Lion and the Lamb

Gaffar market in Delhi presents itself not only as a pageantry of imitation brands for all kinds of electronic goods, such as mobile phones, laptops and sound systems, but also for Chinese clothings and trendy footwear. Squeezed in the narrow bylanes of Qarol Bagh, it's a less affluent  counterpart of upwardly mobile Khan market, in South Delhi, which, dotted with gourmet eateries, bookshops, cafes and even a couple of art galleries, caters to a yuppy crowd. Yet there exists between these two places a forgotten yet strong filial bond. They are named after two brothers Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan and Khan Jabbar Khan, both of whom went on to become staunch stalwarts of the Indian freedom struggle. However, it was Abdul Gaffar Khan who, with his pacifist ways and his resolve to uplift the downtrodden of the country, became a lifelong ally and close friend of Mahatma Gandhi. Apparantly, seeing Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Mahatma Gandhi next to each other was a rather comical sight. Khan, who was well over six feet tall and weighed more than 100 kilos, overshadowed the small, thin Gandhi. Moreover, Khan could be very vocal while making a point whereas  the latter was shy and soft-spoken.  Because of his non-violent principles and his close association with the movement for Indian independence under Gandhi, Khan was repeatedly imprisoned. It was during one of the many prison terms that he got the opportunity to read the Bible, the Geeta, and the Guru Granth Sahib, paving the way for his lifelong commitment to inter-faith harmony. Interestingly, in 1937, Khan accompanied Gandhiji to Varanasi to inaugurate the shrine of ‘Mother India’, a huge relief map of India engraved in marble. He made it a point to join the recitation of Vedic incantations, and while doing so he expressed his sincere hope that the new shrine would become a common place of worship for all. 

Son of a tribal chief, this great nationalist leader chose to live with the ordinary and the poor. Certain that education was the key not only towards freeing the country from the oppressors, but also towards rooting out the evil from the society, he set out to establish a network of schools, encouraging  both boys and girls to enroll and espouse reforms. At the age of 20,  he founded his first school and travelled throughout British-India to spread his ideas. Khan condemned nepotism and believed that people should earn respect based on their deeds, and not on their class background. 

 A political and spiritual leader, along with social reforms, Khan also spoke up against British imperialism and its ceaseless pilfering of India.  He was amongst the four members of Congress Working Committee, along with Mahatma Gandhi, Jayprakash Narayan and Ram Manohar Lohia,  who vehemently opposed the idea of a divided India. In fact, he came under harsh criticism from many of his followers who favoured partition of the country into an independent Hindu-majority India and a Muslim-majority Pakistan. It was at this time that he was given a second nickname: "Frontier Gandhi," meaning the Gandhi from the Northwest border, the region adjacent to Afghanistan where he was born. Gandhiji is said to have declared the following attribute on Gaffar Khan, "I have a number of Muslim friends who would sacrifice everything for Hindu-Muslim unity, but none greater  than or equal to Ghaffar Khan'. In 1987, at the age of 97, the highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna Award was conferred on Gaffar by the then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Abdul Gaffar Khan, also known as Fakhr-e Afghan, Bacha Khan, Pacha Khan and

Badshah Khan lived to the ripe old age of ninety-eight, passing away on 20th January, 1988. He lead an exemplary life, becoming an epitome of honesty, selflessness, and non-violence. Unfortunately, for many Indians and Pakistanis today, Gaffar and his teachings seem to have  slipped into complete oblivion. So much so that in February of last year, a few days before his 131st birthday, the Government of Haryana decided to change the name of Badshah Khan Hospital, built in Gaffar's honor by his close associates and followers, to Atal Bihari Vajpayee Hospital, as a tribute to an ex-prime minister who was a member of the present government. Even though changing names of cities and institutions is an ongoing ideological trend intended to further the agenda of the ruling party, but substituting the name of a hospital built in the memory of one of our most dynamic freedom fighters goes on to symbolize a dangerous surge of sectarianism in the country. Thankfully, successful lobbying by several prominent citizens who felt emotional over the issue helped retain the hospital's original name.

Today*, on the occasion of his 132nd birth anniversary, at a point in history, when once again the forces of religious fundamentalism are raising their ugly heads, devouring politics, culture, and day-to-day life, it pays to remember Abdul Gaffar Khan, his humility, and his grand vision.

*6th February, 2022 was Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan's 132nd birth anniversary.