THIS IS RASUL MIR OF DOORU SHAHBAAD KASHMIR

                                                                               

                 
A VIEW NEAR DOORU SHAAHBAAD AREA NEAR ANANTNAAG IN KASHMIR…
( Photo Autar Mota )

                      AND

WHO WAS THIS RASUL MIR ?

Rindha Poash Maal Gindanay Draayee Lolo

Behold ! The carefree love goes out on a frolic.

( kashmiri poet Rasul Mir )

Rasul Mir is known as John Keats of kashmiri poetry. He lived in the second half of Nineteenth centuary . May be around 1820 to 1890 AD. He worked as Nambardar and lived in and around Dooru Shahbaad area near Anantnaag in Kashmir. His poems convey the names of villages , water sources and general scenery of this area . I visited this are twice ; Once during 2010 and the again in 2011. An elderly person told me that Mr M Y Teng had visited Rasul Mir’s native village many times for compilation of Kuliyaat on the poet. Mr Teng is reported to have screened many old records and finally found an old revenue document of 1889 AD bearing signatures of Poet Rasul Mir as Nambardar . This interalia confirms that this poet lived in the last half of nineteenth century .
                                                                                     

                          ( Mazaar of Rasul Mir at Shaahbaad Dooru ... Photo source .. Amit Bamzai )

Rasul Mir was a poet of love and romance .His poems bear fragrance of flowers and music of murmuring brooks of the area where he lived . These poems act as catalytic agents of love and life . As far as I know , four poets wrote kashmiri poems with a total love filled heart and Rasul Mir happens to be the tallest amongst them. Other three could be Mehmood Gaami , Arinmaal and Habba Khatoon. .These poets touched the delicate and heart touching issues of love and separation while their contemporaries focused on Traditional Mathnavi, Leela ,Mystical or sufi poetry. Many scholars are of the view that Rasul Mir was in love with a Hindu Girl of his village . He refers to this girl as Padmani , Henziyaani , Kongi , Soundermaal and Kostuuri in his poems .

(1) Raza henzi-yaani naaz kyaah anzini gardan

Ya illahi cheshm e bad nishi rachhtan

Gatsi kam kyaah chaanie baargaahi lolo

Rindha poash maal gindinay draayee lolo

How elegant the swan’s neck of henziyani ( Hindu Girl ) looks,

Save her from evil eyes, my Lord !,

Thy gift that won’t diminish O God!

Behold ! The carefree love goes out on a frolic.

(2)Baa veeri-naagai heemael zaagai

Laagai moat gaer- zaan

Pooli to cheena-gund kya draengi,

Kongi haav tai paan.

I shall keep waiting for you at Veerinag,

clothed as an unidentified sadhu ( faquir),

shall look for you at Pooli, cheeni-gund and Drengi.

Just for your one quick look Kongi .

(3)Tse yi-vaan roshe chhukh naataah

hoashe dallayo madno

Baa rivaan sormaa chesman

Sormaa chhaalaeyo madno.

And there you stay away from me my annoyed love

And here my senses give me up.

These tears trickle down my eyes

And wash all the Kohl .

(Autar Mota )

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