TUM NA JAANE KIS JAHAAN MEIN KHO
GAYE...SHANTIVEER KAUL
(The author with Shantiveer Kaul)
‘Main Kisi aur hi jazeeray mein
Tu koi bahr-e-bekaraan jaise
Meri nazron ki dolti kashti
Teri nazron ki mauj se milkar
Jaane kyon sochti
Kinara hai? ’.... (Shantiveer Kaul)
(I
have arrived on some unfamiliar island
You
appear like a limitless ocean,
The
tumultuous boat of my eyes
Meets
the waves of your eyes,
And
thinks it to be the safety of the bank)
It was sudden, unexpected and a
rude shock when I read Ashok Ogra’s message on social media about
Shantiveer Kaul’s passing away. We had spoken some days back. He never told me
he had some renal problem. That day also, he spoke with the usual affection and
care. That day, he told me this:-
“I am happy for you to be nominated for the SaMaPa Award 2023. I
am equally happy for your new book, “The
Shikaras in the Frozen Lake “. I think every Kashmiri needs to read it.
Keep going. I shall be in Bengaluru for some more months. Then I shall come to
Delhi. We meet. Take care."
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Son of Dina Nath Nadim, the
eminent Kashmiri poet, Shantiveer was a polyglot, translator, poet, art critic,
columnist, a great friend, genuine guide and above all a great human being.
Never ever have I seen him being judgemental on men and matters? He had his
eyes on world literature and a capacity to see both sides of the coin on any
issue. On my request, he did the beautiful translation of Ali Sardar Jafri’s Nazm (tu
ne samjhi hi nahin kya hai shikaayat meri) used in the 'Aasmaan Mahal ' movie. There can be no better translation.
I reviewed his recent book, "Hukam e Safar Diya Tha Kyon” for
some newspapers and magazines. The book is a great compilation of his modern
Urdu Nazams. About Shantiveer’s
poems, Saifi Sironji writes this:-
” When I read Shantiveer’s poems, I kept reading them again and again.
Something impossible to say in the Gazal format, Shantiveer has said
all that freely through his Nazms. Some of his poems are so beautiful that one
feels duty-bound to appreciate Shantiveer’s creativity and thought process. I
wonder why we have remained deprived of this beautiful poetry till now. Thank
God this collection stands published.”
And Muneebur Rehman writes this:-
” The poems included in this collection
are in simple language yet full of creative energy and liveliness. Like a
wrapped-up carpet, these poems open line after line to reveal the beauty of
composition and poetic imagery. I am of the opinion that Shantiveer’s poetry
fits aptly into Robert Frost’s definition of good poetry. I am optimistic that
in the Nazm genre of what is emerging in Urdu poetry in the entire Indo-Pak
subcontinent, this collection shall find many well-wishers apart from enhancing
creative inertia.”
This poetic collection derives
its title from Allama Iqbal’s famous couplet:-
“Bagh
e bahisht se mujhe hukam e safar diya tha kyon
Kaar e jahaan daraaz hai ab mera intezaar kar”
(Why did you command me to leave paradise?
my work here
is unfinished so you will have to wait)
Although the collection in its entirety has been dedicated to
some unnamed entity, the book bears individual poems dedicated to the memory
of poet Kumar Paashi and Short story writer Hriday Kaul Bharati. The poem
dedicated to the memory of Kumar Paashi begins like this:-
“Tu hai
ameer e karwaan
Ye baat to durusat hai
Ye baat bhi durusat hai
Ye mera Karwaan nahin.”
I also reviewed his
coffee table book on the art of G R Santosh. In this book, Shantiveer Kaul writes this about the
Neo-Tantric art of Santosh:-
“Viewed
from a certain perspective most of Santosh’s Neo-Tantric paintings look like
stylised portraits of the female form, seated in Padmasana (the lotus
position). This is no mere coincidence. There is a definite suggestion of the female
torso in the placement of geometric elements within the composition. This
stylisation is symptomatic of the devotion of Santosh to Shakti, the Divine
Mother. Santosh wrote Shakti Vichara in 1980, a long poem in the hallowed
tradition of the epic Bhavani Sahasranama, dwelling exclusively on Shakti in
her various manifestations.”
Apart from poetry, Shantiveer’s
interests were theatre, art, journalism, translation, scripting plays and
documentaries and writing on any subject under the sun. He joined Doordarshan
as a producer and got noticed by the highest echelons in the organization for his
exceptional creative qualities. His documentary on Indian Painters is remembered to this day. He left Doordarshan and
started working independently in various creative fields. He wrote the script/ screenplay of Angela, a telefilm that was nominated for Asian Television Awards.
Never ever have I seen him indulging in self-publicity? A man of sharp
intellect, Shantiveer spoke less, thought too much and never failed to
demonstrate empathy, affection and care for those who came close to him. A little
lethargy on his part made him suffer on many fronts. He didn’t publish what
he wrote and he didn’t compromise on what he believed to be correct in a world
bereft of human values. He earned many friends; some tall like Juan Elia, Kumar
Pashi, artist G R Santosh, Ameer Qazalbash, Makhmoor Saidee, Raj Narain Raaz,
Saifi Sironji and many more.
Shantiveer was
unique on all fronts. Much ahead of his time. He will always be missed. I don't
know which number I should dial now to seek guidance and encyclopedic clarity
on issues.
I am sure he shall be happy in
the company of celestial entities up above. May he be pleased amidst the ‘Lights and Flowers’ of Swargdhaam. My heartfelt condolences to
Flora Bose, Ahinsa Kaul, Panchsheel and his other relations. May Almighty grant
courage to his nears, dears, friends and relations to bear this irreparable loss.
‘Chhup
gaye woh saaz e hasti chhed kar
Ab
to bus awaaz hi awaaz hai.’
(Avtar Mota)
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