My Favorite Motivational Video.

              The Hollywood movie Gladiator was a historical epic directed by Ridley Scott and had Russel Crowe in the lead. It mesmerized me then and continues to do even today. It is the story of a loyal general who wants to avenge the death of his family and emperor. An honest, upright and brave man, his struggle through the arenas to the Roman Colosseum to attain his goal is very motivating.

             This short video summarizes the entire film and helps one to relate to his own struggles. The playback is really amazing and blends very well with the visuals on the screen.

Alexander's Horse: Bucephalus

Bucephalus was Alexander's legendary horse who accompanied him like a shadow on his World conquest. Legend has it that he won it as a child by mounting and calming the large Freisian. Because of his huge size he named it Bucephalus i.e. Ox Face. 

Bucephalus died during the campaigns in India. It is widely believed that Alexander buried him in today's Jalalpur in Pakistan.

The above clip is from the movie Alexander played by Colin Farrel.

The Arabian: Darling of the Horse-lovers

A Bedouin legend states that Allah created the Arabian horse from the four winds; spirit from the North, strength from the South, speed from the East, and intelligence from the West. While doing so, he exclaimed, "I create thee, Oh Arabian. To thy forelock, I bind Victory in battle. On thy back, I set a rich spoil and a Treasure in thy loins. I establish thee as one of the Glories of the Earth... I give thee flight without wings."

For centuries the tribes of Arabia passionately bred the Arabian horse. For them it wasn’t just an animal but a member of the family. Selective breeding evolved it into an intelligent, courageous, spirited and yet gentle and willing to please breed.

Its large round eyes, small ears, dished face, silky mane and gracefully arching neck render its appearance unique and endearing. When in action the Arab holds its chin upright and silky tail high alluding a sense of pride and confidence. The graceful gallop makes one feel that it is floating on air.

The purest and oldest of all horses, there are concrete evidences of its domestication since 2500 BC. The harshness of the desert helped it build huge reservoirs of courage, stamina and endurance, making it an ideal warhorse.

Traders and warriors introduced this noble breed to the World and it soon became the object of desire of kings, princess and nobles. The great Napoleon famously maintained a stud of grey Arab Chargers. In fact he was mounted on his favourite Marengo at the historic ‘Battle of Waterloo’ in 1815.

In India, horses formed the second most important item of import after gold throughout Ancient and Medieval periods. Interestingly the Raja of Vijay Nagar had asked his allies Portuguese to stop Arab horse trade of his rival Bahamani kings. It is recorded that it decisively helped him in the power struggle.

World over Arabs were crossed with local horses to develop new breeds suitable to local conditions which would have the qualities of the former. The anglo-Arab, Andalucian, Thoroughbreds and even India’s Kathiawadi can be cited as examples. No wonder Arabian horse is referred to as the big daddy of Equine World.

Currently Arabs are bred with pride in stud farms across the World. While they have done well in all horse sports it is endurance racing where they enjoy a complete monopoly.

‘Sadakchaap’ in Tulshibaug

            Come Monday and the otherwise busy Tulshibaug comes to a grinding halt as shops remain closed for a weekly holiday. Abhijit Patil, a freelance photo journalist from the city, used his ingenuity to use the closed shutters as an open air art gallery.

            “I posted the idea by starting a community by the name Sadakchaap on Facebook. It received an overwhelming response from young photographers and artists.” said Abhijit.

            With a green signal from local authorities of the market more than 60 photographers and artists displayed their work on closed shutters. Many passersby were pleasantly surprised at the sight and stopped to take a closer look at the masterpieces put up.

Vivek Bhoi, a M.A. student from S.P. College present at the occasion, said that such events were necessary to provide a platform for young talent and at the same time widen the base of Art followers. Abhijit concurred with this sentiment and added that the event was his humble attempt to ‘democratize art’.

Many onlookers appreciated the novel idea and asked for making the event a regular feature. Overwhelmed by the response, Abhijit himself is upbeat about organizing ‘Sadakchaap’ every few months at different iconic locations of the city.

Chicken Barbecue: Chef Jawwad's recipe

Here is a recipe for steaming hot chicken barbecue.
The ingredients mentioned are for 1 kg of chicken. If you are planning a get together of friends over a barbecue you will need 750 grams chicken per person. (more if you people are hoggers like me) 

1. Take 250 gm of curd.
2. Add an entire packet of tandoori masala available in super markets or chicken shops.
3. Add tbspn of garlic-ginger paste to it.
4. Add 1/2 tbspn  of red chilli powder.
5. Add 1 tbspn of dhaniya powder.
6. Add 1/2 tea spoon of garam masala powder.
7. Place the chicken in the mixture and mix it well. Dont forget to make slits on the meat so that the mixture reaches deep inside and also the heat radiates till the core when we you place it on the grill.
8. Add salt for taste.
9.Squeeze one lemon in the mixture.
10. Allow the mixture to marinate for at least 3 hours.
At the end of marination your chicken must look like this

If it doesn't, then may God save your chicken!

Now the grilling part. Get some charcoal from the local market and place it in a large container. Keep some chips of wood on it. I use wood chips because the charcoal  takes some time to burn without it. Pour some kerosene and light it.

Once the charcoal catches fire transfer it into the grilling vessel and keep the chicken pieces on the grill. Then cover it up. Remember the basic principle of barbecue is low and slow.

Let the cover be on for 20-25 minutes. But every 5-7 minutes keep flipping the pieces.

At the end, hope and pray to the almighty  that your chicken looks like this. Coz if doesn't your friends won't spare you!

Delhi and Mumbai need Police Cavalry

            In this age of Web 2.0 and 24*7 electronic media large scale mobilization of people against grievances genuine or otherwise is increasing by the day. Recent experiences have shown how miscreants can hijack a protest and turn it into a riot.

            Police officers are often caught in a dilemma of tackling the situation effectively and keeping the casualty low and at the same time protecting their personnel and keeping their morale high. A game changer in such a scenario would be deploying police horsemen.

1.     Visibility: The sheer sight of a mounted Police officer strikes terror in the hearts of mischief makers. The height advantage a horseman has gives him prominent visibility and tremendous tactical advantage while tackling rioters.

2.     Cavalry Charge: The worst nightmare of any police force is to face united columns of protestors. As long as their lines are united, the protestors have a high morale. Breaking these lines becomes a pre-requisite to tackle the situation effectively.

A cavalry charge by only a few horsemen can attain this purpose easily. The ground force can then disperse the mob.

3.     Rescue: Riotous mobs often surround and assault a few policemen. The sheer number of people prevents others from rescuing them in time. In such circumstances a charge by even a single horseman can disperse the mob and save his colleague.

4.     Morale of the force: The life of policemen in India is particularly tough and to top it they are often deployed to confront mobs determined to lynch them. This naturally lowers their morale.

Even the great Napoleon swore by the significance of morale for a fighting force. The presence of cavalry force will give the much needed boost.

5.     Lesser casualties of protesters: Protests are cyclic in nature. When the mob goes out of control, police have to fire bullets leading to deaths and injuries. This further incites anger of not only those on the streets but also those hitherto untouched by the protest. Media fans this anger by hammering a partial coverage of the episode.

Using cavalry forces will minimize the need of firing and prevent casualties.

6.     Global Practice: Police forces of all major cities of UK, USA, Australia etc. use cavalry forces. Even Israel which has many internal security issues relies heavily on its mounted police force.

7.     Other ‘fringe’ benefits: Cavalry force can also be used for ceremonial purposes, improving the physical fitness and confidence of police personnel, crowd management at political rallies, religious congregations, tourist places, traffic snarls etc.

A handsome country horse today costs 70 to 80 grants and its conditioning requires around 7 to 8 grants per month. In such a small amount our Police can maintain a highly motivated and dedicated member in your team.

Whether Bucephalus of Alexander or Chetak of Maharana Pratap, history is replete with examples of how faithfully this noble animal has served its masters. It’s high time that our metropolitan police forces take cognizance of this fact.

Where the Fallen Are Still Revered

            With its neatly manicured lawns, well trimmed shrubs, rich floral display, trees and avenues; it defies the stereotypical image of a cemetery. The Khadki War Cemetery, located on the bank of Mula River near Holkar Bridge in Pune, ensures that the martyrs will never be forgotten.

            Created to receive Second World War graves from the western and central parts of India, it contains 1,668 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War. The KIRKEE MEMORIAL stands within the cemetery and commemorates more than 1,800 servicemen who died in India during the First World War, who are buried in civil and cantonment cemeteries in India and Pakistan where their graves can no longer be properly maintained.

            Uniform headstones bearing the regimental badge, rank, name and age of each soldier and a religious symbol differentiate the graves. No distinction is made in graves irrespective of the rank, race, religion or nationality of the person. Arranged in neat rows and columns, they face towards the central stone of remembrance made of white limestone.  The cross in the middle, with a sword embedded in it, represents the self-sacrifice of the men now buried in the bosom of the earth.

The Commonwealth Graves Commission, the organization with the mandate to maintain war cemeteries spread across 153 countries, must be appreciated for maintaining the cemetery in such an immaculate condition. A dedicated staff works round the year to conserve the site. The Commission also maintains a huge online database that helps track a grave in any of the cemetery maintained by it.

“Many tourists frequent this cemetery and lay wreaths.” informs Mukesh who lives nearby. The recent rise in interest of ancestry and history of the Wars is responsible for the rise in interest. Also many tourists these days want to visit places off the usual itinerary.

‘In the Name of Honour:

Khap Panchayats & Honour Killings’

            The only ‘crime’ of Manoj and Babli, a cupid struck couple, was that they belonged to the same gotra. Their marital knot invited the wrath of Khap panchayats, the kangaroo courts of northwestern India. Preventing same gotra marriage has been the single most important agenda of this anachronistic but extremely powerful institution. Family members of Babli kidnapped the couple and brutally murdered them, as ordered by the Khap.

                                                  Iconic picture of Manoj and Babli

            Many cases can be cited where couples have been killed in cold blood. Many marriages have been dissolved and legally wedded wives forced to accept their husbands as brothers.  Family members of such couples have been ostracized or banished from their villages.

 Is choosing a life partner not a basic human right under the United Nations’ Declaration of Human Rights (1948)? Is it not a Fundamental Right under the ‘Right to Life’ of India’s Constitution (Article 21)? Does the Special Marriage Act, passed 6 decades ago, not confer the right of choosing a spouse irrespective of any identity?

Many political, economic and social factors have enabled shocking writs of Khaps to be the last word.  Such is their hold on social psyche that their diktats turn blood relatives into savage murderers while officials turn a blind eye.

Honour Rides on Women

            Human Rights Watch defines "honor killings" as acts of vengeance, usually death, committed by male family members against female family members, who are held to have brought dishonor upon the family. A woman can be targeted by  her family for a variety of reasons, including: refusing to enter into an arranged marriage, being the victim of a sexual assault, seeking a divorce—even from an abusive husband—or (allegedly) committing adultery.

             An Amnesty International statement adds that the regime of honour is unforgiving.  Women on whom suspicion has fallen are not given an opportunity to defend themselves, and family members have no socially acceptable alternative but to remove the stain on their honour by attacking the woman.

Although reported in all parts of the World, West and South Asia have been particularly notorious.  Women's groups in the Middle East and Southwest Asia suspect that more than 20,000 women are honor killed each year. Migrants from these regions have been found to indulge in it even in Western countries.

            In India, honour killings are practiced largely in the northwestern part in the states of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, especially among upper castes, as a result of people marrying without their family's acceptance, and sometimes for marrying outside their caste or religion. Alarmed by the rise of honor killings, the Supreme Court of India issued notices to the Central Government and six states to take preventive measures against honor killings.

Khap Panchayats

            Khap panchayats are social organizations of clans and gotras dating back to 600 AD. Historically they played an important role in amicably settling disputes before the advent of judiciary. They comprise representatives of 12 villages each and are headed by a Sarva Khap comprising representatives of 300 khaps. These khaps are clustered in the states of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

They are distinct from the panchayats under the constitution and do not have any legal standing. In fact, Supreme Court has heavily criticized them for promoting honour killing and highlighted the need to stamp out the feudal psyche they espouse.

            Today they strive to uphold the traditional values of their society. The most important among which is preventing intra-gotra marriage. The term ‘gotra’ refers to people belonging to the same clan. The origin of the word, according to historians, is in the Vedic period. ‘Gotra’ then meant a cowshed where cows of a single clan were tethered. In later times it became an important identity and sharing of ‘gotra’ now meant having the same lineage.

            The khap panchayats believe that members of the same khaps are siblings marital relations between whom is incest. Hence they have taken up the mission of preventing it. At times they have carried the agenda further by disallowing same and adjoining village marriages and marriages into one’s mother and even grandmother!

            Contrary to popular perception, the khap panchayats themselves don’t kill. Instead they build tremendous social pressure on the parents of ‘erring’ couples to kill them and wash the ‘stains on their honour.’ Ordering boycotts, stopping of business transactions, forcefully banishing etc are some of the social punishments inflicted on helpless parents.

            They often cite science saying inbreeding leads to genetic disorders to justify their diktats. But from the foregone analysis and from research of scholars  it is evident that the couples are hardly connected to each other for this to be true. Also cross cousin marriages and uncle- niece marriages in some Southern states have not showed any such problems.

Reasons for Regressive Outlook

            The area of Khap Panchayats overlaps with the area of skewed sex ratio in India. The states of Haryana and Punjab are particularly infamous with the least sex ratio in adults as well as 0-6 age group.

Because of the dwindling number of women polyandry has become prevalent in many parts and buying women from other states as wives too is being practiced. This has created grave security concerns for women and their rights at home.

In this scenario, women have emerged as an asset for a Khap. The more the number of women in a Khap, the higher is its prestige thus turning women into a commodity. An intra-gotra is not only a prestige loss but also the loss of an asset. Hence to curb such occurrences and create a lesson for others Khap panchayats come down heavily on those erring.

Economy too has played its part. Due to Green Revolution there has been prosperity in the agricultural class unlike in other parts of the country. In addition, the opening of the economy has hugely benefitted this region due to its proximity to the capital. Infrastructure, industries, employment and education are available. With this has come the process of urbanization of small towns and villages and coming of modern values. Media has connected the youth with the World and increased their awareness about their rights.

As a result the youth, especially women, aren’t willing to be subjected to the whims of an ancient institution and demand to be masters of their destiny. This has created an unprecedented challenge for the Khaps struggling to come to terms with the changing society. Naturally, they have reacted with all the ferocity at its disposal.

Also since the challenge is from the so called ‘weaker sex’, male chauvinistic and feudal characteristics of the society have been unleashed leading to atrocities against women. This feudal psyche thrives on suppressing of women and modern values.

Reasons for Impunity

            The khaps are of tremendous political utility for leaders cutting across political lines. They have gigantic money and muscle power and can decisively influence the electorate. Hence no political leader can risk his career by antagonizing them. It is no wonder then no political leader has spoken against them.

            With their political bosses mum how can officials be expected to take on the khaps? Government machinery is often found turning a blind eye to such cases. For instance the police assigned to protect Manoj and Babli deserted them before they were murdered.

            Also since khaps themselves don’t kill it is very difficult to make its members culpable for homicide in a court of law. Even establishing the social pressures they created on the families is an uphill task. As a result conviction rates are low.

            Flaws in our judicial system have also played a role in abetting such crimes. Huge pendency of cases, appeals, frequent stays, expensive legal aid, burden of proof on prosecution, low conviction rate etc result in miscarriage of justice. As a result the prestige of khaps as a parallel dispute settlement system has increased and has banished the fear of law from the minds of criminals. The absence of any specific law defining ‘honour killings’ and placing the culpability of murder on abettors too has emboldened khaps.

Judicial and Legislative Efforts

            In March 2010, a Karnal district court sentenced the five perpetrators in the iconic Manoj-Babli honour killing case to be executed, the first time an Indian court had done so in an honour killing case. The khap head who ordered but did not take part in the killings received a life sentence.

            Subsequently,  government’s announced its intention to introduce amendments in IPC making ‘honour killings’ a separate offence along with a separate bill in the Parliament to make the khaps members who participate in such decisions liable for capital punishment.

            The Law Commission earlier this year came up with a draft legislation which seeks to make such acts cognisable, non-bailable and non-compoundable  offences and floated a consultation paper on khap panchayats and honour killings seeking public opinion on it. The Prohibition of Unlawful Assembly (interference with the freedom of matrimonial alliances) Bill, 2011 bill proposes that offences under the Act will be tried by special courts.

Solutions

·        A strong law defining ‘honour killings’ and recognizing it as a separate crime, must be passed at the earliest.

·        Highest punishment must be awarded to members who participated in decisions leading to ‘honour killings’.

·        Any khap found guilty of abetting crimes must be banned.

·        The 30 days period under the Special Marriage Act must be abolished.

·        Amending the Evidence Act to shift the burden of proof on the accused in cases of ‘honour killings.’

·        Strict action against public officials for omission or commission of acts leading to or during investigation of ‘honour killings.’

·        Police reforms

·        Special fast track courts for deciding cases.

·        Judicial reforms

But all these measures, albeit important, will not completely eradicate the problem as they target only the symptoms and not the deep rooted disease of our patriarchal society. Thorough women’s emancipation is the only panacea.

           

Abolish Capital Punishment

            The recent Delhi Gang rape and murder has left the entire nation shocked and livid. The youth has come out on the streets on an unprecedented scale. The clamour for capital punishment to the perpetrators of the barbaric crime is rising by the day. Politicians, activists, women organizations, students etc are asking for amending rape laws to make rapists liable to Capital Punishment.

            Even in such a charged atmosphere I staunchly believe that not only must we refrain from such amendments but also must do away with Capital Punishment completely. Before you slap charges of being insensitive or male chauvinistic on me, read the arguments favouring the aforesaid stand.

1.     Why make punishment easy for the perpetrators?

Death at the gallows comes within minutes and is an easy end for the criminal. On the other hand the victim’s dear ones suffer a lifetime trauma. Will the family of the recent Delhi case victim ever come out of the shock? Can the void created by the loss of their daughter ever be filled? Will they ever forget the brutal end their darling princess met?

Capital punishment is simply not commensurate with the crime. Offenders must suffer for a lifetime.

2.     Capital Punishment lacks deterrence value.

One may argue that there is a need to set an example for future offender. But did Maria Susairaj’s boyfriend, a naval officer, not know the punishment for murder? The fact is that only a miniscule of crimes is properly planned. Most crimes happen in the heat of things or in an inebriated state where the offender is not in the state of mind of thinking about the consequences. Also a large number of criminals have an unbalanced psyche.

Also in India the capital punishment is an exception and not a norm as per the ‘rarest of rare case doctrine’. Hence the argument of deterrence doesn’t hold good. Global studies too have revealed that the countries practicing capital punishment have shown a constant rate of crime implying little deterrence value of the practice.

3.     Possibility of an innocent being hanged.

‘Let a thousand criminals go scot free but not an innocent hanged’. The age old legal adage highlights the importance of saving an innocent from the noose. According to research in USA, between 1973 and 2005, 123 persons were released from death row when evidence of their innocence emerged. Another interesting study found out that by using DNA and other latest technology it was proved that several death sentences of the past were wrong.

One just can’t imagine the pain of an innocent person sentenced to death. In a Third World nation like ours we have to be doubly cautious since there are many weak sections in our society. They can’t make both ends meet leave aside fighting a prolonged legal battle.

Supporters of capital punishment may argue that we have a gradation of courts and free legal aid for them. But it must be noted that it is completely the skill of the defending attorney to prove the innocence of accused and such masters of trade come for a cost.

4.     Capital Punishment is not retribution for terrorists

The argument of Retribution i.e. punishing proportionately to the crime is often cited in favour of capital punishments, especially for terrorists, lacks sound reasoning. Can the single death of the terrorist be equivalent to the deaths of several innocent citizens? Furthermore an execution is what he wants and it makes him a hero for his likes. Instead a lifelong punishment that will make him repent his misdeeds

5.     Current Global Trend

World over there is strong trend towards abolishing this anachronistic practice. Close to 100 nations, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand, have abolished capital punishment and many resort to it only occasionally. In USA many states, lead by Michigan, have abolished it. In fact abolishing it is a major condition for being a European Union member.

As India rises to the International Leadership status she can’t practice a punishment that is globally considered as against human rights.

6.     State must not have the right to take life of citizens

Life is the most precious gift of the Creator and the state must not be warranted to take it away, lest the power might be abused. Although we have been fortunate but the experience of other third World nations highlights the plausibility of such a fear.

7.     State and Society are responsible for birth of criminals to a certain extent

Often a person is transformed into a criminal because of his socio-economic predicament. There are glaring disparities in the society and denial of justice has bred criminal tendencies.

            The alternative then is to award rigorous imprisonment without parole to such criminals. Law must ensure that they spend their entire lifetime in jail. As regards the cost of maintaining them, they must be integrated in some business model to sustain their expenses.

            Rounding off, the abhorrent practice is an anachronism in the age of human rights. Rooted in revenge and hatred it is against the high civilizational values of our nation such as ‘hate the sin and not the sinner’. Hence it must be abolished completely.

An Epic Protest

                While in Washington DC, a visit to the Pennsylvania Avenue is a must on ever tourist’s itinerary.  Here one can click a photograph with the North Front of the majestic White House as the backdrop and seize one of those ‘I have been there moments’.

                As a delegate on the International Student Leaders Programme in 2007 I did the same. But as I posed, I saw a strange spectacle.

                Bang across the White House and within its proverbial stone’s throw distance was a small and ungainly tarpaulin makeshift structure. An elderly man with a pony tail and bushy beard sat there with placards, photographs, boxes, blankets etc cluttered around him.

                Bizarre that it was, I couldn’t resist the temptation of interacting with him. I walked across the street to know why and how this man was staying in such a high security zone.

 “Good morning”, I greeted him. “Good Morning Sir” he replied energetically. After exchanging some pleasantries and introducing myself I asked him the obvious question. William Thomas explained that he was an anti-nuclear activist protesting against the nuclear weapons since 1981 along with co-activist Concepcion Piccioto. Called the ‘White House Peace Vigil’, it is the longest uninterrupted war protest in US history.

I was amazed as to how the famed Secret Service that protects the President and Law Enforcement Authorities of DC allowed a round the clock protest so close to the White House. As per the laws, Thomas said, he could vigil in the Lafayatte Square but not camp i.e. he couldn’t sleep there and hence he wasn’t violating any law. Nonetheless he was arrested many times, had to face trials but was eventually let off.

By now I was in awe for the resolve of this man. He had endured extremes of weather, pollution, threats, abuses, arrests and court cases for 26 years to usher in a change he believed in. I asked him as to what kept him going for two and a half decades. He said the threat of a nuclear war and its fallouts for humanity motivated him to continue his mission. At this point he recollected his interactions with the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

As we chatted on varied topics such as the Start Treaty, the Indo-US Nuclear deal, Iraq war, nuclear arsenal with Israel, nuclear Iran etc.  I noticed the statue of Marquis de Lafayette behind Thomas. Mounted on a war horse with its forelegs in the air, he had his hat raised. For a moment I felt as if the gesture alluded respect from the fighter for liberty to the ‘iron willed’ Thomas.

                                            Statue of Marquis de Lafayette

Thomas passed away in 2009 but the vigil has been continued by fellow activist Concepcion Piccioto and others. Before leaving, I had jokingly asked Thomas if any of the Presidents had invited his ‘closest neighbor’ for dinner. He broke into guffaws and replied “None has and none will.”

As Barack Obama assumes office on 20^th January this year he will not be pressed with the agenda of a re-election. It would be interesting to see if the man who espouses ‘change’ takes note of this epic protest in his backyard and alters the nuclear policy of USA and nuclear states.

               

Hinoz Dehli Dur Ast

            We often hear and use idioms in our daily communication but rarely do we ponder over their origin. Many interesting legends lie behind them.

            One such idiom is ‘Hinoz Dehli Dur Ast’ (persian) or ‘Abhi Dilli dur hai’(hindi and urdu). It literally translates as ‘Delhi is still far away’ and its contextual meaning is ‘Your destiny is still miles away’. A cliché in political parlance, this idiom is often used as a rebuke to a rival, challenger or a foe’s ambitions or claims.

            Legend has it that this idiom was first uttered by Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya. He is a famous sufi saint who lived in Delhi during second half of 13^th century and first quarter of the 14^th, a period of great political upheaval and significance in Medieval India.

He saw seven sultans ascend the throne of Delhi Sultanat but never visited even a single court in line with the Chishtiya philosophy of staying aloof from politics. Known for his magnanimity, he distributed whatever gifts he received from the rich among the needy.

When Giyasuddin Tughlaq ascended the throne (1320), he asked Hazrat Nizamuddin to return all the gifts given by the last ruler of the previous Khalji dynasty. Hazrat replied that those were given to their rightful owners i.e. the poor. Livid at this reply, the founder of Tughlaq dynasty said that he would teach the saint a lesson once he returned to Delhi from his Bengal campaign. When this news reached Hazrat he calmly said ‘Hinoz Dehli Dur Ast’ or ‘Delhi is still far away’.

On his way back, Giyasuddin halted outside a day’s outside Delhi to review a march of his army. While he was on the stage, the thumping of elephants’ feet caused the stage to crash down, crushing him to a brutal death. Thus the Sultan couldn’t even step inside Delhi. Since then the line ‘Abhi Dilli dur hai’ became immortal.

                                               Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin in Old Delhi