Dr. AGNISHEKHAR ,A MODERN HINDI POET FROM KASHMIR

                                                                           

 Dr. AGNISHEKHAR  ,A MODERN  HINDI POET  FROM KASHMIR

Dr.Agnishekhar  ( Born 1955 ) is a well known Hindi writer and  poet from Kashmir . Apart from being a poet , he  is a Mountaineer, Public speaker and a known political  thinker representing   kashmiri Pandit community    currently living in  exile .  

This small write up   has nothing to do with Dr  Agnishekhar’s  political beliefs or convictions . I believe that his stature as a Poet gets overshadowed by his non literary Personality ( Political ) for which he is more popular and  known . We   are   at liberty to agree or disagree  with that aspect of his   personality  . But something that has a broader outreach is his sharp poetic sensibility . You can not ignore it. You can not disagree on that aspect. The  literary talent   of any Individual  wherever it be ,  whosoever he be,  Invariably attracts  the  attention of Lovers of fine Arts .

 And One  can not overlook the plethoric  modernism and ensemble of touching  imagery  that he creates  through  his poems; A   Nostalgia that can not be disowned  howsoever painful it be.His poems   come from a  heart that is awash in sensitivity  and beats  with  love for the land of his birth .

Through  his Exile poems  , Agnishekhar  comes very  close to the poetic sensitivity of Kurdish poets like  Sherko Bekas,  Choman Hardi and  Kajal Ahmed.These poems have been published in  almost all the leading Hindi Newspapers and  Magazines  of the country .

The influence of  Modern  Palestinian ,  Latin American and  Kurdish  poets is starkly visible in his work. So is the influence of Turkish Poet Nazim Hikmet Ran  whom he admires and loves to read and quote .He is an avid reader of Mahmoud  Darvish .

                                                                        

      ( Dr Agnishekhar  With Nida Nawaz . A close Friend and  a fellow  Hindi Poet from kashmir )

A  translator as well,Agnishekhar 's published books include  KISSI BHI SAMAY  ( Any Time ), MUJH SE CHHEEN LI  GAYI MERI NADI  ( They snatched my river from me ), KAAL VRIKSH  KI CHHAAYA MEIN  ( Under the shade of Death tree ) ,  JAWAHAR  TUNNEL ,MERI PYAARI KAVITAAYEIN and  DOZAKH ( A collection of  short stories ).

                                            

   ( With Cinematographer Ravi Kemu and Noted Hindi writer Prof.R L Shant )

In Feb2010, he  was chosen as the  event Coordinator for the  international conference of Poets held at Mysore . This conference was  attended by poets, Artists and Film makers  from  Iran, Norway, Germany ,Vietnam, Ireland ,  Chile , Austria,Israel, USA , Tibet and many other countries.  In this well attended conference organized by Rati Saxena of KRITYA , Subjects like conflict  survival ,exile consciousness ,Human Displacement in war and Terror   and  Loss of culture and identity came up for discussion through poems , lettere ,esays and films .

                                     

           

(Receiving Award from Sri Bhajan Sopori)

Post Migration  from Kashmir , Dr. Agnishekhar lives in jammu and keeps himself busy with writing and other activities  . He is married to Dr  Khema kaul who is  also an accomplished   Hindi writer.

" Autar ji , though i like to read all Poets more specifically Hindi Poets,  Yet In Urdu literature , Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Ghalib are  my favourite poets  . I am equally  impressed by the Vision and Humanism of Ali Sardar Jafri . I also keep reading  Manto and Munshi Prem Chand." informs  Dr Agnishekhar .

 I present three sample poems of the poet with my English rendering.

(1)

(Girtee Barf Mein )

Barf Gir Rahi hai ,

Aaj Phir chinaar ke neeche

Koyee dekh rahaa hai

Tumhaari   Raah

Dharrak rahi hai Eik Umeed Phir se

Din Badal jaane ki

Utkat Praarthhanaa koyee kar rahaa hai

Iss Himpaat mein ……..

Barf ke inn Vishaal Prastaron ke neeche

Beh rahi hai Maun  jal Dhaaraayein

Meri  Jijivishaa hain

Gharon ki Chhatein

Aur Perdon ki Tahniyon se latak rahi

Jami Huyee pandhaariyaan

Meray aansoo aur paseenay hain

Kye Huvaa

 Akelaa Huun  me  Iss Chatyrdik Shunyaa mein

Dhab  rahein hai  Barf ke neeche

Meray Kheit ,

Smritiyaan ,

Jarrein ,

Kavitaayein

Naam o Nishaan meray

Me har chinaar ke neeche

Barf ki Banbiyaan mein Khadaa

Kar rahaan huun Surya Upaasana

Budh-budhaa rahaa huun

Dhoop !

Dhoop!

Dhoop!

( Agni Shekhar )

( In the snow fall )

 Today the chinar tree is once again

Under falling snow ,

Some one  stands at  the pathway

Looking for you .

This heart beats once more with a hope 

 “Days are going to change  for Sure ”

An intense  prayer by some one

In this snow fall,

Under this  gigantic snow settlement ,

So many streams of silence keep moving ,

 Like  my resilience .

From the rooftops and  the branches of these trees ,

Frozen water  lines  dangle

 like my tears and sweat drops ,

What  ,if alone I stand today ,

In this desolate silence of    all the  four corners ,

Under this very  snow ,

Buried are  my fields ,

My recollections ,

My roots ,

My Poems

My being  and identity .

I stand underneath every chinar tree ,

In these  snow stacks ,

 Performing  Sun worship ,

I  keep murmuring ,

Sunshine  !

Sunshine !

Sunshine !

(2)

 ( Pull Par Gaay)

 Sab taraf Barf hai  khaamosh

Jale huve hamaare gharon  se Oonche  hain

Nippate peid

Eik Raah Bhatkii Gaay

Pull se Dekh rahi hai

Khoon Ki nadi

Rambhaa kartii hai

Akaash Mein Suraakh

Chheenktii hai jab meri maa

Yahaan Visthhaapan mein

Ussay Yaad kar rahi Hotii Haio Gaay

Itanay barson Baad bhi

Nahin Thhami hai Khoon ki nadi

Uss apr Khadi Hai Gaay

Iss par hai  meri Maa

Aur akaash mein

Gahraata ja Rahaa hai

Suraakh…

( Agnishekhar )

(The cow on the Bridge )

The snowfall has brought silence all over ,

These leafless  trees have grown taller than our burnt houses .

A stray cow looks below from the bridge ,

A river full of blood in spate

Pierces a hole in the sky as it moves fast .

In exile, My mother is disturbed by a sneeze ,

Possibly the cow remembers her.

So many years have gone past

Yet this river of blood has not ceased to flow.

On that side of the river stands the cow,

While on this side is my mother .

And in the sky above ,

The hole keeps on turning deeper and ever deeper .

(3)

(Yaad kartaa hai Bachaa )

Kyaa huvaa thhaa Uss Boraayi havaa mein ,

Hamaare parivaar ke saathh,

Kaise saham Gayaa thhaa Gaanv,

Bhaag  Gayee Thhi Nadi

Chhorr Ram Bharose  chinaaron ko

Baahar Hazaaron Dussaaye Kavvon ka Shor Thaa Aakramak ,

Aur Hum Thhay be chat Ghonsalon mein

Ya Hum Thhay Beil Par

Angooron ki aakhiri Gunchon ki tarah Gabraaye

Ro rahi Thhi Maa

Ro rahi Thhi Daadi

Ro rahaa thha Chhitkoo

Chaachi Thhi Ro rahi

Aur  aap Haathh Jorray

Chupp Rehnay  ko Keh rahay Thhay

Bujhaa Di Gayee thhi Bijli

Paros gayee thhi Chuppi

Gali Mein pataakhon Ki Ladiyon Ki tarah

Gulchharay Urra rahaa thhaa Shor

Papa,

Kal Jab Door darshan par

Dikhaaya ja trahaa thha Kashmir

Barfeeli Chotiyaan

Jheel, Jharney , Hare maidaan

Lagaa thha Mujhe Hum Peelay Zard pattay  hain

Buhaar Diye Gaye Hain Jhaarroo Se

Yahaan Campon Mein

“ Papa ! Kya Hamein Yahaan se Bhi Udaa Le Jaayegi Havaa ?….”

( Agnishekhar )

( A child Remembers )

What happened in that violent wind

With our family ?

Under fright , Entire village turned silent ,

The river too ran away

Leaving the Chinar trees to Nobody’s care .

Outside , crows in thousands joined to create

violent noise all over .

And we stayed put in our roofless nests ,

Like the last bunch of grapes

Hanging in bewilderment from the vine .

Mother wept bitterly ,

Grand mother wept ,

The young chhitkoo wept ,

The Aunt too wept .

And With your hands folded before them

You requested everyone to keep calm.

The lights were turned off

To serve silence in the room.

In the lane outside ,

The crackers burst in chain

Creating fierce noise .

Papa !

Yesterday when Kashmir was being telecast on Doordarshan ,

Snow clad mountains ,

Lakes ,

Waterfalls ,

Green valleys ,

I felt as if we are fallen dry leaves ,

Broomed away from the Garden

To these camps .

“Papa! Shall the wind carry us away from this place as well ?

( Autar Mota )

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