“I vividly remember Miss Mehmooda Ahmed Ali shah ( The then Principal of Women college Srinagar ) coming to our house on 9th December 1973 , throwing her shawl to the ground and sitting on the floor with us to mourn the death of my father She wept like a child hugging my mother for more than 15 minutes at a stretch. Wiping her tears ,she said to my mother in chaste Kashmiri
Jaya ji Metti Chhu Dahan Dohunn Dokhuss Beuhun. Su Auss Me Boayy.
(Jaya ji I have to also sit for the 10 day mourning . He was my brother .)
I was informed by my mother that Dr Naseer Ahmed Shah , Dr Tahir Mirza , Members of Sadiq Sahib’s family ,Sh Abdul Haq Barq and my father's childhood friend Sheikh Ghulam Mohd Frequented our house during the mourning period. Syed Mir Qasim, who was the chief Minister at that time sent a message to us that he had decided to send me to Baroda for proper Training in Art absolutely free on a Government scholarship.Possibly my father had conveyed my interest in Art and painting to his close friends like Sadiq Sahib , Syed Mir Qasim , Poet Dina Nath Naadim and D P Dhar. Support and sympathy poured in from all quarters .We were poor and incompetent to handle this wave of support and sympathy .Consequently My mother had to keep the struggle continued for survival of the family and education of her children. We clung to her like infants for emotional and material support.”
Said Ramesh Ji wiping his tears .
I could make out his Artistic nature from his handwriting , delicate but long fingers , facial expressions and above all his lovely handwriting . I had seen some paintings of this colleague of mine and that created my interest in his Background . And Lo !He turned out to be the son of the unsung VINCENT VAN GOGH ( 1853-1890) of Kashmir whom the Artist Fraternity still remembers as Som Nath Butt or S N Butt .
.” My father would also sing K L Saigal songs . Dilip Kumar was his favourite actor . He must have seen Dilip Kumar's Daag 30 times.He was greatly touched by Dilip Kumar"s role as Devdass. Naadim Sahib was a frequent visitor to our house .In fact my father had designed the Sets for Naadim sahib immortal opera “Bombur Ta Yemberzal ” Apart from this ,he enjoyed listening to Sufiana Music , Lal Vaakhs and Shams Faquir ‘s compositions . My sisters Asha ji and Veena ji were quite attached to him . They are married since and live happily with their families .I can say that by thought he appeared to be a Marxist yet at heart he was a Dervesh in true sense . He was full of compassion and yes a little careless about his own self . He gave some of the priceless painting to his friends free. He would easily believe anybody and was instantly moved to see any pain and suffering forgetting his own self.” Added Ramesh ji with a sigh .
Som Nath Butt was born in 1925 at Badyar Bala Locality in Srinagar City in the neighbourhood of Naadim Sahib’s Lal Ded Girls School..He too volunteered to serve the refugees from Baramulla town who had been housed in the school building after the tribal raid of 1947 , The pain and suffering he witnessed in this camp drifted him temporarily to Marxism though he never belonged to any political party nor happened to be an atheist. I am informed by the family that in fact he would visit the shrines of
Dastgeer sahib, Maqdoom Sahib and Reshi Peer as and when he found time .
He always kept a photograph of Swami Ram Tirath in his pocket .
After completing his F.Sc. from S P College Srinagar som Nath Butt went to Gulmarg (to live with his elder sister ) where his Brother in Law
Pandit Radha Krishen Koul worked in a Hotel owned by a European .It was here that the young sensitive boy who had lost his mother in his infancy , came in direct contact with nature enabling him to express himself through a select medium using paper and pencils . .
An Artist was thus born at Gulmarg only.
( Winter Scene in Kashmir .. A Monochrome by Som Nath Butt Source Kapil Kaul Austria )
( Som Nath Butt With Minoo Masani ... Photo Source Dr Ramesh Tamiri )
When Renowned Artist
S H Raza visited Kashmir sometime around the partition of the country and met almost all local Artists , He picked up S N Butt as his student and taught him intensely for two months . This period exposed the young Artist to basic styles and forms of Art like
Cubism ,Surrealism, Impressionism, Expressionism, Abstract Art , Portrait drawing and many other Indian forms of Folk Art.
Raza also introduced a variety of European artists to Butt and most significantly Vincent Van Gogh . Enough training for this genius who never looked back after this interaction.. Along with
Triloke Kaul , S N Butt held a two Men Painting Exhibition at Mumbai in 1950 . Noticing his fresh style ,.Many newspapers carried a lead story under the caption:
(' TWO FLOWERS' A Monochrome.. year1950 By Som Nath Butt..This looks like Vincent Van Gogh's ' Flowers' )
After returning from Mumbai he kept painting with renewed vigour and in varied forms .He also won president’s Gold medal and a two year scholar ship for a project on Kashmir Shawl Designs.While Naadim sahib headed the Progressive writers Association , S N Butt became the founder of Progressive Artists Association in Kashmir .
This Progressive movement in Kashmir was patronized by Balraj Sahni ,S H Raza and Percy Brown .Later
P N Kachru another trained Artist from Rainawari joined them and the Trio as they came to be know, heralded the modern Art movement in Kashmir.
This trio later joined the School of Design opened by Jammu And Kashmir Government in different positions and capacities .
Another Artist
Mohan Raina , residing in Badyar Bala locality joined the School of Design later. While in Kashmir ,
M F Hussain would invariably come to meet S N Butt and other artists many times in this School of Design only.
G R Santosh who was also trained at Baroda joined this group but shifted his base to New Delhi to work as full time painter .In fact prior to his formal training at Baroda,
G R Santosh learnt Art from S N Butt only .
So did he teach Kishori Kaul another renowned artist from Kashmir.
Though most of the paintings of S N Butt have disappeared and are in private possession yet a few still decorate the walls of
prominent Art Galleries of the country . Some were also on display at Tourist Reception Centre Srinagar before being suddenly removed and shifted to some unknown destination . I am also informed by the family that some Paintings were in possession of
Sadiq Sahib’s family .The artist's family has none with them.
Influence of Dutch Painter
VAN GOGH is starkly visible in his form and style.
Through colour schemes , Powerful fusion of form and content , he created his own style in Figurative Abstract .
This artist was able to explain either his struggle against the system and circumstances or his comprehension of the spiritual essence of man and nature .
( A painting by S N Butt )
Prof. jaya Parimu Adds :
“ The above painting of
S.N.Buttt was hanging in the auditorium of Women's college for some time. Sadiq
Sahib was requested to arrange the sale through the office of Cultural Academy
of his works when Butt Sahib was in a precarious condition.He had to have some
money for his sustenance. Alcoholism had spoiled his health and his precious
pieces of art were lying for want of recognition and sale.Several paintings of
his got distributed in different institutions.
His main forte was figurative abstract and Alleys,homes
,Roofs,Attics was mainly shown whatever pieces I had chance to see.He was a
great artist of the century. Had received Praise from British Art connoisseurs. A known
colourist.Unsung and now unheard in the World of Art .”
Prof Arvind Gigoo Adds :
“S N Butt's two paintings were hanging on the wall of the
staff room of Amar Singh College. One painting was with Agha Ashraf Ali. One
painting was neglected in the library of Kashmir University. I don't know what
happened to those paintings.”
Stalwart Artist Triloke kaul adds :
“ Balraj Sahni was our common friend .He had a special liking for people from Kashmir valley.Always helpful. He was a great admirer of S N Butt’s Art. In fact S N Butt was quite close to Balraj Sahni . They would have their drinks together . “
His addiction to liquor cut short his life and his productive years ,forcing him to remain in Hospital for long periods . Yet he continued to paint till his last days . His family informs me that 1970 , 1971 and 1972 were liquor free years for him .He held Many Exhibitions . In 1971 he held a one man exhibition inaugurated by G M Sadiq ( CM ). Late Bhagwan Sahay the then governor of the state , who was bed ridden came with his plastered leg supported by his daughter to see his favourite Artist’s work. He was also elevated to membership of Lalit Kala Academy New Delhi. When Sadiq Sahib was admitted to PGI Chandigarh , he would call his friend S N Butt frequently or keep writing to him regularly confiding even some intimate family secrets to this Artist .
Something went wrong somewhere and Bobuji ( as he was called affectionately by his family ) again started drinking heavily after his visit to jammu in 1973 to attend an Artist conference.. He fell sick and had to be admitted to hospital in Jammu.The family shifted him to Srinagar where he was Again admitted to SMHS hospital for about two months. On a wintry morning of 9th Dec 1973 this great Artist and human being bade good bye to this world ..Like modern Punjabi Poet Shiv Kumar Batalavi, he too died at a young age leaving friends weeping and his own family in grave crisis.
I have also uploaded a view of Jhelum Ghat near Lal Ded Girls School Badyar Bala Srinagar.The artist lived in this locality .
I end this post with lines from a poem of my favourite Bulgarian poet Nikola Vaptsarov ( 1909 -1942 ).In early 1941 Nazi forces were allowed to enter Bulgaria and take control of the country as a prelude to the attack on the USSR.Vaptsarov joined the armed resistance movement. Arrested by Nazi forces in 1942 and subjected to inhuman torture, he was finally executed on 23rd July, 1942.
‘History, will you mention us
In your faded scroll?’
For the hardship and affliction
We do not seek rewards,
Nor do we want our pictures
In the calendar of years.
Just tell our story simply
To those we shall not see,
Tell those who will replace us –
We fought courageously.
( Autar Mota )
CHINAR SHADE by
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