My country : My life
My Country My Life – an autobiography
Muhi>jo Daysh ai> muhi>jee hayaat/ee : Hika Atmakathaa
By : L. K. Advani
(Former, Deputy Prime Minister of India )and at Present) Leader of Opposition)
A review by : Gul Karamchand
My Country, My Life is an extraordinary autobiography by a leading political personality of our times–L.K. Advani – which has been brought out by Rupa Publishers this month in India (Number: ISBN 978-81-291-1363- 4)
Muhi>jo daysh : muhi>jee hayaat/ee :Hina kit/aab may> hina wakt/ asaa>jay mashahoor siasat/d/aan ag/vaan L.K.Advani jee gairravaajee at/makathaa aahay jaykaa Rupa & Co. jay paaraa> shaai kaee vayee aahay ( ISBN no. 978 -81-291-1363-4 )
This nearly thousand-page book presents a candid self-portrait to what Advani’s admirers and critics have always known him for::: the gift for clarity of thought, strong convictions and forceful articulation.
Heeu hiku hazaar sufan jo kit/aab hiku pahi>jo sacho biyaan tho karay. Advani jay saaraah ai> nukt/acheenee ka>d/aran hamaysha hunakhay ina d/aat/ milyal laai j/aat/o aahay : yaanee t/a shudh veechaara , pakaa usoola ai> zord/aar uchaara.
The book begins with Advani’s account of an unbreakable bond between Sindh and India and tells as to how he had to abandon his homeland of Sindh which became a part of Pakistan after India was partitioned in 1947.
Heeu kit/aab shroo tho thiay Advani jay likhat/ saa> t/a Sindh ai> India jay vicha may> ar>tuta>d/ar risht/o aahay ai> poi asaa>khay b/udhaa ay tho t/a keea> huna khay pahi>jo vat/an Sindh chhad*ir>o piyo jayko India jay virhaa>g*ay khaa> poi 1947 may> Pakistan jo hiso thiyo.
Clearly, the pain of having to abandon the beloved homeland still remains and what lingers in Advani’s mind is the great heritage and history of Sindhi Society, its tolerance and inclusiveness, its Sufi culture
Zaahir aahay t/a pahi>jay piyaaray vat/an jay chhad*ar>a jo d*ukh aj/u t/aaee> Advani jay mana may> aahay ai> jayko khiyaal huna jay mana maa> natho nikray , so aahay Sindhi Society jay vad*ay varsay , sahar> shakt/ee ai> Soofi t/ahzeeb jee.
Advani quotes Bhagwan S. Gidwani (author of Return of the Aryans), repeatedly, to present the integrated picture of the structure of Sindhi Society and its freedom from communal disharmony, but more so, the history of the land where the roots of Hinduism were formed in the shape of Sanatan Dharma, where Vedas were composed, and which served as the cradle-ground of the Aryan civilization. .
Advani bar bar Bhagwan.Gidwani (Return of the Aryans jo laykhak ) jo biyaan tho karay d*aykhaarar> laai t/a Sindhi Society keea> na paar>a may> jur/iyal huee ai> mazhabee jhag/ray khaa> hamayshaa azzad/ rahee aahay . . Poi unhay mulka jo It/haas likhyo viyo jit/ay Hinduism jo b/iju Sanat/an Dharma jay roopa may> piyo ai>,jit/ay Vedas bi likhyaa viyaa ai> jin jay mad/ad/ saa> Aryan Sabhiyat/aa jo paayo piyo.
Says Advani :
Advani cha ay tho t/a :
“It would be appropriate here to recall the words of Bhagwan S. Gidwani, one of the greatest Sindhi historians who now lives in Montreal.
Hit/ay munaasib thee>d/o t/a Bhagwan Gidvani jaa akhar/a yaad/ kayoo> ‘ , jahi>khay Sindhis jo vad*ay may vad*o It/ihaas likhand/ar maj*iyo tho vaj*ay. Hoo har>ay Montreal tho rahay.
He belonged to a distinguished family in Karachi. His father, Shamdas Gidwani, was the President of the Hindu Mahasabha in Sindh, and his uncle Dr Choithram Gidwani was President of the Sindh provincial unit of the Congress. Both lived and worked under the same roof.
Heu Karachi jay hika t/amaam mashahoor khand/aan maa> ho .Hina jo papa Shamdas Gidwani Hindu Mahasabha, Sindhu jo President ho ai> sa>d/asi chaacho Dr . Choithram Gidwani Sindh Congress jay Unit jo President ho .B/aee hika ee chit/ jay haythhaa> raha>d/aa huaa .
In 1994, Gidwani published the widely acclaimed book, Return of the Aryans, a fictionalized recreation of the birth, 8,000 years ago, of the Aryan civilization in the land of the Sindhu basin, and its evolution across the length and breadth of India.
1994 may> Gid/wani, har jag/ah mashahoor thee viyal kit/aab Return of the Aryans likhiyo jahi> may Aryan civilisation jo janam kee> Sindhu na>d/ee jay Basin may> 8OOO saala ag/u may thiyo ai> keea> saj*ay India jay ku>da karchha may> fhailjee viyo .
In 1995, Bhagwan Gidwani met me in Delhi and presented his book to me with the inscription: ‘From one Hindu to another’.
1985 may> Bhagwan Gidwani mu>khay Delhi may> gad*iyo ai> iho kit/aab bhayta kayaaee> ai> mathis likhyaaee> ,’Hika Hindu khaa> b/iyay Hindu khay .
‘Remember’, Bhagwan Gidwani writes, ‘Sindh is the land where our ancestors resided, where the ancient Sanatana Dharma was formed in 8,000 BCE, leading to the formation of the roots of Hinduism.
‘Yaad/ kayo’ Bhagwan Gidwani likhay tho ,’ Sindh uhaa zameena aahay jit/aay asaa> jaa vad*aa raha>d/aa huaa ai> jit/ay pracheen Sanatan Dharma thhaahiyo viyo jahi>jay b/ija maa> Hinduism paid/aa thee.
It was on the banks of our rivers of Sindh—Sindhu and Saraswati—where the Vedas were composed, where the ‘Om’ mantra was first uttered. Sindh it was under whose guidance Bharat Varsha, and later Arya Varsha, was formed.
Asaa>jay Sindh may> Sindhu ai> Saraswati nad/iyun jay kinaaray tayee Vedas rachiyaa viyaa ai> jit/ay ‘Om’ jo mant/ar pahiriyo> d/afo uchaariyo viyo .Sindh jay ag/vanee a>d/ari hee Bharat Varsha ai> poi Arya Varsha thhahiyo viyo .
Nor do I forget the inspiration of Latif Shah Bhitai, Sachal “Sarmast”, Sami and other Sufi saints. We are the survivors and inheritors of that glorious heritage. And to contemplate its extinction for us is not only to rob ourselves alone, but more so, our children and their children to whom this legacy left to us by our ancestors, rightfully belongs.
‘Nako ko maa> Latif Shah Bhitaaee , Sachal Sarmast, Sami ai> b/iyan Sufi d/arvayshan jaa ut/saahu d*ee>d/ar vachana visaaray sagh>aa tho .Ai> inhay jay khaat/imay jo sochar> asaa> laai na rug/o paar> khay lutar> aahay para vadheeka asaa> jay b/aaran ai> unhan jay b/aaran khay bi jaykay hina varseea jaa sachaa hakd/aar aahin
I would not like Sindhiyat to disappear from the land of Sindh for then it would be a barren desert—lifeless and souless, just as Pakistan would like it to be.’
Maa> natho chaahiyaa> t/a Sindh jay Zameen t/aa> Sindhyat/ gum thee vaj*ay chhakar> poi hoo hiku veeraan bayabaan thee pava>d/o. Iho eea> thiyo ,jeea> t/a hayaat/ee ai> aat/maa khaa> savaai d/aysh . , Pakist/aan iho hee tho chaahay.
Again, L.K.advani quotes Bhagwan Gidwani who adds: ‘in my student days, at Sadhbela (a famous Hindu temple) at Sukkur in Sind, I saw Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto*--he was known as Zulfie then. He was at a Langar, the community meal of Sadhbela, and I also saw him taking away a little halwa, which was served with the meal. He could not have been there just for the free meal, for he was always flush with money. Maybe he was there to render thanks for a wish fulfilled, or to seek blessings for a wish for the future.
Varee Advani Bhagwan Gidwani jee likhat/ jo biyaan tho karay : : Maa> pahi>jay School jay d*ee>han may jad*ahi> hiku d/afo Sadhb/alay ( Jayko mashahoor Hindu Ma>d/ar Sukkur Sindh may> aahay ) may> viyusi , t/a moo> Zulfikar Ali Bhutto khay d*ithho .Unhay vakt/ hunakhay Zulfee khothee>d/aa huaa .Hoo Sadh belay jay community la>gar may> aayo ho. Moo> hunakhay d*ithho t/a hoo kujhu halvo paar>a saa> khar>ee piay viyo jayko khaad/ay saa> gad*u d*ee>d/aa huaa .Muft/a may> khaair>a laai t/a hoo na aayo hoo>d/o chhaakaar> t/a hamaysha paisay may> bharpoor hoo>d/o ho .Thee saghay tho t/a hoo kahi> baasa jee pooree thiyar> jay karay aayo ho yaa> t/a kahi> khwahisha jay pooro thiyar> laai d/uaa ghurar>a aayo ho.
I don’t know. I sat with him and exchanged greetings, for like many of us, I had enjoyed the hospitality of his household at Larkana, but certainly did not ask him why he was at Sadhbela.
Maa> chayee natho saghaa> .Para maa> huna saa> gad*u vaythhus ai> hika b/iay khay kheekaariyosee> chho t/a ghar>ni b/iyan vaa>guri moo> hunajay Laarkanay jay ghar may hunajee mahimaannivaazee maar>ee huee para moo> kona puchhiyo maa>s t/a chho aayo ho.
Recently, a South Indian friend questioned me: How come, no one asked Bhutto, why he was there? Only a non-Sindhi would ask such a question. For us, it was not too uncommon in Sindh to see Hindus in dargahs and Muslims at Hindu holy places.... Sindhi Muslims accepted our ancient heritage of Mohenjo-Daro as their own. When Muslims from India poured into Sindh, bent on loot and massacre, it was Sindhi Muslims who protected Hindus.’
Vayjhraaeea may> hika South Indian moo> khaa> puchiyo t/a ,Iho keea> t/a kahi> bi Bhutto khaa> na puchhiyo t/a ho ut/ay chho aayo ho. Rug/o uho ee jayko Sindhi na hoo>d/o , iho savaal puchhee tho saghay .Assa> laai t/a Sind may> ravaajee g/aalh huee t/a Hindus khay Dargaahun may> ai> Muslims khay Hindu aast/aanan t/ay d*isa>d/aa huaasee> .Sindhi Muslims asa> jee pracheen sabhiyat/aa khay pahi>jo karay samjha>d/aa huaa .Jad*ahi> India jaa Muslims Sindh may> phur luta karar> laai aayaa t/a Sindhi Muslims hee Hindus khay bachaayo
Advani points out that the great tradition of tolerance and religious syncretism has been carried forward by Bhagwan Gidwani and post-Partition Sindhi poets and writers - among them, Shaikh Ayaz (1923-1997) who wrote: ‘I belong to the religion of all men, all women and all children. I am the “madan-mast” plant which grew up wherever fell the drops of blood shed by Ladi, wife of Dahir, fighting the ruthless Arabs. I am the cave of Goddess Kali’s thousand idols which are carved in stone and which I have been worshipping all my life’.
Advani saaf zaahir tho karay t/a ihaa vad*ee sahar>shakt/ee ai> dharmee sabhiyat/aa, Bhagwan Gidwani ai> b/iyan virhaa>gay khaa> poi Sindhi shaairan jaar/ee rakhee aahay , unhan may> Shaikh Ayaz jahi> likhiyo aahay ‘Maa> unhay Dharma may> aahiyaa> jahi> may sabhu maar>hoo.,zaaloo> ai> sabhu b/aara aahin .Maa> uho ‘Mad/an Mast/” b/ooto aahiyaa> jo paid/aa thiyo jitay Ladee , Raajaa D/aahira jee zaala jaa,bayrahim Arban saa> vir/ha>d/ay kuchhu rat/a jaa phuraa kiryaa .Maa> uhaa gufaa aahiyaa> jit/ay Kali Mata jaa hazaar patharan jaa but/a aahin, jin jee maa> pahi>jee saj*ee umir pooj/aa ka>d/o rahiyo aahiyaa> .’
Sadly, this tolerant, harmonious and pluralist tradition of Sindh has been under severe attack since Partition.
D/ukha saa> chavr>o tho pa ay t/a heea saha>d/ar ,paar> may gad/jee hala>d/ar ai> Sindhu jee varsee virhaag*ay khaa> poi zabard/ast/ hamlay haythh aahay.
It is sought to be destroyed by Wahabism, the extremist sect from Saudi Arabia, which has invaded Muslim societies around the world, including India
Inhay khay Saudi Arabia jaa Wahabee katara khat/am thaa karar> chaahin ,Saj/ay d/uniyaa jay societies t/ay hunan hamlaa shroo aahin _ t/ahi> may > India bi.
The spiritual and cultural aspects of Sindhiyat are being virulently castigated in the burgeoning number of madarasas and mosques built with Saudi money and Saudi- trained preachers.
D*eeho> d*ee>hu vadha>d/ar t/aid/aad/ may> madrasa ai> masjid Saudi Arabia jay paisay ai> Saud/ee prachaar ka>d/aran jay mad/ad/ saa> piya thhahan.
Sindhyat/t jaa at/maa> ai> t/ahzeeb jaa vaarsaa piyaa daaheen.
The loser in this assault is not merely Sindh, but the future of humanity itself which depends upon a tolerant and inclusive global culture in order to survive.
Hina kaaha may> haaraaee>d/ar na rug/o Sindh aahay para saj/ee insaaniyat/ jaykaa bachar> laai sahan shakt/ee ai> d/unvee t/ahzeeb t/ay mad/aar thee rakhay.
Advani devotes considerable space to Sindh’s role in India’s freedom struggle with quotations from various writers including Bhagwan S. Gidwani. The roles played by Acharya Kripalani, Jairamdas Daulatram and Dr Choithram Gidwani, as narrated by Advani, are worth noting.
Advani kaafee kuchh Sindh jay aazaad/geea may> hiso vathha>d/ar jay baaray may> likhyo aahay ai> ghar>ayee b/iyaan laykhakan jay bi , jahi> may> Bhagwan Gid/vaani bi aahay, . .
Advani jaykay roles Acharaya Kripalani ,Jairamdas Daulatram ai> Dr. Choithram Gidwani jay baaray may> likhyaa , aahin ,uhay jaacha> jay laaik aahin.
The book provides a riveting, insightful and assertive account of Advani’s love for his roots of Sindhu-Saraswati civilization, his fight for democracy during the Emergency His Ram Rath Yatra galvanized the nation and and catalyzed the nation on the true meaning of Secularism.
Hee kit/aab Advani jay a>d/ara jo zabard/ast/ haal di*ay tho t/a kayt/ro na sa>d/asi Sindhu ai> Saraswati laai piyaar athas ai> sa>d/asi Emergency jay d*eehan may> democracy laai mukaabilo ., Hina jee Rath Yatra jahi> saj/ay mulka may> tharthilo vidho ai> secularism jee sachee maana d*aykhaariyaaee> .
Advani was elected President of the of the Jana Sangh in 1973. He was jailed for nineteen months during the Emergency. He was the Information and Broadcasting Minister in the Janata Party Govt. in 1977- 79. He was India’s Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister (2002-2004). He is currently the Leader of Opposition in the Indian Parliament.
Advani Jana Sangha jo 1973 may> President choo>diyo viyo .19 mahinaa Emergency jay d*ee>han may> hoo jaila may> rahiyo . . 1977 Janata party Govt may> hoo Information and Broadcasting Minister thee rahiyo .Hoo 2OO2-2OO4 may> Home Minister ai> Deputy Prime Minister thee rahiyo .Hina vakt/ hoo Indian Parliament may> Leader of opposition aahay.
Atal Behari Vajpayee (Prime Minister of India 1998 – 2004) says that mirrored in L.K. Advani’s book is the remarkable journey of a sensitive human being and an outstanding leader “whose best, I hope and pray, is yet to come”.
ATAL Bihari Vaajpayee (Prime Minister of India 1998 /2OO4 ) likhay tho t/a heeu kit/aab hika sensitive maar>hoo jo safar aarsse may tho d*aykhaaray ai> chayay tho t/a Advani hiku zabard/ast/ ag/vaan aahay ai> maa> prathnaa tho kariyaa t/a hina jo suthhay may suthho vakt/u hina khaa> poi achay..
L.K. Advani is widely regarded as a national leader who combines intellectualism, integrity and mass-appeal. His book is being reviewed extensively in India and in many foreign countries.
Advani khay hiku mulka jo ag/vaan maj*yo vay>d/o aahay jayko pahi>jee dimaagee shakt/ee ai > sachaaeea saa> pahi>jaa poilag/a gad/u tho karay ..Hina jo kit/aab India ai> d/uniyaa jay b/iyan mulkan may> review piyo thiyay..
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