Singing the Unsung - Interviewing Grandmother

We often celebrate our heroes. But those behind the making of these heroes remain unsung. I decided to interview my grandmothers. They have played an important role in my father’s life and then in mine. I keep on learning from them and want to share it as far as it can go. 

Sharing a little bit of the background is important. Dad’s own mother passed away before he started walking. His aunts(Khalas) took care of him. Most important role was of the one I interviewed here. She was the one whom he was with, all the time. Even in the school hours. He went to school with her, she was the headmistress of the school at the time. 

From formal to informal; I have learned from her in every field of life. From PT shows and speech competitions in the school to cooking in the kitchen. The first ever dish I made was in her supervision and the first roti I made was for daadi.

She’s also the mother of Pakistani Cricket Team Captain, Misbah ul Haq. And has often been interviewed but this one is an insight into her own life. 

Here it goes..

Iqra: Daadi it is International Women’s Day today. And I am going to interview you. I want to share on my blog about your life, both personal and professional. 

Daadi: Okay.

Iqra: You’ve been into sports. Which has inspired me. Tell us, which one was your favourite?

Daadi: I Played Badminton, Basketball, Net ball, Javelin throw, Shortcut throw, Discus throw in athletics. I used to participate in chatty race and obstacle race as well. I was first in my district in High Jump and Long Jump.

Iqra: What is the importance of outdoors?

Daadi: Outdoors are very important. They give confidence and play a significant role in character building. It gives you resistance, sportsman spirit, tolerance, punctuality and increases intelligence. It also enhances confidence and if one is active in outdoors, one does so well in studies, at least for me outdoors have always been high in rating because it helped me to freshen up when I was bored of studying. So I could go back to books with a fresh mind and spirit.

Iqra: How does sports increase intelligence?

Daadi: Well, one has to deal with different situations during the game. A game takes abrupt and unexpected turns every now and then. And one has to use the brains, the creativity according to those situations. This increases intelligence. It prepares you for life.

Iqra: Your opinion on cricket, generally? 

Daadi: You see sports is a healthy activity. It gives many qualities like perseverance, punctuality, patience, feeling of competition and a spirit to excel. Cricketers need to make the most of it, they need to be more focused.

Iqra: Tell us about your education? What was it like, back then, in the 60s?

Daadi: In matriculation I studied Hygiene Physiology and Mathematics and got first division in my school. In FSc I was 3rd because I focused more on extra-curricular activities. Especially in the college hours. In BSc I had high second division. And in MA I remember, I wrote about Iqbal's philosophy of self. In Lahore College I was second on merit list. Nowadays getting good grades in very easy but it wasn't, back then. Unfortunately woman education was not common so there was not much competition.

Iqra: Your favourite subject? And why?

Daadi: My favourite subject was physics. I don't really remember why because I have mostly been on administrative positions. Even though I did teach Chemistry and Physics to college students.

Iqra: Did you make friends?

Daadi: Yes, with class fellows.

Iqra: What is the importance/role of education in a woman's empowerment?

Daadi: Very much important. There's nothing without education. Difference between educated and uneducated is like the difference between day and night. 

Iqra: Who were you close to? Mother or father? 

Daadi: I was close to both of them. Mother took care of our religious education and father used to take care of our academics. He checked our report cards, gave us practice etc.

Iqra: You were a single mother. What were the challenges? How did you cope with them?

Daadi: Well, even when he was alive I used to handle kids. Formal education was my responsibility and religious education was his responsibility. That is why it wasn't much of a problem to manage handling children. But still, life gave me a tough struggle. For the most part, as a widow and a working woman social pressures were there but I stayed strong. Never gave up!

Iqra: Your favourite writer?

Daadi: Iqbal! I am very much inspired by him I often reflect on his poems. They are timeless lessons on life. My most favourite is "chaand aur taaray" (In English: Stars and the moon). He says:

“Swift runs the shadowy steed of time
Lashed by desire’s whip into foam,

And there’s no loitering on that oath,
For hidden in repose lurks death:”

You see, Even if you reflect on one stanza you'll find volumes in it. Here he tells us that how important it is to be active in life. We are blessed with one and must lead it productively.

Iqra: How is today different than your times?

Daadi: Nowadays life is very fast. It is devoid of reality and more inclined towards superficiality. There is no kana'at in people which has created more problems. People could do in less in our times but today they can't. They want more and more.

Iqra: What is your message for new generation? What is your message for me, as your grand daughter? What do you want me to live by?

Daadi: Make a goal in life and to achieve it give in all your efforts. Remember, As a Muslim, live according the teachings of Islam. This is my biggest message for you. Life of our Prophet Muhammad's PBUH life is the best for humans to live by.  

With this I closed my notebook. I would like to add that her life wasn't smooth. But she was determined.