Meeting the monarch: Mian Ji’s narrative

I’m Shah Ji. My father was Mian Ji, a self-made man ofletters, a polymath & a natural scholar, of Heer. His life of 80 years,before his death in 1990, was equally divided between pre-Partition &post-Partition days of Indian subcontinent. In my boyhood, he had shared manybeautiful stories of his life with me. Once in 1980s he told me a real story of his alma mater days when he wasinvited by ex-ruler of what our present small State, Heer, was then theMushtanda kingdom of South Asia.

He told me that one day, in his college days, he had readabout an essay competition advertised in a newspaper in response whereof he hadwritten and sent his essay of some 50 pages odd to the concerned BritishEssayist. Fortuitously, his essay had bagged first prize in the competition. Hewas greatly admired at college by teachers & students. Then, some dayslater, when it was a noonday, Tehsildar of their area knocked at the outer gateof the compound of their house which lay in the town outskirts. His parentsopened the gate to find some higher officer of royal administration accompaniedby some subordinates.

   

“I’m Tehsildar of your area. I’ve a shahi farman from theroyal court. His Highness, Shri Chingroo Singh Mushtanda, the Maharaja Bahadurof the kingdom, has been graciously pleased to convey his appreciation on yourson having got first prize in an international essay competition recentlyconducted by a British Essayist. I’m under command of the royal court to informyou that His Highness has been highly pleased to read this good news innewspaper. So, His Highness has been kind enough to invite Mian Ji , your son,for a high tea with His Highness tomorrow at 4 P M at his palace at Gatkar ofHeer. Where is the boy, the brilliant chap? “, Tehsildar reading out the shahifarman inquired.

“He’s gone to market for some purchases….will be back withinan hour or so. Till then, huzoor, you can wait & have some tea at our GaribKhana (humble home)”, they requested & replied the Tehsildar.

“No, no, I don’t have time to wait or take tea as I have toreport compliance to the royal order positively today. I’ll drop here thisShahi Dawat Nama (royal invitation letter) from the royal residence…….it’s themaharaja’s extreme magnanimity, I may say, towards his subjects that he has afforded Mian Ji an opportunity to beblessed with a royal delight , indeed a rare feat to achieve at such a youngage. ….Your son is very lucky to have attracted the Maharaja’s personalappreciation & attention….. The boy has to obey it …….,” the Telsildarunfolding parchment of royal kindness & admiration, left Shahi Dawat Namawith Mian Ji’s parents. He also educated them for onward educating their sonabout manners of saluting & greeting the king, Shri Chingroo SinghMushtanda.

“Shukriya huzoor (thank you sir)……we will teach him shahiadaab (acts of royal saluting & greeting)……he is indeed fortunate enough tosit & sip face-to-face with the maharaja. He shall obey the maharaja’sfarman…..”, the jubilant parents assured the Tehsildar.

When Mian Ji returned home, he was shown Shahi Dawat Nama& briefed about the discharge of royal respects next day at palace. Hisreaction to the invitation was mixed. He knew the maharaja wasn’t anybenevolent but an immoral fainéant & cruel monarch towards his subjects. Heknew that his invitation was only a propaganda stunt of the maharaja that he caredfor his subjects.

Next day, one hour before the prescribed time, he attendedthe palace at Gatkar. At entrance to the royal residence, he encountered royalguards. On asking he told & showed them the king’s invitation. They guardedhim to a large ornate lounge of the palace where several other attendees &guests were already sitting & waiting on royal sofas. Mian Ji too occupiedpart of one big sofa. Few royal court attendants outfitted with royal uniformswere seen walking around & looking at attendees on sofas and some beautifulfemale servants of the royal household in dazzling dresses & enchantingmakeups kept gleaning maintenance of royal decorum by the waiting –attendees.

Mian Ji was not attended by any royal court attendant foralmost two hours which made him restless and he rose up from the sofa &began strolling in the lounge. A courtier noticing it objected & said:”Sitcalm”. “But Sir I’ve been here since two hours,” replied Mian Ji. “Two hours?Hah ha, very funny, ..….behold these attendees attending here, keeping bovinecalm from morning to evening, none getting a chance though of meeting themaharaja, for 2-3 days now. They return to their homes like cows going back tothe barn from the pasture in the evening without grazing green for the wholeday…… And, which field’s radish are you, boy?, retorted the courtier. “But….Sir…rrr… I’ve been invited by the Maharaja Bahadur himself for a tea & thisis royal invitation…..”, answered Mian Ji showing royal invitation in his hand.It softened the tone of the courtier, so with abrupt change in his behaviour,he asked Mian Ji to follow him. He led him through row of arches deep insidethe palace where he was escorted by some camarilla to a sumptuous spaciousprivate cabinet of the maharaja where he laid on an opulent sofa, resembling awhite seal resting on a sand beach. He had not fully regained himself fromnight’s heavy drink & feast. Under the influence of the wine, his eyes weredroopy. He opened & closed them intermittently like flickering candles ingentle blowing winds. The courtier held his hand, took him near to the maharaja& made his hand touch the maharaja’s hand. Mian Ji felt as if his hand hadtouched the belly of a bullfrog.

One pair each of men & women servants was massaging themonarch’s tired limbs, shoulders & neck, after the night’s unrestrainedmerrymaking. In a heavy voice, he asked: “Who…..ooooo is he…..eeeee?”, pointingtowards Mian Ji who stood motionless like a statue with folded hands beforehim. “Maharaj , he is the boy who stood first in essay competition , whom yourHighness has invited for a tea here at palace…….”, answered darbari (courtier)in extremely low voice. “O,ooo……take him to royal suite…..entertain him withchai-shai (tea), pastry vastry (snacks)……..”, the maharaja couldn’t completehis rhythmic sentence as he had not fully come out of the influence of heavydrink.

My father, Mian Ji, told me that his maiden meeting with themonarch had eroded any desire whatsoever in his heart of meeting again anymonarch in his life then.

Fictionalized on a narrative of Qudratullah Shab:

(Next part, next time)

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