New Delhi, August 31, 2017: This year, Pakistan's 70th Independence Day coincided with Hindu Festival Janmashtami (a festival to celebrate Krishna's birth). Both were on 14th August. The famous Urdu poet Hafeez Jalandhari wrote the Qaumi Taranah, Pakistan's national anthem. But not many people know that the same poet penned Krishn Kanhaiya, a unique Urdu poem beautifully describes the greatness of the Hindu Deity.
The idea of a Muslim poet in today's time writing on a Hindu God raises all sorts of reactions (some of which are negative) coming from different ethnic groups in South Asia: suspicion, anger, surprise, joy or mere curiosity.
There is much more nuance to the poem Krishn Kanhaiya than what the reader thinks on its first reading. This is not just a devotional poem. Jalandhari had a political bend of mind be it him as a thinker or a writer. So, even this poem of his is not an ordinary one, it talks about Krishna's grand persona, Hindu idol worship, what makes him different, his righteousness, describing the role he played in a Hindu epic Mahabharata.
He weaved a poem that has a political and devotional angle to it. The hidden meaning of it, when compared with Qaumi Taranah, is that it tells about the cultural politics of South Asia- in the 20th Century and has relevance today.
Decoding the poem:
Idol Worship
In the first line of the poem, the poet says "O, onlooker"- he might be saying this as he's talking about a Hindu God and Hinduism gives importance to seeing a God, they believe in Idol worshipping, Hindu Gods have a form, a face. Thus, Hinduism uses sight as a way to connect with the almighty. The poet wants the readers to have mental darshan of Lord Krishna by saying, onlookers. Jalandhari wants the readers to have a mental image of Krishna in their minds.
Krishna is a form of light
The opening lines of the poem are a bit abstract and don't talk of Krishna; in further lines, the poet asks whether Krishna is a reality or a representation. He refers to him as a "form of light" and then asks is he fire or light. Referring to Krishna as light might indicate to Islamic scholars who said that "Krishna was a righteous prophet sent to the people of the subcontinent."
Jalandhari finally gives a description of Krishna that we are more familiar with- him being a "flute player" and a "cowherd of Gokul." The poet doesn't refer to Krishna as a God but he says that Krishna represents glory and majesty of God.
In the tenth stanza, the poet says that – "Inside the temple / the sculptor of beauty himself / entered and became the idol". He is talking about Idol Worship done by Hindus who pray to their God in a temple, having a belief that the deity resides in the temple in the idol itself.
Krishna Leela
Then we get a glimpse of 'Krishna Leela' as the poet talks of Krishna's playing and dancing around with gopis (cowherd girls), on Yamuna river bank that he describes as a "rare happenings". He is youthful and charming, to set the tone of the scene, phrases like "intoxicated winds" and "waves of love" are used that there was something heavenly in the atmosphere.
The sound of Krishna's flute is described as "neither intoxication nor wine / it's something beyond." Such phrases transport the readers into Braj (Krishna spent his childhood and adolescence years here) and they get blissfully lost in the divine sound of Krishna's flute.
Cheer-Haran of Draupadi and Krishna being her savior
The poem from here takes a serious transition into a serious mood. Here the poet talks of a famous Cheer-Haran (disrobing) scene from Mahabharata as the five Pandavas have lost their kingdom and Draupadi in the dice game. Draupadi is dragged into the court by Duryodhana, the eldest Kaurava, she prays to Krishna to help her.
It is said that Lord Krishna came to her rescue and due to God's grace, her sari turned into a never ending piece of cloth as when the Kauravas tried pulling it off, more fabric draped her body and saved her dignity.
With this scene, Jalandhari begins to bring a political angle to the poem as Draupadi says, "These beloved princes (her husbands), have all become cowards!" It seems that Jalandhari is accusing India's rulers, monarchs who behaved like cowards at the time of British Rule.
Some even argue that the poet is referring to all Indians who worked under British Rule as cowards. The poet uses the phrase "the light of India" for Krishna, this seems more of a political symbolism.
Preparations for the Mahabharata war
In the next scene, the poet takes us to the preparations for the great Mahabharata war, where he writes worryingly, "Duryodhana seems victorious." Duryodhana (eldest kaurava) symbolizes British Rule over India which continued for a pretty long time, like the Mahabharata war.
The irony is that Kaurava army was much larger in number than Pandavas whereas Britishers were very less in number than Indians. But with Krishna's arrival on the battlefield (from Pandavas side) and how he preached Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna, changes the anxiety and sorrow to much-needed enthusiasm: "the divine decree has been pronounced, the sword has been swung!"
This Krishna is very different from the young playful one which the poet has described earlier. Here, he symbolizes great strength and power: on his "face shines a bright gaze" also his "virtues burn enemies." He is so powerful that when he is angry, he can shower lightning. Thus, this Krishna can easily be an icon used for anti-colonial nationalism.
Relating Mahabharata with British Rule
After this, Jalandhari paints a picture of India suffering under colonial rule, using Vrindavan as a symbol for India. He says that once the joyful Yamuna is now silent, the waves are weak now. The gardens which were earlier beautiful are now ruined and the gopis symbolizing people of India are feeling helpless without their Krishna, their savior.
So, Jalandhari makes a personal plea to Krishna: "Oh king of India, come just once more." He begs Krishna to return to Mathura (Mathura symbolizes India) and become the King again: "If you come, glory will come, if you come, life will come" With his plea to Krishna asking him to liberate India from British rule, Jalandhari ends his nazm.
If we compare Krishn Kanhaiya to Jalandhari's more famous work (Pakistan's National Anthem), we can learn a lot about the cultural politics which has influenced South Asia over the 20th century and continues to do so even today.
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