Ch Rashid Azam Inqlabi
Today is the first death anniversary of Miyan Bashir Ahmed Larvi. He passed away on the August 14 at Wangat Kangan, in Ganderbal District of Jammu and Kashmir and laid to rest on the 15th of August 2021 at native village Baba Nagri, popularly known as ‘Lar Sharief’. Miyan Bashir Ahmed Larvi who belonged to the Naqshbandi order of Sufi tradition had great followers in sub-continent, i.e. India, Pakistan, Saudi Arab, UAE, England even in America.
The grandfather of Miyan Sahib Jb. Abdulla Larvi migrated from Province of ‘Hazara’ Pakistan to ‘wanghat’ Kashmir in 19th century on the instruction of his religious Peer, known as ‘Miyan Nizam Din Kiyanvi’ and settled at Wangat, Kashmir in about 1880 in the lap of hills and green jungles. Miyan Bashir was born at Pehalnar, Ganderbal to Miyan Nizam-ud-Din Larvi. He received his early education locally from Molvi Abdullah Sahib and Molvi Ibrahim Chatergulli, After receiving elementary lessons in Urdu, Arabic and Persian, at home, he started social service for the community. Miyan Bashir popularly known as ‘Baba Sahab’ in Kashmir, believed in a spiritual vision of life and he always stood by his vision. He promoted such values throughout his life among his immediate disciples, general followers and his well wishers. He relentlessly strived for social equality among the masses in general. Miyan Sahib was a multi-dimensional personality who led the Gujjar and bakerwals community of J&K in particular, in spiritual, religious, social, and political fields.
Miyan Sahib was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir (MLA) in 1967, 1972, and 1977 from Kangan, Kashmir province and in 1983-84 from Darhal assembly constituency in Rajouri District of Jammu province. Miyan Bashir was the only leader who win all the elections in his life that he contested, further he is the only leader who has fought the election from both the province of Kashmir and Jammu and remained elected. Miyan Bashir also served as Minister in Sheikh Mohd Abdullah’s Cabinet in 1971, 1977 to 1980. In 1980, he resigned from sheikh Mohd Abdullah’s cabinet for his resentment for not providing due share to the Gujjar community in Cabinet and supported the congress party and started agitation against the national conference government. Propagation of Gojri language: Miyan Bashir Ahmad has worked to develop regional languages i. e Gojri, Panjabi, and Urdu. He has compiled a number of books in Gojri, Urdu, and Punjabi, including ‘Israr e Kabari’, ‘Ashar e Nizami’, Siharfian’, ‘Neer Sumandar Maaraf-ul-Tabarqat’, etc. These books mainly deal with topics of spiritualism, Sufism, Islamic theology, and divine love, besides his poetic compilations representing Gujjar’s rich heritage and culture. One of his important contributions is his biographical account of three generations of Babaji Sahib Larvi in the book, ‘Mata e Faqar -o- Danish’ published in Urdu.
Miyan Sahib chaired many seminars, conferences, and literary and cultural events in India and aboard also. He also penned his personal daily dairies which are a great source of information on the life Miyan Saheb and the events of Kashmir. He has pinned down all day-to-day happenings of his life, family, society and politics of Jammu and Kashmir. Miyan family has played a key role in enriching the Gojri language and literature. The stalwarts of Gojri like Khuda Baksh Zaar, Israel Asar, Isreal Mehjoor, Miyan Ismail Zabi, Meharud Din Qammar, Sain Qader Baksh, Zabhi Rajourvi, Qazi jalal din, Miyan Habib of panhid Rajouri had started writing poetry in Gojri and panjabi under the influence of Miyan Nizam ud Din Larvi. Miyan Sahib often organized poetic events at the shrine of Baba Sahib. Miyan Bashir Larvi Saheb encouraged many more to write and participate in the literary Mehfils. In Neer- Sumander the poetry of prominent poets of Gojri was published. Miyan Bashir Sahib played a vital role in starting the Gojri programme from Radio Kashmir/ Jammu in J&K and the Gojari section in the Academy of Art, Culture and Languages. Miyan Sahib was the most popular tribal leader of Jammu and Kashmir. His life and contribution epitomized the perfect blend of spirituality and social reform. He was a visionary whose ideals gave a strong sense of community, dignity and consciousness among Gujjar Bakerwal tribes. Miyan Bashir was the only Gujjar from the sub-continent who has the privilege /honour to address the united nation where Miyan Sahib presented the case of India in UNO and described Mulk-e-Hind (India) as the epitome of peace, diversity and communal Harmony. Miyan Bashier stressed the need to create an environment of friendly and cordial relations with other countries. Miyan sahib described India and Pakistan as two brothers and advocated the phrase harmony. He consistently strived to establish a strong bond of communal harmony and co-existence across the country. Miyan Bashir Ahmad was the most influential Gujjar leader of Jammu and Kashmir. He will be remembered in the history of the sub-continent as, a religious and social leader and leader of Masses irrespective of caste colour and creed, who have a great flower in both the part of divided Jammu and Kashmir. He remained associated with top leaders of the country including Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Giani Zail Singh, ven kata Raman, babu jag jivan ram, Choudhary Charan Singh. Indira Gandhi visited the Shrine of Baba Sahib at Wanghat during her visit to Kashmir in 70s. Miyan sahib canvases for Indira Gandhi in Rai Beleri during the parliamentary election because Miyan Sahib has a good number of followers among the Gujjars of Rai Barari, and Indira Gandhi got elected with a huge majority in that election.
In Jammu and Kashmir, he was closely associated with prominent leaders of J&K, like Shiekh Mohammad Abdullah, Syed Mir Qasam and Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad, Master Bali Ram, Girdhari Lal Dogra, Pt Tarlocnhan Datt, Mangat Ram Sharma, Abdul Ghani lone, Lala shive charan Gupta, D D Thaker, Babu Parma Nand etc. Later he left active politics and solely devoted himself to his spiritual role, and religious education. The political activities were carried out by his younger son Miyan Altaf Sahib under the guidance of mian sahib. The people approached the Miyan Sahib to settle the dispute(kachari) among the Gujjar Biradari , and Miyan Sahib settled the issue, In the kachari/ jirga. people accept the verdict given by Miyan Sahib with open arms due to which people save their time and money. And disputes between Gujjar and Bakerwal were resolved amicably. In one of the Jirga, I got a chance to participate as one of the members of the Jirga to represent the case of one of the affected parties in 1987. Many foreign citizens approached the Miyan Sahib for redressal of their grievances. Once an American woman Lady approached the Miyan sahib for help and I acted as interpreter between Miyan Sahib and aAmerican woman. Miyan helped her and later she thanked him for helpful nature. In 2008 Miyan was conferred with the third highest civilian award ‘Padam Bhushan’ by Government of India, for his outstanding contribution and service towards tribal Gujjars, Bakarwals and other downtrodden groups of society. When news of conferring of ‘Padam Bushan’ Award to Miyan Sahib was flashed thousands of followers of Miyan Sahib from Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, particularly Gujjar Bakerwal, Phari and Rajput, Kashmiri, congratulated their saint for great attainment. While speaking at a function organized by the Gujjar officer association at press club Jammu in 2008, Miyan Sahib said that Padam Bhushan Award is not only for my Gujjars and Bakerwals of Jammu and Kashmir but it goes to cores of Gujjar living in eleven States of India and corer of my followers who belongs to Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh religion also and assured that he will continue to work for social justice, human rights, peace and prosperity of the State. Stressing the need that the people of India and Pakistan have to work as a bridge in order to create an environment of friendship and cordial relations between the two countries, Prominent saint has urged the need to have positively so that the environment of hatred and suspicions comes to an end and two countries of south Asia will create an example of peace and mutual brotherhood. And I was privileged to be the part of this function as stage secretary. The best way to pay the homage to Miyan Sahib we must work for the brotherhood, humanity, and downtrodden people of our country. Thousands of people pay homage to the great spiritual, social, and religious leader on the first death anniversary of Miyan Bashir Sahib throughout union territory and abroad.