Saturday, October 26, 2024

SHANTIVEER KAUL: TUM NA JAANE KIS JAHAAN MEIN KHO GAYE




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."

                                                  


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.

 

                              


  (Book Review published in the Daily Excelsior)

 

 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.”

 

                                          


  (Shantiveer with his book ‘Hukam e Safar Diya Tha Kyon’)

 

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.”

                                                                                   

                                  

    (Shantiveer’s pocket-size book on G R Santosh)

 

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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LASSA KAUL: THE HONEST, COMPASSIONATE AND FEARLESS BROADCASTER


 LASSA KAUL: THE HONEST, COMPASSIONATE AND FEARLESS BROADCASTER 

 

                                  

   (Lassa Kaul)

 

In 1989 when Kashmir started witnessing stray bomb blasts or cross-firing incidents, many people felt puzzled. Kashmiri society had never seen such things. Initially, it was very difficult for Kashmiris to believe that such incidents could be the result of a well-planned armed insurgency aided and abetted by the enemy across the border. The general comments that cropped up at such incidents were:-

 

“It is a ploy used by the central government. Possibly they want to topple the elected government.”

 

“To gain political mileage, some people are doing these blasts and firing. It is just a temporary phenomenon.”

 

“What can happen over here with the all-around army’s presence?  We are all safe here.”

 

“These blasts are not directed towards the Pandit minority. No need to panic.”

                                      

National Conference activist, Mohammad Yusuf Halwai was gunned down in August 1989 for he dared to leave his lights on during Independence Day in August 1989 when JKLF had called for a total blackout. And by September 1989, indications pointed towards the presence of Pakistan-trained and highly motivated young boys with automatic guns and other deadly ammunition in their hands. These highly motivated boys had instructions from their handlers to wipe away all sympathisers of India or Indian presence in the valley.

After Neel Kanth Ganju (retired judge killed on November 4, 1989), Tika Lal Taplu (B.J.P. leader killed on September 13, 1989), Prem Nath Bhat (senior advocate killed on December 27, 1989) and some more killings in the second half of the year 1989, panic, fear and gloom had set into the minds of the minuscule Kashmiri  Pandit community. Noted Persian scholar and historian, Kashi Nath Pandita says this:-

 

“In September 1989, when Tika Lal Taplu was killed, there was fear and fright on all faces. Through a widely circulated English newspaper, I addressed a letter to Azadi movement leaders to clear their stand towards Kashmir Pandits and other minorities. The reply received by me closed all options. We were told to join the Azadi movement or leave Kashmir. No other option was put forth. The situation at that time was a clear signal to the Hindus and other minorities living in the valley.”

 

From December 1989, things started worsening in the Kashmir valley.  Abductions, killing of the innocents, bomb blasts, fear, suspicion and the complete breakdown of law and order created panic in all minds. Many armed militant groups trained and supported by Pakistan started arriving on the scene. On January 4, 1990, Kashmiri Pandits shrank in fright when the militant organization, Hizbul Mujahideen issued a public notice in the widely circulated Urdu Newspaper, Aftab threatening all Hindus to leave Kashmir immediately or face consequences. On January 14, 1990, another Srinagar-based Urdu newspaper, Al-Safa republished the same warning. Panic gripped the entire Kashmiri Pandit community on the intervening night of 18th and 19th January 1990 when loudspeakers from the mosques in the entire Kashmir valley blared pro-Azadi slogans asking people to come out on the roads. That night, the intimidating slogans in the streets asked people to make Kashmir free from all the enemies of the Azadi movement. Hit lists were pasted on the outer walls of the mosques. These lists had names of many Kashmiri Pandits alleged to be working as informants. This created panic in the minds of the listed persons who had either to leave Kashmir to save their lives or stay and get killed.In this hostile and charged environment, the minuscule Kashmiri Pandit community felt threatened and unsafe. Anybody could be killed and labelled as Mukhbir (Informant) and nobody dared to react. Kashmir with its age-old traditions of tolerance and brotherhood became a dangerous place to live. Fear defined the behavioural response of people to any and every incident. Out of fear, Muslim neighbours kept silent when an innocent Pandit was killed by the armed terrorists. Many Kashmiri Pandit families were advised by their Muslim neighbours to leave Kashmir. They admitted that they had no control over the events and the way things were shaping up. The gun culture changed the social discourse in Kashmir. From tolerance and pluralism, it shifted to exclusiveness and fundamentalism. With none to fall back upon, the Kashmiri Pandits felt helpless, insecure and alienated. After a spate of killings was unleashed upon this hapless community, they left Kashmir carrying their bare bodies with them. The plight of Pandits at that time can be felt from a couplet by the Urdu poet, Ali Sardar Jafri who has written:-

 

“Kaam ab koyi  na  aayega bas ek dil ke siwa

Raaste bandh  hain sab  koocha-e-qaatil ke  siwa.”

 

(No one shall now come to our rescue except our own heart,

For us, other than the assassin’s street, every path lies blocked.)

 

A split between Pandits and Muslims had been tactfully engineered by the armed militants. These militant groups succeeded in creating a situation where no person looked beyond hate and prejudice towards the Pandits. 

Capt S. K.Tikoo remembers those dark days and said this:-

 

“What hurt minorities terribly was when they heard the horrifying slogans in the street: ‘Aessi chhu banavun Pakistan. Batav ross ta batiniev saan’   meaning ‘we want our Pakistan, without Pandit men but with Pandit women’, ‘Aey kaafiron aey zaalimon Kashmir hamaara chhorr do’ meaning ‘O unbeliever! O cruel! Get lost from our Kashmir’  and ‘Jisko Kashmir mein rehna hai, Allah-ho-Akbar kehna hai’  meaning  ‘anyone who wants to live in Kashmir will have to convert to Islam’. One would also see groups of young boys holding Kalashnikov rifles in their hands singing:-

 

‘Jago! Jago! subah huyee,

Roos ne baazi haari hai ,

Hind pe larza taari hai ,

Ab Kashmir ki baari hai ,

Jago ! Jago ! subah huyee.’

 

(Wake up! wake up! It is already dawn,

Russia has already been defeated.

Now  India is under attack

and it is the turn of Kashmir.

Wake up! Wake up!  It is already dawn.’)

 

This environment and the slogans had thrust a dagger into the backbone of the centuries-old composite culture and shared living in the Kashmir valley. And then the gun-wielding and Pakistan-trained militants spared none who was deemed to be Indian in any manner or who they felt was acting against the objectives of the Azadi movement. They killed Mushir ul Haq (V.C., The University of Kashmir), B K Ganju (engineer employed in B.S.N.L.), Sarvanand Koul Premi (poet), Lassa Koul (the then director Doordarshan, Srinagar), Molvi Mohammad Farooq (religious leader), H.L. Khera (General Manager, H.M.T., Srinagar), Prem Nath Bhat (advocate), Maulana Masoodi (religious scholar and aged politician), Mustafa Mir (politician) and many government officials and pro-India leaders. These compulsive killers killed people coming out from the mosques after offering prayers. They killed innocent and helpless women and children. They killed innocent people eating food with their family members.  Calling them Indian agents, hapless Pandits were used as ducks to test their newly acquired guns. Innocent men, women, and children were killed. Many women and girls were raped and tortured. I shiver when I recollect those painful memories.”

 

 Lassa Kaul was martyred at a time when Kashmir had become a dangerous place to live especially for Hindus and pro-India groups or individuals. He was the director of the Srinagar Doordarshan Kendra during the peak days of Pakistan-supported armed insurgency in the Kashmir valley. To begin the story of Lassa Kaul and his life, one can’t resist the preponderant issue of the tragic assassination of this brilliant officer in 1990. Unfortunately, this brilliant officer, who had qualified for IBS (UPSC), became a martyr for not toeing the terrorist line at the peak of Pakistan-supported armed insurgency in the Kashmir valley.

 

Lassa Kaul was not going out of the station for many days. On the fateful day, he had planned a visit to his ailing parents and decided to move out after sunset in his car driven by his trusted driver. He was fired upon the moment he reached his house at Bemina colony and came out from his car. Informed about his movement, the killers were already waiting for his arrival. Many sources say that he did not die on the spot. Much time was wasted in the hospital and he was kept unattended. Possibly during those days, the hospital employees in the Kashmir valley were also swayed by the terrorist dictates who had warned them not to attend to what they called Mukhbirs and Indian agents. This happened with many victims of terrorist killings during those days. About his death, the media wrote this:-

 

 “February 13, 1990: Director Doordarshan Kendra Srinagar, Lassa Kaul is shot dead by terrorists who considered him a stumbling block in meeting their nefarious designs. Rumours were then agog that some of his colleagues/insiders were involved in facilitating his murder by passing on the information to terrorists about his whereabouts and movements. Lassa Kaul was thus fighting a battle on many fronts. Added to his vows was the fact that the writ of the state was not running during those crucial times. He had sensed the danger of it as all his fears were based on facts. Finding no one to listen to his distressed calls he for a while avoided being seen on the familiar routes and mostly imprisoned himself within the walls of his office which by now had become a fortification of sorts. The filial bond however gave way. He desperately wanted to attend to his very sick father and having already sent his family to Delhi, decided to visit the ailing father like the dutiful son he was on that fateful evening of thirteenth February 1990…… The ambush of the evil terrorists had worked. Bullets pierced his head and abdomen. An illustrious son of the soil, a distinguished civilian, a loving innocent father to his children and an illustrious son to his parents who laid his life for the country. Giving his life in the line of duty, Lassa Kaul had worked both in Radio Kashmir Srinagar and Doordarshan Srinagar at a time when the situation in Kashmir seemed to have attained the point of “No Return”..”……( Source ..Lassa Kaul – Kashmir-rechords.com)

 

 

“Moslem militants shot and killed the director of Srinagar's government-run television station Tuesday just hours after radicals lynched a suspected government informant and nailed the victim's body to a tree. Police said militants shot Lassa Kaul, 45, director of the government-run television station, at about 7:15 p.m. as he stepped from a vehicle in front of his home. Members of Kaul's family heard the gunfire and found Kaul next to his vehicle. He was pronounced dead on arrival at a nearby hospital, police said. Kaul is the most senior government official killed by radicals since wide-scale pro-secession violence erupted in the Kashmir Valley on Jan. 20. Militants, critical of the television station's news reports on pro-secession violence, had threatened Kaul with death, police said. Virtually all of the region's 3 million Moslems back the pro-secession movement. Kashmiris want to secede from India because they believe their collective interests have been neglected by the Hindu-dominated central government in New Delhi.”………(Source…https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/02/13/Militants-kill-television-director-and-suspected-informer...Ghulam Nabi Khayal)

 

In his book,’ My Frozen Turbulence in Kashmir ‘, Jagmohan writes (page 533) this:-

“The terrorists were unhappy with him for not fully complying with their instructions about the contents of news releases. They had already intimidated the subordinate staff, some of them were, in any case, their sympathisers and collaborators. That is why the news telecasts from the Srinagar Doordarshan were heavily loaded in favour of the subversionists. Some of the news items were virtually based on the handouts of the terrorists organisations. Even publicity was given to their programmes. For instance, sometimes it was announced that the’ namaz e janaza ‘of ‘martyrs’ would be held on a certain date at a certain time. Shots of such ‘janaza’ were also shown on the television. Lassa Kual wanted to correct this imbalance. This was not to the liking of the subversive organisations. They believed,’ if you are not willing to serve as our tool, you are our enemy, and have to be eliminated ’. The arrest of Shauqat Bakshi brought to light the manner in which the crime was planned and committed. Kaul stayed in his office on the night of February 11 and 12. Having come to know that he is likely to return to his home on the evening of February 13, to meet his handicapped father who was living there all alone, his family having gone to Delhi earlier, Shauqat Bakshi and Hanif hid themselves near his house in Bemina.When Kaul alighted from his car, Shauqat Bakshi fired at him from a pistol which Ashfaq Majid Wani had given to him, killing him almost instantaneously.”

Lassa Kaul was born at Sathu Barbarshah in Srinagar. Later, he built his own house in Bemina and had been living there with his family and aged parents. He was tall, handsome and the only child of his parents. The name Lassa (blessed) or a person with a long life was given to him after he survived amongst his seven siblings. A brilliant student all along his school and college days, he joined AIR and served in various capacities at various places within the state and outside. Sanjila Kaul writes this about her father:-

“My father was a handsome and charming gentleman. When he entered a gathering, all eyes used to be on him. He had a flair for poetry and used to recite the same to us. He had a fire in his belly and wanted to upgrade himself as also his parents. To achieve these ends, he had to work hard in trying financial and personal situations. His mother used to be bedridden most of the time. He loved to live for the moment. One big fault with him was that he used to trust people blindly. His love for everyone was all-pervading and he never distinguished between his own and others. This was the trait that led him to believe that he would be never harmed. He had two soft spots; the organization he worked for and love for Kashmir. The last surpassed everything. He was a caring friend, empathetic boss, loving son of his parents, the world of his wife and the Hero of his children. Nature had made him for bigger things which he would have achieved as he had dreams in his eyes when his life was cut short so soon.”

                            

                                             (Young Lassa Kaul)

Lassa Kaul’s career in broadcasting was driven by a commitment to serve people. As the Director of Doordarshan’s Srinagar Kendra and having worked for All India Radio, Kaul served Kashmir during the most trying circumstances. Despite pressures and pulls from all sides, Kaul remained a guiding light of uprightness and professionalism. He didn’t bow to the dictates of the terrorists or any political pressure while discharging his duty. His behaviour was such that he hardly made any enemies ever. His cultured demeanour had won him maximum friends and well-wishers among the Muslims as well. But the rising voices of radicalism and fundamentalism in the valley projected him as the man responsible for launching a cultural aggression on the Muslims through his programmes from Doordarshan Kendra in Srinagar which he headed as a director. He was warned to stop airing Chitrahaar and other programmes which according to the radicals were unIslamic. As reported by his friends and colleagues, he was also asked to move out from the valley by a terrorist organization. Threatenings were also conveyed over the phone to him and his family members. He knew everything but stayed put serving the nation during those critical days. He left his wife and daughter at a relative’s place in Ghaziabad. His son was at BITS, Pilani.

Lassa Kaul was the only top official in the government-controlled media to launch public grievance programmes that exposed corruption. This made them respected, loved and also targeted. Targeted by the corrupt and shady who got exposed for his style of work. Wherever he served, he earned the love and affection of people and his colleagues. Noted writer and theatre critic Ravinder Kaul has this to say:-

“I knew Lassa Kaul since the late seventies of the last century. At that time he was the Station Director of Radio Kashmir, Jammu. He was fair and transparent in his work. Merit was the only criterion for him to approve any person in Radio or allotting work. He approved me as a casual announcer for Yuva-Vani after listening to some recordings. I never knew him nor did I ever approach him.  I was allotted regular work by AIR during his tenure. Those who visited Radio Kashmir Jammu during his tenure were happy and satisfied with his conduct and fair dealings. Met him in Srinagar later. He was always very helpful, very decent and very polite and above all very professional.”

                                  

                                       (Lassa Kaul)

 

Fayaz Shaharyar, former DG Akashwani had this to say about Lassa Kaul:-

“Lassa Kaul's tragic and brutal murder at a stage of his career that offered him an opportune time to take off and rise even higher was not only an irreparable loss but a slur on the reputation of equanimity of his dear motherland which he loved beyond possible degrees. He started with the passion of Public Service Broadcasting and died working for it. He knew his audience, he kept feeling their pulse and urge, designed the programme structure for them and won their hearts. In this task of altruistic electronic media functioning, he had the sacred footprint of his senior guide late Som Nath Sadhu who breathed, dreamt, lived and worshipped the broadcast profession. Both were selfless and ruled the Kingdom of the listening public, particularly of Kashmir. Providence didn't give much time to Lassa Kaul to be on television but Radio remained his 'Karmakshetra' until he was forced to forsake his life. He paid a price for his virtues and qualities.”

                          




 (Lassa Kaul with his colleague Sharif Uddin)

Inder Krishen Kilam, former DGM of Punjab National Bank has this to say about his association with Lassa Kaul:-

“Lassa Kaul and I visited village Kilam together in 1970 /1971 on account of the marriage function of our radio colleague HK Munshi with one of my maternal cousins Nancy Kaul. Lassa Kaul wrote a small poem on my first-ever visit to Kilam village wherein he put forth all my feelings/perceptions at that stage. Unfortunately, I don’t have that piece of poetry. Later, when I joined PNB as a Technical Field Officer (SSI), one of my tasks was to visit the village Khanpyath in Kulgam under PM's 20-Point Programme. I recall Lassa Kaul interviewed me in the English language for a radio programme. And again, in one of our outstation duties, Lassa Kaul and I were in village Tangamarg for a day where we enjoyed the full day together and trekked to Gulmarg up and down. There was no hill road then. He came specially to see me at Ranbir Bhawan Srinagar when Brig. Madan and  I were part of the Kashmiri Pandit Meet sometime in 1987. He was the Director of Radio Kashmir those days. He and I remained in touch even after I left AIR in 1973, and he progressed ahead in AIR in Srinagar, Leh, Jalandhar, Jammu and then in Doordarshan. He was a good friend for many years. Sadly, terrorists gunned him down and we lost him too early.”

After the death of Kaka Bhaiya (a name given to Lassa Kaul affectionately by many elder relatives), the family had to shift to Jammu and finally to Delhi. The new breed of brokers of Kashmiri Pandit property in the Valley took no time in forcing the family to go for a distress sale of the house. His wife Kanta Kaul (Tathi) put in a brave struggle to bring up her children and give them a much-needed education. His son Neerad Kaul (Nigu) completed his engineering degree and lives in the UK at present while his daughter Sanjila (Witty) lives in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi.

Lassa Kaul was a bright star that fell so early. A star that had just appeared and had to shine till dawn. He was a fragrant flower, mercilessly plucked from the garden by cruel hands. In Kashmir, he remains unknown. However, for his friends and family, he continues to smile and ever smile from his celestial abode up above.I end this write-up with a mini poem of Faiz Ahmed Faiz:-

(Phooi Murjha Gaye Saare)

 

“Phool murjha gaye saare

Thamtey nahin aasmaan ke aansoo

Shamein be-noor ho gayi hain

Aaine choor ho gaye hain

Payalein bujh ke so gayi hain

Aur in baadalon ke peechhe

Duur se raat ka dulaara

Dard ka sitara

Jhunjhuna raha hai

Muskara raha hai “…(.Faiz Ahmed Faiz )

 

(All The Flowers have withered Away)

 

(All the flowers have withered away.

No let up in the flow of sky’s tears.

The lamps have gone lusterless,

The mirrors lie shattered,

And all the orchestras have played themselves out.

The ankle –-bells have done their jingling

And behind the clouds,

far away, this night’s beloved,

the star of pain

is twinkling,

tinkling,

and smiling.)


 ( Avtar Mota )

PS

( This essay is a registered copyright material published in Avtar Mota's  book, 'Kashmir: Men Matters And Memories'.   )



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MOTI LAL SAQI: POET, SCHOLAR , LEXICOGRAPHER AND ESSAYIST



MOTI LAL SAQI (1936-1999)

 

                                               

                              

                                       (Moti Lal Saqi)

 

Poet, writer, folklorist, researcher, lexicographer, essayist, dramatist, encyclopedist, a specialist in Kashmir's cultural and literary heritage, authority on the Valley's Rishi tradition, Moti Lal Saqi was born at Badiyar Bala, Srinagar. His father Pandit Madhsudan Razdan served in the police department during the Maharaja’s rule and was posted at Muzaffarabad for many years before 1947. Saqi spent his childhood, youth and a major part of his life in the village Mahnoor falling in the Budgam district. Saqi enriched Kashmiri language and literature in several ways and emerged as a major poet and critic in his youth.

Saqi was a multi-faced literary personality of the 20th century. Not before him was there a person of his stature and not after him shall there be one like him. A scholar of Hindi, Urdu, Persian, Sanskrit and English, Saqi has used his pen for every sphere of Kashmiri literature. Having started his life as a village-level worker in the Rural Development Department, Saqi joined the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages where he superannuated as a senior officer. Kuldeep Raina, who hails from village Rangar (the village of poet Abdul Ahad Azad) that falls in the vicinity of Mahanoor has this to say about Saqi:-

 

“My father also belonged to village Mahnoor and was married in a nearby village known as Rangar. Poet Abdul Ahad Azad belonged to Rangar village. My mother had no brother, so my father shifted from Mahnoor to Rangar, and we grew up in Rangar. My uncles used to live in Mahnoor only and that kept us closely tied with Mahnoor as we had ancestral property over there as well. Our family was very close to Saqi Sahib’s family. We looked upon Saqi Sahib as a fatherly figure. His eldest son, Vijay Saqi was my friend. He also had a literary bent of mind that was sharpened due to his father’s influence as well as his profession. Unfortunately, Vijay died in service a few years after Saqi Sahib’s death. He died young. I would also visit Saqi Sahib’s place. He spoke candidly about every issue brought to him for clarification. By habit, he always spoke in a higher pitch. I saw him always busy with his books with no time to look around. His eyes had become puffy due to sleep deprivation. Generally, he would go to his office from Mahnoor on the same bus that we used to take for going to S P College, Srinagar. We would walk about 3 km from Rangar to Mahnoor and catch the Srinagar bus over there as no bus came to Rangar. He would usually take the front seat and remain busy with co-passengers over some issue concerning literature, politics, history or heritage of Kashmir. One Abdul Gani Mir and Abdul Rahim Rather were his intellectual friends. Both of them were from Budgam district. Abdul Rahim Rather became the finance minister in Dr Farooq Abdullah’s cabinet. People listened to him with rapt attention. You could ask him anything about Kashmir. I mean names of rivers, birds, fruits, springs, herbs, mountains, historical characters, Kings, Buddhist scholars and anything or everything. Every time I heard him, I would pick up two to three new words from our mother tongue. He had a huge library inside his Mahnoor house. Once he went to Mahnoor after 1990, he was shocked to see his books torn and scattered in his house. The sight made him sad. He was a walking encyclopedia of Knowledge and in Jammu, many persons researching subjects relating to Kashmir history, literature or heritage would throng his house. The exile was a great setback and shock to him.”

 Noted journalist Shyam Kaul writes this:-

 “A simple villager, who never shed off his pastoral homeliness, humility and open-heartedness, who never allowed even a grain of false ego to enter his head, despite recognition, both at state and national levels, and who always lived the lily of an honest and eager learner till his last breath. That was Saqi - ever lively, ever communicative, and ever cheerful. When I think of Saqi the words of the great French philosopher Voltaire, come to my mind. He had said, "Not to be occupied, and not to exist, amount to the same thing". Saqi kept himself perennially occupied with finer pursuits in life. Put your finger anywhere on the literary and cultural canvas of Kashmir, and you will find Saqi's name there, as a contributor, a researcher, an elucidator, a commentator or a scholar. All that kept him occupied were his creative endeavours and his pen seemed to reach everywhere. In these days of pin-pointed specialization, one hardly finds any equal to this man of multifarious brilliance.”

 Moti Lal Saqi was a lexicographer as well, having worked as an editor of the Kashmiri-Kashmiri and Urdu-Kashmiri dictionaries brought out by the J&K Cultural Academy under the Chief Editorship of Prof. S. K. Toshkahani. He also edited the three volumes of the Kashmiri Encyclopedia published by the Academy, showing his great acumen as a researcher.

 Saqi had earned innumerable friends in the Kashmir valley most of who came from creative fields like theatre, music and poets. Some were senior to him while many were of his age. He was grieved at the sudden demise of his close friend Padam-Shri Som Nath Sadhu, a noted broadcaster from Kashmir. Sadhu was a playwright and man of profound literary interests. On Som Nath Sadhu’s death, Saqi wrote a poetic tribute as under: -

 

"Pot nazraai dizihe

Tael taari ba vuchh-hai sarva qadas,

Modh maachh so soorat chaen ba rachh-hai chashman manz,

Vachha aanas thaav-hai khaal khanith,

Khabaraai ma thaavith kokun draakh,

Vaeni aasi adaarai maanz athan,

Daya-batah khyath vati ma treish lagi,

Satraath chha karnaai vaapas pheir,

Safaras neran vaali tse pruchhnaai draakh

Ta assi chhuna oush thahraan

Aess Parchhen gaamit

Assi breant gatchhan.” .........(Moti Lal Saqi)

 

(Why?

Why didn't you look back even once?

O, traveller!

I would have secretly cast a glance at your tall frame,

A cypress tree that you looked like.

That sweet face,

That pleasant demeanour,

I would have brought into my eyes

And shut them up.

In the mirror of my heart,

I would have engraved your portraiture,

But you never talked about

The destination that you headed for.

O, traveller!

The henna in your hands must not have dried yet,

Lest you feel thirst from the celestial food that you had just now,

O, traveller! Do you feel it?

The night of the union remains incomplete,

O, traveller! Turn back,

O, traveller! Return.

Never did you inform before parting,

Never does the trickle of my tears stop now,

You rendered me lonely,

I keep looking for you

In many faces around.

In the faces that look like you,

O, traveller! )

 

PASTORAL SIMPLICITY IN SAQI’S POETRY

 Pastoral poetry is known for exploring the relationship between humans and nature, and for romanticizing the ideals of a simple country life. The enduring popularity of the pastoral form of poetry suggests a wide resonance with these ideals.

 

Ropal kohan kalas taaj

Karaan yaari Panun Raaj

Raesseull *Vehakh Turun *Maagh

Natchaan Vigienni Gyavaan Raag

“Panun Bagh Matchhueil Bagh

Hutyein Boneiyee Yeityein Naag

Panun Bagh Matchhueil Bagh”…(Moti Lal Saqi)

 

(Snow clad silvery peaks,

Like crowns on mountain heads.

And over these mountains,

Pine trees holding their own Kingdom.

A pleasurable Vaisakha!

A cold Maagha!

Fairies dancing singing Raagas,

That is my garden, My love-filled garden.

Endowed with Chinars Trees and springs,

That is my garden, My love-filled garden.)

(*Vehak is the month of Vaisakh. It is springtime or Bahaar in Kashmir. Maagh is the winter month of Magha. It is cold and snowy time in Kashmir.)

 

 “Koa't gatchhakh subhayee vaeni nai gaash Phol,

Naaga joyee pyath voth na vaeni sandhyai Kaanh,

Masheidi mehraabas andher katijen nendhir,

Dhaan dalas manz geil chha traavith zeeth lar,

Kuliy laenjen sosarai chhena vatharan gatchhaan,

Koa’t gatchhakh?”… (Moti Lal Saqi)

 

(Where shall you go so early? It is not a daybreak as yet.

None has yet come to perform *Sandhya with spring water,

Even the swallows are fast asleep inside the *Mehraab of the mosque,

In paddy fields, *little sparrows are still in deep slumber

Leaves of the tree branches have not turned restless as yet,

Where shall you go?)

 

 

LYRICAL ROMANTICISM

 Romantic poetry is a type of poetry that focuses on emotions, imagination, and sentiments. Romantic poems often value nature, individualism, and childhood, and can be written to inspire social change or appreciation of the natural world.  Romanticism in poetry can be defined as the development of individualism and an embrace of the natural world in poetic form. Love was a recurring theme in Romantic poetry, and it was often portrayed passionately and intensely. Many critics have written that Saqi wrote beautiful Romantic poems in Kashmiri that had modern sensibilities. His poem “Ganeemat Shaam e Gham Rozya na Roza “is one such example. Let us examine some excerpts from this poem.

 

“Bahaaruk waqt khoshvun jam aasun

Zsodahimi zooni hundh gotchh sham aasun

Shababik nagma gaeiss aasin neaten pyath

Me goss beyi bronthakani gulfaam aasun” …( Moti Lal Saqi )

 

(How good if in the spring season,

 On a bright moonlit night,

A glass of wine in my hands,

And then some youthful music is played

In my beloved’s company).

 

And

 “Khazir chhum dil panun prath manzilas kun

Amis chhena guel gandien kochh chhus na kenh deun

Yi gayi panas andher paanas ziyarat

Mangun yuss tagi tagaan nin vaalini neun.”…( Moti Lal Saqi )

 

(This mind is a traveller towards its destiny,

It has not to be begged or bribed,

Like a shrine within every individual,

this Ziyarat blesses only the seeker.)

 

NADIM’S INFLUENCE

 The modernism, diction and imagery of stalwart Kashmiri poet Dina Nath Nadim influenced and inspired Moti Lal Saqi in his youth. Despite being associated with the Communist Party of India and expressing Marxism in his poetic thought, Nadim remained an ardent believer cum admirer of the Indic civilization and the ancient cultural ethos of Kashmir. This is broadly where Saqi was profusely influenced by Nadim and his diction. However, Saqi devised his style by blending mysticism, romanticism and pastoral elegance in his poetry. Like Nadim, Saqi had also done a profound study of Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita. Saqi went ahead and studied Buddhism as well.  About Nadim, Saqi writes this: -

 “Modern Kashmiri poet Dina Nath Nadim (1916-1988), regarded as the tallest of the tall, was the only epoch-making poet after Lal Ded. A firm believer in great human values, Nadim was a progressive poet and had hardly anything to do with mysticism. But metaphysical speculation brought him very near to the "Kainhna" of mystic poets and Sunya-Vada of Buddhism. Along with his vast studies which drew him very close to Sunya-Vada, the Kashmiri poetic tradition shaped and sharpened his way of thinking. “

 After a careful study of his poetic metaphors and symbols, one finds the insightful influence of Rishi culture of Kashmir and Indic civilization in his poetry. Lal Ded, Nund Ryosh (Sheikh Nur ud Din Walli), Laitaditya, Abhinavgupta and Zain Ul Abdin remained his icons. Buddhism was his unforgettable past. Mysticism and a profound search for the Ultimate Reality remained his passion. Like Nadim, Loneliness of Man also touched him. The Loneliness appearing in his poetry is also a disagreement with the dehumanizing process that this runaway technology seems to be imposing on mankind. This loneliness clears his path from many obstacles in his journey towards Mysticism and search for Ultimate Reality (Brahman). The restlessness of this search is also visible in his poetry. He also brings up the issues of crowded cities, rapid industrialization and pollution in his verses. Some verses to support this belief are as under: -

 

 “Chhu kus taamath bharaan rang kainaatas

Dohas gayi taapa phaet Ssehjaar raatas

Karam taem sundh chhu sheraan rang ta manzar

Rachhiv Shaamuk sakoon voshlun prabhaatas”..(Moti Lal Saqi)

 

 (Someone fills this universe with colours,

He makes the days so sunny and nights cool.

And His acts of kindness beautify these colours and scenes.

So, save this evening’s tranquillity

and dawn’s red blush.)

 

 

“Pazarik deevi daarav booz

Apazis gonda-hai sona dastaar”..(Moti Lal Saqi)

 

 (The truthful abode of the goddess too heard

That a golden headgear was ceremonially put on falsehood)

 

“Lukka arsaatus munz kunnzoann

Tse ti ma chhuyee myonuai hue haal

Mandinein Mongmas Raatuk sochh

Raatas dopmas zsonga zaal.”..(Moti Lal Saqi )

 

(Alone in crowds all over,

I believe you too share my ordeal.

At midday, I wish to be granted the night's relief,

And at night I ask for a lamp to be lit.)

 

“Posha baagan seidyov diesel Da’eh,

Lori dith kodd bahaar shaharan cha’en.”…(Moti Lal Saqi )

 

(This diesel smoke has entered our gardens now,

Thrashing it with sticks,

It drove away the spring season

 from our cities.)

 

“Paan sadaran petroluk vardan

Kati chheya chhapnas jaai gatchhakh kot” …(Moti Lal Saqi )

 

(The oceans are wearing inflammable apparel

Soaked in petrol,

Where is the place to hide?

Tell me where shall a man save himself ?)

 

“Myani gaaamuk ka’naai chhu vysiromut

Tota ti kor na sa taar shahran chyen”…(Moti Lal Saqi)

 

(The foundation of my village is under severe stress,

Your city is fast expanding to devour it.)

 

POET, LEXICOGRAPHER, RESEARCHER AND COMPILER

 From the lyrical romanticism of 'Modury Khwab' (Sweet Dreams), his first collection of poems, to the spiritual restlessness and an inward quest for higher values based on faith reflected in 'Mansar', for which he won the Sahitya Akademi award, and 'Mrigvan', Saqi underwent a significant change in his sensibility as a poet and established an idiom distinctly his own. Saqi's contribution as a literary critic is equally impressive, his monumental work on Sheikh Nur-ud-Din, popularly known as Nund Rishi, and the Sufi / Bhakti poets like Samad Mir and Parmanand remains unmatched to this day. As a folklorist, Saqi compiled five volumes of Kashmiri folk songs with a valuable introduction and annotation. He worked as an editor of the Kashmiri-Kashmiri and Urdu-Kashmiri dictionaries brought out by the J&K Cultural Academy and also edited the three volumes of the Kashmiri Encyclopedia published by the Academy. His last book, Aagar Neb, was regarding various aspects of Kashmiri culture. His numerous articles on Kashmiri literature, art and culture were published in several magazines and journals of the country.

 From the lyrical romanticism of 'Modury Khwab' (Sweet Dreams), his first collection of poems, to the spiritual restlessness and an inward quest for higher values based on faith reflected in 'Mansar', for which he won the Sahitya Academi award, and 'Mrigvan', Saqi underwent a significant change in his sensibility as a poet and established an idiom distinctly his own. The traumatic experience of uprootment from his native soil in 1990 found a poignant expression in many of his poems, his long poem 'Marsi' (Elergy) being a most disturbing document of the tragedy of the Pandits' displacement. His latest collection 'Niry Nagma' (Songs of the Green Meadows) shows his intense nostalgia for Kashmir and points to the torture of having to live in a forced exile away from the Valley's myriad charms and attractions.

As a researcher, Saqi travelled from village to village and collected works of many poets unknown hitherto. He is the first person who did serious work to segregate verses of Lal Ded and Nund Ryosh. According to him, not more than 70 to 80 verses (out of about 250 plus Vaaks attributed to her underuse presently) belong to Lal Ded. The rest appear to have been attributed to Lal Ded through ignorance. According to him, most of the Vaaks attributed to Lalleshwari neither carry her core message of Kashmir’s Shaiv–Darshana nor are these in the language of that period. Saqi’s well-known paper on ‘Buddhist Themes in Kashmiri Literature” opened new vistas for research and study. In this paper, Saqi writes:-

 “A remarkable figure of Kashmir was Guna Vermana, of the royal line, who in his early years, renounced his royal entitlements and took to the monastic way of life. He preached the message of Lord Buddha in Sri Lanka, Java and Sumatra and converted kings to Buddhism. After the completion of his mission, Gunavermana came back with a sweet gift to his people in the shape of the 'pagoda' style of architecture usually called the 'eastern Java type'. It is known in Kashmir Parihaspora, Risi and Charbam style. The 'Pagoda' type of architecture attained great popularity in Kashmir and the best structures of yore in Kashmir represent this type. In present-day Kashmir this type is still in vogue and considered sanctified buildings; all prominent shrines particularly those of Rishis, belong to this type. Though Kashmiris have made certain additions and alterations to this type (i.e. they have combined stupa and monastery in one structure) its basic form has not undergone any drastic change. The same old Chatteravali spire and square base remain to keep its original shape and form intact. New shrines of this type are built even in the present epoch. The shrine of Nund Rishi at Driyagama is a living specimen of it. Built only a few years back; it is being decorated now by the old canons. Wandering Buddhist monks of Kashmir were always on the move, as borne out by various sources of history. On the inauguration of Anuradhapura stupa in Sri Lanka, in the remote past, Kashmiri Buddhists constituted the second biggest contingent.”

 POETRY OF UNCERTAINTY AND FEAR CREATED BY TERRORISM IN HIS NATIVE LAND

 The armed insurgency also affected art and literature produced in Kashmir, especially from 1990 to 2000. Fear and helplessness are visible in the poems (written after 1990) of many leading poets of Kashmir. Rehman Rahi, Farooq Nazki, Radhey Nath Masarat, Rafiq Raaz and many leading poets have expressed it in their work. The death and destruction and the exile of his community from their homeland come painfully in many poems of Saqi written after 1990. Some verses could be listed as under: -

 

“Dandhan dhitchmitch chhe Khahran raam-hoonev

Kanhaai chhuna kaansi hundh saari chhe paanas

Khahan vehvaav tai taweez shoras

Kadav bara khwor khabar chha kyah chhu laanis

Mangav aahi ta guel vaeis pyan takatak

Kuni chhenna roozamitch venkyen chhapan-jaai

Khudavanda khudavanda raham kar”…( Moti Lal Saqi)

 

(The wolves have sharpened their teeth

Today, no one belongs to anyone,

Every person is alone and to himself,

The wind of fire sweeps our fields.

The gunpowder is hidden even in amulets,

God alone knows what waits for us we should step out

Should we raise our hands and seek welfare,

Fear, these hands may also fall to the ground.

Where is the place to hide now?

 Where to go now?

Mercy, O Lord

Mercy alone now.)

 

“Yimav hyok draayi tim mandori traavith

“Seytha gayi baala booji chhepi laeg zamaanas

Beghar sapdith zuvas bas raachhthaavikh

Vonuyi roodukh na aiesss kam aaess ko’t  vaet”…( Moti Lal Saqi )

 

(Those who could afford left to unknown lands

 Leaving their homes and hearths behind.

Some were wolfed by the mountains for no fault

As homeless, they could only protect their physical being,

Never did they understand,

Who they were

And where they had arrived?)

 

  SAQI AND THE POETRY OF EXILE

 Exile, a state of being forcibly separated from one's country or homeland, has been a recurring theme in poetry throughout history. This profound experience of longing for a lost home, nostalgia for familiar places, and the struggle to adapt to a foreign land has inspired poets to create powerful verses that capture the essence of exile.

Like all exiled Kashmiri Pandits, Saqi was deeply hurt when circumstances drove him out of Kashmir, the land of his ancestors. During his life, he had been a passionate lover of Kashmir and dedicated almost all his life to it through his creative work be it poetry, prose or enormous published research work on Sufi poets. Terrorism in the Kashmir valley resulted in bloodshed and destruction. He had also to leave the valley to save his life and honour leaving everything behind. Overwork had already taken its toll on his health and the exile deteriorated it fast as he could not live away from his beloved motherland. His poetry changed direction, and he started expressing his pain and anguish. His poetic collection 'Niry Nagma' (Songs of the Green Meadows) shows his intense nostalgia for Kashmir and points to the torture of having to live in a forced exile away from the Valley's myriad charms and attractions. Excerpts from three poems are enough to establish him as a poet in exile. His exile poems are overflowing with powerful emotions of an exile. The traumatic experience of uprootment from his native soil in 1990 found a poignant expression in many of his poems, his long poem 'Marsi' (elegy) being a most disturbing document of the tragedy of the Pandits' displacement. These poems can be compared with the poetry of Kurdish poets in exile especially Sherko Bekas, Kajal Ahmed, Choman Hardi, Nazand Begikhani and many more. In Saqi’s post-1990 poems, the reader comes across the adversities of deprivation, disgrace, and banishment explored Kashmir’s philosophical and religious traditions. Some select lines from these poems are as under:-      

     (1)   

  “Bub, Budya-Bub,Jadha-Budya-Bub, 

Saari yeti thanna peymit

 Yethi metchi shrepmiet

Khaah Khal timavai thaevmit sheerith

Kolla kajji timvaai  neela-vath cheerith

Nonn Kodd timavai ‘ Sharada Peeth '

Yath metchi munz Bengaashi amaanat

Yeti chhu Ali Joo yeim lalla-novus

 Az chha bhaiy meyi kalla thodh tulnas

Az chhus baeyi  az-vaai abhyaagath

Kaenn assi thov na parihaasporas

Martand pal nakha kam kam tulei

Harwanas kam athha palzeimit

Vyath baethi kaem kor taarakh zool

Chhakrith  Kaayi me paan teil dagh chham

Nari chham rajasthaan me taapas

Zang chham aassus manz rata hooneun

Vaeni chham sath dakhi chhum Dasgeer"……..( Moti Lal Saqi  from poem Dagh or Pain )

 

(My father.

My grandfather,

My great-grandfather,

All of them,

were born in this land

and sleep in the dust of this land only.

These fields,

This stock,

Tell the tale of their protective care.

These rivulets and streams,

Were born after they tore apart the rocks and the boulders.

This "Sharda Peeth” of ours,

They made known the world over.

 

In the soil over here,

Sleeps Bengashi,

My mother.

Ali Joo,

Who poured his affection upon me,

Also sleeps in the soil of this land.

Then tell me one thing,

Tell me why I fear to tread on this soil.

Tell me why am I afraid to raise my head?

Tell me why do I feel helpless?

Tell me why have I been rendered unlucky?

 

Didn’t we

lay the foundation of Parihaaspora,

Carry huge boulders on our shoulders

for the Martanda (Sun Temple),

Build Harwan’s ancient Buddhist monastery with our hands,

And illuminate River Vitasta’s banks on her birthday.

 Alas!

 Now, our body lies scattered,

Our arms face the heat of Rajasthan.

Our legs are held by bloodthirsty dogs in their jaws,

 Yet,

 To this day,

This abiding faith remains with us that

“Revered Dastgeer will stand by us. )

(2)

“Soora phyakh Sapadith ta Vethi manz baavizeum

Be wattan gatchhanuk dinam yena taana lookh.

Krooth raavun tyol ta yaadan hundh alaav

Kya phaban sekilis andher mastaana lookh“… (Moti Lal Saqi)

  

(After I turn to a handful of ash, consign me to River Vitasta

Let people ridicule me as an exile from my motherland.

Bitter is their lament of loss and with this uproar of memories around,

How shall these carefree people survive in these lifeless deserts?)

 (3)

 “Zaanh na ba karaai graav hataa vaava ratchha praar

Nerithh gayi Kam naava hataa vaava ratchha praar

Tiem myaen matchhil dost rassil yaad tarahdaar

Chhaa vaara kinna laeg daava hataa vaava ratchha praar

 Raavien ma kaansi aalmas manz bar ta panun braandh,

Gudhrun panun kas baava hataa vaava ratchha praar “....( Moti Lal Saqi )

 

(O breeze! Never shall I complain to you, Just wait a little more.

What makes you rush so fast? Just wait a little more.

Those loving friends and the varied delightful memories,

Are they well or have been sucked in by this hell fire,

Let me know, O breeze! Wait a little more.

Let none in this world lose his door and the front entrance,

Tell me to whom should I convey what befell me, O breeze! Wait a little more.)

 

(4)

 (My be we meet someday,

Put no question to me,

I too shall not put you any questions,

Preserve the brightness of your eyes,

Retain the smile on your lips,

Although, the poison of this alienation

 has seeped deep into my veins.)

(Poem ‘Letter ‘published in” Pangs of Exile “edited by Agnishekhar and Vijay Saqi )

 Remembering Moti Lal Saqi, poet Agnishekhar said this:-

 “I had very close relations with this towering personality from Kashmir. I believe none has done his type of original research work on Kashmir’s art, culture, literature, Sufi poetry, language and history. I would often visit his Lal Mandi, Srinagar office and sit in his affable company for hours interacting and learning from his encyclopedic mind. One could discuss anything about Kashmir with him. I have never seen him turning judgmental or not looking at both sides of the coin. Rarely would he discuss individuals and never subject any individual to personal criticism. From some reliable sources, I came to know that he spent many months working day and night and prepared a comprehensive encyclopedia of ancient and medieval sculpture of Kashmir. However, the fate of this work remains a mystery. Has it been consigned to some dustbin by the decision-makers in the Academy of Art Culture and Languages? I don’t know and can’t say with authenticity.The exile from his motherland had hit his soul. It had shattered many beliefs in him but never his deep commitment to humanity and human values. After being thrown out from his native Kashmir, Saqi and his family moved to Udhampur to live as exiles. I have been told by his son Vijay Saqi that his father would weep like a child at the sight of trucks and taxis carrying helpless and innocent Kashmiri Pandits to Jammu every day. If one reads him in English translation, he comes up as a tall poet comparable to any well-known poet in the world of literature. For this, his work needs to be translated and made known to the world at large. All the fundamental elements of Exile Poetry are visible in most of his post-1990 poems. You find longing, nostalgia, pain, alienation, rootlessness and loneliness starkly visible. Initially, he was also inspired by the Progressive Movement in literature, but he moved away from it and devised a path for himself that had elements of spiritualism and mysticism. I met him last in 1999 at Vijay Saqi’s residence in New Delhi. He was unwell but alert and full of life and sparkling positivity. He longed to return to his homeland and roots. He read some poems to me that made me pensive. He suffered a lot but had no personal animosity against anyone. Not even against his tormentors. Sadgati and Moksha to the noble soul Saqi. He deserved more than what he received for his contribution and work. I quote some lines from his Kashmiri poem, “When didn’t we drink the hemlock” in English translation: -

 

(Tell me, when we didn’t drink the hemlock,

We, whose destiny was to live with tears only,

The sword wounds also we kept receiving smilingly,

 While they kept sprinkling salt over them.

 River Vitasta kept flowing by our dwellings

Yet, our thirst remained unquenched.

 

Weren’t we like the lotus flower in the water pond?

But this heat and dust is our fate now.

Our history is nothing but a saga of untimely deaths,

Alas! Unstoppable remains this tragedy still.

 

If someone spoke in our favour,

We bowed even to his shadow.

And if anyone cursed us for no fault,

Without offending anyone,

We changed our path.

We bowed even to his shadow.

And if anyone cursed us for no fault,

Without offending anyone,

We changed our path.)……………….” 

 

 

                                                                 

    (Moti Lal Saqi with his wife  ...Photo. Virender Razdan son of the poet)

 Moti Lal Saqi's wife was a very kindhearted woman who belonged to a cultured family from Wagam, a village near Hushur in Budgam district. Her name was Parmeshori but she was known as Rani in her in-law's house after marriage. Saqi was attached to his mother Matekuj also known as Ded. Virender Razdan, son of Saqi informed this author that his father was initially a non-vegetarian but due to the influence of Laded and Nund Ryosh, he turned vegetarian. However, due to ill health and the insistence of his family, he was again non-vegetarian in the later part of his life. He had no specific food choice. Swami Nand Lal of Tikkar was the Guru of the parental family of Saqi’s wife. Swami Nand Lal had his Ashram in Hushur as well. Parmeshori was a religious lady under whose caring influence, agnostic Saqi became a follower of Swami Nand Lal and later Swami Mast Ram fondly known as Mast Bub. Swami Mast Ram was a direct disciple of Swami Nand Lal and used to live at his Ashram in Hushur. Swami Mast Ram was a Punjabi who spent his entire life in the Kashmir valley and later moved to Jammu in 1990. This is what well-known composer Pandit T K Jalali said about Saqi:-

 “I had a long association with him as a colleague. Post-1990. I composed a number of his poems/features for Radio / TV and benefited greatly from his scholarly knowledge. He was a moving encyclopedia and had a razor-sharp memory. He was associated with Arun Kaul in Kashmir File Productions as an advisor. We made several visits to Delhi together from Jammu for this purpose. Most of the creations featuring Ali Mardan Khan, Nund Reish, Lalded, Roop Bhawani, Azad, Habba Khatun and many more writers were based on his selection before recording them for Vyeth Televisions. A real great man.”

 THE RECOGNITION AND THE LAST DAYS

 For his enormous research work, poetic collections and books on Kashmiri literature, Saqi was honoured with the Padama-Shri Award in 1989. In 1981, he received the Sahitya Akademi Award for his poetic collection, “Mansar”.

 Moti Lal Saqi died on May 21, 1999, in New Delhi after a heart attack. Earlier in March he had undergone surgery for a heart ailment. The Government of J&K has named the Government Degree College, Hyderpora as Moti Lal Saqi Memorial Degree College. During his last days, Saqi had some premonitions about what was going to happen. He kept saying his immortal lines to one and all who came to see him,” Bhariv taaf halmas...Siri losvun chhus “or “Come, have some warmth before this sun finally sets down.” Let me close this write-up with a quatrain of Urdu poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz:-

 

 “Hum khasta tanon se mohtasibo,

kya maal manaal ka poochhte ho

Jo umr se hum ne bhar paya

Sab saamne laaye detay hain,

Daaman mein hay musht-e-khake-jigar,

saagar mein hay khoon-e-hasrat-e-mai

Lo hum ne daaman jhaarr diya,

 Lo jaam ultaaye detay hain.)

 

(“We are the enfeebled,

What is there to ask about our assets O censors?

All that life has proffered us,

We are holding up for scrutiny:

In the hem of a handful of heart’s dust,

In the goblet the blood of yearning’s wine.

Look, here we empty our hem,

And here we upturn the wine glass.”)

 

 

  (Avtar Mota)

  FOOTNOTES

 

(1)

For this write-up, this author is indebted to Virender Razdan son of M L Saqi who provided some rare photographs and the sought-after information. The author is also indebted to Kuldeep Raina retired Senior Manager of Punjab National Bank who hails from Rangar, in Budgam district for his valuable inputs.

 (2)

 (Kashmir has six seasons, each two months in duration. These can be summed up as

 

Spring - From March 15 to May 15. Soant

Summer - From May 15 to July 15. Gresham

Rainy Season - From July 15 to Sept. 15. Vaharaat

Autumn - From Sept. 15 to Nov. 15. Harud

Winter - From Nov. 15 to Jan 15. Vandha

Ice Cold - From Jan. 15 to March 15. Shishur

  The calendar followed by Kashmiri Pandits has the following months

 Chaitra, Vaisakh, Jyeshtha, Ashadh, Shravan, Bhadra, Ashwin, Kartik, Marg, Paush, Magh, Falgun. In Kashmiri these months are known as …Tsitter, Vahek, Zeth, Haar, Shravun, Ba'drepeth, A'shid, Kartik, Monjhor, Poh, Maag, Fagun)

 (3)

 *Geil (Kashmiri word not exactly a sparrow) is a sparrow-like small black bird seen in paddy fields. It lays its eggs and builds its nest in these fields only. After the harvest, this bird flies away.

 *Sandhya is the daily religious ritual of Hindus performed at the time of two twilights or the opening and closing of the day. It is generally performed on river Banks or springs or any other source of fresh water or even inside their dwellings. Sandhya was a "Daily practice" with elderly Kashmiri Pandits in the Kashmir valley.

 *Mehrab is the decorative groove in the wall of a mosque, which marks the direction of the Qiblah. The traditional Mehrab is a common element of Islamic mosque architecture throughout the world. During the summer season, swallows would make Nests inside Mosques, Temples and residential Houses in Kashmir.


( This essay is a registered copyright material published in  Avtar Mota's  book, 'Kashmir; Men Matters And Memories'.   )


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