|
|
|
| |
| |
Community - Prominent Kashmiris |
| Arnimal |
Arnimal is one of the most celebrated poetesses of Kashmir. She was born at Palhalan, near Pattan, between Srinagar and Baramulla in 1738 A.D. and passed away in 1800 A.D.
She was married in her childhood to Munshi Bhawani Das Kachru, a renowned Persian poet and scholar, who held a position of honour in the court of Jumma Khan, the Afghan Governor of Kashmir. Arnimal was a talented and sensitive girl deeply devoted to her husband. He was too preoccupied with his poetic and other pursuits to pay proper attention to her. He ignored and tormented her. She made desperate attempts to win his favour, even learning music in order to please him. But all was in vain and finally Bhawani Das deserted her.
With a broken heart, Arnimal left her husband’s home and returned to her parental house. Although her parents were very considerate, their filial affection could hardly compensate for the loss of conjugal love.
In her frustration, she gave vent to her feelings of yearning, separation, unfulfilled passion and unrequited love .Her plight was worse even then Habba Khatoon, who at least enjoyed conjugal love for six years. Arnimal was separated before she had blossomed into a full-grown woman.
Her songs come straight from the heart. She excelled in vatsun, the genre originally evolved by Habba Khatoon 200 years earlier. Only about two- dozen of her lyrics have been handed down by word of mouth. There is no trace of religion, philosophy or mysticism in her poetry. There is an earthy, primordial passion in her lyrics, which makes her unique in the annals of Kashmiri literature. She constitutes a class by herself. Her poems are no less heart-rending than Habba Khatoon’s. At places she excels the latter in the quality of her verse.
Arnimal will remain immortal, till the last oppressed Kashmiri woman gets emancipated.
Some of her celebrated vatsun are reproduced below: |
|
| Arni Rang Gom Shraavani Hiyey |
Arni rang gom shraavani hiyey,
kar yiyey darshun diyey.
Shamasondary paaman laejis,
Aamataavav kotaah gaejis,
Naama-paegam tas kus niyey,
Kar yiyey darshun diyey.
Kanda naabada aaraadamutuy,
Phanda karith tsolum kotuy,
Khanda karinam lookan thiyey,
Kar yiyey darshun diyey.
Suli vothav sangarmaalan,
Lala chhaaron kohan ta baalan,
Praaraan chhas bo tahinzi ziyey,
Kar yiyey darshun diyey. |
|
I Was A Full-Blown Jessamine
I was a full-blown jessamine: pining for love,
turned as black as the arni rose;
When will my love come to me?
He exposed me to people’s taunts and
Scorched me with the burns of love;
Who can tell him what I feel?
And will he come to me?
I offered him sugar loaf and candy sweets,
He enticed my heart and fled. O whither is
He gone? In the presence of strangers, he mocked at me.
And will he come to me?
Let us arise when it is still dawn,
And seek my love on hills and mountains high,
I wait expectantly for him.
When will he come to me? |
|
Raatas Osum Laerith
Raatas osum lava zan laerith,
Subahs pravi ketha traevith gom,
Babri tsaman ashi saganaavith,
Aeshimot kava pashinaavith gom.
Savaal karitos hiye gachhi chaavith. |
|
All Night He Was With Me
All night he was with me, like dew
On a flower; the sun rose in the morning
And he fled. And since my wanton love is
Fled, leaving me woebegone, I have
Watered my basil breasts with tears; will
He not come and enjoy my jessamine body? |
|
Kahaandi Bo Zaayas
Vuchhti vesy kahandi bo zaayes,
Baagani aayes kahaandi taam.
Doha aki maeli-maaji nagra harshaayes,
Shaaharich aesis vaetsis gaam,
Sati dohy phheerith maalinev anyaayes,
Baagani aayes kahandi taam.
Doha aki shreha-saan maalyun gayaayes,
Deka-baji kaakani ditsnam paam,
Deka-raech zevanuy kona moyaayes,
Baagani aayes kahandi taam. |
|
Where Was I Born
See friend, where I was born and
Where I was married!
My parents celebrated my marriage in the city
With great éclat: city born and bred,
Into the country I was married; but widowed
Only seven days after, my parents had to call
Me back. See friend, where I was married!
Once I went to my father’s home,
There my brother’s wife taunted me
So bitterly that widowed as I was, I wished
I had died as soon as I was born.
See friend, where I was married!
(Courtesy: Prof Jai Lal Kaul in Kashmiri Lyrics and T.N.Kaul in Gems of Kashmiri Literature) |
| Back |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
