THE STORY OF MR. DONKEY AS PUT FORTH BY URDU WRITER KRISHEN CHANDER

                                                                                      

(My sincere Thanks to    "The Donkey sanctuary press Images   " for this Photograph )

A NOVEL WITH DONKEY AS THE LEAD CHARACTER

KRISHEN CHANDER AND MR. .DONKEY ( Humour and satire )

People say that a donkey is stubborn and foolish . Contrary to popular perception I find this creature intelligent , friendly and dependable in work. I believe urdu writer Krishen Chander ( 1914-1977 ) was also fascinated by this animal . He wrote a full fledged Novel on this creature in urdu titled " Ek Gadhey Ki Sarguzasht ' which was later published in 16 Indian languages . In English we had “ Mr Donkey’s Autobiography ”and in Hindi we had its version as “ Ek Gadhe ki Aatm kathhaa ”. I have all the three versions with me . The one in Urdu is original and super followed by the Hindi version . English translation is also good . The Book l is a moving satire on Indian Bureaucracy , film world , Banking , politics and the licence Raj that existed in the country . Musicians, Journalist and Artists have also not escaped scrutiny in this Book. Pandit Jawahar lal Nehru too figures in this Book as Mr Donkey decides to meet Pandit ji as well. The opening Para of this great book reads like this ;-

“ Gentleman , I am neither a saint nor a Mahatma . I am also not Shri 108 Swami Geham Gehama Nand ‘s follower . I am not Sufi Gurmukh singh Majhelaa the Herbal medicine seller. Neither a Vaid nor a doctor. Not a film star or a politician. Just a donkey who has been suffering from a congenital fatal disease called News paper reading . So much has this disease spread in my body that I have left carrying bricks on my back and am now focusing only on reading news papers . I lived with Dhaboo Potter of Barabanki and Donkeys of Barabanki are famous world over. I was assigned the task of carrying bricks to Barrister Syed karamat Ali shah’s building under construction. Syed sahib was a well read man who had built a library in his vacant plot much before constructing the new house. The library had a reading room and syed sahib would read all sorts of news papers sitting on the verandah while simultaneously supervise the construction in progress. I developed a routine at this construction site .Once I threw the load of bricks , I would slip inside the library and start reading newspapers . Barrister sahib was himself too occupied in his newspaper reading that he hardly noticed me…………………………………………. And once the house was complete , Dhaboo potter drank Hooch one day and beat me mercilessly with a stick . He asked me to get out crying loudly

“ I do not want a donkey who reads newspapers . I need a donkey who can carry bricks on his back ’

After being thrown out by Dhaboo Potter, Mr Donkey now settles with Ramu Dhobi ( Washerman ) who uses this creature to carry dirty clothes to Jamuna river .And then something sad happens . Ramu is killed by a crocodile in jamuna and the family has no source to fall back upon . Mr donkey now runs from pillar to post to get relief for the family . He approches the Department of Relief new Delhi and is turned out . See the exchange of dialogues in this department

" Say what you want " office superintendent in the relief department .

" I have come here for some relief " Mr donkey .

" Only those who have come from Pakistan as refugees can get relief over here " office superintendent in the relief Department .

" If some one is ruined in this country only , tell me where has he to go for justice and relief ? " Mr Donkey .

The superintndent askes his peon to throw Mr Donkley Out from his office .A lady inside the office tells Mr donkey to approach department of labour .

Mr Donkey meets Mr  Rangachaari and Shri  Subramaniam Deputy secretary and Additional secretaries  respectively in the Ministry of labour Government of India . Both the bureaucrats enter into a long discussion to decide whether a washer man falls within the ambit of labour laws .Finally Rangachaari declares

" It is decidedly a case fit for Ministry of fisheries . Crocodile lives in water and so do fish .Now that Ramu has been killed by a crocodile , it is the department of fisheries which has to settle this relief case ."

Subramaniam politely hands over Ramu's file to Mr Donkey and asks him to go to Department of Fisheries .

Mr Donkey goes to see the Anglo Indian Head of department of fisheries where this pipe smoking gentleman declares

" Look Mr Donkey , your problem is strange and i can not see a solution . I have one solution for you. Look ! washer men use soap for washing dirty clothes ; You get my Point and soap falls under ministry of commerce ,Relate your story to commerce Minister . May be he would like to help Washermen of the country who otherwise remove the dirt by repeatedly striking wet clothes against hard stones ."

Mr donkey goes to meet commerce Minister Mansukh lal .

" Look Mr donkey , I can supply hardest stones to washermen to rub these clothes . I can abolish duty on soap.I can order the cloth mills to use stronger threads so that once clothes are hit against hard stones ,nothing is torn but Your story is different . It is the story of people with empty stomachs ..It is the story of helpless people of our nation. . Even a minister is helpless over here . I advise you to meet pandit Jawahar lal Nehru our Prime minister .

What does pandit ji say ????????????????????????

As advised , Mr Donkey goes to see pandit ji . But then a donkey is a donkey and prime minister is a prime minister. No donkey is allowed to meet prime Minister . So Mr donkey hides behind the wall of Pandit ji’ official residence for the night and at dawn jumps in . Challenged by Guards and the gardener of pandit ji’s rose garden , Mr donkey runs here and there in the lawn. Suddenly pandit ji emerges .Now the conversation

“ Sir I have come for an interview . Just fifteen minutes . I happen to be a donkey .”

“ No issue if you are a donkey . Many donkeys keep coming to me daily for interviews ”

Mr donkey is elated to meet pandit Ji . He forgets Ramu and his widow and starts discussing national and international issues with Pandit ji .Many problems are put forth by Mr Donkey for solution .Finally Pandit ji says

“I have now learnt many things from a donkey . But then I do not have Alladin’s lamp in my hand to overnight change the condition of the poor people of this country . We have planned everything . Wait for some time . Wait for 25 years and see the change .”

Before leaving Mr Donkey says

“ I know Pandit ji you enjoy Horse rides . Ride this donkey as well. I shall feel grateful and obliged . “

Pandit ji rides the donkey and makes it to gallop. Mr Donkey is surprised by pandit ji’s swiftness . Requests pandit ji to stop and moves out.

A meeting with pandit ji adds value to the personality of a simple donkey from Barabanki . Recognition . Praise . Crowds .. Press photographers . Newspaper correspondents . Media attention . He loses control over his affairs . The world takes him over. Interviews by New York Times , Le Monde ,Manchester Guardian , London Times and many National and International magazines follow.

“ Sir what is your opinion about co existence ? ”

“ every donkey should obeys the law of coexistence . I cannot say about man .”

“ What is your opinion about social equality and division on the basis of race or colour ”

“ The world of donkeys is different . It has total equality and no race or colour division .”

“ Sir what would you say about the cold war ? ”

“ We donkeys do not believe in hot or cold wars . In fact we hate wars and fights . You must have seen how peacefully many donkeys graze together on any vacant piece of land .Together we carry bricks or sand and help in construction and development . ”

Mr donkey is then entertained by Seth Barjotia for securing an oil refinery contract from government .The film world requests for a comedy film to be made on Mr Nehru’s donkey .Mr Donkey receives a marriage proposals from Seth Mansukh lal’s daughter Roopwati . He is invited to as a chief guest in a beauty contest. Our Mr Donkey addresses writers and intellectuals in a seminar organized by Sahitya Academy. Relishes a classical music recital by Gunkali . Read the book and Learn more interesting stories of  Mr donkey.

( Autar Mota )

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WHERE HAVE THOSE GREAT SOULS GONE ??

                                                              

Shrine of Reshi Peer in down town srinagar 
photo Autar Mota 2011.
To this Photograph i add My Kashmiri Poem -(Kaetii Tschhaandukh ) or  Where shall I find them ?

(Kaetii Tschhaandukh ) 

Tim kaetii Tschhaandukh

Kaemii vaaetii Tschhaandukh

Yim Maaguss munz Naethhanaeunn Nanaaevaarie,

Yim Haaruss    Pheran Taa Naar Tapaan

Yim Vaharaatchan Munz vaana Penjeun Tal

Halmuss tip tip roodh rataan.

Daafa Traavithh Aiess Dhaeil Cheeraan .

Prathh Vatie Pakvunn Ouss Yee Bozaan

“ Allah  Allah !  Maula Maula!

Shiv Shiv Shambhu !

Om Namo shivaaye !

Tche Tee Khaaur Zoovuss

Tche Tee jaanuss Ruut.

Atha Tull Tche Tee Mung

Assamaanuss Ruut. ”

Tim Taaeti Koat Gayee?

Tim Maaeti Koat Gayaee?

( Autar Mota )

( Where shall I find them  ? )

Where shall I find them ?

Which path should I traverse to trace them ?

Those who walked naked and barefooted in Magh ,

Those who  used  pheran and kangri fire  in intense heat of  Haar ,

Sitting under shops ,

Those  who stored drops of rain falling from roofs in their clothes .

 Lying on  this  couch,

 they would compress out these drops from their wet apparel.

We heard them saying

“Allah  Allah !  Maula Maula!

Shiv Shiv Shambhu !

Om Namo shivaaye!

Let you be disease free !

Let good things be for you !

Raise your hands and

Wish everyone’s welfare .”

Where have these great souls gone ?

Where have these simpletons gone ?

 Maagh - Corresponds to the Mid of Jan  to Mid of Feb . It is a month of intense cold in Kashmir .  It is a Month as per Bikrami Calender

 Haar  – corresponds to the Mid of June to Mid of July. It is a month of hot summers in Kashmir . It is a Month as per Bikrami Calender .

 (Translation from kashmiri  By Autar Mota )

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WHY SHOULD POSTERITY PAY THE PRICE OF OUR NEGLIGENCE ?

Photo Autar Mota 

March 2011 srinagar, kashmir 

Kanoon e Qudarat

 “Jaisee karni Vaisee bharni”

Kanoon e Duniyaa

 “Karey Koyee Bharey Koyee ”

Law of the nature

“As you sow , so shall you reap ”

Law of this  world of ours

“ While one sows , Other reaps  ” 

The Dal lake srinagar is actually dying. Why should posterity pay the price for our negligence  ??


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DRIVING DOWN TO DAL LAKE FROM PALACE ROAD SRINAGAR KASHMIR

PHOTO AUTAR MOTA 
JULY 2011 
KASHMIR                                                                                 

Driving down  palace Road  towards Dal lake srinagar  on a sunny day in July 2011, my mind started thinking  seriously on following issue. I share it with all

 “ Man thinks in two ways . For him two worlds exist simultaneously. The existing or the world wherein he actually lives and the imagined one .There is a tendency to move from the existing to the imagined . The knowledge of the difference between the existing and the imagined keeps the struggle of existence on. ”

 (Autar Mota )

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SOME VIEWS OF BAANIHAAL TOWN ( J&K)

                                                                                   

 ABOVE :TRAETH   YAETH  PHUTVAATIS  OR  HELL WITH THESE SMALL CURRENCY NOTES .A CHEESE SELLER IN BANIHAAL BAZAAR

                                                                

 ABOVE : BANIHAAL HAS A NEAR TOTAL KASHMIRI CULTURE. KANGRI IS EXTENSIVELY USED TO FIGHT INTENSE COLD

 ABOVE :WILLOWS AT BAANINHAAL   

  
ABOVE : A MAN FROM THE PLAINS SELLING LOCALLY MADE  MEDICINES ON FOOTPATH 

     ABOVE : From Youthful Sunlight to shades of old age ; The caravan moves. But then the machines also inflict a dehumanizing process . They confront you not only in sunshine but also in shade .  A man walks from sunlight to shade in banihaal bazar.                                                                                                                                       

                                                                         
ABOVE : AZ ROAZ SAANIE - DILBER  MYAANEY

 HEY TALLA SAA AZ BEH RAATA SAANEI . HEY SIR PLEASE STAY TONIGHT AT MY HOUSE . A FACE  IN THE BAZAR .

                                                                    

ABOVE  :  A VIEW NEAR THE NEWLY BUILT MOSQUE  IN MAIN BAZAR .

                                               

ABOV E  A VIEW NEAR  IRCON GUEST HOUSE BANIHAAL       .

All photographs by autar Mota Dec 2011 at Banihaal  Town .                  

                                                                   
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CLOUDS ABOUT TO POUR DOWN ( A PHOTOGRAPH WITH MY MOBILE PHONE CAMERA) )

               
 PAIN MAKES US ALL TO BEG  ?

MOBLE UPLOAD BY AUTAR MOTA

JULY 2011

Saawan ki Badlee Machalee hai ,

Bhar bhar matkee maari hai ,

Kaun kahaan daamun ko bachaaye

 Har Aangan pichkaari hai,

Sab kaa Dard bhikhaari hai...............

( lines from a poem of autar Mota )                                                                   


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WHEN THE RAIN BATHED THE CHERRY TREE .

WHEN THE RAIN BATHED THE CHERRY TREE .

( PHOTO AUTAR MOTA MAY 2011 KASHMIR )

Apney Inaam e husn Ke badley ,

Hum Taehi daamanon se Kyaa Lenaa

Aaj Furqat zadon Pe Lutf karo ,

Phir Kabhi Sabr aazmaa lenaa.

( faiz )

In recompense of your beauty’s largesse

What would you expect of us , The empty handed ?

Why don’t you be kind to those afflicted by separation ?

There shall be another time to test their patience .                                                                                  




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MERA SAFAR OR MY JOPURNEY; A BOOK BY ALI SARDAR JAFRI IN HINDI

                                                                 

 BOOK REVIEW  

 MERA  SAFAR  : Published by  Bharatiya Jnanpith  ,

 Lodhi Road New Delhi.   Price Rs  50/=. 

Selected poems oof progressive urdu poet Ali Sardar  Jafri ( 1913-2000)

With   serious   Urdu poetry in Devnagri  script, the book  is meant to present Urdu poet  Ali  Sardar Jafri  to a broad section of his fans / readers  who  are not familiar with Arabic script  . The book contains   132  poetic compositions  comprising of   Gazals , Songs , Mini Poems , Blank Verses , Quatrains and extremely powerful and eloquent poems on Indo Pak Friendship and  the much debated topic of  lasting peace in the Indian Subcontinent .

Sardar hardly needs any Introduction. His Journey from Balrampur (   UP ) to Lucknow , Aligarh , Delhi and finally to  Mumbai ( 1942 )  during the days of British Raj, His unflinching faith in man , love for his homeland  Awadh,  his  long association  with some Freedom fighters of the country , his communist connections and  Imprisonments and finally  his association with progressive writers( like Rajinder Singh Bedi  , Krishen Chander , Faiz  and sajjad Zaheer ) are given some space in the brief and crisp foreword to this book. The  selection from  various poetic works of  the poet  for this book are  quite impressive and appropriate  so as  to present the  essence of his   beliefs and convictions .

These merits apart ,   the compilers have missed much in introducing Sardar   to the  readers of this Book. Not a word about  Sardar’s  firm conviction on staying back in India when all his relatives left for Pakistan in 1947. Not  a  word about sardar’s  association with Nobel Laurate Pablo Neruda or Paul Robson (1898 – 1976 ) , American concert singer ,  actor, athlete, scholar and a passionate   advocate for  the civil rights movement.  No mention  of   film , Television and Documentaries produced or   scripted by him. His association with World progressive writers and   Turkish Poet Nazim Hikmet ( 1902-1963 ) is nowhere mentioned . Sardar’s  faith in Nehruvian Model for the country ,  his humanism in feeling pain and anguish over   Poverty and exploitation  in Asia and Africa  do not find a word in the introduction.

 Sardar was a  spokesman for the poor, and wrote zealously to promote peace and friendship between India and Pakistan all along his life . .This towering poet started   his literary journey with his first  Book Manzil ( a collection of short stories ) published in 1938. His  language is direct, his words are powerful and his  ideas are   like paintings on a   bigger canvas.  Sardar’s poems have  been translated into many  languages of the world. He is  also  recipient of Soviet Land Nehru Award and  the coveted Jnanpith Award apart from being conferred Padam Shri by Government of India .

Many  Critics  have labeled him as a  preacher which in no way is the real estimation of the man or his  work .In fact this happens with poems and issues that are meant to be conveyed to bigger audiences or Humanity at large  . People misunderstand such creative work and interpret it as preaching .   

I remember Atal Bihari Vajpayee saying about sardar  jafri

“ One may disagree with his political beliefs but none can overlook  the vision that this man has for the Humanity “   Vajpayee made the historic peace trip to Pakistan where  he  presented   SARHAD the first-ever album of anti-war poems of Sardar Jafri (sung by Seema Anil Sehgal) to his Pakistani counterpart. This was indeed the greatest tribute to the poetic vision of Sardar.

 On this initiative from Vajpayee  Leading Newspapers wrote

“Where politics had failed, poetics triumphed ”

 I quote a  Memoriam on sardar  which was read out in a seminar in 2000 in New Delhi ..

“Sardar was a rebel, freedom fighter, pacifist, radical activist, storywriter, critic and documentary filmmaker at once. But, above all, he was a poet endowed with exquisite imagination, one of the brightest stars on the firmament of twentieth-century Urdu poetry. “

A poem from SARHAD has following beautiful lines . This poem is also included in the book under review

“ Tum Aao Gulshan e Lahore se chaman Bardosh

Hum Aayein Subh e Benaras Ki Roshinin Le kar

Himalaya ke hawaaon Ki Taazigi Le kar

Aur oss ke baad Yeh Poochein Ki Kaun Dushaman Hai ..”

You Bring us flowers from the Garden of Lahore

We bring the Dawn of Benaras for you ,

We bring the fresh Himalayan breeze for you,

Then let us sit down and ask each other  ,

“Who Is the enemy Now ? “

For  lovers of Urdu poetry the Book has  many eloquent and powerful poems like Subh e Fardaa , Tashkand ki shaam , Qatl e Aftaab and Guftagu raising issues like the   need for  permanent and lasting  Indo Pak Friendship and peace in the subcontinent. His other  poems like   Mera Safar , Asia jaag uthaa, Ved e Muqaduss, Chandalika , Awaadh ki Khaak e Haseen  and Daulat e Duniya Kaa Hisaab are a treat to urdu  poetry Connoisseurs .The compilation has beautiful quatrains and couplets like

Daur e Mai Khatam Huva Khatam Huyee sohbat e shab,

Ho chukee Subah Magar raat abhi Baaki hai

Aisaa Lagtaa hai Ki Bichchhadi Hai abhi Mil ke Nazar

Aisaa Lagtaa hai Mulaqaat Abhi Baaki Hai .

Or

Aey wattan Khaak e wattan Woh Bhi  Tujhe Dhe Dheinge Hum

Buch gayaa hai jo lahoo ab ke fasadaat ke   Baad .

(O my country, my beloved land, we shall be most willing to sacrifice

Whatever blood is left in us after the bloodbath of riots)

Or

Yeh kaun Aayaa  Shab e wasal Ka Jamaal Liye

Tamaam Umr e Guzashataa ke Maah o Saal Liye

Hazaar Rang e Khizaan Ka Badan pe Pairaahun

Zawaal e husn mein Bhi Husn e Laazawaal Liye .

Some mini poems composed by sardar and included in MERA SAFAR  are worth mentioning . For example

Gham Kaa heera

Dil mein Rakho ,

Kis ko Dikhaatey Phiratey Ho ,  

Yeh Choron Ki Duniyaa hai.

Keep these pearls of pain hidden in thy heart

Do not show them to one and all.

Take care !

There are thieves all over

They might snatch this too from thee.

About the  freedom soaked in Blood bath of 1947  sardar says

Issi sarhad pe kal dooba tha sooraj ho ke do tukade

Issi sarhad pe kal zakhmi huyi thi subh-e-azaadi

(Yesterday, the sun split into two and diminished at this border

Freedom’s dawn was also wounded at this very border…)

Sardar’s romanticism is unmatched .His  small poem “Tu Mujhe Itane Pyaar se Mat Dekh  “  included in this compilation   is worth mentioning for his moving romanticism which at times is  shadowed by anxieties of  existence .

Tu mujhay itnay pyaar say mat dekh,

Teri palkon kee naram saayaye main

Dhoop bhi chandni si lagti hai

Aur mujhay kitni door jaanaa hai

Rait hai garm,Paon kay chhaalay

Yoon dehktay hain,jaisay angaaray

Pyaar ki yeh nazar rehay na rehay

Kaun dasht-e-wafa main jalta hai

Teray dil ko khabar rahay na rahay

Tu mujhay itnay pyaar say mat daikh

-------------------------------------

Don't look at me so lovingly.

In the gentle shadows of your eye lashes

the sunlight turns into moonlight.

I've yet to go far off,

the sand beneath my feet is hot,

and the boils on my feet

feel like red hot coal.

Whether love lingers or not,

who wants to get burned

in the desert of faithfulness?

Whether you remember me or not,

Don't look at me so lovingly

Praising beautiful  hands of workers of the world , Sardar goes on to say that Humanity should Respect the hands of Poor Artisans . These hands should get acceptance  and dignity  for these hands alone run this world. This poem called “ Haathon Kaa Taraana “ or song of the hands is also included in the  compilation under review .

Mitti Ko chhuain to sonaa hai

Chaandi ko Chhuain to paayal hai

Pather ko Chhuain to Buut kar dein

Kaalik ko chhuain to kaajal hai

Aijaaz hai yeh inn haathon ka

Resham Ko chhuain to Aanchal hai

Inn haathon ki taqreem karo

Inn haathon ki taazeem karo

Duniyaa ko Chalaane waale hai

Inn Haathon Ko Tasleem karo

If they touch clay , It turns gold .

If they touch silver , it shapes itself to become Paayal ( Beautiful foot anklet ) ,

If they touch a stone , they make a deity out of it .

If they touch the lamp soot , they make it Kohl for the eyes .

What a wonder ! They touch silk and it turns to be our Body scarf..

Respect these hands .

Dignify these hands .

They move the world .

Accept these hands .

Some more poems of sardar like Husn e Kashmir ( The beauty of Kashmir ,)  and  Bombay would have done a little bit of value addition to this compilation . Nonetheless , the Book present Sardar Jafri  in Proper perspective and the reader finds it enjoyable.

( Autar Mota )

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THE GARDEN , THE FLOWERS AND FRIENDS ARE WAITING FOR ME....

                                                                                         

Photo Autar Mota
srinagar . kashmir

Fasl e Bahaar Par Bhi Aseer e kafas Huun mein

Gulzaar Ki Fazaa Ko Mera Intezaar hai .

Jaisaa Fusurdaa Ho Gayee bazm e sadaa O Saaz

Yaaraan e Khush-nawaa Ko Mera intezaar Hai

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MY LOVE ! MY CITY ! LISTEN THIS TWO LINE COMPLAINT OF YOUR LOVER ...

        

Srinagar Dal Lake october 2011

Photo autar mota

Ek Tarz e tagaaful hai so woh unn ko mubarak ,

Ek arz e Tamanaa hai so hum kartey raheinge

... ( faiz )

This posture of indifference , Let it be her prerogative,

For me it always be my desire's entreaty

                                                          

 
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A VIEW NEAR TANGMARG KASHMIR

                                                                                     

A VIEW  NEAR TANGMARG KASHMIR

PHOTO AUTAR MOTA OCTOBER 2011.

Zindagi hum tere daagon se rahey sharmindaa,

Aur tuu hai ke sada Aainekhaane Maange.......

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REMEMBERING AGHA SHAHID ALI

     
Photographs by autar Mota 

 (Photo No 1 is Agha shahid's family House  at Raj Bagh srinagar ,No 2 is the spacious lawn maintained by his father and scholar Agha Ashraf Ali , No 3 shows Agha Sahib standing , No 4 shows Agha Ashraf Ali in his study room ,No 5 shows Agha sahib with Autar Mota and media man  Ajaz Rashid the remaining three photographs were clicked at jammu on 08.12.2011. Photographs from 1 to 5  were clicked at Agha Sahib's residence at Raj Bagh Srinagar on 04.07.201.)          

 TENTH DEATH ANNIVERSARY OF POET AGHA SHAHID ALI  


Kashmir born  Poet Agha shahid Ali needs no introduction in American literary circles . So does he need no introduction in UK. But yes he remains  unknown in his own state and more specifically in Kashmir . Do we forget our ICONS ?
  A function was organized at Press Club jammu On 08.12.2011 by Civil society for Arts and literature  , family friends  of the late poet and other Literary personalities of the state  . The function was meant to commemorate   Agha Shahid Ali ‘s (Kashmir born English poet) 10^th death anniversary  . Agha Ashraf Ali  ( Father of late poet ) was on dais with  Prof A N Dhar ( Ex HOD English university of Kashmir ),  Noted kashmiri  poet Farooq Nazki and   Ved Bhasin Editor Kashmir Times Group. Others who joined included  Poet and scientist   A R Nazki ,  short story writer Khalid Hussain , Gojri Scholar  Javid Raahi ,Writer Dr. Ramesh Taimiri ,Theatre personality Ravindra kaul,   Photographer Ajaz Rashid and many more from the field of art and literature . Memorable evening . Poems and literary talks . Father ( Agha Ashraf Ali ) remembering childhood days of his brilliant son . Prof A N Dhar  remembering meeting Shahid  in kashmir university.  Some speaker  recites Faiz .  Another pays his poetic tribute to Shahid 's memory  My thoughts too  shift. I am reminded of    Agha shahid Ali ’s poem  on satyajit Ray's movie   “Pather Pancheli “. Shahid has condensed  the entire   labour of the genius director  Satyajit  Ray  to an 8 line poetic composition  . Here goes the poem.

Durga dies in the rains,

her tongue bitter with stolen

fruit. Beyond the field, trains

escape a boy’s dreams, run

into the air. A necklace chains

him to the water’s bones, turns

his reflection sour. Wherever

Apu goes, to the temple or the river,

he carries Durga’s smile to the depths of the air.

( Agha Shahid Ali )

The  memorable scene of this great movie wherein Durga and Appu move through the fields to have a glimpse of the train has been beautifully captured in this poem by Shahid .

My mind also goes to his superb translation of faiz.  Loneliness  has many colours and contours. Faiz is a master in expressing human loneliness . I can not help loving his poem “Tanhaayi ” and the superb and simple translation of Shahid  appearing in the Book “ The Rebel’s Silhouette: Selected Poems, by Faiz Ahmed Faiz  ”translated by Agha Shahid Ali ..Intense loneliness expressed by faiz and superbly conveyed in English by agha shahid Ali's translation 

(Tanhaayi)

Faiz Ahmed Faiz

phir ko’ii aayaa, dil-e-zaar! nahiin, ko’ii nahiin;

raah-rau hogaa, kahiin aur chalaa jaaegaa.

dhal chukii raat, bikharne lagaa taaron kaa ghubaar,

larkharaane lage aiwaanon mein khwaabiida charaagh,

so ga’ii raasta tak takke har ek rah guzaar;

ajnabi khaak ne dhundlaa diye qadmon ke suraagh.

gul karo shamiin, barhaa do mai-o-miinaa-o-ayaagh,

apne be khwaab kivaaron ko muqaffal kar lo;

ab yahaan ko’ii nahiin, ko’ii nahiin aayega!

Solitude

Someone, finally, is here! No, unhappy heart, no one -

just a passerby on his way.

The night has surrendered

to clouds of scattered stars.

The lamps in the hall waver.

Having listened with longing for steps,

the roads too are fast asleep.

A strange dust has buried every footprint.

Blow out the lamps, break the glasses, erase

all memory of wine. Heart,

bolt forever your sleepless doors,

tell every dream that knocks to go away.

No one, now no one will ever return……………………….

(Translated by  Agha Shahid Ali.)

My friend and poet Farooq Nazki has also composed a  kashmiri poem "Akh Berang chith - Agha Shahid-ni nawaa "as a tribute to the poet. The wonderful English  translation to this poem is by his talented daughter Roohi Nazki . Here goes the poem.................

 (To Agha Shahid – From: Dead Letter Office)

 The deepening black of an evening rose,

The fragrance of a thousand blooms

The Prince of the kingdom of sleep

Caressing the eyes with a soothing dream

Rousing the soul to a silent fire

Eyes, laden with the nameless terror, a strange content

Therein glinted a hope for tomorrow

Therein went buried many a dream

Dwelling long in dreams forbidden

Searching hard in shadows forbidden

He saw them there, the demons of the night

Their dance macabre, seared his soul

I still remember

He was so different

A being unique, a heart’s content

As I held him in my gaze, my blood rose in my veins

Away and yet so close to me

The solitary figure in a crowd

Alone

First whiff of the spring

Blazing sun

Blossom of the mustard flower

Cool draught of a spring

A field of saffron

The first shower

A fist of snow

An honest man, shrouded in white

The long night of the ninth moharram

A cry for water of the tenth moharram

The flaming chinar

The generous soul

The sweet breeze of early spring

The moon in a dark wintry night, frozen in the sky

The promise of a ‘sheena sharth’

Long winter

A warm kangdi on a wintry night

Sufiya’pet, her crown, her world

A droplet shimmering on a sprig of leaves

Noble son

The midnight blue of a moths wings

Circling death, courting love

A celebrity incognito

A nameless letter that the pigeon delivers

The bridge of ‘Suraat’over the ‘Bhavsar’ ocean

A boat ride

The shailmar garden

The lilting ardour,

making the blood dance in the veins

Tibet Bakal’s ‘Tilang tarana’

The gentle voice of Shams Faqir

Begum Akhtar’s touching Khayal

The creeper climbing the mud wall

The lone flower gracing a vase

Immense desert

Divine being

A mirage within the mirage of dreams

The bard of my land

A saint, a sufi

So far, yet tuned to be silent lament of my heart

Cradling the vale in his eyes

Words shining like fireflies in the velvety night

His memory synergies my soul,

blazing the frozen blood in my veins.

Shaking the mountains

Spraying flowers

Casting life on trees and plants

A cry of delight

A lyrical thought

The merry wooer, solitary along the bridge of fire

A ray of light dispelling the darkness

Oh universe be a witness to what I say

That harbinger of life

Lal Ded’s dream

The rishi of goodwill

The seeker

He will rise again

Splitting the earth

Green like a field of wheat

He will soar again over the Himalayas

Draped in tulips he will appear, yet again

 ( Farooq Nazki Translated by Roohi  Nazki )

What more can be said about this great poet i do not know . Almost all about him  is available on the net . Amitav Ghosh , his friend and writer ( who wrote  the novel “The Hungry Tide ”  ) has also added a nice page about the life and work of this poet especially covering the period of his illness . To Amitav , Shahid had  said

‎" This dividing of the country , the divisions between the people- Hindu , muslim , Muslim , hindu - Yo can not imagine how much i hate it . It makes me sick.I wish this had not happened . "

"Once shiela Dhar who knows Gazal singer Begum Akhtar very well told me that my teeth and and mouth resemble Begum sahiba " .

“ I just love those moody songs of kishore  kumar  apart from Rogan josh and old Bombay films ”

Shahid shall be remembered for seriously working on the GAZAL format for English poetry . He himself wrote some poems in this format and compiled a book “Ravishing DisUnities: Real Ghazals in English.

 My experience with Agha Shahid Ali's poems has been like reading Rajtarangini. First reading in a summary way confused me. But Once you understand the reference /context of his poems you start realizing intellectual tallness and clarity of vision of this man . You come to his poems again and again. His poetry breathes the natural fragrance of kashmir . If  kashmir is in pain his poems reflect the pain. If hope and bright dawn is nearby , he is the first to talk about it . Shahid uses a large canvas to convey issues touching him. In this type of literature you do not talk about any victor or vanquished . You can not call it a poetry of cause or poetry of effect . It is poetry of human beings who have a shared history and a shared past . Through some poems ,the poet also envisions a future for them based on a very strong and indestructible cultural commonality and ethos . Such Intellectuals rise taller in any group to say loudly " look folks ! All of you are sufferers ". And We are duty bound to salute these genuine feelings .This is the quality of great literature . A Literature that has no group label. Apply it to universal situations and it fits perfectly....

 Shahid loved Kashmir ,its river , mountains , hills , lakes , birds and seasons . He had special love for srinagar city .I  also Joined  the memorial function on 08.12.2011 and felt privileged to be given an opportunity to speak  for 10 Minutes  on Poetry of Agha Shahid Ali especially his translation of Faiz  Ahmed Faiz. I dedicate a   poem  of mine to  Agha Shahid Ali's memory .  I read this poem  at the memorial function on 08.12.2011..

Hamaara shehar ( our City )

Manzilein Ghumm hain Raastey Sooney

Naa Koyee Yaar Naa Sukhan Naa khuloos

Kab Hansey Thhey hamein to yaad Nahin

Koyee Kaandhaa nahin hai Roney ko

Shaam Se hi Gharon ke Bandh kiwaad

Zindagi Ghutt Gayee hai kamron mein.

Kyaa Khareedeinge inn Bazaaron mein

Jin me Bikatee hai dard o Badh –Haali.

Woh Parindey Woh Pyaar ke Raahi

Shehar Ko Jin Pe Naaz Thaa kal Tak

Aaj Jaane Kahaan Bhataktey hain

Ya issi Shehar mein hain Chupp Bebas

Apne Khwaabon mein rang Bhartein hain.

Khwaab woh Hain Ki Sunaaye Na Baney

Dard Woh hai ki Dikhaaye Na baney

Fir Bhi Har waqt Yeh Dua Woh Karein

" Aey Mere Shehar Tuu Aabaad rahey

Mausamon ki Mehar rahey har saal

Tere Baagon mein Parindey hon sadaa

Teri Jheelon mein Aabshaaron mein

Inn safedon mein in Chinaron mein

Har Choraahey mein basti koochey mein

Zindagi Laut ke har pal Yeh kahey

Pyaar Ka Jashn Manaana Hai Ab

Har Andhere ko Mitaana Hai Ab”"

(Autar Mota )

                                                             

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