A body On a boulder is crooked. The arms are twisted, the face is upwards, the feet have turned the breast of the boulder cold. The body is a mound of clay. The boulder shoulders the load. The hermit-king! I kissed the shepherd’s brow. He did nothing useful unto me. He left with the cattle. I am the golden dust of the autumn leaves. The shepherd trampled upon me. This night the autumn moon walks from door to door with the idol of Kali. The stone left the stream. The stream doesn’t reach the stone. In winter idols were auctioned. The tricksters did not pray to kali. She would have sucked their blood. The body exchanged the idols for cheap money. Is this cause of the boulder’s fury? No, don’t think the boulder is a boulder. The boulder sustains this body. This body is shivering but the boulder is its cradle. The canvas has no beginning and no end. I am lost in the colours. The autumn moon disappeared in the dark lane. |
I know nothing of my existence. The boulder is stone. The boulder shivers |
FACE TO FACE WITH BAL KRISHEN SANYASI
Author of Shreh Ta Veh An anthology of kashmiri poems, written between 1962To 2003. Bal Mukand Vaishnavi, known in literary Circles as Bal Krishen sanyasi, Was born in August 1943 in Shashiyar, Habba Kadal Srinagar. He shifted to Chattabal Srinagar at the age of 14 and migrated from the valley in 1990 due to the militancy. Sanyasi, after living in Jammu for few years, finally got settled in Delhi. Sanyasi is fond of music, literature and watching old films. He was a poet of revolt and continues to be so. He was arrested as a trade unionist in 1986 in the premises of Accountant General, Srinagar. Adarsh Ajit interviewed him recently when he was in Jammu. Some experts for the interview: Ques: What is the background of your pen name ‘Sanyasi’? Ans: The pen name ‘Sanyasi’was adopted by me in the year 1963 by getting impressed by the word’ Sanyasi’, learnt form Bhawat Gita, meaning to be detached while being attached. The magical words of late Dina Nath Nadim along with my close association with him, transformed me from a common man to the level of being called a poet. And according to me , poetry is a bond of beautiful words with creative outlook depicting the problems which surround us and with the probable solutions. Ques: Being a music lover, who are the present singers of your choice? Sanyasi with a mild smile on his face and clicking his spectacles, speak out: Ans: Ofcourse, Ghulam Hassan Sofi, Raj Begum, Dahnanjay Koul and Kailash Mehra Sadhu. Ques: Literature in exile is full of agony and tears and is shadowed by plenty of sighs. What are your comments? Ans: Kashmiri Pandits have suffered a lot due to displacement and this tragedy is not so small to be forgotten. But weeping is spontaneous. Despite sighs, we cannot afford to lose interest in life. We have to keep hope always alive because continued despair will have counter productive results. Ques: Can you express the entire trauma of Kashmir with respect to Kashmiri Pandits in a single couplet. Ans: In a poetic tone, Sanyasi said in one breath: “Khaber ti waavlanis ais kohistaan matan Vaakh matan cachan matan, dabistaan matan” (Blowing air of Kashmir was aware that cliffs, Couplets and even institutions of learning would go mad and eccentric.) Ques: Was atmosphere in the Valley so cloudy? Ans: Chandan kuli van sarf katyah Tse aes naalmate kare kare Tim asyah saas, hath shath Ya tim asyah lachh, khudaaya rachh ( O, the tree of Chandan, speak out how many serpentines were embracing you, were they in thousands, in hundreds or in lakhs, speak out, speak out) Ques: How much time did you take in balancing the tragedy of exodus of the resurrection of your poetry? Ans: From 1990 to 1994, no words came up due to the stressed mind but in 1995 when I took up the pen, the surge was unstoppable. And the first poem written in exile was Chapani Khor Ta Baadaam (Chappal and almonds). Ques: Would you have written better in kashmir than in the exiled life? Ans: Yes, undoubtedly. And I am sure than my book would have earned more accolades. Ques: What is your concept of life? Ans: Life has three phases, according to me: Birth, death and in between, it is romance. Ques: Do you think that exile of Kashmiri Pandits is responsible for the erosion of romantic poetry? Ans: Yes. Ques: And what about romantic poetry written on that side of the tunnel? Ans: Nowhere, whether here or there. Romantic poetry is gradually vanishing from the Kashmiri literary scene. Ques: Can poetry be directed, guided or dictated by the ideologies of different religions or fanatics? Ans: Dictated poetry cannot be called as poetry. Poetry is a flow of chiseled words, full of love, and loyalty and should not be imprisoned by some one’s philosophies or theories. Ques: Who has impressed you most in romantic poetry? Ans: Mehjoor, Naadim, Habba Khatoon, Rasul Mir and Mohmood Gami. Ques: What is your contribution to the literature other than the poetry? Ans: Writing essays on various topics. Ques: Do you think that Kashmiri can save the legacy of their traditional Kashmiri poetry being at the verge of extinction? Ans: Only bleak chances are there. Much water has flown down the river and every effort is being made to finish this minuscule community. Ques: How do you compensate the scenic beauty of Kashmir in your poetry when you are away from the snowy mountains, saffron fields, murmuring waters, shady Chinaars, lotuses, the lakes, the tall towering poplar trees? Ans: Physically we are not there but when we write, the whole valley reels in our minds. Flowing waters, large paddy fields, the fragrance of the flowers, jungles, lakes, bends of the river Vitasta and snow clad mountains are always with us. If these will not be present in our minds, it will be the death of the poetry of Kashmir. Frankly speaking as a poet I continue to live there. Ques: Who has influenced you most in your poetic pursuits? Ans: Dina Nath Nadim, Vasu Dev Reh, Mohi-you-Din Gowhar, P.N.Koul Saayil, Chaman Lal Chaman, Rafiq Raaz and Moti Lal Saqi. Ques: Lastly, as you are known as a poet or revolt and romanticism, for our readers please recite a specimen couplet on romanticism. Ans: Lakhchun chonui khwabas manz wuchh Pruchhmas vonnam sorui haal Teenka fallen taam chaanee maai Hairch haaran chaanee maai(Saw the mole on your face in the dream, when asked , it conveyed your welfare. The small pebbles we played, have your touch of love and the small conch-shells (cowries) we played on Shivratri, have intense impact of your love). Ques: What is your message to the young poets who are presently in displacement? Ans: Let the shedding of tears stop now and let the nostalgia lead them towards creativity. |
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Really good feature from Shri Bal Krishen Sanyasi. Please keep posting more such articles and features.
Added By Vijay Trisal