CHINAR SHADE : SAJOOD SAILANI - THE PROLIFIC PLAYWRIGHT OF KASHMIR

SAJOOD SAILANI

Anybody who had been listening to Radio in late sixties , seventies or early eighties of the last century, can not be oblivious of the absorbing Plays Broadcast from Radio Kashmir srinagar during those years . Men , women , students and by other classification Traders , Salaried and Self Employed people would remain bonded to the radio sets to listen to Dramas scripted by Ali Mohd lone , Akhtar Mohi Ud Din , Som Nath Sadhu , Bansi Nirdosh ,Pushkar Bhan , Hari Krishen Kaul, Sajood Sailani , and many other Playwrights . These Plays evolved from stories tied to the soil of Kashmir or one can easily say in simpler terms from our own households.

. Out of above , One name which did not get its due share of recognition in kashmiri society is Sajood Sailani.

Sajood sailani scripted some very good Dramas for Radio in and later for the Television too . What a prolific writer he was at that point of his creative life ?

I can’t explain to present younger generation how women would finish serving food to their families before 9 PM and wait for the Drama to be relayed from Radio Station. No exaggeration but simple truth that after listening to a play Yeli vattan Chhu Khur Iwaan ( When paths are confusing ) by Prof. Hari Krishen koul , my friend’s mother wept bitterly and had to be consoled .The pathos woven by the Playwright had touched her nerves . The story had evolved from middle class kashmirian society .What a powerful impact this script had on an ordinary and illiterate household woman?

Some plays of Sajood sailani also fell in this category .

This write up is based on my personal meeting with Sajood Sailani. I visited TAKHLEEQ ( Residence of sajood sahib ) at Pandrethan on 05.09.2009 and had the feel of the man and his work. Even to this day and inspite of many health hazards , he is still devoted to Art and culture of Kashmir .

Born in 1936 in a middle class kashmiri family , sajood sailani has been a painter , poet , short story writer and creator of some very good and popular plays for the radio and Television in Kashmir. He is the lone script writer in Kashmir to have written THEEKRI , a play in Chaste Bhojpuri. His Plays Wokir Baaneh ( Unusable utensils ) , Vaad ( argument ) and Daar Darshun ( Glimpse of the Door ) had to be played again and again on public demand by Srinagar Doordarshan .

He informs

*“ I learnt many Radio Drama writing skills from my Guru Pran kishore . My first radio drama had to be rewritten four times on specific instruction of Pran ji. Every time something worth learning emerged and finally Pran ji Okayed and produced it himself for Radio Kashmir Srinagar . As young boy , I would visit radio Kashmir during Moharram days for recording Nohakhwaani programs . There I would watch Pran ji carefully while he was recording his dramas or conducting rehearsals . That was my first inspiration as well . later he directed my three popular radio plays namely SHUHUL NAAR , KAAEJJ RAAT and TAAENT KOR “.

Sajood sahib fondly remembers Trilok Dass and S N Sumb li and Nabla ji as versatile artist of kashmir who too remained unsung and have been erased from memory by people .

To me he affectionately presented his two plays namely Kaejj Raath and the Taaent kor duly autographed. It appeared to me that fine art runs in blood veins of this family as late Gayoor Hassan ,a noted painter from valley is his real brother . His own son Dr Manzoor ( a practicing doctor ) is a painter and writer while his other son Showkat Shehri ,who works in Agriculture Department is an established writer in valley. An impressive painting done by Dr Manzoor ,decorating the Gallery wall near his study room, greets you when you enter the house from other side.

Sajood sailani is actually a trained artist who later shifted to writing Dramas and poetry . He finally focused more on Theatre Radio plays . It also transpired during our conversation that late Ghulam Rasool Santosh was amongst his close relatives .

His book of poems in Kashmiri titled SHEHJAAR ( Coolness ) bears forward by Poet Dina Nath Naadim . Sajood sahib conveyed in emphatic terms that he considered Naadim sahib as torch bearer of Modernism in kashmiri Poetry . His Book Kaej Raath that is based on three plays namely Ropai Roodh ( Money falling like Rain ),Kaejj Raath ( Stammering night ) and Gaashi Taarukh ( Shining star ) won him the prestigious Sahitya Academy award in 1994. He also remained a member advisory board of sahitya academy for 4 years ( 1973 to 1977 ) and in 1990. In all Sajood Sahib must have scripted 150 plays / dramas for radio , TV and theatre.

I could see his eyes moistening when I started mentioning names like Som Nath Sadhu , Mariam ji and K K Nayyar to him. I accordingly decided to wrap up the subject .What an emotional lot we kashmiris are?

It pains him to see a vacuum created by the absence of Pandits in kashmiri society . At the moment he has only painful and fond memories to keep close to his heart though he is optimistic of a bright future for kashmiris whom he calls as progeny of Rishis and Saints .

I ask

“ Any message for the younger generation ?”

“ Why Not ? Our younger generation should also know about Kashmir’s illustrious personalities like king LalitaDitya , king Zain Ul Abdin ( Budshah ), Sheikh Ul Alam ( Nund Reshi )and Lal Ded”

He replied .

As I get up to leave , he gives me an affectionate hug and asks to me come again after the Month of Ramadhaan. L I conclude this brief write up with some lines of Baba Bulle shah in chaste Punjabi …

Mein Neeva Mere Murshid Uchchey,
Ve Mein Uchchiyaan De sang Laayee.
Mein Sadke Jaavaan Unn Uchchiyaan de ,
Ve Jinna Neeviyaan Sang Nibhaayee.

( Baba Bulle Shah )

Beggar am i , My master the most affluent one,
Behold ! i have befriended the tallest.
Why should not I die for such tall men ,
For befriending a beggar like me ?

( Autar Mota )