‘Miyan Khan, the same that happened to others. Both were arrested.’
Kakku Khan asked, ‘Badshaho, I wanted to know what British jails might be like.’
Fakira started laughing. ‘If it is a jail, then what can be good about it and what bad?’
Shahji understood. He shook his head. ‘No Fakireya, it’s not like that. See, Kalapani Jail is the worst and toughest of all the jails in our country for our prisoners.’
Mauladadji was touched. ‘Why not, Kakku Khan, it’s a brother’s heart after all. You thought of Vazeera. Otherwise, I would say Gujrat Jail is also quite famous.’
‘Khalsaji, if a gurudwara was built in Canada, the land must have been given by the Sarkar only, no? That is not a bad thing. It is good.’
Chaudhary Fateh Ali said, ‘I’ve heard that an impressive masjid is being constructed in London too. No government can afford to object in such matters.’
Meeranbaksh was still burning with curiosity. ‘I say, what happened to the granthi and the pradhan? And Guruditt Singhji, what of your brother-in-law and his wife?’
‘People got together and put in a writ petition. The high court decreed that all should be let off.’
‘Then justice was done!’
‘There is many a wise, intelligent and rich man among our people there. A Gujrati, Seth Husain Raheem, and Pashori Atmaram gave a lot of money to help our people there. Bore the entire expense of the case, court and petitions.’
‘Waah-waah, men like this are the strong hands of the helpless abroad!’
‘Wait, I forget, there was one more name my brother-in-law mentioned. Yes, Padre Hal Sahib – the English padre had gone there from Hindostan itself.’
Najiba said, ‘Who knows, perhaps he was related to our Padres of Jalalpur.’
‘Na ji! Padres are related to each other only as much as one pandit is to another pandit, or one maulvi to another.’
Guruditt Singh wanted to make a better comment, but couldn’t think of any. Closing his eyes, a conversation with his brother-in-law came alive in his mind. ‘Badshaho, our Khalsas made big money abroad. When contractor Sardar Guruditt Singh of Malaya, Singapore heard our people’s plaint – that they are treated badly by the British ship in issuing them passage – then, badshaho, Guruditt Singh bought ships for his countrymen! Deals worth lakhs and crores!’
‘Badshaho, now that is called means, that is capability!’
Ganda Singh said, ‘There is another man who is famous – Sardar Jwala Singh. He established four scholarships for our bright, promising boys to study in America. Karm Ilahiji, this is not a small thing. Take it that utensils, cots and chairs, auspicious offerings and exchanges put together for one daughter’s dowry equals one scholarship!’
Guruditt Singh thought of something at last. ‘If you ask me, the Shah of Englistan is sitting abroad, and his writ and command runs in our country. The same trickery will take place here as well. Ultimately, the revolutionaries and Ghadar rebels will bury the government.’
Karm Ilahiji pushed the hukkah away. ‘Our area is a well-wisher of the Sarkar. Maximum recruitment is from these villages only. Pray, why would the people here indulge in such disloyalty and treachery!’
Kashi Shah was about to say something when Taya Tufail Singh set out to prove his knowledge and Bengal’s supremacy, saying, ‘Say whatever you like, but the inquilabis of Bengal are most brave. Just hearing their names and doings, the Angrez fears for his mother. Every family has a revolutionary, or has links with them. Wake up early morning, and you see the walls covered with posters – We’ll give our lives or take lives! One has a reward on his head, another’s face and features are described. “Reward five thousand. Strong build. Complexion wheatish. Neither dark nor fair. The man looks Bengali. If attired differently, he may even look Punjabi. Has a wound mark on the third finger of his hand.”’
Shahji said, ‘This is quite an old incident. It was about those who threw a bomb at the governor-general in Delhi; it came in many papers. When his procession passed through Delhi’s Chandni Chowk, a bomb was thrown at him. The laat was badly wounded.’
Kriparam got irritated with this topic. ‘The public was living in peace and harmony. But they had to go set the dung pats on fire – now smoulder away! Our young sons are also posted in the British government’s forces, not in that of some king or emperor. We should also do something, make some effort at least.’
Kakku Khan agreed: ‘Badshaho, this seems to me quite reasonable.’
Ganda Singh took umbrage. ‘Kyon ji, are we so lily-livered that while our inquilabis are martyred and hanged from poles, we close our eyes, minds and intelligence and go on singing praises of the government? Badshaho, this cannot be …’
Deen Muhammad had just arrived and settled on a cot. ‘That the people rise up again and again and fire bullets and bombs at government officials – that is also not acceptable! Our aunt in Gujrat, her son-in-law Muhammad Moosa was badly wounded in this game!’
Shahji felt it necessary to ask, ‘Deen Muhammad, what matter was this?’
‘Shah Sahib, it so happened that three sardars were passing through the Lahore Anarkali bazaar in a tonga. Daroga Muhammad Moosa thought, they must surely be carrying swords. He stopped the tonga upon suspicion. As soon as the tonga stopped, Sajjan Singh fired on the police. Sepoy Masoom Singh, who was standing near Muhammad Moosa, fell down dead, and Daroga Muhammad Moosa Khan was badly wounded and remained in hospital for long. This news must have come in the press.’
Kashi Shah said, ‘Yes, it was printed that when Sajjan Singh was produced in court, he declared fearlessly and with aplomb, “Whoever works against Hindostan before my own eyes, I won’t leave him alive. His death is assured at my hands.”’
‘Jaildar Chandan Singh of Nangal-Kalan, Hoshiarpur, was a government informer who used to spy on the inquilabis’ activities. His greed was only that it would be good to get some titles and lands in reward from the Sarkar. Meanwhile, the inquilabis decided that Chandan Singh must be finished off. This mission was handed over to Banta Singh and Boota Singh.’
Fateh Aliji couldn’t help asking, ‘Anyone seen our Boota Singh of late? He did go to join the army, didn’t he?’
‘Absolutely, badshaho. It is heard that his company is stationed at Kanpur or Calcutta. Will board the ship when they get orders.’
Then Munshi Ilmdin shared something new. ‘Listen to this, badshaho, it’s an old incident. One fine day, one Boota Singh of Do-aaba decided he’d had enough of foreign rule! Set up his own checkpost and toll-barrier on the Lahore–Amritsar road. Fixed his own rates like the government. If an ox-cart or horse-cart was to pass, two annas. Horse, two annas. Donkey, one paise. Rest, all who pass were asked to pay two paise each.’
The gathering enjoyed this. ‘Badshaho, the idea is fantastic certainly. No thieving, no looting-fraud. Sit at your own toll-post and earn by your own toil!’
‘Listen further. The news reached Subedar Zakaria Khan. He sent sipahis to capture the toll booth. Boota Singh grew furious. Said, “While I am alive, I will only accept, not offer salute!” Zakaria then sent a whole battalion of mounted police. Boota Singh distributed all his money among at the poor, himself took up arms, and went down fighting.’
‘Badshaho, if a man is brave by nature, can his bravery remain hidden for long?’
Kriparam brought out something else from somewhere. ‘Savanmal had the revenue collection of Multan under him, and Mishra Roop Lal that of Jalandhar Do-aab. Mishra Roop Lal would go a little easy on the revenue rate, and the land-owners were very happy. But he only had this one kink – he considered the entire female population to be his property. Now listen, to how Mishra Roop Lal was set right.
‘One evening, Mishraji landed up at a beautiful Khatrani’s house. Khatrani’s husband was out of station, so Diwanji was at ease. Just by chance, the trader husband returned early. When he saw Mishra in his pasaar, he hit him hard on the left shoulder. Diwan Sahib was wounded. When he recovered and ventu
red out, wherever he went, voices would call out in mock commiseration – “Diwan Sahib, that was most unfortunate, that a pimp of a Khatri had to go and do this to you!”’
Kakku Khan, Najiba and Fakira roared with laughter.
Mauladadji secretly savoured the topic, then took a long pull on the hukkah and sagely said, ‘Our man was a bit careless. If that moment had passed safely, he would have got away with it.’
Kashiram changed the topic. ‘The wheat committee sits in London and fixes the rates for every crop. First, wheat was fixed at four rupees a maund. Then it was raised to five and a half. It even went up to six. The guinea has risen from sixteen to twenty. Yes, cotton and cotton wool have become cheaper.’
Miyan Khan spoke, ‘Chalo, that is good, at least people can afford quilts now.’
Fateh Aliji said, ‘Badshaho, the bad news is that the Sarkar has issued paper currency instead of coins. It is just a piece of paper, what else!’
‘Chaudharyji, the crux of the matter is that the Sarkar can turn dust into gold and gold into dust if it so desires.’
Ganda Singh made the cots heave and shake with laughter. ‘Well, these days it seems our Sarkar has gone berserk, like a crazed and confused dog.’
Jahandadji guffawed and said, ‘They whose eyes are red from birth and ancestry, why shouldn’t they appear crazed and squint-eyed?’
Kashi Shah took out the newspaper and started reading out loudly, ‘Abdulla Khan Chakk No. 12, Dalip Singh Chakk No. 116, Dilbag Singh Chakk No. 66, Hamid Ali Chakk No. 128, Hayat Mohammad Chakk No. 308, Naurang Singh Thakur Chakk No. 247, Sundar Singh Havildar Chakk No. 501. Badshaho, this is the list of rewardees for Layalpur.’
Ganda Singh sat up alert on his haunches, but feeling the cot go slack, he sat back cross-legged and said, ‘You must have read many a newspaper. Try and recall one thing. Ever come across any news which mentioned our four fauji sipahis? The names I will tell you – Lance Dafadar Ishwar Singh No. 572, Sawar Hazara Singh No. 310, Sipahi Phoola Singh No. 2970, and Quarter Master Beeba Singh No. 2848.’
Jahandadji’s ears pricked up. His eyes stayed fixed on Ganda Singh’s face for a long moment, then cleared his throat and said, ‘I say, Khalsaji, which regiment are you talking of? Is it our kaka Joravar Singh’s regiment?’
‘No. This is our country’s regiment of martyrs. These brave men were sentenced to death for rebellion in Meerut Cantonment. Court martial. Bullet straight in the chest.’
A hush fell over the gathering. Ganda Singh laughed and said, ‘Sadke on such brave conduct! Glory to such death. The faujis sacrificed their lives for their country!’
Taya Tufail Singh saw Shahji’s grave mien and explained, ‘Ganda Singh, this is Kalyug, bad times are afoot. Don’t yoke good and bad, truth and untruth together. Take it that heavy losses are afoot. Be careful!’
‘If the snake leaves its hole and coils itself around your heart, then peace is not possible without murder.’
‘Badshaho, believe me, Laudey Khan barely spared his own mother, and sent Kamal on to his next life.’
‘Kamal had it written to die at his hands. Otherwise, why would Laudey have returned to avenge his father after so many years?’
‘The thing is that this equation will not be resolved without closure.’
‘Haven’t you heard of the Mai Dessan incident? Maha Singh killed her with his own hands.’
Karm Ilahiji sat up alert. ‘Shahji, tell me the incident again please.’
‘Apparently, Khudadad Khan of the Jatts of Jalalpur went and joined Maha Singh’s brigade. Khudadad was one handsome lad. He caught the Sardar Sahib’s eye. Then he was absent for a few days. When he returned, Maha Singh asked him where he’d been. Khudadad got drunk and blabbed out the whole story: “Singhji, there was an urgent task that was my duty to do. It festered in my blood and rose to my head. The fever reached such a pitch that it became necessary to be rid of it. I had to dispatch my mother to the next life. So I did. And now here I am.” Maha Singh cautiously asked, “Was it necessary?” and he replied, “It was, Singh Sahib. Or else which ingrate nursed by his mother thinks of murdering her!” That was it, badshaho, Maha Singh too caught fire. He drank the night away. And the next day, Mai Dessan was finished.’
Fateh Aliji removed the hukkah from his mouth. ‘It is said, isn’t it, that love and good sense differ only in mulishness. When good sense cannot prevail, godless love gets the deed done.’
‘O ji, but what kind of love when hair turns grey? This is like the last stitch versus the last hitch!’
‘Whatever you may say, it is not a good thing.’
Guruditt Singh flared up as was his habit. ‘Kakku Khan, who says it is good? A daughter or sister may separate due to wrong alliance. But if son-bearing mothers also start getting entangled, then a son has only one remedy – to do what Maha Singh or Khudadad did.’
Shahji let loose another firework. ‘Here, listen to more. What the father did, Maha Singh’s son, Ranjit Singh also had to do.’
‘Why so, Shahji?’
‘Rabb only knows, but either it was an excuse to clear the way for the government, or maharaj’s mother had some issues with the royal advisor Lakhpat Rai. Ranjit Singh did away with both!’
Chhote Shah changed the treacherous grounds they were treading. ‘Badshaho, when maharaj sent Khalsa forces to Jammu, they launched their attack through our own Jafarwal. Here the royal army neared Jammu, there the King of Jammu fled to Trikota Devi. When the Khalsa saw the battlefield deserted, he ordered his forces not to loot Jammu city. Secondly, he ordered the bullion market to be opened and decreed that trading may carry on.’
‘Badshaho, this only goes to prove that it is not the British alone who know the art of good governance.’
Jahandadji nodded. ‘Absolutely, badshaho. If one could get up and conquer countries, why would he lack in wisdom and wise counsel? It would surround him from all sides.’
Mauladadji found this most agreeable. ‘Shahji, the fact of the matter then is that if any brave race mounts its horses and sets out to conquer a land, neither mountains nor rivers are going to stop them.’
Jahandad Khan’s forehead shone with fauji pride. ‘Tatars, Turks, Iranis, Afganis, did any of them stop? They simply turned towards Hindostan and came charging!’
Shahji encouraged his younger brother. ‘Kashiram, the old rulership of Punjab was with the Turks, Afghans and Pathans, right? They have been living here for some twenty-five generations. Eventually, their descendants and families were also assimilated and became Hindostani.’
‘Haan ji. Syed Shah Habib founded the Baghdad dynasty in Multan. He was the one who established the village of Baghdad in Kabirwala tehsil.’
Munshi Ilmdin scratched his ear. ‘There was another branch of their family from Baghdad which came and settled in Uchch. The Syeds of Kassoki were also their kinsmen. The truth is, Shah Sahib, that all these races, from Jafakar, Herat, Baghdad, Kabul and Kandahar, carved a straight road to Hindostan and kept mounting assaults one after another!’
All hearts began to smoulder; blood boiled in veins and nostrils flared. The heads ensconced in loose turbans also nodded with a strange pride.
‘Say what you will, but invaders like Jabbar Khan, Khattar Khan and Nagh Khan did successfully establish their dynasties in Hindostan. They came and went. They lost and they returned. But finally they emerged victorious. And they established their rule in this country. What is more, even Shah Sikandar himself turned this way. He had seen many a vast ocean but, badshaho, never before had he seen such rivers that were themselves oceans of munificence. When Shah Sikandar saw the heaving waters of Kabul and Sindh, his eyes were dazzled. When he heard the roar of Neelabh on Sindh-ki-Baab, his suleimani resolve of conquering the world grew even stronger. His royal armies arrived at Dehri Shahan and Kot Kamaliya in full regalia. Advancing further, when he saw the lands of Punjab, his eyes could see nothing but the hues of milk and blood. He spread his armies all the way from Atak to Lahore.’
By the light of the lamp burning in the nook, dozens of eyes saw the battlefield laid out before them, countless brave warriors astride horses, swords glinting in the sun.
‘Listen further. Four and half hands tall, well-built, solemn and impressive, King Porusvan is standing before Sikandar. Sikandar asks, “So how should we treat you?”
‘Porusvan neither moves nor blinks. Stands his ground and replies, “The same as one emperor should treat another.”’
‘Waah-waah! And why not, O brave Porusvan! You were the pride and prestige of Punjab! Bahadura, you were equal to Shah Sikandar in courage and strength!’
‘Indeed, who can teach lions to roar and thunder and who can challenge their strength and might!’
Munshi Ilmdin took the stage. ‘Badshaho, history says that when Sikandar Shah saw our lands of Jhelum and Chenab, the magic went to his head. He offered sacrifice to each river with full respect and honour as per his custom. On one hand, the manly muscle of Jhelum, and on the other, the rising tides of youthful Chenab!’
Fateh Aliji removed the hukkah from his mouth and nodded. ‘When two mighty lovers come and stand on either side, the face of the earth herself becomes the beloved!’
‘Doubtless. This is our land of Punjab after all – it instantly catches the eye! Many mightier than mighty races came here, looted huge revenues, and went back.’
‘Those who know say that Punjab used to be a state of Persia. Then of Greece, and Iran. It was our revenues that filled Afghan coffers. Badshaho, why go far, Meer Munnu gifted four palaces to Shah Abdali: one, our own Siyalkot, then Gujrat, Pasroor, and Aurangabad.’
Chhote Shah said, ‘Shah Abdali used to collect fourteen lakh malias per annum as revenue.’
Najiba had named his son Sikandar. He interrupted, ‘Badshaho, what became of Sikandar Shah? Did he reap good earnings from Hindostan?’
Guruditt Singh laughed. ‘Najibeya, your innocent talk. On the battlefield one either makes his destiny, or ruins it. There is no middle ground!’
‘Shah Sikandar had to fight numerous battles. He emerged victorious too. But his exhausted armies refused to cross river Beas. While retreating, when the armies crossed Jhelum, two thousand boats were needed to ferry them across. But in Multan, the Shah was wounded by a poisoned arrow. Bas, that was it, the Greek armies went berserk. Slaughtered the entire area!’
Zindaginama Page 45
