FilmIndia (1945)

November, 1945 FILMINDIA drance of a Mussalman. This is what Ferishta says. Could such a man behave as depicted by Mehboob's "Humayun"? Under Babur and Humayun, as in fact under other Muslim rulers before and after, except Akbar and Jehangir, Hindus were distinguished from Mahommedans by bearing the following burdens of Muslim intolerance:— 1. Jizya: The foremost among these distinctions was the payment of a special tax, the Jizya, which had always to be paid personally by every Hindu under Muslim rule. The Jizya, which was abolished by Akbar and not restored by Jehangir, was a very heavy burden to the Hindu masses. But it was not its burden alone which was irksome. It was a badge of inferiority reminding them constantly that they formed a subject people under an alien rule. 2. Pilgrimage Tax: In addition to Jizya, there was Pilgrimage Tax which was paid by all Hindus who visited places of pilgrimage situated in Muslim States. 3. Public Religious Worship: Public worship of Hindu idols was forbidden. Also, Hindus were not allowed to build new public temples or repair old ones. Sometimes in a fit of fanaticism even old existing temples were desecrated or destroyed. Religious festivals like Holi and Diwali raised extremely difficult problems. 4. Public Services: Revenue records were usually kept in Hindi by Hindus. This implied the employment of a large number of Hindus in the revenue department. But, they were paid not by the State, but by the cultivators themselves. They could not therefore be called public servants of the State. Ordinarily, it would be safe to assert that the Hindus were excluded from all except the lowest posts, like revenue clerks. 5. Sumpturary Laws: As the Fatawa-i-Alamgiri declare the Hindus were not to be allowed to look like the Muslims. The underlying principle was that the Hindus should look humble. Sometimes the Hindus might be asked to weai distinguishing marks on their dresses, so that they might not be mistaken for Muslims. 6. Law of Blasphemy. There were also laws against blasphemy and sometimes even maintaining Hinduism and Islam both to be true came under blasphemy. And of course a word in criticism of Islam was severely punished. 7. Apostasy: A Musalman could not be converted to Hinduism, and a Hindu, who had been converted to Islam could not be converted back to Hinduism. Apostacy was a capital offence. All these above indications of religious fanaticism prevailed in India under Babur and Humayun, as under Sultans before them. If Mehboob wanted to produce a picture promot ing Hindu-Muslim unity, he should have taken Akbar for the theme of his picture. It was Akbar in whom the Bhakti movement finally crystallised in clear-eyed vision of tolerance towards non-Muslims. It was he who forbade the use of beef as the cow was considered a sacred animal by the Hindus. And in many other ways he respected the sentiments of Hindus. But he was called a Kafir by his Muslim historians and considered to be anti-Islam. This was the state of Muslim religious intolerance in those days that a broad-minded ruler like Akbar was adversely criticised for his tolerance. THE LATEST, THE BEST AND THE MOST ACTION FILLED OF REPUBLIC SERIALS KING OF THE TEXAS RANGERS: featuring AMERICA'S FOOT-BALL ACE "SLINGING SAMMY BAUGH" In 12 Chapters ... 24 reels. A SURE-FIRE BOX-OFFICE PROPOSITION Enquiries: India, Burma & Ceylon: PATANKAR PICTURES ARCOT SRINIVASACHAR STREET BANGALORE CITY, Ok Our m Bombay Agent: — C. Sabhapathi Sarma 1st floor, Hornby Building, Hornby Road, Fort, Bombay. 51