From policeman to insanity

I stood on the pedestrian bridge just outside the shrine of Hazrat Data Gunj Bux holding my camera waiting with my friend for the arrival of Chairman Khan who was going to sign up new entrants to the party in the camp just below us as part of the two week membership drive of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Lahore. In the distance I could make out two minarets of the Badshahi mosque but the dust-filled haze of the noon atmosphere wiped the visibility of Minar-e-Pakistan.

I do not have a professional camera, but I have always felt the depth of history, culture, and human spirit in the areas of 'undroon' Lahore. The richness of this area unleashes equally rich emotions - creative, sorrowful, jubilant - a comprehensive kaleidoscope.

On that day I met a gentleman clothed in decades old rags wandering back and forth aimlessly across the bridge. He had a large unkempt beard and teeth with traces of dark horizontal lines running across them. Despite his unimpressive appearance, he remained in a consistently joyous and kind-hearted mood. In the center of the bridge he kept his belongings tied in a large dark green bed sheet. The value of the items must not have been significant for he would often wander down the stairs and randomly greet anyone passing by in the street below with a beaming smile for lengthy periods of time.

As I was taking pictures of some of the billboards of the area, he came up to me and asked to take his picture. He made some comments which I couldn't understand but I nodded in any case.

Then he said that he's not had a decent meal for a long time.

I said I was surprised at his comments as Data Sahib never lets anyone go hungry. He stated that the food from the shrine gives him an upset stomach and causes indigestion so he prefers better quality food.

Despite my reluctance to be convinced of his difficulties due to his dietary habits, he remained cheerful and did not stoop to begging.




I took a closer look at his name tag which happened to be a policeman's ID card. His name was Sarwar and it seemed he had an interesting story to tell about a journey from being a policeman and rising in the ranks to that of insanity. But before I could ask, Chairman Khan arrived with loud cheers and I rushed for the stairs leaving the ex-policeman contentedly stooping over the bridge to catch a glimpse of the national hero.