August 14th, 2011
The vast majority of today’s Dilleewaalaas are illiterate in Hindustaanee, Persian and the greatness of poetry.
Amir Khusro’s (1253-1325) works seem trivial for them. Those who are exposed to the dargaahs of Khwaja Qutbuddeen Bakhtiyaar Kaakee, Hazrat Nizamuddeen Awlia, Janab Shaikh Naseeruddeen Chiraagh Dillee and Kalimulla Jahaanaabaadee and have heard his qawwaalees are aware of the magical message they carry. Those who do not make the effort required to learn the Urdu script, remain at the edge of this great tradition and miss out on the great joy available.
Perhaps it is right to remember an occasion when women were as involved in poetry as any man and thought it necessary to put the great poet to test. According to a legend, the poet was once searching for water to allay his thirst. Those were the times when municipalities didn’t provide tap water for all to drink, wash and bathe. One had to go to the river or to a well to find water. A vessel was necessary to collect the water before it could be accessed.
Amir Khusro found a well where four women were busy drawing water and filling their own vessels. He called out to say that he was thirsty. Giving water to the thirsty was considered an act that earned the giver merit in heaven and Khusro thought his request would be met immediately.
The ladies were perhaps bored and wanted to use the opportunity to find a way to amuse themselves. They asked Khusro what caste he was and what he did for a living. Khusro told them that his name was ‘Khusro’ which means Emperor, although he was the son of a Turki slave who was a soldier. He also said that he was a poet attached to the court of the sultan. This gave the ladies an idea of how to amuse themselves. They said that each of them would give him a word and he was to prove his worth by taking all four words to make a verse.
The words were totally unrelated to each other. The first said खीर, the second चर्खा, the third कुत्ता and the fourth ढोल. Without a moment’s hesitation Khusro recited the verse with all four words in it. He said, ख़ीर पकाई जतन से, चर्खा दिया जला, आया कुत्ता खा गया, तू बैठी ढोल बजा (What great pains were taken to cook the sweet rice pudding. The fuel was provided by setting the spinning wheel alight. All this was pointless as a stray dog came and gobbled up the pudding. All you can do now is to beat the drum of frustration.) He ended by saying, ला पानी पिला (Come now allay my thirst by giving me water to drink.)
Amir Khusro is credited with great innovation in the development of Indian classical music. His inventions are said to include the sitaar in musical instruments and the tablaa in percussion. The Bahaar and Bihaag Raagaas (modes) are attributed to him, as is Qawwaalee.
Maulana Abul Kalaam ‘Azaad’ was drawn to music as a teenager. His family was known for their piety. The tradition was against music and Azad had to learn secretly and surreptitiously. He travelled far and wide in pursuit of his passion and came to the conclusion that what influenced Indian music in the 13th Century was not (as is commonly thought) Central Asian or Turki music, but that of another great and hoary heritage, Iraanee music.
The influence of Iran on Indian painting and Indian architecture is accepted by most scholars. It is likely that Azad’s observation is correct. It is time that a special effort is made to develop Indo-Iranian ties as we took and gave a great deal from this northern neighbour. The Sun God of the Hindu pantheon is considered to be an import from Iran. He is the only deity who wears boots and this continues despite all his devotees being bare foot when they come to worship him!
The god came complete with his priests and this lot found a safe haven when Islam’s iconoclasm caused the fire worshippers to move from city centres to obscure hiding places. They could retain their identity by sticking to themselves in the matter of eating and marriage. The late Munish Chandra Joshi studied this group and found them very close to Parsis. This is another example of India’s diversity, or should we say ‘Unity in Diversity’.