SUNDAY MARKET OF KASHMIR

Every Sunday a Foot Path market is held right from Tourist Reception Centre to Hari Singh High Street with core market settling from Polo Ground to radio Kashmir on one side of the Road.. Crowds throng to buy everything from this market . One has to jostle his way to move ahead from the surging buyers .Buyers pour out from cars , they come on two wheelers and some make it on foot . One can buy clothes ( New and Internationally branded Old stuff ), Crockery , Shoes ( Branded Old ), Caps ( Branded ) Quilts ( Chinese ) , Blankets ( Chinese ) , Toys ( Chinese ) Books ( Mostly By Canadian Authors ), Jackets , Jeans ( Second hand Branded lee a, Levis Strauss or Flying Machine ), Cardigans and pullovers , socks , overcoats , leather jackets and coats , electric appliances , Towels , Lingerie , Carpets , Bed covers and sheets ( Chinese ), Cameras , perfumes , Wrist watches , Pigeons , Parrots , Furniture , Plastic wares and numberless kitchen appliances .The make shift shopkeepers hail every passerby and can be heard crying from their stalls (Cots) :-

“ Le Jaa Le Jaa
Angrez Ne Bhejaa
Kashmir Se Le Jaa “

“ He Bobu He Laala
Pehno Coat Kaala ”

“ O Khan
Maal Pehchaan”

“Idhar Idhar
Nazar Hai Kidhar”

You enjoy the trust of the sellers once you find that everything in the market is sold at fixed price. No One Bargains . The sellers are educated and financed by J&K Bank under a special scheme known as Loans to SUNDAY MARKET TRADERS devised by Dr Haseeb Drabu present Chairman of J&K Bank. Incidentally Dr Drabu is an orator and a Banker who is widely read and a man of varied interests . Based on my brief interaction with Dr Drabu in some SLBC meetings i may add that his conceptual framework is clear on almost all issues of our state and country . Prior to this appointment , he was Editor of a national Daily Financial Express . Now something on the tallest Modern Punjabi Poet Shiv Kumar Batalvi whom Prakash singh Badal called “PUNJAB DA VIRSA” and who is also known as “BIRHAA DA SULTAAN” .

Shiv Kumar Batalvi (1937-1973) was called the Keats of Punjabi poetry. Like ALBERT CAMUS , he too died young. Camus had Nobel prize with him at the age of 42 years , Shiv had the Sahitya Academy award conferred on him when he was barely 28 years for writing the verse Drama LOONA in Punjabi. He had a melodious voice as well. Shiv sang his won poems for hours in the company of his friends with liquor flowing like water. Like Majaz, he had bouts of liver ailment but he drank and wrote and the world cheered till he collapsed one day.

During my posting at Basholi in 1994 as Manager of our branch over there , I happened to know some relatives ( His inlaws who lived in village Keri Mangyal near Pathankot ) of Shiv kumar Batalvi . Through them I came to know much about this great poet who drank himself to death leaving behind a courageous and devoted wife and two daughters Meharbaan and Puja .His family got a plot of Land , Awards , recognition and special Pension from Government of Punjab after his death. All along his life shiv struggled with poverty and Alcohal.

While working at Amritsar in the years 2000 to 2002 , I read him again and again through books, Cassettes given by some of my Punjabi friends especially my friend from Jalandhar shri Jaswant singh Saggu.I attended several marriage functions where Shiv was sung . His songs are sadness personified . A sadness that does not make you to sink but elevates. Songs like Peeran Daa paragaa Bun le Au Pathi Waliye , Aey Meraa Geet Kisse Naa gaana , Maaye Ni Maaye Mera Geetaan Dhe Naina Vich Birhaa Di Radak Pove, Gamman Dhee Raat Lamee hai , Ek Kudi Jidda Naam Mohhabbat hai Gum Hai Gum hai and Yaar adiya Rab kar Ke Mainyu Pein Birhon de keede Ve were heard regularly from the radio in Amritsar .I have heard Assa singh Mastaana , Dolly Guleria and surrender kour sing Shiv . Maaye ni Maaye Mein Ek Shikra Yaar Banaaya and Kee Puchhde Ho Haal Faquiraan daa has been sung by most of the Indo Pak singers. These poems are straight from the heart of the poet. Tears roll down unknowingly when you listen these soulful songs of Shiv . Enjoy some lines from this poem and also enjoy some views of the SUNDAY MARKET Of KASHMIR uploaded by me .


Maaye Ni Maaye Mein Ek Shikra yaar Banaaya
Audhe Sar Te Kalgi
Audhe Pairaan Jhanjar
Ve Ao Chog Chuginda Aayaa
Chhori Kutaan taon Khandaa Nahi
Ve Assan Dil Da Maans Khavayaa
Ek Udaari .........Aisee Maari
Mud Watanee Nahin Aayaa
Maaye Ni Maaye Mein Ek Shikra Yaar Banaaya .
( Shiv Kumar Batalvi )

Mother ,O mother !
What a Pity ! My heart loved a Migratory bird ,
Decorating his head with a Kalgi,
With Paayal playing in his feet ,
He came to my Chamber of love .
He did not take the food from my hands ,
So I put forth the slices of my heart.
After this he took one flight up in the sky
And never returned to this country.

( Attempted Translated from original Punjabi By a k Mota )

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