Zindaginama by Krishna Sobti

Author:Krishna Sobti
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: null
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers India
Published: 2017-01-10T05:00:00+00:00

‘Spared ten lakh lives

Spared ten lakh counties

Spared ten lakh promises

Of not going to Hindostan.

“Sold, ji, sold, Lahore county is sold!”’

Karm Ilahiji called out, ‘Who is it? Oye, who is this merry-heart sparing ten lakh promises?’

Fajju came in, salaamed and said, ‘Dada Sahib, it is Vazeera of Thalli Vand.’

‘Hmm. So the little boy is announcing that he has passed grade three?’

‘Looks like Maulviji has let the toddlers off for the day.’

Fakira looked at Najiba and laughed. ‘No doubt Maulviji had to get his turban washed. It happens no, to see someone, to be seen by someone.’

‘Let him be, Fakireya. If the hour to dye his moustache and beard is upon Maulviji, then, khair sadke, let him also please his heart!’

Karm Ilahiji and Chaudhary Fateh Aliji smiled to themselves but retained their imposing mien. ‘Shah Sahib, this is also the time to think about which school, which madarsa-maqtab our little Lali Shah shall attend.’

Shahji was pleased with the topic. ‘Chaudharyji, if a man could have his way, then he would present his son before his own ustaad, at his own madarsa. But then time never stops. Things change. Each day is new, and with it, ustaads too.’

Jahandad Khan offered: ‘Some good new mission schools have been started. Our Lali Shah should go to one of those. They are highly regarded in our platoons. If one learns a smattering of English, one is made.’

Shahji started enjoying himself. Laughed and said, ‘If you want the truth, a man becomes a man only if he learns Persian.’

Ganda Singh sat up on his cot and called out crisply, ‘Munshi Ilmdin, O where are you hiding now? When the title of Man is being bestowed, you vanish from sight!’

Mauladadji’s chillum was fizzling out. He called for Nawab to refill it and said, ‘Shahji, you have made a clear distinction here. So, then ordinary folks like us are entirely excluded from the caste of man, is it?’

Kashi Shah quoted the newspaper: ‘That is the attitude of our government. If you are with the Sarkar, you serve it and all is well and fine. Otherwise, yes, most certainly, the natives are seen as nothing but rustic idiots.’

Shahji closed his eyes for a moment and carefully retrieved a memory. ‘Chaudharyji, it is an old akhyan. Listen. A famous astrologer from the south, named Varahmihir, came to Siyalkot during his travels. Siyalkot was called Swatinagari in those days. And our Gujrat was called Udinagari. Varahmihir was an intrepid traveller. Kashmir, Hazara, Multan – he had covered all these on foot. And so wandering, he arrived in a Gujjar village. People came to know that the distinguished traveller was also an astrologer. They gathered before him to have their hands and fortunes read.

‘Varahmihir was a great scholar. Just looking at the lines on a hand or forehead, he could correctly tell the past and future. The people were most impressed. Requested him to stay the night saying, “Maharaj, night is falling. Please rest in our village tonight. May it be so destined that we, too, get an opportunity to serve you.

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