Thursday, December 25, 2008

A slice of history

There is a slice of history in every page that you turn, in every day that you live and yes especially in the place where you reside . Jamia has a history smeared on every part of it, which gets revealed when someone who has seen it taking birth narrates the lost memoirs of a place which has a special part in history.The unique history retold by a living history, my grand father, Mr. Abdul Sattar, a unique personality , though he never managed to write a lot about his experiences, the bits and pieces narrated to me , give me an interesting picture of the past of Jamia. Mujeeb Sahab(Prof.Mujeeb), Zakir Sahab(Dr. Zakir Hussain) were among his teachers, the people who he says have taught him a lot in life..to be a human being first and anything else later. Jamia started from a small school in carol bagh to what it is today in Okhla , Jamia Millia Islamia, a distinct university. Though I've never been a student of Jamia, still theres something about it that gives me a sense of belonging, maybe because I have grown playing in its corridors .As nana narrates his stories the pictures just keep appearing like a moving reel in my mind. The area that comprises of the popular Mass Communication of Delhi used to be the fields where farming took place , it belonged to nana, he still gets lost in the memories of the days when he used to sit on his comfortable charpoi , looking over the fields and yes taking part in the work aswell . Jamia was a different place at that time , surrounded with fields and fruit yards, a small community comprising of a few families , but very close knit area.With utmost pride he still remembers the plays that he used to write sitting on a bunch of hay, with a small transistor playing in the background, I really enjoyed listening to the fact that cows and buffaloes were tied on the stage to give it a real feel. His plays were an intant hit!
The talimi taraqqui dept has a special part in my grandpas memories, it was a department for Adult Education. Jamia at that time had an educational system which is being adopted in private schools today, a far developed educational system ,much ahead of its time..hats off to the excellent faculty that it had..Theres so much that I want to write about it and I wish to unfold the lost history of Jamia through the memories of my grandfather....hope I am able to put it together someday. Theres a lot that needs to be explored.
"Words become history when written down on paper,
and memories become a legecy when they seep down through ancestors ".

5 comments:

world through lens said...

Dear Grand son of Abdul Sattat Saheb.
I know your nana since i was a child becuase that time it was jamia biradari & well within the reach of an individual as jamiaet.
Those people have done a lot for JMI as it stood today.
Please key down few more important memories of that time.
Iam also trying to summarise my memories & contribution from friends about JMI.
if u have time then please visit
www.jamiaglobal.blogspot.com
I remember those fields were called as Kammu ka khet & i have written few lines about them also.
Good work & keep it up.

A New Beginning said...

I am his grand daughter, will definately write more.Hope to keep in touch.

world through lens said...

Thank you very much for responding.
If iam not wrong, your house is before noori saheb's house & after Chappar wali masjid in okhla?
If this is true then, i know one more member from your family.
Rakhshanda madam.
She was my teacher in middle school.
I didnt posted any thing about her till now, but it wil come as my blog progress & i get time.
Right now, struggling with recession with many people.

A New Beginning said...

Yes I am her daughter and now she has become the headmistress of Jamia Middle School.Have to write a lot , am thinking of creating a seperate blog for nana,Inshallah will do that soon.
Regards

world through lens said...

The world is really small.
We all are knitted together, however there is a need to think a little to find the one you are looking for.
Convey my Salam to madam (your mom).
She may not recognised me by photograph as things have changed much since then.
I was in touch with your mom & sabiha madam (friend of her) migrated to pakistan after her marriage.
You must key down memories or legacies related to JMI.
Little pain to write them all here will be a great asset later.