Happy Birthday my dear old man!
Born February 7, 1930, Garhi Shah Daula, Gujrat (Punjab), Pakistan,
of established Pakistani family with feudal and religious
credentials—descendants of the reverend saint-engineer Hazrat Shah Daulah
Daryae, Gujrati Punjabi. Died 6th of September 2012. known to me as Abbu Nasir was a very
dedicated scientist with so many
publications in Parasitology and some
humanistic publications. He definitely grew to be an exceptional scholar and
young adventurer.
Abbu Nasir was brought up in his maternal uncles'
Diwan Khana, in particular his maternal grand mother and one of the uncles
Hakim Pir Rashiduddaula, known to him as Abbaji (father), dotted on him. Pir
Nasir rolled in abundance so much so that he never had to suffer for want of
toys, clothes, stationery, books, tutors, maids or anything else he fancied. He
simply had to ask for it and was complied with.
After a distinguished academic career in
Pakistan, during which he was awarded a Gold Medal in M. Sc. (Zoology) from the
Government College, Lahore, he proceeded to the UK, where he completed his Ph.
D. in Parasitology at the Birmingham University, Birmingham, in a record two
and a half-year’s time in 1958. For a short time, he continued as a
post-doctoral research fellow at the same university. Thereafter he proceeded
to the USA where he also worked as a post-doctoral research fellow. He returned
to Pakistan in 1962 to serve his fatherland. However, he was painfully
disappointed only to land a non-scientific job as an Officer on Special Duty.
During a nine-month stay in Pakistan, hectic efforts notwithstanding he failed
to find a suitable opening. Eventually, he revived his contacts abroad and
three opportunities unfolded in Vancouver (Canada), Perth (Australia) and Universidad
de Oriente, Venezuela (South America). He opted for the latter not only due to
new horizons but also unlimited research facilities were promised. In places
where is work was not known. Abbu Nasir was very famous for his pipe, bald head
and outspoken character. There is no doubt in mind that everybody knew him in
the city of Cumana. Finally he spent twenty-seven years teaching and working on
research projects in Venezuela, where he retired as a full professor of
Parasitology in 1987. He then returned to his roots in Gujrat in 1990.
Abbu Nasir invited his cousin brother Prof. Pir
Syed Nasar Ud Daulah (my father) to join him in Venezuela since he found a very
promising country with lots of scope for a decent living. As soon as Dad found
a permanent job in Venezuela as a professor in Universidad de Oriente, with a
stupendous salary packet, facilities, pension scheme. He came for mom and us. I
was one and half years old, Bhaijan was 5. We lived together for some years,
but as the say in Venezuela “el casado casa quiere” who is married wants it own
house”. Dad got his own place. Living apart didn’t make any difference it was
only distance that came between us. My ties with Abbu Nasir and Ammi Bibi went
beyond just being a nephew for them, and I think more or less it was with all of us borthers
and sister.
He was not very fond of spending time doing home
works, playing, chatting, or watching TV with the children of the house, nor
was he a man of going to buy grocery for the house, or do some gardening. He
rather sit down in the basement (sotano) of the house where he had his office
cum library and write and read for hours. I do recalled him in once or two
times during the day coming out to the door of his beloved sotano and said:
“Farah!, can u make me some black coffee” then back to his chair. Ammi Bibi had
sometimes complaint about Abbu Nasir not giving time for the family. But deep
down she knew that his work had a very high priority in his life.
As I grew older my interaction with Abbu Nasir
was changing. He was more talkative and more interested in what I was doing. I
knew since long time that he was fond of playing chess. For some reason my
interest in chess was equally growing even playing for inter school
championships. One fine day I found myself playing with Abbu Nasir upon
insistence of Ammi Bibi. He did beat me of course in so many games that we
played. He had a unique style of playing and thinking the game. Before we both
realised it everybody was involved in playing against him, even Chachu Khalid
learned how to played by getting classes from a professional just to check mate Abbu Nasir. Suddenly for one reason or the other he stopped sharing
that moment anymore. May be it was too crowded. But I felt when we did play he
was having real fun, which was an anomaly in Abbu Nasir.
I did travel with him many times. One of the trip
that is going to be unforgettable is that one where we went to Pakistan. Ammi
Bibi, Ghaz, and myself. Everything for him was methodically; organized even to
order a meal in McDonalds had to be written in his cards so he won’t make a
mistake in the orders. Ghaz and me used to laugh out loud when after all his
perfection the order of Ammi Bibi came wrong. He used to sit us down Ghaz and
me a tell us stories of his students days which were like it came from an
adventure book. Those holidays were about 2 months long but at that time Ghaz
and me wished that it will last forever. We had fun seeing an Abbu Nasir not
seen by us, he really turned out to be very exciting person even for us.
I remember when Sarabjit got married his now wife
a Colombian national. Every Asian in the city of Cumana got the threat that
their kids will do the same a marry someone that is not form our customs and
religion. That year mom and dad decided to send Bhaijan and me to Pakistan to
get a feel of our native country. Fortunately for us Abbu Nasir and Ammi Bibi
were already retired and settled in Pakistan. Abbu Nasir was a complete changed
person that year. During our stay of 1 and half month he didn’t sit down to
write a note. I remembered he took us all over Pakistan. We had never travel
inside the country until that year. I bet Bhaijan will agree with me when I say
that one of the most memorable day in our lives was when we went to
Muszafarabad a town near the border of Azad Kashmir and Indian occupied
Kashmir. It was amazing to see the union of 2 rivers Jhelum and Chenab
together. We stayed in a old castle which was transformed into a hotel. What
made it unforgettable were not that fact of sitting out in cold and mist weather
by a fire drinking tea, but the spookiest stories of Abbu Nasir about his heydays
seeing ghosts in some of his so many adventures. It was so nice seeing Abbu
Nasir as a father.
 |
| Abbu Nasir and me in the mist of Muree. |
Lots of people knew him as Pir Nasir, Pir Saab,
Nasir, Dr. Nasir, but we as part of his family
knew Abbu Nasir. Who wanted to come out and be like any other man. I
guess his passion for his profession and career buried Abbu Nasir deep inside
so the scholar will remain till his last day of his life. But I will remember
Abbu Nasir who I used to see for almost all my life except those days where he
thought he’ll be detached from his own flesh and blood. I will remember Abbu
Nasir who ate half boiled egg every morning with his black mug of coffee. I
will remember Abbu Nasir who used to clean his golden parker pen, gold wedding
ring, glasses with his white handkerchief. I will remember Abbu Nasir who spends
hours writing in the sotano of the white house. I will remember Abbu Nasir who
used to call in the middle of the night “Peeneya zara avi” (Peeneya come). I
will remember Abbu Nasir with Ammi Bibi sitting in the garden of the house
waiting for us to come from school. I will remember Abbu Nasir dancing and
flerting with Ammi Bibi in the surrounding of his family. I will remember Abbu
Nasir the father of Ghazia Porzana who would do anything to get a smile on his little daughter’s face. I will cherish his
beloved figure of what he was to me “Abbu” Nasir.
Happy Birthday!
With lots of love!
DiL
No comments:
Post a Comment