A tyranny of the closed mind

By M J Akbar

Is Mullah Omar the first Muslim to live in Afghanistan? Were there no Muslims before him? Does he have the temerity to believe that for more than a thousand years since Islam came to his country, no one was a true believer? Even Mahmud of Ghazni left Buddha alone, and Bamiyan is much closer to Ghazni than Somnath. Why has every Afghan Muslim, whether ruler of ordinary citizen, left these great Bamiyan Buddhas, a symbol of the world's heritage, untouched?

In a very real way, the existence of the fifth century Buddhas testifies to the prevailing spirit of Muslim society. The likes of Mullah Omar have also existed in the history of Muslims, but they were far fewer than some partisan historians suggest. Mullah Omar is less a Mulsim and more a tyrant. The tanks that rolled against the Buddha have also rolled against the people of Afghanistan, against women in Particular and men in general, creating a State that has disconnected with civilisation.

A letter in the International Herald Tribune on Thursday bears repetition. It is written by Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan: "I was distressed to learn that the Taliban rulers of Afghanistan had ordered the destruction of all statues, including the unique giant fifth century Buddhas located in Bamiyan. Like the Pharoanic monuments of Egypt the Babylonian treasures of Iraq, the pre-Islamic masterpieces of Persepolis in Iran, the Greco-Roman temples and statues of the Northern and Eastern Mediterranean as well as the numerous Christian churches and monasteries, all of which lie in Muslim countries, the Bamiyan Buddhas are part of the artistic and cultural heritage of Afghanistan and of humanity as a whole. They must be preserved. Long before the Taliban seized power in Kabul, these statues stood at the crossroads of many faith and civilisations nurtured by the Silk Road. How would Pakistan react if some cleric ordered the destruction of all the Indus Valley Gandhara Buddhas?"

Good question.

The fact that the Gandhara Buddhas are still there indicates that "some cleric" has not been able to take over Islamabad yet. But complacency would be dangerous for Pakistan, as well as for India and the subcontinent.

It is perhaps futile to blame the fathers of the Taliban. The United States murtured and used them in its successful war against the Soviet Union. Successive Pakistani Governments, including those of Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, supplied and armed them in the search for a "friendly" victor in the civil war that followed the departure of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. The sins of sons are now visiting upon the fathers. Pakistanis, when asked, point towards the time when no visiting American VIP could be persuaded to take a flight back to Washington without a photograph in the company of a few gun-and-beard warriors. Many American politicans took no more than one step across the border for the publicity photograph that would confirm their presence on the soil of The Soviet Vietnam. What Washington started Islamabad completed.

Governments that congratulate themselves privately upon their ability to use others, become remarkably dim when others use them. When the United States used the elements that later emerged as the Taliban, they comforted themselves with the illusion (if they thought about the subject at all) that these partisans would melt away, or go quietly back to their towns and villages from where the (IA had recruited them, leaving space for a Government in Kabul that would eventually join the WTO, take loans from the World Bank, and be a steadfast bulwark of western interests in the Great Game against Moscow. What they got was a different story.

Pakistan has used the Taliban, and Talibanists, if one can coin a term, both to the west and the east. Kabul has historically been wary of Islamabad, protecting its national identity with an independent foreign policy. This recognised the need to maintain a non-hostile relationship with the Soviet Union and extended to a reaffirmation of traditional people-to-people as well as Government-to-Government ties with India. It was in Pakistan's interest to alter this spirit of independence into a culture of dependence. Pakistan was convinced that the Taliban would form the kind of Government that Islamabad had always wanted. It never recognised the reverse possibility. That the Taliban might seek a Government of its preference in Islamabad. Big brothers have this tendency towards a men all block.

That block is clearing. Hindsight is not respectable, but it is useful, since it offers clarity. The mullahs of Afghanistan view Pakistan as a fertile neighbourhood for their plans. Their approach has been to cultivate the grassroots and distance the people from a political establishment that did not conform to their concept of an Islamic Government, whether civilian or uniformed. The madrasas were given change of one side of this pincer attack.

Islamabad was also happy to use Talibanists in its war against Indian forces in Jammu and Kashmir. Here was the perfect policy, the blind-eye, have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too ploy. If Afghan "jihadis" went over to the Valley, Islamabad could always feign a pained helplessness. But fire tends to disrespect a cage. The Pakistan Government is now staring at a growing conflagration, with no extinguisher in its fire engines. Kashmir has become an effective excuse for a wider confrontation in the gameplan of the 'jihad" clergy of Pakistan, who collect funds and create romance around the memory of teenage "martyrs". When the Pakistan interior minister tried to take on this lobby, and attacked what he called a false jihad he was brought to heel. He had to "clarify" that he was not fulminating against those who wanted to fight in Kashmir. (The minister's remark that there was corruption in fundraising seemed to be less controversial.)

The Taliban strategy is not fantasy. Pakistan's problem is not the fragility of the State; Pakistan's survival as a nation is not in any question. But there are serious question marks about the nature of the Government that can run this State. The Constitution is ephemeral, and the polity, consequently, arbitrary. So far governance has run the course of a cycle of hope; when civilians failed the Army became the saviour, and when generals imploded the country went back to democratic options. This cycle seems to have run out of momentum. The last two civilians leaders of the country are both in exile, and objects of revulsion for their corruption. The Government of General Pervez Musharraf is not considered corrupt, but its effectiveness is in doubt. It is not buoyeb by any new ideas at a time when a radical agenda is in demand. The clergy is waiting for the present leadership in the Army to fail its predecessors did, and take control of vacant space.

Of course this assumes that the Taliban will survive in Afghanisan. Those who know something about that unfortunate nation do not have a happy tale to tell. There is mismanagement and famine in addition to unspeakable oppression against women and all those who do not share the convictions of the clergy. Sanctions have been imposed. The unforgiveable assault on the Bamiyan Buddha could be a tact to divert attention from failure elsewhere. But tyranny survives longer when it is cloaked by ideology. Moreover the twentieth century has not been kind to Afghanistan. Monarchy was replaced by authoritarianism in the name of socialism; when this began to weaken, civil war wreaked havoc. There are no institutions around which a challenge to the Government can be constructed. This Government rode in on tanks and can be rolled back only by tanks. No outside force has the stomach for another war.

The Talibanisation of Pakistan is an invitation to extreme danger; it is not a prospect which either India or the world can take in its usual stride. The social consequences are bad enough. But Pakistan is also a nuclear State, which is a temptation to the mullahs and a dreadful possibility to the rest of the world. It has been argued, successfully, that nuclear status may actually be an insurance against war. This is the MAD theory, based on the view that neither antagonist would want Mutually Assured Destruction. But to be MAD you have to be rational, Fanaticism is not rational.

Are India and Pakistan national? We certainly claim to be. The churn of events demands a greater impetus in the peace effort. It is necessary to understand what we want and what we can achieve. We may all want a solution but it will be achievement enough if we can reach peace Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has taken his share of risks, but he cannot walk on a one-way street. He should take one more step so that the road is open to the last mile, but then no more until he sees Islamabad travelling some distance towards him. This step is the long-delayed, much-discussed travel permission to a Hurriyat team to Pakistan. There is not much that the Hurriyat leaders can do in Pakistan that they are unable to do here. They are in touch with Pakistan's leaders in any case; and if one or two of them get shrill on foreign soil, they will do their own cause no good And the last excuse will be over.

The Indian subcontinent is entering a grim, dangerous phase. This is the eighteenth century once again, this time with a bomb in its hand.

The Holi Legends

By L R Prabhakar

Manu, the great lawgiver divided Hindu society into four broad categories Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras depending on the quality and content of their occupations. Correspondingly, Raksha Bandhan, Dussera, Diwali and Holi came to be associated as their respective festivals. However, with the passage of time, there has been no water tight caste basis in the celebrations of these festivals.

There are various theories about the origin of Holi, largely drawn from legend. Lord Shiva is said to have burnt Cupid (or Kam Dev, the Love God) as punishment for inducing him to love Parvati (later his consort) on this day. However, the lamentations of Cupid's wife, Rati melted Shiva's heart and he granted her a boon that Cupid would henceforth be reborn and hence the lighting of bonfires on Holi night.

Another legend connected with this festival pertains to the trumph of Prahlad over his wicked and atheist father King Harnakashyap who ordered his sister Holika (believed to enjoy immunity from fire) to sit on the burning pyre with Prahlad in her lap and thus burn him up to seek vengeance on him for his ardent worship of Vishnu.

The result was that Holika was reduced to ashes while Prahlad escaped unhurt. In other words this festival signifies the victory of good over evil.

Yet another view is that Holi originated from Vraj near Mathura where it is associated with Lord Krishna and his consort, Radha. Till today this festival so celebrated with great enthusiasm and zest in that region and the people make colourful swings of Lord Krishna and recite songs of devotion and self-abnegation.

Essentially of Love

This festival is essentially of love or Madan Utsav and is the harbinger of a pleasant and shoothing climatic change the advent of spring with all its gaiety, fun and frolic when nature puts on a new garb after the bitting and shivering winter. Its prominent ingredients are rang, raas and raag, that is, colour, dance and song, it transcends all caste barriers in its observance and its elevating messages is to forgive and forget all mutual bickering and tensions which grew up amongst the people during the preceding year. In other words, it engenders mutual goodwill for all mankind.

It is precisely for this reason that on this day people of all ages and all walks of life equipped with Gulal (red or green dust), syringes and buckets of coloured water move in groups ready to bemear and drench one and all, high and low and later revel in embraces as symptomatic of affection and warmth of feelings.

Mushairas and Kavi Samelans full of humorous poems and songs are organised and at night bonfires are lit as a finale of the day's festivities. Therefore, this festival provides an outlet for sadistic instincts and serves as an emotional stabiliser besides being the most democratic amongst the Indian festivals.

Vulgarity

However, the celebration of this festival are married at some places with vulgarity and ribaldry. Last year at Murthal village in Sonepat District in Haryana, one Harijan was killed and three others were injured when two groups of Holi revellers freely used lathis and brickbats.

At Rewari several persons were injured, one of them seriously when two groups to Holi indulgers freely used lathis and, at Solan three persons were arrested on the charge of rowdyism after taking liquor during Holi celebrations.

Even in Chandigarh, the City Beautiful known to have a majority of cultured people, the liquor vendors do good business despite its being declared a dry day and at some places people are seen drinking in the open. Last year, the police arrested ten persons for drunken and disordely behaviour in various parts of the city. A college students and a panshop owner were injured in stabbing incidents. One attacker was arrested.

This festival is celebrated in various forms in our country. In North India, since this festival falls when Rabi crops are near harvest the farmers go in for it with great fervour and gusto.

In Bengal this festival is known as Dolyatra associated as it is with Saint Chaitenya Deva giving the message of mercy and kindness for all living creatures.

In South India this festivals is synonymous with Kamdhana when mock fights where as in Maharashtra, the descendents of the great and brave warriors their country and clan, dance round bonifires more or less in a state of trance. In fact, in many countries of the world this festival is celebrated at different periods of the year with local variations in its observance.

In short this festival has a pre-eminent place in the international community particularly in India with its cardinal message of fraternal and brotherly feelings for all man-kind. Let us prove worthy to receive and assimilate this message in our inner selves for our collective prosperity.

Vinayak Syndicate