Storm over Ghalib’s legacy

A hakim, who was an ardent fan of Mirza Ghalib’s poetry, presented a haveli to him in Delhi. It was here that Ghalib wrote some of his finest ghazals and recited them to a huge audience every evening. The government took possession of the haveli in 1964 but soon auctioned it to one Mohammed Ali Farooqi, whose bid was the highest at Rs 22,400. He rented it out to tenants but a few years later he died without leaving a legal heir to the property. Since then the haveli has changed hands many times and is steeped in controversy regarding its current ownership. Presently, there is more than one claimant and ownership is fiercely disputed, observes Saikat Neogi.

HAD Mirza Asadullah Khan — or simply Ghalib — been alive today he would have had a change of heart and left Delhi for a more conducive environment. That’s because there’s hardly place to move in the bylanes leading to Ghalib’s haveli in Gali Quasimjan in the Ballimaran area of Chandni Chowk. Its present occupants include a commercial telephone operator, a cement contractor and an electric heater manufacturer!

But finally, the controversy surrounding restoration of the haveli where the world’s best known Urdu poet spent the fag end — and also the most productive period of his life — seems to have come a full circle.

The Delhi High Court’s order of restoring the dilapidated haveli and converting it into a memorial, has cheered Ghalib’s fans worldwide. Initially, the Delhi government washed its hands of the ancient structure spread in an area of 250 square metres. It even decided against spending any money on restoration work. Shocked at the indifference, concerned citizens took the matter to the court pleading that the haveli be declared a protected monument.

Now the High Court, has asked the Delhi administration to evacuate the present occupants of the haveli, mostly traders, and hand it over to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Once restored to its original grandeur it will be converted into a memorial.

"The first step will be to evacuate the occupants and then start restoration process," says an ASI spokesman. A team of experts comprising professionals from ASI and international bodies will form part of the core group to look into the restoration details.

Since the haveli will be under the jurisdiction of the Delhi government, funds will have to be made available from the state treasury. The ASI is helping out by generating part of the finances from the corporate sector.

The High Court has also ruled that the haveli be restored to its original grandeur and if possible some of Ghalib’s personal belongings be sourced and kept in the memorial. This, the court says, would attract tourists from all over the world.

"Every visitor who enters the haveli should be transported back in time to Ghalib’s era some 200 years back," says a court official. But to implement the judgement the Delhi government would have to dole out a package as compensation to those being evacuated.

Mirza Ghalib was born in 1796 in Akbarabad (present Agra). His father Abdullah Beg Khan and uncle Nasrullah Beg Khan were in the army. Ghalib was orphaned when he was just five. He lived with his uncle for four years and then married and moved to Delhi.

The haveli was presented to Ghalib by a hakim who was an ardent fan of his poetry. It was here that Ghalib wrote some of his finest ghazals and recited them to a huge audience every evening.

After Ghalib’s death in 1869 the hakim who had presented the haveli to Ghalib was crestfallen and would go and sit there for hours every evening refusing to let anyone occupy it.

The government took possession of the haveli in 1964 but soon auctioned it to one Mohammed Ali Farooqi whose bid was the highest at Rs 22,400. He rented it out to tenants but a few years later he died without leaving a legal heir to the property.

Since then the haveli has changed hands multiple times and is steeped in a mire of controversies regarding its current ownership. Presently, there is more than one claimant and ownership is fiercely disputed. Apart from moving out the present occupants, the High Court has ordered that the by- lane leading to the memorial be decongested and made tourist friendly.

"Though this is a very positive ruling, but how far it can be actually implemented is the moot question. It is not easy to persuade people not to clutter the surroundings," says S.C. Grover, head of the ASI conservation team.

Two of the many people claiming ownership are Shafiquddin and his father Fakhruddin who run a commercial telephone booth in the premises. They have rented out Ghalib’s Diwan-e-Khas (drawing room) to a cement contractor.

Another person, Mohammad Shamim is running an electric heater manufacturing unit inside Ghalib’s bedroom. All of them are demanding huge compensations for vacating the haveli.

Though compensation packages have still to be worked out by the Delhi administration, it is estimated that hefty amounts would have to be paid to each claimant for moving out. The verification process will be more cumbersome as the original owner is long dead.

Meanwhile, Gali Quasimjan at Ballimaran has suddenly started witnessing a flurry of activity. Tourists from all over the world are flocking to the haveli and film and television producers are bringing in their crews for footage of the house where Ghalib spent his most productive years.

But for Mohammad Shamim, electric heater manufacturer and the occupant of Ghalib’s bedroom it is business as usual. "We keep making heaters and the customers keep coming and buying them." Is he aware of the historical importance of the property? "Of course, who doesn’t know Ghalib. But business is business."

But it may not be business as usual for Shamim and other occupants. And the ASI is hopeful that once they are evacuated, the restoration process would start in right earnest.

Had the court order come three years ago in 1996, fans would have had a big reason to celebrate — it was Ghalib’s 200th birth anniversary.

But then, didn’t Ghalib say .... aah ko chahiye aik umr asar honay tak/ kaun jeeta hai teri zulf kay sar honay tak. ( It takes a lifetime for a desire to be fulfilled/but then who stays alive for the fulfilment of the desire.... (Newsmen Features)