Saturday 13 May 2017

Keeping the faith


'He who is not my friend-

May God be his friend.

And he who causes me distress-

May his joy increase.

He who places thorns in my path-

With malice in his heart,

May every flower that blooms in the garden of his life

Be without a single thorn.'



When I got an opportunity to review ‘Song of the Dervish’ (Bloomsbury, 2017) by journalist Meher Murshed, I immediately grabbed it. The shrine of the renowned Sufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya is around  6 kms from my residence and I have seen (and read) about the huge number of devotees and visitors from all walks of life thronging to the shrine throughout the year. Many celebrities (including Ranbir Kapoor and AR Rahman) are regular visitors and there are many stories of people’s wishes having been fulfilled after they have payed obedience at the shrine. Hence I was looking forward to reading a good non-fiction account of the life of Mehboob-e-ilahi (as Nizamuddin Auliya is often known).What is that attracts so many people from all over the world again and again to the dargah? At a time when religious intolerance is rampant in our society, is there something that the Sufi’s life can teach us? What does it take to be a Sufi?

Were all my questions answered by this book? Yes and No.As far as the life and times of the Sufi saint and his favorite poet-disciple Amir Khusro is concerned the book fell short of my expectations. Perhaps normally when you read non-fiction the expectation is that everything should be explicit! In black and white. However in this case maybe that is not possible as we are dealing with mysticism where the line between the real and the unreal often blurs. There will always be many shades of grey. Maybe you got to read it yourself and then reach your own conclusion.

From an early age Nizamuddin had become a mureed of the Sufi dervish Baba Farid who stayed in Ajodhan. After completing his education in Delhi, he had planned to become a judge as he was good in studies but fate had something else in store. At the age of 20 he told his mother ‘I have to go to Sheikh Farid’ and their first meeting was an emotional one. Baba Farid welcomed Nizamuddin with these words:

‘The fire of your separation has burnt many hearts. The storm of desire to meet you has ravaged many lives.’

Nizamuddin became Baba Farid’s disciple and he knew that his journey had begun. He started staying at Baba Farid’s place along with the other disciples. Life here was tough as they had no source of income and their whole life was devoted to realizing God by serving the poor (the essence of Sufism). Simultaneously Amir Khusro was prospering as a poet in the court of Delhi’s Sultan. However the throne of Delhi frequently had a new ruler during Nizamuddin’s time as the ruler’s frequently had to face rebellion and the machinations of their relatives/nobles who were always ready to strike in their back. The ruling dynasties (Khilji, Tuglaq etc.) are not covered in much detail in the book except for the frequent blood shed which led to the coronation of a new king and the uneasy relationship they shared with Nizamuddin. On returning from Ajodhan, Nizamuddin eventually settled in Ghiyaspur (present day Nizamuddin area in Delhi) where he passed away in 1325.

Where the book triumphs are the back stories of people whom the author met at the dargah to understand their unwavering devotion to the saint. From Sanjiv who survived a stabbing on a train to Feroza who picked up the pieces of her life after a rape, each one has a unique story to tell. In the end think it all boils down to faith. This is what Moti Lal Mehra, who has been coming to the shrine for the past forty-three years has to say.

‘Nizamuddin draws me to him. He gives me a sense of belonging. I know he’s there to protect. My mood is lifted. There is no explaination.That is the beauty of this.’

Saturday 18 February 2017

Dark Chocolate





In the last few years I have found myself to be more attracted towards non-fiction and hence it was with some trepidation that I picked These Circuses that Sweep Through the Landscape (Aleph, 2017). What attracted me towards this collection of short stories was the unusual title and the unusual cover design. This is the debut collection of stories by a London based writer, Tejaswani Apte-Rahm, who has spent her life in places as diverse as Serbia, Cambodia,Israel and Bangladesh besides India. Although the stories cover a wide range of themes, the common thread running through them is a dark and grim streak, at times bordering on the obscure and at times with a dash of humor. The stories will remain with you long after you’ve put the book down and don’t be surprised if you find yourself visiting some of the stories again. The range in the theme and in the story setting is truly amazing.  If  ‘Cotton’ deals with a lonely girl  in a house who finds that the floor suddenly getting littered with white fluff and is determined to find the source of the same, ‘Drinks at Seven’ deals with the complex relationships and sexual undercurrents between two couples gathered for  dinner. In the rousing opening story, ‘Homo Coleoptera’, the Beetle collector finds himself getting more and more tangled in a trap of his own making. However, the stories that follow, fail to live up to the expectations set by the opening story. In the title story, which happens to be the last in the collection, an ageing architect has a devious plan up his sleeve which he plans to unleash on his own masterpieces.

If you are looking for an easy read or a romantic adventure, this won’t be your cup of tea and you are recommended to give it a pass. Nonetheless, if dark and complex stories are your scene then you won’t be disappointed by this collection. Overall this is a promising debut and we should hear more about her in the future.

'I received a copy from Writersmelon in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.'