Seven generations of Kayasth family’s contribution to literature is meticulously documented in a book

Creativity doesn’t run in the genes - rarely does a child imbibe the father’s writing skills or his passion for literature and culture. So imagine this trait running into not one, but seven generations in a family. The Kayasth Saxena family of Hyderabad boasts of this unique distinction. Descendants of this illustrious family of more than seven generations have contributed to literature in six different languages — Urdu, Persian, Hindi, Braj Bhasha, Awadhi and English.

The contributions of the Kayasths in promoting the composite literary culture of Hyderabad has been meticulously documented by Narayan Raj, a distinguished scion of the clan, in his book Saga of a Kayasth Family . The book scheduled to be released on Tuesday makes a valuable addition to the literary history of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. In fact the history of the Nizams is incomplete without the history of the Kayasth family and vice versa.

Literate lot

Considered a literate scribe caste, the Kayasths — with their natural talent and outstanding capabilities — contributed immensely to the development of culture. Occupying important positions in different fields, some served as Diwans and some as administrators and advisors to rulers in the princely states. The post-Independence era saw Kayasths such as Rajendra Prasad rise to become the President and Lal Bahadur Shastri the Prime Minister. The Kayasths were among the distinguished families which accompanied Nizam-ul-Mulk, the founder of Asaf Jahi dynasty, when he came to the Deccan. Other families which came along were the Paigah nawabs, Nimbalkars, the Mathur family of Raja Shiv Raj Dharamwanth and the ancestors of Raja Rai Rayan.

The history of Kayasths dates back to early 18th century when Rai Daulat Rai accompanied Nizam-ul-Mulk to Hyderabad via Aurangabad. He occupied the high position of Musharif-e-Dewdi in the Nizam’s palace. One of his sons, Raja Ram, was in-charge of 36 departments in the Nizam government.

The book explains how Rai Daulat Rai's staunch Hindu family enjoyed the trust and confidence of the Muslim rulers. The fact that five generations of the family looked after the household affairs of the Nizams besides handling other important responsibilities shows the confidence reposed by the rulers in this family. This also speaks a lot about the communal harmony that prevailed in the erstwhile Hyderabad state. “The rulers and nobility those days never took religion to the streets as is being done by present day politicians for their selfish benefit,” says Raj Narayan who has thrown light on the hitherto neglected areas of Asaf Jahi dynasty in his book.

Being multi-linguists, the Kayasths wrote extensively. Raja Ram composed Chitragupt Mahatm in Braj Bhasha. His son, Rai Swami Pershad, penned Bhagawat Puran, a religious text in Persian, Sanskrit and Braj Bhasha. Bansi Raja’s son, Raja Narsing Raj, came up with five books and wrote ghazals, rubaiyats and qataas. Their responsible positions in the Nizam government did not stop them from pursuing their literary passion. The Kayasths wrote poetry, took part in mushairas and contributed to the rich cultural heritage of Hyderabad. They were all men of merit. Raja Girdhari Pershad alias Bansi Raja wrote with distinction and ranks among the great Persian poets.


Saga of a Kayasth Family is a treasure trove of literary delights. Like Alex Haley’s Roots , it traces the genealogy of the Kayasths covering a period of nearly 250 years.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The Hindu

Dated July 31,2018

Read More

The shayer-e-inqilab celebrated the eternal human spirit in his poems – whether they were romantic or revolutionary

Makhdoom Mohiuddin was very hungry. He walked into a hotel late in the night and placed order for khushka-salan. Pat came the reply, ‘khallas’ (meaning finished).

‘Khorma-sheermal’

‘Khallas’ was the reply again.

Makhdoom was, naturally, upset when he reeled out names of a few other dishes and got the same reply – khallas.

In an irate tone, he asked, “Is it a hotel or Makdhoom’s house”.

During the 1950s when he went underground, he was forced to speak in halting Telugu for fear that he might be recognised. He was warned not to speak in Urdu and to say ‘Velama’ if anyone enquired about his caste. Those days, many Velamas spoke Urdu but their Telugu was imperfect.

One day, Makhdoom tried to speak in Telugu at a pan-shop. A customer wanted to know which caste he belonged to. “Vimla”, replied Makhdoom.


On another occasion, he had to attend a flag hoisting ceremony when a warrant for his arrest was already issued. To prevent identification, he donned dhoti-kurta and cycled to the venue. As ill-luck would have it, when he was nearing the venue, the dhoti came unstuck. Makhdoom dismounted from the cycle and was seen holding the cycle with one hand and the dhoti with the other. His friend, comrade Shankar Rao, recognised Makhdoom and fastened the dhoti properly.

These are some of the escapades of noted poet and Communist leader, Makhdoom Mohiuddin. A man of many parts, he combined rare qualities of head and heart. Those who knew him say his conversation sparkled with subtle blend of wit and humour.

The ‘shayer-e-inqilab’, as he is called, celebrated the eternal human spirit in his poems. His verses focused on the central theme of ‘mohabbat aur mehnat’, the values he struggled for his entire life. One could see depth of feeling and thought in his works. Like Faiz Ahmed Faiz of Pakistan, also a Communist, Makhdoom’s poetry stands out for vision, range and fine imagery. He was alive to the social problems of his time and gave them a poetic form, blending passion with thought. When he turned to love, romantic lyrics flowed from his pen and when the Marxist in him spoke, revolutionary fervour poured out. It is difficult to say at what point Makhdoom the Communist stops and Makhdoom the poet takes off.

Born Abu Sayeed Mohammed Makhdoom Mohiuddin Khudri at Andole in Medak, he took to active politics, joined the CPI and trade union movement, besides taking part in the Telangana Armed Struggle. Wedded to the idea of political and social revolution, he was in the forefront of the rebellion against the Nizam. He founded the Progressive Writers Union and what followed was poetry laced with social activism.

Sacrifice, labour, struggle and pain of common man figured in his poems. His moving song Ye jung hai jung-e-Azadi inspired many to join the Telangana Armed Struggle. Makhdoom himself is believed to have been inspired by the Spanish Civil war (1936-37) and this was reflected in his poem Andhera:

Mayyaten hat-kati panv-kati
Badh main uljhe hue insanon ke jism
Raat ke paas andhere ke siva kuch bhi nahin

Arguably the best poet of his times, Makhdoom wrote many soul-stirring poems which are contained in his anthologies — Surkh Savera (Red Dawn) and Gule Tar (Drenched Rose). He also penned plays and translated Bernard Shaw and Anton Chekhov’s works into Urdu. Though he wrote numerous ghazals, what immediately comes to mind are three iconic poems which were lapped up by Hindi movies.

Phir chidi raat baat phoolon ki
Raat hai ya barat phoolon ki

This love song is used in the film Bazaar while in the movie Gaman, this evocative ghazal figures:

Aap ki yaad aati rahi raat bhar
Chashm-e-nam muskurati rahi raat bhar

Yet another beautiful song of Makhdoom — Ek chameli ke mandwe tale… is used in the 1964 movie Cha Cha Cha. He is believed to have penned this song sitting beneath the jasmine arbour at Gunfoundry. Makhdoom, who breathed his last on August 25, 1969, has left this immortal couplet which comes in handy for politicians of all hues to pep up their talk.

Hayat le ke chalo, kayenatle ke chalo
Chalo to sare zamane to saath le ke chalo

Not just a poet, Makhdoom was a great actor too. He acted in a number of plays including Talibe Ilmi Ka Zamana written by Aziz Ahmed. In Ishtiaq Hussain’s drama Ham Zad, he played the role of a minister to perfection in 1931. “Makhdoom did shine and made the drama shine as well” was how Mirza Zafarul Hassan remarked. In the one act play, Naya Hunarmand, Makhdoom enacted the role of a jagirdar’s nephew with equal ease.

He bagged the best actor’s award for the play Hosh ke Naqun presented during Osmania University’s annual celebrations in 1934. Among the audience were the Nizam himself. Besides several of his companions, princes, Maharaja Kishan Prashad, Sir Akbar Hyderi, Nightingale of India, Sarojini Naidu and Rabindranath Tagore were present on the occasion. Tagore congratulated Makhdoom for writing the play and performing well. He also invited him to pursue his studies at Shanti Niketan.

A noted screenwriter, Khwaja Ahmed Abbas best summed up the persona of Makhdoom. He says: “Makhdoom was a glowing flame as also cool drops of dew. He was the call of revolution as also the soft tinkling of anklet. He was knowledge, he was action, he was wisdom. He was the gun of the revolutionary guerrilla and also the sitar of musician. He was the odour of gun powder and the fragrance of jasmine.”

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in Telangana Today

Dated July 29,2018

Read More

The recently-opened Kishanbagh Park in the Old City is now the go-to place for the locals

Rehana doesn’t remember when she last spent a quiet moment enjoying the sight of sun-kissed leaves dancing to the melody of cool breeze. Her daily grind as a homemaker doesn’t give her enough time to relax and unwind. Last Sunday when she took time off to visit the Kishanbagh park in her neighbourhood, she felt immensely elated and invigorated.

She is not alone to experience this heavenly bliss. For scores of women in this part of the Old City, the new park at Kishanbagh has emerged as a breath of fresh air, an oasis in the desert. The GHMC authorities are pleasantly surprised at the public response. On Sunday they ran out of the printed ticket tokens as a large number of people turned up. They had to issue paper slips as tickets. When the park closed at 7 pm, there was a large crowd of people waiting to get in.

The Kishanbagh Park has turned out to be a winner. In the making for the last couple of years, the Rs. 6.2 crore-park is drawing people in droves right from day one. The reason is not far to seek. This back of beyond area has no hangouts and recreational spots. For residents of colonies in Attapur, MM Pahadi and Kishanbagh there is just no place to take refuge from noise and congestion thanks to blatant concretisation of the area. “To get some fresh air, we have to visit Zoo park or come all the way to Public Gardens or Lumbini Park,” says Rasheeda.

The second major park in the old city after the one at Imlibun, it has become an instant hit with families. People are pleased that the park developed over five acres has all the facilities. It boasts of a herbal garden (30 varieties), desert garden (30 varieties), rose garden, fragrance garden, ficus garden, butterfly garden and seasonal flowers. The variety of flowering plants are a treat to the eyes and a good reason to take a leisurely stroll.This, in addition to play facilities for kids, a seating gallery, a walkers track, cafeteria, internal and external pathways.


Not long ago this place was a piece of barren land covered with weeds and emitted foul smell making people gasp for lung space.Parks and playgrounds are the soul of a city and access to them plays a key role in improving health and reducing stress levels.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The Hindu

Dated July 24,2018

Read More

It was a touching moment, one that left everyone teary-eyed. The woman sobbed uncontrollably as she hugged her seven-day-old baby. It was a scene straight out of a Hindi movie where police rise to the occasion and trace the stolen child in a record time and present it to the harried mother. Only it was not a reel-life but real-life story that happened at a government hospital in Hyderabad. The newborn was handed over to the biological mother as cameras captured the happy reunion.

All is well that ends well. But why do infants go missing from maternity hospitals? Not a week passes without the news of a newborn being stolen from a hospital appearing in the media. The modus operandi is almost always the same. The new mother is  befriended by an unfamiliar woman who wins her confidence by acts of kindness. And on the pretext of taking the child for bathing or vaccination vanishes into thin air.
Women are generally kind, caring and gentle. Why then do they turn child snatchers? In most cases women who resort to abduction are neither heartless nor have a criminal intent. Maternal envy and a burning desire for motherhood is also not the reason.

They do it just to save a troubled marriage or to win over the love and trust of the in-laws. Of course there are instances of children being kidnapped for ransom, human trafficking and organ harvesting. But such cases are rare. The typical abductor is a woman who might have miscarried or failed to conceive and to escape the insults and taunts resorts to the extreme step. There are some con women who visit hospitals for window shopping. They look out for the weakest security and mothers who have none to look after before picking up the sweet little ones. Analysts say it is generally not infertility that drives a woman to steal a toddler. It is the desperation to hang on to a deteriorating marriage and ward of ridicule from family members that turns them thieves. So who is to blame?

The world recently saw the agony and despair of mothers when the Trump administration separated immigrant parents from their children at the border to check illegal crossing. The order is now reversed but the déja vu feeling of what could have happened persists.

Labeling and tagging the newborns is a good security measure. But not quite enough. Hospitals ought to control access to nursery wards and come up with abduction alarm systems. Better safe than sorry.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The New Indian Express

Dated July 14,2018

Read More

Aleem Khan Falaki

Who wouldn’t jump at a wedding invitation? But here is a guy who more often than not turns down an invitation unless it meets up to his principles. Aleem Khan Falaki gets good number of invitations, but he makes it to only those weddings where no dowry or dinner is imposed on the bride’s family. “Dowry and reception dinners are the root of all evils”, he remarks.

He is out to alter the course of history. And how? Through vigorous campaign he is trying to create awareness about the scourge of dowry which has made marriage a big problem in the Muslim community. A one-man army against the social menace, Falaki pushes his agenda with passion, compassion, humour, satire and style. He reaches out to the community through books, talks, songs and short films. Over the years he has stayed focussed on this task. For him life is a mission and not an intermission.

Under the aegis of the Socio Reforms Society (SRS), he has authored four books and made six short movies – all targeting the dowry system. “It is a crime against Islam, human rights and women’s rights. The only solution is to boycott such marriages. This is the biggest jihad of the times,” he says.
His latest movie, Khuddar, got 12,500 views on YouTube within three days of its release. Next month, Falaki is coming out with his fifth book – Nikah Ya Vivah. The message is pushed through in simple language covering all aspects of the issue.

"Dowry is a crime against Islam,human rights and women's rights"

--Aleem Khan Falaki

Falaki accepts no excuses, only results. And he has a band of ten members committed to the cause. They go about delivering the message to youngsters in colleges and the community at large through the Friday sermons. But it is the short movies which are succeeding in pricking the conscience of the people.

In  Khuddar, a drunk person is pushed out of the mosque and everyone beats him for his audacity to enter the Masjid in an intoxicated state. But the man raises some pertinent questions which leave the congregation red-faced. “If alcohol is prohibited in Islam so is usury, cheating, beggary and corruption.

Are not those who demand dowry corrupt. Why don’t you push all of them out of the masjid”, he asks.

In one of his books – Mard Bhi Bikte Hain .... Jahez Ke Liye (Men too are sold for dowry), Falaki tells how dowry is illegal according to the Quran and Hadith.  Falaki is filled with a burning desire to eradicate dowry system. And his dedication is showing results. So far more than 2,500 persons have signed a pledge to boycott marriages where dowry or dinner is taken from the bride’s side whether by consent or demand. His plea: Say no to such marriages.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The New Indian Express

Dated July 11,2018

Read More

Jeelani Banu 

‘Anta Nijame Chepta’ is a lucid and simple translation of Jeelani Bano’s work

One rarely forgets things that go against one's wishes. So does Padullaparthy Venkata Suryanarayana Murthy. But the reason in his case is entirely different. His sudden transfer from Vijayawada to Hyderabad was sure upsetting but in retrospect it proved to be a blessing in disguise. The shift has made him a promising writer.

Another interesting thing is that he has shattered the myth that Andhraites can't speak good Urdu, much less write in that language. Murthy has penned 25 ghazals in Urdu and translated two books from Urdu to Telugu. The second book "Anta Nijame Chepta.." is due for release on July 1.

Murthy's transformation as an Urdu writer is equally strange. It was an interview call for the post of a translator that proved to be the catalyst. The condition was apart from English and Telugu the aspirants should also know Urdu. Murthy knew next to nothing about Urdu but went ahead with the interview anyway. Of course he failed miserably but didn't lose hope. Instead he used failure as inspiration. He started learning Urdu and became proficient enough to write poetry. Mehak Hyderabadi, the penname with which he writes, is all set to launch his second book - a translation of selected short stories of celebrated Urdu novelist, Jeelani Bano.

V.Suryanarayana Murthy

Interestingly, Jeelani Bano was not confident when he approached her and sought her Urdu novels for translation. She gave him the Hindi translation of her works. An year later she was surprised when he presented his Telugu book, Guppita Jaare Isuka, containing her 21 short stories.

In the second book also he has translated 21 short stories of Jeelani Bano from six books. He has taken care to keep the language lucid and simple. Translation of literary works is a challenging task. Apart from the storyline and the perspective one has to retain the original flavour.  Murthy has tried his best to keep the magic that pervades through Jeelani Bano's books. He has taken help of native speakers like Mubeen Azmi to give it a tweak of authenticity. The result is the Telugu translation doesn't suffer from fatigue. There is a freshness all through.

But why Jeelani Bano? "I like the issues she champions and want to introduce her to Telugu readers", says Murthy, Deputy News Editor, Andhra Jyothi.

Jeelani Bano has been rocking the Urdu literary scene for the last five decades. The Padma Shri awardee, known for powerful narrative, has written 22 books mirroring life in all its hues. Her stories focus on social inequalities, exploitation of women, farmers and atrocities against vulnerable sections. Her works have been translated into Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali, Kannada,  English and French.

Murthy has chosen the tile of his Telugu book from  Jeelani Bano's book 'Sach ke siva'. Stories from her other books such as Baath Phoolon Ki, Triyaaq, Rasta Band Hai, Yaqeen Ke Aage Guman Ke Pichhe also figure in the book. No, Murthy has not done a word to word translation of Jeelani Bano's works. Rather he has captured the essence of the original text complete with irony, humour and the essential humanitarian approach.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The Hindu

Dated July 4,2018

Read More