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April 7, 2002
REVIEW: A wide canvas
THE most striking feature of this remarkable book by Mehdi Ali Siddiqui is its title Bila kam-o-kast which cannot be adequately translated into English. It means an honest and candid narration as close to truth as possible. Living up to this claim is not easy but one cannot dispute the authenticity of this book. Of course, the possibility of some minor errors can’t be ruled out in view of the writer’s reliance on his memory at the age of 90+ which he admits. But, as he rightly states, whatever he has recorded is based on first hand information. This makes this book a valuable reference and source material for historians as well.
Mehdi Ali Siddiqui’s memoirs are interesting for the breadth of the canvas covered in terms of time and space. From the south in Deccan to the north in Pakistan and then the west in New York, the span and sweep of his experience is vast and varied. From 1907 to 1997 he was a witness to the phenomenal changes wrought in world affairs and social attitudes. He writes with great sensitivity and perception about them.
Born in Aurangabad in 1907, he spent his childhood there before migrating with his family to Hyderabad when he was about ten. Aligarh came next in 1923. The impact and imprint of his university days in Aligarh added a new dimension to his personality. His graphic description of the atmosphere in his Alma Mater is spread over five chapters — a sizable portion of the volume — and is a real treat. Prolonged exposure to an enlightening and lively environment was intellectually stimulating. He studied history under Professor A.B.A. Haleem and Professor Habib. Rasheed Ahmed Siddiqui and Maulana Ahsan Marahrivi taught him Urdu. Maulana Sulaiman Ashraf was his teacher of Islamic Studies while Dr Zafrul Hasan taught him philosophy.
Aligarh had a distinct intellectual cast of mind. A city away from typical urban setting where students steeped in traditions yet exposed to all sorts of ideas around its precincts learnt the art of living. A conglomerate of students from all parts of India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and South Africa interacted with one another and created a healthy climate for personality development. With similar dress and dining arrangements and egalitarian boarding and lodging, Aligarh fostered a democratic environment. It betrayed no trace of ethnic, linguistic, provincial or sectarian bias and even college elections were free from any parochial prejudices. Returning with a distinguished academic record and an enlightening exposure to the political trends of the times, his appearance and outstanding success in the Hyderabad Civil Service after his failure in the initial attempt was the starting point of a distinguished career as a law officer.
In that position he gained an insight into the relationship between the Nizam’s Dominion and India. The chapters covering these defining developments of those days are instructive and interesting.
As an involved student, responsible civil servant, upright judge, law teacher, journalist, politician and poet, Siddiqui writes about the events of his times from 1930 onwards in a discerning narration. The reader learns of his postings in key districts of Hyderabad during the turbulent days on the eve of Partition and police action, his migration to Pakistan, his close contacts with important political personalities, access to classified intelligence.
Among his famous contemporaries, particularly in the context of Pakistan, were Khan Iftikhar Husain Khan of Mamdot (Punjab), Pir Elahi Bux (Sindh) and Field Marshal Ayub Khan (NWFP). Siddiqui’s version of the ups and downs that he encountered after coming to Pakistan in January 1949 should interest a Pakistani reader. In the quest for employment he explored the prospects in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar.
Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan received and helped him. After a three-year stint as Special Magistrate (Traffic) he came to Karachi as Additional District Magistrate. Here he led a full life with literary sittings and a familiar social setting making his stay highly stimulating. A noteworthy incident of this period was Saadat Hasan Manto’s case with reference to obscenity in his writing. Siddiqui’s behaviour and judgment impressed Manto and subsequently they developed a feeling of regard for each other.
His observations about events and developments, rulers and phases, positive and negative factors, domestic politics and international perspective are thought-provoking. The volume as such is not merely the autobiography of an individual, but a mirror of the changing scene and emerging image of Pakistan. The book’s deluxe edition has been tastefully presented by the Karachi University’s Bureau of Publication and Translation and will be welcomed as a valuable treasure of information.
Bila Kam-o-Kast
An autobiography
By Mehdi Ali Siddiqui
Bureau of Publications, Karachi University, Karachi
ISBN 969-404-50-0 372pp. Rs350
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