Page 23 - Pakistan Link - October 18, 2019

COMMENTARY OCTOBER 18, 2019 – PAKISTAN LINK – P23

Advice of Tipu Sultan - 1

Translation and Commentary of Ghazal by Dr Sir Muhammad Iqbal

n By Dr Basheer Ahmed Khan amongst the descendants of rela-
Garden Grove, CA tives of Tipu Sultan, about the visit
of Allama Iqbal, he told us about
aider Ali, father of Tipu the visit. His description was so
Sultan, was a loyal soldier graphic, detailed and dramatic that
Hin the cavalry of Maharaja I still remember it vividly.
of Mysore who used to undertake He informed that Allama
serious missions on behalf of Iqbal prayed the Asar Salath in
Maharaja. That gave him a good the mosque on the west side of the
understanding of the strength mausoleum and came to join the
and weaknesses of the Raj. He Fatheha on the graves of Tipu Sul-
was also alive to the situation in tan, his father Haidar Ali and his
the country where British, French mother who lie side by side in the
and Portuguese were vying with mausoleum. Then Allama toured
one another to colonize India. the graveyard surrounding the
While the Portuguese had es- mausoleum to learn about the oth-
tablished their colony in Goa on er relatives of Tipu Sultan buried
the West Coast of India, the French there. Allama Iqbal then sat close to
were established in Pondicherry the mesh screen engraved in black
on the East Coast way down in the marble and set in the wall on the
south. East India Company had south side of the mausoleum. He
flown its flag in Calcutta for the sat silent for a while, then he start-
King of England and had taken ed to cry silently with tears flowing
control of all the Royals, Nawabs down his cheeks, and there were
and Maharajas of India and was some sobs also which he could not
eying on Karnataka to complete control. The old guide was also in
its colonization. As this was going tears as he recalled the visit.
on the Maharajas of Mysore from He further said: Allama
Wadiyar family were engaged in opened his little bag and took out
fine arts and philosophy in the lux- his scribbling pad and wrote some-
ury of their lives leaving the state- thing on it and left along with his
craft to the bureaucrats who were companions who had accompanied
hobnobbing with the East India Sir M Visvesvaraya the PM of Ma- tuguese as they were brutal both and his Prime Minister Purnayya. him. It is this poem that I am trans-
Company. haraja of Mysore, Sri Krishna Raj in warfare and business and had The British forces had also reached lating now with a great sense of hu-
Finding the Wadiyar family Wadiyar. gained the reputation of crusaders the fort and were a constant threat mility and responsibility.
unable to prevent the state of Kar- Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan more than colonizers. He did not that was becoming more ominous Visit of Allama Iqbal to the
nataka from slipping into the hands were brave honest men. Their brav- like the British East India Compa- with internal treachery. When Tipu grave of Tipu Sultan was to reflect
of the greatest colonial power, Hai- ery, nay, chivalry is evident from ny that had usurped a lot of Indian Sultan learned that Mir Sadiq had upon the history of this great man
dar Ali with other likeminded offi- the historic battles they fought on land under the guise of business. opened the gates of the Fort to let and this great place which he al-
cials established his own sultanate several fronts. Their honesty, sim- His natural choice was the French. the British Army in, he decided to ready knew well and to write about
in Sri Rangapatnam to keep Kar- plicity, and integrity are evident He had established contacts with fight the British rather than surren- the lesson of his life and legacy to
nataka safe. To keep his Sultanate from the fact that they ruled over Napoleon to strengthen ties be- der. Thus, he lived his life according console himself and benefit others
safe from the surprise attacks of the a great and resourceful land from a tween France and his Sultanate to to his own saying that “a day of life who aspire to be leaders. It is said
British, and the remnants of Wadi- throne which was a huge wooden fight the British. He got some valu- as a lion is better than a hundred that visit to graves of such people
yar’s supporters, he shifted the cap- chair with no gold or diamonds able assistance in the form of men years of life of a jackal”. He was with a consciousness of their life
ital from Mysore to Sri Rangapat- adorning it. Nor was there any and material from France. He sent martyred fighting the British near and their mission enthuses the
nam which is about 10 miles East modicum of a roof over it to give his sun Tipu to conquer the area the fort in 1799. Thus, he lived a visitor with thoughts and resolves
of Mysore. He chose this place be- it a semblance of a throne so that it in the East to link his Sultanate brief and eventful life of 47 years. which are not possible to get by
cause it was a strategically located was easy for them to carry it to the with the French Colony of Pondi- There is a stone erected at this place reading their biographies in the
Island between the two tributaries battle front from where he ruled cherry to consolidate these ties. where he fell to indicate that his comfort of ones sitting room or li-
of River Cauvery before it united at most of the time. He also sent an expedition to the body was found there. Even though brary. That is why people undergo a
Sangama. He built a fort to fortify Bravery and honesty alone north to save his sultanate from the British were controlling most of great deal of hardships to visit such
the city and ensure its safety. are not enough to succeed for a the onslaught of the British who India, it was not until the death of places.
Tipu Sultan was the second of ruler, intelligence is also impor- had influence on the Nizamate of Tipu Sultan that they were sure of With all this historical back-
the two sons of Haidar Ali and was tant. When bravery and honesty of Hyderabad and the Marathas. As consolidating their imperial con- ground of Mysore and Tipu Sul-
born in 1752. Haidar Ali groomed David collaborated with the intel- Tipu was engaged in these expedi- trol. With Tipu’s death, the Viceroy tan when Dr Sir Muhammad Iqbal
the elder son to be a warrior like ligence of Solomon the mission of tions he was shell shocked to get declared: “Now India is ours.” visited the grave of Tipu Sultan the
him. By giving religious education liberation of Hebrew was achieved. the news of the death of his father, When I was in 6th grade we following lessons from Tipu Sul-
under the guidance of Sufi saints Once the intelligence of Solomon Haidar Ali. Fearing loss of control were taken on a field trip to Sri tan’s life resonated in him to write
he groomed the younger son Tipu lost the company of David the of his capital, Tipu Sultan returned Rangapatnam which is about ten a poem titled “Sultan Tipu Ki Wa-
Sultan to be a religious guide and Hebrew became the subjects of to Srirangapatnam after abandon- miles from the city of Mysore where siyat”. It can be read in Zarbay Kal-
a conscience-bearer for his elder Romans who were the offshoot of ing his mission. the Mausoleum of Tipu Sultan is eem collection of his Kulliyat.
brother. Unfortunately, the elder Egyptian Pharaohs. It is an unfor- In the interim period between located. It was a memorable trip This is not a verbatim transla-
son died of some disease and Tipu tunate fact of history that evil intel- the death of Haidar Ali and Tipu’s which triggered my interest in na- tion because most of the idiom and
had to assume both responsibili- ligent people have always been suc- return to Sri Rangapatnam some ture, travel and history as a young statements in this ghazal have a his-
ties. Scrolls engraved in white mar- cessful in enlisting the support of disloyal cabinet members had es- curious boy. I have written about it torical context which has all been
ble on the gates of KRS dam speak honest brave men to loot the mass- tablished contacts with the British in my article “Travel Ban and GPS explained in the life of Dr. Iqbal
aloud about the Sufi nature of Tipu es while the real intelligent people to save themselves and their people in Pakistan Link dated Feb 3, 2017. and the life of Tipu Sultan and in
Sultan. This dam was planned by are busy managing and multiplying in anticipation of the demise of the When our headmaster Mr Ghulam the commentary on the ghazal in
Tipu Sultan but completed later this loot. Sultanate. Notable amongst them Mustafa asked the mausoleum tour the third part of this article. (Con-
by the doyen of civil engineering, Haidar Ali loathed the Por- was his Muslim general Mir Sadiq guide, who was an old man from tinued next week)
Suno Chanda: A Hit Sitcom

n By Umar Siddiqui cousins, Ajiya (played by Iqra Aziz) tween Jia and Arsal, as Jia goes to her is arranged marriage. Jia is opposed In season 2, Shahana’s cousin,
Northridge, CA and Arsal Ali (played by Farhan when there is a problem. Two other to the marriage as she wants to pur- Parveen, or Pari, cons family mem-
Saeed), who are engaged at the dy- characters are Jia and Arsal’s cousin sue higher education in the UK and bers into favors using her beauty and
he feelings that stirred in- ing request of their deceased grand- Sherry (played by Nabeel Zuberi) Arsal and Jia want to be friends and wit. Kinza’s parents are Masooma
side me while watching father, Jahangir. The matriarch and their other cousin Kinza (played cousins as opposed to life partners. Ali (played by Tara Mahmood) and
Tboth seasons of Pakistani of the family, Bee Jan (played by by Mashal Khan). Anyway, there are The other issues in the show can be Jalal Khan (played by Adnan Shah
sitcom Suno Chanda were virtu- Samina Mumtaz), wants to enforce multiple intriguing, distinct, and seen as Jia’s younger brother, DJ, or Tipu). Jalal married outside of Pe-
ally indescribable. I was able to the marriage and make it happen as well-developed characters in the Danial (played by Sami Khan), uses shawar when he married Masooma,
understand most of the jokes, even do Arsal’s parents and the parents two installments of the hit sitcom. his cell phone to make videos of se- and this was looked down upon by
though I was raised here in Cali- of Ajiya, or Jia. Shahana, (played The sitcom is not only enter- crets in the family and blackmails Jalal’s elders, who did not approve of
fornia. My favorite character is the by Nadia Afghan), or Channo, who taining, but it successfully tackles his family members into paying him Jalal marrying outside of his cultural
one that is probably everyone’s fa- is Arsal’s mother, is hostile to Jia in a multitude of social and cultural to delete the videos. This is the issue background. This is also seen with
vorite, Shahana. the first season. Jia’s friend Huma at- issues in the social climate in Paki- of children abusing technology, even some other characters in the show.
The story revolves around two tempts to always mend relations be- stan. Its overarching issue to tackle as it occurs in Pakistan.
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