The story is of 1919.
When the agitation was taking place
in Punjab against Rocket Act.
Admission of Gandhiji under the
Defence of India Rules was prohibited in Punjab.
He was stopped at Palwal,
arrested and sent back to Bombay.
As far as I understand,
if the British did not commit this mistake,
there would never have been a trail of Jalian wala bagh.
Gandhiji commanded great respect
in the hearts of Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, everyone.
All considered him as Mahatma.
When news of his arrest reached Lahore,
all business was closed.
News spread from here to Amritsar,
and there was strike in no time.
On evening of 9th April,
the Deputy Commissioner had got the order
to move out of district
Dr. Satyapal and Dr. Kichulu.
Ninth was Ramnavmi.
People celebrated,
but nobody took a single step
against the government.
But Sir Michael was also a man with
notorious thought.
He was fearful that
the leaders wanted to
overthrow the regime on
instructions of Mahatma Gandhi.
This is the conspiracy
behind the strikes
that are being held.
The news related to
Dr. Kichloo and Dr. Satyapal's spread like
a forest fire in the city.
The city became like a graveyard,
but there was also a noise in the closeness of
this graveyard.
When the news of the arrest of
Dr Kichloo and Dr. Satyapal came,
thousands of people gathered
to go to the deputy commissioner
and to plead for the
cancellation of
their leader's arrest.
But that was not the time to hear the pleadings.
Sir Michael was a man with wild thoughts.
He declared illegal
even the gathering of people.
Deputy commissioner's bungalow was at Civil Lines.
Every senior officer and senior employee
lived in that isolated part of the city.
There is a bridge connecting the city and the civil lines,
passing through which one reaches the 'Thandi Sarak'.
Gathering
reached near the bridge,
which was guarded by horsemen.
Gathering did not stop
and went ahead.
How excited were the people, can't be described.
But all were unarmed.
No one did not even had a single stick.
They had just left for
'Hakim-e-city' to appeal that
Dr. Kichloo and Dr. Satyapal be released.
As people reached the bridge,
Goras started firing.
They were only twenty to twenty five in the count
and gathering was in hundreds.
But the panic of bullet is terrible.
People started disbursing.
Some were injured by bullets and
some wounded in the stampede.
When the gunfire stopped,
the gathering was scattered.
Wounded was lying on the road
and Goras were laughing on the bridge.
The noise was heard
as many people were screaming in anger.
Thirty-forty youths started filling in the vigor,
lifting stones and
throwing at the door.
Suddenly a boy said to the rest.
"Come on ... let's break the statue of Malika!"
Said another.
"No man ... Let's put fire on Kotwali!"
Third one said.
"and all the banks too!"
The fourth one stopped them
"Wait ... what's the benefit ...
let's kill those Goras on the bridge.
This fourth guy was Thaila Kanjar...
His name was Mohammad Tufail,
but was famous as Thaila Kanjar.
Because he was son of a Tawaif.
A big stroller.
Gambling and alcohol were his addictions
at younger age.
His two sisters, Shamshad and Alamas,
were famous Tawaifs of their time.
Shamshad was a good singer.
To listen to her, the nobles use to come from far.
Both remain very angry with
their brother. Nevertheless,
he used to get something
from them to
meet his needs.
Boys did not listen to him
and walked towards Malika's statue.
He again told them.
"I said do not waist your passion.
Come here, with me...
let's kill them
who have taken lives of our innocent people...
By God's grace we can all tie their necks together...
Come on!"
Some were off.
The rest stopped.
Thaila stretched moving towards the bridge
and some boys began to follow him.
One of them said. "Do not go man ...
why don't you care for your and their life?"
Thaila had a strange laugh
to hear this
and said,
"Thaila is just going to tell that
he is not afraid of bullets."
Then he said to his friends.
"If you're afraid you can go back."
How can moving steps on
such occasions be reversed?
That too at the moment when
leader is going ahead without
caring for his life.
Thaila moved fast
so his companions also had to.
Bridge was not far from the hall door...
but some sixty-seventy yards.
Thaila was at the forefront.
From where the bridge grille starts,
there were two Gora horsemen standing
some fifteen to twenty steps away.
When Thaila shouted
one of them fired,
but he did not fall...
Same way... kept moving.
Rest of his friends escaped in fear.
He looked back and shouted on them.
"Do not escape...
come on!"
There was one more fire.
He looked at the Goras and
turned his hand on his back...
Red spots started emerging
on his white shirt...
He moved faster, like the wounded lion...
one more fire.
He faltered,
but with a very strong footsteps
moved towards Goras and suddenly...
the back of one horse was empty.
The Gora was on road
and Thaila was over him...
the other Gora who was nearby
frightened first,
controlled the horse
and started fierce fire...
Facing bullets on bridge people were angered.
It resulted that an attempt was
made to break Malika's statue.
Town Hall and three banks were put on fire
and five or six Europeans were killed.
Everywhere there was loot.
The British officers did not care much about loot.
But five or
six of European were killed.
They had to avenge this.
The deputy commissioner handed the reins
of the city to General Dyer.
General Dyer marched in the city markets
with troops on April 12th and
dozens of innocent people
were arrested.
On thirteenth there was meeting at
Jalian wala Bagh.
There were about twenty five thousand people.
In the evening, General Dyer
arrived there with army
army and started firing on
unarmed people.
At that time, no one was aware of the harm.
Later, when the investigation came to light,
it was discovered that a thousand were killed
and about three-four thousand
were injured.
But I was referring to Thaila...
the first bullet of Gora hit him.
Upon hearing the voice, he looked back at his friends,
and encouraged them.
He did not know that
he was hit by bullet on his chest.
The second bullet hit him on his back.
Then the third on chest...
When the body of Thaila was separated from the Gora,
both his hands were clamped in such a way around his neck
that it was difficult to separate them...
The Gora was dead...
The next day, when body of Thaila
was handed over to people of his house for the burial,
his body was torn by bullets...
the second Gora had fired entire bullets
of his pistol on him...
I suppose that by that time
Thaila was dead.
That bugger Gora had
only used to fire on his dead body.
When the body of Thaila reached in colony
everybody was on its toe.
He was not that reputed in his community,
but after seeing his bullet ridden body
everybody started crying.
His sisters Shamshad and Alamas
became unconscious.
Muhammad Tufail
was the son of a Tawaif.
In this fight for Inqlab,
nobody investigated
it was first, tenth or fiftieth bullet.
Probably, because
this poor was not that reputed in society.
In the list of martyrs of Punjab
Thaila Kanjar might not been seen anywhere...
it is not even known
whether there was any such list
prepared or not.
He was buried
very quickly, as if
his death was
a fictitious crime,
and it is wanted
to be destroyed.
Thaila was dead.
Thaila was buried.
But there is left a painful part
of this tale.
Both the sisters of Thaila
Shamshad and Alamas
were very beautiful.
Shamshad was tall.
Thin physique, round eyes.
She used to sing Thumri very sweetly.
Fateh Ali Khan Sahab was his trainer.
Second was Alamas.
She was not a singer,
but when she used to dance,
it seemed that
every part of
her body is dancing.
Magic of her eyes
penetrated everyone's heart.
The beauty of these two sisters
narrated by some gentleman
to the military officers...
In the scuffle one mame... Miss...
what was her name...
Yes...Miss Sharvad was killed...
It was decided that they should be summoned
and ... be avenged properly...
did you understand?... meaning of 'properly'?
When the local police in charge received the order from the top
he immediately got ready.
He went to the house of Shamshad and Alamas
and said that the 'sahabs' have remembered
They want to enjoy Mujra...
The soil of their brother's
graveyard was still wet.
It was only two days that the poorly died
and they were commanded
to dance to entertain officers.
After all Thaila was their brother.
He did not give his life in skirmish.
He did not die in a riot
after drinks.
He was martyred
in a brave way for his country.
He was son of a Tawaif.
But that Tawaif was a mother
and Shamshad and Alamas
were daughters of the same mother and
the sisters of Thaila...
They were only in job of Tawaifs...
They went ...
with full make up.
In full attire to their callers...
In presence of lots of officers...
both sisters
showed their skills...
In spells of wine they
kept dancing and singing ...
Both the rounds continued together ...
at two o'clock at night,
the gathering was dismissed
at the behest of a senior officer...
When they were alone
ladies pulled off
their clothes...
Became completely naked.
Said ... Have a look ...
we are sisters of Thaila ...
the same martyr
whom you had just
sneered with bullets
because he loved his country...
we are sisters of the
same Thaila.
Come on,
scare our
beautiful bodies...
But before that...
just once...
yes, just once...
let us just spit
on your face...
That's all
they were...
Yes... they were...
shot with bullets.
If you want to hear some more tales of Manto,
please like, subscribe, share and ring the bell
of this channel ... and wait for
next week's notification ...
Another story of Manto, with me...
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét