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ShareThough I never see people as Hindus and Muslims, yet, I would like to share that Tilak Raj Rustagi, a Hindu friend and colleaguehas since 1983 been coming to my place on Holi just to smear the red gulal on my forehead as a mark of the festival's inter-faith harmonious spirit.
Once a relative of mine on seeing the colour smeared on my forehead remarked, "It is irreligious to play Holi." I told him that such things only reiterate my faith in my religion as friendly acts like putting gulal or lighting a candle on Diwali cannot take away my religion.
Since I have a Hindu neighbour, opposite my house, just not to hurt him, I lit two candles throughout the Diwali night in my balcony so that he is not hurt to see darkness at my end. This milk of concord is very necessary since Hindus and Muslims have for centuries been living together.
Holi has a Muslim history as well. Revered Sufi saints like Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia and Ameer Khusro in their chaste Persian and Hindvi, have adored the pink festival of Holi generously.
Emperor Bahadurshah Zafar whose Holi phags (songs) are even relished today, allowed his Hindu wazirs (ministers) to tinge his forehead with the gulal on the day of the Holi festival each year, using with words like: Kyon mo pe mari rang ki pichkari, Dekho kunwarji doon gi gari! (Why am I with colour sprinkled/ By me now you will be abused!")
During the Shah Jahani tenure in Delhi, Holi was known as Eid-e-Gulabi (pink Eid) or Aab-e-Pashi (shower of colourful flowers) and truly so, owing to its carnival spirit and hysterical rejoicing for both the major Indian communities.
The umaras (nobles), the rajas and the nawabs all exchanged rose-water bottles and sprinkled on each other along with the frenzied drumming of the nagaras (drums).
This enlightened spirit percolated in the Mughals right from the time of the greatest Mughal emperor, Akbar.
Even Jahangir is shown holding Holi festivities in Tuzk-e-Jahangiri. Many artists especially Govardhan and Rasik have shown Jahangir playing Holi with Noorjahan, his wife. Mohammed Shah Rangila, in a remarkable painting, is shown running around the palace with his wife following him with a pichkari.
Such examples are umpteen for India's cultural heritage has been enriched by the harmonious amalgamation and assimilation of various faiths and ethnicities.
Mirza Sangi Baig in Sair-ul-Manazil narrates that the rollicking and frolicking Holi groups were alternately powdered and drenched till the floor had been covered with a swamp of crimson, yellow and orange colour with the faces being multi-coloured, a spectacle so very enthralling and exclusive that the words fail the speaker or the writer to describe the thrill!
"Who says Holi is a Hindu festival?" ask Munshi Zakaullah in his book Tarikh-e-Hindustani. Zakullah writes that the carnival of Holi lasted for many days during which people, irrespective of their caste, creed or any other religious or social distinction, forgot their restraints and joined in the festivity of the celebration.
The poorest of the poor used to caste the colour on the emperor with a great spirit. Children's Urdu monthly Khilona (March, 1960) mentions that during the days of the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, special arrangements were made for Holi festivities.
In Jam-e-Jahanuma, an Urdu daily (March 10, 1844), eminent writer, Abdul Haq states that on such occasions of universal cosmic fabric, both Hindus and Muslims came out of their apprehensions and inhibitions to appear as unaffected and normal equals by sharing and mixing.
He described it as a spirited carnival of the Indian at a time of frenzied rejoicing, alacrity and licence of all kinds.
The author is a commentator on social and religious matters
