A Medium of Instruction

RK News, "Sahitya Akademi’s seminar on Ahad Zargar begins in Jammu" - Rising Kashmir - Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Thursday, November 27, 2008

The two-day long Centenary Seminar of Kashmir’s famous Sufi poet Ahad Zargar began here on Thursday. Organised by Sahitya Akademi the seminar is being attended by a galaxy of poets, writers, and litterateurs.

Secretary Education G A Peer who was the Chief Guest during the inaugural session reiterated government’s resolve to effectively implement its decision of teaching of Kashmiri languages in the schools. He said it was clear now that Kashmiri had become the permanent part of curriculum in the schools and there was no question of going back on this.

“We have already announced that Kashmiri is as compulsory subject as the English or any other subject and the decision is being followed in letter and spirit” he said.

Peer threw light on the poetry of Ahad Zargar and the message he communicated though his work to the people. “We need to explore different aspects of his poetry to understand it in the right perspective” he said.

Eminent poet and writer Farooq Nazki in his key note address made a lucid account of Zargar’s poetry and quoted numerous references to uncover the reality of his works. He said that Sufi poetry formed a rich part of poetry in Kashmiri language and it is spread over a large canvas. Contours of Ahad Zargar’s poetry is akin to that of Samad Mir and his contemporaries, Nazki said in his detailed paper.

He said Sufi poetry worked as a medium of instruction between poets of the likes of Naem Saab, Ahmad Batwari, Shams Faqir and Zargar and the common people for the long time.

“Zargar never compromised on expressing his own ideas” he said. Maintaining that he was the one who took recourse to “horror poetry”, Nazki said that Zargar never came out of the circle of Sufi poetry while remaining actively involved with the worldly affairs.

Nazki’s address was highly appreciated by the audience.

Jananpith Award winner Rehman Rahi who presided over the function called for being tolerant in accepting different viewpoints. “When a poet writes a poem and makes it public it becomes the property of people and anybody who reads it has a right to criticize or appreciate it” he said adding that great poets like Zargar are not with us but they live with us through their poetry. “But we have to see who is a big poet and that can be seen only by analyzing his or her works” he said.

Prof Rahi lauded the role of Education department in taking steps to introduce Kashmiri language in schools.

Deputy Secretary Sahitya Akademi Renu Mohan Bhan said that now Jammu was also becoming the centre of activity for Kashmir language. “Text is important and freedom should be given to participants to express their views to have healthy debate” she said referring to the deliberations of the seminar.

Akademi’s Kashmiri Convener Aziz Hajini assured the participants that every effort will be made to rope them in to debate the various issues concerning Kashmiri language. He said that many plans were on anvil to explore different dimensions of the language. “By organizing this seminar we are fulfilling our commitment towards the language” he said.

Secretary Cultural Academy Zaffar Iqbal Manhas, Secretary Board of School Education Sheikh Bashir Ahmad, Rattan Lal Shant, Bimla Raina, General Secretary Adbee Markaz Kamraz Syed Shujaat Bukhari and Ayaz Nazki were among others present on the occasion.

The participants taking part in seminar include Rafiq Raaz, Bashir Bhaderwahi, Manshoor Banihali, Moti Lal Kemu, Mashal Sultanpuri,Vijay Wali, Mohammad Amin Shakeeb, Bashar Bashir, R L Bhat, Majrooh Rashid, Ranjoor Tilgami, Shad Ramzan, Amar Malmohi, Mohan Lal Aash, Zareef Ahmad Zareef, Shabir A Shabir, Gulshan Majeed M L Pandita and Khurshid A Zargar.

[Visit India's National Academy of Letters http://www.sahitya-akademi.gov.in/old_version/].