MULAQAAT WITH D N NAADIM,,,INTERVIEWER MOHD YUSUF TAING SECRETARY J&K ACADEMY OF ART CULTURE AND LANGUAGES

A RECORDED CONVERSATION BETWEEN  STALWART KASHMIRI POET DINA NATH NAADIM AND   MOHD YUSUF TAING THE THEN SECRETARY JAMMU AND KASHMIR ACADEMY OF ART CULTURE AND LANGUAGES .

THE INTERVIEW OPENS MANY UNKNOWN PAGES  OF KASHMIR'S CULTURAL PAST.

( Autar Mota )



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SNOW IN FINLAND

                                                                                   

                                                            (            Snowman )

                                                              ( A walk on Frozen sea )

                                                            ( Frozen Canal )

                                                   ( Analyzing Fish Holes )

                                                                ( Frozen Sea )                                       

SNOW IN FINLAND..

( Photo clicked on  .. 15.02.2017 and  26.02.2017.. Helsinki )

Snow is a great attraction for Finnish people.They do everything to let it remain clean and untouched.you can not throw garbage or food wastes on snow. But yes children and adults make sculptures and human figures of snow.They can't resist it.

Every house has a sauna room that is put to extensive use during snow falls. Fish holes are dug to insert special fishing hooks deep down for catching fish from frozen lakes and sea.

Well clothed people ,with minimum three layers of clothes and special snow shoes , go for long snow walks .

Ice hockey is a popular winter game. A visit to Laplands could be a great experience. And ride a Reindeer driven sleigh or go for some daredevil winter sport.

( AUTAR MOTA )

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FIRST KASHMIRI SILENT MOVIE

                                                                                      

                                                ( Photo R C Kak (1893-1983) ... Source Prof. Arvind Gigoo )

FIRST SILENT MOVIE  IN KASHMIRI 



In 1928, a silent movie was made in kashmir .It was based on social evils. It was scripted by RC Kak ( who later became prime Minister of Kashmir) and a young Jai Lal Koul acted in it. Yes Same Jai/Jay Lal Koul who later headed SP college as it's principal. I stand corrected and updated.

( Source Mulaqaat'... Interview of Dina Nath Naadim with M.Y.Taing.)

(AUTAR MOTA)

PS

 (1)
PEOPLE DID NOT LIKE THIS VENTURE . A THRASHING WAS GIVEN TO PERSONS WHO WERE SHOWING IT. LATER SOME PRINTS WERE BURNT AND DAMAGED. 
(2)

 PROF. ARVIND GIGOO  INFORMS  ME THAT THE NAME OF THIS SILENT MOVIE WAS  CHINAR.                      

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A PAHARI MINIATURE PAINTING AND SHIVRATRI GREETINGS TO MY FRIENDS

                                                                                   

SHIVA AND PARVATI COMING FROM MOUNT KAILASA ..


A PAHARI MINIATURE PAINTING BY KHUSHALA SON OF MANAKU

( MANAKU WAS   REAL BROTHER OF NAINSUKH AND BOTH WERE SONS OF EMINENT PAHARI PAINTER PANDIT SIEU RAINA OR SHIV RAINA A KASHMIRI PANDIT. NAINSUKH WAS WORLD RENOWNED PAHARI PAINTER FROM GULER.)

HERAT MUBARAK AND SHIVRATRI GREETINGS TO MY FRIENDS ..

(Autar Mota )

PS

• Kashmiris have immensely contributed  towards the development of  Pahari school of Art. A family of RAZADAN ( RAINA ) Brahmins from Kashmir who were artists, moved out of Kashmir when they found no patronage to their work in valley and settled in various Rajput Hilly kingdoms on both sides of river RAVI. The family Head PANDIT SHIV RAINA ( who later came to be known as SEU RAINA was a master of PALA STYLE OF ART ) joined as artist in the kingdom of RAJA DALIP SINGH OF GULER . NAIN SUKH (Nana ) AND MANAKU ( Manna ) where his sons who later on revolutionized the Miniature Pahari Art by joining various hilly Rajput kingdoms. It is also believed that the next generation of this group of migrant Brahmins from kashmir did not move towards plains of the country in view of Death and destruciton created by Nadir Shah and Ahmed Shah Abdali's invasions.

While Shiv Raina was an artist , other RAZADANS or RAINAS who were Brahmins and who also migrated out from kashmiri valley , took up employment in the Durbars of various Hilly Rajput Kingdoms . Some amongst these migrant Pandits , who were well versed in Hindu scriptures, were employed as Raj Purohits by various Pahari Rulers .The Raj Purohit of Basholi Kingdom was a Kashmiri RAZADAN who was granted sufficient land by the ruler . Even to this day, this RAZADAN family owns land in and around Basholi town. Again the Raj Purohit of Haripur was a Raina Brahmin from kashmir.

These Razdans / Rainas of kashmir settled themselves in Sujanpur Tira , Nurpur , Haripur , Chamba , Kangra , Bilaspur , Hamirpur , Basholi , Jammu , Jasrota ,Mandi , Kulu , Palampur and other hilly kingdoms of Himachal and nearby Jammu and Uttrakhand .

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WE HAVE BEEN UNFAIR TO DINA NATH NAADIM.

                                                                                 

                                                                   


(Photograph of  the Building of Lal Ded  Memorial School  Badyaar Bala  Srinagar where Poet Dina Nath Naadim   served as Principal  for many years   )

WE HAVE BEEN UNFAIR TO POET DINA NATH  NAADIM ...

I have observed many similarities Between Naadim and Bengali Rebel Poet Qazi Nazrul Islam . Both were brought up and nursed in poverty . Both had mastery in the field of Nazm / Kobita . Their Verses come up with a gift of inherent music . Both have explored common themes such as exploitation ,love, freedom and humanity . Both were towering figures in spearheading a cultural renaissance by liberating poetry and literature from its medieval mould. The lone dissimilarity is sharp and painful. While Nazrul almost got what he rightly deserved for his contribution in the Literary arena of the subcontinent , Naadim did not get his due place even in his own land. For this, Kudos to Bengalis world over for not only recognizing and remembering their icons but also ensuring a respectable place for them in the corpus of “World Literature” . And here We have been unfair not only to Naadim but also to another legend known as Abdul Ahad Azad. I have my doubts if any person remembers Noor Mohd. Roshan.

( aUTAR mOTA )

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POVERTY ,MOTHER , POETRY AND DINA NATH NAADIM

                                                                                 

PORTRAIT OF POET DINA NATH NAADIM

By G R SANTOSH..

HONEST TO THE CORE..

" My mother is the person who developed my interest in kashmiri poetry. After the death of my father, my sister got married . I was a small child just 7years old when father died. I am told that when he died, we had one and half rupee with us.. we could not buy a coffin .Poverty had its supermacy in our family. For many many years, mother and me would eat Haak saag only. Mutton was tasted only once in a year on Herath day . Mother was my sole companion. At Times , I felt extreme loneliness . She would be busy with her spinning wheel (yendher) under an oil lamp.The lamp was burnt when she sat for spinning.There was complete silence in the room except the sound created by spinning wheel. She would not allow me to go out.Possibly she felt insecure.She was possibly fed up with poverty and the life that we lived.When Gandhi Ji arrived on National scene, she felt that someone , who could address poverty stricken masses, had arrived. .Her earnings from the spinning wheel was all that we had for our survival. Right from my 4th class, I had started supplementing her earnings by teaching students of lower classes.

For being poor, We were looked down upon by our relatives in particular and the society in general . I was handsome but had no good clothes to wear . As child , i played with Haanji ( Poor Boatmen ) children who lived on Jhelum Bank close to our House . They shared our poverty .

New Books I could not afford. I would borrow books and then copy entire book on old Newspapers as white paper I could not afford .In 1928, Under this background, I passed my matriculation in first Division.Thereafter I could not afford Rs 2.50 ( Two and a half rupees ) as the college fee though I wanted to study and join college. Finally I did my FA, BA and BT privately after I opened a school / Academy. I may add that Prof. Jay Lal Koul even purchased two Books for me from his pocket and encouraged me to join College But i somehow did not join.

My mother's father was also a poet( Zana Bhat ) .Poet Mehjoor knew my maternal grandfather .My Matamaals( Mother's Parents) were from Muran, a village in close vicinity of Mitregaam .And Mehjoor was from village Mitregaam. So when I met Mehjoor , he told me that he was my Mama (Maternal uncle) as he knew my maternal grandfather's family closely and considered my mother as his sister.

My mother had profound belief in spirituality but she was somewhat agnostic. For deprivation and our poverty, she possibly nursed a complaint against God. She remembered verses of LalDed ,Sheikh Noor Ud Din,Mehmood family, Shamas Faqeer, Prakash Bhat and Krishen joo Razdan. She liked Pudeena Chutney and Rice. I too ate this simple food quite often .She loved flowers .

I recollect a poem that mother composed as she would keep humming her compositions while being busy at the spinning wheel...I quote..

Munn- kuyyi me gilitoor Tchoori Tch'ol

Maeti soa'nta Vanvtum konaa Foa'l

( The early flower within, slipped far away without letting me know,

O crazy spring , Reveal please,

Why it didn't bloom ?)"

(Autar Mota)

Source. A selection  from ...Mulaaqaat...  Interview of Dina Nath Naadim  by MY Taing Former  secretary Cultural Academy J&K ..

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BANSI NIRDOSH ..PROLIFIC WRITER BUT UNSUNG

                           

BANSI NIRDOSH    ( 1930-2001)

He was a gentleman to the core. Born to Shyam Lal Walli of Badyar Bala ,Srinagar , Bansi Lal  Walli , who later came to be known as Bansi Nirdosh , started his  career as  an Urdu  journalist ( Deputy Editor )with Amritsar based newspaper,’ NAYA  ZAMAANA’.   It may be relevant to mention that this father , Pandit Shyam Lal walli was himself  a journalist cum writer who wrote under pseudonym , ‘Tirath Kashmiri ‘. Tirath Kashmiri was a regular subscriber to the Martand and Khidmat newspapers published from Srinagar.From Badyar Bala, the family later moved to live near Sathu, Barbarshah in the vicinity of Ramchander Ji Temple.

  Bansi Nirdosh   lived at Amritsar for some time and later on moved to Srinagar to work with a leading Urdu newspaper KHIDMAT.  At the Khidmat newspaper, he along with Sufi Ghulam Mohammad and Makhan Lal Mahav were Assistant editors   while Nand Lal Wattal remained the Editor and Mohd Amin Pandit worked as Joint Editor. During this period, he also worked on part time basis with the AFTAB, another popular Urdu newspaper. Thereafter, he joined   AIR Srinagar. At Radio Kashmir Srinagar, he proved his flair and skill when he wrote scripts for some popular programmes (Current Affairs or Haalat e Haazira) apart from writing some very popular radio plays.  For quite sometime, He worked as Editor Scripts at Radio Kashmir, Srinagar. My friend , Bansi Raina informs this:-

 “Along with Umesh Kaul, he used to write script for some popular programmes like ‘Vadi Ki Awaaz’ that had characters like Munshi ji, Nikki Appa and Aziz Bhai.”

Dr S S Toshakhani informs this:-

"Bansi Nirdosh started writing before 1960 but he emerged as a major contributor during 1960-1970 decade.He appears to have been influenced by "Maupassant “ and “O Henry” .His stories  demonstrate authentic reflection of our middle class society.These stories are capable of influencimg every reader"

 A Prolific writer, he was a contemporary Dr Shanker Raina, Sufi Ghulam Mohammad and Deepak Kaul. Nirdosh was a prolific writer. He wrote in Hindi, Urdu and Kashmiri. He wrote radio plays, short stories, Kashmiri novels and also did some translation work.  He wrote more than 100 plays .His three collection of short stories, BAAL MARAYO, AADAM CHHU YITHAAI BADNAAM and GIRDAAB were published   in quick succession. His stories like ,  Love Marriage ,Tulur  , Myon Maruun, Khotchun , Baraat,  Kaansi Ma Sa Raavien Shoorey  Paan and Yi ti Chhu Akh Ehsaas were  quite popular and translated into many languages .

 His radio plays like   DAAN-THAER (A Branch of Pomegranate Tree) and VAAV, NAAV TA DARIYAAV (Wind, Boat and the River)   remain unforgettable to this day even. Like his short stories , Hhs Novel  “Akh Daur “  has also been translated into Hindi and Published as “ Ek Daur “ by a  leading publishing house from Meerut. His novel MOKJAAR (Talaaq) has also been translated into Hindi.  He wrote two novels in Kashmiri .He wrote many biographiess and the best among this lot was the moving story of the 10th Sikh Guru,   Gobind Singh Ji. 

His stories like Daanthaer, Maut, Tafteesh, and Girdaab and many more were converted into tele-serials by Doordarshan. Bansi Nirdosh   also translated Kalidasa’s well-known Sanskrit play, “Malvikagnimitra “into Kashmiri.

 The uprootment from his native land was very painful for Lala Ji (A name by which   he was fondly known among   his family and friends,).  He would usually recall his good old days in Kashmir as and when someone would visit him at his rented accommodation at sarwal in Jammu  city.The  family finally  settled  at Ban Talab Jammu  where his  eldest son ,   Rajinder Walli  (  who retired from   Doordarshan ) constructed a  House . His second son Ajay Walli (who sought VRS from the Union Bank of India) lives at Noida presently.  Bansi Nirdosh has two daughters Pushpa and Renu and both are married and well settled. He was married to Nirmala Ji   (from Adalati family of Ali Kadal in Srinagar) in 1950. This simple housewife remained his lifelong strength and support. He breathed his last in August 2001 at Jammu.  He remains unsung and not properly presented for his enormous contribution.

 Sadgati and Moksha.

 ( Avtar Mota )

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MY KASHMIRI POEM IN LIMERICK FORMAT

Limerick Format for writing Mini poems …

I am attempting Limerick format for writing a small Verse . Limerick was used in Britain for writing Humour and satire etc. It is a five line Poem with definite Rhyme ( AABBA) . let us try other subjects/ issues in this format. A tough exercise to compress a thought from start to end in just five lines with a definite Rhyme

Here is my kashmiri Limerick poem…

Globalization has brought about Sweeping changes in Tradition and culture all over . This phenomenon is like a piece of Ice in Boiling water . How long can it hold its separate identity ?

The Limerick…( AABBA)

Sheena Tujja Beyii Grakvunn Aabaa

Toh Tamblii Galla’nus Betaaba

Mool Bo’z Par Tchhei’n

Vae’n Chhan’aa Kunni Nae’n

Ralla’nuyii Hal Draas Krooth Azaaba

( Autar Mota )

A Piece of Ice In boiling water ,

A Hurry and scurry to vanish,

in essence , Feeling cut off from the crowd,

And then Nowhere to be seen around ,

In a way ,

The merger provided a way out to its agony…

(Autar Mota )…

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THE DIVINE ROMANCE..

                                      

RED  CLOTHED MALANGS  AT THE  SUFI DARGAAH OF SHAHBAAZ QALANDHAR ..

LOVE , FAITH  AND  ECSTASY
                               

"Assi Nazuk Dil De Log Haan
Saada Dil Na Yaar dukhaaya kar….
Na Jhoothay Vaade Kitaa kar
Na Jhoothiyaan Kasmaan Khaaya kar……
Tainu Kinni Vaari Main Akhiyaa aey
Mainu Val Val Na Azmaaya kar……
Teri Yaad De Vich Mein Mar Jaasaan
Mainu Inna Yaad Na Aaya kar"

( Baba Bulle Shah )

My  English rendering  would  be as under........

"We who  carry tender  hearts within
Love , to us, Deliver  not this pain alone ,
Promise us not a lie ,
 Why Swear by  falsehood ?
Do we need to remind this recurrently ?
Put us not to tests  so frequently.
We may die from  your memory only  ,
Be not so  intense  in remembrance........"

                             

" Bas kar Ji Hun Bas Kar ji
Ek Baat Asaan Naal Hans kar Ji

Tussi  Chhupday Ho Asaan Pakkday  ho
Asaan Naal Zulf De Jakkaday Ho
Tussi Ajey Chhupan Toon Takkday Ho
Hun Jaan Na Milda Nas kar ji
................................Bas kar Ji Hun Bas kar Ji

Tussi Dil Vich Meray vassday ho
Avain Sathoon  Door Kyon Nassday Ho
Naalay Ghaat Jadoo  Dil Khassday ho
Hun Teer Lagaaya  kas kar Ji
...................................Bas kar Ji Hun Bas kar ji

( BABA BULLE SHAH )

My English Rendering would be as under....

  Bring all this to end  ,
  Now end it please…
speak to me  with   Smile  only  ..

While you tried to hide yourself,
I caught you .
 Look , How I  Tied you to my Hair Locks
And you still try to move away  .
This time , never shall I allow you run away .
  Bring all this to end
 Now end it please..

You reside within my heart
Then  how you try to move away from me
My  delight is simply your name on my lips ..
 This time , you shot  a  sharp arrow towards me..
  Bring all this to end ,
Now End  it please"

( Autar Mota )
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MY POEM SAE'N KATH OR "OUR STORY"

OUR STORY

Can you chase shadows? Can you run after the wind ? If desires remain unfulfilled and turn icy , shall they warm up in exposure to external  sunshine  ?

And if the hammering downpour breaks open the roof  of the  dwelling and streams out  from the staircases , Which mud wall can withstand it.

Know more after reading  My kashmiri Poem “ SAE’N KATH “ or "Our story " …

 ( SAE”N KATH )

Pat’aa Pat’aa Pheei’r Aiess

Tchhaayan Ta Vaavus ,

Daaryein Pyaath Thha’eiv

Taapus haavus ,

Vaharaetch joi Yeli

Vu'tchh Herruv Kie’n

Yendraha Dossa Aa’ss

Gayii Mismaar

…………………………….Lal Tae’r Baalus

……………………………Reish Tro’v Tsraar

              

 

                                 

Votha’vaarus  Munz

Tha’ppi  Tho’ssi  Do’h  Ko’dd

Khonvaatt khodd  khae’n

Bonnie Muhul Kodd

Phokka doonis Pyaath

Zoona Dabba  khaar

Akki Doh Log ath

Jum Jum Naar

 ……………  Soor Ambaarus

…………… Tchieni Phael Tchaar

“Yum Taae’r Zun Chhum

Vaai Naar Josha “

“ Dazvun Chhu Margat

Zeivi Thhaav Hosha “

Kaaveijj Bhor

Dazvini Tchintaai munz

Paanus Baapt

Kaangeiri Naar

…………..Yin Kaaensi Bhaa’vukh

…………….Ye Chhu Samsaar

( Autar Mota )

   

My English rendering would be …….

We kept Chasing

Shadows and the wind.

During sunshine ,

These unfulfilled desires,

We hung on windows .

When the heavy torrent

Streamed down the stairs within

The dwelling,

The weak mud Wall

Got washed away..

…………………………….. And  then *Laleshwari Moved across the hill .

…………………………… While Our  *Reshi abandoned  Tsraar Town

Dragging and pulling ,

In this upheaval

The day was somehow passed out .

At times , we did perform miracles ,

Digging a well with elbow

Or passing a wooden pole

from a Chinar Tree Trunk .

A Palace we erected on a water Bubble

And then one day,

That all engulfing fire

Turned it to ash .

…………………………..In  the heap of ash ,

                              We now  try to retrieve

 some residual  charcoal pieces .

“ This piercing  cold is

  Out to knock life out of us,

A little warmth this way too “

“  In a Crematorium ,

Be careful with Your words “

A Place where  the attendant

 Pulls out red hot  charcoal for his Kangri

from the Burning Pyre.

 ………………………………….. Reveal not this to any person

                                                        This is the way of the world.

          

 (Autar Mota)

·         *Laleshawari is well known 14^th century saint poetess of Kashmir .  Through her verses , She preached Brotherhood and Tolerance apart from illuminating knowledge of Kashmir’s Shaiva Darshana ( Shaiva Philosophy ). She is held in highest esteem by  Hindus and Muslims of Kashmir. Her verses are known as VAAKHs. She belonged to Village Pampore .

·         *Reshi or Sheikh Noor Ud din  also know as Nund Ryosh was the Tallest saint of  kashmir’s Reshi Order . He lived a very simple life and preached Brotherhood . He was an admirer of Lallaeshwari . He is held in highest esteem by kashmiris across the religious divide .The verses composed by Nund Ryosh are known as SHRUKHS. His Ziyarat is located at Village Tsraar in Kashmir.He lived during the rule of sultan Zain Ul Abdin ,a tolerant ruler of Kashmir .

         

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A PAINTING DEPICTING CRUDE OIL BEING EXTRACTED THROUGH OLD METHODS FROM A WELL IN DIGBOI ASSAM

                                                                       

                                                                                     

A PAINTING DEPICTING CRUDE OIL BEING EXTRACTED THROUGH OLD METHODS FROM A WELL IN DIGBOI ASSAM

( source .. Subir Raha Oil Museum Dehradun )

INDIA IS MAKING NOTICEABLE STRIDES TO INCREASE DOMESTIC CRUDE OIL PRODUCTION .. 

After my recent visit to Oil Museum Dehradun , I came to know about many facts with regard to Crude Oil and India’s Leaps and strides to augment Crude oil Production . 

Here are some facts ..

Over the last one and half century , Petroleum products have dramatically improved the quality of our life. Some products like Petrol that fuel our vehicles are easily recognized . Petrol   and Petroleum Products form the brick and Mortar of our contemporary Civilization .

(a)

From Crude oil , we obtain Petrol, Diesel .Kerosene , LPG ( Kitchen Fuel ) Naptha , Aviation Fuel, Jet Fuel, White Petrol ( Dry cleaning solvent ),Lubricating oil, Brake Fluid , Engine Oil , Petroleum Jelly , Grease , Furnace oil and Bitumen.

(b)

Other secondary products that are manufactured from end products of Crude oil are ,Plastics , Shoe Polishes ,Paints , Nylon, Synthetic cloth , Cosmetics , Tyres ,Paper cups, Wax , Petro-chemicals and so many other Products .

(c)

India has 23 Crude oil Refineries . 20 in Public sector and 3 in Private sector owned by Reliance and Essar Oil Limited .

 (d)

7 Oil basins are under active Crude production In India . These include Assam-Arakan, Assam Shelf, Mumbai Offshore, Cambay, Krishna Godavari, Rajasthan and Cauvery. There are estimated 10 billion tonnes of oil and oil equivalent reserves in these seven sedimentary basins..

(e)

 We are expecting to get oil and gas production from a new basin — Kutch Offshore — starting 2017-18

(f)

ONGC sold crude worth 78,569 crores last year and 

 has  also notified 17 hydrocarbon discoveries this year (8 new Prospects and  9 New Pools).

(g)

Tripura is the New area taken up for drilling.

( Autar Mota )

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GOOD WRITERS AND SERIOUS READERS ARE DWINDLING ?

 GOOD  WRITERS AND SERIOUS READERS  ARE DWINDLING  ?

If there is a dearth of Good writers , there is a real dearth of readers for them. Something dangerous is happening on the Literary front .. The writer is constrained to be a reader and the reader tends to become a writer .


( Autar Mota )

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NEITHER ME NOR MY WAY IS THE BEST ..

NEITHER ME  NOR MY WAY IS THE BEST ..

The moment i start believing that me or my way is the best, I have put my first step forward towards being inhuman. 

I firmly believe so.....

(Autar Mota)

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KASHMIRI ROBINHOOD ….MAHADEV BISHTA

                                                                                         

                                                               

  ( A  sketch of Mahadev Bishta blowing red ants through a pipe done by  artist Mohan Raina )

               (MAHADEV BISHTA,  THE KASHMIRI  ROBIN HOOD )

The story of Mahadev Joo, a Kashmiri Robin Hood is forgotten now. No grandmother to reveal how he procured the Pyjama of Maharaja Partap Singh by forcing red ants through a reed pipe while the ruler slept in his bed-chamber. So much was Maharaja upset with the irritating ants that he threw away his Pyjama to free himself from the insects. We were told by elders that someone had put up a challenge to Mahadev Joo for this daring deed and he did it skillfully.

There were two more notorious burglars  ( Zsein Tsoor in Kashmiri ) operating in Srinagar  along with Mahadev Bishta . A Muslim  from downtown Srinagar  known as Usmaan Chaasha and a Sikh from Kathi Darwaza known as Layak Singh had become notorious during Maharaja Partap Singh's rule.  Usmaan Chaasha was chased by Police and he jumped into the river near  Safa Kadal while Layak Singh moved to Punjab and never returned to Kashmir after Maharaja Partap Singh ordered for arrest of both the Burglars  who had also attained the status of Robin hood's in Kashmiri society.

 And then another story of Mahadev Joo also known as Mahadev Bishta (cat’s mew ) entering the Mehndiraat function of Dhar family of Safa Kadal along with his group for a robbery. This group came in the guise of singers and Mahadev Joo divided the group for this theft. Some members of this group sat with Mahadev Joo for the high pitched Chhakri singing while others engaged themselves with thieving the house. And Mahadev Joo brought everyone to the singing venue when he sang this:-

“Bishtak baanda

Raanda ho……..

Hashi nishi aa’tch vaen 

Raanda ho ..

Noshi nishi tchaa’kha 

Raanda ho

Tchhaadar tujh’thaa 

Raanda ho …

Voth vaen nerav

Raanda ho.”

(Mewing like a cat, 

O performer!

You are the terrible,

Go to the mother in law?

You are the terrible,

Have you gone to the daughter in law?

You are the terrible,

Have you carried the blankets?

you are the terrible,

Get up, we should leave now

You are the terrible .)

While Mahadev Bishta engaged every member of Dhar family and the guests with his singing, some members of his group moved through the house for their assigned task. They were guided by Mahadev Joo through the lyrics of the song that he was singing. It was already decided in the group before this burglary that word “Haesh or mother in law” meant the provisions storeroom while “ Noesh or the daughter-in-law” meant the expensive jewellery.

We were made to believe that Mahadev Joo was a man of short stature and a thin body frame. A man who could climb trees and rooftops to barge into the houses from chimneys known as ‘Vogg’ in Kashmiri. A real-life Mogli who walked with heavy dry grass sandals or Pullho'r.Many elders told me that during his old age, he was a reformed man who lived a simple village life. He was a dancer, Chhakri singer and mimic artist or Baand.

I am told that Mahadev Bishta belonged to village Gushi of district Kupwara, Kashmir. He could imitate the voices of many animals particularly that of cats, hence earned the nickname of Bishta. He had a Chhakri singing party of his own and under its guise, he would rob the affluent families to help the poor families to marry off their daughters. Pakistan sponsored tribal raiders killed him in his native village Gushi, Kupwara sometime in October 1947. However I was also told by some elders that he died of Tuberculosis .

Many elders have told me that Mahadev Joo entered the house of his target by simply mewing like a cat. The house owner would think it to be a stray cat and would accordingly try to ward it off by crying," Bishta Bishta ".

He is reported to have mastered the technique of entering houses from rooftop chimneys known as ‘Vogg’ in Kashmir. During his old age, he moved back to his village in  Kupwara  where the  marauding tribal raiders killed him.

My mother's cousin sister who was affectionately known as Arin Jigar /Behan Pyari ( wife of Radha Krishen Dhar of Vichar Naag, Kashmir ) was a singer cum poet. In marriage functions of her relatives, she would enthral every participant with her singing and by creating fantastic accompanying beats on Gaagar (brass Matka) or Tumbaknaari( A Duffli used in Kashmir). She was a great performer.

Arin Jigar had a great sense of humour and a sharp wit. Apart from other compositions that she sang, "Bishtak Baanda " Chhakri was something special from her repertoire. We learnt the story of Kashmiri Robin Hood from her.

The story of Mahadev Bishta remained a part of our folklore. And gradually we forgot our Kashmiri Robin Hood or Mahadev Bishta.

( Avtar Mota )

-No Derivative Works 2.5 India Licens

Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.