NOORI- JAAM TAMACHI
In fourteenth century Feroze Tughlaq used to rule at Delhi and Jaam Tamachi used to rule in
Sindh at Thatta. He was from Samma dynasty. In the vicinity of Thatta there is a very big lake
Kinjhar which was inhabited by fisher folk. They were a sort of unsettled community who would
move from one place to other as the time demanded. They did not have proper houses to live in.
They used to live frugally in their straw huts to eek out their living through hard labour by catching
fish from the lake. Most of the time, they would live in their boats. They would spread nets to catch
fish which would be sold by their women folk on the roads. Normally fisher women were not
beautiful, they were lean, dark and uncouth, but there was an exception of Noori. She was not only
very beautiful but full of good manners. She was called Noori because her beauty reminded every
one of the beautiful full moon into its bloom i.e. light.
Jaam Tamachi was fond of hunting and traveling. Once while on a luxury trip to Kinjhar from his boat he happened to see Noori. He fell in love with her at first sight. He keeping aside his royal prestige and pomp asked the hand of Noori in marriage through his minister. The fisher folk were only happy to agree. On the occasion of his marriage he gifted the Kinjhar lake to them as a ‘Jaagir’ and exempted them from paying all the taxes. He brought Noori from fisher folk’s shanty to his royal palace. He used to spend most of his time with Noori and would often come to Kinjhar and would move around in a royal boat with Noori. Thus Noori was bestowed with all the imaginable luxuries. Inspite of all this Noori remained the same humble self. She was humility personified. She would always tell Jaam Tamachi that she remembers her humble origins and she is grateful o him for bringing her from fisher folks humble dwellings to royal palace. God shall bless me with your love for ever.
I am full of faults,
Beloved! I am your slave,
Dear! I am to serve you. (Sachal)
Jaam Tamachi already had six queens from his Samma clan. They could not bear the King’s closeness to Noori. They were jealous of her. They hatched a plan to discredit Noori. They told the king that Noori’s brother used to visit palace every night and she was giving him royal jewels. One evening while Noori’s brother was returning from palace King saw a box in his hands and inspected the same. He found in that fish bones and scraps of bread. He silently went away. Next day he asked Noori as to what was it all about. She told him that she is not used to royal food and she was afraid that once she developed the taste of the royal food she may not be able to enjoy her traditional food. Therefore every day her mother would send her a piece of fish with bread made from coarse grain. My brother brings it with all the love.
Jaam Tamachi was very much impressed by this. The other queens continued to harass Noori and would frequently complain about her misbehavior to the King.
Once Jaam Tamachi decided to test all his queens. He told them that by evening all should be ready and he would take one of them with him for sightseeing. All queens spent the entire day in applying makeup and decorating themselves with costly clothes and ornaments. In the evening when King came into the palace there was virtual competition among the queens to entice him. King could see through their artificial make up and their behavior and went ahead. When he came in the apartments of Noori he found her waiting for him anxiously. She had worn her original dress given by her parents and without any ornaments. Her natural beauty in itself was sufficient and did not require any artificial makeup, ornaments or costly clothes. She approached him with all her humble charm. King took her hand and led her to Royal carriage. All other queens continued to fume and rage with jealousy.
When he returned in the evening he declared her reigning queen. This way her humility and simplicity won her this great honour. This elevation did not go to her head; instead she became more humble and courteous. Jaam Tamachi also would return her love and affection.
One who has inner beauty even master seeks him out. Master will accept them who are true to themselves and are humble, who are free from false pretensions. In the words of Shah Abdul Latif:
You royal Samma, I am lowly with many faults,
Looking to queen’s pomp, may you not
Change your path!
She is always humble and continues to plead with Jaam Tamachi thus:
I am of low caste, you have raised my status,
How otherwise it behoves me to be in Palace? (Shah Latif)
Those who carry the stinking baskets of fish,
To mingle with whom one would feel ashamed,
O Jaam Samma! You have raised their stature. (Shah Latif)
Those who proudly come with raised head,
You have spurned them all of Soomra’s or Samma’s clan. (Shah Latif)
Here it is amply shown that if you want to win your master it is by humility and complete surrender to his will. Without unquestioned obedience it is not possible to meet your true beloved. If you love with all devotion the sought himself will find out the seeker, as Jaam Tamachi himself found out Noori. Those with ego cannot come near the master. Ego becomes a great dividing wall between seeker and sought. With humility and devotion only you can reach the desired destination. The master does not discriminate between low or high caste of weak or mighty.
Gift does not depend on caste,
Those who work are granted it. (Shah Latif).
Those with divine spark in their hearts will only be able to meet the master. Noori was a fisher woman yet he could get her beloved whereas those with ego and pride always failed to realize the truth.
Note: - Famous saint of Sindh, Sadhu T. L Vaswani adopted Noori as his Pen name. Noori being embodiment of humility and signifying divine light.
Jaam Tamachi was fond of hunting and traveling. Once while on a luxury trip to Kinjhar from his boat he happened to see Noori. He fell in love with her at first sight. He keeping aside his royal prestige and pomp asked the hand of Noori in marriage through his minister. The fisher folk were only happy to agree. On the occasion of his marriage he gifted the Kinjhar lake to them as a ‘Jaagir’ and exempted them from paying all the taxes. He brought Noori from fisher folk’s shanty to his royal palace. He used to spend most of his time with Noori and would often come to Kinjhar and would move around in a royal boat with Noori. Thus Noori was bestowed with all the imaginable luxuries. Inspite of all this Noori remained the same humble self. She was humility personified. She would always tell Jaam Tamachi that she remembers her humble origins and she is grateful o him for bringing her from fisher folks humble dwellings to royal palace. God shall bless me with your love for ever.
I am full of faults,
Beloved! I am your slave,
Dear! I am to serve you. (Sachal)
Jaam Tamachi already had six queens from his Samma clan. They could not bear the King’s closeness to Noori. They were jealous of her. They hatched a plan to discredit Noori. They told the king that Noori’s brother used to visit palace every night and she was giving him royal jewels. One evening while Noori’s brother was returning from palace King saw a box in his hands and inspected the same. He found in that fish bones and scraps of bread. He silently went away. Next day he asked Noori as to what was it all about. She told him that she is not used to royal food and she was afraid that once she developed the taste of the royal food she may not be able to enjoy her traditional food. Therefore every day her mother would send her a piece of fish with bread made from coarse grain. My brother brings it with all the love.
Jaam Tamachi was very much impressed by this. The other queens continued to harass Noori and would frequently complain about her misbehavior to the King.
Once Jaam Tamachi decided to test all his queens. He told them that by evening all should be ready and he would take one of them with him for sightseeing. All queens spent the entire day in applying makeup and decorating themselves with costly clothes and ornaments. In the evening when King came into the palace there was virtual competition among the queens to entice him. King could see through their artificial make up and their behavior and went ahead. When he came in the apartments of Noori he found her waiting for him anxiously. She had worn her original dress given by her parents and without any ornaments. Her natural beauty in itself was sufficient and did not require any artificial makeup, ornaments or costly clothes. She approached him with all her humble charm. King took her hand and led her to Royal carriage. All other queens continued to fume and rage with jealousy.
When he returned in the evening he declared her reigning queen. This way her humility and simplicity won her this great honour. This elevation did not go to her head; instead she became more humble and courteous. Jaam Tamachi also would return her love and affection.
One who has inner beauty even master seeks him out. Master will accept them who are true to themselves and are humble, who are free from false pretensions. In the words of Shah Abdul Latif:
You royal Samma, I am lowly with many faults,
Looking to queen’s pomp, may you not
Change your path!
She is always humble and continues to plead with Jaam Tamachi thus:
I am of low caste, you have raised my status,
How otherwise it behoves me to be in Palace? (Shah Latif)
Those who carry the stinking baskets of fish,
To mingle with whom one would feel ashamed,
O Jaam Samma! You have raised their stature. (Shah Latif)
Those who proudly come with raised head,
You have spurned them all of Soomra’s or Samma’s clan. (Shah Latif)
Here it is amply shown that if you want to win your master it is by humility and complete surrender to his will. Without unquestioned obedience it is not possible to meet your true beloved. If you love with all devotion the sought himself will find out the seeker, as Jaam Tamachi himself found out Noori. Those with ego cannot come near the master. Ego becomes a great dividing wall between seeker and sought. With humility and devotion only you can reach the desired destination. The master does not discriminate between low or high caste of weak or mighty.
Gift does not depend on caste,
Those who work are granted it. (Shah Latif).
Those with divine spark in their hearts will only be able to meet the master. Noori was a fisher woman yet he could get her beloved whereas those with ego and pride always failed to realize the truth.
Note: - Famous saint of Sindh, Sadhu T. L Vaswani adopted Noori as his Pen name. Noori being embodiment of humility and signifying divine light.
No comments:
Post a Comment