Phool Waalon Ki Sair - Delhi Heritage City
Phool Waalon Ki Sair - Delhi Heritage City
Phool Waalon Ki Sair - Delhi Heritage City
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
<strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong>: A Living Tradition<br />
by Usha Kumar<br />
‘Khalk Khuda kaa, mulk Badshah kaa, hukm Company Bahadur kaa…..’ While making important<br />
public announcements the drum beaters used this prelude to give the factual political<br />
situation in a few words. ‘Company Bahadur’ was an epitaph coined by the local populace<br />
for East India Company. We all know that the world belongs to the Almighty God, the<br />
Country belonged to the <strong>Ki</strong>ng, but the rule was of the East India Company.<br />
The origin of most of the Indian festivals is shrouded in the mystery of myth and legend, whereas<br />
<strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong> originated from a historical episode. It was the year 1812 A.D., on<br />
the so called throne of <strong>Delhi</strong> sat the Mughal king Akbar Shah II. The British ruled the country<br />
through a functionary called the British Resident the royalty was still there as a facade. Even for this<br />
show of monarchy there was in-fighting within the Mughal royalty. To this tottering apology of a<br />
kingdom, one of the Princes had to be declared ‘Wali-Ahad’ (heir ppparent). There was the<br />
eldest son Abdul Muzaffar Sirajuddin Bahadur Shah (Bahadur Shah) from the first wife of<br />
Akbar Shah II and there was Mirza Jahangir from the second wife Begum Mumtaaz<br />
Mahal. The <strong>Ki</strong>ng and the Queen favoured Mirza Jahangir while the British Resident Mr.<br />
Archibald Seton was not in favour of appointing Mirza Jahangir as the ‘heir apparent’ but<br />
was leaning towards the more mature Bahadur Shah, for this declaration.<br />
Mirza Jahangir thought that the British Resident was conspiring with Bahadur Shah against him and in<br />
a fit of anger he called the British Resident ‘Loo loo hai bey!’in full view of the <strong>Ki</strong>ng in open<br />
darbar (‘Loo loo hai bay’ is a mild abuse which is hard to explain in English, could mean<br />
‘You are stupid/mad/impotent’) Of course, the British Resident did not understand what<br />
was meant by this utterance hurled at him in an abusive manner, he looked here and<br />
there in the shocked audience for some explanation of what had been said to him. Some<br />
one tried to pacify the British Resident by saying, ‘Sir he has called you a real pearl’ while<br />
another said, ‘Sir this means a ghost’, but the real meaning no one was able to convey to<br />
him. The whole episode was forgotten with the lapse of time.<br />
One day, as was his wont, Mirza Jahangir was making merry on the roof of the naqqaar khana<br />
in the Red Fort when his attendants noticed Sir Archibald Seton coming from the darbar in<br />
diwan-e-aam and walking towards the naqqaar khana to go out. Mirza Jahangir, in a fit of<br />
rage took the pistol from his bodyguard and shot at the British Resident. The shot killed<br />
the orderly of the British Resident while he himself escaped with only his hat falling off.<br />
The British Resident left the Red Fort, but returned with his soldiers from the cantonment and<br />
surrounded the palaces in the Fort. Mirza Jahangir went and hid in his mother’s chambers, thinking<br />
that the soldiers would not enter zenana (ladies’ chambers) but, the soldiers did not care and<br />
entered the zenana and pulled Mirza Jahangir from behind a large bolster and took him<br />
away. He was ordered to be banished from <strong>Delhi</strong> and was sent to Allahabad.<br />
This brought gloom to the city of <strong>Delhi</strong> for Dilliwallas always loved their royalty and forgave<br />
the errant prince his misdemeanour. Mirza Jahangir’s mother was distraught with grief<br />
due to separation from her dearest son. She vowed before the Shrine of<br />
Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaaki in Mehrauli that if with the grace of the Khwaja her son is<br />
allowed to return to <strong>Delhi</strong>, she would offer a chaadar made of flowers at the Shrine.<br />
There were efforts for reconciliation, the <strong>Ki</strong>ng and the Queen swore affidavits to the effect that they<br />
would not question the authority of the British Resident and would submit to the declaration of
<strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong>: A Living Tradition<br />
by Usha Kumar<br />
Bahadur Shah as the ‘heir apparent’. The orders of banishment were lifted and Mirza<br />
Jangir was allowed to return to <strong>Delhi</strong>.<br />
The news brought relief to all around, Mirza Jahangir was given a hero’s welcome. Beautiful gates<br />
were put up on the route from which the Prince was to enter <strong>Delhi</strong>. Gulabjal (rosewater) was<br />
sprinkled on the roads, women stood with aartis to welcome him; people sang songs of<br />
welcome to greet the Prince.<br />
After some time Queen Mumtaaz Mahal prepared to fulfil her vow to the Shrine of Khwaja Qutbuddin<br />
Bakhtiar Kaaki in Mehrauli. The royalty started their preparation for going to Mehrauli, the populace<br />
of <strong>Delhi</strong> was not to lag behind in participation. Every one moved with the royal procession. The<br />
retinue stopped on way at Safdarjung Tomb, originally known as ‘Mansur Ka Madarsa,’ to rest and<br />
then continued on its way to reach Mehrauli by sunset. The royalty stayed at the Jungli Mahal, now<br />
known as Zafar Mahal adjacent to the dargah while the others accommodated themselves<br />
in the various dharmshaalaas (Hindu charitable institutions), khaankaahs (institutions<br />
where Sufi saints lived along with their disciples) and serais (inns) in Mehrauli.<br />
The next day with pomp and show befitting the Mughal royalty a delicately woven floral chaadar<br />
was offered at the Shrine of Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaaki. Several flower sellers<br />
from <strong>Delhi</strong> had woven beautiful chaadars to be offered at the Shrine, one enthusiastic flower<br />
seller had added a beautiful large floral fan in the masehri (some what like a mosquito<br />
net). In those days there was no electricity and large fans made of cloth, straw. wood, cane, khus<br />
rushes, silk embroidered with gold, etc were hung in the ceiling. There were many Hindus<br />
in the congregation, it was suggested that the Hindu subjects must also participate in the<br />
celebrations, and it was decided to offer the large fan in the masehri at<br />
the Yog Maya Temple nearby. All the people present in the congregation went to<br />
the Yog Maya Temple with the pankha (fan) which was then offered at the Temple.<br />
The royalty and the people of <strong>Delhi</strong> stayed in Mehrauli for seven days, while the men flew kites, swam<br />
in the baolis and in Shamsi Taalaab, played games like cock fighting and wrestling, the<br />
ladies enjoyed the seasonal showers in mango orchards in Mehrauli swinging on the<br />
swings tied to the branches of mango trees, enjoying mangoes and singing.<br />
The royalty felt itself much closer to its subjects. It was an extended picnic for every body. The<br />
Mughal <strong>Ki</strong>ng Akbar Shah II was enthralled with the experience and decided to make it an annual<br />
feature. It was announced that the event will be called ‘<strong>Phool</strong> Walon <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong>’ and will be held<br />
every year and the darbar will also shift to Mehrauli for those seven days.<br />
The most common question asked about <strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong> is, “Why is it called ‘sair’, do the<br />
flower sellers go on a walk!” In Dilli dialect which is a language spoken in the original<br />
Dilli families; ‘sair’ is not a walk, but it means an event, a scene, an activity taking place,<br />
an activity worth seeing.<br />
Then, the ‘sair’ became an annual festival every one looked forward to, like Eid and Diwali.<br />
When Bahadur Shah ascended the throne, in 1837 A.D., he expanded the festival added<br />
events and improved the manner of celebrations. It was at its pinnacle during his reign.<br />
Janab Mirza Farahtulla Beg in his book ‘Bahadur Shah Aur <strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong>’ (in Urdu)<br />
has given a beautiful account of the sair during Bahadur Shah’s days.
<strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong>: A Living Tradition<br />
by Usha Kumar<br />
Pankhaas were taken out in a procession with a lot of fanfare, starting from a once<br />
beautiful monument in Mehrauli known as the Jharna (waterfall) the procession used to<br />
go through the Mehrauli Bazaar. There used to be many akhaaras (groups) some<br />
demonstrating martial arts, some showing their expertise in games and sports. Each<br />
group had its band of musicians and attendants carrying large chandeliers for light. There<br />
were large moving stages on which dancing girls used to demonstrate their art of<br />
classical singing and dancing while people watched from the balconies of the houses<br />
above the shops and showered silver coins in appreciation of their art and skills.<br />
This became an annual feature and with the passage of time a tradition. In the year 1857 A.D., there<br />
was an uprising against the British rule which was termed as ‘mutiny’ by the British and the ‘war of<br />
Independence’ by Indians, Mughal <strong>Ki</strong>ng Bahadur Shah Zafar was punished for<br />
participating in this uprising and was sent to Rangoon in exile where he composed a<br />
number of heart rending poems and ultimately was buried there. He never got the ‘Do<br />
gaz zamin’ in his ‘Ku-e-yaar’ which he yearned for.<br />
(Two yards of land in his beloved country where he could be buried)<br />
After the war of Independence in 1857, the Mughal dynasty came to an end with Bahadur Shah.<br />
Realising that the aura of Ganga –Jamuni tahzeeb (the art of living in communal harmony) was<br />
very strong in <strong>Delhi</strong>, the British continued <strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong> and started organising this<br />
event with a few prominent (loyal) citizens of <strong>Delhi</strong>.<br />
In 1942 A.D. Mahatma Gandhi gave the call ‘Angrezon Bharat chhoro!’ (Britishers! Quit India)<br />
this call of Mahatma Gandhi is known as the famous ‘Quit India movement’ the impact of<br />
this call was felt through out the country and the British rulers, reacted strongly and<br />
adopted ‘Divide and rule’ policy in a desperate attempt to divide the people of <strong>Delhi</strong><br />
according to their religion. The first casualty of this policy was <strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong> and they<br />
stopped organising it as this festival gave the message of unity and they wanted to divide<br />
Hindus and Muslims.<br />
In 1947 A.D., the country was divided into Hindustan and Pakistan; the divisive forces not<br />
only divided the country but also Hindus and Muslims. There ensued the biggest exodus in<br />
history from one country to another, driven by political myopia.<br />
There was a mammoth task facing both Pakistan and Hindustan, the task of resettlement of those<br />
who had been uprooted from their land and had lost everything including their dear ones. Apart from<br />
material loss there was immense emotional injury which required a balm to heal.<br />
At such a time Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru the then Prime Minister of India thought of the almost<br />
forgotten festival known as ‘<strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong>’. He wanted the festival to be revived, to<br />
unite the two communities, to revive the famous Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb of <strong>Delhi</strong>, the art of<br />
living together while professing different religions, participating in each other’s rituals ceremonies and<br />
festivals. Ganga and Jamuna are the two sacred rivers in India and this has reference to the two<br />
cultures/religions flowing together like the two rivers. He requested Shri Nuruddin Ahmed the then<br />
Mayor of <strong>Delhi</strong> and Shri Yogeshwar Dayal scion of an aristocratic family of <strong>Delhi</strong> and a known figure in<br />
cultural circles of <strong>Delhi</strong> for his contribution to the cultural aspect in <strong>Delhi</strong>, to revive <strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong><br />
<strong>Sair</strong>. A society was formed with prominent citizens of <strong>Delhi</strong> which was called, ‘Anjuman <strong>Sair</strong><br />
–E-Gul Faroshan’.
<strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong>: A Living Tradition<br />
by Usha Kumar<br />
The festival had almost become history as it had not been celebrated for almost twenty<br />
years! In the political upheaval much damage had been done as many of the Muslims<br />
associated with the festival had gone to Pakistan and with the long gap many were not<br />
traceable. Efforts were made to find about the festival about the manner of celebration and<br />
tracing out some of the families of old flower sellers who used to participate in the<br />
festival. Not much literature was available so the old people of <strong>Delhi</strong> were approached, some had<br />
seen the festival as celebrated by the British, while some had heard from their elders<br />
accounts of the festival during the Mughal days.<br />
Though the <strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong> had almost been forgotten the Ganga and the Jamuna still<br />
flowed side by side and the spirit of unity pervaded. Slowly and steadily the festival was<br />
revived and again Hindus and Muslims offer the floral chaadar and pankha at the shrine of<br />
Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaaki and floral chhatra and pankha at Shri Yogmaya Temple in<br />
Mehrauli.<br />
A pankha of <strong>Phool</strong> Walon <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong> was originally made of bamboo sticks covered with<br />
coloured silk on which two pictures were placed in golden frames, one picture depicting a<br />
Hindu God/goddess and the other showing Kaba or verses from the Quran. The Mughal<br />
kings got pankhas made in gold and silver in such a way that perfume used to emanate<br />
from them.<br />
Mehrauli is the place which saw the earliest recorded civilization which was known as the first <strong>Delhi</strong>.<br />
Historically <strong>Delhi</strong> is compared to Rome which was built and destroyed seven times. The<br />
earliest <strong>Delhi</strong> was the rocky area in the Shivalik range of mountains under the Tomar king Anang Pal,<br />
who built the Lal Kot (1060 A.D.), this was later developed by the Chauhan king Prithvi Raj Chauhan<br />
as Qila Raipithora (1180 A.D.), of which a major portion of walls and bastions can be seen near Saket<br />
in South <strong>Delhi</strong>. According to legend, Yog Maya Temple in Mehrauli was built by Pandav king<br />
Yudhishtar of the Maha Bharat era and Bhagwan Krishna came to visit this temple with the Pandavs<br />
during the Mahabharat war. The presiding deity in this temple, Devi Yogmaya was the sister of Shri<br />
Krishna.<br />
Mehrauli abounds in historical monuments, the Qutb Minar a world <strong>Heritage</strong> site is situated<br />
in Mehrauli. It also has Hindu temples, Sufi dargahs, dharmshaalaas and khaankaahs. It<br />
has several water bodies like baolis (step wells) lakes etc. The Hauz Shamsi or Shamsi<br />
Talaab was made by Shamsuddin Iltutmish in 1229-30, in red sandstone and extended to<br />
a hundred acres. The Jahaaz Mahal, where the main event of <strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong> is held<br />
was constructed during the Lodhi period. The dargah of Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaaki<br />
(1236 A.D.) is of a Sufi saint who was a disciple of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Garib<br />
Nawaaz ofAjmer and is second in importance to the dargah in Ajmer.<br />
Another beautiful monument is the Jharna (water fall) constructed in the Mughal style of<br />
gardens (1700A.D.), it is on a lower level from the road and the roof of one of the<br />
pavilions had holes made in such a way that the water used to fall from those holes like a<br />
water fall, in the wall there were niches in which lighted lamps were placed, the water<br />
falling over the lighted lamps gave the impression of melted gold flowing down. During the<br />
Mughal days the procession of pankhas used to begin from the Jharna. Even after the revival<br />
of <strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong> for some years the pankha procession assembled at Jharna.<br />
Now a days the programme of <strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong> starts from the house of the Lieutenant<br />
Governor of <strong>Delhi</strong> where shehnai is played to announce the advent of <strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong>
<strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong>: A Living Tradition<br />
by Usha Kumar<br />
and the festivities connected with it and a floral pankha, an emblem of communal<br />
harmony, is presented to the dignitary by Hindus and Muslims together. After that<br />
shehnai is played in <strong>Delhi</strong> Sachivalaya to greet the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary<br />
of <strong>Delhi</strong>, and floral pankhas are presented.<br />
After 1857 A.D. when the Festival was being organised by the British, the Deputy Commissioner used<br />
to be the highest government functionary in <strong>Delhi</strong> and the first notes of shehnai announcing the<br />
advent of the festival used to emanate from his office. Keeping the tradition alive, shehnai<br />
is played at the office of the Deputy Commissioner (now Divisional Commissioner) and a<br />
floral pankha is presented to the Divisional Commissioner.<br />
Chandni Chowk, the beautiful historical bazaar in <strong>Delhi</strong> could not be ignored for such an event and<br />
shehnai is played in the Town Hall and a pankha is presented to the Mayor of <strong>Delhi</strong> and there<br />
after shehnai is played in the lanes and by lanes of Shahjahanabad to announce the<br />
advent of <strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong>.<br />
It is a programme extending to almost ten days. A floral pankha is presented to the President<br />
of India at Rashtrapati Bhawan and to the Vice President of India at his residence.<br />
The Hindu and Muslim citizens of <strong>Delhi</strong> led by the Lieutenant Governor of <strong>Delhi</strong> offer a chaadar and<br />
a pankha both made of flowers at the mazaar of Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiar Kaaki in<br />
Mehrauli with fanfare accompanied by shehnai and dhol-tashe, qawwaals go along, singing<br />
qawwaali in praise of the Almighty. The chaadar is offered at the Shrine. There after, a<br />
qawwaali mehfil (musicale) is held in the compound of the dargah.<br />
The next day in the morning traditional sports like kabaddi and kushti (wrestling), kho-kho and<br />
kite flying competitions are held. In the evening floral chhatra and floral pankha is<br />
offered at the ancient temple of Shri Yogmaya ji in Mehrauli by Muslims and Hindus lead by a<br />
Muslim dignitary. The chhatra (canopy) made of flowers along with a floral pankha is taken<br />
in a procession from the compound of the Temple with dhol-tashe and shehnai to the<br />
sanctum sanctorum, the priest applies tilak on the foreheads of all present including<br />
Muslims and gives them prasad of halwa and boiled Bengal gram, and a chunri (veil) of<br />
the goddess. The there is a cultural programme after this ritual in the compound of the temple.<br />
The final day the programme shifts to Jahaz Mahal a historical monument near Shamsi Talab in<br />
Mehrauli. Some States of India participate by sending two pankhas each and their traditional<br />
cultural troupes. The pankhas are made in the traditional styles of the respective States.<br />
The cultural troupes perform in the typical styles of the different States the atmosphere<br />
depicts unity in diversity. After the programme of the States, the cultural troupes and the<br />
pankhas form into a procession and go through the Mehrauli Bazaar with shehnai and<br />
dhol tashe, one pankha from each State is offered at the dargah and the other pankha<br />
from each State is taken to the Yog Maya Temple. The President of India sends two floral<br />
pankhas which are also sent with the procession of pankhas to be offered at the dargah<br />
and at the temple.<br />
After the procession of pankhas the most popular item i.e. Qawwaali is held for which three<br />
famous qawwaal parties take the stage and give the message of National Integration and<br />
Communal Harmony. It is in <strong>Delhi</strong> only that one hears Muslim qawwaals starting the<br />
qawwaali programme with a Hindu hymn ‘Jai Ganesh jai Ganesh jai Ganesh Deva, mata<br />
thari Parvati pita Mahadeva’ (Hail the god Ganesha your mother is Parvati and father is
<strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong>: A Living Tradition<br />
by Usha Kumar<br />
Mahadeva ) while a Hindu qawwaal sings ‘Ya Ali, mere Maula….’ the aura of brother hood,<br />
the art of living together is all pervading.<br />
Recognising the success of <strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong> in achieving its goal of communal amity and<br />
national integration the Government of India awarded the National Communal Harmony<br />
award to Anjuman <strong>Sair</strong> –E- Gul Faroshan for organising <strong>Phool</strong> <strong>Waalon</strong> <strong>Ki</strong> <strong>Sair</strong> in 2009<br />
which was presented by the President of India.