The Pharaohs of Urdu: Ky Pi

 
The Pharaohs of Urdu∗
M.   is a prominent Urdu journalist; 1

i n other words,
he possesses a God-given talent for writing inflammatory words. Further,
despite his nationalist claims, he is breathtakingly bold when it comes to
expressing communal sentiments of the most extreme kind. When these
two qualities come together in an individual, can there be any doubt
about his success as a journalist? He delights the government on the one
hand, and on the other greatly pleases his subscribers; meanwhile, people
possessing some discretion watch in silent amazement.
This praiseworthy gentleman has invented a style of writing in Urdu
that may be called confusing or confused. At first he wielded his pen on
such path-breaking topics as “Raqq≥Ωa” (“The Dancer”), “Mughniya ”
(“The Songster”), and “Ky∑pi≈” (“Cupid”).2 Now he publishes unac-
knowledged translations of scholarly articles from the Encyclopaedia [Bri-
tannica] and learned journals, and therefore can even be called a scholar.
∗
Munshµ Pr®m±and, “Urd∑ m® Fir‘auniyat,” in Pr®m±and Adabiy≥t (Patna,
), pp. –. This volume is number  in the reprint series devoted to
selections from Zam≥na (Kanpur), which is where the original appeared in
December . All notes added are by the translator.
1
Niy≥z Mu√ammad Kh≥n Fate√p∑rµ, Niy≥z Fate√p∑rµ (–) is best
known for Nig≥r, the monthly journal he started at Bhopal in Feb.  and then
moved to Lucknow in , editing, publishing and often writing the entire issue
himself. He was also an important figure among the so-called “aesthetes” in
Urdu. Frequently involved in literary and religious controversy, he also gained
many admirers all over South Asia. After living in Lucknow until late in his life,
he moved to Karachi with his magazine, where he died not long after.
2
These and similar titles were much favored by the Urdu “aesthetes,” whose
ranks included, besides Niy≥z, L≥m A√mad ( Laπµfu ’d-Dµn A√mad) Akbar≥b≥dµ,
Mi≥n Bashµr A√mad, ƒij≥b Imti≥z ‘Alµ, Majn∑ Gårak^p∑rµ, and Sajj≥d AnΩ≥rµ.

 • T A  U S
He is an iconoclast concerning traditional ways and customs, and a rather

vocal proponent of reform in current [standards of] scholarship. Every
once in a while, he displays his own freedom of expression in sallies
against religious truths and ethical values. These briefly provide some en-
tertainment in the assemblies of our friends.3 That is why, perhaps, no
one ever feels any need to expose [the falsity of] his charges.
For the past three years he was a prominent member of the
Hindustani Academy but, for some reason,4 was not re-elected in the
recent poll. That, certainly, cannot be the reason for him to rage against
the Academy now—by God’s grace, he is not that mean-spirited. Surely it
must be that the Academy, after his departure, started functioning in an
entirely irregular and communalistic manner, for in the last couple of
months his ever-so-independent pen has been busily striving to tear that
institution down.
The Hindustani Academy was established for the strengthening and
development of both Urdu and Hindi, and prominent figures from the
two languages were appointed as its [founding] members. No Muslim
writer was nominated for inclusion in the Hindi section since, in this
province, there is no Muslim who writes in Hindi. On the other hand, a
few Hindus were nominated, [in addition to several Muslims,] for the
Urdu section because there are, in fact, a fair number of Hindu writers of
Urdu—even if Mr. Niyaz might deny their existence.
The Academy is a literary organization; consequently, while paying
due attention to the history of ideas, political history, economics and
sociology, it has not neglected literature. Recently it decided to publish
Hindi and Urdu translations of some plays by a certain famous English
playwright. The task of preparing the Hindi translations was assigned to
me, while the Urdu versions were assigned to Munshi Daya Narain
Nigam, the editor of Zam≥na, and Munshi Jagat Mohan Lal Rawan.5 Mr.
3
I suspect this to be a subtle dig at the large fashionably liberal but safely
silent element among educated Muslims.
4
The Hindustani Academy was founded in  to encourage cooperation
between Hindi and Urdu writers and the use of a language that stayed away from
the linguistic extremes of the two. It brought out several valuable editions of
earlier texts, and also published a journal, Hindust≥nµ , in the two scripts. The
journal, I’m told, still exists, but its concern with Urdu is only nominal.
5
Day≥ Nar≥’in Nigam (–) was the publisher and editor of Zam≥na
(Kanpur), which for close to forty years was one of the best Urdu literary
M P • 
Niyaz was a member of the Academy at the time of the decision.

However, keeping in mind his own best interest [ ≥’µn-e maΩla√at], he did
not then utter a word against the proposals. But now he objects: “Why
were English plays chosen for translation?” And, “Why couldn’t Muslim
writers be found for the job?” In his view, no Hindu can write in Urdu
even if he spends an entire life doing just that; while a Muslim, according
to him, knows naturally how to write in Urdu. In other words, a Muslim
emerges from his mother’s womb as a full-fledged expert in Urdu
language. This claim is so absurd and so laughable that it requires no
rejoinder. But I can say this: God alone can save a language whose writers
are so narrow-minded and egocentric.
It is a common enough charge against the Muslims that they have
never duly acknowledged the Hindu writers and poets of Urdu—even
[Daya Shankar] Nasim and [Ratan Nath] Sarshar were excluded from
among the masters of Urdu. 6 But no one had yet dared to be so blatantly
prejudiced. That honor now belongs to Mr. Niyaz Fatehpuri.
I am willing to concede that the Muslims have done Urdu, relatively
speaking, many more favors, but I shall never accept that the Hindus did
nothing for it. Crores of Hindus today read Urdu, lakhs of them write it,
and thousands of them creatively express themselves in that language, be
it in prose or poetry. Urdu still continues to exist with the help of the
Hindus. The Muslims of the Punjab speak and write Punjabi; those of
Bengal, Bengali; those of Sindh, Sindhi; those of Gujarat, Gujarati; and
those of Madras, Tamil. Urdu-speaking Hindus and Muslims are mostly
in this province [U.P.], and somewhat in the Punjab and in Hyderabad. I
think that if someone properly investigates how many Hindus and
Muslims separately speak Urdu it would be found that their numbers are
not that far apart. It would be another matter, of course, if Mr. Niyaz also
declared the Urdu of the Hindus not to be Urdu at all. For, in that case,
no Hindu could be accused of prejudice if he similarly disqualified the
Urdu of Muslims. If a Muslim seeks to give Urdu an Islamic color by
magazines. Recently selections from it were reprinted in a dozen volumes by the

Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, Patna. ≤aud^rµ Jagat Mauh≥n L≥l Rav≥
(–) was a resident of Unnao, U.P., and a lawyer by profession. A
contemporary of Pr®m±and, he was deservedly much respected as a poet in his
time.
6
Well-known authors, Day≥ Shankar Nasµm (–) and Ratan N≥t^
Sarsh≥r (–).
 • T A  U S
stuffing it with Arabic and Persian words, then a Hindu can also wish to
give Urdu a Hindu color by putting into it vocabularies from Hindi and
Bhasha.7
Urdu is not the exclusive heritage either of the Muslims or of the
Hindus. Both have equal rights to read and write it. The Hindus have a
prior right over it because it is a branch of Hindi.8 Hindi soil and water
have given Urdu its inherent shape, and that cannot be altered by
inserting into Urdu a few Arabic and Persian words—a change of dress
does not change anyone’s race or nationality. No matter how wrathful
Mr. Niyaz might become, the Hindu cannot discard his rightful claim on
Urdu, nor can he refrain from writing Urdu in his own way—no less than
the Muslim who writes Urdu in his own way. Mr. Niyaz may complain
loudly that the Hindus were butchering Urdu, but so can the Hindus
claim that the Muslims were slaughtering it, and more brutally at that.9 A
division or separation could take place only if the Muslims began to write
[exclusively] for the Muslims, and the Hindus similarly for the Hindus.
But it can never be that the Hindus entirely give up writing and
publishing in Urdu and be content reading the writings of the Muslims
alone. They are not prepared to accept this “second class” status. The
Hindus have a right to participate—as themselves—in any and every
movement that is launched for the growth of Urdu. I believe that there
would be no Muslim—except for those who are as narrow-minded as Mr.
Niyaz—who would deny the Hindus this right.
There are an abundant number of Muslims on the Academy’s
subcommittee that has the responsibility to select translators for its Urdu
publications. It should not cause anyone to complain if these committee
members do not consider the Hindus as incompetent as Mr. Niyaz does,
or if they do not think it improper to acknowledge the scholarship and
long service to Urdu of certain Hindu writers. Any denial of Mr. Nigam’s
services to Urdu’s cause would be a shameful oversight that only Mr.
Niyaz could commit. Who can estimate the [financial] losses Mr. Nigam
has borne in publishing Zam≥na ? He sacrificed not only his ancestral
7
It seems that for Pr®m±and, Hindi meant Kha∞µ Bålµ, while B^≥sh≥ stood for
Braj B^≥sh≥.
8
Two important recent books on Hindi and Urdu are: Alok Rai and
Shamsur Rahman Faruqi.
9
My understanding of this cryptic remark is that Pr®m±and is referring to the
one stroke killing by non-Muslims, and the slow ÿabµ√a of the Muslims.
M P • 
property for it, he has also devoted his entire life to it. And yet today a
mean-spirited journalist has the gall to declare that this twenty-five-year-
long literary service amounts to nothing! Likewise, Mr. Rawan is a senior
poet in Urdu—even Mr. Niyaz must have admired some of his verses.
But Mr. Niyaz’s admiration remains verbal at best; it totally vanishes the
moment any occasion arises for some monetary reward.
I will offer Mr. Niyaz some sincere advice: he should have the
members of the Academy selected on the basis of religion, instead of
language. He would then be free to swing his stick at any Hindu who
dared to trespass. But so long as the basis for selection is language alone,
and so long as Hindus continue to write in Urdu, Mr. Niyaz cannot push
them beyond the reach of any material token of appreciation. He should
also remember that on the basis of religion [qaumiyat] Urdu will get at
the maximum only one-third of any proffered amount, and that one-third
would also count for Urdu’s [claimed] “historical importance” and “high
dignity.”10
While Hindu writers are being shown such appreciation, just look at
how devoted the Hindus are to the Muslim poets [of Hindi]. New
editions of Rahim’s and Ja’isi’s works continue to appear, and they are
read as assiduously as the writings of Surdas and Tulsidas. These two
Muslim poets are anthologized in textbooks in the same manner as the
two Hindu poets. No one gives any thought to their being Muslims. But
I find no example of any Muslim scholar editing for publication the work
of a Hindu poet. It was only recently that Mr. Asghar Gondavi edited the
book Y≥dg≥r-e Nasµm , and he is still paying for his mistake. Is there any
limit to this literary arrogance and narrow-mindedness? ❐
—Translated by C.M. Naim
10
The kind of statements many leaders of the Muslim League in U.P. were
making at the time.

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 

The Pharaohs of Urdu∗

M.   is a prominent Urdu journalist; 1

He is an iconoclast concerning traditional ways and customs, and a rather

Niyaz was a member of the Academy at the time of the decision.

magazines. Recently selections from it were reprinted in a dozen volumes by the

—Translated by C.M. Naim

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