Jai Ho... Jamia

From the jubilant days of flouting every norm to the days of being suffocated to follow every norm unheard of, is proving quite a nemesis for me and, I guess, my classmates are not too far from this sordid, outrageous feeling.

The orientation session, on the very first day of scheduled three days, reminded me of my olden-golden days of graduation, where being in time was a self-satire. But that was not to be here for very long, thanks to Obaid Sir. I swear, being late by half an hour was not a big deal few months back, rather it signified busy-ness and added to your portfolio of being something. Something similar to brave and smart. But the very first day of my class in AJK MCRC at JMI established the fact that 9.30 means atleast 9.25. As I entered the class room, I heard a voice, “You are late”. It was 9.30 only.

Enthusiasm of introducing Neyaz Ahmad Farooquee came down to Neyaz. Only Neyaz. And Jamia Millia Islamia to just Jamia. Hunt for humour in daily dose of introduction session turned wild to an extent so as to grab the attention of everyone’s yawn.

The every task which I thought would be entertaining was turning out to be boring till one day someone called Ramesh Menon appeared. And then I realised that something which I liked, something adventurous, is about to come and in its anticipation everything was looking boring to me. And these ongoing onslaughts of boredom would be the basis for a joyful future.

Now, twisting the neck diametrically to look forward.

Dayare Shauk Mera Dayare Shauk Mera...

Shahre Aarzoo Mera Shahre Aarzoo Mera

Vibrant Gujaratis...after 7 years

(Pics and Text by Neyaz A. Farooquee)

A happy home, after all...


Residing in a desolate home in the sleepy neighbourhood of Jamia Nagar, they are self-content with what they have got. And they have to. Every necessity of their daily life is being provided by the 'Happy Home Foundation' but the void of being forced away from their own homeland, their very own, can’t be healed easily by any Marham.

Brought in Delhi in 2002, they have consoled themselves of harsh reality of Gujarat. A vibrant Gujarat for some but not for all. And certainly not for these innocents, if one presumes them to be. Youngest one was merely 3 years old and the eldest was of raw 9 years when fortune forced them to Delhi with a Medical delegation which has gone to serve the riot victims.

They have experienced the seven years of ‘estrange-ness’ mutely on the mercy of others. Have food to eat, clothes to wear, thanks to the Zakat given by the cross section of the society, including Hindus and Christians along with Muslims. The task of schooling lay with a school in the vicinity, The God's Grace. They provide books for these children along with school dress.

Jawed is the eldest of them all, he is 18 and most composed. A pretty good student, he was in 7th standard in the Gujarati medium in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat but the language barrier, or perhaps the situation, forced him to be demoted to 2nd standard in English medium God's Grace School. When I met him, he was a bit apprehensive in talking me but steadily he eased. And I learned that he aspire to study mass communications. Mass communications... perhaps he wants to communicate something he strongly feels about.

Abrar, in 8th standard, wishes to be a doctor one day. He remembers that his locality witnessed although just one death in the clashes but there were countless injured. He remembers that there were very few doctors visible in the area and even ambulances were attacked.

Wasim, a 7th standard student, most flamboyant among the elder guys, aspire to be a cricketer but unfortunately Happy Home Foundation doesn’t have any playground so he plays indoor games. Table Tennis is his favorite among indoor games but on holidays he gets a chance to play in nearby playground under the supervision of a caretaker.

These are few brief stories of the fortunates among the unfortunates who are lucky enough to survive to narrate their stories but these boys and girls, at this tender age, are too juvenile to understand the nuisance of life but they have witnessed something that has itched into their mind and they have ‘niched’ a resolve to do, to do something different from ‘them’---the perpetrators of the heinous crime. “What is the difference between me and ‘them’ if I do the same to them”. How true.

And may this truth descend down to everyone irrespective of ‘me’ and ‘they’.

But the story does not end here. If you try to force yourself into the past, a sad drop of water trickles down to the cheek of Fatima (name changed) and suddenly one realise that he is prying far ahead into the tender minds and is contented with whatever little he has got to know from them.

She sobs and others are on the verge of sobbing, “They killed my Ammi and then Abbu”.

Children at Happy Home Foundation, New Delhi in the study room

Studying...

Searching their future...

Their bedroom

Voluntary caretakers of Happy Home Foundation... give 'em a standing ovation

Jamia Edu Fest (in pictures) Part 1 cont...

(pics and text by Neyaz A. Farooquee)

Educational Fest (Talimi Mela)

At the entrance of Educational Fest

At the entrance of Book Fair

Jamia's flag fluttering in sky

Jamia's outreach programme appeal... to be joined by DU and JNU

Preparing for big time ahead

This security man busy doing his job

And this keeping close eye on everyone n everything.
Jamia authority has installed more than 8 cameras for managing the unprcendented rush

A message not for you

An unexpected visitor

At Jamia's information technology centre, paying tribute to our heroes

Photography exhibition by Jamia's AJK Centre for Mass communications

MF Hussain Art Gallery

MF Hussain art gallery waiting to be inaugurated

MF Hussain art gallery, inaugurated by renowed artist Satish Gujral

In Talimi Mela, also...

Doing his job

At engineering faculty

Near University sports complex

Streetplay by Awam theatre group of Jamia
A nice statement in the form of Nukkad Naatak (Streetplay). A bunch of talented guys taking a few cues from newsmen, imitating their style of sensationalising the news, in the process of mocking the newsmen.

They mocked the newsmen by statements like,
"we've got the chemicals used in the destructive activities...its exclusively with us only...see this packet, it contains white powder which was used, according to a highly placed source".
The correspondent gets close to the packet, smells, waits...and says..."pardon us, its a bag of salt."

"An exclusive news. According to our sources, police have cracked the case".
And they telecast a statement by police. "His complexion is black , has black beard, black moustache, dressed in black and have a black bike. Wherever you find anyone matching anything mentioned above, inform us".

And many more nice comments they made.


Rush for Naseeruddin Shah's play 'Ismat Aapa ke Naam'
In the Ansari Auditorium, Naseeruddin shah's famous play 'Ismat aapa ke naam' was to be screened for students but rush made it impossible to accomodate all in the '1000 seat' auditorium, so for the 'left-behinds' it was telecasted on projector in Safdar Hashmi amphitheatre, behind the MA Ansari auditorium.

...to control the rush

Students watching the play at Safdar Hashmi Amphitheatre

Inspiration??? Desperation???

A policeman taking a look at 'Dandi March' in Jamia

Jamia's Edu Fest, Part 1, (Flag hoisting by Honble Governer of Delhi)

(pics and text by Neyaz A. Farooquee)

The founation day celebration of Jamia Millia Islamia started with a March by Jamia Eco club. Main proceedings took place outside Ansari Auditorium with the arrival of Hoble Lt Governer of Delhi, Mr Tejinder Khanna. After a honourary parade by Jamia NCC, he hoisted the Jamia flag.

Honble Governer hoisting the Jamia Flag at its 88th foundation day

Red carpet welcome

Jamia Security staff leading him to dias

Jamia Tarana (Anthem) by its students

On the dias(L to R): Rakhshanda Jalil, Media Cordinator, JMI, Prof Mushirul Hasan, VC JMI, Honble Mr Tejinder Khanna, Lt Governer of Delhi, Anisur Rahman, Registrar JMI, Prof Ghazanfar Zaidi, Talimi Mela organising committee chief, Zubair Meenai, DSW JMI.

Rakhshinda Khatoon, Headmistress Jamia Middle School, welcoming the Guest

A Jamia faculty translating the verses of Jamia Tarana

This is the land of my hopes
This is the land of my dreams

This is where men with zeal stayed
Men who answered the leaders' call

(Full translation is available at http://jmi.nic.in/jamiatarana.htm )

something serious...

Vice Chancellor of Jamia with his welcome address

Addressing Jamia community

And the audience is listening

Speech ended, welcome again

And he is happy, more happy

Rakhshanda Jalil, Media Cordinator giving vote of thanks

And now leaving

...has something to say...before leaving

Mingling with the Jamia community

This man in cap, wearing 'full-time' beard, said, "we appreciate your lecture" and Honble governer hugged him

And he left...

Jamia's Talimi Mela (Educational Fest)

(pics and text by Neyaz A. Farooquee)

Whatever be the reason, a fest is a fest... And when it is organised in Jamia Millia Islamia, a completely new fervour comes into play. These are the seven days of eternal fun, rousing learning and open-hearted dissemination of knowledge and warmth. And when it is organised in such a way to give a fine balancing act between fun and learning, it has to be exciting.

Welcome to the Educational Fest (Talimi Mela), Jamia Millia Islamia.

Annually organised on Jamia's foundation day, 29th october, this 7 day 'mela' is a bit different from Trade Fair or Book Fair at Pragati Maidan, but somewhat it carries the flavour of both without losing its own 'originality'.

From the famous Chat to the Shawarama, it carries all the flavour for the devourers and for the Book worms it has the publications by the Oxford to the Maktaba Jamia's (serving Jamia community since 1922) in the Book fair. For the friends of environment it has the stalls selling eco-friendly items and on the other side, for the better understanding of 'Chandrayan', Physics Deptt is teaching enthusiast about the 'how' and 'what' of satellite system. Amidst all this, Amnesty International is there to give you a peek into human right abuses around us or far away. And after piling-in your favourite items get your teeth cleaned for free at Dental Check-up stall put by Jamia's Centre of Dental Studies. There is free HIV test centre. Dont feel shy, go and get yourself checked. And there is mobile van announcing repeatedly, "Donate blood, save lives".

At one stall you can see the Fine Arts guys are ever-ready to show their fine skills, they ask you sit infront of them and in a few minutes they'll sketch you on papers and you'll be amazed to see your smiling caricature.

Jamia news is their give you a every minute detail of hot happenings in the campus. And Jamia's Awam theatre group cant lag behind. They present entertaining 'Nukkad Natak' (street play). Throughout the campus they keep on shouting 'Naatak dekho, Natak dekho, bina paise ka natak dekho'. For a moment many thoughts come into mind but soon it is quelled by their performances which ranges from hilarious to heart-wrenching to thought provoking. Messages are always there but way of giving and instilling it is very pragmatic.

Stall put by Deptt of Law gives you the 'legal advice'. Most of the question put by visitors is related to RTI.

Stalls and services are plenty, you have to visit yourself to get a proper panorama, I cant give a better overview than this.

Many distinguished personalities like Honble Tejinder Khanna, Lt. Governer of Delhi, Honble Gopal Gandhi, Governer of W Bengal, Honble Justice Sachar, Former Chief Justice of Delhi High court, Naseeruddin Shah, Shayam Benegal, Shabana Azmi and Tom Alter, eminent actors, Irfan Habib and Sabasyachi Bhattacharya, eminent historians, Harsh Mander and Asghar Engineer, social activists, Satish Gujral, eminet artist and many more are expected to visit this Educational fest.

All this orderly chaos are being efficiently managed by Proctorial Deptt with the help of their security staffs and CCTVs and Jamis's NSS volunteers.

More updates are coming. Keep visiting...

Open House Conference Near L-18

(Text and pics by Neyaz A. Farooquee)

(Peace be upon you)

Under the banner of Jamia Teacher’s Solidarity group, an open house conference was held at Batla House, New Delhi, a stone throw away from recent encounter site. The participants were Arundhati Roy, Swami Agnivesh, Kuldip Naiyer, MJ Akbar, Harsh Mander, Tripta Vahi, Sumit Sarkar, Tanika Sarkar, Kavita Srivastava and many more from Jamia, JNU and DU.
Before the conference, the participants visited the site. As policemen are guarding the building 24*7 and no one is allowed to enter, they went to back side of the building and scrutinized the flat, albeit from a different flat. Thereafter they heard the testimony of the neighbours in public and then some of them lectured on the matter. They disagreed with police version of the incident. (Questions posed by them can be found in more detail on http://dailyalochona.blogspot.com/2008/10/mukto-mona-jamia-teachers-solidarity.html)

Swami Agnivesh said, “There was a person in Nazi Germany who used to write his Diary. The person writes that once Nazis captured a Jew, I knew what will be his fate but I did not protest because I was not a Jew. Then Nazis took away a communist but I did not say a word because I was not Communist. Now Nazis came and took me away but then no was left to speak for me.” He added, “I’m here to save Insaniyat.”

John Dayal remarked that it’s not only against a single community, same thing is being done to Christians too, In Kandhamal and at other places.
Harsh Mander reminded the rights given in our constitution and dream of our freedom fighters to see a classless society.
Arundhati Roy demanded Judicial Enquiry into the matter and postmortem report to be made public. And if these demands are not met then we’ll demand for exhumation of the bodies.
On the encounter Swami Agnivesh announced that we will examine the testimonies given by witness and neighbours and then we’ll, in a day or two, make public our assessment.