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| | This Kashmiri seminar! | | | “Uncle.”
“Yes dear.”
“You attended the seminar on nazam writing in Kashmiri?”
“Yes dear. Beautiful it was.”
“All detail Uncle, please.”
“Dear, this seminar was organised by the postgraduate department of Kashmiri of the Kashmir University, was held in the conference hall of the humanities block, on 17-18 July, was attended by hundreds of Kashmiri scholars and academicians, Prof Rahman Rahi was the chief guest, Vice-Chancellor Kashmir University Prof Talat Ahmad was present, head of the department of Kashmiri Prof Majrooh gave the welcome address, Muhammad Yousuf Teng gave his presidential remarks, and it was conducted by Prof Ratan Lal Talashi of the department of Kashmiri who also presented the vote of thanks; dear, this actually was a national seminar on changing styles of nazam writing in Kashmiri.”
“Uncle, good assembly, but what did the speakers say?”
“Dear, very interesting. Prof Majrooh said the seminar was an attempt to understand our rich nazam literature, its various dimensions, its evolution, and the challenges this genre of poetry has ahead. He claimed that the university’s department of Kashmiri symbolizes Kashmiri culture and ethos…does its best to carry the legacy forward.”
“Uncle, what did Rahman Rahi say?”
“Well, Rahi sahib advised that Kashmiri nazam must free itself from traditional restrictions and must come in tune with the present day needs of both readers and writers. He was echoing Prof Shafi Shouqe’s views.”
“And Uncle, how about Teng sahib?”
“He said ghazal has lost its relevance and nazam can best give catharsis to feelings and attitudes.”
“And Uncle, how about our Vice-Chancellor Talat sahib?”
“Lots he spoke…personal too, interesting. He stressed upon the importance of one’s mother tongue and ruled that every one should be proud of the native language one inherits. He gladly revealed he has started understanding the Kashmiri language, is learning to speak it too, would learn it well during his tenure as VC. He wished the department of Kashmiri be the flagship department of the university.”
“Uncle, ghazal or nazam or language or literature or whatever, I know most of such speakers generally aren’t true to their thought and word, are joking, and lying, saying one thing doing another.”
“What, what rot, what rubbish?”
“Uncle, truth bitter…as always!”
“Shut up please.”
“Shut up I won’t, yes. Speak I must. See Uncle, my juvenile friends, home kids of such vociferous advocates of the greatness of our language and literature, – they truly mirror their parents and guardians. These little angels are openly encouraged to speak Urdu and English, fashionably, at home too; Kashmiri they have been made to look down upon as caveman’s old stale below-the-poverty-line means of contact. Same true of even our salutations too. Assalam-u alaikum, Adab, Namaskar, and all that, gone or going they are, all, and Hi, Bye, Ta-ta, all round eat our ears. This manifests how our elders really treat our language and literature. Uncle…such honourable speakers often talk about Freedom too. All untrue! Psychologically, emotionally, much of the Orient still is slaves of the Occident! And as very good slaves, we are happily sacrificing our great language and literature too to the Occident’s! Boasting otherwise, Uncle, leave it aside!”
“Dear; live long…long enough!” |
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