Opium and William Arnold Matthews

​Opium was the financial bedrock of the British Indian Empire during the 19th century, serving as the essential "third leg" in a massive global trade triangle involving India, China, and Britain.

​1. The Trade Triangle

​The British East India Company faced a massive trade deficit with China. Britain had an insatiable demand for Chinese tea, silk, and porcelain, but the Chinese had little interest in European manufactured goods.

• ​To avoid paying in silver (which was draining the British Treasury), the British grew opium in India.
• ​They sold it to China (despite it being illegal there) for silver.
• ​That silver was then used to buy tea for the British market.

​2. Revenue for the British Raj

​Opium was the second largest source of revenue for the British government in India, sometimes accounting for nearly 15–20% of total colonial income.

• ​The Bengal Monopoly (which included Ghazipur and Patna) allowed the government to control every stage of production—from providing advances to farmers to the final auction in Calcutta.
• ​This revenue funded the colonial administration, the massive Indian Army, and the expansion of the railways.

​3. Geopolitical Leverage

​The opium trade gave Britain immense power over the Qing Dynasty. When the Chinese government attempted to crack down on the illegal trade to save their population from addiction and prevent silver outflow, it led to the Opium Wars. The British victory resulted in:

• ​The opening of "Treaty Ports" in China.
• ​The ceding of Hong Kong to Britain.
• ​The legalization of the opium trade, ensuring a steady flow of wealth back to India and London.

​4. Industrialization of the Ganges

​The importance of opium led to the creation of massive "industrial cathedrals" like the factories in Ghazipur. These were some of the largest manufacturing units in the world at the time, employing thousands and creating a rigid administrative hierarchy of "Opium Agents" and "Sub-Agents" who managed the complex logistics of the monopoly.

One such family was the Matthews 

From Gloucestershire to the Golden Temple: A Century of Service and Speculation

​I. The Progenitors (The 18th Century Foundation)

• ​Captain Arnold Matthews (G1): The arrival of the family in the Bengal Presidency. Early service and the establishment of the family’s "Covenanted" status.
• ​Major Arnold Nesbitt Matthews (G2): The centerpiece of the lineage.
  • ​The Military Career: Service in the Bengal Native Infantry and the loss of his leg (The "Inconvenient Spy" persona).
  • ​The 1808 Lahore Mission: His role alongside Charles Metcalfe and the first documented European entry into the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) before its full gilding.
  • ​Legacy: His influence as a "Patriarch of Patronage" for his UK-based relatives.

​II. The "Planter" Branch (The Middle Ground)

• ​The Gloucestershire-Kent Pipeline: How the wealth of the military officers flowed back to Cromhall and Down Ampney, only to return to India through "second sons."
• ​William Arnold Matthews (1819–1871):
• ​Origins: Born in Walmer, Kent; moved to the mofussil.
• ​The Indigo Phase: His life in Jaunpur and Ghazipur, managing "Concerns" alongside "distant cousins."
• ​The Administrative Pivot: His transition from the private "Planter Raj" to the official "Bureaucratic Raj" as a Deputy Collector of Salt Revenue.
• ​Personal Life: The connection to Janakee and the mention of his daughter Harriet in family probate records

This "Master Biography" tracks the life of William Arnold Matthews from his origins in the English countryside to his final days on the salt frontiers of the Punjab.

​The Life and Times of William Arnold Matthews (1819–1871)

​A Master Biography of the Matthews Dynasty: From Indigo Vats to the Salt Range

​I. Foundations and Origins (1819–1839)

​1819: Birth at Walmer, Kent

​William Arnold Matthews was born in Walmer, Kent, a coastal town near Deal. Though born in Kent, his lineage was deeply rooted in the Gloucestershire gentry, specifically the villages of Cromhall and Down Ampney. He was born into a family already saturated with the lore of the East India Company (HEIC).

​The Shadow of the Patriarchs

​His heritage was defined by two preceding generations of military service:

• ​Captain Arnold Matthews (G1): The pioneer of the family in the Bengal Army.
• ​Major Arnold Nesbitt Matthews (G2): William’s influential relative (likely an uncle or first cousin once removed). Major Arnold was the "Golden Temple Pioneer" who had lost a leg in service (possibly at the Battle of Delhi) and had famously entered the Harmandir Sahib in 1808 during the Metcalfe Mission.

​The "Arnold" Honorific

​The naming of William with "Arnold" as a middle name was a strategic genealogical marker. It signaled his connection to the wealth and patronage of Major Arnold Nesbitt Matthews, which would later serve as his "social capital" when seeking credit and positions in India.

​II. The "Merchant Prince" Phase: Indigo and Opium (1840–1864)

​c. 1840: Arrival in the North-Western Provinces

​Unlike his military forebears, William arrived in India not as a commissioned officer, but as a "Free Mariner" or private settler. He gravitated toward the "Golden Triangle" of the North-Western Provinces: the districts of Ghazipur, Jaunpur, and Gorakhpur.

​The Indigo Vats of Jaunpur

​William established himself in the Indigo trade. This was a world of "Interlopers"—private British planters who operated outside the Company’s official hierarchy but within its social protective umbrella.

• ​Social Network: He lived in the mofussil (countryside), moving between the military messes of the Bengal Native Infantry (BNI) and the expansive bungalows of fellow planters like the Pughs, Venables, and Toms.
• ​Kinship Labor: During this period, William worked alongside "distant cousins" who were also in the indigo business. This created a Matthews "syndicate" that pooled resources and managed multiple "Concerns" (factories).

​The Opium Connection: Ghazipur

​While indigo was his private venture, William’s life was tethered to the Ghazipur Opium Agency (est. 1820).

• ​Industrial Symbiosis: The Matthews family utilized the security of the military (provided by the BNI) to protect the trade routes. As a planter, William was part of the social elite that socialized with the "Opium Agents"—senior covenanted officials who managed the state monopoly of "Black Gold" bound for China.
• ​The Social Nexus: Recurrent visits to the Ghazipur Opium Factory and participation in the local Masonic Lodges cemented his status as a key figure in the district’s industrial archaeology.

​1857: The Great Uprising

​During the Mutiny, the social network William had built was put to the ultimate test. Like many planters in the Jaunpur and Ghazipur districts, he would have relied on the "Planters' Volunteer Corps" and the fortified indigo factories to survive the collapse of British authority in the rural hinterlands.

​III. The Great Pivot: Migration to the Punjab (1865–1870)

​c. 1865: Leaving the East

​By the mid-1860s, the "Indigo Raj" was in decline due to market volatility and social unrest. William made a radical professional move. Leveraging his family’s long-standing connection to the Punjab (stemming from Major Arnold Nesbitt’s 1808 mission), he transitioned from private industry to government service.

​Appointment to the Salt Revenue Department

​William joined the Uncovenanted Civil Service as a Deputy Collector of Salt Revenue. He was dispatched nearly 800 miles northwest to Jhelum.

​The Salt Range and the "Great Hedge"

​Jhelum was the administrative heart of the Salt Range.

• ​The Mission: His role was to oversee the extraction and taxation of "White Gold" from the massive mines like Khewra.
• ​The Inland Customs Line: William was part of the massive bureaucratic machine that managed the "Great Hedge"—a 2,500-mile barrier designed to prevent salt smuggling. His experience managing rural labor in the indigo fields of Jaunpur made him uniquely qualified to manage the rugged salt districts of the Punjab.

​IV. Final Days and Legacy (1871)

​August 6, 1871: Death in Jhelum

​William Arnold Matthews died in Jhelum (modern-day Pakistan) at the age of 52.

​The Burial and "Ethnicity" Mystery

​He was buried on August 7, 1871. Curiously, a clerical error in one burial register listed his ethnicity as "American." This is widely considered a transcription error for "Armenian" or a misreading of "Walmer" or another English locality. All genealogical evidence confirms his British identity and Gloucestershire roots.

​The Will of 1871: The "Smoking Gun"

​William’s probate records serve as the definitive map of his life’s social network:

• ​Janakee: A codicil in his will acknowledges his domestic life with a woman named Janakee, reflecting the "middle ground" of his personal life in the districts.
• ​Harriet: He mentions Harriet (likely the daughter of Major Arnold Nesbitt Matthews), linking his estate back to the "Golden Temple" branch of the family.
• ​The Indigo Cousins: He leaves instructions regarding his "distant cousins" still active in the Jaunpur and Ghazipur indigo trade, proving that even in the Punjab, his financial heart remained with the industrial vats of the East.

​V. Historical Significance for the Manuscript

​William Arnold Matthews represents the "Industrial Matthews"—the generation that transitioned from the muskets of the 18th century to the vats and salt mines of the 19th. His life provides a window into:

1. ​Industrial Transition: The move from private cash crops (Indigo) to state monopolies (Opium/Salt).
2. ​Geographical Expansion: The British move from the heart of the Ganges plain into the newly annexed frontier of the Punjab.
3. ​The Social Network: How a single family from Gloucestershire could effectively "colonize" multiple sectors of the Indian economy through a web of military patronage and private enterprise.

​Research Summary 

• ​Full Name: William Arnold Matthews
• ​Lifespan: 1819–1871
• ​Primary Locations: Walmer (UK), Jaunpur/Ghazipur (UP), Jhelum (Punjab).
• ​Primary Roles: Indigo Planter, Deputy Collector of Salt Revenue.
• ​Key Kinship: Major Arnold Nesbitt Matthews (Patriarch); Janakee (Partner); Harriet (Relation/Beneficiary).

White Mutiny of 1809

The account found in the Star of Mysore describes a fascinating and historically accurate event known as the White Mutiny of 1809 (or the Madras Officers' Mutiny).

​However, there is a significant chronological error regarding Josiah Webbe’s personal involvement in that specific year that you should be aware of for your research.

​1. The Historical Fact vs. The Timeline

​While the rebellion itself is a well-documented and "forgotten" crisis, Josiah Webbe could not have suppressed the 1809 mutiny because he died in 1804.

​The Star of Mysore article likely refers to the Vellore Mutiny (1806) or a general period of unrest where Webbe's influence was felt, but the "Great White Mutiny" of 1809 occurred five years after his death. 

​2. The White Mutiny of 1809: What Actually Happened

​The events described—the rebellion spreading to Chitradurga and Srirangapatna—are entirely true. It was a bizarre and dangerous moment where British officers turned against their own Governor, Sir George Barlow.

• ​The Cause: The officers were furious over the removal of financial perks (the "Tent Contract") and felt insulted by Barlow's rigid leadership.

• ​The Epicenters: As you noted, the mutiny was most severe in Srirangapatna, where officers seized the fort and the treasury.

• ​The Local Perception: Because the mutineers were British, local citizens and even some officials were confused. In Srirangapatna, it appeared as though a civil war had broken out between the "King’s troops" and the "Company’s troops."
• ​Dewan Purniah’s Role: This is the most accurate part of the story. Purniah was indeed the "trouble-shooter." He was under immense pressure; the mutineers wanted him to support them with Mysore's resources. Purniah remained staunchly loyal to the British Government (the Crown), and his letters were crucial in proving that the Maharaja of Mysore was not part of the rebellion.

​3. The Bloodshed at Srirangapatna

​The mutiny ended violently near the very spot where the Webbe Memorial stands.

• ​The Skirmish: Rebel troops marching from Chitradurga to join the Srirangapatna garrison were intercepted by the King’s 25th Dragoons (under Lt. Col. Gibbs) and Mysore Silahdar horsemen.

• ​The Tragedy: Hundreds of sepoys (who were simply following their British officers' orders) were killed in the ditches of Srirangapatna.

​4. Why the Confusion?

​The article likely conflates the Webbe Memorial (built in 1805) with the 1809 Mutiny because they happened in the same geographical space.

• ​The memorial was built by Purniah to honor Webbe’s earlier friendship (1799–1804).
• ​By the time the 1809 mutiny broke out, the obelisk was already standing as a symbol of the very "loyalty and alliance" that Purniah used to distance the Maharaja from the rebel officers

The Industrial Heart of the "Niagara of Karnataka": The 1887 Legacy of Gokak Falls

If you’ve ever stood on the edge of the 170-foot drop at Gokak Falls, you know the sheer, thunderous power of the Ghataprabha River. But for those who look closely at the red sandstone buildings flanking the gorge, there is a mystery carved into the stone: "G.W.P. & M. Co. 1887."

This isn't just a factory; it is a monument to one of the most daring engineering feats of the 19th century.

1887: A Date with Destiny

The year 1887 marks the official commencement of the Gokak Water Power & Manufacturing Company. While the British were busy mapping the subcontinent, a group of visionary engineers and merchants—led by Henry Campbell and the Forbes family—saw something more than just a waterfall. They saw a high-pressure energy source that could power a textile empire.

The Engineering Marvel: Taming the Head

From an engineering perspective, Gokak is a "High Head" project. Because the water drops a staggering 170 feet vertically, engineers didn't need a massive volume of water to generate power; they needed velocity.

To harness this, they installed Pelton Wheels. Unlike traditional water wheels, Pelton wheels use high-velocity nozzles to blast water against "buckets" on a wheel. This converts the kinetic energy of the falling water into mechanical rotation with incredible efficiency.

By maximizing the "Head" , they were able to generate massive torque, which was then transferred to the mill via a Mechanical Rope Drive. Before electricity was the standard, a web of massive cotton ropes and pulleys spanned the gorge, physically pulling the energy from the river into the spinning frames of the factory.

A Global Logistical Puzzle

How did these massive iron machines—the turbines, the flywheels, and the spindles—get to a remote gorge in the Deccan in the 1880s?

The journey was a triumph of logistics:

• The Source: Almost all the machinery was manufactured in the industrial hubs of Manchester and Leeds, UK.

• The Sea Voyage: Crates were shipped via the newly opened Suez Canal, arriving at the ports of Bombay or Vengurla.

• The Bullock Marathon: Since the Southern Mahratta Railway was still in its infancy, the final leg of the journey was done by "brute force." Massive teams of bullocks and elephants hauled the iron components over the rugged Western Ghats on specialized heavy-duty trolleys.

• The Descent: To get the machinery into the powerhouse at the base of the falls, engineers used manual winches and block-and-tackle systems to lower them hundreds of feet down the cliff face.

The Men Behind the Name: Forbes and Campbell

The "Forbes" in the company's later name, Forbes Gokak, traces back to Sir Charles Forbes, a Scottish merchant who became a legendary figure in Bombay. His family’s mercantile network provided the financial backbone, while Henry Campbell provided the technical grit.

By the time the site transitioned to full hydroelectricity in the early 20th century, it had already secured its place as the first hydroelectric project in India, predating larger commercial ventures by nearly two decades.

A Living History

Today, the red sandstone buildings—constructed from local quarries—still stand as a testament to "Industrial Gothic" architecture. They blend the ruggedness of the Karnataka landscape with the precision of Victorian engineering.

Next time you cross the 201-meter-long suspension bridge at Gokak, look toward the mills. You aren't just looking at a factory; you’re looking at the birthplace of India’s modern industrial energy.

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India's first hydroelectric project - The engineering feat at Gokak Falls

 

The engineering feat at Gokak Falls in the 1880s was a masterclass in colonial-era logistics and fluid mechanics. To appreciate it, you have to look at it through the lens of a "High Head" project—where the power comes from the height of the fall rather than the volume of the water.

The Engineering Logic: Head vs. Flow

Because Gokak had a significant vertical drop (high head), the engineers could generate massive torque using relatively compact machines called Pelton Wheels. Unlike a traditional water wheel that sits in a stream, a Pelton wheel uses high-pressure nozzles to blast water at "buckets" on a wheel, converting the kinetic energy of the falling water into mechanical rotation with incredible efficiency.

The Logistics: From Manchester to the Deccan

The machinery you see in those old mills didn't come from nearby; it was a global logistical puzzle involving thousands of miles of sea and rail.

1. The Source: The Industrial Heartlands

Almost all the heavy ironwork—the turbines, the massive 10-foot pulleys, and the spinning frames—were manufactured in the UK. Specifically:

• Manchester and Leeds: The world centers for textile machinery (firms like Platt Brothers or Mather & Platt).

• Switzerland/Germany: Often the source for early specialized turbine designs (like Escher Wyss), though many British firms licensed these designs.

2. The Sea Route

The machines were crated and shipped via the Suez Canal (which had only opened in 1869, making this project possible). They would arrive at the Port of Bombay or sometimes Mormugao (Goa).

3. The Rail Challenge

By the mid-1880s, the Southern Mahratta Railway (SMR) was being laid across the Deccan. The heavy crates were loaded onto steam-powered trains and hauled to the nearest railhead, which was often several miles away from the actual gorge.

4. The "Last Mile" Brute Force

This was the most grueling part. There were no heavy-lift cranes or paved roads in Gokak in 1887.

• Bullock Carts & Elephants: For the final trek from the railhead to the cliff edge, massive teams of bullocks (sometimes 20-30 pairs for a single boiler or turbine) were used.

• Steam Traction Engines: Occasionally, "Road Locomotives" (massive steam engines on wheels) were imported to haul the heaviest iron castings over the rugged Belgaum terrain.

• Winches and Pulleys: To get the machinery down into the powerhouse at the base of the falls, engineers used a series of massive manual winches and block-and-tackle systems, literally lowering the heart of the mill into the gorge by hand.

The Mechanical "Internet": Rope Drive Transmission

One of the most fascinating engineering choices was how they moved power from the turbine at the bottom to the mill at the top. Before high-voltage copper wires were standard, they used Rope Drives.

Instead of one single belt, they used dozens of heavy, treated cotton ropes running in parallel grooves on massive flywheels. This system was quieter, safer, and more efficient at dampening the vibrations of the water's "pulse" compared to the gear systems of the time.

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The fact that these machines—shipped from halfway around the world and hauled by animals over dirt tracks—are still part of a functional industrial site today is a testament to the over-engineering and durability of that era.

The logistics of the Gokak Mills project in 1887 were a triumph of Victorian-era engineering over the geography of the Deccan. While Ritchie Stewart & Co. (under the direction of Henry Campbell) were the primary managing agents and "movers," the actual movement of heavy machinery from Britain to the Ghataprabha river was a multi-stage ordeal involving several key maritime and rail entities.

The Forwarding and Managing Agents

In the Bombay records of the late 19th century, Ritchie Stewart & Co. (est. 1818) is the name most associated with the project's inception. They acted as the central node for financing and logistics.

In 1903, they merged with Forbes & Co. (est. 1767) to form Forbes Forbes Campbell & Co. Ltd. This firm essentially functioned as the "forwarding agent" of record, utilizing their existing shipping networks (often linked to the P&O and British India Steam Navigation Company) to bring the heavy Pelton wheels and textile machinery from Manchester and Glasgow to the Indian coast.

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The Logistical Route: "The Vengurla Gateway"

Because the Southern Mahratta Railway (SMR) had not yet reached the Gokak Road station in 1887, a direct rail-to-mill route was impossible. The logistics were handled via two primary paths:

• The Sea Route (Vengurla): Much of the heaviest machinery was shipped via coastal steamers from Bombay to the port of Vengurla (in present-day Maharashtra).

• The Bullock Cart Marathon: From Vengurla, the equipment was loaded onto specialized heavy-duty trolleys and pulled by teams of bullock carts through the rough, hilly terrain of the Western Ghats. This journey frequently took several months for a single large component.

• The River Crossing: Before the permanent bridges were completed, machinery was ferried across the Ghataprabha River using pontoons.

The Engineering Challenge at Gokak

The site was a sheer hill of hard rock, which necessitated an extraordinary amount of manual labor to excavate. The 1887 equipment specifically consisted of:

• The 250 HP Pelton Wheel: An impulse-type water wheel that converted the kinetic energy of the falls into mechanical power.

• The Rope-Drive Transmission: Unlike modern powerhouses that use copper wire, the 1887 mill used a massive line of transmission—huge pulley wheels and ropes that stretched across an "extraordinary length" to drive 6,000 spindles directly.

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Logistics Records Checklist

If you are looking through Bombay Port Trust or SMR archives, look for these specific entities:

Entity	Role in 1887 Project
Ritchie Stewart & Co.	Managing Agents and Lead Logisticians.
Southern Mahratta Railway (SMR)	Handled the inland rail leg as the line expanded toward Miraj.
Western Deccan Railway	The specific branch of the SMR serving the Belgaum region.
Forbes & Co.	Financial partners who later became the primary agents.
Escher Wyss / Gilbert Gilkes	Potential manufacturers of the turbine/Pelton components (often shipped from Switzerland/UK).

The sheer difficulty of this feat is why the project surpassed almost anything of its kind in the world at the time.

#GokakFalls #IndustrialHeritage #KarnatakaHistory #EngineeringMarvels #HydroelectricPower #VintageEngineering #ExploreKarnataka #IndianHistory #ForbesGokak #1887 #NiagaraOfKarnataka #TravelIndia #HeritageSites

 

by Iqbal Azeem

mujhe apne zabt pe naaz thaa, sar-e-bazm raat ye kya hoa
meri aaNkh kaise chalak gai, mujhe ranj hai ye bura hoa

meri zindagi ke chiragh ka, ye mizaj koi niya nahi
abhi rooshni, abhi teergi, na jala hoa na bujha hoa

mujhe jo bhe dushman-e-jaaN mila, wohi pukhta kaar-e-jafa mila
na kisi ke zarb ghalat pari, na kisi ka teer khata hoa

mujhe aap quN na samhaj sake ye khud apne dil se he pouchiye
meri daastan-e-hayat ka to warq warq hai khula hoa

jo nazar bacha ke guzer gai mere samne se abhi abhi
ye mere shehar ke loug thaay, mere ghar se ghar hai mila hoa

humaiN is ka koi bhe haq nahi ke shareek-e-bazm-e-khuloos hooN
na humare paas naqab hai, na kuch aasteeN mai chupa hoa

mere aik ghosha-e-fikr maiN, meri zindagi se azeez ter
mera aik aisa bhe dost hai, jo kabhi mila na juda hoa

mujhe aik gali maiN para hoa, kisi bad'naseeb ka khat mila
kaNhi khoon-e-dil se likha hoa, kaNhi aaNsooN se mita hoa

mujhe hum safar bhe mila koi to shikasta haal meri tarah
kai manziloN ka thaka hoa, kaNhi raaste maiN luta hoa

humaiN apne ghar se chalay hoye, sar-e-raah umer guzer gai
koi justuju ka sila mila, na safar ka haq he adaa hoa

i was travelling in a train from delhi to trichur which takes about 3 days roughly.with plenty of time to get bored of i decided to go to the magazine vendor on the platform of delhi station.after a prelimnary round of quick rummaging through the often seen novels and magazines i decided to call it off when i noticed a hindi magazine called "MADHUR KATHAEN" with almost B grade style coverpages and the worst kind of paper a magazine can be published on.i found an english version of the magazine too and its title was "CRIME AND DETECTIVE".for a person who hails from southindia this genre of literature is virtually unknown in south(though one may recall publications like HAI BENGALURU but believe me the diffrence between them is like biryani and plain rice).it contains true stroies of crime often but not always relating to sexual offences.after reading the magazine i couldnt put it into one category but it was somewhere between voyeurism and forensic sciences.i also read the english version of it,with one article that was published in the TANK MAGAZINE OF LONDON praising the original hindi version as well as the english one.soon i was engrossed in one of the stories where the protagonist commits a murder of his girlfriend and when the police arrest him,he was found to be sustaining on alcohol,cigarettes and a cassette of DIL JALTA HAI TO JALNE DE.here is the song on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gma4cQhKhUM
Film: Pehli Nazar (1945)
Singer: Mukesh
Music Director: Anil Biswas
Lyricist: Aah Sitapuri

dil jalata hai to jalane de
aansu na baha fariyaad na kar
dil jalata hai to jalane de

tu parada nasheen ka aashiq hai
yoon naam-e-vafa barabaad na kar
dil jalata hai to jalane de

maasoom najar ke teer chala
bismil ko bismil aur bana
ab sharm-o-haya ke parade mein
yoon chhup chhup ke bedaad na kar
dil jalata hai to jalane de

ham aas lagaaye baithe hain
tum vada karake bhool gaye
ya soorat aake dikha jaao
ya kaha do hamako yaad na kar
dil jalata hai, dil jalata hai, dil jalata hai

not only is the song perfectly woven in words but also gets the credit for launch of MUKESH in his music career with the film PEHLI NAZAR.

I AM ALIVE YET!

a fine poem by a person called sudarshan fakir


in the daily mundane routines of our life sooner or later there comes a point where i say to myself AM I EVEN ALIVE?the same getting up in the morning,the same obligations to everyone,the same process of processing my thoughts,the same sorrows, the same guilts,the same happiness,the same sleep....the list goes on.


NO I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT BEING DEPRESSED HERE.im talking about repetition.this repitition has led to such a change in his life that there are no UPCOMINGS in his life.the surface of his prsonality has become FROSTED with a layer beneath which lies a pulsating demon packed with energy and bubbling with life.

the poet very emphatically concludes with "oh im resting myself and maybe im dreaming but the world shouldnt mistake me for a cold dead piece of meat. I WILL BE BACK WITH A BANG!"

kisi ranjish ko hawa do ki main zinda hun abhi (ranjish=enmity)
mujhko ahsaas dila do ki main zinda hun abhi (ahsaas=feel)

mere rukne se meri saans bhi ruk jaayegi
faasle aur badha do ki main zinda hun abhi

zehar peene ki to aadat thi zamaane walon
ab koi aur dava do ki main zinda hun abhi

chalti raahon me yunhi aankh lagi hai faakir
bheed logon ki hata do ki main zinda hun abhi

Na mei moman vich masetan Neither I am a believer (who stays) in a mosque
Na main vich kufar dian reetan Nor do I indulge in actions of disbelief
Na main pakan vich paleetan Nor am I the pure one amongst the impure

Na main andar bed kitaban Neither I exist in books of Vedh
Na main rehnda phaang sharaban Nor do I stay drunk
Na main rehnda mast kharaban Nor do I remain stoned, rotting

Na main shadi na ghamnaki Neither I am happy nor sad
Na mei vich paletan pakeen Nor am I in the (argument of) Purity and Impurity
Na main aaabi na main khaki Neither I am (made) of water nor of earth

Na main aatish na main paun Nor am I fire nor air
Bulla ki jana main kaun Bulla, who knows who I am?
Bulla ki jana main kaun Bulla, who knows who I am?
Bulla ki jana main kaun Bulla, who knows who I am?
Bulla ki jana main kaun Bulla, who knows who I am?

Na main arabi na lahori Neither I am Arabic nor Lahori
Na main hindi shehar Nagaori Nor am I (resident of) the Indian City Nagaori
Na hindu na turk pashauri Nor Hindu nor Turk Peshaweri

Na main bhet mazhab de paya Neither I found the secret of religion
Na main aadam hawwa jaya Nor did understand Adam and Eve
Na koi apna naam dharaya Nor did I create a name for myself

Avval aakhar aap nu jana From beginning to end, I tried to understand myself
Na koi dooja hor pacchana I did not come to know of anyone else
Mai ton na koi hor syana I am not just another wise one

Bulle shah kharha hai kaun Bulla Shah, who is this standing?
Bulla ki jaana main kaun Bulla, who knows who I am?
Bulla ki jaana main kaun Bulla, who knows who I am?
Bulla ki jaana main kaun Bulla, who knows who I am?
Bulla ki jaana main kaun Bulla, who knows who I am?

Na main moosa na pharon Neither I am Moses nor Pharoah
Na main jagan na vich saun Neither I am awake nor asleep
Na main aatish na main paun Neither I am fire nor Air
Na main rahnda vich Nadaun Nor do I live among fools
Na main baitthan na vich bhaun Neither I am sitting nor am I in a tornado

Bulle shah kharha hai kaun Bulla Shah, who is this standing?
Bulla ki jana main kaun Bulla, who knows who I am?
Bulla ki jana main kaun Bulla, who knows who I am?
Bulla ki jana main kaun Bulla, who knows who I am?
Bulla ki jana main kaun Bulla, who knows who I am?


Bulla ki jana main kaun Bulla, who knows who I am?
Bulla ki jana main kaun Bulla, who knows who I am?
Bulla ki jana main kaun Bulla, who knows who I am?
Bulla ki jana main kaun Bulla, who knows who I am?

finally i get the meaning of the BULLA KI JAANA MAIN KAUN sung by so many people- Wadali brothers, Junoon,Rabbi Shergil..etc

no wonder this is such a popular song.it gives an exact description of the state in which iam.although the whole song is based on dualities...which are most of the times the opposite of one another in the bewildering arrangements of this world.the most awesome part of the poem is the frustration expressed in the lines

Avval aakhar aap nu jana From beginning to end, I tried to understand myself
Na koi dooja hor pacchana I did not come to know of anyone else
Mai ton na koi hor syana I am not just another wise one

the poet is being brutally true to himself along with the expression of irony which fate or luck (or whatever if ever) in his being a not-knowing-the-self person(due to his being a low intellect or the material of the self being too complex for him to understand),seems as much true with me as it is with him.
the ultimate question of WHAT AM I? is immortalized in the contradictions and HUMANLY stopped at the same point at which it started(a question of who is this MYSELF standing?),questioning in turn the vanity of the effort of writing the poem in the first place(and of course my comments on the poem too).