WINTER AND SNOWMAN IN KASHMIR

                                                                     
SNOW MAN ON BOULEVARD ROAD DALGATE WITH ITS CREATOR.

PHOTO AUTAR MOTA 

How did one confront season’s first snow fall In Kashmir? Yes I need to tell my part of the story.

Our schools would close around Christmas time . There would be intense dry cold and usually overcast sky . You could see people with Fever and Flu. Running Noses . Pherans, Kangris and caps. Dried vegetables cooked by mother in the kitchen .Hukh burning in the Kitchen as Fuel. All this would create a strange dullness in existence . Every one then expected snow to fall and change the ambiance . Mother would some day declare suddenly:- 

“ Kathkosh Chhu Yeeraan Az Vaaleuss Sheen ”

“Frozen Water particles are falling from the sky. It is going to snow today ” 

It never did on that day. But then we would get a strange surprise some day. You wake up to find snow . Snow in the lane . Snow on the Road . Snow in the compound . Snow on roof top. Snow slipping from sloping roofs  made of Galvanized iron sheets  creating a Bang in the lane . Bang so powerful at times that it shook nearby buildings .People would avoid narrow lanes for fear of being hit by falling snow mass .

I enjoyed Playing with snow. We would come out and play what we called SHEEN JUNG( SNOW BATTLE ) . Sheen Jung meant throwing hand Pressed Snow Balls at each other . Thereafter we would start making SHEEN MOHNEUV ( SNOW MAN ).Some friend would put a burning cigarette in Snow Man’s mouth . Some other friend would put a cap over Snow Man’s Head. This snow man would live for just three or four hours . We would all join to throw snow balls upon the snowman to destroy this lovely creation .Snow man can be seen in Kashmir even today. Enjoy a snow man on Boulevard with its Creator .

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
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SAMOVAR RESTAURANT OF MUMBAI AND KASHMIR CONNECTION.

WHO IS USHA KHANNA ? WHAT IS HER KASHMIR CONNECTION ?

One of my friends has sent me an old photograph of a Pamphlet relating possibly to 1947. The Pamphlet has been designed by artist Sobha Singh demonstrating will of kashmiris to save srinagar city from being run over by advancing tribesmen ( Kabaailees ) .This pamphlet was designed by Kashmir Bureau New Delhi. Sobha singh has made use of a real Photograph superimposing his drawing ( A woman holding a Gun ) over it . Sobha singh ( 1901-1986) happened to be a young artist at that time . Yes same sobha singh who is known world over for his paintings of Sikh Gurus .This photograph shows women’s wing of Self Defence Corps set up  during those turbulent times . Women holding wooden guns include Zainab Begum, jai kishori Bhan ,Krishna Misri, Kursheed Jalalud Din Bakshi, laxmi Rambal and Usha khanna . Yes I would now speak about Usha Khanna ( Wife of actor director Rajbans khanna who was a leading name in IPTA movement of Kashmir ). It may be pertinent to mention that Usha khanna later started the famous Samovar Restaurant at Jahangir Art Gallery Mumbai. I have visited this Restaurant in 2009 and I recommend its low priced coffee , Mutton Samosa , Mango lassi , Paneer rolls ,Tea , Fish , Ice Creams and mouth watering continental dishes to all . One just loves its relaxed and unique Arty ambience . You have a bonus to enjoy paintings on display. Incidentally late Balraj Sahni was Usha khanna ‘s uncle.

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WINTER BRINGS SILENT GLOOM OVER " THE BUND" IN SRINAGAR.

TUM KYAA GAYE KI ROOTH GAYE DIN BAHAAR KE
PHOTO AUTAR MOTA
BUND SRINAGAR .



He bet both, this life and the next
and gambled all night for your love.
He first lost earth then eternity,
Now he departs from his night of grief,
defeat visible in his eyes.
Oh what a desolation!
The taverns deserted, each glass disconsolate,
Love when you left,
even springtime forsook me.
you left and that season disowned this world.
( Lines from a Gazal of Faiz Ahmed Faiz translated by Agha Shahid Ali )




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OPEN AIR THEATRE INSIDE BADAAM VAARI GARDEN OF KASHMIR.

               

                                                                                    

NEWLY BUILT OPEN AIR THEATRE IN BADAAM VAARI GARDEN SRINAGAR KASHMIR
PHOTO AUTAR MOTA

TO THIS PHOTO I ADD MY POEM

DARD


Ajeeb Dard Thhaa Milaa
Mile Jo Tum Dabaa rahaa
Jo Zakhm Thaa Bharaa Nahin
Jo Waqt Thaa Guzar Gayaa.

Sulagh Gaye _ Bujhe Rahe
Gilaa Bhi To Kiyaa Nahin.
Zubaan Ne geet hi Kahey
Go Dil Thhaa kab ka mar Gayaa

Bataao Kyaa karey Koyee
Kissey Kahey Kahaan Kahey
Jo Baat Tum Ne naa Sunee
Jo Baat mein Naa keh sakaa.

Woh Aashanaa Woh Meharbaan
Naseeb se Hamein Milaa .
Hamaara ho Nahin Sakaa
Hamein Magar Ganvaa Gayaa.

( Autar Mota )

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WHEN EVERY ONE KEPT WAITING FOR SPRING TO ENTER KASHMIR .

                                                            


WHEN EVERY ONE KEPT WAITING FOR SPRING TO ENTER 
Photo autar Mota 
I also add some lines  from Poet Dina Nath Naadim's Anti War Poem
Me chhum Aash Pagaahich ( I am Hopeful of a Sunlit tomorrow ) in simple english translation

Su Iyee Maaymoat Tchhaayee Holl Graayee Maraan.
Baa aasayee tamiss maalie Keiut Posh Tsaraan.
Kareim Kuthh Baa roshuss Taa chhu Lagee Ishaarun.
Pagaah Vaada Chhumm Tuss.
Pagaah Sholi Duniyaa
Dapaan Jung Chhu Vothvun
Pagaah Gochh Naa Sappdun
Pagaah Gochh Naa Aassun
Me Chhum Aash Pagaahich
Pagaah Sholi Duniyaa "

(Dina Nath Naadim)

Overflowing with love ,noiselessly and happily shall he enter ,
to find me busy in decorating flowers for his garland .
And Behold ! when he starts communication ,
I shall move away bashfully.
Tomorrow is our promised meeting date ,
It is rumored that war is imminent ,
Oh God! It should not be tomorrow,
It should never take place ,
I am Hopeful of Tomorrow ,
My tomorrow has to be sunlit.


CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
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A VIEW OF STNE CUTTER'S SHOP AT ATHAWAAJAN KASHMIR AND AKHTAR UL IMAAN'S URDU POEM

                                                                          
A STONE CUTTER OF ATHAWAJAN KASHMIR 
PHOTO AUTAR MOTA 


Ab Iraada hai Ki Pather ke sanam Poojoongaa,
Taaki Ghabaraaoon to Takraa bhi sakuun Mar bhi Sakuun,
Aisey Insaanon Se pather ke sanam achhey hain,
Unkey Qadamon pe machalataa Ho Dhamaktaa huvaa Khoon,
Aur Woh Meri Mohabbat Pe Kabhi Hans naa sakein,
Mein Bhi Berang Nigaahon ki Shikaayat Na karuun.
( Akhtar Ul Imaan )



Now decidedly I shall worship stone idols,
For I can break my head and die if frustrated .
Surely these are far better than insensitive human beings;
For if I spatter my blood before these idols ,
never shall my love be scoffed at ,
Never shall I be made to lodge my complaint
with eyes so dull and sorrowful
( Translation from Urdu Autar Mota ) )


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KASHMIRI NAMDAA

                 
A kashmiri Namdaa

Photo Autar Mota

Namda is just a thin Mattress made of felted wool. This wool is also mixed with cotton .This art of felting wool to make a Namda has essentially come to Kashmir from Central Asia . The extent of wool , size and the intensity of Colorful embroidery determine the ultimate price of the Namda. Acrylic yarn is now being used in place of woolen yarn for embroidering the Namda surface .Namda is generally used for carpeting rooms and sitting places in winter . Some exquisite varieties are also used now as wall hangings. Namdas are of various sizes and colors.The largest size that I have come across was 8 feet by 8 feet .

                                                        
 Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.

A DOONGA IN DAL LAKE KASHMIR

                                                                    
A Doonga in Dal Lake
Photo Autar Mota .


To this photograph i add the poem
"A Spring Piece Left In The Middle"
by Nazim Hikmet

Taut, thick fingers punch
the teeth of my typewriter.
Three words are down on paper
in capitals:
SPRING
SPRING
SPRING...
And me -- poet, proofreader,
the man who's forced to read
two thousand bad lines
every day
for two liras--
why,
since spring
has come, am I
still sitting here
like a ragged
black chair?
My head puts on its cap by itself,
I fly out of the printer's,
I'm on the street.
The lead dirt of the composing room
on my face,
seventy-five cents in my pocket.
SPRING IN THE AIR...

In the barbershops
they're powdering
the sallow cheeks
of the pariah of Publishers Row.
And in the store windows
three-color bookcovers
flash like sunstruck mirrors.
But me,
I don't have even a book of ABC's
that lives on this street
and carries my name on its door!
But what the hell...
I don't look back,
the lead dirt of the composing room
on my face,
seventy-five cents in my pocket,
SPRING IN THE AIR...

*

The piece got left in the middle.
It rained and swamped the lines.
But oh! what I would have written...
The starving writer sitting on his three-thousand-page
three-volume manuscript
wouldn't stare at the window of the kebab joint
but with his shining eyes would take
the Armenian bookseller's dark plump daughter by storm...
The sea would start smelling sweet.
Spring would rear up
like a sweating red mare
and, leaping onto its bare back,
I'd ride it
into the water.
Then
my typewriter would follow me
every step of the way.
I'd say:
"Oh, don't do it!
Leave me alone for an hour..."
then
my head-my hair failing out--
would shout into the distance:
"I AM IN LOVE..."

*

I'm twenty-seven,
she's seventeen.
"Blind Cupid,
lame Cupid,
both blind and lame Cupid
said, Love this girl,"
I was going to write;
I couldn't say it
but still can!
But if
it rained,
if the lines I wrote got swamped,
if I have twenty-five cents left in my pocket,
what the hell...
Hey, spring is here spring is here spring
spring is here!
My blood is budding inside me!

NAZIM HIKMET
20 and 21 April 1929


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INNOCENCE CUDDLING INNOCENCE

                                                                          
Innocence cuddling innocence .
Photo autar Mota at Bhaderwah 2011. i also add some lines from a poem of Nazim Hikmet.

Welcome baby
it's your turn to live
they're laying for you chicken pox ,whooping cough ,smallpox
malaria ,TB ,heart disease ,cancer and so on
unemployment hunger and so on
train wrecks, bus accidents ,plane crashes on-the-job injuries
earthquakes, floods ,droughts and so on
heartbreak, alcoholism and so on
nightsticks ,prisons doors and so on
they're laying for you the atom bomb and so on
welcome baby
it's your turn to live

From Welcome A POEM BY NAZIM HIKMET



CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.