UMESH KAUL : VERSATILE SHORT STORY WRITER FROM KASHMIR

                                                                           

UMESH KAUL ..A FORGOTTEN SHORT STORY WRITER FROM KASHMIR.

He belonged to a family that had creativity in its DNA. His one brother, Bushen. Kaul is a well-known artist. Hriday Kaul Bharti, the pioneer of modern Kashmiri short stories, was his other brother.

Umesh Kaul ( born 1934) is a forgotten short story writer from Kashmir. Born in Sopore, Kashmir, Umesh used to write in Hindi and Urdu before he switched over to Kashmiri. His first Kashmiri story 'Ad Kathh' (Half Story) was published in the Kashmiri magazine KONG POSH in 1955. His stories like 'Duwoat' and' Dil 'are proof of his dexterity in understanding human relations. He belonged to a select group of modern writers who were influenced by European short story writers. This group comprised Akhtar Mohiuddin, Hriday Kaul Bharti, Ali Mohammad Lone, Bansi Nirdosh, Amin Kamil, Deepak Kaul, Avtar Krishen Rahbar, Taj Begum Renzoo, Rattan Lal Shant, Hari Krishen Kaul and many more. Later, many writers including Faruq Masudi also joined this group. Some writers from this group also wrote plays on contemporary and socially relevant themes.

Sometimes you find him present in his stories and quite often his language turns romantic. To some readers, his stories appear like flowerbeds of emotions. However, his two stories namely 'Ada Kathh' (Half story ) and 'Akh Devta Ta Akh Raakheuss' ( One god and One Devil ) bring forth all the essential characteristics of his style and language. In a way, both are his representative stories. He must have written more than two dozen short stories. His one short story,' Bhagya-Harta ' is included in the compilation of contemporary short stories published by Bhartiya Gyanpeeth. Umesh Kaul also wrote scripts for  Kashmiri language documentaries for the I&B Ministry.

A postgraduate in Hindi, he produced a popular science fiction programme for Radio Kashmir, Srinagar. He was a good painter who got his initial training from Som Nath Butt. He also wrote the script for the popular radio programme VAADI KI AWAAZ. He had joined AIR as a scriptwriter. For some time during the early sixties of the last century, he also worked as sub-editor of the newspaper' Kashmir Post' published from Srinagar. He had another skill that many people don't know. He had a technical precision that could set right anything and everything even expensive electronic gadgets. He had the patience to repair any camera. Padama-shri Pran Kishore Kaul revealed to me how he had set right a very complicated and expensive camera with which his team had been shooting a documentary. About Umesh Kaul, Padma-shri Pran Kishore Kaul says this:-

 “What shall I say about Umesh Ji? To sum up he was a genius. He was a dear friend much more than a colleague. In fact, the entire family was talented. I was lucky to work with his other two brothers too. Bharti Ji was my regular playwright on the Radio. Bhushan Ji, a well-known painter designed costumes and props for my stage production of operas, Himala Ke Chashme, Piya Baaj Pyala and Tipu Sultan beautifully after researching the history of the connected periods. And the photographs of the operas are testimony to his innovations. I would like to mention here another personal experience of Umesh Ji's technical acumen. Singer Sewing Company had introduced a domestic knitting machine. My wife Shanta Ji was very fond of this knitting machine. She purchased one from the very first lot. After a few months, it went out of order.  While rehearsing for Vadi Ki Awaz, Shanta Ji told Umesh Ji about it. He in his typical humorous style told her, ‘rogan josha thaviv tayar ba dimas nazar’ or ‘ Keep Rogan Josh cooked, I shall come and see it’.To cut the story short, he came to our house and had a look at the machine. He asked for a screwdriver and a plate.  Taking the screwdriver, he started opening the machine. Imagine he had never seen this knitting machine earlier. He kept the sketchy manual aside and almost dismantled the machine keeping the nuts and bolts in the plate. He cleaned them and refixed them. Lo and behold, the machine started working fine. We were amazed. Yes, we had a hearty meal after that. This technical acumen, he had in his genes. Their father Pandit Sarwanand Kaul was the best watch maker in the entire state.”

 Umesh Kaul was a frail-looking man who had enormous talent and skill in many fields of life. He was a photographer, scriptwriter, short story writer, painter, guide, teacher, lively host and above all a great human being.  Adds Prof Nighat Hafiz from Kashmir:-

 

“Physically a tiny structure mentally as alert as ever, a gem of a person as I knew him. Docile, soft-spoken and decent to talk to, he would make a difference while walking through the corridors of Radio Kashmir's Srinagar station. People would start calling him from every corner and ask for help. My salutes for all the respect he showered on me while working with him.”

Bansi Raina, a close friend of Umesh Kaul says this:-

 “He was a photographer and had some expensive cameras and Gadgets. He would also paint in his spare time. Umesh was no ordinary human being. He along with Bansi Nirdosh would churn out one script of VADI KI   AWAAZ every alternate day. He could be friends with any generation. He was the elder brother of painter Bhushen Kaul and Hriday Kaul Bharti. A gem, a great man, a friend and a guide. He was frail but mentally very strong. He would sometimes take me to his home and say to Bhabi (His mother.), ‘Pochh chhu mai onmut’ (I have brought a guest with me) and would ensure I was properly fed. Array yeh to Yaadon ki Baraat hai.”

Nida Nawaz, a well-known Hindi poet from Kashmir adds:-

"He was also a leading broadcaster and a scriptwriter for "Science Magazine".I worked under his guidance for thirteen years. He was indeed a great guide and the best writer."

Shri Rajesh Kaul (a retired senior officer from Doordarshan) adds this.

"Umesh Kaul had done post-graduation in Hindi but would write a science talk for Radio Kashmir. He was blessed with many capabilities apart from being a good writer. He was a very good cinematographer, an animator, a film processor and an editor. He shot an introductory montage for a science fiction, Dr. Zero for DD Srinagar in the late 70's, processed it at his house and edited the same under a magnifying glass using a magnifying glass, a scissor and a cello tape. The film being mute the music was added later on at the TV Centre Srinagar. The series was produced by C.L.Hakhoo and had the late Som Nath Sadhu and Pushkar Bhan in the lead roles. Everyone used to call him Umesh Ji out of love and respect. The only sister among five brothers Deep Prabhakar was the first lady from the state to attain a master’s degree in Dramatics from M S University Baroda (Vadodara). Umesh Ji was a refined and superfine human being who was respected by all and had a varied class of friends. His famous short story.” Baazar Hoon Te Insaan “perhaps remained unpublished. He was a chain smoker and would often forget his lit cigarette in his two fingers while writing a script or rectifying a gadget. He would visit the coffee house once a day to meet his intellectual friends. He was popular among ladies because of his varied knowledge. He could talk on any subject. He had a keen eye for cinema. He was the cinematographer of a documentary titled, ‘In the Backwaters of Dal’ where he used his key-driven Bolex camera. The documentary was made for Mohammad Shafi Khan, a famous Kashmiri filmmaker settled in Mumbai. There’s so much to say about him. His subtle sense of humour was terrific. "

  About Umesh Kaul, Shahnawaz Taing has this to say:-

“Umesh Ji headed the ‘Current Feature’ unit of Radio Kashmir, Srinagar.His other companions were, .P.L. Kher and Ghulam Nabi Ratanpuri. I too was on the penal of writers. Wadi Ki Aawaz, Tabsarah and Aaj Ki Baat was the responsibility of this section. He guided me well. He knew the art of editing the scripts making them crisp and to the point. He would always guide and encourage me. May his soul rest in peace?”

Fayaz Shaharyar, former DG of AIR says this:-

 “We have been colleagues for years, the bond stayed even after his retirement and my posting to Jammu where he used to come regularly, chat and write for radio mainly on current affairs. A visibly iconoclast intellectual, amazingly creative and even ingenious. A moribund watch, a broken transistor would get their lives back with just one touch by him. A meaningful commentator on the sub-continental imbroglio, a linguist, a writer, a loner (in some good sense), and a conversationalist who was heard with rapt attention had a mind that scintillated with brilliance till the last day. Blessed be his soul.”

 

I conclude this mini-post with a Doha of poet Firaq Gorakhpuri.

 

 "Nirdhan kavi ke paas kya

kuchh peeda kuchh preet,

Kuchh andekhay sapne hain

dard bharay kuchh geet"

 

 ( Avtar Mota  )

  

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