God's own constituency (7)

                          Varanasi Medini
                    (Varanasi is the whole earth)
                

                    Narendra modi's candidature from Varanasi is being interpreted in different ways- some are terming it as a political move to ensure maximum political mileage in terms of winning of Lok Sabha seats in all important Uttar Pradesh. Some analysts are describing it as re-emphasis  by Modi of his overt Hindutva agenda- holiest of holy cities has to be represented by none other than Modi.  Opponents of Modi are trying hard to emphasis that the holy city also has a strong secular tradition and its composite culture should not be overlooked.

                   Recently, I came across a very telling phrase- Varanasi Medini. Veer Savarkar, mentor of Hindutva proponents, concluded his famous treatise "HIndutva" with this phrase Varanasi Medini. 

Philosopher Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan quoted the Sanskrit shloka_ 

 Mata cha parvati devi pita devo maheshvarah.

 bandhavah shivabhaktas cha 

 svadesho bhuvanatrayam.

 udara-charitanam tu vasudhaiva kutumbakam

 Varanasi medini. 

 ( Varanasi Medini is a conception of universal welfare state and brotherhood where we look up on the whole world as our sacred home . Varanasi Medini is the dream of our seers - one earth, one family)

It is clear for Banarasis that the holy city is not exclusive, it belongs to every one. Moksha is well assured for every life form in Varanasi. Pandits, professionals, merchants, Chandals, cows, monkeys and donkeys and hopefully journalists- all are guaranteed moksha by virtue of living with in panchkoshi boundary of the city. So say the scriptures, and incorrigibly skeptical Banarasis fully believe in the scripture at least on this count. 

One of the celebrated Banarasis was Nazir Banarasi who embodied best of Banarasi characteristics. Here is brief profile of the great Urdu poet:-- 

             NAZIR BANARASI : POET OF THE SOIL 

             Late Nazir Banarasi was "benazir", an unparalleled symbol of India's composite culture. He was Born on November 25, 1909, in a well known Hakim   ( Unani medicine) family of Varanasi. 

            Nazir, who was trained in traditional hakimi by his father Noor Muhammad was destined to examine the Nabj (nerve) of the nation by his extraordinary sensitivity and creativity.As a talented teenager, he wrote his first poem which was appreciated by friends and elders.

           Nazir to his last moment was willing to do something to eliminate the virus of communalism from the body politic of the nation. He wrote:

           HInduon ko yakeen hai ki

           Musalman hai Nazir

           Kuchh Musalman hain jinhe shak hai

           Hindu to nahin

           ( Hindus believe that Nazir is a Muslim but there are some Muslims who suspect he is a Hindu)

           Nazir was proud of the common heritage of Hindus and Muslims and remained very much attached to  beauty and flavor of the eternal city. He said:

           Hamne namazen bhi padi hain aksar

           Ganga tere pani se vaju kar karke.

           Young Nazir came in contact with many  national leaders who motivated him to pen poems with nationalistic fervor. For many decades his presence was much sought and he invariably bagged huge applause from the audiences. 

           Be it " National Kavi Sammelan" at the Red Fort or a small gathering in towns, Nazir's shers and najms were appreciated by all. His poems, in simple language using common words, were easy to be memorized by the people. 

           In his personal life he was simple and  modest- an ideal Banarasi.He wrote:

           Main Banaras ka nivasi kashi nagari ka fakir

           Hind ka shair hun Shiva ki Rajdhani ka safir

           ( I belong to Banaras and basically a fakir of Kashi. I am a poet of India and an ambassador of Lord Shiva's capital to the world)

           Nazir was there to share every moment of joy and sorrow with the countrymen. During Chinese aggression in 1962, he called upon the countrymen to defend great Himalayas :

           Bachao jis tarah se Himalaya bachao

           Bachao vatan ka shivalaya bachao

           ( Defende the Himalayas by every means. Himalaya is the Shiva temple of the nation, defend it)

           Nazir lamented the death of Mahatma Gandhi in these words,:

           Mere Gandhi, zamin valon ne terei kadr jab kam ki

           utha kar le gaye tujhko zamin se asman vale

           ( Oh Gandhi, when people ignored you on earth, apostles from heaven took you away fro here)

            Nazir , a devout Muslim was in a sense a modern Raskhaan, the famous poet of Bhaktikal, who fascinated by the flute-reciting Krishna and Brijabhumi. Nazir used plenty of Hindi words and Hindu symbols for which he was criticized by fundamentalists.