Contributed By: Dr. Equbal Wajid
The visit of Akhlaqur Rahman Qidwai, then the Governor of Bihar is a memorable mark in the history of Insan School. Everyone was delighted. When big dignitaries come to Insan School, it appeared as a morale booster for everyone. These visits were a source of satisfaction for us. By the speeches and praising words of the dignitaries we feel boosted. A weak man like me who has struggled throughout his life to secure his identity, could naturally become more enthusiastic at such occasions.
The state airplane of the Bihar Government took off from Patna Air Port boarding in its cabin the first Citizen of the State Dr. Akhlaqur Rahaman Qidwai. Just 50 minutes have passed in the air, that the pilot get prepared to take station on the runway of KHAGRA HAWAI ADAA [Kishanganj Airport]. The landing time was scheduled at 07:30 am. At 08:00 am the Governor has to reach at Kishanganj Dakbunglow. At 09:00 am he was scheduled to visit Insan School. Thousands of eyes were looking up in the sky if they could find any sign of an airplane? When they all heard the sound of an aeroplane taking a round of the town far above their head, they shouted:
“AA GAYE AA GAYE…… GOVERNER SAHAB AA GAYEE….. GOVERNOER SHAB KA JAHAAZ AGAYA…AB KE GHANTE MIEN AA GAIENGE” [ Arrived…. Arrived ….the honorable governor … arrived….Governor’s plane arrived…..now he will be here in one hour. ]
A group on trained boys offered Guard of Honor to him at the School’s entrance. Viewers were astonished to see the presentation. The representatives and leaders among the students received the Governor. At such occasions Dr. Syed Hasan always kept himself in the back ground. He was not in the scene. The teachers were also in the background. His Excellency the Governor of Bihar visited the campus. It took one hour to the campus tour. Passing through different campuses he reached the College campus in an open Jeep. Our student, the topper of the class ,Gholam Shahid in a colored gown, was ready to receive him in the campus. By rotation I was the In-charge of the College those days, so I also took the opportunity to receive the Governor. He met with the lecturers one by one, visited the exhibitions displayed by the students and then went back to the head office building. Dr. Syed Hasan still didn’t meet him. He was everywhere , but in the background. I witness that the Governor asked some one:
“SYED SAHAB KAHAN HAIEN?” [ Where is Mr. Syed Hasan?]
Parasad Bhai a Hindu teacher rushed to call Dr. Syed Hasan. Then the jewel of the ‘Insan Complex’ Dr. Syed Hasan emerged in a very simple look. He met the governor. They both sat close to each other on the dining table. I was there nearby to listen what they talk about.
The Governor asked:
“ SAAL MIEN KEYA KHARCH AATA HAI?” [What is the annual expenditure?]
“LAG BHAG 50 LAKH” [ Approximately 50 lakhs] Dr. Syed Hasan answered.
“ TANAKHAH MEIN KITNA JA TA HAI”[ How much it goes in salaries?] The Governor asked.
“SAARHE TEENLAKH” [ Three and half lakhs] Dr. Syed Hasan answered.
“YEH RAQAM WAHI HAI JO GOVERNMENT TEACHRON KO PAY KARTI HAI YA US SE ALAG AHAI?”[ Is this the same amount what the Government use to pay to the teachers?] The Governor asked.
“NAHIEN US SE ALAG AHAI” [ No it is other than that] replied Dr. Syed Hasan.
“TO IS MIEN AUR KITNA MILA DIYA JAI KE SARKAR KE BARABER HOJAE” [ How much it can be added to meet the government standards?] The Governor asked again.
Dr Syed Hasan escaped the answer and said:
“MAIEN LOGON SE KAHTA HUN KI MUJHE MANGNA KUEN SIKHATE HAIEN? MUJHE JAMIA NE MANGNA SIKHAYA.” [ I say to the people why they compel me to beg? Jamia has never taught us to beg for money.] Syed Hasan read the famous couplet of the great Poet of Urdu Allama Iqbal in a loud voice, as it was his habit:
“KHUDI KO KAR BULAND ITNA KE HAR TAQDEER SE PAHLE
KHUDA BANDE SE KHUD POOCHE BAT ATERI RAZA KIYA HAI”
[Bring your Ego to such a height that before asking for anything Allah may ask you what do you want?]
The Governor said while laughing:
“BHAI HAM LOG TO DAFTARI AADMI HAIEN, YAHAN TO YEH HAI KE, DARKHAST DOGE TO MILEGA” [ We are the official people. This is our practice if an application will come then only something can be given.]
And this was the end of the talk.
In the evening the Governor came again to watch the cultural program started at 7:00 o’clock. Varieties of programmes were being staged. I was also the organizer and of an ‘one act play, it was presented in Urdu. Its name was “ WAQT KI PALKI” [ The cradle of time]. It was a philosophical Play. It has the following characters:
1. IRADAH [Intention] 2.TAWANAI [ Power] 3.HUSN [ Beauty] 4.MUHABBAT [Love] and 5. MAUT [Death].
These all characteristics were being personified upon the stage. Grown-up students of High School were playing the roles. I remember Naushad Adil from Thakurgnaj was playing the role of HUSN [Beauty]. Fateh Azam Rizvi [Jamui ] was in the role of MAUT [Death]. Mohammad Saleem from Rafiganj, Gaya] acted as ‘Power’. This was a philosophical play to which I was inspired by the Book of Allama Iqbal “FALASFA E AJAM”. It was the Urdu translation of his PhD thesis “The development of metaphysics in Persia”. I inspired to form the idea of this play from his book.
As it could appear upon the stage that two small boys of same size [ Arman Wajid my nephew & Tanweer Ahmed from Patna] wearing white Kurta Pajama and Topi, looking like angles came upon the stage from opposite sides. They raise their hand as Muslims do when they start prayer. Then they went in Ruku and then went in Sajda [prostration] on the edge of the stage facing to each other. They remained in the Sajdah [ prostration] till the end of the play. Then from the back ground one after another the Personified Characters appeared up on the colorful stage. All the characters were dressed in extreme white brightened clothes like fairies . White shining Crowns were shining upon their heads. They came and presented their dialogues one by one.
First of all the “IRADAH” [Intention] came up on the stage. He was in a beautiful look. He started his dialogue :
“My name is INTENTION. …… I have been assigned the leadership of the Human Universe……I am the onlooker of all the movements and stillness…..…...in this world……...look at me…. Know my power…….know my voice …wherever I have went …. the success and victory has come under …my feet….] he stands in the back and waits for the other character.
The other Character appears form the back ground.
“My name is TWANAI [energy]. In my absence not a single thing can remain….. I am the real power…...I am the real power……I am the core of the universe……. Look at me …how power full I have been made….] then he stands beside ‘INTENTION’ and waits for the other character.
Now comes HUSN [ the beauty]. On a very beautiful look she starts her dialogue:
“I am the beauty………… I am the charm of the existence…….. the whole mankind loves me…. I am the beloved of all…..the angels….. the humankind …….the…..animals….birds….. and all living species..…..without my presence the life is colorless…. everything is tasteless…..I have been created to govern the hearts…….I am the core of aesthetics”.
She also stands in the queue and waited for the other character. Then the Love appears upon the stage and says:
“ My name is LOVE……..I exists in everybody’s existence …I am …..the pleasure of the soul…. ..all living beings need me….I have been brought to existence to join the broken hearts….. I am priceless …… …. nobody can buy me……..look at me…I am the most important …” She also joins the queue one the stage. Two of the boys are still in SAJDAH [Prostration] on the edge of the stage in the same pose.
Then at the last appeared the DEATH. She was dressed in black, rather a dreadful face. As the DEATH came, all the Characters started shaking and dying. One by one they all fell down. Then it was the term of DEATH. She said:
“I am the DEATH……..I have been created to destroy the happiness…….I break the pleasure…….I demolish the joy……..I demolish everything……... and at the last ….the death also dies”.
It was a rather horrible scene. The two angles still remained in prostration, until the screen got down. The audience kept quite. It was silence all around. The after a silence of three minutes the screen was dropped. A couplet of Allama Iqbal, was being read form the background:
AWWAL O AKHIR FINA ZAHIR O BATIN FINA
NAQAH E KOHAN HO KE NAU MANZELE AKHIR FINA
[ The first and the last , the hidden and the unhidden will come to an end. All the new and the old will come to an end]
The message of this one act play was clear that everything in the universe will come to an end, except the existence of Allah, who deserves to be prayed and sacrificed for. The two angels who remained in prostration throughout they play gave the message that Allah is immortal and the greatest. (to be continued..)
