70 after !

 

I came across this  picture of Jinnah taken on his  last birthday.  The only one that he celebrated in Pakistan. He was just past 70 years. Interestingly I found this picture on 23rd march , exactly 70  years after Jinnah  presided over a session at Minto park in Lahore that passed the "Pakistan resolution" .

Jinnah does not look very cheerful in this picture but I  read somewhere that his disposition was very serious and  he was not in pink of  health at the time. Anyway all the tensions ,trials and tribulations during  his  just realized cataclysmic partition of India must  have had a somber  effect on him. I wonder what was going on in his mind on his birthday that day? Did he feel his life's work done or did he think it had  just begun?  How would he rate himself on  his  progression from the champion of unity to a leader of separatists. He had give the call  to Muslims for 'direct action' earlier and the result was a bloody riot in many places  . He probably was prepared for that cost  of doing business but did he expect the unprecedented gargantuan  loss of life and property that followed the partition?  Did he write  that off as collateral damage too  or was he really sorry at the path chosen by him ? It is difficult to know since he died soon after . His taciturn nature and the fact that any adverse information that may cast doubts on the Formation of Pakistan is not looked at with favour from the Pakistan establishment.   Authentic information is not easy to come by . Although seemingly Jinnah was aware that his detractors call him "Qatil e azam"( great killer) to spoof his  title "Quid e azam"(great leader).

So imagine 70 years on he climbs out of his grave today to oversee  how  his creation has fared and picks up the same newspaper he is reading in the picture above. He would find that his dream  has played more like a nightmare. He would find that half of the estate he carved is sold  by his progeny for ever. He would find that whatever is left does not look anything like he made. He would find his country at war with neighbours and what is worse ; at war with her own people. He would find that it was useless to throw out the British and it was useless to  hound out  the Hindu . Muslims of his dream nation are  bigger slaves of poverty, illiteracy, and fundamentalism . Not to mention slaves of  the Army and America. He will find that his country is  permanently unstable surviving on alms mostly given by non Muslims. He will find it to be the most dangerous place on earth ; a confirmed nuclear walmart.  He will realize it is the fountainhead of Islamic  terrorism and  a  serious headache for the world.  He would find  a lot more news -  not all very good !

I am sure Jinnah will not exactly be very happy. No matter how taciturn he was ; he will  still have a  thing or two to say.  Maybe he will   ask common people to take "Direct Action"  once again. Question is who  is going to listen to him? Will he last  even a  single day in today's Pakistan? A clean shaven , Pork  loving man, wearing western pin stripe suits and oxfords.... !!  Maybe he will grow  a mustache less  beard ,  fire his English  tailor and start his own TV show as another strategic analyst-  berating USA  in every breath and frothing at mouth every time he mentions India. Maybe he won't  do all that and insist that people listen to his idea of what Pakistan is supposed to be .  Now that would be really a serious  mistake because it'll make him at least an "Indian agent" and most likely a "kafir e azam" (great apostate). It is foregone that  his life would  be in mortal danger!! So glad  that he  can not come back . At least he does not have to see what a complete disaster his whole idea has turned out to be.

 

Self- Portrait ;anyone?

 Self- Portrait c., 2009 by Arundhati kaul

Throughout history artists have painted portraits.and writers have written stories and epics. Some of the most successful creative endeavors are portraits . Mona Lisa ; arguably the most discussed work of art is a portrait. Some research says it a self - portrait. Now that is a very interesting idea. Leonardo Da Vinci  looks like a virile bearded wise man in his other portraits yet if Mona Lisa is his self portrait what was he trying to say ?

Creative  individuals paint themselves and  write auto biographies for a specific reason. Some cynics suggest in jest that they are saving the cost of  hiring a model. That maybe true considering the fact that barring a few notable exceptions, artists are almost never flush with funds. My belief however is that it is more a journey into self. A way to understand and know oneself. It is a very complex process and every self portrait is an attempt in that direction.  Amrita Pritam writes "Rasidi Ticket" and bares her soul and inner secrets mostly to know herself. Van Gogh cuts his own ear and the reason we will remember that event is because he himself tried to understand his own impulses by painting a self portrait with a bandaged ear. Probably they got the insight they were looking for  but for the rest  of us  it is important to know that an attempt was made.

One does not have  to be a painter or a writer to attempt self- portraits. No matter what one does it is a good idea to take a moment to reflect on one self. It is too easy to evaluate others , find their weak spots and criticize them. Our media is full of such portraits. Our newsmen - the all knowing virtual Gods can take everyone to task  with a clever turn of phrase .  Their audience however is certain that these pro's are in the pay of CIA or agents of the  leftist jokers or a cloaked Taliban; or a neo- nazi fascist sympathizer.  Our doctors know exactly what their patients are not doing for their health; patients have only loathing for their  Shylock care givers. Accounts assistant knows how the the V.P. finance is skimming off the top; V.P. is clear his assistant is a complete idiot.  We are all very good at portrait making and all these are very accurate portraits of each other .  However the reason  they do not go on to become great jobs is because no one is pausing to do a self- portrait. Portrait painting trait is not only found in individuals, it is common in institutions, businesses and even nations . They  only believe in portraits; never  in a self portrait . They will   not think it wise to paint themselves as a woman with an enigmatic smile, or a half crazed man bent on cutting one's own ear. It is such a pity, because the world would become a better place if we all can follow  something even a child knows.

You may or may not adhere to Mahatma Gandhi's entire philosophy but if you have to take one thing from him take his "experiments with truth". It is an attempt by a great man to paint a self - portrait.  Try painting one  for your self.