Spiritual connect Fariduddin Ayaaz and Abu Mohammad PHOTO: KVS Giri 

The sky was star-spangled and the air heavy with the scent of camphor. Soulful notes pierced the sepulchral silence adding to the ethereal ambience. The last abode of the Qutb Shahi kings reverberated with devotional music the other day as Fariduddin Ayaaz and Abu Mohammad took the stage.

For a change the Qutb Shahi Tombs, the royal necropolis, turned into an open air auditorium with the Pakistani qawwals and their humnava (group) casting a spell. The audience had a mystical experience as the mehfil-e-sama organised by the Agha Khan Trust for Culture progressed.

It was not the archetypal Bollywood qawwali but the one performed at sufi shrines and dargahs. The Pakistani qawwals started off with preamble verses and switched on to Man Kunto Maula , the legendary Manqabat qawwali composed by the iconic sufi poet, Hazrath Amir Khusrau. They gradually raised the tempo and passion leaving the audience asking for more. There was not one in the assemblage who was not caught in the hypnotic spell. With every number, the qawwals took the audience to a spiritual high. As is the norm, love and longing for the divine was the central theme of the songs. What added to the appeal was the perfect blend of the fundamental features of qawwali such as takrar, gireh and rhythm of tarana .

The Pakistani duo sang from the depths of heart and raised the pitch with this popular song of Amjad Hyderabadi:

Maayus sael ne jab ghar ki rahi li

Aankhon main ansoon they jholi thi khali

Itne main rahmat ye jhunjla ke boli

Aa aa idhar aa tu phir mang phir mang

The qawwals established an instant connect with the audience by belting out poems of Hyderabadi poets. They had the audience swaying to Waqar Hyderabadi's song ‘ Aaya Banna aya Haryala Banna aya .’ Another song by the same poet ‘ Hare jhande ke shazade .’ was simply captivating. Many in the audience couldn't control themselves and offered nazrana to the qawwals as token of their appreciation.

As the night wore on the ecstasy only increased. There was a feeling of one being close and in accord with God.


Can anyone ask for more?

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The Hindu

Dated December 19,2015

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A recent mushaira regaled audience with its Deccani shayeri

Hyderabad and mushairas are made for each other. But this one was the most captivating of all. Reason, it was conducted in the language of the people. Yes, the musahaira was organised in chaste Deccani, the lingua franca of the erstwhile Nizam domain, and predictably drew bahutich applause.

Though widely spoken, Deccani today remains only an oral language. But time was when great poets, including Hyderabad's founder, Sultan Mohd Quli Qutb Shah, chose it as a medium of poetic expression. For the first time perhaps, the rich literary heritage of Deccani was unveiled when a tamseeli mushaira (mock concert) was held recently at the Salar Jung Museum. It was sponsored by the Centre for Deccan Studies. The credit of course goes to Dr. Jaweed Kamal of Aiwan-e-Fankar, who wrote and directed the mushaira. The melodic commentary by Dr. Humaira Sayeed was a treat.

Period costumes

What added to the appeal were the period costumes donned by the poets, complete with flowing beards and long hair. The audience was transported back to the Quli Qutb Shah's darbar with the traditional masnad ( seat of cushions) and khandeel (lantern) in place. The Deccani shayeri filled with distinctive lexical features like tume (you), sacchi bole (rightly said ), tumna tawajje chahata hoon (seek your attention) regaled the audience. It was Quli Qutb Shah himself who set the ball rolling with these verses:

Meri saunli man ki pyari dise

Ke rang roop main kaunli naari dise

He was followed by well known Deccani poets Mulla Khayali, Nusrati, Mulla Wajhi, Syed Miran, Shaikh Ahmed Gujarati, Wali Mohammad. Though a tad difficult to pronounce, the artistes didn’t falter and the audience too had no trouble understanding the Deccani poetry. The poetry of Asadulla Wajhi (sung by Waheed Pasha Qaudri) was touching. Syed Meeran’s shayeri superbly recited by Dr. Moin Amar Bamboo had the audience in splits. The latter recited Rekhti, a genre of Urdu poetry also called auraton ki zaban . Here the male poets employ women’s idioms, mannerism, double entendres and accents. Sample the verse:

Sajan aawen to parde se nikal kar bhaar baithoongi

Bahana karke motiyon ka proti haar baithoongi

The mushaira ended with Quli Qutb Shah's famous prayer which he made while laying the foundation of Hyderabad:

Mera shahr logan se mamoor kar

Rakhyia joon tun darya mein min Ya Sami

(Oh Lord, fill my city with people as Thou hast filled the river with fish).

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The Hindu

Dated December 14,2015

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There is only one pretty child in the world, and every mother has it. But not everyone seems to believe in this adage. What delights most is the sight of a male child. And this, unfortunately, is the bitter truth. The preference for male children has taken such strong roots in the society that the birth of a boy and girl recently at a hospital in Nalgonda district of Telangana turned into a bone of contention between two young mothers.

Both the mothers staked claim on the boy. What added to the confusion was the error on the part of a nurse who told the woman who gave birth to the girl that she was blessed with a boy. The sight of newborns moves even the stone-hearted. Who wouldn’t like to hug and kiss them? But these women could feel compassion only for the baby boy. Hours ticked by as the cuddly kids lay on the hospital bed hungry and unattended.

All pleas to breast-feed the babies fell on deaf ears ­— the women would suckle only the boy and not the girl. Whatever happened to human kindness? The matter remains unresolved as it now awaits report of a DNA test.

The whole episode is sickening and a sad commentary on the current state of humanity. When traditional man-woman roles seem to be reversing, many still yearn for the male child. This obsession is playing havoc with the basic fabric of the society. Sex-selective abortions are on the rise, despite being banned. The rich and the influential fly to countries where it is permissible to get abortions after the sex of the foetus is determined. All this has led to an adverse gender balance. Census data indicates that the number of girls per 1,000 boys has dropped from 910 in 2011 to 898 in 2013.

The son fixation has deep social and cultural roots in the Asian countries. Even during the pre-Islamic times it held sway. The Arabs had then attributed sons to themselves and daughters to Allah. When someone gave news of the birth of a girl, their faces turned pale and gloom took over them.

Should they keep her and suffer contempt or bury her in the dust. This was the question that bothered them. The modern man has overcome this barbaric form of burying alive baby girls. He simply snuffs out life in the womb and calls it abortion, an euphemism for murder.

There is no hue and cry about the countless girls who are not allowed to see the light of day. Nobel Prize winner, Amartya Sen, calls them missing women.  Some families are so son-centric that they end up with half a dozen girls in the hope of producing at least one male baby. Though India is religious by nature we don’t have firm faith that it is God who gives daughters to whom He wills and sons to whom He wills and both to whom He wills and makes barren whom He wills. Nor do we have the scientific temperament to believe that it is an X and a Y chromosome that determines the gender of the baby.

Even among the educated and urban couples, the son-only-syndrome persists. Economic factor also drives this mania.Moreover, boys are looked upon as budhape ka sahara (security in old age). They take care of education and marriage of younger siblings, perform the last rites of parents and most importantly, bring in the dowry.

On the other hand daughters are considered a liability — a paraya dhan (someone else’s wealth) so to say. For this reason many are stingy with regard to spending on girl’s education as it would only benefit their husband’s families. If aversion to girl child is only because of dowry and marriage expenses, couldn’t something be done to root out this menace? Gender equality will not come with mere ‘save girl child’ slogans. As an anonymous wit put it:

A son is a son till he gets his wife, but a daughter is a daughter all her life. If you pray for a child, pray for a righteous child — not a boy or girl.

- J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The New Indian Express

Dated December 7,2015.

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The nation has recently been afflicted by a serious disorder to which a number of people have fallen prey. The disorder is oral diarrhoea characterised by a profusion of loose, often inane and hazardous talk.

Words can make or mar, heal or wound. But who cares. Everyone is bent on shooting from the mouth — whether one has a locus standi in the matter or not. Passing comments and making remarks at the drop of a hat have become the norm rather than the exception. And the consequences of this are all too clear. From Babri to Dadri, a lot of water has flowed under the bridge and Incredible India has become Intolerant India.

There is no end to the debate on plunging tolerance levels in the country. First, it was superstar Shah Rukh Khan, and now Aamir Khan, to speak out on the matter, and in between, there have been several politicians who did their bit to keep the issue burning.

Our public representatives, of course, are past masters of the art of doublespeak. They make a loaded statement today and the very next day follow it up with lame excuses. “The media has distorted my statement” or “I am misquoted” are frequently the claim.

God has given humans two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak. But the problem with many is that we do not listen to understand but to reply.

Thanks to social media, the common man is generous these days in sharing his nonsense, fear and ignorance widely. Loose talk online has its own consequences as it has the potential to reach far more people than something said in the physical world. Some people have this bad habit of giving their expert views based on mere hearsay. Where is the need to invent a story with your small mind and share that invented story with your big mouth when you have not seen with your own eyes and heard with your own ears?

Panelists on television news shows, of course, are ever ready to stoke the passions further with instant commentary. Often, words are put into the mouth and innocuous statements turned into sensational ones. For the electronic media, controversies are the easiest way to boost TRP ratings.

Making a mountain out of a molehill is the favourite pastime of many of us. Whenever a controversy erupts, the Toms, Dicks and Harrys are ready to air their views — often compounding the matter further. Politicians, for sure, stick to the policy of one controversy a day. And most of them try to one-up on each other. A Union Minister recently created ripples with his ‘dog’ remark while a Delhi minister kicked up a row with an observation about ‘beautiful women’ going out at midnight . Not to be left behind a Karnataka minister raised hackles by saying that yoga was for ‘lazy people’. Defending such outlandish and sectarian remarks leaves the government on a sticky wicket.

Wise men speak as they have something to say, fools because they have to say something. But nowadays everyone wants to wax eloquent and mostly end up saying the wrong thing at the wrong moment, while some put their foot into the mouth every time they open it. Who, nowadays, remembers the golden principle of thinking before you speak, and, of course, Googling to verify something before you post.

As an anonymous wit once put it, great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events and the small minds discuss people. If only one would stop poking one’s nose into everything and desist from backbiting, things would  look up — both at the individual as well as at the national level. The moral of the story, therefore, is: Speak only if you can improve silence.

- J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The New Indian Express

Dated December 2,2015.

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Catchy actMirza Ghalib in his element  

School children show how a language can be experienced and celebrated

It was an expo with a difference. No, it was not an art, fashion or product fair. It was all about language, something unheard of till then. The city of domes and minarets was witness to a unique celebration of Urdu. And it took school children to bring out the sweetness and magical lyricism of the Urdu language.

Titled after Daagh Dehlvi’s famous couplet ‘ Urdu hai jiska naam ... ’, the exhibition hosted by students and teachers of Central Public High School, Khilwath, recently at the Mehboob Husain Jigar hall in Siasat daily was a runaway success. Students of different schools in the city and lovers of Urdu flocked the show necessitating extension of the expo.

Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are headed. The expo did just that.

It not only traced the history of Urdu but gave visitors something to remember long after they left the premises. Some of the finest Urdu couplets and ‘nazms’ were on display.

What added to the appeal was the way students donned the attire and looks of the famous poets of yore. One could see the poet of East, Allama Iqbal, reclining in his trademark black suit and Mirza Ghalib with his typical cone cap and snowy beard, holding a hookah. There was also Wali Deccani, Mohd Quli Qutb Shah, Mir Taqi Mir, Hazrath Amir Khusro besides writers like Ibne Safi, Premchander.

Students waxed eloquent about the works of the poets apart from reciting their verses. Presentation of ‘ Shikwa ’ and ‘ Jawab-e-Shikwa ’, the epic poems of Allama Iqbal by students was the high point of the expo.

“We decided to present the language in all its glory as these days everyone is talking about the decline of Urdu,” said Mohd Zafarullah Faheem, Director, Central Public High School.

The limits of one’s language are the limits of one’s world. But there was no limit to the poetical appeal of the expo. Wherever one glanced one was greeted by ‘shayeri’.


Talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to this head. And if you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart. 

That’s what the Urdu expo did — it went straight to the heart.

 J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The Hindu

Dated November 27,2015

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The ‘distance’ between a human being and being human is really long. Nonetheless, some manage to cover it effortlessly. Edhi Foundation, the Pakistani NGO, which sheltered and raised the deaf-mute Geeta drew all-round appreciation recently. This fairy tale story has a match in India too. Not long ago, the family of Madhava Reddy of Nalgonda district in Telangana was in the news for bringing up a Muslim girl, Farzana, and marrying her off in style. The surprising thing is neither the Pakistani NGO nor the Reddy family ever tried to convert the girls under their care to their religion.

There are still people, who stand by values, pluralism and tolerance. Such stories of love and care lift the spirit and reassure that all is not lost with humanity, especially at a time when the debate on intolerance rages on. Selfless acts like these come as a breath of fresh air. But I strongly feel, and many will agree with me, that the common man is still fair and unbiased and turns a Good Samaritan in times of crisis.

Despite the climate of hatred and distrust sought to be created by politicians of all hues, humanity survives. People love to share and care. There are any number of instances of mutual love and understanding shown by people of different faiths. After all, religion is there to bind and not dissociate. I know of a Muslim friend, who received help from his Hindu neighbour when he suffered a heart attack and had to be rushed to hospital in the middle of the night. Similarly heart-warming is the action of a Muslim family in protecting the lives of their Hindu neighbours during a communal riot in Hyderabad’s Old City.

Respecting diversity and celebrating individual differences is the fire that fuels lasting love. Instances of such sterling qualities of head and heart come to the fore now and then — reinforcing our faith in humanity.

In day-to-day life, most of us have experienced kind gestures shown by people rising above the considerations of faith — especially during travel time, one can see fairly regularly utter strangers going out of their way to accommodate fellow passengers.

During a recent journey to New Delhi, I was witness to a man giving up his lower berth in the train to an elderly woman although he himself was not too well. No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. One shouldn’t underestimate the power of small gestures — a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment. They make a profound impact and affect people positively. After all, we are not born for ourselves alone but to be useful to others.

Too often we come across people lending a hand to push a stalled car or helping someone with a flat tyre. Drop into any hospital and there are scenes of people consoling distressed souls with a hug or a kind word. It doesn’t cost much to do little acts of compassion which go a long way in removing misgivings while making the world a better place to live in. There are any number of shining examples of such pure love and great benevolence across the country.

During the month of Ramzan, Hindu shopkeepers making room for their fasting Muslim clients to pray and offering dates for ‘iftar’ are common in Hyderabad. Such gestures are reciprocated by Muslims during the annual Ganesh procession in the city. But unfortunately, the media glosses over such acts and highlights only the conflict points.

As an anonymous wit said quite correctly three things are important in life: The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind. In a world full of people, who couldn’t care less, let us be someone who couldn’t care more.

- J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The New Indian Express

Dated November 23,2015.

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Blast from the past : Musical instruments and toys from the collection.Photo: Nagara Gopal.  

This winter vacation will be special for children for they can look forward to a refurbished children’s gallery at the Salar Jung Museum (SJM) in Hyderabad. Authorities are working overtime to ready a new gallery which will be unveiled on December 16.

Spread over 5,000 sq. ft on the first floor in the Central Block, it promises to be a visual treat for the youngsters. Designed by Khasim Ali Khan, a scion of the Salar Jung family, the Rs. 40 lakh-gallery will showcase hitherto unseen collections of Salar Jung. In all there will be 6,000 objects on display of which 50 percent will be drawn from the reserve collections of the museum.

Visitors can see clay models depicting life in a typical Indian village, especially in the Telangana region. This is in addition to porcelain birds and animals of China and Japan, replicas of fruits and vegetables, beautifully modelled wild animals in bronze and other metals apart from clay models of domesticated animals. The toy armies, both artillery and infantry, depict warfare at the time of the Second World War.

Tiny versions of musical instruments like harmonium, veena, guitar, tabla, dholak, being showcased for the first time also bear testimony to the vast range of interests Salar Jung had in collecting objects. The cynosure of all eyes is the huge glass case in the centre of the gallery that houses a toy train complete with railway stations, platforms and tracks. This apart, one can get a peep into the transport system of yore — Horse drawn carriages, jeeps, cars, buses, aeroplanes and even rocket models. Some of the new objects being displayed were acquired by Salar Jung himself. “The whole thing will be of immense educational value to children,” says A. Nagender Reddy, in-charge director, SJM. The existing children’s gallery on the ground floor will be converted into a textile gallery once it is shifted.


What’s more? Children can also look forward to playing virtual games in the new gallery. Two touch screen game panels are being installed at both ends of the gallery by the National Council of Science Museums to create interest among children. A world of imagination and exploration awaits kids at SJM. They can connect, understand and explore.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The Hindu

Dated November 21,2015

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It was a welcome drizzle after a sizzling day. I glanced at the bookshelf, my prized possession, and pulled out a paperback and eased myself in the chair close to the balcony. The pitter-patter of rain drops on the windowpane interrupted my thoughts. What if there were no books, I mean the physical ones?

The idea sent a chill down my spine. I have always dreaded this possibility since the advent of the digital format. For those who grew up in the print-only world, there is a natural aversion to modern gadgets. E-books, for me, can never take the place of a real book. A book is a dream that you hold in your hand. Is that possible with gizmos like iPads, e-Readers, smart phones and tablets? No way.

But the writing on the wall is clear. Electronic books are the in-thing. They are gradually invading the market, though thankfully are not a rage yet. The world is moving towards paperless offices. Chandrababu Naidu, the computer-savvy chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, is already holding paperless Cabinet meetings. There is a distinct possibility that in the years to come books in digital formats will edge out print books. Brick-and-mortar bookstores are calling it a day in many cities. A A Hussain, a popular  bookstore in Hyderabad, has shut shop after being in business for 65 years.

However, bibliophiles can take heart. Print books have not hit a plateau yet. They are still alive and thriving. What drives their sales is the alluring covers, something e-Readers can’t boast of. The best part is the aroma that they give off. Bookworms will vouch that a new book smells great and an old one even better. Nothing can match the joy one derives flipping through the pages, relishing the font and the binding adhesive. On the contrary e-Readers are lifeless and odourless devices to say the least.

The joy of shopping for second-hand books is simply inexplicable. Sundays bring book addicts out of the woodwork as it were. They swarm over the pavements in Hyderabad looking for their favourite titles. Wonder what William Shakespeare is doing in the company of Sidney Sheldon? Or Charles Dickens rubbing shoulders with J K Rowling? Timeless classics and books of the hour are on the same footing here. From P G Woodhouse and Mark Twain to Harold Robbins and Jackie Collins — pick up the best of the reads for a song.

The other day I was leafing through a book when a piece of paper tumbled out. On closer examination it turned out to be a train ticket. I was instantly transported back to a journey made some two decades ago. One tends to keep letters, shopping receipts, invites as a marker and forget. Their discovery sends you into a nostalgic reverie, an experience electronic books can’t offer. E-books have their own niche — convenience, portability and ability to share passages. But what you read is short-lived.  Pixel screen is not the same as a printed page.

Surely life was easier when Apple was just a fruit. Technology has made men tools of their tools. It has exceeded humanity as, Albert Einstein, feared. Technology is changing books and the way we read them. Hope Kindle doesn’t pose as much a threat to books as elevators to stairs.

- J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The New Indian Express

Dated November 10,2015.

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A walk through Hyderabad ‘gallis’ with Anand Raj Varma’s new book

How familiar are you with your city? Do you know where Koka-ki-Tatti is? Where is Dekhchi Galli located or what is meant by Karmanghat? No prizes for guessing. The generation next may be familiar with the upscale areas in Hyderabad but they draw a blank when asked about the localities south of Musi.

Now you can brag about your knowledge of Hyderabad, particularly the ‘ purana shahr ’. Just flip through the book Hyderabad - Mohalle, Gali, Kooche and get a thorough hold of information on the nawabi city.

Few people know Hyderabad like the back of their hand. Anand Raj Verma is one of them. His new book tells all about the names of the localities in the old city, their history and whom they are named after. After success of his Hindi book by the same name, Anand Raj has come up with its Urdu version, packing it with the history of some more localities.

The 310 pages book gives a detailed account of 65 localities, 40 dargahs, 10 temples, 8 mosques and 12 historical sites. Anand Raj Verma has done a painstaking research by visiting each area, talking with the people and collecting the little known facts.

A former principal of the Anwarul Uloom College, Anand Raj is a symbol of the famed Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb of Hyderabad. He has not just given a detailed account of various localities but classified them into 14 categories. For instance areas with the suffix ‘kunta’ — Errakunta, Nawabsab Kunta, Nallakunta are all listed together. So are areas bearing animal names such as Murghi Chowk, Hiran Tekri, Oontwadi, Mitti-ka-Sher.

The classification of areas by communities makes for interesting read. For instance Irani Galli, Sikh Chowni, Lodhawadi, Brahmanwadi. Readers will be surprised to find some ‘ khaate peete’ mohalle like Doodh Bowli, Shakargunj, Gowlipura, Misrigunj. Some areas are categorised by different professions like Kumarwadi, Sunar Galli, Kooche Nohagran (elegy reciters), Kooche Hakiman (Hakeem basti). There also quite a few areas bearing fruit names like Jambagh, Seetaphalmandi, Sapota basti. If you are looking for colourful localities there are quite a few — Hari Bowli, Lal Darwaza, Peeli Dargah.

Funny names apart, Anand Raj Verma has included many interesting anecdotes thereby enhancing the readability of his book. “For this I have depended on oral history,” he says.


The book is scheduled to be released on October 31 at Salar Jung Museum.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The Hindu

Dated October 30,2015

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Hyderabad’s hottest, traditional confectionary is relished by people of all faiths in this season

Yes, the flavour of the season is back. It’s time to indulge in the sweet-baked treat. Dum-ke-Roat, the traditional Hyderabadi cookie, has swamped the market with the advent of Muharram, the first month of Islamic calendar. It is the fastest moving item during the month and occupies the pride of place in bakeries across the city. Like Haleem, which has come to be associated with Ramzan, the month of fasting, Dum-ke-Roat is the hottest confectionary during Muharram, the month of mourning for the Shias.

Religious significance apart, people of all faiths eagerly wait to relish this seasonal delicacy. But this time round, Roat lovers have to shell down slightly more to enjoy the crusty fare.

Major bakeries have priced it at Rs. 440 per kg, forty rupees more than the previous year. “We are left with no option but to raise the price in view of rise in the prices of ghee and dry fruits,” says Syed Irfan of Subhan Bakery at Nampally. However the rush at this popular bakery shows that people do not mind the hike as long as the quality is assured. “I wait the whole year to taste Roat and I don’t mind paying more,” says Arshad Ayub, a software techie.

Many bakeries witness a dip in the sale of other products during Muharram as Roat dominates the scene. The demand peaks on the 10th of Muharram, which marks the ‘Youm-e-Ashoora’. On this day the traditional ‘'Bibi-ka-Alam’ procession is taken out on a caparisoned elephant from Bibi-ka-Alawa in Dabeerpura to Chaderghat. The seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, is believed to have offered Roat to the ‘Nala-e-Mubarak’ Alam near Charminar for the safety and well-being of his grandson, Mukarram Jah Bahadur. This practice continues till date and people who take a vow for the safety of their wards break the Roat on the Alam and distribute it to others. A wide range of items go into the making of Roat. The main ingredients are: wheat flour, sooji (semolina), vegetable oils, sugar, honey, clarified butter, salt, and cardamom and milk products.

For added flavour it is decked with dry fruits such as almonds, cashew nuts, pista and saffron. But getting all these in the right proportion is the most important aspect. The duration of baking is what lends that brownish look while making it crunchy from outside and soft within. What’s more, Roat is made of pure ghee and is 100 percent vegetarian.

So why not tickle the taste buds with it?



Religious significance apart, people of all faiths eagerly wait to relish this seasonal delicacy

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The Hindu

Dated October 21,2015

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‘Zinda Dilan-e-Hyderabad’ brought out the best of Hyderabadi humour to the fore.

Laughter, they say, is the best medicine. Hyderabadis know it best. Once in a while they let their hair down and laugh their hearts out. The last weekend saw endless bouts of humour and mirth as the much looked forward to annual programme of the ‘Zinda Dilan-e-Hyderabad’ got underway.

The ‘Adabi Ijlas’ (essay recital session) and the ‘mizahia mushaira’ (humorous concert) left everyone in splits. There was none in the audience who did not giggle, chuckle or break into laughter uncontrollably. Sadly the king of humour, Mujtaba Hussain, was not there to liven up the evenings. Ill health did not permit him to dish out his special brand of humour. Nevertheless one has to salute the ‘zinda dil’ spirit of Hyderabadis who turned up in good numbers.

Mushairas occupy a special place in the cultural calendar of Hyderabad. Not a day passes without a concert being held somewhere or other. Humorous mushairas are usually a big draw since there is plenty to laugh about. But unfortunately the lyrical excellence of the poets leave a lot to be desired. Poet after poet tends to indulge in the same old ‘biwi and saas’ bashing to create mirth. Connoisseurs of good shayeri couldn’t help but squirm in their seats. Even Deputy Chief Minister, Mohammed Mehmood Ali, pointed out to this wife-mother-in-law fixation among poets.

But some poets chose to differ and tickled the funny bone even while capturing the present situation in the country and the shrinking space for tolerance. Without naming the Prime Minister, Narender Modi, many lampooned his style of functioning. Sardar Asar captured the mood of the nation thus: Bail ki batyen karo, na gaye ki batyen karo, Jaante hai hum tum accha banalete ho, Chai wale ho chai ki batyen karo.


Another promising poet, Waheed Pasha Quadri, too dwelled on the attempts to polarise communities on religious lines. He drew lot of applause for these verses: Amn ke dushmanon se a bolo, Warna lene ke dene padenge, Nafraton ke na tum shool banto Warna lene ke dene padenge . But it was the elderly poet, Mustafa Ali Baig, who walked away with laurels, despite difficulty in walking. His typical Anglo-Urdu poetry was a big hit. Wo bhi karne lege wafa oh no, Lag gaee meri bad-dua oh no, Shopping inki luggage mere sar, Pyar karne ki hai saza oh no . The humorous essay recital session was much better both for its literary standard and originality of style. Ilyas Siddiqui of Malegaon regaled the audience with his attempt to beg, borrow and buy the presidential address for a programme. Syed Imtiazuddin sent everyone into peals of laughter with a dig on the Hyderabadi brand of humour while Dr. Mumtaz Mehdi’s write up brought smiles when he played on the word ‘sumjhana’ in varied contexts. Zinda Dilan-e-Hyderabad’s humorous journey in the past half a century has been quite eventful. As Mujtaba Husain once remarked, “It is better for one to turn back and look. Whether one sees something or not, this exercise does a lot of good to the neck”.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The Hindu

Dated October 16,2015

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keep moving Mujtaba Hasan Askari shows a special desk that facilitates frequent movement 

Working long hours at your workstation can spell trouble. Fitness activist Mujtaba Hasan Askari shows an interesting way to deal with it

His head begins to throb as he stares at the files piled up on his desk. The pain slowly spreads to his arms, shoulder and back. Rajesh knows he is experiencing stress and having problem coping with the pressures of daily work. Rajesh is not the only victim of sedentary lifestyle. There are any number of persons falling prey to the risks of long hours culture. More and more evidence is surfacing about the high risk run by those still at their desks into the evening. Is there a way out? “Yes. Simple, natural and inexpensive interventions can do a lot,” says Mujtaba Hasan Askari who has been successful in reducing medication and getting control over diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol.Modern day lifestyle itself is fraught with lot of health issues. And for office-goers caught in the 9 to 5 work schedule the risks are even greater. High travel time, working indoors in artificial lights and for extended hours further heighten the risk. And if the inadequate sleep and consumption of high fat and high sugar processed food is taken into account you have perfect recipe for disaster. Short bouts of sitting allows the body to relax and rejuvenate. But remaining seated for longer duration can spell trouble. The ideal thing is to move and sit intermittently. Just walk down to your colleagues instead of communicating with them through SMS or intercom.

Latest research shows that it is possible to lower the blood sugar by 2 to 5 per cent if one sits for less than three hours a day. For many cutting down the working hours may be difficult but they can reduce the amount of time spent sitting down. A food and health activist, Mujtaba has succeeded in getting a handle over his health problems following simple techniques. He has cultivated the habit of working in standing position. And for this he has made a small wooden platform over his table where he keeps the laptop and works standing. He also keeps dumbbells ready at hand for a quick workout. “The moment you stand all cellular activity starts and within minutes your body burns glucose and triglycerides,” remarks Mujataba who also runs the Helping Hand Foundation. Intense physical activity is the next best thing to do. Either hit the gym and concentrate on strengthening core muscles around pelvis and abdomen.

If there is a lawn in the office try to walk barefoot as this helps absorb negative ions from the earth. “It is the best source of anti oxidants for the body,” says Mujataba. Other things he suggests are getting adequate exposure to sun for the Vitamin D. One can create a safe D spot in the office which allows enough sun and daylight to stream in. Vitamin D is essential to improve bone health and control blood sugar.

Making conscious and wise food choices is equally important. Adding small portions of raw food like nuts, seeds, vegetable juices and green tea can be of immense benefit. Sound sleep and reduced intake of medication will make a further difference. The bottom line is change your lifestyle and engage with nature the way your ancestors did.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The Hindu

Dated October 9,2015

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American researcher Celia Bell delves into the works of Hyderabad’s Urdu poets Mah Laqa Bai Chanda and Luft-un-Nisa Imtiyaz

At a time when Urdu language is losing patronage among native speakers, it seems to strike a chord elsewhere. Its poetic form in particular has many followers both within and outside the country. Interestingly, in the land of Uncle Sam too Urdu is making waves, and not just out of curiosity.

Celia Bell, a student of Columbia University, is a case in point. Charmed by the musical quality of the language, she has come all the way from New York to Hyderabad to do research on two women Urdu poets of the 18th century, poets that Hyderabadis themselves have almost forgotten. She has chosen little known poets like Mah Laqa Bai Chanda and Luft-un-Nisa Imtiyaz for her research. Their works have not generated much critical appreciation and this is precisely the reason why Bell would like to explore them.

Maha Laqa Bai was the first women poet with a diwan (published works) of her own. A woman of great beauty, she was a courtesan during the reign of Nizam II and III. Luft-un-Nisa was also a sahibaan-e-diwan poetess with a rich collection of ghazals and masnavis. She wrote under the penname ‘Imtiyaz’.

During the last one month she is here, Bell’s mission has stirred quite a bit of interest and is drawing quiet admiration among Urdu circles. “It is interesting to take up studies on writers on whom not many have researched. I hope I will be able to throw fresh light on these poetesses,” she remarks.

Bell plans to explore the ‘gendered voices’ in the poetry of Mah Laqa Bai and Luft-un-Nisa. She will also delve into the technical elements of their works and their impact on Deccani literature. This project will be of immense help to Bell who wants to do Ph.D on contemporary literature and South Asian Studies. She is in India as part of the Fulbright-Nehru Student Research Programme.

Choice of Urdu

But why in the world she has chosen Urdu literature for research? “I am much drawn to Urdu. It is a sweet language. The best part is its poetry which casts a spell,” says the 24-year-old who is quite familiar with the language by virtue of having studied Hindi at the undergraduate level.

“ Main padh sakti hoon, bol sakti hoon aur likh sakti hoon ( I can read, speak and write),” she says in Americanised accent. But she feels shy of speaking in Urdu for fear of committing mistakes. “That’s why I am conversing with you in English,” she laughs.

Bell is all appreciation for Dr Habeeb Nisar, her research guide at the University of Hyderabad. The University is her host institution during her nine-month long project work. A self driven resercher, Bell has been poring over books in libraries and has found little time to explore the nawabi city. She is looking forward to the trek to Maula Ali to look up the mausoleum of Mah Laqa Bai.

Who are her favourite Urdu poets? Mirza Ghalib, Iqbal and Faiz – she reels out the names. But she is more fond of Ghalib whom she considers the Shakespeare of Urdu. She backs her claim by reciting this famous couplet of Ghalib:

Baske hoon Ghalib aseeri main bhi aatishe zere pa

Mue aatish deedah, hai halqa meri zanjeer ka

(Whereas, even in bondage, there is fire under my feet Ghalib

The chain that binds me is merely curls of singed hair)

She further recites verses from the works of Faiz Ahmed Faiz -

Ye daagh daagh ujaala, ye shab-gazidar sahr

Ye wo sahr to nahin jiski aarzu lekar

Chale the yaar ke mil jaiegi kahin na khain

(The stain-tainted light, this night-bitten dawn

That we were waiting for, this is not that morning

This is not the morning, in whose yearning

We had set out full of hope that we will surly find)

Bell took to writing early in her life. A good number of her short stories in English have appeared in New York Times Magazine and literary journals like Five Points and Bomb Magazine . Will she write in Urdu too? She only flashes a big smile by way of answer.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The Hindu

Dated September 14,2015.

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Vani Devi’s paintings reflect her engagement with the visual language of art

They encourage, motivate, inspire and uplift. The object of art is not to reproduce reality but to create a reality of the same intensity. Surabhi Vani Devi does just that. She brings nature closer home through her works. Her paintings stand out for sheer range, symmetry, colour combination and variety.

The special exhibition of Vani Devi's paintings at the Salar Jung Museum is a treat to the eyes. There are close to 70 paintings on display and each one of them leaves viewers awe-struck. Most of the paintings are titled 'Sare Jahan Se Accha' and seek to capture the landscape in different shades. The medium employed is acrylic on canvass.Her preferred medium is water colour and genre landscapes. One can find quite a few frames depicting landscapes in captivating shades.

One of her paintings displayed at the State Art Gallery on the occasion of the bio-diversity conference was acquired by a foreign delegate, it is said.

The lithograph paintings depicting flora and fauna and mother earth are also something to look at. "For me it has always been an interesting engagement with visual language of art", says Vani Devi. She feels the search for higher human values, which is the essence of humanism, is intrinsic to artistic expression.

Daughter of the former Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, she learnt art from such eminent teachers as Narender Rai Srivastav, Kondapalli Seshagiri Rao, Panduranga Parathe and Atma Ram. She has organised more than 15 solo exhibitions both within and outside the country under the title 'Sare Jahan Se Accha’.

The exhibition organised by the Gandhi Memorial Centre at Washington is the high point of her career. The Sri Venkateshwara College of Fine Arts founded by her in 1991 remains at the forefront for popularising art. Who is her greatest inspiration?. "My father of course", pat comes the reply. After marriage luckily she found a friend, philosopher and guide in her husband, Surabhi Dayakar Rao. "He stood by me in all my creative endeavours", says Vani Devi. Great art picks up where nature ends. The artist in her tries to do just that.


The exhibition is open to public till September 12 at the Western Block of Salar Jung Museum.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The Hindu

Dated September 8,2015

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