GK Column on Zubin Mehta Show on Monday, 2nd. September: Zubin Mehta Concert: melody in a state of melancholy …with an analysis of German cultural/literary ethos Dr.Javid Iqbal German ambassador to India—Mr. Steiner was kind enough to include civil society members amongst others for an exchange of views regarding Zubin Mehta concert. A cultured man in true traditions of Germany, he explained his objective in holding the concert. While appreciating his concern to project Kashmir across the globe, I along with other civil society activists—Zahid Ghulam Mohammad [ZGM] and other noted columnist—Abdul Majid Zargar expressed our reservations. It was put across in lucid terms that melodious tunes of Zubin Mehta might not be compatible with the existing state of melancholy in Kashmir. German ambassador though was insistent on the apolitical state of the concert. The concern remains that the projection is quite the opposite of how it might be viewed by the German ambassador, as well as his highly enthusiastic wife, as gracious a person as her husband. By the time of second interaction, it was evident that die had been cast. And it had reached a point of no return. I wish I could conceive a state of mind to share the enthusiasm of the ambassador and his wife. . As it turned out to be, our concern was not misplaced. With prevalent unaccountability from mass graves to rape victims, the half widows, the lengthening line of orphans, there is hardly a place for melody. Though Kashmiris are a music loving people, since centuries the music of the vale has virtually turned into a wail. Kashmiri poetry is full of it. The longing of Habba Khatoon [Zoon] for her husband—Yousuf Shah Chak, a victim of wile and guile of Mughal-e-Azam—Jalal-ud-Din Mohammad Akbar forms a trail of Kashmir’s state of melancholy: Tse kameou sonnee meyane bram deth neunakhow Tse kyoeze gayee meine dheh Which adversarial consort has enchanted you? What has made you so averse to me? The couplet apart from conveying the longing of Habba Khatoon relates to Akbar’s trail of betrayal. Time and again Kashmir has been a victim of wile and guile. Simplistic approach to geopolitics has let Kashmiris down. And the fact that state of Jammu and Kashmir cannot get its act together, in spite what has come to pass adds to the state of melancholy. In fifties the state of melancholy was attempted to be put in melodious tunes. It was given a name—Jashan-e-Kashmir, it didn’t rhyme with the perpetual state of melancholy [Soz in vernacular]. There is a Persian saying ‘Dhur Muqam Soz, Saaz che Kare Darad’ [where is the place of melody in a state of melancholy]? The state of melancholy has prevailed over centuries, with exploitation of precious resources, of Kashmir art, of agricultural produce. Kashmir has passed through phases of taxation that could have crushed people less resilient, yet resilience has stood out. The heavy taxation resulted in migrations out of the wailing vale. Cities in Punjab were lined with clusters of Kashmiri habitants…in Amritsar, in Lahore, in Sialkot. Kashmir may not bear any ill will to Germans; there is no place for such a feeling. There is lot that Kashmiris share with Germans. Aryan stock is a shared racial feature. Germans amongst westerners were the first to appreciate the linguistic essence of Persian, the language Kashmiris related to. Persian was the official state language for long. Goethe appreciating the depth of Persian poetry saluted the genius of Khwaja Hafiz Shirazi. And Kh. Hafiz Shirazi related to Kashmir in a big way, as the couplet bears out: Az shair-e-Hafiz Shirazi mee goyand va mee ruk’saand Turkan Samarqandi va siyah chashman-e-Kashmiri On Hafiz Shirazi’s poetic tunes rock & roll Samarqand Turks and brave Kashmiris Siyah-chashman in proverbial terms means brave. Allama Iqbal included, the great poets of Urdu, Kashmiri as well tuned their sonnets to the poetic pattern of Hafiz. In fact Allama Iqbal is on record as having said, “When I am on a sonnet, I feel the soul of Hafiz has crept into me”. And Allama Iqbal of Kashmiri origin appreciated the German cultural essence and the interaction with the art of east. Years after Goethe posted his salute, Allama Iqbal stood-up with the salute of the east to the greatness of Goethe. Lovers of literature revel in the sweet scent of cultural interactions of such a quality, where the greatness of Goethe, of Hafiz, of Iqbal forms a mix that cannot but provide comfort. Such a high level of interaction leaves a trail where one cannot but appreciate, what has been mutually benefitting in the realm of art, of literature, of culture. Germany though tormented in none too distant a past, in fact in 20th century by Two World Wars has risen from ruins. There is however a constant effort to make her feel guilty. And Germans occasionally feel compelled to indulge in acts, which may not be in sync with the genius of German people. The Zionist lobby continues to be in the forefront of such efforts, Germans are being made to pay for sins of Hitler. I wish I could attend the concert, for which an invitation stands extended by His Excellency the German Ambassador, but in our state of melancholy, I may not. In our interactions with the German Ambassador, he and his wife have been gracious hosts. Yaar Zinda, Sohbat Baqi [Reunion is subordinate to survival] Feedback on: iqbal.javid46@gmail
Posted on: Mon, 02 Sep 2013 01:17:45 +0000
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