Daily Times

Tilla Jogian’s top comprises a sanctuary for jogis (hermits). Located about 20 miles off Jhelum, this top is 3,200 feet above sea level. This was one of the oldest religious centers of northern India. In olden days it was called Tilla Gorakh Naath, Jogi Tilla or just Tilla. Then people also called it Tilla Balnaath. The latter was disciple of mythical Gorakh Naath. Mustansar Hussain Tarer’s central character is Musa Hussain who despite getting old used to climb this hill. Nobody questioned him whether he had stepped on a burning shrub and then why thousands of years later he desired to step up on the mountain! – Page 15. Had the Ten Commandments written on Toor’s slates vanished that he desired to climb another hill? Perhaps he is in doubt that those commandments are no longer applicable to the modern day. Then he was not the same Musa who had a stick in his hand, He only had a paint brush in his hands and he desired to paint the scenery.

Musa Hussain was not impotent. He did everything possible to get children. He even went to the shrine of Ling Shah near Sheikhpura to pray for off-springs. On advice of one of his models who had become pregnant after twenty years, went to the well of Puran Bhagat on the borders with India. It was the same Puran whose hands and feet were cut by Raja Rasalu on the complaint of his wife who was in love with her step son. Puran was thrown in well. Many eras passed and Balnath Jogi passed near the well, restored his hands and feet and brought him to Tilla Jogian – Page 36. Puran is known as a children giving Jogi. Musa Hussain’s wife refused to accompany him to such shrines. She was an established writer in Arts. So Musa Hussain came alone to Tilla.

Tarer paints another scene in December when it was all quiet in the deserts, wilderness and uninhabited lands. Whatever lay inside oceans, lands, mines etc was silent. All the insects were motionless. Nobody protested. Then a sound of fluttering of wings of some birds was heard. Birds started coming into existence. One was from the ribs of Kapil Wastu’s prince Gotum’s ribs. Another escaped the fire in the shrubs at Toor’s mountain. They started their journey for discovering new truths. Where ever such birds existed they were unhappy. A bird built a nest on the cross of Christ its nest. His decoration was Ibn-e-Maryam. If nobody listened to her hue and cry then in what shape it existed! The bird flew in its search – Page 21.

All these birds are related to one another like beads of one thread. In that case how is it possible that one of them kept on lying in a deep well where Tahira laid?Qurat ul Aain Tahira was strangled to death for the crime of love and thrown in a well – Page 27. This bird remained knitted in her dress like a silk thread in cotton ones. This bird was custodian of Tahira’s poems. If Yousuf was thrown in a well, some caravan peeps in to save him. If it is Puran, then Balnath passes by but Tahira’s crime was that she was a woman and nobody came to save her.

Tarer’s novel is way different than the other novels written by his contemporaries or even him. In wake of centuries old dilemma of discovering the truth of who we are and why do we exist and who created us, he uses the imaginary birds related to the three ancient religions and goes beyond to touch Krishen, Buddha, Hallaj, Baba Guru Nanak, Mira Bai and Tilla Jogian and birds related to folklore. It is philosophical in nature and expression. It is devoid of typical plot and characters of a novel the readers are used to read. Here we look for our identity. The novel may entice to test the tolerance level of our society. The readers may or not agree to some of the truths as discovered by Tarer’s birds! All the sacred books that dawned in this world gave a ray of hope such that masses are not despondent. Imam Mehdi is to appear who shall destroy all the badness. Christ shall come down from the skies and all the followers shall become sheep of this herdsman. Another Mahatma Budh in the shape of Bodhi Satwa shall dawn to remove all the pains of the people – Page 39.

Tarer has written in detail about the sickness, visit to Tilla again by Musa Hussain, his physical and mental transformation, his meeting with the birds who returned from their respective sojourns and their desire to fly again. Their shapes had changed. On the mountain of Qaaf they looked the same but now their faces had changed barring their beaks.

Tarar has quoted Sura-e-Namal Ayet No. 16 in which it is stated that Suleman was the descendent of Daud and the language of birds was taught to us as everything bestowed upon us by His will. Tarer’s book is dedicated to Murshid Attar who whispered birds’ language in his ear. Sufi Saint Sachal Sarmast had said “Mera Yaar Lakhon Main Aik Hei/Arif Aur Ashiq Hei Aur Naam Attar Hei/Tu Bhi Agar Ishq Karna Chahe Tau/Waslat Nama Aur Mantaq AlTair Sun Lei’ (my friend is one among millions. He speaks truth and loves truly and his name is Apothecary. If you desire to love then listen to “Waslat Nama” and “Mantaq AlTair”).

The writer is the recipient of the prestigious Pride of Performance award. He can be reached at doc_amjad@hotmail.com