The All India Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) will launch its electoral campaign in Maharashtra from Aurangabad on October 2. Party president, Asaduddin Owaisi, will address two public meetings one at Paithan and another in Aurangabad in the evening. The next day he will address an election meeting in Malegaon followed by a public meeting in Dhule at 8 pm.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Majlis president, Syed Imtiaz Jaleel, announced the names of six more candidates for the ensuing election, taking the total candidates declared so far to 24. On Monday he announced the candidature of Ali Khan Moin Khan (Parbhani), Shaikh Shafiq Mohammed (Beed), Pralhad Dhondiram Rathod (Paithan), Shakeebul Rehman (Kamptee, Nagpur), Sagar Namdeo Shinde (Hathkangle, Kolhapur ) SC, Suresh Eknath Jagdhane (Srirampur, Ahmednagar) SC. The candidate earlier named for Dhule constituency has been replaced with Dr Anwar Farooq Shah.

Earlier, the party announced candidates for Kurla, Bandra East, Anushaktinagar, Byculla, Andheri West, Sangola, Solapur, Solapur Central, Solapur South, Pune Cantonment, Vadgaonsheri, Pune, Malegaon Central, Nanded North, Aurangabad East, Aurangabad Central and Aurangabad West.

The Majlis, which won two seats in 2014 elections, has made deep inroads into the Congress bastion in Marathwada region, inflicting defeat on the party in at least six seats. It repeated the feat in the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation elections held in 2015 by emerging as the runner-up bagging 25 seats in the 113-seat Corporation. In the 2019 general election, the Majlis candidate, Imtiaz Jaleel, won the Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat. With these impressive performances, the Majlis has proved that it is no pushover.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in NewsMeter

Dated September 30,2019

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September 28, 1908 still sends shivers down the spine of many Hyderabadis

 Sometimes when things are falling apart, they may actually be falling into place. This is true of the great Musi floods of 1908. In retrospect the tragedy that cut a swathe of death and destruction this day 111 years ago, proved to be the precursor to progress. In fact it led to the planned development of Hyderabad.

Osmansagar and Himayatsagar, the twin principal reservoirs that still serve the city, are the result of the floods. Not just this. The disaster also led to the birth of a great poet, Amjad Hyderabadi.

The master of Rubaiyat (quatrains), as he is known, saw his mother, wife and daughter get washed away in the gushing waters right before his eyes. But he lived to write the famous poem titled ‘Qayamat-e-Soghra’ (The Minor Doomsday). The heart-rending nazm captures in vivid detail the havoc wrought by the deluge.

Wo raat ka sannata wo ghanghore ghatain

Barish ki lagatar jhadi, sard hawain

Girna wo makanon ka, wo cheeqon ki sadain

Wo mangna har ek ka ro-ro ke duain

(The sepulchral silence of night, the sinister clouds

The unrelenting rain, the freezing winds

The uprooting of houses, the screaming sounds

Praying with teary eyes, anguished minds)

About his own miraculous escape from the jaws of death, Amjad wrote sarcastically:

Itni darya main bhi na duba Amjad

Dubne walon ko bus ek chullu kafi hai

(In this deluge also Amjad couldn’t drown

Whilst a handful of water is enough to sink many)

Like many others, who survived the floods, Amjad didn’t rot, but chose to grow. He didn’t quit, rather chose to persevere. The calamity gave a cutting edge to his poetry, deepened his thoughts and broadened his perspective of life. Every dark cloud sure has a silver lining to it.

September 28, 1908. The day still sends shivers down the spine of many Hyderabadis. Others might swing to the Hollywood musical hit ‘Come September’, but Hyderabadis dread the very month and call it ‘sitamgar’ (tormentor). They have seen how ‘Everything wrong gonna be alright’, has not come true in their case.

Statistics show that the city experienced wettest spells during September in 1994, 2000, 2009 and earlier. When the Bell 430 helicopter carrying former Chief Minister, YS Rajashekhar Reddy, crashed into the Nallamala forest due to torrential rains and inclement weather it was September 2, 2009.

What Happened?

What exactly led to the 1908 floods? Theories abound but the report of engineering wizard, Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, says the flood was the result of bursting of several irrigation tanks due to an unusually heavy precipitation over an extensive area. There is no record of the intensity of the downpour but it was ‘exceptionally heavy rain’, everyone agrees. The rain ‘descended in sheet, flooded small tanks and overburdened their waste weirs’.

A sharp shower and drizzle set in motion the catastrophic events on Saturday, September 26. A heavy burst occurred during the night and continued till next morning. Rainfall of 6 inches was recorded. The first serious warning was sounded in the early hours of Monday, at 2 am to be precise, when water flowed over the Puranapul and breached the city rampart wall on the western side. By 6 am, the water level rose alarmingly to 10 feet and touched the crown arch of Afzal bridge along Kolsawadi, the place where the Osmania General Hospital now stands. The skies enacted a day long catharsis and the demon wind howled evil oaths at a huddling population holding on to dear life. Like an one-eyed monster, the water swirled and pulsated and the flood level rose by the hour. In just three hours, the water rose to a height of 16 ft, overtopping the parapet walls of Puranapul, Muslimjungpul, Chaderghat and Afzal bridge. The latter disappeared without a ripple.

When tamarind tree turned saviour

The day after the deluge, the city presented a picture of devastated homes, uprooted trees, floating corpses and carcasses. About 2,000 persons were washed away in Kolsawadi alone while an equal number died at Ghansi Bazar. Thousands were rendered homeless by the flood which inundated large parts of the walled city. The flood fury was such that it swept away nearly 50 localities and claimed about 50,000 lives. Many people climbed atop the city wall near Petla Burj to save their lives while some sought refuge on the hoary tamarind tree situated in the Osmania General Hospital. A plaque put up here says: “This tree saved 150 lives.”

Come September 28 and this tree becomes the focal point where concerned citizens gather to recall the tragic events and pay homage to those who survived the tragedy. Floods in the Musi battered the city not once but eleven times. The 1908 flood, however, remains the deadliest one.

Moved by the devastation, the sixth Nizam, Mir Mahboob Ali Khan, rode out to see the havoc personally. He ordered the palace doors to be thrown open for the grieving people. About six lakh displaced persons were fed from the communal kitchens for several days.

The 7th Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, who succeeded his father in 1911, built the Osman Sagar, popularly known as Gandipet, in 1920 by damming the Musi river. In 1927 he built the Himayat Sagar on Esi, a tributary of Musi river. These reservoirs were constructed on the suggestion of Sir Visvesvaraya as a flood control measure. The Nizam also set up the City Improvement Board (CIB) called ‘Aaraish-e-Balda’ in 1914 for development of Hyderabad in a planned and phased manner.

Hyderabad flooding, according to experts, is the result of unchecked urbanisation leading to increase in impervious areas. This leads to significant increase in the rate of runoff. And this in turn overwhelms the designed capacity of the storm water drainage system. Today the city seems to have reverted back to the conditions prevailing at the time of Musi floods in 1908. A mere cloudburst is enough to inundate it. The flash floods of 2000 shows that the authorities have not learnt any lessons. Haphazard construction and encroachment of lakes and nalas continues with impunity. No wonder the civic apparatus falls like ninepins every time it rains.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in Telangana Today

Dated September 29,2019

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This multifaceted personality and a walking encyclopedia, he authored six books, including two volumes of humorous prose

Mirza Shukoor Baig

Politics and poetry go hand in hand. A host of politicians have dabbled in literary arts and become successful on both fronts. But not always literary zeal translates into enlightened leadership. This is true of Mirza Shukoor Baig. Today, few remember him as a politician but as a poet he is well-known.

Shukoor found himself to be a big misfit in politics. For two terms he served as a Congress MLA (1952-62) and represented Hasanparthy and Warangal. A law graduate, he started legal practice in Warangal and was doing fairly well. But, he was dragged into politics as the Congress wanted a Muslim candidate. However, in 1962, the party dropped him like a hot potato as he didn’t measure up to its expectations.

A man of principles, Shukoor couldn’t adjust to the rough and tumble of politics. Often, he was asked to espouse wrong causes like stopping someone from constructing his house or preventing removal of encroachments on roads. When he refused to intervene, people wondered why he was elected at all. Shukoor discovered to his shock that truth was not always palatable and easy to say. “I was pushed into politics against my wishes when I had a good legal practice. But, I couldn’t ride the twin horses of siasat aur wakalat for long. In the end, main na ghar ka raha na ghat ka,” he used to remark.

Lawyer, politician, poet, stage artiste and a Haji 35 times over, his was a multifaceted personality. He was born in 1907, a year before the great Musi floods. He was a walking encyclopaedia. One could check with him for any hoary detail. His white flowing beard and the numerous folds of skin seemed to hold an eternity.

Wo bhi kya zamana tha, har lehaz se fit the

Aajkal ye halat hai, chul-chul dheeli hai

Shukoor sums up his past and present condition in this verse. “When I started writing, I was fit as the first line of the verse says and when my book is being published, the second line comes true,” he used to say. He wrote a good amount of humorous poetry and later switched to ‘Ghazal goyee’ and ‘Naitya kalam’. In all, he authored six books, including two volumes of humorous prose. His popular works include Tarana, Sada Bahar, Khushboo-e-Dard and Lazzat-e-Girya.

Though Shukoor was drawn towards poetry, it was circumstances which made him a poet. While staying in the Osmania University hostel, a problem cropped up when some students got fed up with the daily dose of ‘dal’ served in meal. On their representation, the authorities agreed to prepare ‘chawal ki kadi’ every alternate day. This was objected to by others who favoured dal. Shukoor, a dal die-hard himself, went poetical thus:

Jo dal ka dushman, wo insaan ka dushman

Hindu, Maseeh, Musalman ka dushman

This was his first couplet and thereafter there was no looking back. Every incident that touched him took the shape of a verse. However, to fully appreciate his poetry, one ought to know the context in which it was written. One can find touches of famous humour poet, Akbar Allahabadi’s satire in his verses.

They to nashad, dikhave ke shad bane

Rahe mehkoom, naam ke azaad bane

Mere ladke ko hiqarat se na dekho saheb

Kya ajab hai ke yehi aapka damad bane

Shukoor’s technique was to keep the punch word in the last line of the verse. In his later years, he mastered this art and used it to great advantage. Once he was down with piles, an ailment which his father and grandfather also suffered from. Shukoor wrote a letter to Hakim Maqsood Jung explaining his problem and seeking treatment. Being a poet, he also penned a couplet taking a pot-shot at himself:

Aur honge jise mansab mile, jagir mile

Hum ko virse main buzurgon se bawasir (piles) mile

Shukoor, who served in the cabinet of B Ramakrishna Rao, did not spare him either. Once, Rao was making a speech in the State Assembly in Urdu language but with a liberal mix of Hindi words. Shukoor didn’t like this and wrote a couple just then:

Wo izhare liyakhat to kiya karte hain Hindi main

Magar gussa jab aata hai to tehet Urdu main

When wheat was in short supply and government was rationing it, he discovered a humorous angle to it:

Na mulazim hain kaheen, aur na bekar hain hum

Log azaad samjhte hain, giraftar hain hum

Gehoon (wheat) dene agar raazi hain dulhan wale

Doosri shaadi rachane bhi tyyar hain hum

He had a fine sense of humour and gave a hilarious touch to everyday events. He was very fond of Urdu language and it is clear from this verse:

Ishq main saqtiyan bhi jheli hain

Kutch na kutch hum ne nekiyan ki hain

Galiyan kha ke isliye khush hain

Isne Urdu main galiyan di hain

Once while he was in Chicago, he was invited for the wedding of former Vice-Chancellor Hashim Ali Akhtar’s son. He was also requested to write something funny befitting the occasion. Though Shukoor had given up humour poetry, on the insistence of friends he wrote a short nazm which created a laugh riot in the marriage:

Aur raaton ki tarha mana ke ye bhi ek raat hai

Is main kya hoga, kahun kaise haya ki baath hai

Zindagi ho jati hai zer-o-zabar is raat main

Aur ubharta hai naya azme safar is raat main

Baap-o-maan banne ki ab buniyad dali jayegi

Pyar-o-ikhlas ki harkat na khali jayegi

Shukoor was equally hilarious in his prose. His write-ups like Agar Main Hota Taimur Ke Daur Main, Ummi Shayer, Baath Ka Batangad, Zikre Dant Chale, Khwab, and Chal Gayee are simply amusing and show his expertise.

He was deeply touched by Gandhiji’s assassination and his emotional turmoil poured out into a ghazal thus:

Apnon ke gale khud kat diye

Ghairon ko gale ka har kiya

Ungli na lagayee zalim ko

Mazloom pe pura war kiya

He saw the best of times, the worst of times. The summer of hope, the winter of despair. The splendour and plunder of times, the rise and fall of governments. At 91, he stopped writing. Not that his interest waned, but age put limitations on him. Unfortunately, this great poet did not get his due share of recognition. Except for an award from the Urdu Academy, he was largely ignored.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in Telangana Today

Dated September 29,2019

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 Hyderabad can have a new tourist attraction in the historic Errum Manzil Palace. The recent High Court judgement setting aside the government’s decision to demolish the ancient heritage structure has made it a distinct possibility. Tourists have a lot to look forward to in this 150-room palace, spread over 36 acres. Its architectural importance is all the more important as it combines Deccani, Rajasthani and European Baroque design while boasting of unique stucco ornamentation.

Mir Asghar Husain, whose great grandfather Nawab Fakhrul Mulk built the Errum Manzil, wants the government to enter into a partnership with civil society for the preservation of the palace.  The magnificent edifice can be utilised for education or some creative purpose. A training institute for heritage preservation can be set up here or a museum showcasing Hyderabad’s famed ‘Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb’ can be opened here. “The museum can display books, pictures, handicrafts and calligraphy of Deccan and Telangana,” Husain said.

On the occasion of World Tourism Day, Husain said that Errum Manzil is a potential revenue earner for the government if adequately developed. A walk-and-talk type of tourist circuit linking the Administrative Staff College of India, Aiwan-e-Urdu, Punjagutta, and Dilkhusha guest house on the Raj Bhavan road should be promoted for the benefit of tourists visiting the city. In Fakhrul Mulk’s scheme of the things, service to the State and public came first while service to family figured last. In keeping with these noble principles, Husain wants the government to use Errum Manzil for the benefit of the people.

Terming the High Court judgement as landmark, he said it is now the government’s responsibility to preserve Errum Manzil. The World Heritage Convention, 1972, also imposed a duty on the State to protect and conserve the cultural heritage of the country. Further, it made it binding on the State to integrate the protection of heritage into comprehensive planning programmes.

The Telangana Heritage (Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Maintenance) Act, 2017 calls for conservation, preservation, restoration and maintenance of tangible and intangible heritage of Telangana. Though two years have passed since the Act came into force, not a single step has been taken to implement it, Husain deplored.

Speaking about his ancestral palace, he said it reflected the pluralistic ideology and lifestyle of Fakhrul Mulk. The latter was known for celebrating Hindu and Muslim festivals alike. “Errum Manzil is an important milestone in the history of Nizam dynasty and symbolised the very spirit and ethos for which Hyderabad is known. It is also a part of colonial past as it saw the strengthening of relations between the Nizam and the British,” Husain remarked.

As the city observes yet another World Tourism Day, the immense tourism potential and the little attention paid to promote it stares in the face. Monuments like Mahboob Mansion, MJ Market, Nampally Sarai and Paigah Palace cry for attention. Even the crowd pullers — Charminar and Golconda Fort — leave much to be desired. “Hyderabad has world-class heritage and yet no world heritage tag,” laments city-based historian, Mohd Safiullah.

In Hyderabad, you don’t stumble upon heritage. It’s there just waiting to be explored and protected. Will the authorities rise to the occasion?

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in NewsMeter

Dated September 27,2019

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The most helpful thing about a storm is that it eventually stops. However, when it ended on September 28, 1908, it had wreaked the worst havoc. As far as the eye could see, there was a trail of death and destruction. The south of Hyderabad presented a scene of twisted, tilted, ripped and battered homes. In locality after locality, there was a vista of collapsed houses, blown tin-roofs, and uprooted trees. Corpses and carcasses floated in the floodwaters.

That was the grim scene a day after the great Musi flood hit Hyderabad, killing close to one lakh people and destroying thousands of houses. The heavy rains in the last few days have evoked memories of “thughyani” which Hyderabadis still tremble to recall. Following the massive destruction caused by the floods, the month of September is viewed as a bad omen. Old Hyderabadis prefer to call the month “sitamgar”, meaning tormentor.

By now, this great disaster has become folklore. For weather forecasters, it is handy as a reference point to gauge heavy rains. Put the clock back by a century, 111 years ago to be precise. The catastrophic events were set in motion on September 26 with Hyderabad experiencing sharp showers. As night came, the skies opened up. Rain pounded the city, and strong winds howled and hammered throughout — sending everyone scurrying for cover. There was no let-up in the fury of the flood in the next 24 hours with rain descending in sheets. Early on September 27, water flowed over Puranapul breaching the city’s rampart wall on the western side.

The flood report prepared by the famous engineer, Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, shows that water rose alarmingly to 10 feet by 6 am and touched the crown arch of Afzal Bridge. Ghansi Bazar and Kolsawadi, where Osmania General Hospital now stands, were the worst-hit areas. As people prayed and panicked, Musi swelled by the hour and rose to 16 feet, overflowing the parapet walls of Puranapul, Muslimjungpul, Chadarghat and Afzal Bridge.

What caused the flood? It was the result of the bursting of several irrigation tanks on account of heavy precipitation over a wide area. About 2,000 people were believed to have been washed away in the historic deluge. Many saved themselves by hanging on to the branch of an old tamarind tree situated in the premises of Osmania General Hospital. A plaque put up here says, “This tree saved 150 lives.” Among the survivors was Amjad Hyderabadi, who later turned out to be a great Urdu poet. He helplessly watched his mother, wife, and daughter drown right before his eyes. Moved by the tragedy, he wrote the poem ‘Qayamat-e-Soghra’ (Minor Doomsday).  The poem gives a graphic account of the disaster.

The sixth Nizam, Mir Mehboob Ali Khan, came out of his palace to personally see the havoc. He is believed to have opened the palace gates to accommodate his distressed and displaced subjects. For several months they were fed from the royal kitchens, it is said.

Every cloud has a silver lining, especially here when the floods led to the planned development of Hyderabad. The Nizam constructed the Osman Sagar and Himayatsagar reservoirs as a flood protection measure. Unfortunately, the authorities have not learnt any lesson from the Musi floods. Torrential downpours in the subsequent years have exposed poor planning and fragile civic structure.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in NewsMeter

Dated September 26,2019

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Jyothi couldn’t believe her eyes when she found a cab waiting for her when she emerged from the MNJ Cancer Hospital. Her daughter, baby Roshini’s four-month-long treatment for leukaemia had left her both physically and financially drained.

“Ma’am, please take your seat,” the gentle voice of the hospital volunteer broke her thoughts as he held the cab door open for her. She comfortably rode to Jubilee Bus Station for her onward journey to her hometown.

From being taken for a ride to getting free rides, patients in government hospitals are in for a pleasant surprise. They are now getting transport at no cost from their places of treatment to public transport points in Hyderabad — something unheard of in the country.

A person has two hands — one to help himself and the second to help others. That’s what Mujtaba Hasan Askari of the Helping Hand Foundation (HHF) is doing. True to its name, his NGO is reaching out to poor and distressed families in a different way. A small goodwill gesture apparently, but it is making a world of difference to needy patients.

With the introduction of the ‘Humsafar’ scheme, HHF is bringing joy to scores of underprivileged patients every day. It is a simple technique of roping in two of the country’s largest taxi aggregators — Ola and Uber — into the public health care system. In addition to cabs, HHF is also making use of its eight ambulances to ferry patients in non-emergency cases. In the last two years, more than 5,000 patients have benefitted from the scheme. HHF incurs a monthly expenditure of about Rs 40,000 towards its free transport service, spending an average of Rs 150 per trip. There is a bit of social media expertise involved in the operation.

“The request from hospitals is routed through our volunteers. Moreover, they, in turn, send us a WhatsApp message with the patient IP No, name and destination. The cab is booked at our head office, and a confirmation message is relayed back to the volunteer. Once the cab reaches the hospital, the patient is assisted by our volunteers in boarding the vehicle,” says Askari.

The service has turned out to be a big boon to poor, illiterate patients who reach Osmania General Hospital, Gandhi Hospital, MNJ Cancer Hospital, Chest Hospital, ENT Hospital and Nizamia Unani hospital from nearby districts. They need handholding, as they are ignorant and become easy prey to auto-rickshaw drivers, who charge exorbitant amounts to ferry patients from hospital to railway stations, bus depots and sometimes to the Chief Minister’s camp office to seek aid. All this is now taken care of by HHF and its string of Praja Arogya Mitras. Every month the HHF is touching nearly 200 patients’ lives in 10 government hospitals in the city through its patient care centres.

The idea took shape when a survey showed that nearly 80 per cent of patients who seek treatment in government hospitals depend on auto-rickshaws. Moreover, they end up paying twice the money they spend on coming to the city from nearby districts.

“Now, there is no need to run around. HHF is handling everything,” says Shiva, who used the cab service after his appendicitis surgery at OGH. As demand picks up, Askari plans to run the scheme in PPA mode with government support or go for crowdfunding. After all, helping hands are better than praying lips.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in NewsMeter

Dated September 25,2019

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Telangana could be the next state after Tamil Nadu to raise the banner of revolt against Hindi. Several organisations have warned of a strong protest if the Centre doesn’t drop its proposal to push Hindi as a common language. “Any attempt to impose Hindi will stoke embers of Balkanisation of India,” said Capt Lingala Panduranga Reddy, President, Voice of Telangana, and Dr Chiranjeevi Kolluri, President, Hyderabad Deccan Democratic and Secular Alliance.

As the imposition of Urdu in Pakistan led to their division, Hindi imposition could also result in the bifurcation of the North and South India. The RSS ideology of Hindu-Hindi-Hindustani will spell disaster for the country, they remarked.

Speaking to presspersons here on Tuesday, Capt Reddy said even BJP’s Karnataka Chief Minister, BS Yediyurappa, was not in favour of Hindi and said Kannada would be the principal language of his state. Hindi and English polled equal votes in the Constituent Assembly. Hindi became the national language when Rajendra Prasad, Chairman, Constituent Assembly, exercised his vote in favour of Hindi, his mother tongue. If Ambedkar had been in his place, then things would have been different. “In India, a language not only unites but also divides,” Dr Kolluri said.

They expressed concern at the “discreet silence” of Telugu Chief Ministers, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and K Chandrasekhar Rao and wondered whether they were afraid of BJP or they want Hindi to replace Telugu.

J Darshan of Dalit Bahujan Students Association and D Naresh of Dalit Minorities Students Association warned that students of different universities in the state would come together if the Centre imposed Hindi. The imposition of Hindi went against the spirit of unity in diversity, they said.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in NewsMeter

Dated September 24,2019

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This symbol of Deccani humour has the ability to send audiences into peals of laughter with a straight face in his typical Hyderabadi style

Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep and you weep alone. But then, laughing is not a joke given the present stressed-filled lives. Even if one finds something funny to laugh about, making others grin from ear to ear is a challenge. But for Daulat Ram, it is a child’s play.

For the last 61 years, he has had people in splits with his particular brand of Deccani humour. “Be the reason someone smiles today,” says the sultan of slapstick. A casual glance will not reveal any humour about him. Courteous, graceful and well dressed, a strict no-nonsense man. That’s the impression one gets at first sight. Scratch the persona beneath Daulat Ram and you realise you have stirred a can of jest. Humour incarnate – that’s what he becomes when turned on.

No, he is not a poet or a writer. And yet, he has contributed in no small measure to the Deccani culture. Contrary to his name ‘Daulat’ Ram, he has no riches. But he is endowed with a rich heart and its richness flows in a continuous stream enriching everyone who comes in touch with him. And over the years, he has become a symbol of Deccani humour.

“Shadi ke liye teherna – jana”, the hopeful query of the blind man in the famous wordy duel between two women at a public tap still evokes laughter. “People want clean comedy and they eagerly look forward to my shows,” says Daulat Ram revealing the secret of his success.

There was a time when he used to hold scores of his ‘Carvan-e-Mizah’ programmes. But now, they have become an annual affair. And they are invariably a big draw. At 81, Daulat Ram wants to call it quits. But on the insistence of friends and fellow comedians, he keeps the show going.

To provoke laughter without joining in it greatly heightens the effect. Daulat Ram does this with effortless ease. Putting on a straight face, he sends the audience into peals of laughter. It is the punch in his jokes and the typical Hyderabadi style in which he relates them that tickles the funny bone. Even the comedy king Mehmood was floored by his diction. After watching his play Pyaz ke Chilke, the latter offered him a role in his film Albela in 1970. Though the film was not a big hit, Daulat Ram’s brief role as son of Tun Tun did not go unnoticed. He held his own with such great comedians like IS Johar, Rajender Nath, Mukri and Mehmood.

His second brush with the make-believe came in the ’80s, but this time it was for the small screen that he acted. Daulat Ram played a villager’s role in Jeelani Bano’s TV serial, Narsaiah ki Bowli. “I am no longer interested in films. I am satisfied with my stage shows,” he remarks.

It was in January 1958 that Daulat Ram burst on the cultural firmament of Hyderabad with a bagful of jokes and mimicry items. Since then, he has never looked back. He doesn’t remember how many shows he has presented till date. It must be in hundreds. But one thing is for sure – there is always something new to look forward to in his shows which have taken him to Kuwait, Muscat, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa and Malaysia.

Daulat Ram’s lateefe are a legion and have become part of popular lore. How does he create them? Well, he keenly observes what people say and the way they say. He adds a bit of mirch-masala of his own and churn out a funny story. For instance, there was a friend of him who used to say ‘aap ki meherbani se’ after every sentence. See how Daulat Ram narrates their conversation:

“Khairiat”

“Haan bilkul theek hun aap ki meherbani se”

“Mubarak ho aap ku ladka huva kate”

“Shukriya, aap ki meherbani se”

There are some little known facts about Daulat Ram. He was born in Hyderabad (Sindh) in 1941. After Partition, he shifted to Hyderabad here to join his father. He had his education at the Kachiguda High School. A born mimic, he used to copy his teachers to the delight of his classmates. Once at the school day function, he played the role of a leprosy-stricken person on wheels to perfection and bagged the first prize.

Encouraged by his talent, Daulat Ram wanted to become a comedian, but his father laughed at the idea. However, he did not discourage him either. “Do whatever you want but bring home one rupee a day was what my father told me,” recalls Daulat Ram. Thereafter, he joined the TR Musial Academy and started giving programmes jointly, and later on his own. His association with the Fine Arts Academy brought him in touch with other artistes such as Hamid Kamal, Habeeb Khadeer, Kamal Raza and Himayathullah.  Daulat Ram is greatly influenced by the writings of satirist Mujtaba Husain, and this can be seen in his skits.

Interestingly, the humorous streak in him is responsible for Daulat Ram landing a job in the Government Press, Chanchalguda. Once, along with his artist friend, he presented a progamme at the house of Vittal Rao Ratkelkar, then Director of the Government Press. Ratkelkar liked his performance so much that he immediately offered him a job. The year was 1968. “I owe my job to my talent,” says the artiste.

Daulat Ram, who had his schooling through Urdu medium, speaks the language so fluently that people are left wondering about his real identity. Many of his fans believe ‘Daulat Ram’ to be his stage name. “You have done the community proud like Dilip Kumar. But what is your real name,” they ask not knowing that he belongs to the Sindhi community.

What’s in a name! Ask Daulat Ram and he says how a cruel joke was played on him all because of his name. Once at the dead of night, someone knocked at his door. When he opened the door bleary-eyed, the man greeted and enquired how he was. An angry Daulat Ram shot back “Ye khairiat puchne ka waqt hai mian.” Then, the man requested for Rs 5,000

“Panch rupiye bhi nahi milenge”

“Phir aap nam Daulat Ram kyon rakhe,” the man asks.

His father perhaps thought the name ‘Daulat’ will bring him riches. It sure has brought him wealth of a different kind. He has tonnes of laughter and he showers it on people – right, left and centre.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in Telangana Today

Dated September 22,2019

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Image Courtesy : Google

The traffic cop flags down a biker. "Show me your licence", he orders. The man shuffles through his bag and comes up with the license. What about insurance and pollution under control certificate? He produces that too. The cop scratches his head and asks the man to pay a fine of Rs. 200. The bewildered biker asks why he is being penalized when he has all the documents in order.

"Where you have kept them"

"In a plastic cover".

"Don't you know plastic covers are banned", the cop growls.

That's the joke hot on social media. But the reality is no less shocking. Government's decision to slap heavy penalties under the new Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act has set the cat among the pigeons. Many states have put a break on implementation of the law for fear of public outcry. But if we look at the chaotic traffic on roads and the impunity with which traffic rules are being violated, the government seems perfectly right in imposing hefty fines. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

The other day I saw three youngsters riding a bike on the wrong side of the road. The boy who was driving was speaking on a mobile wedged between the ear and shoulder. I stopped the youngsters and asked whether they were not aware of the heavy penalties. "Sir they are not implementing it right away. We will be careful when they do it", was the casual reply.

I was surprised rather shocked at their audacity and lack of respect for the law. In fact many persons, youngsters particularly, seem to drive pleasure in cocking a snook at law. Over speeding, jumping signals and reckless driving give them a certain joy. Tales of how they hoodwinked cops are shared as heroic acts. Worse those who follow the traffic rules are not considered 'man enough'. Aren't our movies responsible for injecting this false sense of bravado by showing the hero riding recklessly in hot pursuit of the villain?

It's not celebrities alone, politicians also show scant regard for law. Recently the Hyderabad MP, Asaduddin Owaisi, rode a bike with the Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration, Arvind Kumar, on the pillion while inspecting some works. Both of them were helmetless. It was only after they attracted lot of flak on the social media, that the senior IAS officer paid penalty for the offence. But the law maker remained unapologetic. Sure laws are like cobwebs which catch small flies but let wasps and hornets break through.

Fear is the key. Thanks to the new law many people are getting their documents in order. Time we return to core values, to self-discipline and respect for law.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in The New Indian Express

Dated September 21,2019

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When he was supposed to flee, he was actually praying. After the fall of Hyderabad, rumours flew thick and fast about the imminent flight of the 7th Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan. Rumours were rife that he was seeking asylum elsewhere. Some said Egypt’s king had offered asylum in exchange for 25 per cent of his wealth. Grapevine had it that legendary Australian aviator, Sidney Cotton, was hired to take him to Egypt.

But none of this came to pass. At the time he was supposed to fly out of the country on September 17, the Nizam actually spread his prayer mat and prostrated. The Police Action of 1947 code named ‘Operation Polo’ remains the most controversial chapters in the Indian history with some calling for its celebration as “liberation day” while others maintaining that it was only merger of Hyderabad state with the Indian Union. Whether Hyderabad was liberated or merged remains a hotly debated topic.

The last princely state to accede to Indian Union, many nationalists felt the existence of independent Hyderabad constituted  a dangerous portent for the independence of India itself. But according to historian, Syed Ali Hashim, who wrote the book  “Hyderabad 1948 – An avoidable invasion”, the State Congress of Hyderabad, which was dominated by Arya Samajis, was not in favour of a permanent settlement between Hyderabad and the Indian Union as this would ensure continuance of the Nizam’s dynastic rule, rather ‘Muslim domination’.

Much before the Police Action, Hyderabad state saw a severe economic blockade . Supply of petrol and crude oil was stopped to paralyse communication and transportation. These measures were intended to force the Nizam to ‘kneel down’ before the Indian Union. There was also an arms embargo as there were reports of the Nizam clandestinely importing weapons from abroad. There was also a propaganda about Muslim countries coming to the rescue of Hyderabad but in reality nothing of that sort happened.

In the run up to the D-day, Nizam made desperate attempts to stop invasion. He wrote a personal letter to C. Rajagopalachary, the Governor General, to use his good offices and see that good sense prevailed. There were reports of the militant Razakars taking the administration into their hands and creating lawlessness. Having drawn a blank from all sides, the Nizam felt betrayed by the British Crown.

Many believe the Nizam did the right thing in surrendering to Indian military as the latter was far superior in terms of numbers and weaponry. The Indian Army commenced its actions on September 13 from all sides.  In the end the Hyderabad state surrendered meekly to the Indian military without a single shot being fired. This was largely due to the betrayal of El Edroos, the Commander-in-Chief of the Hyderabad Army, who instructed the various army sector commanders to ‘avoid resistance and surrender’.

Though the Nizam was far outnumbered in military might, his army could still have fought and resisted the Indian forces at least for sometime as a matter of prestige. But Nizam was unaware of the conspiracy hatched by Edroos and his secret orders to the Hyderabad army not to resist the Indian army, it is said.

The military strength of Hyderabad at the time of Police Action was just a fighting force of 22,000 . It had guns, three armoured regiments while one fourth of the irregular army was equipped with modern weapons and rest were armed with muzzle loaders. This apart there were 10,000 armed Arabs, 10,000 Razakars and soldiers of Paigah and jagir police. Historian, M.A. Nayeem, calls the Indian invasion as ‘naked aggression’ and in ‘blatant violation’ of international law. The military attack was euphemistically named ‘Operation Polo’ to assuage the world criticism of the unprovoked aggression, he says.

Whatever, the Asaf Jahi dynasty which ruled the Deccan for nearly 224 years, ended on September 17, 1948 with the Nizam signing an instrument of accession to join India.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in NewsMeter

Dated September 17,2019

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Moin Amar ‘Bumboo’ doesn’t leave any subject untouched, as proved by his umpteen witty poems which are bound to evoke laughter among listeners

Life is such a tragicomedy. When seen in close-up, it is a tragedy and in long shot, it is a comedy. But, some like Moin Amar Bumboo have the guts to emerge stronger from misfortunes. He not only managed to put his bad luck and personal losses on the back-burner, but developed the knack to laugh at destiny. Today, he is humour personified. It’s difficult to believe that this man could have faced a whole lot of problems.

His motto in life is not just to survive but thrive. And he does so with passion, compassion, humour and style. Early in life, he lost his father and was deprived of motherly love too. His grandmother, who was a pillar of support, also passed away even as he was settling in life. The series of personal tragedies shook Moin but he managed to overcome the bitterness. He developed a fine sense of humour and tried to cock-a-snook at fate. With the takkhalus ‘Bumboo’, he burst on the poetic scene of Hyderabad and took everyone by storm.

Aasoon ki hansi udaya hun
Hadison main bhi muskuraya hun
Jis ko main chahta tha aye Bumboo
Uski shaadi main jaake aaya hun

A unique thing about Deccani poets is their pennames. They are so typical and funny that they are enough to make one laugh. Bumboo completes the quartet of Deccani humour poets with amusing pennames – Gilli, Danda and Belan. Though he treads the same path of tanz-o-mizah, his style is poles apart.

Aisa shayer nazr aata nahin roz Urdu ka
Qhaqhon se jo udata hai mazak aansoo ka
Gilli wo Belan wo Danda ke Deccan main Shadab
Sare bazaar izafa huva hai ek Bumboo ka

It was the late Himayathullah, the famous Deccani poet, who encouraged him and gave him a break in the musharias held at Numaish Club. Later, he appeared in many musharias organised under the banner of Zinda Dilane Hyderabad. Initially, it was saas-bahu, saale-saalian, budha-budhi that formed the stuff of his humorous shayeri. But, on the suggestion of Himayathullah, he started concentrating on current topics. The later day poetry of Bumboo shows how he succeeded in targeting rather unveiling truth behind serious matters with a humorous touch.

Lock-up main be-qusoor hain, goondon ko choot hai
Khota nahin mila to khare ko pakad liya
Police ki karwaian Bumboo na puchiye
Dhobi nahin mila to gadhe ko pakad liya

Politics, Gujarat riots, Palestine, cricket – everything figures in his poetry. On the hot topic of cow slaughter, Bumboo says:

BJP ke daur main bas dal hi chatna kate
Gaae bi nai katna kate, bakre bi nai katna kate
BJP ki taeed main Babu ka ab ye haal hai
Sorain Musa nadi main, machar bi nai katna kate

A good poet holds mirror to the world. That’s what Bumboo does. A keen observer, he captures the politics of hate and violence in his verses very effectively.

Oundhe chalaan, oundhe kamaan, oundhi siasat nakko na
Jo janta ka gala dabaye, aisi hukumat nakko na
Bandon ke to gale kaatrain, neta Khuda ko sajda karrein
Dono farishte kandhon ke bole, aisi ibadat nakko na

When N Chandrababu Naidu was the Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh, there was severe shortage of water in Hyderabad. To conserve the precious liquid, authorities introduced alternate day water supply. This caused untold miseries to people. Bumboo gives vent to people’s angst thus:

Ek-din-aad fourun hatao Chandrababu Naidu
Rozana paani pilao Chandrababu Naidu
Ek arsa ho gaya paani nahaye Bumboo ko
Kum se kum moo-haat dhulao Chandrababu Naidu       

Bumboo seems to have an uncanny nose for poll outcomes. Much before Naidu lost the election, he wrote:

Acche nai dikhrain aasar rehtain ki nai rehtain ki
Babu ab cycle po sawar rehtain ki nai rehtain ki
Janta karri cheeq-pukar rehtain ki nai rehtain ki
Ab ke election main sarkar rehtain ki nai rehtain ki

Time was when communal riots had become a regular feature in Hyderabad. Trouble broke out on and off and people feared stepping out of homes. See how well this panic Bumboo presents in this verse:

Dekho Begum waqt hai aisa bola-chala maaf karo
Sultan Shahi tak main jaaroon, kya hota hai ki kya nai ki

Deccani poets have been writing about ‘ishq-o-muhabbat’ for ages. But, when Bumboo dabbles in this subject, he brings a fresh approach and style to romance. Sample these verses:

Bun ko ghar-damaad Bumboo sarkashi nakko karo
Khamakha barbad apni zindagi nakko karo
Saas ke tum har hukum par sar jhukado shouq se
Rah ke paani main, magar se dushmani nakko karo

In poem after poem, Bumboo presents the witty exchanges between mia-biwi in different ways. He often drags his wife to take pot-shots. Interestingly, his wife, Mohammadi Begum, is also a poetess. She writes under the penname, ‘Bijli’.

Ladne ko jab wo aaye, dupatta nikal gaya
Main charon khane chit gira, deeda nikal gaya
Ladki karate seekhi thi, ladka tha be-khabar
Thappad pada to naak se bheja nikal gaya

Bumboo, who retired from the Tribal Welfare Department, took active part in the plays and mushairas aired by All India Radio, Doordarshan and ETV (Urdu). He travelled widely and took part in concerts both within and outside the country. His book Bumboo Bazar published in 2011 is a treasure trove of humour. Be it azad nazm, ghazal or haiku, Bumboo guarantees mizah unlimited. His travelogue, Hyderabadi Bumboo Ireland Main, is also quite interesting. He is now working on two more books of poetry, Qhaqhon Ka Parcel, and Baigan Ki Shayeri and they promise to be as funny as the first one. In his own words:

Tanz-o-mizah ke teer chalaroon, nai hanse to paise wapis
Baais saal se sub ko hansaroon, nai hanse to paise wapis
Tum Bumboo Bazar khareedo, mung ko padho ya kutch bhi karo
Ek ku dus ka bhau lagaroon, nai hanse to paise wapis

Bumboo keeps his fingers on the pulse of the people. He portrays day-to-day events like compulsory wearing of helmet, talaq, Mahila Court, numaish and dog catching squad of the civic body in his shayeri. He finds a funny angle in all these things. Sample this verse:

Mehr bhi apna maaf main karteun, laikin tum aaj ghar-maich raho
Baldiye wale kutte pakadrain, ghar se bahar mat niklo

His long poems – Urdu ka Shikwa Zamane Se, Karishma Helmet Ka, Char Sau Saala Jashn Manana Hoga – are simply thought-provoking. Bumboo has ably filled the void caused by his predecessor, Sarwar Danda. And he hopes posterity will remember him like the master poet.

Andaz-e-mizah ab naya ejaad karenge
Nakaam muhabbat ke bhi dil shaad karenge
Ek din wo zaroor aayega, is shahr ke log
Dande ki tarha, Bumboo ko bhi yaad karenge

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in Telangana Today

Dated September 15,2019

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There is no force more powerful than a woman determined to rise. Fair sex in the Old City of Hyderabad is living up to this adage. They are turning a new leaf by becoming bread earners. Though not fully empowered, they can boast of economic independence to some extent. In scores of homes, women are the ones supplementing to the family kitty and keeping the wolf away.
After slogging for eight hours when she returns to her house in Kalapathar, Farhana is suffused with a feeling of happiness. She can now afford a decent meal and help her younger siblings attend school. After the death of her father, the responsibility of meeting the household expenses has devolved on her shoulders.

The Rozgar scheme run by Khak-e-Taiba Trust (KTT) in Misrigunj and Vattepally has proved to be a game-changer. It has opened avenues of earning for Muslim women who were otherwise languishing in homes. Nearly 300 women and girls have found gainful employment sewing men’s and women’s wear for top brands. The production centres are a beehive of activity with formal and casual shirts in different stages of being stitched. The work is divided into various components, and each operation is handled by one woman. Working on industrial sewing machines, the women churn out nearly 2000 shirts everyday earning Rs. 8000 to Rs. 10,000 per month.

With custom clothing being the hottest fashion trend, the KTT Rozgar centres have acquired sophisticated sewing machines and fashion designers to meet the demand. Some women are seen engaged in making only collars; some make cuffs and others pockets, sleeves, front and back sections. And a few women are busy assembling the whole stuff. “I iron nearly 200 shirts and enjoy the work”, says Afreen. Her sister, Zareen, has specialised in making buttonholes.

The most important thing is that while acquiring skills, many women have developed the habit of thrift and are able to save a part of their earnings. Now they don’t have to depend on their parents or spouses for their needs. “I have enough money of my own to marry”, says a proud Afreen, something girls from poor families couldn’t think of in this part of the city.

The KTT, which takes its name from Madinah in Saudi Arabia, was set up by Hyderabad based NRIs in 1991 for the emancipation of the underprivileged in the community through secular and vocational education and employable skills training. “Most of the women employed here are either widows or those deserted by spouses. They are now able to make a decent living”, says Sadiq Ali, Project Director, Rozgar Centre. Interestingly, some women have their kids studying at the same place. While they earn a livelihood, their children pick up the three R’s.
Total empowerment may still elude them, but many women in the old city seem determined to rewrite their destiny.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in NewsMeter

Dated September 13,2019

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ome Muharram and there are revenue spikes for bakeries in Hyderabad. They live out their best dreams as ‘Dum ke Roat’, the snack of the month, is up for grabs. The crunchy cookie is the fastest moving eatable during the season. Though it is mourning time for Shias, there is a sweet side to Muharram as well.  Dum ke Roat swamps the market with the dawn of Muharram and the demand peaked on ‘Youme Ahsoora’, the tenth day of mourning on Tuesday.

As the historic ‘Bibi ka Alam’ procession wound its way through the Old City, huge rush was seen at bakeries across the city. The  Dum ke Roat trail leads to numerous confectionaries. But heavy footfalls are seen at popular joints like Subhan Bakery, Karachi Bakery and Pista House.

Time was when Dume ke Roat used to be prepared by women at homes during Muharram. Now bakeries have taken over the task and specialised in making this traditional cookie.  Interestingly, this sweet-baked treat is the most secular eatable – although there is a religious significance to it. Irrespective of religion and cast people indulge in Dum ke Roat just for its flavour since it is purely a vegetarian cake. According to Shia scholars, 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 protection of his grandson, Mukarram Jah Bahadur. Even now the practice continues and people who take such a vow for the well being of their wards break the Roat on the Alam and distribute it to others.

What is Roat all about? Well, a large number of things go into its making. The main ingredients are: wheat flour, sooji (semolina), vegetable oils, sugar, honey, clarified butter, salt, 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”, says Syed Irafan of Subhan Bakery.

What Haleem is to Ramzan, Dum ke Roat is to Muharram. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Why not get a mouthful and let your taste buds tickle.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in NewsMeter

Dated September 11,2019

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