Tom Alter: A Whiteman Who Wrote and Spoke Impeccable Urdu

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 29 September 2022 In these times of linguistic chauvinism and Urdu being branded as the language of Muslims, I often remember actor and lover of Urdu, Tom Alter whose death anniversary falls on September 29. He shuffled off the mortal coil 5 years ago. I remember, when he departed, I wrote a tribute, Aap Mujhe Farsi Sikhayenge? The Tribune, Chandigarh carried my article. I still rue that I couldn't teach him Persian. Tom Alter ----- A fascinating character, who loved to converse in Urdu and would jot down Asha'ar in his cursive Nastaliq, Tom Alter was perhaps the most enthusiastic and serious lover of Urdu, I've ever met in life. His love and fondness for Urdu language was exemplary and a lesson to those who fret over languages. In these times, when most of the people are inarticulate in all languages, Tom's example can be an eye-opener. Son of American missionaries, Tom wrote and spoke Urdu better than many Muslims who proudly call themselves Ahle-Zabaan. A stickler for linguistic purity, Tom was a veritable purist who'd be irritated to hear the most obnoxious Punjabi-Bambiya Hindi syntax such as, 'Aap Kaise Ho' or 'Aap Khaana Khaa Lo' and would correct, please say, 'Aap Kaise HAIN' and 'Aap Khaana Khaa Leejiye.' He once told me, ' Hindi Aur Urdu Zabanein Roman Rasmul-Khat Mein Likhi Hi Nahin Jaa Sakteen' (Urdu and Hindi cannot be written in Roman script). He'd often ask, पहचान Lafz Ko Aap Roman Mein 'Pehcaan' Kaise Likh Sakte Hain? 'Pahchaan' Likhiye, 'Pehchaan' Nahin. कहते Ko KAHTE Likhiye, KEHTE Nahin. He had a perfect sense of transliteration (Naql-Harfi in Urdu and Lipyantaran in Hindi). Apropos, I also feel pukish when people ask me, Aap Kya Kar Rahe Ho or Aap Kab Aaoge? I always correct them: Aap Kya Kar Rahe HAIN or Aap Kab Aayenge? I've read and heard about Sir Hamilton Gibb (Laudian Professor of Arabic at Oxford) and Reynold K Nicholson ( Professor of Persian at Cambridge who taught Dr Muhammad Iqbal) conversing in native Arabic and Persian respectively and correcting Persian and Arabic of the native speakers. Tom was like them. He politely corrected Hindi and Urdu of people, but never condescended. He'd often ruefully comment, ' Ek Bhi Zabaan Theek Se Likhi-Boli Nahin Jaati. ‘I found his spoken Urdu to be better than that of the legendary English scholar of Urdu, Ralph Russell. By the way, the Englishman Russell, who passed away in 2008, was the greatest western authority on Mirza Ghalib. Whether it was Ghalib, Sahir or Azad, Tom enacted all characters with aplomb and always read his script in Urdu. His Sheen/Qaaf, Ain/ Ghain were just perfect. He didn't like frivolity and never used a Cellphone in his whole life. He had an aversion to mobile phones. Very few people are aware that he was a Sahab-e-Deewan and wrote poetry in Urdu. His famous couplet is often quoted by the connoisseurs of Urdu poetry: 'Chahat Ke Angaron Ko Sulagte Hi Rahne Do/ Kahin Ek Lamhe Ki Phoonk Se Aag Na Lag Jaaye.' Rare are such dedicated people nowadays. Lovers of Urdu language remember Tom in these horrific and linguistically abysmal times, when all languages have gone to dogs and no one cares for the nuances and finesse of any language. ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/tom-alter-whiteman-urdu/d/128060 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism