Holi

A translation of ‘Holi’

By Abdul Haleem Brohi

It was the day of Holi on March 10, 2009 and I was missing my childhood. When we used to fill colored water into pumps that were used to fill air in cycles’ wheels and would play with the children of the washerman, gardener, sweeper and guard in the bungalow's compound, throwing color on each other till late at night. I remember the names Babu, Bansi, Ganga, Bharyo and Radha, who were the washerman’s children, but I do not remember the names of the other children. These memories are from when I was 7 or 8 years old; Pakistan was about to be created; Baba was an inspector in Ranchhore Line in Karachi; and Grant and Martin lived in the 2 bungalows behind the one that was given to us. They were probably sergeants. A Hindu inspector lived in the bungalow next to ours. Martin had a son whose name was Charles; we used to call him Charlie and we used to call Grant’s son Grant too. Years have passed but those colorful days still haunt me today.

Today I ask, if one is able to celebrate Basant and fly kites in the Punjab and Quetta, even though Basant has nothing to do with religion or doctrine, then why should anyone object to Holi being celebrated with the same freedom in Sindh? Holi is also a completely cultural or traditional festival, just like Basant. Those whose minds are defected or full of nonsense make up reasons or create justification in every festival or event; such people have a thousand reasons and excuses why Basant should be celebrated. I also have one excuse for Holi being celebrated and that excuse is as solid as iron; and that excuse is this that Holi is a part of the cultural heritage of Hindustan.

To make stories and create tales is a child’s play and this art is used by some pretend gentry and conjuring wise men to fit into religious tradition; they are insisting that these tales are part of our religious traditions.

They say that Hindustan has no religion. They say that Hindustan is a secular country, which means that everyone may follow or not follow any religion they choose, and everyone may adopt any culture they choose. It is a basic reality that Hindustan was Dravidian and instead of abstract concepts such as religion and doctrine, Dravidians had tangible cultural elements, which were embedded deeply in all traditions of Hindustan. These traditions were collectively called Dharma, and they are still called so today.

Human nature is such that it first gains an understanding of the concrete, and later, much later, an understanding of the abstract. Man first understood ‘two goats and four sheep’ but much later did he understand what ‘four’ and ‘two’ were. Dravidic Hindustan had tangible cultural traditions; but at that time there was no question of these people having an understanding of the abstract concepts of religion and doctrine that came too many years later. Holi too is a tradition of Dravidian Hindustan, which everyone can celebrate. If flying kites does not break one's roza (fast), so doesn't throwing color on each other. If flying kites and cutting each others' kites is allowed, then so should be throwing color on one's self and others be allowed. Whatever the people of Hindustan have is what is theirs; and these rituals, tradition, and culture when protected and followed is what they call Dharma.

The inhabitants of Hindustan never understood the religion of the Muslims. They assumed that what the Muslims called their 'religion' was actually their culture. This is the reason why the people of Hindustan allowed Muslim rulers to rule over the land for many years. If the people of Hindustan also had a religion like the Christians and Jews did, then there would have been wars between Hindustan and Afghanistan just like the crusades. Hinduism is Dharma. It is a collection of customs and traditions, ways and manners; which no religion or doctrine should have any issue with.

You cannot argue with me, nor can you be stubborn with me; because I have performed umrah, I have performed hajj, I am Muslim, I am the son of Muslims and I have read some, if not all, namaz. And then, I have also read the translation of the Quran, and I have understood it. And I know that many of those who pray namaz five times a day and fast religiously have not even once read the meaning of the Quran. So I ask you, why are you after all these beautiful, colorful days that are not even mentioned in your religion? In which book of which religion does it say that flying kites or playing with colors will shake the foundations of your religious beliefs and you will remain Muslim?

Holi has begun to be celebrated all over the world; there are wonderful events and functions in Europe and America. Why should we not light diya and light fireworks on the occasion of Diwali? Leave alone the other provinces, but why in Sindh have they separated Muslims and Hindus and left us so thirsty? Who are these people, who have so twisted the arm of our heritage?

'Halal' and 'haraam' are words from our religion, but where in which book does it say to not eat food cooked by the hands of a Hindu? The thing is that I am very upset; I have fire inside me against such and other injustices. Did Mahmud Ghaznavi, who made 17 attempts in Kathiawar on Dwarka Mundur, came only to destroy idols and spread Islam? Coming to Dwarka from Afghanistan is not the same as going to Badin from Maatli that Mahmud sahab would come 17 times. He has been given the title of 'Butshakan' (idol destroyer) only by historians have no brains, no intelligence, no understanding and no common sense. The Old Campus of Sindh University in Hyderabad is built entirely on the trust property of Hindus; it used to have a girls' school and the rest was empty grounds. Some professors and officers went after Vice Chancellor I.I Qazi until the grounds were divided and distributed among the professors and officers. The people residing in these areas are merely squatters, not owners. Flattering historians write that I. I Qazi and his professors and officers have done great work for education in Sindh. They are all lying; not a single one of them is telling the truth. If not us, our children will one day have to read in their Sindhi school books that I.I Qazi was the Mahmud Ghaznavi of the province of Sindh, who took over and distributed the land which belonged to a Hindu girls' school.

Translated from Sindhi by my daughter Kinza Shaikh.

PS 1: This piece is about what we learned from our father. He was our mentor who told us to seek beyond the obvious. He was dead against indoctrination and so each of his child and their children have carried freedom of thought that is unnerving for many.

And this is the legacy of Abdul Haleem Brohi!