#16
Unread post
by tahir » Fri Aug 26, 2005 7:47 am
In most of the mid sized towns of western India, where a majority of bohri population is concentrated, no one knows about the community beyond a radius of 3-4 kms of their residential ghettos (called wadis, gallis, mohallas etc.). On the contrary, Parsis are just around 90000 in population and are concentrated in mumbai, surat and navsari (90% in mumbai) but are known in every corner of the country. This is due to their achievements in almost all walks of life - industries, sports, politics, administration, entertainment, social work etc. If you go to the remotest corner of India, say Nagaland, Laddakh or Andaman and ask anyone on the street "Do you know Jamshedji TATA"?, the chances are that he'll nod his head in affirmative while if you ask him "Do you know Sayyedna Burhanuddin"?,.... well its anyone's guess!!.... Even in the Indian capital New Delhi no one knows dai burhanuddin, let alone knowing what is bohraism. The last time I checked, the Indian constitution does not recognise "Dawoodi Bohras" as a separate minority commmunity the way it recognises "Jains", "Sikhs", "Parsis" and "Buddhists".
But to be fair to them, bohris do have their share of popularity. In places in India where bohris live, the employees of electricity, water supply and tax department know bohris because of their widespread theft and attempts of bribing the officials. Similarly some government employees in the gulf countries know bohris cuz these are the people most caught for illegal immigration, producing fake documents, over staying, spreading garbage in the neighbourhood and indulging in illigal hawking of goods (like perfumes, chocolates, electronics, garments etc.). The employees of Jeddah hajj terminal know bohris as the most noisy, indisciplined, uncivilised and dirt spreading people they ever see on hajj (Bangladeshis are much better). Would u believe that bohris fight like dogs for getting a window seat in chartered flights!!
Needless to say JAISA RAJA VAISI PRAJA.
Now lets take the example of another spiritual head Dalai Lama . With just 2 million followers not as well spread and not half as affluent as bohris, he is atleast 50 times more pupular in the world than dai burhanuddin. The latter is just known to the monarchs of a couple of underdeveloped countries (Tanzania etc.) where with the exploitation money he purchases some temporary honour to impress the blind followers back home. The followers in turn, gleefully dance and sing on seeing some formal letters of "praises" on maulmaat.com. On the other hand, Dalai Lama is not only well known among the state heads of almost all the big countries of the world, he has also earned an immense popularity among the non lama population of many developed countries and has inspired many famous people to adopt Buddhism. A prominent example is hollywood star Richard Gere. As an spiritual head, his simplicity and charm is magnetic and preachings are appealing. He has renounced palatial residences in Tibet and has chosen to live in a simple ashram in Dharmshala (H.P.) to fight for the cause of his people. His sacrifice has earned him respect around the globe. The same cannot be said about dai burhanuddin who usually turns off even bohris (the reformist kind), let alone others. Most of the people who want to convert to bohraism are the ones who had fallen in love with a bohri guy/girl and want to marry them.
Bohras at best are shopkeepers with the singular "achievement" of constructing jamatkhanas, mousoleums and musafirkhanas (by exploitation money). Of late, many have started persuing professional degrees (BE, MBBS, MBA, CA etc.) which unfortunately havnt helped them come out of the dark well they live in. The educational degrees at best have turned obscure shopkeepers into obscure corporate employees with their brains still mortgaged to kothar.
Most of the people in India know bohris as comic characters- timid, insecure and greedy; crowding like sheep and shouting on streets with their funny Gujrati. Whenever the dai visits a town, the few people who know bohris gather around to see the tamasha, to watch the bohri circus of so many people crowding and shouting "MAULA MAULA" on the streets and creating a traffic jam and noise pollution. Every spectator goes home with bagful of fun and laughter besides some disgust of inconvenience. And the bohris go home thinking the dai is so popular!!
In mumbai, no one knows bohris beyond bhendi bazaar or some small sub urban pockets in nagpada, ghat ko par, jogeshwari, malad, byculla etc. This is shameful considering the fact that the city has been the seat of the dawat for almost a century now. They failed to make themselves heard even after the dai did publicity stunts like making a hospital (now dysfunctional) on Charni road and wasting lakhs of bohri money on live telecast of the show. Even on Charni road, very few people actually know that there is a community called "dawoodi bohras" with a leader named Burhanuddin (though most of them are familiar with the name of Adamji Peerbhoy as a philanthropist). All they know is that a new hospital is constructed in their area.
and see wat progress bohra community has done under the guidance of moula(TUS)? everywhere community gathering,jamaats, masjid and respect on every corner of the world and unique identity.
