Will Suresh Chavhanke ban this leaflet by Bhagat Singh simply because it’s written in Urdu?

Post, originally published on Facebook, tells us why Urdu is an integral part of India’s rich history

Suresh Chavhanke, the hate speech specialist

This is for the benefit of Suresh Chavhanke, CEO, Sudarshan News, the great snack packet fine print investigator. (I’d shared a version of this post earlier for the benefit of that other i**ot, Tejasvi Surya, when he tried his FabIndia number, but clearly it hasn’t lost its relevance, yet.) it’s a facsimile image of a handwritten page.

I am sure that friends in NOIDA know people who can reach this to Chavhanke. It’s a small world. Maybe he’s stuffing his face at the nearest Haldiram’s. And since Chavhanke can’t tell either his a**e from his elbow or his Urdu from his Arabic, I’ve offered a transcription, a transliteration and a translation.

This is an image of a leaflet that features a facsimile of the handwritten letter written by a young man called Bhagat Singh to his younger brother, Kultar Singh, on the 3rd of March, 1931, from death row in Lahore Central Jail, 20 days before his execution. 

The leaflet is headlined as follows: 

سردار  بھگت سنگھ  کی اپنے ہاتھوں سے لکھی  ہوئی چٹھی  جو ٣  مارچ   کو  پھانسی کے کمرے میں لکھی گئی 

 [ ‘Sardar Bhagat Singh ki apne haathon se likhi hui chitthi jo teen March ko phaansi ke kamre mein likhi gayi’. ]

The letter is written in a language called Urdu. Yes, Chavhanke, this is Urdu. It’s written like Arabic and Persian and Sindhi, from right to left. Maybe that can give you the great idea that the script itself is also a leftist conspiracy since it moves ‘leftward’ on the page as it is written, or read. Imagine what a great forward that would make on WhatsApp University.

I’m waiting for Chavhanke to issue a call demanding the boycott of the memory of Bhagat Singh. After all, he wrote his personal letters in Urdu. Not in the Arabic that Chavhanke mistakenly assumes to be some kind of faux Urdu known only to him and his stupid reporters, but in grammatically correct, poetic, flawless Urdu, and that too written in a clear Nastaliq hand. 

I can clearly see the Chavhanke’s next ‘sensational revelation’ take shape in the recesses of his small mind.  

“How dare Bhagat Singh stain the reputation of Bhagat Singh by writing in Urdu. It’s bad enough that he did not write apology after apology like truly respectable patriots, but writing letters in Urdu really crosses the line! Rajnath uncle, Yati Baba, please look into this matter.”

——-///———

For those interested in the complete text of this brief but moving letter – here it is (with my rough transliteration into Roman Urdu followed by my rough translation into English)

عزیز  کولتار 

آج تمہاری آنکھوں میں آنسو دیکھ کر بہت رنج ہوا .

آج تمہاری بات میں بہت درد تھا . تمہارے آنسو مجھسے  برداشت نہیں ہوتے . برخوردار , ہمّت سے تعلیم حاصل کرتے جانا , اور صحت کا خیال رکھنا . حوصلہ رکھنا 

Azeez Kultar

Aaj Tumhari Ankhon Mein Ansu Dekh Kar Bahut Ranj Hua. Aaj Tumhari Baat Mein Bahut Dard Tha

Tumhare Ansu Mujhse Bardasht Nahi Hote.

Barkhurdar, Himmat Se Taalim Haasil Karte Jaana, Aur Sehat Ka Khyal Rakhna.

Hausla Rakhna.

 

Dear Kultar, 

Seeing tears in your eyes gave me a lot of sorrow today. There was a pain in your voice, in your words. I cannot bear to see your tears. Dear young one, study, with courage. And look after your health. Don’t lose hope. 

“انھیں  یہ فکر ہے ہے دم نیی طرز جفا کیا ہے 

ہمیں یہ شوق ہے دیکھیں ستم کی انتہا کیا  ہے “

(Bhagat Singh quotes)

“Unhe Yeh Fikr Hai Har Dam Nayi Tarz-e-Jafa Kya Hai,

Humein Yeh Shoq Hai Dekhein Sitam Ki Inteha Kya Hai.”

‘They worry themselves trying out new scripts of terror daily. We busy ourselves testing the limits of this darkness. 

دھر سے کیوں خفا رہیں , چرخ کا کیا گلا کریں  

ہمارا جہاں اعدو سہی , آؤ مقابلہ کریں 

 

“Dahar Se Kyun Khafa Rahen, Charkh Ka Kya Gila Kare

Humara Jahan Adoo Sahi, Aao! Muqabla Karein!”

Why should we rage at the world, lament to this time

Our earth spins faster, come let us face the whirlwind 

کوئی دم کا مہمان ہوں  اے اہل محفل 

چراغ  سہر ہوں بجھا چاہتا ہوں 

“Koi Dum Ka Mehman Hun Aye Ahl-e-Mehfil,

Chiragh-e-Seher Hun Bujha Chahta Hun”

I am but a guest of a few breaths more in this gathering

I am the weakening flame of the lamp that seeks to extinguish itself at dawn

میرے ہوا میں رہیگی خیال کی بجلی 

یہ مشت خاک ہے فانی , رہے رہے , نہ رہے 

“Mere Hawa Mein Rahegi Khayal Ki Bijli,

Yeh Musht-e-Khaak Hai Faani, Rahe Rahe, Na Rahe”

My exhalation, the breeze about me will contain the thunderbolt of my thought

This fistful of dust will fly, what does it matter if it stays, or does not stay

اچھا رخصت

خوش رہو اہل وطن ہم تو سفر کرتے ہیں 

حوصلہ سے رہنا 

نمستے 

تمہارا بھائی 

بھگت سنگھ  

Achha Rukhsat!

“Khush Raho Ahl e Watan Hum Toh Safar Karte Hain”

Hausle se Rehna, 

Namaste. Tumhara Bhai, Bhagat Singh

 

Farewell then, 

Stay happy, my compatriots, we take your leave 

Live with hope, with courage. 

Salutations, 

Your brother, 

Bhagat Singh

 

——///——

 

So what’s Chavhanke going to do, ask for Bhagat Singh to be executed again, for what he considers to be the crime of writing in Urdu?

*This originally appeared as a post on Facebook and may be viewed here.

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