Ram, Krishna and the Mahabharata in Urdu poetry

[00:00:00] Hello and welcome to All Indians Matter, I am Ashraf Engineer.

[00:00:16] Did you know that the screenplay and dialogues of the iconic television series Mahabharata

[00:00:20] were written by Muslim Dr. Rahim Asum Raza?

[00:00:23] The story goes that when B.R. Chopra who made the series approached him, Raza declined because

[00:00:28] of time constraints. Chopra, however, announced Raza's name as the writer anyway. That sparked

[00:00:33] a reaction from the so-called protectors of Hinduism who asked why a Hindu was not asked

[00:00:38] to write the series. Chopra passed on these objections to Raza who then immediately agreed

[00:00:43] to write this screenplay and dialogue. Raza exclaimed, and I quote, I am a son of the

[00:00:48] Ganga, who knows the civilization and culture of India better than I do.

[00:00:53] Later Raza said and I quote, I am hurt and amazed at the few words created about a Muslim writing

[00:00:58] the script. Am I not an Indian? Stop quote. Raza incidentally identified himself as a Ganga

[00:01:05] Putra or a Ganga Kinaryevala. This incident comes to mind because I am trying hard to focus on

[00:01:11] the intermingling of faiths and cultures in India, express through art and culture at a time when

[00:01:15] it is being tested severely. I guess it's a somewhat late reaction to the inauguration of the

[00:01:20] Ram temple in Ayodhya on what used to be the site of the Babri Masjid. I didn't quite know

[00:01:25] what to think or how to articulate my sense of hurt. It wasn't a matter of faith because I'm not

[00:01:31] religious but more of worry about how India is evolving, how in such a short time it has transformed

[00:01:36] so dramatically from the country I grew up in. So reminding myself and you that India is a

[00:01:42] confluence of beliefs, values and traditions I want to talk about the expressiveness of old

[00:01:47] poets and writers about Lord Ram, Dharamayana, Krishna and the Mahabharata. And I should say these are

[00:01:54] Muslim poets writing in Urdu. I choose this theme also because Urdu has been the other great target

[00:02:00] of Hindu Toadis who label it as the language of the other. Anyone with a rational mind understands

[00:02:06] that language is an expression of geography not religion. So Muslims in Tamil Nadu speak Tamil

[00:02:11] and Hindus in Punjab speak Punjabi. But returning to the theme Muslim poets writing in Urdu

[00:02:17] about Hindu epics have had a greater impact on popular culture than you might imagine.

[00:02:31] Back to Dr. Rahim Masrum Raza and the Mahabharata TV series, it was he who came up with the idea of

[00:02:36] time as the narrator of the epic. BR Chopra had earlier attempted something similar in his TV

[00:02:41] series Bahadur Shah Zafar for which the Red Fort was the narrator. For the voice of time among those

[00:02:47] considered was Dilip Kumar another Muslim but eventually voice over artist Harish Bomani was chosen.

[00:02:52] It was under Raza's tutelage that Bomani perfected the legendary line,

[00:02:56] May Samayhu or I am Time. It was and remains one of the greatest narrations on Indian television.

[00:03:03] Making time the narrator was a stroke of genius that not only made the tale relatable but also

[00:03:08] allowed the makers to introduce analyses and interpretations. Let's turn to Urdu Shairi now.

[00:03:14] A story is an epic for various reasons among those as timelessness and the fact that can mean

[00:03:19] different things to different people. Its timelessness and appeal across generations and geographies

[00:03:25] also means that the epic will be told and interpreted in various languages. Among the many languages

[00:03:31] the Ramayana friends expression in Isurdu. In fact there exists a vast body of Urdu Shairi and literature

[00:03:37] around the epic. Among the poems is Ram by Dr. Muhammad Ikbal. It's a work of remarkable

[00:03:43] respect and affection addressing the deity as Ramahind. Among the verses is Labraez HaSharabe Hakiqat

[00:03:49] Say Jamahind. Subfalsafi hai Khitay Maghrib Ke Ramahind which translates as The Cup of Hind is

[00:03:56] brimming with the wine of reality all the philosophers of the West are taken in by Ramahind.

[00:04:02] Another poem titled Ram was written by Rahebar John Purie. In it the poet raises Ram for striving

[00:04:08] for peace and truth. Rasmo Rivash a Ram se Arya hai Sharpa Sandh. Raavan ki Nithio ke pujari hai Sharpa

[00:04:15] Sandh. This translates as Those who prefer evil are far removed from the traditions of Ram,

[00:04:21] they are worshippers of what raavan did. A third poem titled Ram this one by Sagar Nizami

[00:04:27] Honours the lessons in love of the deity. Zindagi ki Ruhta, Ruhanyat ki Shamtha,

[00:04:32] Mo Mujas Samrupa mein Insan Keir Fandha. This means he was the soul of life and the light of

[00:04:38] spirituality. He was the knowledge in the form of a man. Let's look at an Urdu poem written by

[00:04:44] Hindu too. Ramayana ka ekseem by Bridge Naraen Chakbas is about Lord Ram saying goodbye to his

[00:04:50] parents as he goes into exile. This poem is important because it is inspired by the Islamic

[00:04:56] and mercy attrition of Awad. Ayodhya is part of the Awad region. Among the verses of the poem is

[00:05:02] Ushka Karam Sharik hai to gum nahi. Damane dashd, damane madar se kam nahi. This means if you are

[00:05:09] blessed by him you will not experience sorrow. The hem of the jungle is no less than a mother's hem.

[00:05:15] The jungle here of course refers to the banwas that Ram is said to have undertaken.

[00:05:19] Let's move now to Ram Lila, the enactment of the Ramayana by performers on a stage. In Faridabad

[00:05:25] there has been a long standing tradition of the show being performed in Urdu. It is said that

[00:05:30] the Urdu script for the Ram Lila was spent in 1976 by Nandal Batra who wrote primarily in that

[00:05:35] language. The background score is often given by Muslims from Madhura for the performances and

[00:05:41] in some instances on the day of the Aarti, no religious song is sung. Instead they sing

[00:05:45] Amalik Therabandeham which is a secular hymn because the organizers want people from every religion

[00:05:52] Here's one verse from the Ram Lila in Faridabad.

[00:06:07] These lines said by the actor who plays Lord Ram and Lakshman, lies injured in battle,

[00:06:11] translate as even knew my brother left home with me, spurned every comfort when I return to

[00:06:17] Abad without you. What shall I say that he died in Lanka without as much as a shroud?

[00:06:23] Let's turn our attention to films now to a story often told by script writer Lira Sistan

[00:06:28] poet Javed Akhtar. In 1993 director N. Chandra was making a film named Yugandhar and he signed

[00:06:34] Akhtar to write the songs. At a sitting to discuss the songs Lakshman Ghar Peralal who had been

[00:06:39] signed to score the music seemed very awkward. When Akhtar asked why they said hesitantly that there

[00:06:44] was a situation in the script where an Aarti and honor of Lord Krishna seemed like a perfect fit.

[00:06:51] They were skeptical that Akhtar and Aithyas but born in a Muslim family could write an Aarti.

[00:06:56] Akhtar asked for the tune and returned the next day with the lyrics. He told Lakshmikanth and Peralal

[00:07:01] that an Aarti always ends in a crescendo which was missing from that tune. However he had written

[00:07:06] for it any asked him to compose it. The entire crescendo comprised names of Lord Krishna.

[00:07:12] Lakshmikanth and Peralal were stunned because they as Hindus did not know as many names of Krishna

[00:07:17] and they said as much. They asked Akhtar how he knew so many and he replied that it was because he

[00:07:23] reads Urdu. Incidentally Yugandhar means someone who will change an era and is one of the names of Krishna.

[00:08:42] In case you are interested, the song is named Krishna Aayga and can be found online and I

[00:08:49] will also hyperlink it in the episode transcript on the podcast website www.allindiansmatter.in

[00:08:56] and put the link in the show notes. Let's balance the euphoria of the Aarti with a lament by

[00:09:01] the great Urdu poet Kaffir Azmi, the late father-in-law of Akhtar and the father of Akhtar Shabana Azmi.

[00:09:08] When the Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992, Kaffir Azmi wrote the poignant and very political poem

[00:09:14] Dusra Banwas. It was an energy for the India that was and could have been through the eyes of Ram

[00:09:20] himself whose temple was sought to be constructed on the side. The verses talk about Ram returning

[00:09:25] from exile only to find Raksidhivangi or dance of madness in his home and blood on the banks of the

[00:09:33] Sarayur River. Ram would have used this, said Azmi as his second management from the city

[00:09:37] and Dusra Banwas. He was an excerpt from the gnazm. Ram Banwas,

[00:09:44] when he came to the house of a lot or a jungle that came in the river.

[00:09:48] Raksidhivangi, the one who saw in the Angan, thought that Ram would be in the sixth December

[00:09:54] and how did he come to my house? This translates as when Ram returned from exile and

[00:10:00] entered his home. He longed for the jungle upon seeing the city as he would have viewed the dance

[00:10:05] of madness in his courtyard on December 6th. Lord Ram would have thought how did so many madmen

[00:10:11] get into my home? As I said this is a lament but I want to end with something more uplifting.

[00:10:18] I am deeply passionate about Kavali, a musical format invented by Amir Khusro or devotee of Nizamuddin

[00:10:23] Alia, whose dharga is a sanctuary for people of all faiths in Delhi even today. Mankunthomala,

[00:10:30] which is thought by many to be the first Kavali composed by Khusro is often preceded by a Kalduram.

[00:10:35] Although Khusro did not compose that Kalduram it is not surprising that it happens because Kavali is

[00:10:41] at its core a Kaldur to the divine and is the embodiment of India's syncretic soul. Take one of the Kavali's

[00:10:47] many versions this one sung by Mukhtiar Ali he starts like this.

[00:10:59] This means in voice lies the power of God, Ram resides in every musical note when the singer sings

[00:11:06] a melody the ailing fine relief.

[00:11:47] I am in every musical note when the singer sings a melody the ailing fine relief.

[00:12:17] Ram,

[00:12:20] in every musical note when the singer sings a melody the ailing fine relief.

[00:12:47] Suri,

[00:12:51] Innsan,

[00:12:55] Suri,

[00:12:59] Innsan,

[00:13:03] Surbha,

[00:13:07] Suri,

[00:13:11] Innsan,

[00:13:15] Suri,

[00:13:19] Suri,

[00:13:23] Suri,

[00:13:27] Suri,

[00:13:29] Suri,

[00:13:31] Suri,

[00:13:33] Suri,

[00:13:35] Kavali,

[00:14:05] Suri,

[00:14:09] Suri,

[00:14:13] Suri,

[00:14:17] This particular version is interspersed with calls of Hari Om too.

[00:14:21] This is a Kavali sung in honor of Imam Ali considered by many to be the spiritual successor of Prophet Muhammad.

[00:14:27] The words Mankun Tomola is part of a Hadith or statement of the Prophet

[00:14:31] that said to have been uttered when he returned from his last pilgrimage in 632 AD

[00:14:35] just a few months before he passed away. It means whoever accepts me as their spiritual guide Ali is his spiritual guide as well.

[00:14:43] The Kavali can be interpreted as being in the state of union with love for the divine

[00:14:47] and when sung well often induces a state of ecstasy or spiritual rapture.

[00:14:53] If you are interested in listening to it, I have hyperlinked it in the transcript of this episode on the podcast website

[00:14:57] and put the link in the show notes. As I said Kavali is not about Islam alone

[00:15:01] and so it's no surprise that Lord Ram often finds mention in it.

[00:15:05] In the days to come, I will do more episodes on other religions and their role in India's synchritic soul.

[00:15:11] In the meantime, I hope this episode doesn't come across as a rambul but instead what is meant to be.

[00:15:17] A tribute to what India is at its core and should be on the outside too.

[00:15:21] I hope it under scores how India embodies synchritism and that it is a convergence of faiths and cultures

[00:15:29] and art and poetry and everything that is beautiful in this world.

[00:15:33] And I hope that this episode exudes hope because without it, where would India be especially in times like these?

[00:15:41] Thank you all for listening. Please visit all Indians matter.in. That's A. W. L.

[00:15:49] A. N. S. M. A. W. T. E. R. . I. N. For more columns and audio podcasts, you can follow me on Twitter.

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