Chakley or Chak Ley

A few years after Independence, Sahir wrote ‘Chakley’ (Brothels). The poem was later immortalized by Rafi in Gurudutt’s Pyasa, circa 1957. However for the celluloid version, Sahir simplified it for the masses and replaced “sanaa-Khwaan-e-taqdees-e-mashriq kahaaN haiN?” with “jinhe naaz hai hind par vo kahaaN haiN”. For those of us challenged in our Alif Be Pe Te’s, the former can be loosely translated as “those who praise the pious Eastern ways”. In contemporary, India International Center terms, they range in varying degrees from The Sri Ram Sene, Baba Ramdev, The Old men from Deoband and the Older Man from Delhi’s Jama Masjid. The self appointed Treasurers of “Our Culture”.

And as the sex appeal of Yoga grows, voices espousing “our culture” and more importantly those denouncing “their culture” are increasing in decibel levels. As always, it’s easier to de-sell competition than sell on one’s own merit. Its easier to say don’t call your mother “Mummy” because it means a wrapped corpse rather than call her “Ma” because, well personally, it just sounds right. All successful salesmen play to the gallery. Otherwise why on earth would anyone ever buy a bottle of coloured water, knowing fairly well that it doesn’t do any good. So if Baba Ramdev says that their coloured water is only good as a toilet cleaner, and instead drink the coloured water that he sells, I for one see nothing wrong. Haven’t we been enjoying the cola wars since the day Richard The Lion Heart and Salahuddin Al Ayoubi featured in the finals of Extereme Crusades 3 (First on Playstation). Oh sorry, my bad. I often get my wars mixed up.

But truth be told, and here I use the word ‘truth’ very loosely as I haven’t laid a hand, or anything else for that matter, on Gita or even Sita or Rita. Just Punita and I don’t know how much that helps. (Ever wondered, in an Indian courtroom, the clerk who holds the ‘book’ and the witness who touches it are the only custodians of truth. Everyone else, the lawyers, the judge and the bailiff who shouts ‘haazir ho’ have full liberty to say whatever is convenient, as they haven’t touched Gita. But then for Gita’s sake we don’t want her to be molested). So truth be told, I have often contemplated, and on many occasions especially with the aid of good Single Malt this contemplation has woken up my neighbours, on what is “our culture”.

I can think of many elements of our lives that over the years, generations after generations, have passed on as “sanskriti and sabhyata” or rather “our culture”. Some good, some not so, and some outright ridiculous. But to say that ours is better than theirs!

Moreover if culture is passed from generation to generation, does it remain constant or it evolves? If it evolves, then what we have today is a morphed, bastardized version of the original that generations before us have shaped to their convenience. And if it remains constant, it must be out of context and stale. If caste system is our culture, I would trade it any day with any element of ‘western culture’. And what most attackers of things western do not understand, or rather choose not to understand is elements like divorce, bikini, valentine day greetings, women in pubs, do not a culture make. Similarly purdah, the inability to say no, literally painting the town red with one’s spit are not elements of “our culture”. These are conveniences that we try to legitimize. And what better way to do that than package it nicely and call it Sanskriti.

And to say that the west is adopting our ways. Yes they find Yoga beneficial. In the same way as we find aspirin helpful. Sahir saw through this charade within 5 years of the birth of our nation. As they say, “ poot ke pair paalne mein….”.