Ludhiana, February 21
‘Ammi, when we can live so peacefully with a Hindu lady in our house in Pakistan, why could we not live amicably with Hindus in Lucknow? Why can’t Hindus and Muslims live peacefully? Why did we have to have a partition?’ asks
Tanno, of her mother. These lines were the theme of the play by Habib Tanveer (recipient of Padam Bhushan) ‘Jis Lahore Nahi Vekhya Oh Jammyia Hi Nahi’ staged by SPIC MACAY in association with Ludhiana Sahitya Sabha
(LSS).
This play was first staged in 1990, but its theme is contemporary, so even when it was staged for the umpteenth time at Guru Nanak Bhavan, it entranced the audience.
The play is based on a real life incident reported in an Urdu Daily, ‘Pratap’ during partition. The play had a powerful script and was directed so well that the audience comprising school and college students sat mesmerised throughout the length of the play.
The story revolves around the Lala Rattan Jeweller’s mother, whose son had gone out to look for his Muslim driver, but never returned. Mai, as she is fondly called, was determined to stay in her haveli and wait for her son even after partition. In fact, she was the only Hindu lady to stay back.
The family of Sikander Mirza — his Begum, their son, Javed and their daughter
Tanno, have to leave Lucknow during partition and forced to lead a miserable life in a refugee camp. They are relieved finally, to get a 22-bedroom haveli allotted to them by the custodian’s office. But soon they discover the presence of the old lady. Now, their total energy is focussed on shunting her out. The intrepid lady refuses to budge as she has the papers of the property. Moreover, she is awaiting her son’s arrival and has lost fear of death.
Sikander
Mirza, the new occupant, thinks of her driving her out by using the services of a notorious character, Yakoob Khan
Pehalwan. He, with the help of his two stooges, is ready to do the old lady in at the price of Rs 4,000. When Begum hears of this she makes her husband swear up on their children to withdraw from planning such an act. In the meanwhile, Tanno addresses her as Dadi’ and soon warm relations develop between ‘mai’ and Mirza’s family. Moreover, the entire city loves her, as she is helpful to one and all.
The pehalwan gets another tenant to stay in the
haveli, as he tells Sikander Mirza that ‘it is better to let a Musalmaan stay than a ‘kafira’’’. Sikander objects to it. A maulvi then comes on the scene and tells the true meaning of Islam. “Islam”, he says, “propagates love and respect for all people of all religions. It teaches tolerance.”
But the angry pehalwan refuses to listen. He is incensed when he gets to know that ‘mai’ is celebrating Divali and has lit the house with lamps and distributing sweets. Nasir
Kasami, a poet who has come from Ambala and is very fond of ‘mai’, all come to wish her ‘Happy Diwali’. The poet, played by Tanveer Ahmed, does a good job. His dialogues and his friends,
Aleem, the tea vendor and Hameed, the tongawalla through their realistic acting add new dimensions to the play.
Finally, ‘mai’ sensing danger to Sikander’s family, thinks of going to Delhi which is not acceptable to them. They all persuade her to stay back. Soon she passes away.
The story turns poignant as they are in a dilemma, to bury her or to cremate her. The maulvi is summoned and he says that since she died a Hindu, she must be cremated according to Hindu rites. The pehalwan thinks the idea of saying ‘Ram nam sat hai’ is obnoxious and no Mussalman should ever say it. The maulvi tries to explain that there is nothing wrong within it but the pehalwaan protests violently. But now another problem arises. How to cremate her. The poet tells them as he had seen a lot of his Hindu friends cremated back in Ambala. He says that the eldest son lights up the pyre and Sikander will have to do that. While the women are bathing the body and men are getting the rough box ready to carry the ‘mai, the pehalwaan and his stooges kill the
Maulvi. Now instead of one dead body , two bodies have to be taken for cremation and burial, respectively. But before that, riots start and the play ends with two bodies on the stage.
The performances were excellent. Raj
Tulani, who enacted the role of ‘mai’ was simply superb and easily won the hearts of the audience. Sikander Mirza enacted the nuances of his role with aplomb.
Javed, played by Sarfaraz Hasan was simply adorable as he plays a Simple Simon and his reactions at being playfully slapped by one and all were comic and endearing. The entire cast , the poet ,the tea
wallah, maulvi, pehalwan breathed life into their roles. The play got a standing ovation. Habib Tanveer in his parting shot said, “The theme is still relevant. I am waiting for the time when the theme becomes irrelevant. The songs are the ‘kalams’ of famous poets like Sahir
Ludhianvi, Amrita Pritam and Masoom Ali Raza. I have composed the music.”
The musicians, Devi Lal Nag (harmonium), Amar Das Manikpuri
(tabla), Shiv Dayal Devdas (dholak) are from Chattisgarh as was the most of the cast. Costumes and props were designed by the talented wife of
Habib, Moneekka Misra Tanvir. Nagin Tanveer, daughter of Habib, sang soulfully. There was not a single dry eye when the play was going on. So poignant was the theme, so powerful the acting, that the audience lapped up every word and felt transported to another world.
