QUATRAINS OF MIRZA ARIF BEG

                                                                                    

MIRZA GHUAM HASSAN BEG ARIF  ( 1910-2005)

Yi Kentchha Dyu’t awaamus Inquilaban

Ajab Takseem Ko’r Tathh La’jawaaban

Hisas Khatchaa Goel’I Lookan Theli Khaasan

Yiman Dagh Doa’dh Hu’mun Aae’shan Sharaaban

( Mirza Arif Beg )

My English rendering  of this Quatrain would be …

Almighty did a strange distribution to
The benefits that accrued from this revolution .
While public In general received bullets ,
The chosen few ( leaders ) got bagfuls of riches .
While this group got pain and suffering ,
The other relished merriment and liquor .

MIRZA GHUAM HASSAN BEG ARIF  ( 1910-2005)

The Quatrains.....

(1)

"The rich man called him a scum,

But fed on his crumbs.

The political juggler called him a king

And robbed him of his rags.

The poor have for ages seen

The changing make up of the knaves.."

( Translated to English By T N Raina )

(2)

This, the Hindu’s day ; that, the Afghan’s .

O ! different are the days of Bhagwan and Rehman ,

Blessed indeed the day when people say” our own day has come .”

Arif aspires to see the day of the Man at dawn.

(Translated to English By  P N Pushp  )

(3)

A cool capitalist  you , O Chinar !

Green you look in spring , turn bloody in autumn.

The empty -bellied poor , you lull to sleep .

What fire , then, is it ,that consumes you within ?

(Translated to English By  P N Pushp  )

(4)

The minister’s doggie  frolics up the sofa  ,

Some kiss it , others embrace  it .

Behold the labourer , ah ,

still  rope on his shoulder ,

Furrows on his brow ,

Belly sunk in , heartburn ,

liver heating up.

(Translated to English By  P N Pushp  )

(5)

The pitcher has to prostrate near the sea for water,
A bubble has dry lips ,
And is thirsty for a drop;
A samovar , I think , is better than an ocean,
It simmers and fills up the cup of the needy.

( Translation by Shafi Shauq)

             
                                                                   

 Mirza Ghulam Hassan Beg Arif (1910-2005) was born in a middle class family in Anantnaag Kashmir. He was a scientist ( MSc Zoology from AMU 1939 ) who wrote poetry as well. He was possibly the closest friend of Poet Dina Nath Naladim. Both studied in the same school.

He was influenced by Iqbal, Chakbast, Faiz, Josh and Prem Chand. In Kashmir, he organized a literary council " BAZM e ADAB" in 1940.

 In 1985, He was awarded Sahitya Akademi  Award for his Kashmiri book “ LOL VECHAAR “  or  “Love Thoughts .”

Mirza Arif Beg remained a foremost figure of Kashmiri literature for about five decades. His work has something known as rugged originality that is full of criticism of social and political life in Kashmir. He wrote less on romance and love. He retired as Director sericulture J&K Government .

Adds Poet farooq Nazki :

“ He was Mujahid of kashmiri language....He lured many to kashmiri poetry. He persuaded Nadim to adopt kashmiri instead of Urdu....ARIF published a kashmiri Magazine Gulrez for decades a popular literary adventure.”

He wrote the popular kashmiri song "Ru’m gayam sheeshus Begur gava baa'na myon" song as duet by Raj Begum and Naseem Akhtar ji.

Apart from so many Books relating to Poetry and literature , Mirza Arif is also known for his research Oriented Books on Sericulture .  I quote :


(1) Indore Culture of Tussar Worm ( 1961)

(2) Discovery of Non Mulberry  Silk In Jammu And kashmir ( 1958)

(3) Hybridization of Japanese and Jammu  Varieties (1961)

As scientist, He was the first person to rear Non Mulberry silkworms vindoors(Tussar) in India. His work has been published in International Scientific journals like Sericola(France) and Scientific Mirror (USA) . He was a devout Muslim and also a great admirer of  Sacred Vedas . With Dr Karan singh , he had developed an Intellectual compatibility .He is known for his kashmiri translation of The holy Quran . He also translated Rubaaiyat e Omar Khayam to kashmiri. Along with his friend Prof P N Pushp, he translated Constitution of India into  kashmiri  Language.

Mirza Arif  was a great admirer of Gurudev Tagore .  He also translated Gurudev's  Phalguni ( Cycle of Spring ) into kashmiri .He also expressed his poetic tribute to Gurudev in a Quatrain . I quote ...

Your Geetanjali is like Geeta of Krishna ,
Your Nectar is full of eternal life,
You have taken off lids of Goblets of wine ,
There is a crowd of your Fans surrounding you,
Everyone speaks about your wine of love 
And , Arif is also there to have his cup filled with it.

(Avtar Mota )

PS

"Liver Heating Up." Kashmiris are quite familiar with these three words . " Tche Ma Chhuyee Liver Tatyomut "..  meaning "Looks Like your Liver  is on fire "


CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.