Shabnam’s Parting Gift to Kashmiri Literature — Deepak Budki

 

 Shabnam’s Parting Gift to Kashmiri Literature

— Deepak Budki

Two books written by Omkar Nath ‘Shabnam’, a known Kashmiri humorist and satirist, have been published posthumously by his wife, Anjali Bhat, in 2024, titled ‘Myein Kath-Wachi Pyatha Vaishali Taam’ (Autobiography) and ‘Harf Katstam Rudim Toti Baqi’ (Collection of Poems). Before these, his poetry collection ‘Tyoth Modur’ was published in 1988. All his life, he enthralled listeners with his humorous poetry in Mushaiaras and on the radio. 

Born on 12 January 1945 in Wachi, Shopian, Kashmir, Omkar Nath Bhat (Pen name ‘Shabnam’) was adopted by his widowed grandmother’s sister and grew up in Zainapora until her death, after which he rejoined his parents. He lost his siblings, except his younger brother, who is also a poet. In his short autobiography, Omkar Nath nostalgically recounts the ups and downs of his life and describes the relatives who mattered to him. He also relates important anecdotes that added spice to his life’s journey. Shabnam has narrated an interesting account of how Som Nath Sadhu, Agha Sahib of ‘Zoone Dab’, visited his house to fulfil his father's wishes, and, after a warm welcome, lost his prized pen, which was found after his departure and sent to him the next morning. He has also given glimpses of the said programme, which was very popular in those days. Other anecdotes concern the reactions of various poets to his poetry, etc. He recalls that at his primary school in Wachi, the medium of instruction was Kashmiri. He joined the middle school at Zainapora and stayed with his adopted mother, but unfortunately lost his actual mother in 1959. 

He was introduced to writing by the famous Kashmiri writer Arjan Dev Majboor, who taught at his school. He accompanied Majboor Sahib to Mushairas and met well-known poets such as Dina Nath Nadim, etc. Other influencers were his maternal uncle Daya Ram Kastoor and Radhey Nath Masarat. After passing the 8th standard examination, he joined the high school in Bijbehara, from where he completed his matriculation. Moreover, he obtained a degree in Basic Education Course and joined the teaching profession as a primary school teacher. 

Shabnam started writing poetry in 1965 with a Tarhi Nazm in the daily Khadmat, a couplet from which is reproduced hereunder: 

Myeti Zoal chael chael danus zyun,

Tohe keth paeth baele tchapan naar

Afterwards, he continued to write for all the prominent Urdu and Kashmiri journals and newspapers, as well as for Yuva Vani and Radio Kashmir. He was transferred from place to place during his career. At Saraf Kadal, Srinagar, he was fortunate to meet Ghulam Nabi Firaq and Hasrat Gadda, the former of whom became his Ustad and taught him the nuances of poetic diction. Later, he was shifted to Kapran, where he met poets, viz. Naji Munawwar and Shafi Shauq. At this juncture, he had to leave his ill mother alone in the house. His pain and helplessness are portrayed in his poem, ‘Maej’. Three couplets: 

Ye chu maje pyomut thane suy baluk,

Maeng maeng yus taem hyut astanun;

Hu chaey motus saet dabe dabe karwen,

Ye che nazrav nishe tus waryah door…….

Yem shure kut taam tchepi tchor gindan,

Mae che aalav aalav Maej divaan

It was during his stay at Kaparan that he responded to an invitation from Radio Kashmir for young poets to submit their poems, and his poem was selected. Thereafter, he became a regular on Yuva Vani and AIR programmes. It is here that he got another guide, Autar Krishen Rehbar, who taught him to focus on his strengths, i.e. humour and satire, instead of trying his hand at every genre. As a result, Shabnam became very popular and was always cheered on in Mushaiaras. After about five months, his Officer was impressed by his recitation of poetry at a Mushaira, which prompted his transfer to Zainapora, near his home, where he stayed for almost 15 years. As per his assertion, he was thus convinced that “Pen is mightier than the sword.” While in service, he completed his graduation in 1973, post-graduation in Persian in 1976, in Kashmiri in 1983, and B.Ed. in 1978.

In May 1990, he had to migrate from the valley along with his community members due to militancy. He initially stayed in Jammu for some time, but in view of employment opportunities for his children, he shifted to Delhi-NCR and ultimately settled in Vaishali, Ghaziabad. In Delhi, he himself was employed as a translator and later as a newsreader in Kashmiri at the AIR. Here, too, he remained associated with Kashmiri literary associations and contributed to magazines. Various organisations awarded him many prizes.

As regards ‘Shabnam’s latest collection of poems titled ‘Harf Katstam Rudim Toti Baqi’, it has 32 poems, including 4 ghazals, apart from introductory essays by Moti Lal Kaul ‘Naaz’, Roop Krishen Bhat and Ms Anjali Bhat, wife of Late Omkar Nath ‘Shabnam’. The poems are mostly humorous and portray human behaviour in the contemporary age, his personal experiences, and the evil practices prevalent in our modern society. As per Richard G. Scott, “ A good sense of humour is an escape valve for the pressures of Life.” Suffice it to say that humour is a gift from God to Shabnam, and it is subtle and thought-provoking. He often uses satire to poke at the dying embers of the unresponsive society's fire. The poem ‘Zang’, and quatrains like ‘Tukh’ and ‘Parody’ are the best examples. 

1. Ratus dohus vaze chaie, kus kheye te kus kare zaye;

Gushtabe maran graye, Ristan andar sarmaye, 

Tchaman te palak draye, aeke tyoth te aek mung myooth,

Kastam chu sapdan looth, kastam chu sapdan looth.           (Looth)

2. Demand vemand ti ma kaerev; Kore maelis panun hub,

Chequey hargah ditchin, ratav; tath kya karav su gaye zang.(Zang)

3. Manz Wandus akh sheene maharaze wuchum khandar karan,

Salarav maend rub te dub lug yazmanus manz aangnus (Parody)

His humorous poems are interspersed with some serious ones, which are a direct result of the pain and agony he suffered in early life due to separation from his biological mother and migration in old age, which made him extra-sensitive. Examples are ‘Maej’, ‘Yaad’ and ‘Sarfaene’. In his poem ‘Okus Bokus’, he seeks to realise himself. In ‘Shamat’, he portrays the nightmare he underwent due to the militant uprising in Kashmir, while in ‘Raete Koul’, he describes the pain and suffering he faced after migrating out of the valley. In ‘Praznath’, he questions why people nurture hate. The poem ‘Ghush’ reminds us of Aesop's tale of a woodcutter and a goddess.

1. Kanh zan deyi kadlus naar tchallav kut,

Vyethe vaenis mileve su khak wanav kus.

    2) Yeli reshtis watte lug dugnyaruk,

Gaye nazre te napaak wanav kus

    3) Gharan qulaf te waanan falav dith naerav,

Saeriy gatchav jamah, yas nish yus hethyar chu,

Su heth naerav jehadus,

Tethuy ditch bronthe kanek hamsaye kaet aek,

Lut lut kraekh, mukhbirus ditchekh goel

Kaefir morukh, Kaem? Koche gale manze pritchus kore ake…

Even on his deathbed, he never lost his sense of humour while interacting with his doctors and nurses. He wrote:

Mae chu door tchallun, tchyen dith rishtan

Kenh praevith, path kun travun az.  

After going through the above books, I felt that if Shabnam Sahab had also concentrated on prose writing, he would have greatly enriched Kashmiri literature. His style is unique and precise; he uses similes and metaphors frequently to adorn his prose.

*****

DEHATI-A SYMBOL OF PASSION AND PATRIOTISM – Deepak Budki

 

DEHATI-A SYMBOL OF PASSION AND PATRIOTISM

                               – Deepak Budki

There are many unsung poets and writers in Kashmiri literature; Gangadhar Bhat ‘Dehati’ is one of them. He contributed to both Urdu and Kashmiri, though Kashmiri was his mainstay. During his lifetime, he was not able to publish his writings, which, however, were done posthumously by his worthy son Kuldeep Kumar Bhat by compiling, editing and publishing his combined collection of poems in Kashmiri and Urdu titled ‘Sontuk Partav’ in 2024.

   Gangadhar Bhat was born in Murran, Pulwama, on 7th February 1917. After completing his Post-graduation (Hon’s) in Urdu and B.Ed., he took to teaching in the State Department of Education in 1943, with a short stint on deputation as editor of Dehati Duniya from 1951 to 1954. He also obtained a Prabhakar degree in Hindi. Gangadhar started writing when he was just 14 years old and a student in the 9th class; his first short story was titled ‘Khooni Tamanna’, which was published in the Daily Martand, Srinagar. He adopted the pen name of ‘Dilkash Kashmiri’ but soon changed it to ‘Dehati’. From 1938 onwards, he remained associated with the Weekly Desh owned by the great social reformer and freedom fighter, Kashyap Bandhu. 

Dehati wrote Urdu and Kashmiri short stories, poems (ghazals, nazms and Qata’at), dramas, and essays on social and political topics. His ghazals are mostly continuous and, like his nazms, deal with his favourite subjects such as existence, struggle, equality, justice and patriotism. A few couplets are reproduced here:

1) Gahe chum qatre bapat tamblawan,

        Gahe baer baer thawan paymane myonuy

2) Wachus peth yemen zindagi khaetch kadith dub,

        Paekh shrakh seenus, buthyan zan peyekh rub.

3) Athe khur yem waey Taemsey daulath gaye qurban,

             Matche khash Yem dyut Taemsey ade tothev Bhagwan.

4) Pritchyomus me wantum chu kya zindagi mul,

             Awezan dopun che akis aami dawe.

In the poem ‘Myaen Shaeyri’, he writes about what drove him to write poetry:

        Hyatechi talkhyev dup ban tche shaeyir,

  Dukhav daadev dopum zev tche metchrav. 

Dehati’s literary endeavours came to fruition at a time when the Progressive Movement was at its zenith. Hence, he was deeply influenced by it, and even though he continued writing beyond the 60’s when Modernism replaced Progressivism, he remained insulated from the latter. His writings depict the patriotic fervour prevalent at his time (Watan Son, Myon Yaar, Hum Dushman ka Munh Toden ge), as well as the pain and pestilence, poverty, and helplessness of the peasants and labourers, and their exploitation by the zamindars and the capitalists (Shael Tarakh, Jande te Dyaar). He also focused on the social evils of his time. Mehjoor and Azad, his contemporaries, influenced his Kashmiri poetry. He believes that only the destruction of established systems can create a new ideal egalitarian society. He uses words such as Tongue, Fire, Revolution, Progression, and Self-respect as symbols of the pursuit of justice and equality in society. It can be noticed in his Urdu poem, ‘Hamari Duniya’, an excerpt of which is reproduced below: 

               Aag laga do is duniya ko,

Jis se ho jaye ujyala,

Raj yahan hai andhyare ka,

Bhook, Ghulami, Bemari ka,

Sadti hai makhlooq khuda ki,

Tehkhanon men, zindanon men…

Raj yahan karta hai moorakh,

Gyani khata dar dar thokar…

Nirbal yaan par khoon rote hain,

Anndata marta hay bhookhon…

The situation remains unchanged to date. As regards the tongue, the poet believes that your speech must stand for truth even if it drags you to the gallows. 

Zev gaye suye pez yues pez kath kare,

Paezi khaetre yus darus peth mare.       (Zev)

He wrote against people's superstitious behaviour and religious rituals, as well as God’s indifference to the plight of the common masses, as in ‘Soen Khuda’. However, this did not mean that he was anti-religious, as he has written some beautiful poems on Lord Krishna, Herath (Shiv Ratri), Bhagwan Ke Darshan, Bhajan, etc.

             Ashan sanyev chav sontuk wav,

Chukh bael beye tchael dillek aamtav,      

Suey toshnavan beye aaye Haerath.  (Haerath)

Dehati has also written poems on some great men of the past l, such as Shri Bhat, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad, G M Sadiq, Patrice Lumumba and Pt Deendayal Upadhyay. His translations from other languages include Tagore’s Bengali poem (Zenun te Harun), Iqbal’s Urdu poem (Ram) and Boris Pasternak’s Russian poem (Ehtejaj). Dehati’s elegy on the death of his daughter, “Boe Lekhus Name’ is both melancholic and poignant. A similar atmosphere is created in the poem titled ‘Vedwah’ (A Widow). On Mahatma Gandhi’s death h,e hawrote beautiful, heart-rending poem, ‘Theher Kahan Bhage Hatyare’. 

One thing that characterises his poetry is his Optimism. Despite dwelling at length on vice prevailing over virtue in the modern world, he firmly believes that with the advent of independence and democracy, things are going to change for the better (Jamhoor, Nuv Farhad, Woh Shubh Garhi, Navyug ki Prabhat).

Dehati’s style is his own. He has a firm grasp of both languages, but his command of Kashmiri is complete. In his Urdu poetry, he frequently uses Hindi words, which at times seem unnecessary. 

*****

         

LAL-DED REVISITED-Jawahar Lal Bhat (Review by Deepak Budki)

LAL DED REVISITED-Jawahar Lal Bhat

                       — Deepak Budki

Kashmir, often called Resh-Vaer, has been an abode of many Rishis and Sufis. The valley has stood as an epitome of a multicultural and multi-religious ethos, the foundation of which was laid by some renowned visionaries. Since time immemorial, it has been a seat of learning and discourse on human existence and the purpose of life. Philosophies such as Shaivism, Tantra, and Trika were propounded by great thinkers, including Somananda, Vasugupta, Utpaldeva, Abhinav Gupta, and Lakshmanadeva. On the other hand, Kalhana pioneered historical research in the subcontinent, a tradition followed by Jonaraja, Srivara, Prajya Bhatta, Shuka, and the rest. With the advent of Islam in the valley, a syncretic ideology was propagated by both Hindu and Muslim seers who emphasised worship of one God through devotion, called Bakhti-Marga or Sufism, rather than through academic pursuit and study of scriptures, called Gyana-Marga. Sufis and Saints like Nund Rishi, Rupa Bhavani, Arni Maal, Parmanand and Krishen Joo Razdan came forward to guide people towards their ultimate destiny. The most outstanding among them, Lalleshwari (Lalla Arifa) of Padmanpore (Pampore), is revered equally by both Hindus and Muslims. The famous quatrains of this fourteenth-century mystic poet, called Vaakh in Kashmiri (Vaakh is derived from the Sanskrit word Vakya, meaning 'sentence'), have ever since been filling the air with the fragrance of divine and celestial lyric. These short, pithy, moral aphorisms, carried through word of mouth for many centuries in the past, often distorted, interpolated and mutilated, in the absence of a written word, so much so that it became difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Kashmir has an age-old tradition of singing and playing music in places of worship and at personal functions such as weddings. At the beginning of a singing or dancing session, a singer generally starts with the recitation of a few Lalla Vaakhs, which are regarded as a good omen. Well-trained singers often sing these quatrains as a separate genre with utmost devotion.

In the recent past, several scholars have made commendable efforts to collect and explain Lalla Vaakh, and various books have been published from time to time. Mention of such scholars is made briefly in the present book. Still, many poems may have been lost, while some have been substituted. The latest collection of these quatrains has been attempted by Jawahar Lal Bhat, an English teacher by profession, who, after extensive research and verification of their genuineness, has included 244 Lalla-vaakhs in his book entitled ‘Lal Ded Revisited’. The book stands as a testimony to his lifetime achievement. What gives this book an edge over others is that it is written in English, a language read and understood worldwide. The commendable job done by the author is that these Kashmiri vaakhs are printed in three different scripts, viz. Roman, Devanagari, and Nastaliq, for the convenience of different readers, with a brief translation at the end of each vaakh.

Last but not least, each vaakh has been further elucidated in light of its contextual significance and its religious and spiritual background to make her philosophy intelligible to the reader. The foreword to the book has been penned by an eminent Kashmiri scholar, T N Dhar ‘Kundan’, who has aptly set the tone with dexterity. In the introductory chapters, Jawahar Lal Bhat discusses the life and works of the great mystic poet Lalleshwari, fondly called Lal Ded by Kashmiris. Proud of her Brahmanic descent, the Yogini was revered by both Hindus and Muslims alike. Lal Ded believes that the universe is controlled by the Supreme Lord, who has no religion, caste or creed, and therefore, people should seek refuge in Him and attain the said goal through self-realisation (V-111):---

Shiv chuy thale thale rozaan,

Mo zaan hyund ti Musslman;

Truk ay chukh ti panun paan parzaan,

Soy chaey Sahibus zaenie zaan.

(The presence of Shiva can be felt everywhere, in every object and creature. How stupid it is to discriminate between individuals—Hindus and Muslims! If you are truly sensible, recognise yourself. It will help you achieve the eternal truth- the Supreme Lord)

The author sets many myths about Lalla’s life at rest. However, he confirms the ill-treatment meted out to her by her husband and in-laws, which she herself mentions in a few vaakhs besides the ridicule, jeering and fun poked at her by the public (V- 54 & 105). These acts drove her to seek peace and enlightenment through worship of Shiva, the absolute, at the feet of her Guru, Shri Sidh Sri Kanth, known as Sedh-Mol. She strongly believes that only a good teacher (Guru) can show us the right path, and one must choose the right Guru to attain salvation in life (V-202-209). In vaakh 206, she writes:--

Guraey mol tay guraey maejey,

Guraey divan nyaetren gaash;

Yem tchaeris maeris vastir laegiy,

Chuy punyaes bhaegiy te papan nash.

(The Guru is both mother and father to his disciple. It is he who gives his eyes the spiritual sight and clothes his bare self with celestial garments. The Guru is the participant in the returns for his good deeds and a crusader for all sins committed by him.)

Lalleshwari acknowledges that she learnt the truth about existence only through discourse (V-18) and believes that most of us are led astray because we choose the wrong skills and paths to reach the absolute (V-20). She further forbids people from wasting time on rituals such as chanting mantras or counting rosary beads (V-26). As regards spiritual attainments, she says that God blesses some without asking, others are bestowed with spiritual powers after hard work and labour, while still others, despite achieving the objective, let it go to waste due to negligence (V-98).

In V-29 & 85, Lal Ded highlights the ephemeral character of life and material acquisitions, which have to be abandoned ultimately. In this connection, the poetess says in Vaakh-165;

Kus mari tay kasu maran,

Mari kus tay maran kus;

Yus Har Har traevith ghar ghar kare,

Adhi suy mari tay maran tus.

(Who will die? Who will be killed? One who is always worried about the interests of himself, home and family and forgets the name of the Lord, would certainly die and be killed for sure.)

In contrast to Sanyas, Lal Ded believes that a seeker need not give up their Grahast Ashram (normal family life) to seek union with the Absolute. Yet she wants a human being to give up sensual pleasures, material wealth, and ego in pursuit of a better spiritual experience through suffering and the awakening of the soul, reflecting Hindu philosophy. In Vaakh-123 she says;

Traishe bochche mo kraish na vun,

Yani tcheye taane sandarun deeh;

Phrath chon daarun te paarun,

Kar vopkarun suy chuy krey.

(Don’t torture your body by refusing it food and drink to appease the gods. Feed it whenever it needs. Hell, expensive clothes and delicious food can’t make you better. Help others in their need; there is no better worship.)

Lalleshwari believes in maintaining a moderate lifestyle coupled with contentment (V-99). In some vaakhs, she uses the Socratic method of dialogue by asking questions and seeking answers to reach the goal of life (cf. 102-103, 237-238). 

According to Lalla, the awakening of the soul and self-realisation are essential for attaining salvation from the pain of the continuous cycle of births and deaths. Her teachings are strewn all over her quatrains like gems of pearl, which the author has tried to make a rosary of. As per the author, “Lalleshuri was one of the leading expounders of Kashmir Shaivism, the internationally renowned philosophy depicting oneness of man with the absolute. As a poet and an ascetic, she sang in an easily intelligible word the terse principles of Kashmir Shaivism, Yoga and Tantra, henceforth limited within the corridors of highly educated scholars and saints of yore.” Further, she relates her ecstasy when she watched Shiva and Shakti together in their heavenly abode as per V-177.

In vaakhs 215 to 221, she has highlighted the importance of ‘OM ’, which she considers pivotal to life, as it represents the basic sound of life (Naad) that sustains the world. In Vaakh 215, she says;

Omai akuy achchur porum,

Suy ha mali rotum wondus manz;

Suy ha mali kani paeth gurum ti tchurum,

Aises saas ti sapnis soen.

(I chanted repeatedly the unique divine word OM and saved it lovingly in my heart with my persistent dedication and love. I was just ash and by its divine grace got transformed into gold.)

Lalleshwari’s similes and metaphors, which enrich her poetry, are drawn from normal life. At times, she uses common items like the Kangri and charcoal made from Chinar leaves as symbols to convey her viewpoint, so that the commoner can quickly and vividly understand her philosophy (V199). It is one of the reasons her poetry became very popular and is still quoted today, despite its many archaic words. 

The exegesis at the end of the book, in the form of ‘Notes’, is exhaustive. For the sake of convenience, the author has classified the quatrains into seven groups and arranged them accordingly, though their order may not be chronological. It has been done to link vaakhs with similar dispositions and bring out their unity through this linkage. The groups are: i) Personal celestial experience, ii) The essential purpose of life, iii) The concept of Universal Lord, iv) On Pranayama and Kundalini Yoga, v) Guru Saadhna, vi) On the divine syllable ‘Om’, vii) Miscellaneous. 

It may not be an exaggeration to say that the book is a direct result of the author’s faith, devotion, and hard work, and will hopefully be well received by the reading public, especially those who want to understand her philosophy and the ancient thought of Kashmiri sages.

*****