PHOTOGRAPHS BY AVTAR MOTA .
I AM ADDING LINES FROM MY KASHMIRI POEM --NEEL NAAG PYETHA PRAYAAG TAAM –OR “ FROM NEEL NAAG TO PRAYAAG ”
Khabar vaaeninaai Tche vaavun Sheish yapaariem
Chhe Bhaer Bhaer Pyaal Dolaan Haalei Haeraan
Avezaan Maal daarien Haavasunn Hinz
Yimaai Arpan karien Assi Neel Naagus
Taa Vaatun Yim Prayaagich Bonnei Tal Yeli
Yiman samkhun Chhu Ajadaadun Vanun Chhukh
“ Yiman Bur gamietun Hinz Aash Thhaevizuv
Yimuv Dietch Treish Tarpan jaayie Jaayie
Su Jangal ouss ya seki Shaat dazvun
Yimuv roachh Lol praethh Saatun Pryaaguk
Yimun Paanuss nishan Thhuk Jaai Thhaevizuv ”
(Avtar Mota )
Did the breeze put across our news to you ?
Filled cups
go waste now in this endless wait.
Desires hang like flower garlands on windows,
These garlands ,
shall surely be consigned to waters of *“ Neel Naaga ” ,
Flowing down ,
these shall reach the *“ Prayaaga Chinar ”
And shall then convey to our ancestors
“ Keep these separated people in your hopes,
For they performed the *TARPAN ritual at every place ,
They did it in jungles ,
They did it in blazing deserts ,
But in their hearts ,
They Always nursed the love for their * “Prayaaga chinar ” ,
And now Secure some final resting space for them too near by ”
( Autar Mota )
*
To understand the sentiments of the lines , I need to clarify some references In the above lines :-
Neel Naag ( Blue spring )
Neel Naag is another name of Verinaag Spring in Anantnaag district south of kashmir. This spring has deep blue water and is considered to be the source of river vitasta ( Jhelum ). Late Dina Nath Naadim , stalwart modern kashmiri poet called vitasta as the daughter of Neel Naaga in his celebrated opera VITASTA .
Prayaag Chinar
The confluence of Sindh stream and river Jhelum ( Vitasta ) near Shadipora Kashmir is a sacred place for kashmiri Pandits . This Sangam is also called as “ Prayaag” by them.. Before migration, the ashes of near and dear ones were finally consigned to water at this Sangam by them considering it as sacred as Haridwaar or Prayaag at Allahabad ( The confluence of river Ganga and yamuna.).
There is a chinar tree at the confluence point at Shadipora . The tree is surrounded by water from all sides. This chinar tree finds mention in some old Texts and is thus believed to be more than twelve hundred years old. This chinar tree is also sacred to kashmiri Pandits who believe that the souls of their near and dear ones are around this tree only. They call it PRAYAAGICH BOONEI or the chinar Tree of Prayaag.
The sangam at shadipora finds mention in Neelmat Purana also . I quote
“ The wise say that by bathing in the confluence of sindhu and vitasta , specially on the full moon day of the month of Prausthapada , one obtains the merit of Ashvamedha .”
( Neelmat Purana by Dr Ved Kumari Ghai volume I I Canto 1384 page 345 )
Tarpan
Tarpan is a Vedic ritual of offering drinking water to dead near and dear ones essentially parents and grand parents by Kashmiri Pandits . This water is offered every morning before taking food . Early in the morning we would see kashmiri Pandits performing Tarpan on Vitasta Banks after the morning Bath .
( Autar Mota )
Sunday, 16th September 2012 Time 10.10PM ……Good Night ..
CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.