Syed Mujtaba Ali
HOME AND ABROAD, DESHEY BIDHESHEY
Translated and Edited by Siddique Mahmudur Rahman
Chapter – Ten
I woke up with the azan[1] of dawn. The namaj[2] was conducted by a pustin[3] buninessman of Bukhara. I was surprised to hear his exquisite Arabic pronunciation. I thought, how could such perfect pronunciation remained in Turkistan. I asked the Radio-man, who said, ‘Why don’t you ask yourself.’
I said, ‘If he minds?’
My nervousness surprized him so much that I understood, there is no barrier in asking questions to unknown person in Asian countries. Rather, later I found out, if curiosity is shown about anybody, he becomes happy.
With reference to this event, I stated discussing the experience of the last night, in the bus.
Great Eastern Hotel is a resting place, so is the Afghan serai. I have experienced facilities of Afghan serai last night. I have some knowledge about the facilities of Great Eastern and Grand.
Without studying Marx, any one can say, Afghan serai is poor and hotel is rich. But could one differentiate with these criteria only? There were at least half a dozen traders who could easily afford to take a suit at Grand or Great Eastern. I talked with them. I also know some rich people who stay at Great Eastern.
But there’s gulf of difference in behaviour. Those half a dozen traders could sit togather, eat sumptuous dinner and could spend the night spending hundreds of rupees in gambling. The assistants would be there to satisfy their needs- they could keep away the beggers of the serai, they also could not even meet with other good people.
But they didn’t remained aloof with other rich traders- they didn’t even established a so-colled ‘bureaucrat society’. They had easy communication with other traders, both rich and poor, now as they made a halt at this serai, they started to exchange ideas with others. And naturally a very friendly atmosphere grew up, the difference between rich and poor, though remained in their dress, there remained no differnces in exchange of ideas. There were a few ‘yes-men’ of course, even the poor traders also had some. Trade and commerce, philosophy, problems and remadies of the roads and mountain-passes of different countries, conflicts of the English and the Russians, medicines of camel-bites, myrids of subjetcts were dealt with. The group discussed with hundreds of problems, but no foppish person played monkey-trick in want of food.
Dispute and conflicts were also there in front of this group discussion. When the range of the conflict is between conversation they do not interfere. But when there is sign of physical conflict any one of the group will come forward and will interfere and pacify the conflict. I recollect a movie. Two Europeans were knotted into a strife, others gather around those two. The two threw away their coats. The public is very kind, so they do not let the coats fall in the street. Then they were involved into physical conflict. Other enjoyed the fight, but do not interfere and term it ‘their personal matters.’
There are nothing called ‘personal matters’ here. So nobody comes with personal ideosyncrasy. You can do whatever you like and at the same time you will have to tolerate other’s activities with equal mind. But never to engage into physical conflict.
It has both good and bad sides. On the one hand, even with heat, dust and thirst the people around could tolerate each other at ease, whereas on the other hand they make public nuisence a lot.
On one side there is compact social lyfestyle, on the other they enjoy complete personal freedom. There are full of ‘community sence’, but they lack ‘civic sense’ entirely.
Contemplating on all these matters, I found I have developed different theories on Turkistan. So, I stopped thinking on such matters. I looked outside. But what else shall I see- the same rugged hilly region and the same filthy rural community.
I asked the Sardarjee, ‘I felt nausea at night, if I could get a supari[4], I could get some relief. But I didn’t see any pan-shop[5] at the serai.
Sardarjee said, ‘Where do you find pan, Babushahib. The last pan-shop you get is in Peshawar. But west of it, nowhere in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, you will find pan- while serving as driver in the army, I have visited all these countries, I didn’t find one. The Pathans do not take pan. All the customers of the pan-shops of Peshawar are Panjabees.
That’s it. I didn’t see a single Kabulees taking pan, sitting at the resting place beside the street and also I remembered, pan is taken in South India, Burma and Malaya, even in the Khashia-Jayantia hills.- though they could not make pan delicious with much spices and flavour. Then, is pan a non-Aryan things? But ‘pan’ is an Aryan term- from Korno comes kan[6] and from porno[7] comes pan. Then what about ‘supari’? It is not an Aryan term. It is called ‘doli’ or ‘Chhalia’ in Lukhnow, which have not derived from any Aryan words. In East Bengal, it is called ‘Gua’, which has come from Gubak. Does Gubak has an Aryan origin? It does not solve the problem. How could gubak went all the way to East Bengal from Punjab region? At present in all the festivities of both the Hindu and the Muslim, use of supari is a must. But never in any early scripture, I found the word Gubak. Is it then really a non-Aryan item? Did it went long way from East Asia to Peshawar? he poet rightly quoted India is the meeting-place of all Asian culture.
When somebody started speaking about democracy in every occasion, a pious person from South India said, ‘Then all of you go to sleep. People have no differences during sleep, they all become equal.’
Sitting in the bus in that hot weather, I realized the inner sense of the term. Instead of jolting and shuddering, dust, hard seat[8], thirst and hunger both the radio-man and me felt sleepy. At one time his head rested on my shoulder and remaining stiff I tried to stimulate his drowsiness. When there’s a sharp bump wakes him up with a start and begging my apology he sits alert. Then may be it was my turn. Drowsiness would let my head drop down on his shoulder to a temporary rest.
Suddenly, though my eyes were closed, I felt touch of cool breeze- opening my eyes I saw wide green velley- crop field is lying on both side of the road. Sardarjee introduced it— Jalalabad.
Thin Kabul River of Dakka has turned Jalalabad into a green vegetative croppy. Here the land is less gravelly and the velley is much wider. When the bus came to much lower region the green velley stretched wider beyond eyesight. Here one thing the eyes can see is green fields and habitation. Jalalabad is the beautul example what an ordinary river can create such a beautiful greenery getting a little opportunity. Even one or two local inhabitants passing by seem to be far more softer than the Pathans of the Frontier. I noticed, even the wives and damsels of the Pathans, who criticize free movement of the women of the towns without veil, are working in the fields without veils. They even did not objected looking at the passengers of the bus. As I asked the Radio-man about this matter, he replied, ‘So fae I know, poor women of all the countries do not use veils, at least at their own village. but when they go to the towns they follow the cultures of the cultured class and wear veils. When they are at work, they discard veils for the benefit of their work.
I asked, ‘What about the Arab Bedouins?’
He replied, ‘When I was in Iraq, I saw the women tending goats in the fields without veils.’
Let me stop the discussion here. It is better I look into the country thoroughly, then I would criticize about the good and the bad of its custom and behaviours.
The bus left the main road and entered Jalalabad town. All the inmates of the bus came out of the bus and within a minutes they disappeared in different directions. No one asked when the bus will resume its journey. This is my first trip, so I asked Sardarjee, `When will the bus starts again?’
Sardarjee said, ‘When all the passangers returns.’
I asked, ‘When it will be?’
He replied, `What on earth do I know? Thet will take their food and then rest a while, then ..’
Radio-man said, ‘Why are you standing like this? Come with me.’
I asked, ‘Where all these people go? When shall they return?’
He replied, ‘Why are you anxious for? You surely have not taken the responsibility of their properties and lives.’
I said, ;I know I am not. But the way they all disappeared suddenly, it seem to me they won’t be returning back quickly.’
The Radio-man said, ‘Forget about their quick return. They were not in a hurry to reach Kabul. When there was no bus service, then they used to reach Kabul in fifteen days, they are happy, if it takes four days now. They are now happy because they do not have to walk all the way, they do not have to take care of their commodities, they do not have to load and unload the animals, and arrange grass and water for those animals. They have reached Jalalabad, they all have their close relatives here, they will meet them, they’ll eat and rest and then come back.’
I remained speechless.
I have told the officer at Dakka, ‘I will also face the fate that all the travellers of the bus will face.’
I understood, everyman can predict his own fate. Difference is some tell it knowingly and some unknowingly.
Afghanistan has five big cities- Kabul, Herat, Gazni, Jalalabad and Kandahar. Jalalabad is the witer capital. These is a palace and a rest house for the government officials.
If the Radio-man said, there is one I suppose. But after Isaw Jalalabad bazar, so I found no cause of happiness. The same dirty earhen walls, very poor shops- full of cheap Japanese commodities- innumerable tea-stalls ans countless flies. Like the people of Himalayan rest houses here the people are also indifferent about the flies.
Suddenly I became amazed looking at sugar-canes. The canes were cut inti square pieces and were kapt on display in front of the shop. Swarms of flies decorates the pieces. I bought some and started to taste them. They are more sweeter than the sugar canes of Bengal. Emperor Babar sent the sample to Bukhara after grately encouraged by the sweet tastes of these sugar canes. Then I also saw costard, maks-melon, cucumber and melons are sold. They have deep green, yellow and golden. The shops take beautiful attair- the flavour are enchanting. If you do not burgain while buying them, you won’t be cheated. As these can not be exported the fruits are extremely cheap. The Radio-man said, ‘Those who are totally lovers of fruits, they live on fruits onlt during the entire summer and those who are devoted to dried fruits, they depend on raisins, currants, pistachio, walnut. On some occasions they take bread and cheese. Rarely they tough one or two pieces of meat. They are the most long-lived people,’
I asked, ‘May be bullets do not penetrate their bodies. Fruits of Jalalabad are magical I suppose.’
Radio-man said, ‘Why should the people of Jalalabad get bullet wounds? They live in the city, they abide by the rules, they are not accustomd to fightings.’
True glory of Jalalabad lies at its outskirt. If you want to show your excellence in geology, then you will be satisfied by a little bit of digging here and there. If you want to study anthropology, you will get ample of data from the good varieties of tribes residing all around. If you want to explore the Asian example of Marxist philosophy, you will have to bing a copy of ‘Origin of the Family’ by Engles here and you will find the rest- the foundation of the family settlement at rural Jalalabad , a hundred miles apart at Kabul you will find the foundation of a new statehood emerging. If you are a historian, then you can examine all by yourself the accomplishment and misdeeds of the expeditions of Gandhari[9], Alexander, Babar and Nadir. If you want to prove through economic geography, how a few drops of river water can become the cause of new famine, then stay at Jalalabad and go up and down stream of Kabul River. And if you want to discover the unification of Greco-Indian sculptues, then you have to visit the village Hadda, a few miles from Jalalabad. Meditative Buddha, worn-out Buddha, Amitabha Buddha, how many tyoes of Buddha statues you want, how many examples of Ghandhara styles you want, all are present here. There are a few up on the soil, but undreneath there are innumerable. Even the uneducated person can predict by looking at the mounds strewn around.
I know, the scholars are very suspicious. Somebody will speak out, ‘Well, I agree treasures are srtewn all over Jalalabads land, on and under, but why then other scholars have not come and explore it?’
The Radio-man have explained it earlier, ‘The Afghan people do not like white men in their land, not even then British. In the world sky the scholars now flying are all white, they are not allowed to enter. But you have brown skin, moreover you are their neighbour, they know you for a few centuries. So if they see you exploring their land and treasure, they will not look for a weapon.
[1] Calling of morning prayer of the Muslims
[2] prayer.
[3] fur
[4] Betel-nut
[5] betel leave. In Eastern India habit of taking pan, supari and chun is very popular addiction.
[6] ears
[7] leaves
[8] in those days the buses had bare wooden seats and did not had comfortable cushions.
[9] One of the principal character of Mahabharata