DINA
NATH WALLI (1908-2006): A PIONEER OF WATERCOLOUR IN THE KASHMIR VALLEY
(Artist D N Walli with his wife)
This
author’s sister is married to the Bradoo family, who used to live (before 1990)
in Badiyaar Bala, just near artist D N Walli’s house. Accordingly, the author
would frequently pass by the house that had a small name plate ‘D N Walli
Artist’ hung on its main door. In 1979, Bal Ji Bradoo (father-in-law of the
author’s sister) told him something like this: -
“Yes,
this house belongs to Dina Nath Walli. He is an artist. He has lived by selling
his paintings—no other income. Mr Walli never did a government or private job.
He speaks less and is always busy with his affairs. A gentleman who taught some
younger people how to use watercolours. He is a watercolour specialist. It has
been his style to take some paintings in a Shikara to Dal Lake and sell them to
European tourists living in houseboats. Like a full Tonga, he takes a special
Shikara for himself. Sometimes some houseboatman would bring some customers to
his house. Sometimes he would take his papers and colours in the boat and paint
in houseboats or lonely parks. Rugh Nath, my friend told me that he saw him
painting in Pahalghaam. He looks here and there and then paints. Some paintings
done by him were sold by booksellers in the shape of a small book. Percy Sahib
(Percy Brown) has also been his admirer. Percy Sahib lived in a houseboat. He
was a European. Dina Nath Walli got his training at Amar Singh Technical
Institute, Kashmir and also lived in Calcutta. This is what Rugh Nath told me.
Some people say he also writes poetry but I have not heard nor does he talk
about it. I have heard that his brother Amar Chand Ji is a Yogi and a poet. He
also does watercolour work. Dina Nath Ji's son Tej Krishen lives in some place
near Delhi and as such he goes to live with him during the winter season. He is
planning to move to live with his son permanently now. Maybe after two or three
years. This he told me last time. ” That much for the introduction of the
artist.
This
author records his sincere thanks to Dr T K Walli for sending a copy of his
book having a biographical sketch of the painter-poet Dina Nath Walli
(1908-2006). Dina Nath Walli was the father of Dr T K Walli. The book is spread
over 116 pages out of which 42 pages have been devoted to describing the life
and art of Dina Nath Walli while the remaining pages carry his paintings or
newspaper cuttings relating to various exhibitions of the artist in India and
abroad. The beautiful thing about this book is that the album section contains
about 60 watercolours of the artist on hard paper in A-4 size. These
watercolours include some well-known works of the artist like, ‘Houseboat in
Moonlight ‘, ‘Jhelum Valley Road in Autumn Season’, ‘A River-side Temple’and “
Maar Canal Near Bohri-Kadal”. The foreword by well-known writer Siddharth Gigoo
reads this:-
“Our lost Kashmir, in all
its pristine beauty and romance, will continue to live and breathe in our
collective consciousness and memory, as long as the legacy of Dina Nath Walii,
one of the finest painters the state has produced, is celebrated and
cherished.”
D N
Walli did a 3-year course in Fine Arts at the Amar Singh Technical Institute,
Srinagar after which he shifted to Calcutta. There, he acquired skills in
several different forms of art, under the mentorship of Percy Brown, a British
scholar and artist. In 1936, he came back to Srinagar and built a successful
career in art using watercolours as his medium. Landscape painting was his
domain, and he pioneered watercolour art in the Kashmir valley. Kashmir is
everywhere in the watercolours of D N Walli. His special focus has been to
present speaking images of life in Kashmir. He has painted women engaged in daily
chores, children, boatmen, fish-selling women, bazar scenes, snowscapes, autumn
Chinars, poplars, rice husking, hills, brooks, animals, birds, river Ghats,
temples, mosques, canals, fruit-laden trees, houses with thatched roofs,
innocence and poverty of his native land. If one looks at his work, one need
not read much to know how people lived in Kashmir just five or six decades
back. Every work is full of life and every frame conveys how Kashmiris lived in
their recent past.
( A Houseboat
in Moonlight by D N Walli )
In
March 2010, this author saw his watercolours in an exhibition organised by his
son Dr T K Walli in collaboration with J&K Academy of Art Culture And
Languages at Jammu. Looking at his colours and style, one doesn’t hesitate to
say that he is our Degas or Monet or Pissaro or Cezanne. Call him anything but
he remains the valley's watercolour pioneer and an icon.
.
(Maar Canalnear Bohri Kadal,
Srinagar. A watercolour of D N Walli)
Dina
Nath Walli was fully aware of various forms of Modern Art especially
Surrealism, Cubism, Expressionism, Impressionism, Pop art and Abstract art, but
he kept his doors closed and focused on his style and subject. His medium was
watercolours. The Progressive group of artists consisting of Triloke Koul, P N
Kachru, S N Butt and G R Santosh tried hard to bring this stalwart to the
Modern Art camp but failed. He remained steadfast to his medium, style and
subject.
(A watercolour by D N Walli)
The
admirers of Walli included Percy Brown, the late S K Patil, Sardar K M
Pannikar, Manohar Kaul (artist), O C Ganguli (art historian), Dr M S Randhawa,
Kiran Bedi and Keshav Malik (art critic). Apart from painting, Dina Nath Walli
also wrote Kashmiri and Urdu poetry with Almast (carefree) as his Takhallus
(assumed name). He also loved music, especially Kashmir’s centuries-old Sufiana
singing. His watercolours adorn many offices, galleries and homes all over the
world. He has exhibited his work at AIFACS (New Delhi), Jahangir Art Gallery
(Mumbai), National Defence Academy (Pune), Academy of Fine Arts (Kolkatta),
Lalit Kala Akademi (New Delhi), Hotel Taj (Mumbai), Dhoomi Mal Art Gallery
(New Delhi), Punjab Museum Chandigarh, Tariq Rajab Museum (Kuwait) and many
more galleries in various cities of the country. On 27th October 2017,
The Hindustan Times wrote this about D N Walli’s art:-
"Walli’s style may have an
Impressionist imprint but his form is unique. His compositions are poetic and
evoke a deep sense of longing. The depiction of life and nature is untainted by
any affectation. Realism, humanism, and harmony between mankind and nature
characterise his art. Inspired by Rousseau’s Back to Nature call, Walli
explored the relationship between nature and people. And the discovery is
stunning. Nature depends on humans as much as humans depend on it to thrive and
blossom. Each painting narrates a story.”
About
D N Walli’s work, Dr M S Randhawa has written this:-
“Walli is a consummate watercolourist and exercises craftsman's
sure control, building a state of mind which is complete. In his paintings,
Walli has successfully captured the charm of the valley and its colourful
humanity. In his album of paintings, one can share the joy which he felt in the
tints of Chinars and poplars display in autumn, the purity of snow on the
mountains in winter and the gaiety of flowers in spring.”
Kuwait
Times dated 26th April 2004 wrote this:-
“The artist presents in his watercolour vignettes the lives of
the people set against the panorama of snow-capped mountains, bubbling brooks,
meandering rivers and rural pathways.”
Triloke Koul, known as the father of Modern Art in J&K
has this to say:-
“D N Walli was the only artist in the state who lived from
the sale of his Kashmir landscapes. He did nothing except paint Kashmir
landscapes. He proved that art is not only a passionate hobby but a
remunerative creative activity as well.”
EXHIBITIONS
D N Walli held some ‘Group
Exhibitions’ in Kolkata ( 1940), Delhi ( 1949 and 1950 ) and Srinagar ( 1956
and 1957 ). However, he held his first solo exhibition in 1953. Held at Nedou’s
Hotel, Srinagar, it was inaugurated by Percy Brown. This exhibition was covered
by the prestigious ‘Marg’ magazine. It was followed by another exhibition at
Jahangir Art Gallery in Mumbai in 1954. The Mumbai solo exhibition was
inaugurated by S K Patil. The Mumbai exhibition was widely covered by national
newspapers. The Mumbai solo exhibition was followed by another solo in Delhi in
1954. Held at AIFACS gallery, it was inaugurated by Sardar K M Pannikar.
D N Walli held another solo exhibition in Pune in 1955 followed by yet one more
successful solo exhibition at Kolkatta inaugurated by Dr Kali Das Nag. A major
one-man show in Delhi was organized in 1955 and the same was inaugurated by Dr
M S Randhawa. At the suggestion of Dr M S Randhawa, he brought out his famous
album titled,’ Kashmir Landscapes in Watercolours’ in 1970. This album had 12
master paintings by the artist. His paintings started appearing in ‘Dharmyug’
and ‘The Illustrated Weekly of India’ with detailed reviews and write-ups.
About his painting, ‘A Houseboat in Moonlight ‘, Dr M S Randhawa writes this:-
“It is a wonderful painting, a masterpiece from Walli. Its
haunting beauty casts an unforgettable spell on the viewer.”
Thereafter, many more solo
exhibitions were held by him within the state and outside. Some memorable and
widely covered exhibitions of his paintings are listed below:-
(1) 1985 New Delhi exhibition
inaugurated by Lt Governor M M K Walli held at Lalit Kala Akademi Gallery.
(2) Exhibition of his
Watercolours held in Kuwait in 2004 organised by Tareq Rajeb in collaboration
with Indian embassy.
(3) Exhibition of his paintings held
at Jammu in 2010 inaugurated by Vijay Bakaya IAS
(4) Exhibition held in 2012 at
Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi inaugurated by Keshav Malik. Those who attended
the exhibition included Amal Allana, Kishori Kaul and Dr A Jahanara Kabir
About his Mumbai exhibition of 1954, The Bombay Chronicle wrote
this:-
“The
artist’s forte is landscape in which he appears to have acquired deep insight
and experience.”
For the Delhi exhibition of 1954, The Indian Express
wrote this:-
“Ever since the exhibition of American watercolours some time back,
there has been no other exhibition of landscapes in the capital that can be
favourably compared with the present exhibition.”
D N WALLI, THE
POET
Dina Nath Walli has also published collections
of his Kashmiri poems in two books titled SAHARAAVUKY POSH (Desert Flowers
published in 1978) and BAAL YAPAARI (This Side of the Mountain published in
1955). His love for Kashmir is visible in all his
creative work be it his poetry or his watercolours. BAAL YAPAARI has a
beautiful foreword by Prof Jay Lal Kaul.In this book, a poem about the poor fish-selling woman of Dal Lake goes
as under:-
“Pamposhav kurr chaen gamkhwaarie
Baer baer aakh aiesh taariye
Lalvukh bochhi kin lol bemarie
Dal manz chi van haariye
“These lotus flowers too
sympathize with you,
And tearful they
are with your feelings.
You bear with
the pangs of love,
And also
the cramps of hunger,
O carefree myna
of Dal Lake….”
SAHARAAVUKY POSH (Desert
Flowers ) has been dedicated by Dina Nath Walli to the
poor artisans of Kashmir. A poem about these poor artisans, exploited
by them for centuries, goes as under:-
“Tse phutaruth koth kambar
panunuy
Koruth khaali tse sar panunuy
Tse zolukh bochhi haendi naaran
Tse Mujee pyaeh mulveniah taaran
Dwodas kaend chhuyi su pataa
tsaaraan
Tsa khyonakh darmiyaan- daaran.”
(You
tear up your limbs in labour,
And you
drain your energy pool as well.
The fires
of hunger keep burning at your doorstep
While
you receive just peanuts for your labour.
Then
the middleman niggles at your craftsmanship
And
keeps exploiting you. )
And then the poet in Walli
also feels about the futility of a poor man’s youth.
“Kala me ousum Kanienaai chhavun
Dil myon ouss handaraavun kyuth
Paan myoun ouss vatie
vatie shignaavun
Yaavun myon ouss raavun Kyuth”
(Alas!
This head of mine was meant only to be struck against boulders.
And
this poor heart of mine to be glaciated.
And
this body only meant to be put to disrepute over here.
Alas
this youth visited me
For
being lost and wasted away.)
Beginning his career in
Kolkata in 1930, he returned to Kashmir in 1936. Thereafter he remained in
Kashmir till 1982 when he went to Karnal to stay with his son Dr T K Walli, a
scientist based in Karnal. He painted Kashmir landscapes in Karnal purely from
his memory for 22 long years. He breathed his last in karnal only. Babu Ji to his immediate family, Dina Nath Walli remained away from liquor
all along his life though he smoked especially while painting. He liked
Kashmiri food and lived a disciplined life. Dr T K Walli, the son of the artist
has been exhibiting his father’s work in various cities after his death. He
organised many exhibitions even before the death of his father. I end this write-up with an Urdu couplet of Dina Nath Walli that conveys his
passion for presenting Kashmir through his work.
"Mein uriyaan kar ke chhorroonga Jhalak
uss husne pinha ki,
Tabhi to kheenchtaa huun roz mein tasveer janaan ki ."
(I shall uncover and make the world see a glimpse of that hidden
beauty,
For that reason alone, I keep drawing pictures of my beloved every day)
Vijay Malla, the favorite son of
Kashmir, and a legendary Kashmiri singer, breathed his last on Wednesday, May
9, 2012. He had a massive heart attack. He was rushed to the Sarwal Hospital,
Jammu but unfortunately, the road leading to the Hospital from New Plots was
under extensive repairs. The family had to take a longer route and the very
precious time was lost. He was declared ‘Brought Dead ‘. With him, ended the
grand era of scintillating Kashmiri singing that found no parallel. None
comparable to his style, melody and range. He was 57. On his death, noted singer
Aarti Tiki Kaul, who sang many duets with him and presently lives in the US
wrote this:-
“Today was a tough day for me as it was for
thousands of his fans when I heard the sad news of Vijay Malla's demise. The
harsh reality did not seem real and a profound sense of grief and immense
desperation at the loss of not just a human being but a very precious one took
over me. As I tried to take in the reality, a quick flashback of memories went
by, of a golden era when I had the privilege of working with him on numerous
occasions at recordings, concerts, and rehearsals. Like everyone else in the
musical field, I was mesmerized by his deep, luscious, expressive voice.
The ease with which he sang the toughest of compositions, made other artists
envious of him and wondered about the depth of his talent. Even though
sometimes he came across as a non-serious co-artist, he shined at the actual
performance and enthralled his audiences to great heights. One such event comes
to my mind when, at a prestigious concert for the great poet “Rasool Mir” in
Tagore Hall Kashmir, Vijay and I were supposed to sing a duet “ Yaari loguth
sang dil, chaini Januk chum kasam”. Just before our item Vijay took off
somewhere and could not be found anywhere. The item was delayed a few times but
there was no sign of Vijay. While everyone including me was frantic and trying
to find him, he walked onto the stage, with a smile on his face and signalled
the musicians to start the music and gestured for me to come to the stage as if
nothing had happened. As he started singing and I joined in, he left everyone
spellbound with the brilliance of his singing and the crowd went mad with
enjoyment and happiness!“mast malang” artist, who was
oblivious of his great talent, produced some outstanding work during the 70s
and 80s and went on to show his versatility in singing Ghazal, geet, folk,
bhajan etc. He created a name for himself not only in Kashmir but outside too.
He was signed as an artiste of Music India Ltd (MIL) - a Polydoor Gramophone
Company and has participated in Khazana 87 and 88. MIL has also launched his
cassette titled Justaju (Search) which has received a good commendation.”
The
santoor maestro, Pandit Bhajan Sopori said this:-
“It’s very unfortunate that we have
lost an artist of a very high calibre, Vijay Mallah. He was one of my very
dedicated disciples whom I saw growing with an amazing talent, hard work and the urge to do new every time. He made a name for himself not only at the regional
level but on the national level as well and created a big fan following for
himself. Technically, his style of rendering that has evolved these years is
his identity which people will remember forever. We are all with his family at
this hour of grief and irreparable loss.”
The
well-known singer Kailash Mehra Sadhu had this to say:-
“I have been associated with Vijay Malla from
1970's. He has left a big void in the field of music and has left us shocked
and saddened. It will be impossible to get anyone who can come parallel to his
golden, touching and heart-rending voice. He had obtained excellence in
classical, light, Ghajals and Bhajans. He also used to sing Dogri in addition
to Kashmiri and will be remembered as one of the greatest singers.I had an
opportunity to sing many songs with this great singer and can never forget the
golden musical era with him in Kashmir. We pray to the Almighty for peace
to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family to bear this
irreparable loss.”
Poet
and broadcaster, Farooq Nazki had this to say:-
“I remain a great fan of his singing.His
voice will be in our heartbeats. His singing will echo in the hills and
valleys of his Kashmir. He will not die. It will take another century to
produce one more Vijay Malla. He was a genius, totally ignorant of his talent. I
would always that he belonged to the world, not to Kashmir alone. He could sing
in any language that he knew. I knew he had some financial issues. Men with big
hearts have always been bothered by these issues. We must organise some
concerts to raise funds for his family. I am told that his family is facing
financial problems. He was our Mehdi Hassan. He was our Ghulam Ali. He suffered
because he was not clever, professional and a little selfish. Perhaps, he
forgot that at the end of the day, one has to return to the family and one’s
own dwelling. As and when I would listen to his songs, I would be reminded of a
couplet penned by Momin Khan Momin:-
“Oss gairta e naahid ki har taan hai deepak
Shola sa lapak jaaye hai awaaz to dekho. “
(‘Every
note of that proud man-who can’t be hidden is like a lamp’
Seeing him sing is as if, his voice is a flash
of a flame’.) ....................”
One
of his ardent admirers was Farooq Abdullah, former Chief Minister who said
this:-
“In his death, Kashmir has lost
something irreparable. I have heard him many times and I always felt
enjoyed the way he sang with ease. A rare artist. I am really sad today.”
In
his tributes, Waheed Jeelani, the well-known singer from Kashmir wrote this:-
“I have no words to
explain the loss and to explain his contribution. He was an inspiration to me.
He debuted at a time when the whole of South Asia was listening to three Ghazal
maestros; Ghulam Ali, Mehdi Hassan and Jagjit Singh. Even then he created a
niche for himself among stalwarts of Ghazal singing.”
This author also had many interactions with Malla both in
Srinagar and Jammu. Malla was known to the author from his Woodland School days
when he would sing in the Mehfils organized by Mrs Singh, the principal of the
school. He was certainly God’s gift to the musical world of Kashmir. He sang
solos and duets. He sang in Dogri, Kashmiri, Punjabi and Urdu language. He sang
Geet, Gazal, Nagma, Leela, Naat and Bhajans. He sang Rahi, Firaq and scores of
other contemporary Kashmiri poets. This author remembers having seen him singing
exclusively for actress Waheeda Rehman while she stayed at the then Oberoi Palace
Hotel, Srinagar.
Though he had many admirers in the film and music
industry, he had no network or lobby to do PR work on his behalf. He was
neither shrewd nor money-minded. Inspite of his mastery and exceptional talent,
he accepted whatever was paid to him as his fee. Never ever did he demand and on
many occasions he sang free for friends. Add to that, he held many Mehfils at
his residence and entertained the guests and his friends in these Mehfils. He
suffered on account of his simplicity and credulous nature in the world of music driven by values of utility,
expediency and pecuniary cunningness. Some sincere friends (one being Tej Dhar)
helped him to raise a housing loan from a Public Sector Bank and build his
house at Ban-Talab, Jammu. A little carelessness in repayment on his part
resulted in the loan slipping to the NPA category and the bank exercised the option
of action under the SARFAESI Act. He had to sell the house, repay the loan and
shift to rented accommodation. This was a great setback for his family.
EARLY LIFE
( Vijay Malla with composer Muhammad Ashraf on harmonium )
Malla was born in the Gadoodbagh area in the Mallapora locality of Habba Kadal, Srinagar in a lower middle-class family. His
mother was the major influence that drew him towards singing. While doing her
daily chores, she would keep singing verses of Lal Ded, Habba Khatoon, Rasool
Mir and Krishen Joo Razdan. And unknowingly, she set a path and direction for
her son who already had a voice gifted by Almighty to him. It needed direction,
honing and training. Malla remained average in his studies but kept listening
to the songs of Rafi, Kishore and Manna Dey. At a very young age, he could
sing, ’Laga chunri mein daag’ with
all the magical Lay-kari/ Alankars that noted composer Roshan Nagrath had
brought into it. A period that could be called learning by listening to
masters. Later, he joined Prem Sangeet Niketan run by Pandit Jagan Nath
Shivpuri. As a true pioneer, Pandit Shivpuri brought the wonder of Hindustani
Classical Music to Kashmir in specific and to J&K state in general. He
was a musicologist and more precisely a Vagyekara
(one who composes text as well as music). He created some unforgettable
compositions and Ragas. His handwritten notations are the biggest contribution
to the classical music of India.
Malla
also started looking in various directions to pick up classical music wherever
he could find it. That brought him to Brij Nath Shayar and finally to Vishwpran
Dhar’s house. Vishwapran Dhar (son of
Pandit Ved Lal Dhar Vakil) had done his Ph.D. from I.I.T. Mumbai. He taught at
the Regional Engineering College (now N.I.T.), Srinagar. He was a harmonium
player who had perfect knowledge of the Hindustani classical music. Vishwapran Dhar
was an ace classical singer with a profound knowledge of Ragas. He was also an
approved A-grade artist of AIR. He was a master of the Gazal genre of Hindustani classical music. There were night-long music Mehfils in Pandit
Vishwapran Dhar’s house at Zaindar Mohalla. Many renowned musicians like Ustad
Rahat Ali Khan performed in these Mehfils. Malla learned Gazal Gayaki at Vishwapran
Dhar’s house listening to the legendary Ustad Rahat Ali Khan. He also started
honing his skills by listening to Mehdi Hassan and Glulam Ali for hours at a
stretch. His voice also resembled both
the great masters. He earned the nickname of Mehdi Hassan of Kashmir during
this period. On the education front, he
didn’t complete his graduation and left his college studies. Singing in private
Mehfils, he joined Woodlands House (school) as a music teacher. He would sing in
private parties organised by Mrs Singh, the principal or her sister Guddi
Oberoi. However, the rigorous Riyaz kept him awake for nights. He got approved
for the radio the moment Pandit Bhajan Sopori heard him. Muhammad Ashraf, a composer and a harmonium player became his ardent admirer. He sang at the Doordarshan Kendra as well. He left
the Woodlands School and joined the Song and Drama Division, Srinagar. At the Song And Drama Division, his singing was
further perfected in the company of Krishen Ji
Langoo, the well-known composer.
By Now Malla had become an established singer in the Kashmir valley. He
sang many popular solo songs and, duets with many t established singers of the
valley that included Kailash Mehra,
Aarti Tiku Kaul and others.
VIJAY MALLA’S
POPULAR SONGS
Malla had already created a niche for himself in the
Kashmiri music. He sang many compositions of Bhajan Sopori., Nassarullah and
Muhammad Ashraf. Vijay Malla's fawning voice breathed life into the works of
renowned Kashmiri poets like Shamas Faquir, Rasool Mir, Ghulam Ahmad Mahjoor,
Sochha Kraal, Mehmood Gaami and many more. He also sang modern poets like
Rehman Rahi and Firaq making them more popular through his melodious voice.
Rehmani rahi is reported to have commented,’ az baseov me zi baeti chuss shaayir
‘meaning ‘Today, I felt I too write poetry ‘ when he heard Malla singing his.’
zinda rozana baapat chhe maraan luuk’. He made Leela singing touch newer
heights when he sang Krishen Joo Razdan’s
Ganesh Vandana,’ aasai sharan kar tam daya om shri ganeshaaye namah’ or
P N Koul Sayil’s .’ darshan dokh tsali tribhuwan laalai’. He also sang some
popular Bhajans cum mystical sufi songs like, ‘ hosh dim lagayo pamposh paadan
‘ ‘ harmokh bar tal praarai madano yi
dapham ti laagayo ‘, ‘vanaai ba seer e asraar ‘, ‘ akh tse ta beyi ba ganzar ma
ba’ In love /longing solos or duet singing, he had no match. One can quote the
following popular songs from this genre that Malla sang:-
(1) (1) kawo
chukh tse wadus dalan tathi yaro
(2) (2) misaal e shama tse ,ba parwaana chhus na
(3) (3) be aaro teer mo laai
(4) (4) me maashooq haavi na
paan
(5) (5) aem yaer karnas
baambre
(6) (6) chaani lolitch daagdaari
(7) (7) na draav natchni
havas kaanh
(8) (8) roshe roshe chhukh tsalaan paayi kar myon
(9) (9) myaani yaaro vandayo jaan
(1 (10) vesiye su aadnuk yaar kot
gom
(11(11)parda thod tul he poshmaali
(1 (12) antan su madanwaar
(1((13) gatchhun gaam tse kael
chhuyi
(1((14) Konnai aammai yaar
Before his death, Malla sang a touching song written by Bashir
Dada and composed by Kuldeep Saproo that almost defined his life. The song was
used by Mohan Shah for his teleserial, ‘kar
mokli safar’ aired multiple times by Doordarshan. The song goes like this:-
“Kar
mokli safar
Vaen
taaf vanan manz vaans gayam be vaai pakaan
Sanglaakh
vatav nosoor gomut chhum baed aakhan
Chhum
khwaab tamaah baeti chhava shuhul
Kunni
tchhayi halis maeti meli voshul
thak
boen me kunni chhana draenth gatchhan
kenh
chham na patah
Yemi
yor ti kotah kaal peyam raemb aara me hijiruk paar karun
Kenh
chham na patah kath marg vatis pyath
zaagi
bihit chham marg vunal praaraan heetas
Kath
baal thangis pyath doh lossem kati shah soreum
Kenh
chham na patah
Kenh
chham na khabar
Kar
mokli safar”
(When shall this journey come to an end?
In these scorching jungles,
I spent my life walking aimlessly,
These rough and rigid paths gave
wounds
That have become incurable now,
I too desire,
I too dream,
To sit and relax under some shade
Somewhere lonely,
Somewhere in peace,
I too need relief now,
Alas! I see no shady Chinar far far away,
I know nothing,
When shall this journey come to an end?
From this day onwards,
I don’t know how long I have to be
away and separated,
I don’t know on which road
I don’t know on which path
This death shall find a reason to
engulf me
Like fog around a mountain peak
I don’t know upon which mountain peak the
day shall come to end
I don’t know when and where my evening
shall arrive
I know nothing,
I am not aware
When this journey come to an end?)
SINGING BEFORE MEHDI
HASSAN
About Vijay Malla’s singing in the presence of Mehdi Hassan, Sanjay Pandita writes
this in the Rising Kashmir newspaper ( 10th
November 2023):-
“One
unforgettable night, in the presence of the legendary Ustad Mehdi Hassan Khan
Sahib, Vijay Malla took centre stage. The air shimmered with anticipation as he
unleashed his soulful melodies, captivating not only the audience but also the
maestro himself. In a moment of serendipity, Ustad Mehdi Hassan Khan Sahib
expressed his desire to mentor the gifted singer, recognizing the spark of
greatness within him. However, destiny had other plans, as Malla's personal
circumstances compelled him to decline the offer, leaving the maestro's heart
brimming with admiration and respect.”
That full-night session was held inside the Broadway
Hotel, Srinagar when Mehdi Hassan was on a private visit to Kashmir. The
then manager of the Broadway hotel has informed this author that
immediately on his arrival, Mehdi Hassan telephoned him from the room saying,” Bhai, suna hai yahaan koyi Vijay Malla gaata hai. Bulaao usse”. And
Malla arrived at 6 pm and sang for the full night. Malla had this to say,” That
was a great day for me. I was asked by my hero and my imagined guru to sing
before him. A Guru whom I had only heard
and never seen. I felt at the top of the world. He was very courteous. I was
offered food and everything that I needed. He felt very happy. I touched his
feet as I left”.
THE MUMBAI SOJOURN
Some friends suggested he to shift to Mumbai
and try his luck in cinema. His friend Bihari Kak took him to Mumbai and
introduced him to Subash Walli who had good connections in the film world. He
gave some auditions but returned to Kashmir. He again went to Mumbai and stayed
there for about 8 years. In Mumbai, he interacted with Anup Jalota, Anwar,
Suresh Wadekar, Penaz Masani, Manhar, Sadhana Sargam, Abhijit and Pankaj Udhas.
He also shared the stage with them. He started attending shows especially
organised under Ravindra Jain and Kalyan Ji Anand Ji banner. Music India
Limited/ Polydor signed him for the cassette, "JUSTAJU,”. He also participated
in the Khazana 87 and 88 where he showcased his musical prowess. Things were
going smoothly but some unavoidable family obligations made him come back to
Srinagar. He joined back Song And Drama Division. He had not resigned from Song
And Drama Division where regular notices used to come to his residence to
report for duty.
( Vijay
Malla with Pankaj Udhas )
In an
interview recorded some months before his death, Malla said this:-
“Presently artists are given awards by the
State. Some are awarded Padma-Shri. I have no complaint against any person. My juniors
have been awarded. My seniors have been awarded. May God grant respect and
recognition to all. I have no complaint. But the establishment comes with an
award when one is about to say goodbye to this world or is no more. It has no
purpose at that time. It does no good to the artist then.”
The
establishment failed him but the unfaltering love of the people kept him
smiling and going. That was his biggest Award. Let me conclude this write-up
with a couplet from Urdu poet Naresh Kumar Shaad:-
“Dile be -mudaa diya hai mujhe
Dene waale ne kya diya hai mujhe
Mujh ko duniyaa ka tajruba hi
nahin,
Tajrube ne bataa diya hai mujhe”….Naresh Kumar Shaad
(A
heart without desire has been given to me
O giver!
What a strange thing you passed on to me
Inexperienced
have I proved for the worldly affairs,
My
experience has revealed this fact also to me.)
(
Avtar Mota )
( This essay is a registered copyright material published in Avtar Mota's book, 'Kashmir: Men Matters And Memories'. )
Kashmir Pashmina shawls and embroidery are certainly a unique gift to the world but the story of shawls as apparel is as old as human civilization. It never begins from Kashmir. This author has seen shawl-like apparel in paintings, sculptures, stories and fables from ancient Rome, Greece, India, and Egypt. Even the ancient Chinese and Zoroastrian women wore a drapery that came close to a shawl. This author has seen many ancient Egyptian paintings and stone carvings where women are shown wearing shoulder drapery like a shawl. Some paintings depict women wearing shawl-like drapery to cover their necks and chests. We have the story of Queen Nefertiti (around 1350 BC) who wore fashionable shawl-like apparel to cover her head or neck and chest which became a status symbol of women belonging to the royal families in ancient Egypt. Maybe for this reason, the Kashmir Pashmina shawl had its first overseas market in Egypt wherefrom it travelled to France and England. In ancient Rome, only married women wore a stola. In addition to that, Roman women also wore Palla, a versatile shawl that was long, wide, and rectangular. The Palla was a draped shawl that was placed over the outer tunic. It was pulled across the shoulder or over the head like a veil. It could be worn as a cloak or head covering. The more brightly coloured, decorative, and elaborately folded, the wealthier the woman was. It was a status symbol. The Statue of Ashurnasrpal II from the 9th century BC features the emperor wearing a shawl.Bolton’s collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts is arguably one of the most important in a British museum, and numbers around 12,000 objects from over 65 ancient sites in Egypt. The petticoat skirt and the cape shawl are important items in this collection.
Shawl weaving with designs and patterns has a recorded history of more than 1000 years in many parts of the country. In this context, I need to mention the shawls of Nagaland. These shawls are made from wool with a unique colour palette of black and maroon with designs in red, white and yellow. The designs consist of abstract as well as figural representations of humans and animals and even have variations from the various tribal communities of the state. The Bhujodi shawls in Gujarat have a recorded history of more than 700 years. These shawls were woven by the Rabari tribe in Kutch using rich shades of natural colours. The designs used are mostly geometric and have a unique, aesthetic arrangement. The women of the Dongria Kondh tribe of Odisha have been weaving shawls for many centuries that represent their unique culture. The Kantha shawl weaving of West Bengal is again more than 1000 years old. Kantha is a brilliant example of the intricate embroidery traditions of India. The running embroidery style is done on silk shawls to suit the moderate winter temperature of the state. In the South, we have preserved the ancient tradition of Srikalahasti or the Machilipatnam hand-painted or block-printed shawls known as Kalamkari. The ancient Kulu shawl survives to this day. Also called ‘Loi’, Kullu shawls are one of the most popular exports of this Himalayan state, second perhaps only to its apples. These Shawls are made with the wool of Angora rabbits or local ‘Deshkar’ and ‘Bygani’ sheep with a slit tapestry technique. From down south, Himroo shawls from the Aurangabad and Hyderabad regions still give a feel of royalty. Made from silk, these shawls have a glazed appearance.
There is a miniature painting in the Philadelphia Museum of Art in the US that shows a scene from the Ramayana where Sita is shown throwing her shawl. This painting illustrates an episode from the fourth section of the Ramayana, the Kishkindha-kanda, which describes the politics of Kishkindha-the monkey kingdom-and tells how the monkeys helped Sri Rama in his quest to rescue Sita. Hoping to give Sri Rama a clue to her whereabouts, Sita threw down her shawl and jewellery, which the monkeys picked up and hid in a cave. So, in India, a shawl is as ancient as the Ramayana.
