style, and color schemes. It was at Gadani that Sadequain observed the wild growth of cactus in the scorching heat of desert where water was scarce and conditions were harshest. Yet the cactus grew tall, shooting upwards in defiance of all odds. The powerful symbol of defiant cactus transcends throughout Sadequain’s work and creates a lasting impression on the observer.
The exhibition was a rare opportunity for the viewers because Sadequain, who became a virtual household word for his calligraphic works did not exhibit his abstract paintings during the last days of his life and of course the large number of murals that he painted were dedicated to specific locations only. Hameed Haroon described very aptly as follows: “Sadequain's symbols are part-calligraphic strokes, part-sacred standards or alams that first emerged in the eighth century as the symbols of the armies of Shi'ite Islam, perhaps most visible as representations of allegorical virtue in the annual Moharram ritual following the Karbala massacre; part Sufic tributes to the son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, the martyred Ali, whose horned alif in the Kufic script provokes a militancy of sentiment and a plea for transformation based, ironically enough, on the fundamentals of early Islam.”
The paintings in the exhibition were loaned by virtually who is who of the Pakistani elite. In his lifetime Sadequain hardly ever sold his paintings to individuals. As an ironic twist of circumstances he is perhaps the only artist with the distinction that his work is openly copied and sold for handsome profits by his imitators. Recently two news stories were printed in local papers, which testify, in the most unconventional manner, to the great stature of Sadequain. Both news stories were related to burglars, one in which a house belonging to one of the prominent artists in Karachi was broken in and the thieves got away with jewelry and other petty items, and the other incident involved the house of a well to do citizen where the stolen items included only the paintings by Sadequain.
The book, The Holy Sinner: Sadequain, includes drawings series titled, Cacti series, the Sun series, Exposition series, Cobweb series, etc. A word about the Cobweb series is appropriate, because it was created during the turbulent times of 1960s and the drawings depict men and women, even the building structures immobilized by cobwebs as though in decay and transgressing instead of marching on the rocky road to the peaks of perfection.
The paintings in The Holy Sinner: Sadequain, represent various themes such as man’s struggle against natural odds, mother and child, still life figures from the early life of the artist and many others. The centerpiece of the book is its treatment of the famous mural by Sadequain commissioned for the State Bank of Pakistan. The mural titled “The Treasures of Time” depicts evolution of mankind and traces the history of great scholars, philosophers, scientists, mathematicians, poets, and writers. It is said that the mural became a turning point in the intellectual development of Sadequain. Hameed Haroon noted that from this onwards, his intellectual force entered the world of Ovid, the romance of Alexander and the Amroha-spun tales of ancient Greece and Rome, leading to a unique fusion in Pakistan's art history.
[edit] Lost Paintings
In his lifetime two art galleries were established by the official authorities, one in Islamabad called Gallery Sadequain, which was located in Block F and the second one in the Frere Hall Karachi, also called Gallery Sadequain. After he died, the Islamabad gallery was disassembled and some two hundred paintings were unaccounted for and the Frere Hall gallery is closed for all practical purposes because of the security reasons. Forty calligraphic panels on marbel slabs measuring 6 ft (1.8 m) x 5 ft each have disappeared.
At the time of his death at OMI Clinic in Karachi, his attendant was present when Sadequain took his last breath at 2:00 AM. The attendant did not inform the doctors of Sadequain's death and instead took off for Frere Hall where Sadequain had been working on the ceiling. The attendant loaded as many paintings as he could in a Susuki van, took them to a safe house and then returned to the hospital to inform the doctors. The stolen paintings are resurfacing for sale at regular frequency.
[edit] Global Recognition
Le Monde, France
Sadequain is one of the few serious artists from the subcontinent. The multiplicity of his gifts is reminiscent of Picasso
New York Times, USA There is a new personality in art. Pakistan’s pride Upside Down Artist Sadequain
UAE News, UAE His exhibition in Abu Dhabi has been seen by many people and most of the visitors who inspected his works wanted to buy them. “But the exhibits are not for sale” he told them
Dr. Akbar Naqvi, IMAGE AND IDENTITY If Sadequain had done nothing but his drawings, he would still be among the inventors of modern art in the country
[edit] Death
Sadeqain died on February 10, 1987 in Karachi at the age of 57. He is buried in Sakhi Hassan graveyard.
[edit] Awards
- 1960 Tamgha-e-Imtiaz by government of Pakistan.
- 1961, Paris Biennale
- 1962 President’s Medal of Honor
- 1975 awarded "Cultural Award" by Government of Australia.
- REDIRECT [
- REDIRECT [[[Target page nam]]
e]]
- 1980 awarded "Sitara-e-Imtiaz" by government of Pakistan.
[edit] Commemorative Stamp
On 14 August 2006, Pakistan Post issued a Rs. 40 sheetlet to posthumously honour 10 Pakistani Painters. Besides Sadequain, the other 9 painters are: Laila Shahzada, Askari Mian Irani, Zahoor ul Akhlaq, Ali Imam, Shakir Ali, Anna Molka Ahmed, Zubeida Agha, Ahmed Pervez and Bashir Mirza.
[edit] Notes
- Begum Shaista Suhrawardy Ikramullah, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy: a biography, Oxford University Press, 1991. ISBN 978-0195774146
- Partha Mitter, Indian Art, Oxford University Press, 2001. ISBN 9780192842213
- Asim Fareed, Rediscovering Sadequain: the artist of the dustbin, Daily Times, January 24, 2004
- Abdul Hamid Akhund, Farida Munavarjahan Said and Zohra Yusuf (ed.), Sadequain: The Holy Sinner, Mohatta Palace Museum, Karachi. ISBN 969-8100-17-2
- Syed Abid Ali, THE WAY IT WAS: Sadequain — as I knew him, Daily Times - Site Edition, 12 November 2002
[edit] External links
Sadequain Institute Of Art & Information Technology (simsit)
st-20 block 5 nipa chowrangi karachi phone-02134980928-03002629425 Principal/Administrator is Muhammad Zamir Ahmed
Regards,
Walid.
Haber 10 - 'Tanrı'ya Yemin Ediyorum ki Tanrı Yok!'
“Tanrı yok! Tanrı'ya yemin ediyorum ki Tanrı yok!...”
Bunlar Hamid’in hırpalanmış bir beden, paramparça bir akıl ve başka bir yerde sığınak aramak üzere İran’dan kaçtıktan sonra kızgınlığını ve acısını paylaşmak için telefonda bana kederli bir sesle söylediği, gözlerimi yaşartan sözleriydi. Hamid’in tek suçu kızım Kimia ile bir-kaç yıl önce evlenerek ailemizin bir üyesi olmasıydı. Sessiz, saygılı, mütevazı, alçak gönüllü, sağlıklı, yardımsever, politik özlemleri ve makam hırsı olmayan genç bir adamdı. O, hayatın çalkantılı denizinde, aşırı arzulara kapılmaksızın nazik adımlarla yürürdü. Her ikisi de iyiliksever ve nazik birer öğretmen olan anne ve babasıyla -hayat denizinde- kıyıya yakın yerlerde yüzme eğilimindeydi.
On ay önce vahşi bir fırtına onun huzur ve sükunetini harap etti. Egemenlerin hayvanat bahçesindeki hayvanlar bir av için anırıyorlardı. Egemenlerin mahiyetindekiler, tüm zulüm araç-gereçleriyle, onu gözlemeye ve yıldırmaya çalıştılar. Nihayetinde ona iki seçenekten birisini tercih etmeye mecbur ettiler: “Ya hayatına elveda de, ya da televizyona çıkarak sana söylediğimiz şeyleri söyle.” Onlar ondan sadece iki basit (!) şeyi söylemesini istiyorlardı: Birinci olarak; karısının ahlaksız bir kadın olmasından dolayı boşanmayı hak ettiğini ve ikinci olarak da; kayınpederi Abdülkerim Suruş’un yabancılara bağlı, dinin yasakladığı kötü alışkanlıklara sahip, şeriatın, doğru yolun ve hakikatin düşmanı, işe yaramaz birisi olduğu...
Egemenlerin hayvanat bahçesindeki hayvanlar, videolu bir delille efendilerine zaferlerini rapor edebilecekleri ve ödül olarak karşılığını tamamen alabilecekleri, zincirde zayıf bir halka bulduklarını ve onu kolayca kırabileceklerini düşündüler. Ve Hamid’in direnci ve akıl gücü onların sert pençelerini kırdığında kollarını işkence için sıvadılar. Psikolojik ve bedeni işkenceler yaptılar. (Son örnek şuydu; bir gece onu çırılçıplak sabaha kadar, buz gibi morgda tuttular. Tiril tiril titrerken onu zevkle izlediler…)
Sonunda fiziksel olarak çok kötü bir hale gelince onu eve gönderdiler. Eve geldiğinde öylesine mağdur, endişeli ve sinirliydi ki, aralıklarla başını duvara vuruyordu. Öyle ki neredeyse hem kafasını hem de duvarı kıracaktı. Şimdilerde, yurt dışında bir ülkeye sığındığı halde bile, geceleri kabuslarında işkence aletleri görüyor ve her yerde egemenlerin casuslarınca takip edildiğini düşünüyor.
O bana hüzün dolu hikayesini anlattığında, mahcubiyet ve anlayış içinde dedim ki: “Benim Tanrım onları asla affetmeyecek.” Ağzımdan istem dışı çıkıveren bu kelimeler onun öfkesini patlattı ve şöyle haykırdı: “Dr. Suruş, bana Tanrı’dan bahsetme: Tanrı yok!... Ben dondurucu morgda suçsuz ve savunmasız bir şekilde acı çekerken Tanrı neredeydi? Bana yardım etmesi için yalvarırken ve çığlıklar atarken O neredeydi? Bu utanmaz hayvanlar benimle alay ederken, pervasızca bana saldırırken Tanrı neredeydi? Tek olan, yüceler yücesi olan O Tanrı, üç canavar üzerime atlayıp duygusuzca “Allah’ın adıyla! (Bismillah diyerek)” bana vururlarken neredeydi?” Hamid böylesi şeyler söylerken bir taraftan da ağlıyordu. Artık şimdilerde o, kimse hakkında daha fazla şikâyette bulunmuyor. Tanrı hakkında da şimdilik şikâyet etmiyor. Uykuda mı, ölü mü diye sormuyor.
O sanki bana, hayatımı ilahiyat, felsefe ve mistisizme adamışlığım hakkında hesap soruyor gibiydi. Benim için şu çok açık bir gerçekti; onlar onu sadece sağlığından ve iç huzurundan mahrum bırakmamışlardı, aynı zamanda onun vicdanını ve inancını da sarsmışlardı. Çok açıktı ki onun içindeki bir şey değişti ve parçalandı. Bu asla küçük ve önemsiz bir şey değildi. O Tanrı’yı arıyordu ve O’nu bulma konusunda başına gelenler yüzünden başarısız oldu. O, Tanrı hakkında tereddüdü, ölümü, savunmasız kalmayı, işkenceyi, dini ikiyüzlülüğü, acımasız zulümü, çıplak kötülüğü ve insanların sınırsız kötülüğünü açık bir şekilde tecrübe etti. Tüm bu şeylerin tümünün ne olduğunu anladı. Bu gerçekten çok tehlikeli bir deneyimdi.
Ben hayatımı sakin sularda geçirmememe rağmen kendi ellerimle oldukça ölümcül bir girdaba doğru yüzmek zorunda da kalmadım. Bu yüzden ona ne önerebilirdim? Teolojik izahların hiç bir işe yaramayacağının farkındaydım. Onu sakinleştirmeye ve ona cesaret vermeye çalıştım. Dedim ki: “Pek çok kişi uzunca bir zamandır seninle aynı durumda. Bu zalim insanların pençelerinden kaçabildiğin için memnun olmalısın. Cehennemdeydin ve oradan kurtuldun. Onların seni yılmış bir halde görmelerine izin verme, dik dur. Yenilgiyi ve kötü talihi istememiştin. Şimdi zafer ve kutlamayı iste. Diğer insanlar için bir model ol. Yusuf gibi kurtların kuyusundan tırmanarak çık. Gücünün zirvesine doğru yüksel. Şeytanla yaptığın kavganın sana iyiliğe giden yolu göstermesine izin ver. Savunmasızlara yapılan eziyetin zulmünü gördükten sonra, emin ol sen asla savunmasızlara eziyet etmezsin. Hiç kimse aşağılanma ve sefalet deneyimlerinden geçmek zorunda kalmadığında; hiç kimse işkence görmek zorunda kalmadığında; hiç kimsenin şeref ve haysiyetine saldırılmadığında; hiç kimse kendisini Tanrı tarafından terk edilmiş ve savunmasız olarak hissetmek zorunda kalmadığında; hiç bir canavar kendi kötülüklerini ve zalimliklerini din perdesinin arkasına gizlemediğinde ve dini Allah’ın kullarına işkence yapmak için kullanmadığında ülkemizin nasıl güzel bir geleceğinin olacağını bir düşün.”
Ona dedim ki:
“Din tıpkı bir şarap gibidir, şeyleri/nesneleri aslında olduğundan daha büyük hale getirir. Canavarları daha canavar, insanları da daha insan yapar. Elbette egemenlerin hayvanat bahçesinden gelen ve sana işkence eden bu canavarlar dindardılar, ikiyüzlü falan değildiler. Onların dindarlıkları zalimliklerini besledi ve büyüttü. Çünkü onlar Allah’ın adıyla vahşileşiyorlardı. Onlar vahşeti bir oyun olarak görmediler. Onu bir hak olarak da görmediler, fakat bir görev olarak gördüler. Bu, efendilerinin teokratik düzen içinde davranma şekilleriyle aynıydı. Onlar öldürme, gasp ve tecavüzü “dinsel argümanlar”la desteklenen kendi görevleri olarak gördüler. Bu onları böylesine tehlikeli hale getirdi.”
Şöyle devam ettim:
“Eğer onlara merhametle bakarsan, bu hayvanların hasta olduğunu göreceksin. Onların akıl hastalıkları, bir aşağılık kompleksinden ve onların bağışlayıcılık duygusunu asla tecrübe etmemiş olmalarından kaynaklanıyor. Sen bizim ülkemizin artık böylesi hastalıklı yaratıkları, kan isteyenleri, ikiyüzlüleri, teokratik egemenleri doğurmamasını ve yerine de bilge, mutlu, asil ruhlu kişiler doğurmasını dilemelisin. Ve tek başına dilemek de yeterli değil tabii ki. Onun için mücadele de etmelisin.”
Sonra da dedim ki:
“Senin yakınman önemli. Sen bana meselenin bir kısmını söyledin. Ben buna karşılık, onların utanmaz işlerinin tüm kısımlarını söyleyeceğim. Suçsuzluğuna rağmen, onlar sana zalimce davrandılar ve eşini ağlattılar. Onlar senin hayatını alt-üst ettiler ve geçim kaynaklarını kuruttular. Seni İran’dan kaçmaya zorladılar ve karanlık bir geleceğe mahkum ettiler. Şimdi en etkili iksir olan sabır kisvesini kuşan. Haksızlığa uğramış topraklarımızda adaletsizlik skalası öylesine ağır ki, senin hikayen ve senin payına düşen sadece okyanusta bir damla kadar.
Yaşlı gözlerini, kırılmış kalbini ve işkence görmüş bedenini acı çeken tüm diğer hayatların yanına yerleştir ve onların yaralarının, seninkilere bir merhem gibi hizmet etmelerine izin ver. Bizim egemenlerimizin tertiplediği cinayetlere, tecavüzlere, yağmalara, işlenen suçlara ve idamlara bir bak. Onların nasıl tarihteki Tiran Haccac b. Yusuf’la aynılaştıklarını gör. Hatta onlar oyları çalmaktan ve şehitliği aslından saptırmaktan da hiç utanç duymadılar. İran’ın kederli anne ve babalarına, bütün öksüzlere, yalnız kalan eşlere, kötü muamele gören mahkumlara ve bütün parçalanmış ailelere bir bak. Ve “Allah bizi zalimlere karşı teslim olmaktan menetti” diyen Peygamber’e -selam onun üzerine olsun- katıl. Aksi durumda bile yunus balığının karnındaki Yunus Peygamber’in yaptığı gibi O’nu övmeye devam etmeliyiz.”
Hamid’in Tanrı'sına bir hitabım var:
Ey yüce Allah’ım!
Senin aşıkların senden hiçbir şey talep etmezler. İsa Peygamber, Hüseyin ve Hallac’ın senin aşk fırınında korkusuzca yanmalarına ve kanlarını dökmelerine izin verdin. Fakat ya bu Sana rasyonalistçe yaklaşanlara ne demeli? Onların bu muzdarip durumlarını ne yapacaksın? Onlara böylesi bir sebebe sığınma hakkını veren Sen değil misin? Aşk dolu memnuniyet hazzını senin sevgililerine bırak. Rasyonalistler ise kanıtlara, şefkate ve merhamete ihtiyaç duyuyorlar.
Biliyorum acı çekmek ve işkence kişiyi bazen güçlendirir ve biler. Hatta bazen onlar Tanrı sevgisini büyütüp besleyebilirler. Fakat aynı zamanda onlar rasyonaliteyi de tahrip edebilirler veya inancı da aşındırabilirler. Her ne kadar onlar aşıkları daha fazla minnettar yapsa da, aynı zamanda bazılarını daha rasyonel, inkarcı ve tartışmacı da yapabilir.
Ben elbette biliyorum ki bu şeylerin hiç birisi seni rahatsız etmez. Kafirlerin kafirlikleri Seni üzmez. Tıpkı iman edenlerin inancının Seni sevindirmemesi gibi. Çünkü Sen üzülmek ve sevinmekten müstağnisin.
Bu durumda ve Sen bu kadar yükseklere yüceldiğinden beri, mistikler senden bu kadar ayrı olmaktan şikayetçiler. Sen ışığını kestiğinden beri, senin hizmetkarlarının kafirliği ve inancı ile kederler ve sevinçlerin tümü senin katında aynı oldu. Sen önceden müdahale ettiğin gibi artık tarihe müdahale etmemeye başladığından (vahyin arkasını kestiğinden), zalimlerin üzerine ceza yağdırmayı (zalim kavimleri helak etmeyi) bıraktığından, insanoğlunu kendi araçlarıyla baş başa bıraktığından beri senin vereceğin karşılıklardan esirgendiler. (Sana aşkla değil) Rasyonel (delillerle yaklaşan) insanların kafasına öyle bir fikir aşılandı ki artık senin herhangi bir şeye müdahale edeceğin beklentisini yitirdiler. Senden senin hizmetkarlarına katlanabileceklerinden daha fazla yük yüklememeni talep ediyorum. Muzdarip rasyonalistleri de geri çevirmemeni talep ediyorum. Şikayet eden ve inançlarını kaybedenlere de kızgın olmamanı talep ediyorum. Onların şüpheciliklerinden dolayı da onları cezalandırmamanı talep ediyorum. Mademki Tanrı’yı kullanarak zalimlik edenlerin hesaplarını hemen görmüyorsun, o halde ezilen Tanrısızların hesaplarını da hemen görme.
Biliyorsun (devletin elindeki) ilahi mancınık tahrik yağdırıyor. Güç kötü adamların elinde. Senin dinini takip ettiklerini iddia eden bu şahıslar kafirlik üreterek, inancı tahrip ederek, Yusuf’u kurtların önüne atarak, bir ulusu köleleştirerek, şeytanı davet ederek tıpkı birbirlerine dolaşan yılanlar gibi birbirlerinin üzerlerine üşüştüler. Biliyorsun ki büyük şair Hafız, bugün hayatta olsaydı sadece övgülerinin içine birkaç şikayetini serpiştirmekle asla yetinmez ve daima şikayetçi olurdu. Senin işin “nedenler” ve “ne içinler”in öylesine üzerinde ki o, bütün yargıları, amaçları ve çıkarları bir kenara süpürür. O zaman o, niçin akılları şaşırtmasın, dilleri tam şikayetçi kılmasın, kalpleri kafirlikten uzak tutmasın?
Evet, biz insanoğulları bunların tümünü olduğu gibi göremeyiz. Tüm tarihi göz önünde bulunduramayız ve oluşu tüm genişliği ile kavrayamayız. Biz olayların tüm doğru amaçlarından habersiziz. Fakat Senin bize verdiğin nefesle biz Seni anlamaya çalışıyoruz ve kendi hikmetimizi oluşturmaya çalışıyoruz. Biz endişeli değiliz, fakat şundan eminiz ki biz asla Senin hizmetkarlarının dairesini terk etmeyeceğiz.
Ey Yüce Allah’ım!
Ben Gazali’den bir şey öğrendim: Söz konusu olan Yezid bile olsa ben asla birini lanetlememeliyim. Ancak şimdi ben alçak gönüllülükle bu kafir yetiştiricisi İran İslam Cumhuriyeti’ni lanetlemek için senin iznini talep ediyorum.
Şubat 2011
İslami Yorum dergisinde yayımlanan bu makale Hamdi Tayfur tarafından tercüme edilmiştir.
www.timeturk.com| Bir zamanlar hurufiler yaşardı bu memlekette |
Çok az sual hakikaten sormak amacıyla yöneltilmiştir bu hayatta. Çoğu zaman sualler, aslından önceden verilmiş hükümlerin beyanıdır. Velhasıl ‘neden İngilizce roman yazdınız, yazıyorsunuz?’ sorusu da çoğu kez, ‘mademki bir Türk romancısısınız, anadilinizi bırakıp İngilizce roman yazmamalısınız!’ hükmüyle beraber akar.
@Ya hep ya hiç mantığıyla yaşamaya alışmışız bir kere. ‘Oradan mısın’ yoksa ‘buradan mı?’ İngilizce yazıyorsan Türkçeyi terk etmişsin demektir bu çarpık mantığa göre. Ya-o-ya-bu’culuk kadim düşünce tarzıdır Türkiye’de. Ona inat üçüncü bir yolu zorlamak gerek. Zira itikadımca, çok dilli, çok kültürlü, hatta ve hatta çok inançlı dahi olmak mümkün. Kaldı ki öyle fersah fersah uzaklarda değil, Osmanlı’da da vardı bunun örnekleri, bizzat kendi tarihinin içinde. Arapça, Farsça, Türkçenin bir arada yoğrulduğu, yer yer Rumca, Ermeniceden kelimeler de alan ama sentaksı Türkçe kalan bir dil değil miydi Osmanlıca? Birden fazla dil konuşarak yaşayan ve bunu doğal addedenler yok muydu? Çok uluslu ve çok dilli bir imparatorluk değil miydi bu? Nerede şimdi o dilsel miras, o dilsel zenginlik?
Dil demek harf demek benim için. İster İngilizce yaz, ister Türkçe, hepsinin temelinde harfe olan aşk var. ‘Bir nokta, GÖZ’ü KÖR eder’ demişti vaktiyle şair. Tek bir nokta anlamı böylesine altüst etmeye muktedir. Yazar, evvela harfe aşık olacak. Olacak ki canı yansın tek bir kelime dahi yitip gittiğinde; olacak ki, mucizesini tadacak kelimelerin, tek bir harfin yerini değiştirerek yeni yeni anlamlar elde ettiğinde. O kadar seveceksin ki kelimeleri yetecekler sana demişti Cemil Meriç. O kadar çok seveceksin ki harfleri yetecekler sana...
Unutma ki, vaktiyle Hurufiler yaşardı bu memlekette.
Hurufi ki
harften manalar devşirir,
Hurufi ki
harfle ağlar harfle sevişir;
Hurufi ki
insanın yüzünde harfler, harflerin yüzeyinde insancıklar bulur
Hurufi ki
Sûret okur, sûrette kaybolur...
Vaktiyle Hurufiler yaşardı bu memlekette. Şimdi bir masal diyarı kadar uzak olan geçmişte, bir masal kahramanı kadar gerçeküstü gelen ve en az bir harf kadar yalnız olan bir Hurufi dervişi... Yetenek mi yoksa lanet mi, hediye mi yoksa kahır mı; baktığın her suratta bir sûret görme yetisi? Kaç kişi hazırdı bunu yapmaya? Sahi bir avuçtular, ne kadar azdılar. Kaç kişi hazırdı kendi sûretinde sonsuzluğu bulmaya? Ne kula kulluk, ne efendilik taslamak... Çünkü harfler nasıl hem farklı hem de eşit ise, harfler nasıl birbirlerine muhtaç ve aşık ise, insanlar da öyle olmalı, öyle kalmalı.
Hurufi ki
suçlandı, kovalandı, yanlış anlaşıldı ve mahkum edildi
yaradılanın suratında Rab’dan ibareler gördüğü için?
Hurufi ki
suçlandı, kovalandı, yanlış anlaşıldı ve mahkum edildi
insanı eşref-i mahlukat bildiği için? |
Tanrı, yıldızlarla oynayan bir çocuk. Senin yıldızların kelimeler, söyle raksetsinler, alev saçlarıyla sonsuz bahçesinde hayallerinin. Kelime ormanda uyuyan dilber; şair uzaklardan gelen şehzade. Öyle seveceksin ki kelimeleri, sana yetecekler. Yıldızlar tanrı’ya yetmiş mi? Kelimeler benim sudaki gölgem, okşayamam onları, öpemem. Bir davet olarak güzel kelime ve muhterem. Gönülden gönüle köprü, asırdan asıra merdiven. Kelime kendimi seyrettiğim dere. Kelime sonsuz, kelime adem. |
أدباء مصريون يهاجمون قيادياً سلفياً اتهم أدب محفوظ بالدعارة والإلحاد
أبدى أدباء ونقاد استياءهم من التصريحات التليفزيونية لعبدالمنعم الشحات، القيادي السلفي، عن أدب نجيب محفوظ ووصفه إياه بأنه "يحض على الرذيلة ويدور حول الدعارة وأوكار المخدرات، وأن بعض رواياته تحمل فلسفة إلحادية"، وأكدوا أنها "عودة لعصر التخلف".
وقال الناقد الأدبي، جابر عصفور، "إن هذه التصريحات ليست جديدة على الجماعات السلفية، وسبق أن أعلنوها أكثر من مرة، حتى إن الأمر وصل إلى محاولة اغتيال محفوظ على يد أحد الأفراد المنتمين للجماعات الإسلامية"، نقلاً عن صحيفة "المصري اليوم" المصرية السبت.وطالب عصفور الأدباء والمثقفين بالدفاع عن تراث الاستنارة في المرحلة المقبلة. وقال: "إن محفوظ هو الهرم الرابع في مصر، وإن تصريحات الشحات محاولة لإعادة عقارب الساعة قروناً إلى الوراء".
وقال الروائي إبراهيم عبدالمجيد إن "الشحات لو استطاع أن يطالب بضبط وإحضار محفوظ لفعل ذلك فوراً". وأضاف أن "تصريحاته "مثيرة للضحك" وتعبر عن أنه جاء من الصحراء راكباً على بعير وينقصه خيمة وبجوارها عدد من "المعيز"، و"لو فاز في الانتخابات بشكل نهائي فسيتحول الأمر إلى معركة حقيقية داخل البرلمان".
وأرجع الدكتور صلاح فضل، الناقد الأدبي، هجوم السلفيين على التراث الثقافي إلى عدم نضجهم. وقال مخاطبا الشحات: "لا بد أن يعرف هذا الشيخ أن الأدب والفن لا يحكم عليهما بالمقاصد الشرعية، دون خبرة". وتابع: "عليه (الشحات) أن يحصل على دراسة في الأدب منذ الجاهلية حتى الشعر أيام الرسول، قبل هجومه على المفكرين، ليعرف أن الغزل والجنس جزء من الشعر، وأن الشعراء يسعون إلى كشف مواطن الجمال والقبح في المجتمع".
وأكد أن "أدب محفوظ لا يحض على الرذيلة، وأن تصريحات الشحات هي الجهل والرذيلة"، وشدد "على أهمية مواجهة التيار السلفي بالتعليم والثقافة حتى يدرك حقيقة الأشياء".
وقال الكاتب صلاح عيسى "إن التيار الإسلامي ليس لديه معرفة بالأدب والفن"، ووصف رأي الشحات بـ"المتزمت"، وطالب الشعب بالتعرف على الإسلاميين قبل التصويت لهم في الانتخابات.
وأكد الدكتور محمد عبدالله، مفتي الإخوان المسلمين، "أن السلفيين ليست لهم علاقة بالأدب، ولذا لا يحق لهم الحكم على الأدباء".
وقال السيناريست وحيد حامد: "لن نسمح لأي تيار متشدد بهدم الأدب أو انتقاده، لأن الأدب المصري ينتقد التخلف".
The challenge of pluralism and unity-in-diversity
Pluralism is one of the great blessings but also curses of our age. It is a fact everyone has to deal with but also an idea that meets stiff resistance. From politics and education to culture and immigration, we are constantly reminded of the pressing reality of pluralism. As the world becomes more diverse and pluralistic, handling pluralism is a key concern for religious leaders, policy makers, educators and others.Pluralism presents a particular challenge to traditional religions that have developed a coherent worldview in fairly monolithic and uniform environments. All religions lay claim to universal truth, but some are more troubled than others by the fact of religious diversity. This has something to do with the historical experience of traditional religions but also with their theological assumptions. Yet, despite their emphasis on divine unity that extends to the human plane, monotheistic religions know how to handle diversity.
The secularists, however, have accused monotheistic religions of creating theological monarchies and totalitarian belief systems, which eventually turn into anti-pluralist politics. They claim that by advocating one universal truth and one single set of beliefs, religious monotheism constructs a total and totalitarian belief system and deprives humans of their freedom. As an article of faith, unity becomes a prison, an encirclement of human agency. These conclusions are based on flawed assumptions.
It is true that religions uphold a unified vision of reality because God is one and the reality He created must have unity and integrity. This is the cornerstone of Abrahamic monotheism: since God is one, reality must be ordered around this oneness.
But those who think so confuse unity with uniformity and misread monotheism as a form of reductionism. Unity designates the underlying interconnectedness of things and their vital relationality. By contrast, uniformity denotes a state of bland sameness and oppressive homogeneity. It is based on monotonous repetition, which eventually seeks to ensure control, and thus rejects emancipation. Unity refers to the kind of bond that exists among human beings while recognizing and respecting their immense differences. Uniformity is more like an industrial enterprise where we produce a monopolizing environment. Living beings have “identity” whereas machines have only a “serial number.”
I therefore reject the pluralist-secularist alliance against monotheism and instead offer to look at the extent of uniformity that modernity has brought about in our lives. A key component of economic and political modernity has been to maximize control in the name of efficiency and productivity. But this is a self-poisoning recipe because more control does not make our lives any more humane. To the contrary, the systemic forces that limit and shape our freedom and agency in the post-industrial world of today impose a fairly monolithic and uniform patter of behavior vis-à-vis social and political developments.
Uniformity turns us into consumers with serial numbers, and this is exactly what transnational capitalism wants us to do. But unity brings out our common humanity. Religious belief in one single God underlies and strengthens this unity rather disrupts it. It also points to a symbiotic relationship between unity and diversity. In the Islamic tradition, this relationship has been described as “unity-in-diversity” (al-wahdah fi'l-kathrah) and elaborated, among others, by such sages as Ghazali, Ibn Al-‘Arabi and Mulla Sadra. As a presiding idea, it has found application in such diverse fields as law, science, theology, art, architecture and politics.
The kind of destructive totalitarianism has characterized most of the 20th century in Europe and elsewhere. The two world wars were not fought for God nor was the Holocaust a result of religious monotheism. Modern totalitarian ideologies such as fascism have justified their truth claims and political programs around horrid notions of uniformity that have collided with the most fundamental aspects of human community.
Today Europe, the US and the newly shaping Arab world are all dealing with the multiple challenges of pluralism. As we approach the June 12 elections with the typical heat and tensions of electoral politics, Turkey is no different. But the challenge of pluralism is not simply about politics. It is also about how we perceive the world, nature, other human beings, and those who are different from us. Uniformity has clouded our minds and limited our horizon. It is time that we discover the new potentials of unity-in-diversity.
India: Bauls: Minstrels in Distress
The way to the divineHas been blocked
By temples and mosques.As these words of a Baul song bear out, the wandering minstrels of bengal have always been above the narrow confines of religion. Clad in flowing robes, strumming an ektara, the Bauls have long been an integral part of the regionís lush landscape, wandering from village to village singing of a universal God. Their faith comes straight from the heart and refuses to be circumscribed by Hindu or Islamic tenets; it is isntead a synthesis of the unorthodox Sufi strain in Islam and the Hindu concept of Bhakti, or devotion. That is why the purists have always been suspicious of these self-proclaimed fakirs; history records many instances of both Hindu and Muslim Bauls being ostracised by religious puritans.
And itís happening once again in the Bengal of the ë90s. Several incidents in the past few years suggest a disturbing trend of conservative elements targeting the free-wheeling lifestyle of the village singer-philosophers. Though Bauls are found throughout the state, the cases of persecution are being reported from the border districts of Murshidabad and Nadia, where a tiny band of these minstrels is struggling to survive against a renewed wave of intolerance.
Take the case of Sadar Fakir of Kurchaidanga, a village in Nadia. His life revolved round his ektara and the songs that debunked religion. « The search for Allah and Bhagwan is futile, » says Sadar. « Salvation lies in a universal love for mankind. » But the local maulvis donít agree. In September last year, they called a religious congregation fan declared Sadar a kafir (non-believer). That, in itself, was not so bad as Sadar had never pretended to be a believer. The real damage, however, was done when his land was forcibly cropped and his thatched house completely ransacked. Even worse, he was sternly forbidden from singing within the village boundaries. « I still canít sing inside my village. My soul was murdered, » laments Sadar.
Similar treatment was meted out to Omar Shah Fakir of Alinager in Nadia. Late last year, the village elders called a meeting where Omar was charged with sacrilege; he was dragged out of his home and his beard shaved. A fine of Rs 1 001 was imposed and Omarís neighbours were debarred from socialising with him. His son Azizul moved out of the family home to escape the maulvisí wrath; Azizul has been threatened with a fine of Rs 400 if he allows Omar to play with his son. Omarís beard has grown back, but he hasnít quite forgotten the humiliating experience.
Social boycotts of Bauls are becoming common in the two districts. In Dharampur village, Murshidabad, 10 fakirs are currently facing such a ban. « Our only fault is that we believe that we are human beings. Being Hindus or Muslims is only incidental, » says Kazem Sheikh, one of those ostracised. « They are harming Islam, » justifies Karim Sheikh, the maulvi of the local mosque. Five ears ago, six Baul fakirs were hacked to death for refusing to capitulate to the diktats of religious zealots in Kotgram, a village in Birbhum.
The Bauls, however, are now beginning to organise themselves against the fundamentalistsí onslaught. The Baul Fakir Sangh recently organised a gathering at Kumirdah village in Murshidabad district, where several fakirs attacked the persecution by both « Muslim fanatics » and « Hindu bigots ». The Bauls who were present spoke of being ostracised in their villages, being beaten up by religious fanatics, and of their homes being burnt to ashes. Says Shakti Nath Jha, president of the Sangh: « This gathering was held to serve notice that the Baul fakirs cannot be silenced. As in the jpast, the present too cannot drown out their voices. »
The Bauls of Muslim origin may be facing the brunt of the onslaught, but those from a Hindu background are also in the firing line. When Gouranga Hazra of the Hindu-dominated Beldanga village in Murshidabad took on a Muslim fakir as his guru, he was beaten up, his hut burnt down and a boycott imposed on him. « Communal tensions are rising in Murshidabad, » admits Khagendranath Ojha, district vice-president of the BJP.
One provocation is the continued influx of illegal migrants from neighbouring Bangladesh, encouraging orthodox Muslims and Hindus to take a hard line. « Distrust between the two communites is certainly growing, « says Mujibar Rahman, principal of the Ziagunj Dhanya Kumari College in Murshidabad. Indeed, many civil rights activists and intellectuals feel that religious tolerance and communal harmony are coming under increasing pressure in pickets of West Bengal.
The irony is that a community that decries formal religion has been caught in the crossfire. Rabindranath Tagore had said of the Bauls: « One day I chanced to hear a song of a Baul beggar of Bengal. It spoke of an intense yearning for the divine which is in man and not in the temple scriptures, in images or symbols. Since then I have often sought to understand these people whose songs are their only form of worship... I have fitted the tunes of the Bauls to many of my songs. » The people who are now targeting this heterodox community are obviously out of touch with some of the greater traditions of Bengal.
Regards,
Walid.
|
Regards,
Walid.