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A thread on the Shair-e-Kashmir, the poet of Kashmir, Ghulam Ahmad Mahjoor. Transformed Kashmiri language and poetry: brought the language of the common folk to the fore. T. Raina: He was the link btw the old & new poetry.
He borrowed the voice of the farmer, the labourer, the village layman, forever transforming how we write in Kashmiri. (Irony: Kashmiri still remains the language of the village folk given how much it is ostracized and pushed away in the cultural milieu of Shahar, the city.)
He acquired this voice in his writing during his job as a Patwari when his interactions with the peasants and villagers increased.
Before he became the poet Kashmiris love, he was a poet writing for the British empire. His poem "Jung-e-German" was created to increase the enlistment from the Kashmiri Muslim society for WW II. Mahjoor failed to rouse any fighting spirit with this poem. (Ref. T. Raina)
Picking a quote from @searchkashmir could it be possible that the reference to this poem created the character of Jum German?
Jum German: http://www.searchkashmir.org/2010/05/maha-mahadevi-maharani-victoria.html
Jum German: http://www.searchkashmir.org/2010/05/maha-mahadevi-maharani-victoria.html
As a low-level government employee, he also sung praises of Maharaja Pratap Singh and Maharaja Hari Singh.
He was a romantic poet too. Raina says, "He (God) made Mahjoor a lover of life, impermanence and death."
His hometown Pulwama was once a town of poetry.
His hometown Pulwama was once a town of poetry.
Tagore called him "Wordsworth of Kashmir" for his poem Grees'y Koor (The Peasant’s Daughter) (Ref. for the poem: Ghulam Ahmad Mahjoor by Trilokinath Raina)
Mahjoor was the first Kashmiri poet to be a film's subject. Balraj Sahni who had immense love for Kashmir, its literary and artistic legacy and his son Parikshit starred in Shayar-e-Kashmir. Source: Kashmir Film Society. Searching for film, can't confirm image's authenticity.
His biting sarcasm is clearly reflected in the poem "Azadi"
The translation is from the introduction to "Kath" by Neerja Mattoo. There are more translations of this poem available but this one is my favourite.
The translation is from the introduction to "Kath" by Neerja Mattoo. There are more translations of this poem available but this one is my favourite.
Mahjoor harbored great love for songwriting; didn't compose but many beloved Kashmiri songs today were originally written by him. Raina: music just oozes out on its own (in Mahjoor's verses). Poets amusingly, not as insult, said Mahjoor did 'sarang nawaazi' (slavery to music).
Parvaaz, a beloved band transforming Kashmiri poetry draws heavily from Mahjoor's work.
Roz Roz Boz:
Gul Gulshan:
Photographs from the album *Baraan* and Kashmiri Lyrics (J.L. Kaul)
#Parvaaz
Roz Roz Boz:
Gul Gulshan:
Photographs from the album *Baraan* and Kashmiri Lyrics (J.L. Kaul)
#Parvaaz
Vwolo haa baagwaano carries Mahjoor's influences: Iqbal's Saare jahaan and Tagore's jana gana mana, became a clarion call of the freedom movement organised by Sheikh Abdullah (Raina), though Parvaaz borrows the lyrics, it seems reluctant to borrow the weight of poem's politics.
He wasn't religious but surprisingly, a prayer frequently sung in Kashmiri Pandit and Kashmiri Muslim households was penned by him: Sahibo Sath Cham Mye Chainiy (Lord, show me the right path, I look to you for direction).
Still haven't found it in a book.
Still haven't found it in a book.
A poet of the undivided Kashmir, in the voice of a Kashmiri moving through the porous borders, found his way to music on @cokestudio in Pakistan too.
Ha Gulo:
(o bulbul, have you seen my beloved?)
Ha Gulo:
(o bulbul, have you seen my beloved?)
Revisiting my thesis on Kashmiri music and writing a bigger chapter on Mahjoor's poetry and his influence on Kashmiri music. More links, ideas, books, references are welcome till visiting National Archives becomes a possibility.
You can also read more on him at @searchkashmir
You can also read more on him at @searchkashmir
Bhool-chook maaf, please as the saying goes. If I have misquoted something, I'd be more than happy to be directed to better sources. As a third generation KP in exile, I rely heavily on oral history, songs and books. Tell me what you know.
