Nomadics of Telangana

I remember coming across some of them while growing up in New Malakpet (now comes under the old city of Hyderabad) in 1980s. and got enchanted by their captivating ’appearance and clothing’.

One certainly cannot miss their typically tall stature, oval face, black and brown eyes, long silky hair, straight nose and wheatish complexion and not to miss their heavy metal jewellery, armful of ivory bangles, and clothes embellished with tiny pieces of mirrors. The men and women, both equally strong, muscular and hard-working, and are blessed with a lot of endurance.

I, again, do not distinctly remember how I came across them, I mean I did not see them working at a construction site or as house-maids or in any procession during festivals. I sincerely don’t recollect but I have definitely seen them wandering in the lanes and by-lanes of the area where I lived, from time to time.

They are Lambada (aka Banjaras. Lambada is the Telugu title for Banjaras) of Hyderabad, most precisely belonging to the Telangana region now.

Their history may not be found in books, their art and culture may not be framed or described anywhere, but the Lambadas are a unique tribe that has imbibed into their tradition something from every part of the country. 

Today, the Lambada tribe may live on the fringes of society, but, historically, they played a very important role everywhere they went. In a country with a diverse cultural heritage, the Banjaras are best known for their migration from one place to another in search of trade.

Usually nomadic in nature, the tribes of Rajasthan are called Banjaras, they migrated and settled in the then ‘out skirts’ of Hyderabad. Since the area was a hilly one, it became known as Banjara Hills. Although there is no evidence that these Banjaras/Lambadas served Qutb Shahi kings, however it is noteworthy that one of the gates of Golconda was given the name ‘Banjara Darwaza’. Probably to honour them. Interesting.

Again no strong evidence but “Bhagyanagar was named after a Banjaran dancing girl, Bhagmathi who belonged to the village Chichlam. When Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah was a prince, he fell in love with her. A few years later, after his accession to the throne of Gloconda, he founded a new city and named it Bhagnagar.”

Also Banjaran language known as Gor boli or Lambadi also called Banjari, is a confluence of Sanskrit, Hindi, Marwari, Gujarati, Kannada and Telugu and bears the influence of the regional language of the place where they stay. For example, members in Hyderabad obviously adopted few words from the Deccani Urdu-Telugu dialect in their speech, even if they don’t have that particular word in their language.

Saying it with clothes

Banjara women’s attire is very fancy, colourful and attractive. One can identify them from a far distance due to this. Their jewellery is made out of silver; in case they lack the funds to buy silver, they make their jewellery with coins, steel and other metals. The only gold accessory they have is the nose pin.

Their men, on the other hand, have it fairly simple in terms of clothing. They wear dhoti and a kurta with a bright-coloured turban which is designed according to the climate of the desert. But, with time, the youngsters have taken to western clothes. Now, only the older generation wears such clothes; only 20 per cent wear the traditional attire and most of them are above 60 years of age. 

Maybe in another decade, one might have to check books and browse the internet to find more about their tradition, culture and of course culinary.

The Lips Of Shah Hussain

We have created the human being in the throes of loss.

Does he think that none have power over him?

He says, "I have lost mass of wealth!"

Does he think that none is watching over him?

Haven't we made for him two eyes, a tongue and two lips?

And guided him to two places of safety in distress?

- Qur'an 90:4-10

I first happened to read about this Sufi saint in the book titled Sufis & Saints' Bodies by Scott Kugle and since then got hooked to it like a 'mad' lover. Although for personal reasons, I am not much into Sufi Saints but then given a chance I would love to visit THE shrine of this saint for obvious reasons. In fact the 'story' had such a MAGICAL effect on me mentally that I secretly was hoping that someone will make a film on him and cast me as Shah Hussain and Inder as Madho. HAHAHA!

Anyways, coming back to this Sufi Saint, Shah Hussain was born in 1538 in Lahore, Pakistan. His father Sheikh Usman was a Kulsara (a clan of Rajput), and by occupation he was a weaver (in some of Shah Hussain poetic rhymes he used his pen name as Fakhir Hussain Julaha which means "Saint Hussain The Weaver"). During his early age, his father enrolled him in a local school where Hussain started to memorise the Holy Qur’an. His teacher was Hafiz Abubak'r. It was in 1548 at the age of 10, a renowned Sufi master Sheikh Bahlol Qadri (d.1575) met Hussain and became his mentor.

One day in the holy month of Ramadan his mentor asked Hussain to fetch water for him from the nearby river called Ravi. Hussain went to the river and there he met Al-Khidr (Green One. Considered to be the one who possess mystic knowledge) who blessed him. Miraculously that night, Hussain recited the whole Qur'an in Tarawih (the special midnight prayers in Ramadan) while in reality, Hussain has only memorised 7 parts of the Qur'an by then. Soon this 'miraculous' news spread like a wildfire in the whole city. 

Sheikh Bahlol, after some time, went to his town and directed Shah Hussain to regularly visit the Ali Hijwiri shrine in Lahore. Every night, religiously, Hussain, used to stand in the river Ravi to recite the whole Qur'an until Fajr (early morning prayer) and then visits the shrine of Ali Hijwiri wherein till Zohar (the afternoon prayer) he will recites the whole Qur'an once again. He said to have never missed a single congregation prayer. 

One fine day, while he was still studying the Tafsir (interpretation), he came across the verse from Qur'an The life of the world is nothing but play and pleasurable distraction. This verse suddenly struck Hussain as profound truth that went out of the masjid and abandoned the path of ascetic to stepped into the path of self-blamers and started to dance and drink wine in public. Notably since then Hussain started wearing a deep-red-colour robe depicting his love for wine. 

In this state, a second dramatic event took place that shaped Hussain's subsequent life. He came across a Brahmin youth named Madho and fell passionately in love with him. Madho, in his all youthfulness, was obviously unaware of Hussain's 'madness' towards him. Hussain wandered restless with this incendiary love yet Madho never even glanced his way once. Finally on the day of Holi, Madho stooped to show sincere kindness and a courteous face to Hussain. Seeing the magic in his eyes, Madho strode up to Hussain shyly, and threw colours over his head and shoulders, and as Madho poured colour, his body arched in dance before Hussain. Hussain in his longing, took on a lively air, matching his steps with Madho. The ice of social convention finally broken, the two became intimate, and Hussain slowly persuaded Madho to trust him, first as a friend and then as a lover and finally as a spiritual guide.

Madho's Brahmin parents and his extended family did not accept this dangerous intimacy and ordered to assassinate Hussain. However, the two continued to meet and grew closer. At one point, Madho's family planned a pilgrimage to the Ganges at Haridwar and urge him to come along in the bargain that he will get over Hussain. However Madho refused and stayed back in Lahore with Hussain, but Hussain, in a miracle, took Madho from Lahore to Haridwar in one step as a reconciliation with his family.

Eventually, Madho was convinced of the sincerity of Hussain's love for him. Not wasting any time, Hussain offered Madho to 'initiate' him into his own personal brand of sensual mysticism, through his lips. He invited Madho to spend a day or two with him in his hut, drinking wine and making love.

After this erotic initiation, Madho began to live with Hussain at Baghbanpur. Hussain defends their sexual play as a 'spiritual initiation' in which Hussain passed on to Madho the spark of 'divine love' through touch and kiss.

Shah Hussain spent the second half of his life under Emperor Akbar’s rule, during which, the Mughal capital was moved to Lahore (1584-1599). According to historical accounts, Prince Salim (who later ruled under the name of Jahangir) ordered one of his officials to write a diary of whatever Hussain did or said every day. 

Some argue this was done due to reverence while others claim that it was to keep an eye on him because of Hussain’s large following and outright denial of religious orthodoxy.

When Shah Hussain reached the age of 63 in 1008 AH (1599), he left this material world, and before his death, he predicted that his first shrine will be built in Shahdara (located near river Ravi), "then after 12 years a flood will appear in the river that will reach to my shrine and then my grave will be shifted to Babupura" (now Baghbanpura in Lahore; the Shalimar Gardens). He further predicted that his beloved Madho Lal will sit on his seat for 48 years after his death.

As the saint predicted, Madho Lal, for the rest of his life, followed the footsteps of Shah Hussain thus completely secluding himself from the world and further confining himself into the shrine of his master. In 1056 AH (1647) at the age of 73, Madho died and was buried next to Shah Hussain.

The Annual (mostly celebrated on the 24th of March) Urs celebrations held at his shrine in Lahore every year. Devotees and spectators from across the country visit the shrine of Shah Hussain (which also came to be known as Madho Lal Hussain) to attend the Urs that continues for consecutive four days.

The Urs is traditionally characterised by lighting of candles and clay lamps, sufi music and devotional dance, no wonder Hussain is among one of the greatest Punjabi poets till date and is counted among Lahore’s patron saints.

Such examples tell us that the problems of ignorance and intolerance faced by the world can only be tackled through Sufism because It holds the key for accepting polarities and disagreements with open arms. This is what we direly require for making this world a better place to live in.

Some of Shah Hussain poetry, beautifully rendered by Abida Parveen, are available on YouTube.