Two people always made me think differently. K phuppo and Ardeshir Cowasjee. They will speak their mind and by jove they will do it whatever way it comes from within. No power was big enough to censor them, K phuppo switches to gujrati in the midst of an outburst so you won't even know what is hitting you (or your family) but Cowasjee knew no such bounds. Tum saala, yeh saala loag et al has been trending on twitter since yesterday.
It feels like I have lost a family member. He fought Pakistanis for Pakistan like I always saw Dada jaan. "Dawn parho" Dada jaan would say. "Read Cowasjee's column. He writes sense" So not only the "Dawn parho" was drilled into my head for exposure to better English, reading "sense" was also ensured with introduction to Cowasjee's column.
I didn't know him personally. I am one of the millions who read his columns. And read about his daring disposition. My father and his cousins grew up in the neighbourhood around his house in Karachi, so yes they had some interaction. Myself, none.
Today I walked into 10 Mary road, Bath Island, somber and desolate, veiled in the haze from the Sarosh prayer's Atash. People from all walks of life walking in, some struggling to show a connection with him, others coming and hugging family members, timidly exchanging condolences or running around taking care of arrangements.
N aunty and I got talking and she commented on how all last rituals sound the same, the chants are maddham and gandhaar of the music order and somewhere in there it occurred to me, these meditative soothing sounds exist more for the calming of the bereaved than for the one departed. We feel like we are able to do something for the one who is no more and while believing that, we soothe our own self.
He was an honest man. That's all. That's all it takes for a man to be as exemplary; honesty.He made no secret of his opinions and standing up in the face of adversity, was afraid of no one.
Blessings from all our hearts be with you Ardeshir Cowasjee, there will never be another one like you.
He was an honest man. That's all. That's all it takes for a man to be as exemplary; honesty.He made no secret of his opinions and standing up in the face of adversity, was afraid of no one.
Blessings from all our hearts be with you Ardeshir Cowasjee, there will never be another one like you.
Very thoughtful article Hareem. Cowasjee made his stance clear not only by words but also by actions and so true that he fought Paksitani's for Pakistan. Cant understand how did you relate the chants to maddham and gandhaar of the music order, can you explain please?
ReplyDeleteThanks
Thank you for your kind words.
ReplyDeleteIt was just a thought, the reading of Quranic verses, the Parsi Sarosh prayers, any kind of prayers that produce a slight buzzing sound somehow just appear to me to be in a certain note that appears to me as maddham and gandhaar usually.
Just in my head, just aperception. Nothing hard & fast about it :)