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Mahjoor

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Kashmiri poet (1887–1952)

Peerzada Ghulam Ahmad Mahjoor
Ghulam Ahmad Mahjoor on a 2013 stamp of IndiaGhulam Ahmad Mahjoor on a 2013 stamp of India
Native name مَہجوٗر
Born(1885-08-11)11 August 1885
Mitrigam, Kashmir and Jammu
Died9 April 1952(1952-04-09) (aged 66)
Mitrigam, India Administered Jammu and Kashmir
Resting placeMitrigam (exhumed) then Athwajan, Jammu–Srinagar National Highway, Kashmir
Pen nameMahjoor
OccupationRegional administrator, Poet
Notable worksPoshe-mati – Janano, Bage Nishat Ke Gulo, Sahibo sath cham

Peerzada Ghulam Ahmad (August 1885 − 9 April 1952), known by his pen name as Mahjoor, was a poet of the Kashmir Valley, along with contemporaries, Zinda Kaul, Abdul Ahad Azad, and Dinanath Nadim. He is especially noted for introducing a new style into Kashmiri poetry and for expanding Kashmiri poetry into previously unexplored thematic realms. Mahjoor is recognized as father of Kashmiri language.

Early life

Mahjoor was born in the village of Mitrigam (Urdu pronunciation: [mɪt̪ɾiːɡɑːm], Kashmiri pronunciation: [mitɨrʲɡoːm]), Pulwama, 25 miles (40 km) from Srinagar. He got his pen name Mahjoor when he visited Punjab and started writing poetry under the influence of great Urdu poet, Shibli Nomani. He followed in the academic footsteps of his father, who was a scholar of Persian language. He received the primary education from the Maktab of Aashiq Trali (a renowned poet) in Tral. After passing the middle school examination from Nusrat-ul-Islam School, Srinagar, he went to Punjab where he came in contact with Urdu poets like Bismil Amritsari and Moulana Shibli Nomani. He returned to Srinagar in 1908 and started writing in Persian and then in Urdu. Determined to write in his native language, Mahjoor used the simple diction of traditional folk storytellers in his writing.

Mahjoor worked as a Patwari (Regional Administrator in Department of Revenue). He was posted at Handwara which is one of the oldest tehsils of Kashmir. Along with his official duties, he spent his free time writing poetry, and his first Kashmiri poem 'Vanta hay vesy' was published in 1918. His poems explored a variety of subjects including love, fostering unity among communities, advocating for social change, and shedding light on the struggles faced by the people of Kashmir.

Poetic legacy

Mahjoor on 2013 stamp of India.

Mahjoor is recognized by one commentator as a poet who revolutionized the traditional forms of nazm and ghazal.

In 1972, a bilingual film named Shayar-e-Kashmir Mahjoor was released with the Hindi version starring Balraj Sahni. A square in Srinagar is named after him. He is buried near the poet Habba Khatoon at a site near Athwajan on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway.

A song featured in Coke Studio Explorer, "Ha Gulo" is written by Mahjoor and was sung by Kashmiri regional band Qasamir.

Common themes of his poetry

One of his renowned poetic compositions is 'Bage Nishat ke Gulo,' which stirs excitement and emotions within the readers. He possessed a profound fascination with the natural beauty of Kashmir, and his poetry consistently portrays the picturesque gardens, meadows, forests, waterfalls, rivers, lush green fields, and majestic mountains. Through these mesmerizing descriptions, he effectively conveys his heartfelt emotions and impassioned messages, urging his fellow countrymen to stand up against various forms of injustice. His verses not only celebrate the scenic bounty of Kashmir but also ignite a sense of pride and patriotism, motivating the people to become catalysts for positive change in their society. Rabindranath Tagore called Mehjoor 'Wordsworth of Kashmir,' acknowledging the romantic elements in his poetry.

Bibliography

References

  1. ^ "Wordsworth of Kashmir". Merinews. Retrieved 25 March 2007.
  2. Poetry and renaissance: Kumaran Asan birth centenary volume. Sameeksha. 1974. Retrieved 25 March 2007. It is at this stage that the poet Mahjoor swam into the poetical firmament to redeem Kashmiri poetry from this plight. His contribution and that of other major poets of the modern era like Zinda Kaul, Abdul Ahad Azad, Dina Nath Nadim
  3. Kashmir panorama. Raj Publications. 1997. ISBN 9788186208076. Retrieved 25 March 2007. Famous writers of this era were: Pirzada Ghulam Ahmad 'Mahjoor' (Poet), Abdul Ahad Azad and Master Zinda Koul.
  4. A History of Indian Literature 1911–1956. Sahitya Akademi. 2005. ISBN 9788172017989. Retrieved 25 March 2007. The literary figures who dominated Kashmiri in this period are Zinda Kaul (1884–1965), the universally respected poet of the Bhakti tradition; AA. Azad (1903–68), Dinanath Nadim (1916–88) and of course Mahjoor (1885–1952), who broke the long monotony of mystic poets with a distinctly new personal voice and at the same time created a body of poetry of public protest.
  5. "Selections from Mahjoor's Kashmiri Poems". Kashmiri Overseas Association U.S.A. 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2007.
  6. Kachru, Braj B. (2023). Kashmiri literature. A history of Indian literature / Series editor Jan Gonda Vol. 8, Modern Indian-Aryan literatures, part 1 (Reprint 2020 ed.). New Delhi: Manohar. p. 45. ISBN 978-93-88540-55-1.
  7. "Kashmiri Language and Literature". Project ZAAN. 2007. Archived from the original on 27 December 2007. Retrieved 24 December 2007.
  8. Excelsior, Daily (25 June 2013). "Stamp on Shair-e-Kashmir Mehjoor released by PM, Sonia in Kashmir". Daily Excelsior.
  9. Koul, Omkar N. (2000). "Kashmiri Language, Linguistics, and Culture" (PDF). Retrieved 24 December 2007.
  10. "Pantha Chowk is Now Mehjoor Chowk". Kashmir Observer. Retrieved 20 June 2010.
  11. Bhargava, Kavita (3 June 2000). "A grave mistake". Tribune India. Retrieved 20 June 2010.
  12. Scroll Staff. "'Ha Gulo': Coke Studio Explorer's new single features folk artists from Kashmir". Scroll.in. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  13. Farooq Ahmed Peer (8 April 2023). "Remembering Mahjoor". Greater Kashmir. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  14. "Awakening Love for the Land: Mahjoor's Poetry". 13 November 2024.
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