FIVE FRESH VIEWS OF SUN TEMPLE OF MARTAND IN KASHMIR

Dears

Sometimes I wonder how Indians have produced some of the best philosophical and artistic thoughts inspite of the fact of the fact that physical conditions over here keep the population busy with fighting climates , nature and its fury . Majority of the population has to fight very hostile climatic conditions like the Scorching heat , oppressive rainy season , biting cold , famines , floods , diseases , poverty , shelterlessness and other forms of nature’s hostility .

It is altogether different story in Europe . The living standard of an ordinary citizen is far far higher than what it is for majority of Asians . Living is comfortable with favourable and moderate climatic conditions . Disease and poverty are almost controlled . Man is tempted to go for fine arts and other forms of intellectual and artistic pursuits . Here in India majority of the artists and intellectuals are fighting poverty till their death .Other forms of hostilities (which otherwise would have shifted their mind from any intellectual pursuits) are always confronting them in life. I have seen many poets , writers , painters and musicians engaged in odd and such jobs wherein their soul and mind are not involved . They do so primarily to keep the ghost of hunger at bay. Support from the state is for the chosen few that too when they are generally on the death bed. Renowned Bengali poet Qazi Nazarul Islam was a sepoy . Majaz Lakhnavi worked as clerk in supllies department . Rajinder singh bedi worked a clerk in post office . Shiv kumar Batalvi worked as a clerk in state bank of India. Our own Mehjoor sahib worked as a Patwari. Naadim sahib was a teacher . All of them never liked what they were forced to do to keep bones and flesh together . Still the contribution of Indians to the world Literature , medicine , science , Philosophy , Art , architecture , religious thought and lately IT is far far greater than their western contemporaries . This fact needs to be appreciated , acknowledged and admired .

I have said all this to build background for Ali Sikander Jigar Moradabadi, the romantic poet of urdu who was born in 1890 and died in 1960 at Gonda .Jigar sahib never had any formal education except studying under a Moulvi for some years . The beauty of his romantic and mystic thoughts remains unparalleled in urdu . Jigar sahib too had to sell sun glasses and spectacles at railway stations to keep hunger at bay. Pandit jawahar lal Nehru too was a great admirer of this man whom poverty always kept tormented . I am informed by friends in radio Kashmir that the radio archives has a full fledged one hour recording of this great poet done in late fifties while Jigar sahib was on a visit to Kashmir.

I have already put up a detailed blog on SUN temple Titled " ACROPOLIS OF KASHMIR "I visited Mattan Town again in August 2009 and was tempted to go up to take fresh photographs of this imposing monument. these latest pictures are uploaded today .One of my readers has also been requesting me to put some couplets of Jigar Moradabadi on the blog. Enjoy Fresh views of SUN TEMPLE OF MARTAND taken in August 2009 along with some lines from his famous GAZAL of this great poet of India ..

Ek Lafze Mohabbat Ka , Adnaa sa Fasaana hai
Simte to Dile Ashiq ,Failey to Zamaana Hai.

Hum ishq ke maaron ka, Itna hi Fasaana hai ,
Rone ko Nahin Koi Hansne ko Zamaana hai.

Yeh Ishq Nahin Asaan, Itnaa Hi Samajh Leejiye
Ek Aag ka Dariyaa hai Aur doob ke Jaana hai.

Aansoo to Bahut se hain Aankhon me Jigar Lekin
Bindh jaaye so Moti Hai, Reh Jaaye so Daana hai.

( Jigar Moradabadi)


Brief is the story of this solitary and small word LOVE,
Squeeze and it is a lover’s heart, Expand and behold the world.

So is brief the saga of Lovelorn human beings like us ,
They weep alone while the world joins to laugh upon them.

This business of love is not easy , Think as if one has to
Dive in a river of fire and get drowned while crossing .

Too many tears roll down thy eyes o “: Jigar ” but alas!
The one that gets proper reception is a pearl , rest are just droplets .

( Translation from original urdu a k mota )

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