Raavaaii Ta Tche Nieshi Zaanie Khudaa Neab Me Neiryaa,
( Amin Kamil )
" If I am lost , God knows,
if some clue at all shall emerge from you
To know My Whereabouts .
But for sure , If you are misplaced ,
You shall be recovered close to this
mistrusted heart of mine…:"
What more can i add about late Amin Kamil ( 1924-2014 ) when too much is already available on Internet ? More and more is being added by his admirers and his talented son Muneeb ur Rehman . Muneeb is also
associated with NEAB , a literary magazine in kashmiri that the late poet
started in 1968 . One needs to see the
literary standard of NEAB to believe me
when I say that the Magazine is exceptional .
Yes I would say something from my own observations based on two or three interactions with late Kamil sahib . Whenever I saw him ,following lines of Naadim would immediately come to my mind ..
Aadunuk Badaam Hue,
Maaji Hundh Momm Daam Hue
Gaam Pyethaa Yetchkaael Vothhumut *Treil
Hyaathh Zunn Maam Hue,
Assi wattan Rut Gaam Hue.
( Dina Nath Naadim )
Like the fresh Almond fruit of the season ,
Or a
mouthful of milk from mother’s breast for a child,
Like the maternal uncle , After long time
,bringing Treil fruit
from his village Orchard ,
Our country is like a beautiful Village .
( *Treil is Small late Autumn fruit
in Kashmir resembling an Apple. It is very small in size , juicy and
tastes like an apple. )
He was simple , down to earth ,sharp , kind and resourceful. He had very sharp memory coupled with a deep quest for knowledge and a sharp insight that could observe anything around and put the same in his writings in such a manner that it ripped apart the hypocrisy that existed in the society wherefrom he had picked up the issue.
By appearance and communication , Kamil gave you the strong feeling of the traditional warmth of a Kashmiri host . He was a man of culture , tradition and sharp wit . Affable , Educated and well read , he had a heart that was full of something like rustic cheerfulness and sincerity . Something Typical , unique and impressive trait of his personality .
He was simple , down to earth ,sharp , kind and resourceful. He had very sharp memory coupled with a deep quest for knowledge and a sharp insight that could observe anything around and put the same in his writings in such a manner that it ripped apart the hypocrisy that existed in the society wherefrom he had picked up the issue.
( With urdu writer Krishen chander )
( With kashmiri writer prof. Hari Krishen Kaul )
( With Dina Nath Naadim and Ghulam Rasool Nazki )
( With Ghulam Nabi Firaq and Margoob Banihaali )
( Receiving Padamshri from Dr A P J Abul Kalam )
He was a poet , translator , Essayist ,
Short story writer , Novelist and a
researcher . Kamil belonged to the group
of pioneers who brought
short story and Novel to Kashmiri
Literature.
Along with Naadim , Firaq and
Rahi , he brought new content , thought and sensibilities to kashmiri Poetry . He remained a little exceptional in this
regard as his poems and Gazals were lyrically satirical but full of inherent music and feel of the land of his birth. To him goes the credit of
writing a very informative book on Bahai Faith “ Baha Ullaah Ta Asar I Jadeed “. To him goes the credit
of beautifully Translating Tagore’s Post
office and Raja O Rani. He has his proud place amongst the pioneers of NEW GAZAL in kashmiri poetry .
His novel
“Gatti Munz Gaash “ was
perhaps the second novel in kashmiri literature that he published in 1959 . Prior to that Akhtar Mohi Ud Din had
published first Kashmiri novel “Doad
Dugg “ in 1958. In respect of short stoies ,
he immediately arrived on the scene after Dina Nath Naadim and Som Nath Zutshi , Paving way for many more to follow. “Jawaabee Card “and “Yeli
phol Gaash “ , were first kashmiri Short stories of Naadim and
Zutshi respectively that were published in Kwong Posh in its March 1950 issue .
His short story collection “ Kathi Manz Kath “shows his understanding of nature and his serious observation of kashmiri society. Cock fight is his widely apprecited
and translated story .About this story Khushwant
singh once commented ..
“ I do not know who is Kamil. But after
reading this story , I feel like knowing the man and reading him more . This
writer has a keen
observation of what is happeing
around and then conveying it with
light send-up and rustic realism and a
style. ”
This story ( In English translation done by
Prof.Neerja Mattoo ) has been included
in Volume II of Contemporary Indian short stories published by Sahitya Academy
in 1967 . This volume has
22 short stories, representing a panorama of Indian life written during the period 1930-1950 and selected by Sahitya Academy Advisory Board .COCK
FIGHT finds a place in this volume
along with stories of some Great masters like Rajinder Singh Bedi (
Lajwanti ), Jainendra Kumar ( jahanavi ) , Vaikom Muhammad Basheer ( Birthday
), Mlk Raj Anand ( The Golden Watch ), R K Narayan (Another community
),Tarashanker Banerjee ( Boatman Tarini ), Sant Sing Sekhon ( The Whirlwind )and
Thakazhi Shivasankara Pillai ( The flood ).
As a story writer he uses light satire and sarcasm to rip apart the two-facedness of the society . He used this technique in
poetry as well ( TAAY-NAAMA and SAWAAL
CHHU KALLUK poems ).
I am
informed that his play PAGAAH CHHU GAASHDAAR
became quite popular when it was staged
in 1955. Same year he brought out a collection of his progressive NAZMS book titled MUSS MULLER . In his secod poetic collection
LAVA TA PRAVA ( The book won him sahitya Academy award of 1967 ) , he used references from Hindu mythology to put forth his new poetic Sensibilites .
He must have edited more than 100 issues of
SHEERAZA . His critically edited collection of Sufi poetry (Sufi Shair, 3
vols., 1964-6.5) has been widely commended in Literary circles .He has also edited the
collected verse of Nund Reshi and Habba
Khatun for the Cultural Academy .
I have with me another book of this master titled “ Zatchie
Hallum “ This book is full of kashmiri
translation of Allama Iqbal’s poetry.
His
poetic technique gets more
polished in his later collections of namely, Beyi Suy Paan (Again the Same Self,
1967), Padis Pod Tshay (One Foot Shadowing the Other, 1972) and Yim Myan Sokhan
(These, My Words, 2007).
Born At Kapran shopian in south kashmir ,
kamil was LLB and practiced Law initially. Later he joined as college Lecurer.
He finally joined J&K state cultural Academy in 1958 where he edited SHEEARZA and SOAN ADAB for many years .
( With well known painter G R Santosh)
( Amin Kamil with Rehman Rahi, Sardar jafri, Ali Mohd Lone, Dina Nath Nadim and Akhtar Mohiuddin)
( Amin Kamil with Rehman Rahi, Sardar jafri, Ali Mohd Lone, Dina Nath Nadim and Akhtar Mohiuddin)
The recent Flood devastation in kashmir did play some emotional turmoil for him. He had to remain cut off from his family for some days in an overall environment of chaos and confusion.. Due to poor health , he moved to Jammu in october 2014 to stay with his son Anees Ur Rehman .The end came early on 30th October 2014.
For
ages to come , kashmiris shall remain indebted to this great son of the soil
for enriching their Language literature
.. He was decorated with Padamshri as
well .
I conclude this post with some couplets from his Gazals with my english
rendering…
(1)
Dil Maag Rooh Maag taa
Soaruuy Zamaana maag
Vushnaavi Kuss ya sheen Kamiss vanizee jaam di…
Vushnaavi Kuss ya sheen Kamiss vanizee jaam di…
( Amin kamil)
This
heart ,This soul and this world around is like the cold “Maagha ”
.O Heart ! Who shall warm up this ice ?
To whom should we look for a glassful of wine ?
.O Heart ! Who shall warm up this ice ?
To whom should we look for a glassful of wine ?
(
Maagha or Maagh is a month of Bikrami calender and corresponds to Mid January
to Mid February )
(2)
Haawas Kaanchhaan Tchaanie shoob
Paanus Taamuthh Chhuyee Atii Aur
( Amin Kamil )
( My yearnings are for your magnificence
alone ,
Beyond that , everything lies in your hands
)
(3)
Ticket laagithh Bandh Lifaafun Munz
Be pataa Khat Chha Daak-Khaaneik Aiess..
( Amin Kamil )
( Duly stamped and sealed ,
We are like postal envelopes with no address
)
(4)
Agar me Jaani Manuss Aav zaanh Khuda
Ratchhienum
Ye qaaynaat Karan Chaak Paninie Naaleikk
Paaeth
( Amin Kamil )
( God forbid , if I am driven to
desperation ,
This universe, I shall tear apart like my
shirt’s collor )
(5)
Bekhabar Paaeth Baag Traavithh Tcholhamo
Haai Tanhaa Daag Traavithh Tcholhamo
( Amin Kamil )
( Without my Knowledge , You left this
garden ,
Now a wound of loneliness for me in your
absence )
……………………………………………….May his soul rest in
peace..
( Autar Mota )
CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.
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