[Reader-list] Nadim-The Harbinger of Renaissance in Kashmiri Poetry

[rashneek kher]

*The cascade was convulsed with laughter
Not aware who cried how much….
*With the onset of 14th century the cultural renaissance in Kashmir had
almost come to an abrupt end. The era of new ideas and fertile philosophical
thoughts had died down owing to hostile historical and cultural incursions
in the otherwise enlightened house of Sharda*.The great mystical poet and
genius, Lal-Ded was probably the last new philosophical thought to have
dawned in Kashmir till the time Dina Nath Nadim arose on the poetic
firmament. Eminent Kashmiri scholar Dr.S.S.Toshkhani says and I quote "If
you took out themes related to mysticism and love from Kashmiri poetry,
there would remain nothing else at all". The literary stagnation or death of
ideas can be attributed to the fanatic and intolerant rulers who ruled
Kashmir 14th century onwards till the arrival of British rule in Kashmir.
Dina Nath Nadim was born in an era when Kashmiri nationalism was searching
for its roots. It was a time when young educated Kashmiris were beginning to
feel that their mother tongue had suffered utter neglect for many centuries
and thus had avowed to bring glory to Kashmiri language. The pioneers of
this movement were Mahjoor and Abdul Ahad Azad. It goes to their credit that
they liberated the language from the Persian influence. The arrival of these
two young poets on the scene and the collapse of feudal system gave
Kashmiris a renewed sense of confidence and freedom from the mental bondage,
six hundred years of slavery had set them in. A new idiom in Kashmiri poetry
had thus arrived, the idiom which was largely influenced by Marxist thought
and progressive Indian writers.
Dina Nath Nadim's father passed away when Nadim was just seven. Thus he saw
days of abject poverty and it was his mother's courage and resilience that
made two ends meet. It was his mother who set the first seeds of poetry into
the young boy. She would often sit by her spinning wheel and sing verses of
Parmanand and Krishanjoo Razdan.The song she had written on the death of her
husband was to haunt and influence Nadim for his life

*The flower of my heart stole away
And did not return to bloom in spring
Where does he now lie concealed ?
Who knows who stole his heart!
*(Translation by T.N.Raina)

In his initial years as a poet Nadim wrote in English and it is believed
that he was greatly influenced by T.S.Eliot. He also wrote in Urdu which was
then the main language of poetic expression. There again he was greatly
influenced by Iqbal,Chakbast,Josh and Bismil. His Urdu poems were however
localized and Kashmir was the main theme in almost all his poems. He wrote
poems in Hindi too but it was Kashmiri where he eventually found his style,
images, forms, syllables and voice to his emotions.He made his presence felt
on the Kashmiri poetics when he first read his poem Nov Sonth(New Spring) at
a poetry recitation session at the famed Nishat Bagh.
*Welcome the air with open doors!
The spring is here…*(Translation By Rashneek Kher)

Nadim's literary career had three definite phases. The first being the phase
when India had just attained its independence and there was an air of hope
and utopian Marxist ideas ruled the roost in literary circles. The
environment was surcharged with sloganeering and rhetoric, which eventually
found its way into the literary and cultural mainstream too.It was then that
he wrote on almost all social and political issues. He spoke of the worker
and tore off the capitalist in his rather peculiar poem,Sonth ti
Harud(Spring and Fall).He supported the land to the tiller and wrote Aise
Kaashirayav Tul Nov Rut Kadam(We,Kashmirs have taken the right step).There
were other poems which hailed socialism and communist thought. It was
however his path breaking experiment in free verse in the form of a poem, Bu
Gavene Az (I will not sing today) which is considered as a milestone in the
evolution of Kashmiri poetry. This was for the first time that free verse
was written in Kashmiri and to this effect that anyone who read or heard the
poem was mesmerized by the blending sound of the words and rhyme. Even
though the essence of the poem seemed like a communist party manifesto yet
the use of native collocations made it dear to every Kashmiri. Common
Kashmiri phrases which poets of yesteryears had deemed unfit as poetic
expression lend aesthetic expression and beauty to this poem. During the
first phase of his career communism and Marxist ideas had great influence on
him and it showed in almost all his poems but, Me Sham Aaash Pagehech(My
Hope,Tomorrow)clearly stands out from the rest in terms of its content.
There is no sloganeering, no Marxist ideas, it reflects layers of insecurity
of a common Kashmiri in the times of uncertainty. It has three monologues,
three persons having a tryst with their destinies howsoever small,
nonetheless important for them. How they pray in vain for the war not to
break tomorrow for tomorrow is their day of hope.
*They say war is breaking out
But surely not tomorrow
When I have a rendezvous
It can't break out tomorrow!
*(Translation by T.N.Raina)
It is in this period that Nadim wrote Son Watan(Our
motherland),Sar-Subhai(The break of Dawn) and the first sonnets in Kashmiri
language. One must not fail to mention his poem Dal Heanzni Hond Vatsun(Song
of the Boatwoman) where the poet easily submerses into the role of a
spokesperson for the poor and downtrodden Kashmiri. Everyday imagery has
been used and intrinsically woven around the theme of a poor woman trying to
sell vegetables and fish. The pathos of the poor woman arouses intense
emotions and pain, the reader is almost drawn towards a state of empathy
with the boatwoman. It was for the first time in Kashmiri poetry that a poet
had identified so strongly with the masses.
*I hear a baby crying
Someone is whimpering at my breast
O my good woman, my heart is not here
Come buy!Come buy!Come buy!
*(Translation by T.N.Raina)
Another great poem of this era which merits mention is the obituary Nadim
wrote on the passing away of the secular nationalist poet Mahjoor.In his
tribute in Gwonmatas motuk shar kari kyah(Artist is but immortral)he has
immortalized Mahjoor with the assertion that an artist like Mahjoor will
never die. He hasn't rued on the loss of Mahjoor's life but emphasized the
fact that the latter has left behind a legacy of ideas which will keep him
alive amongst the people of Kashmir.
Thus we move to the next era of his literary career which saw the fall of
ideals and the icons that Nadim held close to his heart and reflected in his
poetry. The erstwhile progressives and supposed Marxists were now in seats
of power and their social, ethical and moral values stood exposed while
running governments. It was but obvious that calls of equality, socialistic
values and Marxist ideas were used as means to get to the seats of power.
The mask had come off. The revolution was betrayed by the ones who were once
its supposed torch bearers. Nadim wrote sarcastic, almost poems of black
satire in the period following 1954.In his poem Kagaz Vaalesunz Hakh (Paper
Vendors' Cry) he emphasizes the new materialistic thought had consumed
morals and dreams and how everything including conscience is up for sale. It
was however his poem which he recited in the presence of the then Chief
Minister as a dig at him that made his fearlessness evident.
*Khwaja Mohammad is now a Nawab
But Moma remains Moma
Can you solve this puzzle?
Fill me a cup of wine!
*(Translation by Rashneek Kher)
His poems Huti Nazran Dolaan Dyaar Matyo (Money Bags dangling before your
eyes),Zindabad Me Haz Chu az chony Shreh(Today,You are the one I love) were
in the same league and were full of sardonic humour and satire.The poem that
is distinctively different from the poems Nadim wrote in this era is,Lakhchi
chu Lakchun (Identification,Thy Mole)The poem is a literary marvel since
Nadim has brought in symbols and images from different historical, mythical
and geographical contexts and juxtaposed them in the native language. The
poem in my opinion is Nadims first brush with feminine beauty albeit in a
metaphysical context. The object of the entire feminine aspect of beauty
centers on an otherwise inconsequential mole of the face of the lady. This
is really the first poem where Nadim has attempted to stay clear of any
social message but his ideology has had better of him as can be seen in the
last two lines of the poem.
*She has a mole
Above her artery
Pulsating love,
As if a mother
Nursed in her heart
The jewel of her eyes,
Whom she rears with love alone;
Joy of the poor woman who has gleaned from husk
Grain by grain, a handful of rice
*(Translation by T.N.Raina)
With this we come to the third phase of Nadim's literary career where his
style had seen a change from sloganeering to suggesting. This is evident
from his poem Naabad ti Tyathyvan(The Bitter and the Sweet)wherein the
underlying theme of revolution is stated in hushed tones almost to the point
of internalizing the philosophy of communism. The poet has borrowed heavily
from mythology and woven what might seem like disparate and divergent
elements into upsurge of love and its orgasmic climaxes with the shame and
the guilt of the clandestine love post the coital. Although Nadim wrote
various poems in this era with differing styles, rhyme and content but two
poems without which the piece would be incomplete are Zalar Zaej(Cob webs)
and Shihul Kul(The Tree of Shade).In Zalar Zaej the poet tries to present a
picture of the society where entropy is the rule and disarray over rides
every facet of life. The poet ends on a positive note hoping the arrival of
dawn would usher in fresh ideas.In Shihul Kul the poet has attempted to
paint the glorious traditions of Kashmir, of which the Chinar is the most
potent symbol. The Chinar has welcomed everyone irrespective of colour,
religion and race and nourished them under its benign shade.It is in this
era that Nadim wrote a lot of short poems of which the prominent ones are
Shah-i-Hamadan,Gaasa Tul,Tsoor,Taav Taav and Yapary Traviv Tsopary
Nazarah.He wrote Haary'Saath(Happenings)as a group pf poems over a period of
time.In these poems he has tried to revive the Vaakh, a form of poetry which
Lal Ded started and wasn't frequently used except for by Krishanjoo Razdan.
While his contribution to poetry is widely recognized his contributions to
other fields of art like drama and short story needs to be equally
appreciated and recorded. Nadim wrote the first opera in Kashmir and most of
his operas were showcased in India as well as abroad.He brought new styles
of presentation to drama in Kashmir and also revived the Band-Pather form of
art in its new avatara on the stage.Some of his prominent operas were Heemal
ta Naagraey and Bombur Yamberzal.Nadim wrote the first short story in
Kashmiri and was thus a trendsetter in this field too. Nadim was a wordsmith
who had this unique way of presenting his wares in a manner that rhyme and
tinkle followed them. He brought out words which had probably gone into
oblivion for no one used them. He wrote in the same language as the one
spoken on the road. His imagery was drawn from the ordinary Kashmiri on the
street. He was the first Kashmiri poet to write a free verse, blank verse,
sonnet, haiku and short story .He broke the worn out and much used mould of
poetry and replaced it with new images drawn from ordinary people. He was
thus a people's poet for he spoke their language and drew their inspiration
from their everyday life.Nadim was an inspiration for poets in his
generation and many more to follow. The present day great poets like
Rahi,Kamil ,Firaq and Majboor wrote in styles which were similar to that of
Nadim's. Some of the poems written by his illustrious contemporaries like
Santosh and Saqi were so similar in diction to Nadim's poems that it was
hard to tell one from another. Such was the influence Nadim wield over his
contemporaries and the aspiring poets.


(Rashneek Kher)


-- 
Rashneek Kher
http://www.nietzschereborn.blogspot.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/attachments/20070615/1d9744e6/attachment.html