BHIKMANGISTAN

 BHIKMANGISTAN

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

18/VII/2023

 

A person who lives on alms is generally or loosely termed as a ‘Fakir’. Under what circumstances did he adopt this way of life, could be many. There is a difference and a very thin one at that between a beggar and a fakir which needs to be understood. I leave it to you to differentiate between them.

 

A fakir could be attributed to both Hindu and Muslim faiths. They are mostly who followed the ‘Sufi’ way of life. At times they performed miracles, walked on fire, went into a samadhi, lived without food and water for days, walked miles and miles to reach their spiritual goals, and blessed people who shared things with them. They were simple living and high thinking people.

 

Fakirs lived a dignified life, devoted to scriptures. They recited hymns and praises dedicated to the almighty or the unknown superpower running this universe. They understood human philosophy and psychology well. They lived frugally, with most of their belongings slung over their shoulders. Slowly and steadily, they became ‘vidvan’ or the learned ones who could understand what connects man to his maker. People looked forward to seeking their blessings.

 

I know of two fakirs who are now seventy-five plus. They were made fakirs by some people who ruled over their land. They bled them, took away their food and resources, divided them on religious basis and left them high and dry to fend for themselves.

 

Their families were big. Poverty was the way of life. Education was missing. People were homeless. Most of them were farmers who depended on the rain for irrigation. Infrastructure was minimal but they went their separate ways to carve out their own future.

 

Fakirs are generally non-violent. Which was also the philosophy of the biggest Fakir if I may call Gandhiji one. One of them turned violent. He violated all peace and intruded into the territory of the other and holds it till date. They both stabilized but fought tooth and nail, till one fakir’s family was split into two by the other.

 

The difference was, that one of them invested in education, infrastructure, health care, agriculture, science, and technology etc for his family. While the other invested in aligning himself with other ‘powerful’ people, forgetting the ‘Fakir’ way of life.

 

One started standing on his own feet and tried to make two ends meet, while the other converted his Fakiri to Amiri through funds he raised covertly and overtly by siding with goondas and people from the same faith. He sided with whoever could hurt the other.

 

One started amassing arsenal to fight the other. The other started developing his own arsenal. By and by one started losing all his industry. The other sent his children to IITs and IIMs. One was exporting brains and the other was exporting terrorists. One started rising in the eyes of the world and the other was looked down upon and shunned.

 

His close friends, who always gave him alms, now started to refuse freebees. Banks stopped giving loans, till all the previous interest was paid back. Some loans were extended but then he had to mortgage his property. His neighbours turned violent and turned against him. His situation was grim.

 

Then came floods, famine, earthquakes, inflation, and other parameters. One, due to his strong standings withstood all pressures, local and global, while the other fell into a debt trap with no future in sight. One even changed the head of his family multiple times, the other ensured stability within.

 

One became a ‘Fukra’, the other influenced the world with his policies and Fikras. One still believed in Jhaar Foonk in this modern-day medicine, the other transformed his health care systems. One believed in Firka parasti and aligned with his ‘biraders’ (brothers from the same religion) who kicked him where it hurt most and cared two hoots. While the other made friends all over the world.

 

So why not call that family’s place of residence as ‘Fakiristan’. They are beggars today so a better term should be ‘Bhikmangistan’. They are fighting for atta and rotis, taking pride in selling donkeys and still say, we have the most powerful bomb of all. How dare this ‘fake fakir’ compare himself on any parameter with the other who has gone way ahead in every which way.

 

This story has no connection between Pakistan or Faka-istan or Fukrastan or Fakeistan with Hindustan. Or does this story have a connection? I wonder!!!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

© ® NOEL ELLIS