திராவிடத் தோழமை - திராவிட இயக்கமும் இஸ்லாமியர்களும்

நக்கீரன், ஜூலை 1, 2017

இன்றைக்கு கிட்டத்தட்ட ஐம்பது ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்னர், திராவிட முன்னேற்றக் கழகம் முதன்முதலாக பேரறிஞர் அண்ணா தலைமையில் ஆட்சிப் பொறுப்பை ஏற்றிருந்த சமயம். சென்னையை அடுத்து, அச்சிறுப்பாக்கத்திற்கு அருகில் உள்ள பள்ளிப்பேட்டை கிராமத்தில் வசிக்கும் முஸ்லிம்கள், தொழுகைக்காக பள்ளிவாசல் எழுப்புவதற்கு உள்ளூர்வாசிகளிடமிருந்து கடும் எதிர்ப்பு. அதற்காக உயிர்பலியாகிறது. தங்கள் உரிமையை விட்டுக் கொடுத்துவிடக் கூடாது என்று முனைப்புடன், நோன்பு பெருநாளுக்கு முந்தைய இரவில் அங்கே குழுமியிருக்கும் முஸ்லிம்களுக்கு, நள்ளிரவில், அவர்கள் பதட்டத்தை அதிகரிக்கும் வண்ணம் அந்த குக்கிராமத்தை நோக்கி வாகனப் படையெடுப்பு. கலவரத்தை எதிர்கொள்ளத் தயாராக கண்ணியத்திற்குரிய காயிதே மில்லத்தின் மகனாரான மியாகானின் தலைமையில் கூடியிருந்த அந்த சிறு முஸ்லிம் கூட்டத்தினருக்கு வாகனங்கள் அருகில் வர பெருங்குழப்பம். வந்தவையெல்லாம் நீல நிற போலீஸ் வாகனங்கள். அதிலிருந்து இறங்கிய போலீசார், கீற்றுக் கொட்டகை கட்டுவதற்குத் தேவையானவற்றை இறக்கி விட்டு, காலை பெருநாள் தொழுகைக்கு முன்னர் பள்ளிவாசல் எழுப்பப்பட்டிருக்க வேண்டும் என்று தங்களுக்கு மேலிடத்திலிருந்து உத்தரவு வந்திருப்பதாக மியாகானிடம் கூற, கூடியிருந்த அனைவருக்கும் இன்ப அதிர்ச்சி. நடந்தது இதுதான். முஸ்லிம்கள் பள்ளிவாசல் கட்டுவதற்கு எதிர்ப்பு, அதுவும் தன் கட்சிக்காரர்களாலேயே என்ற செய்தியை அன்று டெல்லியில் இருந்த காயிதே மில்லத்திடம் இருந்து தெரிந்து கொண்ட முதலமைச்சர் அண்ணா உடனடியாக எடுத்த நடவடிக்கைதான் அது. காவலர் பாதுகாப்புடன் பெருநாள் தொழுகையை மனநிறைவுடன் தொழுது முடித்த முஸ்லிம்களுக்கு இன்னொரு ஆச்சரியமும் காத்திருந்தது. தொழுது முடித்த மியாகானை சந்திக்க அருகிலுள்ள பயணியர் விடுதியில் முதல்வர் அண்ணா காத்திருக்கிறார் என்ற செய்திதான் அது. விடுதியில் அண்ணாவுடன் காவல் துறை மற்றும் அரசு அதிகாரிகள் மட்டுமின்றி, இதற்கு முட்டுக்கட்டையாக இருந்த தன் கட்சி அமைச்சர்கள் இருவரும் இருந்தனர். கான்சர் நோயால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டு இருந்த நிலையிலும் அண்ணா இஸ்லாமியருக்கு ஏற்பட்ட இக்கட்டை களைய நேரடியாக களத்தில் இறங்கியிருந்தார். சில மாதங்களிலேயே பேரறிஞர் அண்ணா இறந்து போனார். இருப்பினும் இஸ்லாமியர்களுக்கும் திராவிட இயக்கத்திற்குமான நெருக்கமான உறவிற்கான எண்ணற்ற எடுத்துக்காட்டுகளில் இதுவும் ஒன்று. இருபதாம் நூற்றாண்டில் திராவிட இயக்கம் ஆரம்பித்த நாட்களில் இருந்தே இஸ்லாமியரை அரவணைத்தே அதன் நடவடிக்கைகள் இருந்திருக்கின்றன. பெரியாரின் வரவால் இன்னும் பலப்பட்ட அந்த உறவு இந்தி எதிர்ப்பு போராட்டம், இயக்கம் சார்ந்த நடவடிக்கைகள் என்று வலுப்பெற்றது. பெரியாரின் வழியைப் பின்பற்றி ஆட்சி செய்த அண்ணா, கலைஞர் காலத்திலும் அவை தொடர்ந்தன. இந்திய சுதந்திரத்திற்குப் பின்னர் காங்கிரஸ் ஆட்சியில் பல உரிமைகளை தமிழக முஸ்லிம்கள் இழக்க நேரிட்டது, புதிதாக ஒரு காவல்துறை பிரிவினை உருவாக்க முனைந்த சென்னை மாகாண அரசு முஸ்லிம்களை காவலர்களாக தேர்வு செய்வதற்கு எதிராக அரசு ஆணை பிறப்பித்தது. இதற்கு எதிர்ப்பு எழ, 1952 ஆரம்பத்தில் அன்றைய நிதியமைச்சராக இருந்த கோபால் ரெட்டி தடையை விலக்குவதாக சென்னை மாகாண சட்டசபையில் அறிவித்தார். இருப்பினும் சுதந்திரத்திற்கு முந்தைய நீதிக்கட்சி ஆட்சியின் போது பனகல் அரசரால் ஆரம்பிக்கப்பட்ட அரசு யுனானி மருத்துவப் பாடசாலை காங்கிரஸ் அரசால் இழுத்து மூடப்பட்டது. இந்திய மருத்துவ முறையை ஊக்குவிக்கும் எண்ணத்தோடு சென்னை அண்ணா நகரில் சித்த மருத்துவப் பிரிவை கலைஞர் கருணாநிதி தலைமையிலான தி.மு.க. அரசு தொடங்கியபோது, காங்கிரஸ் அரசால் இழுத்து மூடப்பட்ட யுனானி மருத்துவத்திற்கும் படிப்புக்கும் இடம் வழங்கப்பட்டது. அதேபோல் சுதந்திரத்திற்கு முன்னர் இஸ்லாமியரின் உயர்கல்விக்காக சென்னை அண்ணா சாலையில் ஸ்பென்சர் அருகில் ஆரம்பிக்கப்பட்ட அரசு முகம்மதிய கலைக் கல்லூரியையும் வெவ்வேறு காரணங்களைக் காட்டி அன்றைய காங்கிரஸ் அரசு பொது பெண்கள் கல்லூரியாக மாற்றியது. எந்தக் கல்லூரி முஸ்லிம்களிடமிருந்து காங்கிரஸ் ஆட்சியில் பறிக்கப்பட்டதோ, அந்த தவறுக்கு பிராயச்சித்தமாக தி.மு.க. ஆட்சியில் அக்கல்லூரிக்கு கண்ணியத்திற்குரிய 'காயிதேமில்லத் பெண்கள் அரசு கலைக் கல்லூரி' என்ற பெயரை சூட்டியதோடு மட்டுமில்லாமல், இஸ்லாமியர் இழந்துவிட்ட கல்லூரிக்குப் பதிலாக சென்னை மேடவாக்கத்தில் 40 ஏக்கர் நிலம் கலைஞர் கருணாநிதி தலைமையிலான தி.மு.க. அரசு ஒதுக்கியது. இதே போல் இட ஒதுக்கீடு, நபிகள் நாயகம் பிறந்தநாள் விழாவுக்கு விடுமுறை என்று முஸ்லிம்களுக்கு அனுசரணையாக தி.மு.க. ஆட்சியில் எண்ணற்ற உதாரணங்களைக் கூறலாம். கண்ணியத்திற்குரிய காயிதேமில்லத், தந்தை பெரியார் ஆகியோரின் மறைவு, தி.மு.க. விலிருந்து ஙஏத விலகல் ஆகியவை இந்த உறவில் பெரிதும் மாற்றம் கொண்டுவரவில்லை எனலாம். காயிதேமில்லத்தின் மறைவுக்குப் பின்னர், எமெர்ஜென்சியை அடுத்து 1977-ல் நடந்த சட்டமன்ற தேர்தலில் ஙஏத தலைமையிலான அ.தி.மு.க. பெரும்பான்மை பெற்று ஆட்சியை பிடித்தாலும், அந்த கூட்டணியில் இடம்பெற்ற அப்துல்சமத்தின் தலைமையிலான முஸ்லிம் லீக் போட்டியிட்ட 10 இடங்களில் ஒன்றில் மட்டுமே ஜெயிக்க முடிந்தது. இதைவைத்து முஸ்லிம்கள் அ.தி.மு.க.வை ஒதுக்கிவிட்டார்கள் என்று முடிவுக்கு வந்து விடக்கூடாது. மாறாக தி.மு.க. மற்றும் அ.தி.மு.க. வேட்பாளராக போட்டியிட்ட முஸ்லிம்கள் பலர் சட்டமன்றத்தில் நுழைந்தனர். காலப்போக்கில் இஸ்லாமிய கட்சிகள் முஸ்லிம்கள் பெரும்பான்மையாக வசிக்கும் தொகுதிகளில் தனித்து போட்டியிட்டு தங்கள் பலத்தை நிரூபிக்க முற்பட்டபோது அத்தொகுதி முஸ்லிம் வாக்காளர்களின் வாக்குகளில் பத்து சதவிகித வாக்குகளைக்கூட பெறமுடியாத அளவுக்கு பொதுக்கட்சிகளில் குறிப்பாக திராவிட இயக்கத்தில் முஸ்லிம்கள் ஐக்கியமாகிவிட்டிருந்தனர். எம்.ஜி.ஆர். தலைமையிலான அ.இ.அ.தி.மு.க.வின் ஆட்சியின்போது சிறு சலசலப்புகள் இல்லாமல் இல்லை. ஜெயலலிதாவின் தலைமையிலான அ.இ.அ.தி.மு.க. ஆட்சியில் திராவிட அரசியல் அயோத்திக்கு செங்கல் அனுப்பும் அளவுக்கு "பரிணாம வளர்ச்சி'யை நோக்கி பயணிக்க, இந்து மற்றும் இஸ்லாமிய மதவாத சக்திகள் தமிழகத்தில் வளர ஏதுவானது. காங்கிரசால் தொடர்ந்து தவிர்க்கப்பட்ட நிலையில், 1999 பாராளுமன்றத் தேர்தலில் பா.ஜ.க.வுடன் தி.மு.க. கூட்டணி உறவுகொண்டது. இது முஸ்லிம்கள் மத்தியில் பலத்த அதிர்ச்சியை ஏற்படுத்தியது. இருமுறை இந்திய அரசாணை சட்டம் 356 பிரிவில் ஆட்சியை இழந்த தி.மு,க,விற்கு மத்தியில் நட்புக்கரம் தேவையாயிருந்தது. இருப்பினும் அது ஒரு இக்கட்டான உறவு, கொள்கைக்கு முரணான உறவு. முஸ்லிம்கள் மத்தியில் சலசலப்பை ஏற்படுத்தினாலும் அந்தக் கூட்டணியால் பெரிதும் நொந்தது உள்ளூர் இந்துத்துவவாதிகள்தான். தி.மு.க.விற்கு எதிரணியில் இருந்தபோது தமிழகத்தில் அமைப்பாக செயல்பட இருந்த சுதந்திரம் கூட கூட்டணியால் பறிபோனதாக மூத்த இந்து அமைப்பினர் அங்கலாய்க்கும் அளவிற்கு தி.மு.க. அரசு இந்துத்துவ அமைப்புகளை கட்டுக்குள் வைத்திருந்தது. 2011-ல் ஜெயலலிதா தலைமையிலான அ.இ.அ.தி.மு.க. ஆட்சி பொறுப்பேற்றபோது, பரிணாம வளர்ச்சி அரசியலில் இருந்து விலகி பெரும்பாலும் திராவிடமயமாக்கப்பட்ட அ.இ.அ.தி.மு.க. ஆட்சியாக, சிறுபான்மையினர் அனைவரையும் அரவணைத்துச் செல்லக்கூடிய ஆட்சியாகவே அது செயல்பட்டது. இன்று தமிழகத்தைவிட மிக அதிக அளவில் இஸ்லாமியர் வாழும் வட மாநிலங்களில் அரசியல், பொதுவாழ்வு என்று அனைத்திலும் புறந்தள்ளப்பட்டிருக்கும் இஸ்லாமிய சமூகத்தோடு ஒப்பிடுகையில் ஐம்பது ஆண்டு திராவிட ஆட்சி என்பது தமிழர்கள் அனைவரையும் சாதி, மத வேறுபாடின்றி அரவணைத்துச் செல்லும், குறிப்பாக இஸ்லாமியரை பொறுத்தவரை அவர்கள் பிரதிநித்துவம் பெற்ற ஆட்சியாகவே அமைந்துள்ளது எனலாம்.

He rode with his severed head

Published in The Hindu, dated 16th June, 2017 At the place, where Badrudin finally collapsed, stands a beautiful Dargah Many battles were fought in and around Madras, on land and at sea, during colonial times. Though not many reminders exist of those battles, at Pallavaram, Chennai, we do find one commemorating a fallen soldier, in this case a martyr or a shaheed . Of course Pallavaram was not the scene of battle and the actual encounter that made a martyr out of Syed Shah Badrudin took place some distance away at Santhome, in the mid 17th century, a few years after the founding of Madras. Badrudin, who belonged to the Bijapur Sultanate, had volunteered to be part of the Golconda forces fighting to finish off the Portuguese at Santhome. The Portuguese, who had built a fort at Santhome by the mid-16th century, often had trouble with the native rulers because of their arrogant attitude. They managed to provoke even a friendly Vijayanagar emperor, and hastily made peace, when the angry Rayar himself came marching to Santhome with the idea of punishing them. However, when the Bijapur and Golconda Sultans gained the upper hand in the Deccan in the mid 17th century, the Portuguese found themselves on the wrong side. That was also the time the Portuguese power was being challenged by other European colonialists such as the Dutch, the English and the French. So, when Santhome came under attack by the Golconda forces in 1646 under the command of Mir Jumla, the English at Fort St. George, despite outwardly professing friendship with the Portuguese, loaned a canon to Mir Jumla to aid in his bombardment of the Portuguese fortress town. It was in this siege of Santhome that Badrudin took part as a horseman of the Golconda cavalry. As the fighting raged on, and even as some of the Portuguese, sensing defeat, were trying to flee Santhome by sea, Syed Shah Badrudin grew impatient. He alighted from his horse, scaled the walls of the Santhome Fort, raced to the flag staff, brought down the Portuguese flag, and triumphantly replaced it with the flag of Golconda. As he wound his way down to join his fellow soldiers to celebrate the victory, tragedy struck in the form of a Portuguese sailor in hiding. Extraordinary will power And this is where, true to Indian tradition, things get bizarre. The Portuguese sailor, who struck from behind, it was said, managed to severe Badrudin’s head, but legend has it that Badrudin not only picked up his fallen head, but also managed to get on his horse, and, followed by his mother, brother, friends and his favourite dog, made his way to Pallavaram. There he finally collapsed, becoming not just a shaheed , but because of the extraordinary display of will power, almost a miracle. He came to be regarded as a saint. As was said to be his wish, he was buried where his head finally fell. His family and servants who followed him are believed to have made their home around the spot. While the severing of the head could be an exaggeration typical of the imaginative Indian mind, perhaps the injury was so severe that it was only a miracle that enabled Badrudin to travel till Pallavaram with his head still on his shoulders. That sort of a miracle —attributed to the power of mystics — and the martyrdom elevated Badrudin, also known as Budu Shaheed, into a Sufi upon his death. Soon, at the place where Badrudin was buried came up a Dargha, frequented by fakirs as well as Nawabs. Today, there are three beautiful Bijapur-style enclosures that are open to the sky at the Hazrath Syed Badrudin Shaheed Dargha, on the Dargha Road at Pallavaram. In the big main enclosure, by the side of Badrudin, his mother and brother are buried. In another enclosure to the front lie the mortal remains of Badrudin’s horse and his pet dog. The Hazrath Syed Badrudin Shaheed Dargha, the only reminder of the 1646 battle for Santhome, is still frequented by faqirs.

Beauty brings down barriers - Ghazal on the Mount

The Renaissance paintings inside the church on St. Thomas Mount inspired the visitors — Muslims and Hindus — to compose verses on the spot Hindus and Muslims reciting Ghazals, inside a church — nothing novel today, perhaps but when it first happened, as an act of spontaneity by people who were overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of the European paintings depicting Biblical scenes, it went on to be etched as a special moment in the city’s multi-cultural history. It happened at the church (called Church of Our Lady of Expectation) on St. Thomas Mount, then known as Firangi Kunda or Parangi Malai when Nawab Sadathullah Khan ruled the Carnatic. The year was 1719, and the Nawab’s men — led by his Dewan, Dakhini Ram along with a few Muslim generals and others — were returning to Arcot after some tough negotiations with the English at Fort St. George. The Nawab’s Church visit On the way, the Nawab’s party was invited by Armenian traders to visit their palatial bungalows at the foot of St. Thomas Mount. After enjoying Armenian hospitality and some rest, Dakhini Ram and his men climbed up the hill to see the elegant church, built at the spot where St. Thomas, the apostle, was believed to have been killed in 72 CE. The Portuguese had built a church there in the 16th century, which was renovated and beautified by the rich Armenian traders of Madras just a few years before the Nawab’s party would land up there, out of curiosity. And what they saw took their breath away. “Its lofty buildings and its elegant and bewitching aisles, where, at every corner, pictures of Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ adorn the walls, dazed the onlooker,” writes Jaswanth Rai, the chronicler of Nawab Sadathullah Khan. Published in The Hindu dated 28th April, 2017 It was probably the first time that the Indians were coming face-to-face with European Renaissance-styled paintings. The use of perspective on a two-dimensional surface to make it appear three-dimensional was one of the characteristic features of Renaissance paintings. It made the painted eye appear as though it was following the viewer. Once inside the church, they found the interior of the church roof completely painted with Biblical scenes and of Virgin Mary with Child Jesus. “What wonderful paintings, particularly the ones on the roof are beyond all praise. From whatever corner one looks at, his eyes are dazzled at the art,” records Jaswant Rai, who accompanied the Dewan. Jaswant Rai’s friend Muhammad Arif composed a verse on the spot: ‘His eyes (artist’s) see with the eye of God: The whole art of the West is manifested in the twinkle of the eye.’ Thoroughly intoxicated with the beautiful paintings and the hospitality of the padre, the Nawab’s men decided to hold a Mushaira (a poetic symposium) right there. So poets such as Khizl Bash Khan, Fazlullah Khan, Aga Muhammad Muqim, chronicler Jaswant Rai and several others got together. Basanth Rai, brother of Jaswanth Rai, sang: ‘The eye has not eyed like unto the beloved from the west; The moon has not witnessed another such moon in the whole of that country…’ Muhammad Arif continued thus: ‘The European beloved has struck such a chord in my heart That the page of my heart has been metamorphosed Into a picture of Europe…’ Interestingly, the paintings also brought in philosophical musings in people like Khizl Bash Khan, who began his recital with, “I am not able to differentiate between a Sheikh and a Brahmin…” Perhaps the English translation does not do justice to the original Persian verse with its rhyme and meter, but it does offer a glimpse into a society that appreciated art beyond the narrow confines of religion. Today, sadly it is only these verses that remain of the beautiful paintings that adorned the ceilings of the church. But these verses and the St. Thomas Mount chronicle bear testament to a time when religion did not blur man's appreciation for the lofty things of life.

The Madras - Ottoman Turkey connection

Published in The Hindu dated March 16, 2017 As you turn off the Triplicane High Road into the Wallajah Mosque compound in Chennai, you can’t miss the elegant old building, painted white, that stands defiantly graceful amidst the concrete jungle. The building whose grand entrance faces the mosque, that once welcomed foreign dignitaries, stands closed today, and with its back entrance open on the Vallabha Agraharam street, it operates as a lodge for weary travellers — both foreign and Indian. Wonder if any of them are aware of its rich heritage that connects Madras with the Turkic Ottoman Empire. As the smaller picture reveals this was once the grand Ottoman Turkic consulate in Madras. Madras’s association with the Ottoman Empire dates back to the time of the Nawabs of Arcot, when they made the city their home in the mid-18th century. As the two most revered holy sites of Muslims, namely Mecca and Medina, were under the protection of the Ottoman Empire, the Nawabs corresponded with the Ottomans regarding Haj pilgrimage and a few other issues. By virtue of having the holy sites under their control, the Ottomans styled themselves as Caliphs, giving them a religious authority. Struck fortune It was perhaps this and the business opportunities offered by the Ottoman Empire that led Mohamed Badsha Sahib to represent Turkish interests in Madras. Mohamed Badsha Sahib who started his business on Triplicane High Road in 1812 struck fortune in 1866 when he went on a tour of West Asia. He began dealing in indigo with Cairo, Asia Minor and Baghdad. From the fortune made, Badsha made some significant contribution to the Ottomans in the Turko-Russian war. In recognition of his contribution, he received the ‘Hamidea Decoration’ from the Sultan of Turkey and was also granted the title of “Effendi.” Upon his retirement in 1881, his sons expanded the business and also continued to represent Turkish interests. Their office was at Erabalu Chetty Street and the Turkish Consulate was on Triplicane High Road. As Turkey was trying to modernise, the sons pitched in with their support, collecting money from India for the Hamede-Hedjaz Railway project that was intended to connect the holy cities in Arabia with Turkey as well as move troops through the Arab territories. This was the railway line that the famed ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ would attack as part of the Arab revolt against the Ottoman caliphate. The Ottoman Sultan honoured Khan Bahadur Md Abdul Aziz Badsha (son of founder), who was the Consul of Turkey in 1913 with the ‘Order of Osmanieh’ and his brother Kuddus Badsha, the Vice-Consul, was awarded a gold medal for the same. Such was the Turkish involvement in Ottoman affairs. However the Badshas with their huge business interests in the Madras presidency were no less in their contributions to the Madras society. Be it the Mahajana Sabha, Anjuman, the Indian National Congress, the Madras Presidency Muslim League, running educational institutions, South Indian Chamber of Commerce or being Sheriff of Madras (in 1913), they were actively involved in every aspect of Madras society. Interestingly, they were also considered loyal subjects of the English crown and honoured by the British with the title ‘Khan Bahadur.’ This fine balancing by the Badshas would be severely tested when World War I broke out pitting the Turks against the English and subsequent Khilafat agitation (for the restoration of the Caliphate) of the Indian nationalists led by the Ali brothers and Gandhiji agitating against the British Crown. Wonder what transpired in the Ottoman Turkish Consulate in Madras under such trying times. The flag was pulled down long ago but if only records exist of what transpired within the four walls of the Consulate, it will not only enrich Madras history but also our understanding of the ‘Great Game’ being played out by the Western powers, Turks and the Russians even today.

An arch witness to power stuggle at Madras - 200 years ago

Published in The Hindu - Friday Review, dated 17-02-2017 Madras was in the eye of a power storm, 200 years ago An ailing or aged ruler triggering a political crisis is not something new in Indian history, but what is interesting about the recent drama that unfolded in Chennai has its parallels to a power struggle that Madras was witness to a little more than 200 years ago. The drama then too had an ailing ruler, various aspirants including a ‘sister’ scheming to take over power upon his death, and a Governor keenly assessing the situation.

The only visible token of the dramatic events that unfolded in 1801 when Umdatu’l-Umara, the Nawab of Arcot, died, is a nondescript arch with the name ‘Azeempet’ chiselled on it, that still stands on Chennai’s Triplicane High Road, a few yards away from the Walajah Mosque. It is a reminder of sibling love that turned bitter and ultimately led to the dramatic fall of the House of Arcot, paving the way for the East India Company to establish itself firmly in the saddle and change the course of Indian history. Old timers remember this arch as the gateway, ‘Kaman-Darwaza,’ to the palace of Sultanu’n-nisa Begam, the daughter of Nawab Muhammad Ali Walajah and sister to Nawab Umdatu’l-Umara. Nawab Umdatu’l-Umara, who succeeded Muhammad Ali Walajah upon the latter’s death in 1795, was very fond of his sisters, especially his senior sister (meaning the eldest of his younger sisters) Sultanun’n-nisa, also known as Buddi Begum. Sultanu’n-nisa was equally fond of her brother so much so that, out of concern for his safety, and to ward off evil, she used to send everyday a rupee coin to the Nawab, which he would dutifully tie it on his upper arm.The Nawab very often spent his evenings at the palace of his senior sister, listening to musicians, watching a dance recital or just having dinner. He had a room in her house, where the Nawab met with his officers and others. It was widely believed that Sultanu’n-nisa was the actual power behind the throne. Somewhere down the line, Sultanu’n-nisa had assumed that her son Raisul Umara would succeed her brother to the throne. But she was not the only one eyeing the throne, as the Nawab himself would lament - “I intend my son for the throne; Sayful Mulk (the Nawab’s younger brother) intends that the throne is for him; my senior sister has in mind that her son is meant for the throne after me; and the firangs (foreigners – the East India Company) are waiting for their opportunity. But it shall be as the Supreme Ruler wills.” The Nawab wrote a will on his deathbed, making his son Tajul Umara his successor, a move that enraged his sister, who felt betrayed. It was an opportunity too good to miss for the firangs, who were looking for an excuse to take over the Carnatic entirely.The English used the simmering anger of Sultanu’n-nisa and spread the rumour that a coup against the Nawab was in the offing. With the connivance of Nawab’s Diwan, Col. Barret, they surrounded the ailing Nawab with the Company’s troops. When Nawab Umdatu’l-Umara died in 1801, a bitter Sultanu’n-nisa would not forgive her brother. She refused to let the coffin pass through the Kaman-Darwaza. It had to be left the whole night with guards in a hall opposite the arch. After failing to persuade his aunt to let the coffin through, Tajul Umara, son of the deceased Nawab, decided to break the wall behind Nusrat-mahall and send the coffin to Trichy, to be buried next to the tomb of his grandfather Nawab Walajah. This power struggle enabled Governor Edward Clive to make a man of Company’s choice as the next Nawab, a man who was willing to sign away the Kingdom, which the young Tajul Umara, the rightful successor, refused to do. Umara’s cousin Azim-Ud-Daula was anointed as the next Nawab. Tajul Umara died within a few months. Sultanu’n-nisa and her son left for a Hajj pilgrimage and chose to settle down in the holy city of Karbala in Iraq, where she eventually died. Two hundred years later, the arch still stands, a mute witness to the bitter power struggle that not just led to the tragic fall of the House of Arcot but a drastic change in power equation that would take more than century for India to recover from.

Of chronograms and the art of writing time

Chronogram and the art of writing
Published in the Hindu dated 25 August, 2016

When Saadathullah Khan, the new Nawab of Arcot created a beautiful garden in his capital city Arcot, and was looking for a suitable name, Jaswant Rai, his chronicler presented him with the name ‘Humayun Bagh,’ meaning ‘Auspicious Garden.’ The Nawab was very impressed and mighty pleased as he also understood that his chronicler had offered him much more than a name.

Earlier the Nawab had gone to great lengths in adorning Arcot with stately buildings. What was missing was the gardens. Being a Mughal protégé, the Garden was important. And so next to the river he laid an extensive garden with flower beds and fruit bearing trees of different kinds. He further decorated it with one hundred and fifty fountains that were perennially fed by a system of waterworks.

Keeping the climatic conditions of Arcot in mind the Nawab ordered for trees from Telengana to be planted in the garden. Once the work was done, he was equally keen to have a worthy name for his royal garden. That was when Jaswant Rai pleased him not just with a name but a skilfully composed ‘Chronogram’ which, when carefully read, also revealed the year of its (Garden) creation in the Islamic calendar of Hijri as 1,113 (corresponds to 1,701 CE).

Before the Indo-Arab numerals came into wide use, it was common to assign numerical value to alphabets as the Greeks did. Chronograms essentially took it one step further where the numerical value assigned to each letter in the text when added, the sum total reflected the year of the event on which the chronogram is composed. Essentially the word “Chronogram” meant “time writing,” derived from the Greek words chronos (“time”) and gramma (“letter”).

Typically the chronograms could be just one word, a verse or verses including those from the Holy Scriptures of any of the Abrahamite religions. The Jews composed chronograms using Hebrew numerical system and it was known as Gematria. The Abjad system assigns numerical value to the Arabic letters and it is common to see the important Islamic phrase, a phrase with which Muslims begin their prayer or any good deed - ‘Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim’ (“In the name of Allah, the most merciful, the most compassionate”) – with a numeric value of 786.

Though this tradition of composing chronograms was prevalent among various societies, it came into its own during the medieval period with the Jews, Christians and Muslims taking to composing ‘chronograms’ to commemorate events. It could be a victory of an army, inauguration of a palace, a church, a mosque or could be even death.

When Begum Sahiba, the Nawab’s companion of many years, died during the month of Muharram, many a poet in Saadathullah Khan’s court wrote elegies and as was the tradition some of them attempted composing chronograms. The most appropriate one was of course composed by the Nawab’s elder brother Ghulam Ali Khan. It was a verse from the Holy Quran, Wadhkhuli Jannati (“And enter my Paradise”). It gave the year of her death as 1114 Hijri era, which in Gregorian calendar translates to 1702 CE.

A year after her death the Nawab built another garden of the same dimension as the Humayun Bagh. Jaswant Rai called the new garden the ‘Nau Jahan Bagh,’ which when read as a chronogram, revealed the year of opening the garden as 1115 A.H (corresponds to 1703 CE).

In Madras, we do have a number of mosques that have their year of construction beautifully camouflaged in chronograms. Nawab Muhammad Ali Walajah, another celebrated Nawab of Arcot, was equally known for his liberal donations cutting across religions. The Kapaleeswarar temple tank at Mylapore was his donation. He moved the court to Madras and built a palace for himself at Chepauk. When the Muslim merchants of George Town approached him for a mosque, he built the Masjid-e-Mamoor mosque for them on Angappa Naicken Street. From the chronogram composed in Persian and inscribed inside the mosque, it is understood to have been constructed in the Hijri year 1199, which corresponds to 1784 CE.

A little later when the Nawab wanted to build a Big Mosque in Triplicane, nearer to his palace at Chepauk, he held a competition for the best chronogram to be inscribed. Interestingly it was won by Raja Makhan Lal Khirad, a Hindu who was a munshi and in the employment of the Nawab. His chronogram, ‘Dhikrullahi Akbar’ (Remembrance of God is great) is inscribed above the Mihrab (a semicircular niche in the wall of the mosque that indicates the qibla; that is, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and hence the direction that Muslims should face when praying) and gives us the year of construction as 1209 Hijri which translates to 1794 CE.

These are just a few examples of the many chronograms that dot our landscape. The chronograms of the Arcot Nawabs were not just about the art of writing time but also a reminder of our secular past we can be rightfully proud about.

Deccan Herald

Peek into history

LAST UPDATED: 29 OCTOBER, 2011

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Heritage Think Carnatic and what plays in your mind is divine classical music. Aside from the ragas and thalam, the term Carnatic can also refer to a region in South India which was once known to be a hot seat of power amongst the Mughals, Marathas, and even the British and French. Soon, the region came to be associated with the Nawabs of Arcot. 

This dynasty began with a siege between the Mughals and Marathas in the 17th century, and survived for 200 years after. 

The royal house still stands erect today, with the present prince, Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali maintaining its age-old traditions. While Arcot may have been their seat of power, their home remains in Madras, or Chennai, as we know it today.

My trip to the royal house of Arcot began on a wet Saturday morning in Chennai, when I went on a Wallajah trail along with noted documentary film maker, Kombai S Anwar. The skies were covered with a thick layer of rain clouds waiting to drench the wind-swept city. The seas were choppy and the Marina looked vacant and washed out. As we walked towards the Chepauk Palace, Anwar traced out the history of the dynasty. 

Towards the end of 17th century, the Marathas were trying to establish their base in the south. Aurangazeb, the Mughal emperor, sent Zulfikar Khan, an army general, to Arcot to contain the Marathas. “The siege was supposed to get over in a few months, but it was prolonged for over six years,” said Anwar, adding, “it is possible that Zulfikar Khan was actually in collusion with the Marathas.”

Continuing with his narration, Anwar informed me that a local chieftain, Yachamma Nayak, wrote a note to Aurangazeb stating, “Your man was fooling you. If I was given the responsibility, I would defeat them in a week’s time.” The letter, however, was intercepted. Zulfikhar Khan invited the chieftain over for a meeting and without revealing his knowledge of the letter, killed him. 

“He made it look like an accident, by cutting off the ropes of the tent when the chieftain walked in,” said Anwar. The story, however, did not end here. Aurangazeb apparently did get to know about the incident after the siege was over and asked Zulfikar Khan to let the young successor of the chieftain ascend his rightful throne. 

The story, in many ways, is the beginning of the House of Arcot. Zulfikar Khan was appointed by Aurangazeb as a Nawab of Carnatic, and is officially recognised today as the first ruler of the dynasty. “Over six years, the camp slowly developed into a town and the successors eventually made Arcot their capital,” said Anwar.

The dynasty expanded despite the strong hold that the British East India company had over Madras, from Fort St George. The Nawabs and the British seemed to share a strange friendship, often mutually beneficial to each other. “The story goes that the British used to supply expensive liquor and gifts to Nawab Daud Khan Panni. Often in a state of inebriation, he gave away villages to the British in return! At times, when he was sober, he would demand them back,” said Anwar. 

However, his successor, Saadatullah Khan or Mohammad Saiyid, showed more caution, and preferred to contain the British. He built a fort in Kovalam, in the outskirts of Chennai, and invited several merchants, including the Armenian and Belgian East India Company. Anwar explained that as these were revenue states, they needed the money to fund wars and welfare schemes. Hence, trade came of importance. Saadutullah Khan also established Saidabad, known today as Saidapet. If you were to walk around the locality today, you would find a mosque named after him, right in the heart of the town.

Anwar continued with a bit of history, as we admired the Indo Sarcenic style of the Chepauk Palace. Internal feuds in the royal house took a bloody turn as the British and the French took sides in the war for succession. Robert Clive and Dupleix clashed in these Wars of Carnatic, but eventually, the British succeeded and the most important ruler of the dynasty, Mohammad Ali Wallajah, commonly known as Wallajah, came to the throne. 
“Wallajah prefered to move to Madras and stay closer to the British.

His wish for a palace in Fort St George was granted eventually by the local governors, but the directors in Britain developed cold feet,” explained Anwar. However, there is still a Palace Street in Fort St George. Finally, the area around modern day Chepauk was offered to them and a palace was built for them. Even today, one can see parts of the palace such as Kalas Mahal and Humayan Mahal where the darbar was held. 

Our next stop on the trail was the 18th century mosque built by Wallajah in Triplicane, Chennai. Being my first entry into a mosque, my initial observation was that of a natural pond that seemed to have formed in the front. As we explored the mosque, the second one to have been built in the city, we found ourselves detaching from the urban strappings and chaos of the city.

We examined the dargah of Bahrul Uloom, a highly revered scholar invited by Wallajah to teach in his madrasa, placed adjacent to the mosque. “Wallajah personally carried the palanquin of the scholar when he entered the city,” said Anwar, drawing our attention to the chronogram in the centre of the shrine, right above the Mihrab. ”One can gather Wallajah’s secular approach to life from the fact that the chronogram he had selected for the dargah was written by his Hindu Munshi, Makan lal Khirad,“ he added.� 

The trail led us to the heart of Mylapore, where Anwar pointed out to us the tank of Kapaleeshwar Temple and explained that it had been gifted by the Nawabs of Arcot. In fact, the tank is used by Muslims even today. Wallajah himself was connected to Mylapore in many ways. Wallajah wanted to be buried in Meccan or Trichy, where another sufi saint’s, Nather Wali, dargah is located. However, he was temporarily buried in the dargah of renowned scholar, Dastageer Sahib, in Mylapore. 

�We finally landed at the last point in our trail — Amir Mahal, a sprawling mansion in the middle of the city, and home to the current Prince of Arcot. After the death of the last nawab in 1855, the house was heavily in debt. The British eventually confiscated the palace and other properties and moved the nawab’s successors to Shaadi Mahal. “Eventually, the Crown recognised the house as that of Amir I Arcot or Prince of Arcot and they shifted back to Amir Mahal,” said Anwar. 

The charm of the house still rests with its artistic and cultural legacy. Aside from the monuments, one can lose themselves in the library built by the nawabs, which stocks books gifted by previous governors of Bengal and kings of Egypt. 

As if he were reliving a past life, Anwar shared a description of Triplicane, drenched in the tunes of courtesans, which mingled with a few Hindustani lyrics sung from a nearby street, Ghanabad. “There is also a story of Nawab Saadutullah Khan and his noblemen conducting an improptu mushaira in a church located near St Thomas Mount,” said Anwar. Relishing in these titbits of rich cultural heritage, and reflecting upon a forgotten secular past, we made our way back to Marina Beach.Go to TopAustria's Marcel Hirscher, center, winner of a men's World Cup giant slalom race, poses...Punjabi Singer Sippy Gill and Actress Rhianna Dhillon during the shoot of his music album...A woman embracing her son during the pipping ceremony after passing out parade of army at Jammu...A man dressed as Hindu god Lord Shiva takes part in a religious procession ahead...Farmers of Sultanpur near Hajipur demonstrate after refusing to reap their standing wheat crops...Tibetans hold candles and posters during a candle light vigil to show solidarity with the...Flamingo birds at Sewree in Mumbai on Saturday...Cape Canaveral Air Force Station: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral...Bollywood actors Alia Bhatt, Fawad Khan and Siddharth Malhotra at the press conference to promote...BSF women take oath during a passing out parade at Kharka Camp in Hoshiarpur...

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