Remembering “Plain Mr. Jinnah”

Posted on December 25, 2009
Filed Under >Adil Najam, History, People, Photo of the Day
40 Comments
Total Views: 51892

Adil Najam

There picture are not of very high quality, but I am very fond of them because they depict a very different side of Mohammad Ali Jinnah from the one that our official discourse allows us to see. Today, on Mr. Jinnah’s 133rd birthday, I suspect that the Quaid-i-Azam – who always preferred to be “Plain Mr. Jinnah” would have fondly welcomed these photographs rather than the rather stern ones that have been flashing on our television screens all day.

These pictures depict a side of “Plain Mr. Jinnah” that we have often ignored, and sometimes purposely tried to hide.

It is a more human side. A less camouflaged side. A side that depicts a ‘normal’ person–flaws and all–rather than a ‘perfect leader.’

It is a side that, in fact, makes Mr. Jinnah more complete than our official depictions would have him be. Without this side, he cannot be complete or be completely understood.

The picture on the top-left was taken in Bombay with his daughter Dina and his dogs; top-right is taken on a vacation in Kashmir (I believe), with Dina and Begum Liaquat Ali Khan; the third and fourth pictures may well be from the same vacation in Kashmir.

40 responses to “Remembering “Plain Mr. Jinnah””

  1. Umer says:

    Hey Guys

    Nice to see some material on Jinnah here..I am looking for some videos on Jinnah or 14 August 1947, if anyone of you know any link where i can download this vidoes. plz let me know on ma email umerirfan@yahoo.com

    Thanks in Advance

    Umer I

  2. Altamash … that is a great idea… and funny we run into each other on forums by chance again and again.

    How is the family?

  3. Salim Chowdhrey says:

    His father had a business in Karachi . Mr. Jinnah was born in Kharadar.Karachi .

  4. mutiny says:

    Jinnah was a Guju guy from Mumbai, he has family and house there. Why Karachi?

  5. Asma says:

    Oh very nice .. thanks for sharing all the pictures look really great!

    If you read about Quaid e Azam’s life, you get inspired by his staright-ness, the wits, intellect and self esteem …!

    And this header looks great too!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*