Forgotten Shair-E-Ahlebait-Manni Lal Jawan

Yaum-E-Ashura at Sandeela town of Hardoi 

 Dr.Mazhar Naqvi

“Ham Apni Baat aur Apni Aqeedat ko Bata Denge

Jo Purda Dari Duniya Samajhti Hai Utha Denge

Agar Jannat Mein Jane Se Mujhe Rizwan Rokega

To Seene Pe Nishane Matam-E-Sarwar Dikha Denge”

The poet who has described Matam (Chest-Beating) as a gateway to Jannat (paradise) is a non-Muslim. He should have been known to Azadar world as an eminent Shair-e-Ahlebait. But like many a non-Muslim Hussaini poets, he remains unknown. His name was Manni Lal Jawan and he hailed from Sandeela town of district Hardoi. In his lifetime, he is believed to have composed numerous couplets, Nauhas, Salams and even Marsiyas in praise of martyrs of Karbala but his work has failed to survive. His above cited couplet is available thanks to Janab Qamar of Sandeela. He has been reciting Jawan’s couplets during mourning processions  for the past several years but he has no idea about history of Jawan.In a telephonic conversation with the blogger, he revealed that his father Marhoom Mushtaq Hussain used to recite Jawan’s Kalam in Muharram processions and majalis. Qamar however could memorize only two couplets and carrying on his father’s legacy with them. Blogger’s interest in Jawan surfaced when one of his couplets was quoted by an anchor of an Urdu channel in a program dedicated to sacred memory of Imam Hussain on Yaum-e-Ashura. As the poet was quoted as Jawan Sandeelivi, the blogger approached a few Imamis of the town but they could not tell much. Only Qamar Sahib could remember one of his quadrates. He had  no idea about his birth, literary works and family background. Qamar could recall with difficulty that Jawan had his house in Imalia Bagh locality of Sandeela. He however assured to provide more details about the poet after consulting a few more elderly residents of Sandeela.

Jawan must have been a great poet or else his name would have never found place in the program that had noted poet and critic Janab Chandrabhan Khayal as Special guest.It is indeed a sad story that no initiative is being taken at governmental and non-governmental levels to preserve Kalams of  Shora Ahlebait, especially non-Muslim ones. Blogger also fails to understand as to why Imamis also don’t pay much attention on preserving the works of those who dedicated their lives in eulogizing martyrs of Karbala without any expectation.(References :Based on inputs given by Janab Qamar Sahib of Sandeela.Photo Courtesy Google Images )