Photograph for the post card taken in late 1940's by R.C.Mehta. was in Black & White. Was hand tinted later & mass printed in colour a few years back.
In this photograph one can not miss the Ear Rings known as " Kan-e-Waje" These were made of Silver & as these were heavy they had to be supported by "Tal Rez" or else being heavy the ear lobes used to get torn.
He fought against so called legalized prostitution which was prevalent in those days.
May his soul rest in peace.
It is shameful that this great son of Kashmir has been totally forgotten.?
MOHAMMAD SUBHAN HAJAM
POSTED ON DECEMBER 22, 2010
Professor Fida Hassnain
Prostitution as an institution has existed in Kashmir since ancient past. Kalhana, the historian has censured some of the kings like Kalasha, Kshemagupta, Uccala and Harsha for patronizing prostitutes, paramours and courtesans. It was Sultan Sikander who is reported to have banned prostitution in his sultanate. However, this institution received importance during the Mughal occupation of Kashmir. Naming Kashmir as Baag-i-khas or the special garden, they used the Valley as a pleasure garden to entertain their guests in the Mughal gardens. Secondly, it became a practice, during their era to obtain the Kashmiri beautiful girls for marriage with Subhedars, Mansabdars and nobles. The Afghan period in Kashmir which started in 1753 was the worst period in this regard, when the Kashmiri slaves, both women and men were exported to Kabul.
In 1846 the then British Government in India, basically a trading company sold the Valley of Kashmir for Rs. 75 lakh to the Dogra Maharajas. As such, their first area was to recover that money from the naked, hungry and suffering Kashmiris. During the rule of the Maharajas (1846-1947) everything, save air and water was taxed. Robert Thrope and Walter Lawrence have provided us with information on taxes which include Khutna or circumcision fee and prostitution tax. The sale of young Muslim girls in Kashmir to established houses of ill-fame was both protected and encouraged by the Maharaja, because it costed only 103 rupees to obtain this license. The Dogra Maharajas not only supported but encouraged the institution of prostitution at Governmental level, as it brought then the much sought over money in the form of Kanjur tax.
The sale of Kashmiri girls was a profitable business venture for low caste people known as Kanjur among the Muslims. This class of people worked as agents for supply of girls for the red lights cities outside Kashmir, such as Quetta, Peshawar, Lahore, Delhi, Lucknow and Calcutta. In Srinagar city, the red light area of Maisuma, Gawakadal and Tashwan, were most prominent.
In 1867, Arthur Brinkman, in his work – the Wrongs of Kashmir, indicted the government of the Maharaja, for patronizing prostitution in Kashmir. In 1868, Robert Thrope wrote that the Kashmiri girls were being forced into prostitution by the authorities with the idea of earning more and more revenue from licensing the flesh trade. A survey made by the Church Mission Society in Srinagar, revealed that during the years 1877 to 1879, the total number of patients treated with venereal diseases, recorded in the Mission Hospital comes to about 12,977 cases. Under directions of the British, the Maharaja’s government conducted a survey which revealed that there were about 18715 licensed prostitutes carrying flesh trade in the Valley. The number of Kashmiri prostitutes outside the Valley in various cities of Northern India comes to more than sixty thousand.
The fourth Dogra ruler of Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh ascended the throne in 1925. Unlike, his predecessor, who was an orthodox Hindu, the new ruler was highly emancipated and modern. He encouraged compulsory education among the masses. He also introduced some reforms in taxation but did not abolish the prostitution tax and as such flesh trade thrived as usual in the early years of his reign. The political awakening ushered in after 1931 upheaval resulted in the resurgence of the Kashmiri Muslims in the every sphere of its society. This awakening resulted in the emergence of several political leaders in the State, but none worked moral uplift of the Muslim society
Mohammad Subhan Hajam is a Kashmiri icon, a reformer, a social activist and a visionary who succeeded in mobilizing public opinion for eradication of prostitution in Kashmir and succeeded in his mission during his life time. He owned his saloon near the present day Lal Chowk, Srinagar. Despite his meager income and frail physique, he was equipped with great moral courage to face all challenges.
In the first place, he composed poems in Kashmiri and Urdu, against prostitution, which was eating the vitals of the society. In his verses, he hurled insults and taunts on the pimps and prostitution. In his poetic compositions, termed as Hidiyat-Nama or guidelines, he exhorted the people to remain away from the brothels. He wrote that these prostitutes are the main source of disturbing martial relations as well waste of money. Mohammad Subhan Hajam also compiled pamphlets, drawing attention of the Maharaja’s government towards this menace which had engulfed people in venereal diseases. He appealed to the Maharaja to take serious notice of this malady and impose ban on it. These Hidayat-Namas were published in the local press. Secondly, Mohammad Subhan Hajam would meet religious leaders, influential people in the civil society and officials and seek their support in his mission. He would impress upon them to put pressure on the Maharaja in one way or the other. Thirdly, he himself comes forward picketing in the red light areas. He would lead a group of people, mostly young men, singing his poems and raising insulting and derogatory slogans against the Kanjars and Kanjaris.
Khwaja Mohammad Subhan Hajam was terrorized and attacked several times by the pimps and goons employed by keepers of the prostitution dens. In order to suppress his voice, several false cases were instituted against him in the courts of Srinagar. All these attacks on him were spearheaded by a rich and influential red light area chief known contemptuously as Khazir Gaan, his name being Khazir but Gaan or prostitution den holder. He would corrupt police officers to seek vengeance on Mohammad Subhan Hajam. But all these intimidating attacks could not succeed to bow down the crusader, who had now succeeded in winning the hearts of all sections of the society – Muslims, Pandits and Sikhs. He even received support from the Church Mission Society and Rev Tyndale Biscoe, the doyen of education in Kashmir.
It was Molvi Mohammad Abdullah Vakil, who raised the issue in the Praja Sabha in 1934 and proposed exacting of a law for the closure of prostitution houses in the State and ban on the flesh trade. In fact, he had raised his voice against this vice on behalf of Mohammad Subhan Hajam, who had succeeded in mobilizing support of the elite in society in his mission. Even the leaders of the Muslim Conference, came forward to help him by inviting the attention of Maharaja Hari Singh to issue orders for the ban of flesh trade in his State. Even the Viceroy of India asked the Maharaja to provide him detailed information, about the flesh trade in Kashmi
In view of the laudable efforts of Mohammad Subhan Hajam, the Maharaja issued orders banning sale and purchase of women in the State and closure of red light areas in Srinagar as well as Jammu. He even ordered deputation of two Police officers to find and repatriate Kashmiri girls from the red light areas of Rawalpindi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Delhi and Lucknow.
The name of Mohammad Subhan, the great luminary of Kashmir, will be remembered in history for all times to come. He is a Kashmiri icon who single harded freed the State from the menace of prostitution. He is one amongst the heroes of Kashmir, and we Kashmiris are proud of him.
Now some facts about our great crusader against the Sex trade. Mohammed Subhan Hajam was born in a poor family of Hajams ( Hair Dressers) of Maisuma in 1910. Being sensitive about social issues from young age of 12 only he used to shout against flesh trade along with boys of his age in the lanes of such areas.Even though poor Subhan Sahib at the tender age of only 14 he published a pamphlet rather a Booklet against flesh trade.With passage of time his mission started getting support from respectables such as Rev T. Biscoe Distt. Magistrate Raja Afzal Khan even Hindu Sikh & common Muslim . Posters used to be issued aginst clients of such centers of ill reputation. Many a times he was arrested as the income of Hafizas diminished & that of Govt. He faced lot of hardships due to his resistance to this unholy trade. He used to work on his Shop named Prince Hair Cutting Saloon & Hammam for a few hours then start his Crusade on daily basis. To cut a long story short Prostitution as a trade was bamned in late 1930's since then We dont have any Red Light in Srinagar. Mr Subhan Hajam popularly known with affection as "Suble Nawed" Passed away on 25-11-1962.(RIP).
Pathan Governor Ameer Khan Jawan Sher was the first ruler in whose time the flesh trade was duly registered & duly taxed .Right from Gulab Singh's time all such women whose were given a decent name of Hafiza's were heavily taxed. Allhad to pay a hefty registration fee of 200 Chickle Rupees per year PLUS half of their total earnings from there trade.As per official figures of 1880 AD there were 18715 Hafizas in Srinagar & surrounding areas. this trade continued roght upto late 1930's. During winter they used to operate from Lahore Peshawar etc but the poor souls had to deposit half their earnings in Govt Exchequer. By one estimation this amounted to 25% of of Govt earnings through taxes. In late 1890's as per the records of Mission Hospital at Drugjan there were more than 2500 Hafizas suffering STD. They could leave the trade only once dead.
It seems to be earlier times of 20th century as everybody is wearing a turban.
Late Prof Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Hajni ( 1917-1993) is often termed as the ‘first among the equals’ in state literary circle
A great literary figure of Kashmiri language poet and writer.
A polyglot in English ,Urdu , Arabic and Kashmiri.
A philosopher ,mathematician and biologist.
A Speaker and bold & honest political worker.
OUR TRIBUTE. MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE.
Once he was sent outside state for treatment and when he came to know that then govt has paid expenses ,he sold his poplar trees and returned the money.
Kashmiri language owes its revival to the movement of research and renaissance launched and initiated by Prof Hajini. His Grees Sund Ghara (Peasant’s House) published in 1952 is the first resistance play written on Shakespearean model in Kashmiri literature. In 1954, Prof Hajini penned down Koshur Reader for the Directorate of School Education thereby formally preparing the ground for the teaching of Kashmiri language at the school level“Wahab Parray Hajini" would have remained a poet buried in oblivion, had Prof Hajini not shown his poetry the light of the day,” Ameen Fayaz, who compiled discourses of Prof Hajini, says. “He wrote a monograph titled Wahab Parray in 1959, published by Jammu and Kashmir Art and Cultural Academy. An anthology of Kashmiri poetry titled Kashir Shairi was graced by Prof Hajini’s pen in 1960. It was published by the Sahatiya Academy, while his another book Kashiri Nasrach Kitab hit the market in 1961.”
In 1962, Gaman Manz Pheeri Pheeri (travelling through the villages) shows Prof as a journalist who roams about the villages of Kashmir and delves deep into the village psyche and life, in order to reveal what village life is all about. His Maqalat (research papers)(1967) won him the Sahatiya Academy award in 1970. Maqalat is a collection of critical essays that throws light on different shades and colours of Kashmiri literature and language.
Prof Hajini is also known as one of the architects and founders of two of the leading literary and cultural organizations of Kashmir, the Halqae-e-Adab Hajin Sonawari and Adbi Markaz Kamraz.
“He was among those stalwart intellectuals who worked hard for the launch of Department of Kashmiri at the University of Kashmir and struggled for the launch of Cultural Academy.
Located at a distance of 35 km towards north of Srinagar, a modest house in Hajin town abodes a tomb in its lawn in a calm ambiance. An epitaph written in Kashmiri verses exhorts men to lead an ideal life. These verses have been penned down by one of the tallest literary figures of Kashmir, Prof Mohidin Hajini (1917-1993), resting inside the grave in the lawn of his house.
At the entrance of Hajin town, on the left side of scenic river Jhelum, Jamia Masjid Hajin is one of the important structures, architected and founded by Prof Hajini. His effort in institutionalizing Jamia Masjid as a center of learning, where people might get food for their souls, is significant. In the lawns of grand mosque, Prof would hold discussions and question-answer sessions after Friday prayers. ( Excerpts from a article by Mr Bilal Handoo).
At the entrance of Hajin town, on the left side of scenic river Jhelum, Jamia Masjid Hajin is one of the important structures, architected and founded by Prof Hajini. His effort in institutionalizing Jamia Masjid as a center of learning, where people might get food for their souls, is significant. In the lawns of grand mosque, Prof would hold discussions and question-answer sessions after Friday prayers. ( Excerpts from a article by Mr Bilal Handoo).
This famous 92 yard bridge was originally constructed by Sultan Zain- ul- Abidin Budshah in 1427AD.It was a typical wooden bridge of cantilever design. In earlier days before 1893 it was utilized as a Market as well. ( Practice we still do not leave) The bridge was damaged in the floods of 1893 & was dismantled in 1897 by Maharaja Partap Singh & reconstructed. Again a new bridge was got reconstructed by Maharaja Hari Singh in 1926 which was repaired in 1953-54.
Khabir- i- Zaina- Kadal has been in vouge for more than 125 yrs. Walter R. Lawrence Stetttement Commissioner J&K State in 1887 has written about it in his famous book " The Valley Of Kashmir" & I quote " The Kashmiris are well styled Hawabin( watchers of wind) & it would save much trouble & disquietude if the State would endeavor to supress the evil system which still lingers on of disseminating false rumors. The Zaina- Kadal or 4th bridge of the city, used to be the place where false rumours were hatced. Though the wise knew that Khabar-i-Zaina Kadal was false, the majority are not wise, & much misery is causedto villagers by reports which eminate from city. Kashmiris are very unstable & very prone to give undue weight to rumors. The are emotional & ruled by sentiments."
With due apologies to I feel that Mr. Lawrence had read us correctly even then.
1920 Kashmir Ploughing Fields. ( Man, Mud and Beasts, what a hard work ! ).
The striking poverty, one is with grass shoes ( Pulhoor) and other is shoe less.
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