Our Elders versus Yours

Our elders were the guardians of wisdom and patience. Their frail bodies and weak wrinkled hands held the threads of tradition, weaving tales of resilience and character. With tough circumstances but firm beliefs, they shared stories of struggle and triumph, imparting life's precious lessons to us. Their words, laced with experience, wit and compassion, guided us through life's labyrinth, teaching us to cherish simplicity, honor community, and be in close proximity with the natural world. They enlightened their surroundings with Hikmat (wisdom and sagacity) which is undoubtedly a great legacy that continues to illuminate our path even today-reminiving us the stark reality that the past is a precious bridge to the present.

   In maintaining health and well-being; before the advent of modern medicine, our forebears relied on time-tested practices to prevent diseases, rather than merely treating them. This proactive approach to healthcare was rooted in a profound understanding of nature, lifestyle, and community as those days there were hardly any doctors and hospitals around. The best doctors in any society were the elderly whose great experience was put into being to help people cure different diseases. These elderly who spent most of their time with Ibad’ah (worshipping Allah) would remain available at home, always, unlike the present times where long queues are found outside doctors’ chambers.

  Being the owners of simple, yet effective habits; they often incorporated small practices into their daily routine. Like rising with the sun, breathing fresh air, drinking pure water, and eating wholesome foods. They recognized the interconnectedness of body, mind and spirit, and lived in harmony with the natural world. Seasonal changes guided their diets, with cooling foods in summer and warming foods in winter. Physical activity was woven into daily routines, through walking, farming or household chores, etc. This was their utmost prescription with which they not only cured different diseases but also fostered resilience, vitality and longevity. Their wisdom to healthy living is even relevant today.

  In my childhood, two characters were greatly important. One was Ramzan Nayid (barber) and another was Dr Hakim Atiquallah at Batapora, Sopore. Our Masoodi family is basically from Hathishah and our forefathers (Jad) was Baba Razaq (RA), believed to have hailed from mohallah Baba Razaq which falls ahead of Amargrah towards east when we enter Sopore town.

   Both Ramzan Nayid and Hakim Atiquallah were two famous personalities of their time whose fond memories have left deep imprints on my mind. They had won the hearts of people in the entire Sopore vicinity. While Ramzan Kak treated all the skin related ailments, Dr.Hakim Atiquallah lovingly called Atte Saeb, had great authority to cure all internal diseases at his famous clinic ‘Sanaie Medical Halll’ located opposite old martyr’s graveyard in Sopore. People visited both of them from far off places; such was the belief they had about Hakim Atiquallah and Ramzan Nayid.

   Trust me, people had to book their appointments in advance to consult Hakim Atiquallah, the son of Dr Hakim Sanaullah, a renowned physician whose father Hakim Aziz Ullah (a God-fearing man) built Sopore’s Muslim Pir Masjid. It Is said to be like; Hakim Atiquallah who had earned his Hakimah (wisdom) from his father who had such an ability, it is said that he diagnosed the disease from a mere glance at the patient’s face. There is a hospital on Hakim Sanaullah’s name reroute to Mazbugh, near Fruit Mandi, Sopore called Hakim Sanaullah Specialist Hospital & Cancer Center. Same stands true with Ramzan Nayid who would treat all his patients by applying the balm of belladonna plaster on their wounds, locally referred to as Nayid Paet.

    I vividly remember, me and my cousin brother Fareed Masoodi once played a jumping game over the bonfire we had burnt outside in the street. While jumping over it, my foot suddenly fell in the fire and wounded me very badly. But then, no sooner had I been taken to Ramzan Nayid in the mohalla than he removed the blister with his scissors and applied a belladonna strip on it. Thank God, it quickly healed my wound and I got okay within a few days.

  Our calm minded elders were role-models. They had not heard about the fatalistic diseases which have wreaked havoc in the Valley from all sides. They emphasized prevention over cure, nurtured community bonds, respected the rhythms of nature, and cultivated mindfulness and self-awareness. Having lived a life with simplicity, strength and wisdom, they left fond memories behind. I can’t forget the often told advice of my elders, “Early to bed, early to rise. Makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise,” which had a subtle meaning.

  In comparing our elders to yours, there is a link of love, sacrifices and triumphs. Our elders have shown us that age is not a measure of worth, but a testament to the depth of their roots. In them, we discover that the true wealth of a community lies not in its youth, but in the wisdom, resilience, and character of its elders. May their legacies continue to inspire us to build stronger families, communities, and societies. Our elders’ great wisdom reveals a timeless truth, that love, kindness and compassion has no age. It’s actually not 'our elders versus yours', but a shared heritage that reminds us of a reality that we are all part of a larger family, bound together by the wisdom of the ages.

Dr Rafeeq Masoodi IBS (Rtd) is former Sec. Cultural Academy & ADG, Doordarshan, Srinagar