RADIO Kashmir: A Collection of Kashmiri Music, Devotional Songs and Prayers for Kashmiri Pandit Festivals

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KASHMIRI POETS

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Kashmir, which is known as the 'paradise on earth', has been the abode of eminent scholars, savants, historians and poets, like Bilhan, Mamatachary, Anandavardhana, Gunaverman, Abhinavagupta, Jonaraja, Kalhana, etc. These luminaries had mastery over Sanskrit language. During the Muslim rule, Persian became the court language. Kashmiri scholars did not lag behind in acquiring mastery in this language also and produced scholars and poets like Gani Kashmiri, Munshi Bhawani Dass Kachroo, Hyder Malik Chadura, Narayan Kaul Ajiz, Muhammad Azam Didmari, etc. Besides them, there were saints and poets who preferred to use their own Kashmiri dialect for conveying their messages and thoughts. These included both men and women. Most prominent among them were Sheikh Noor-u-Din Noorani, Lal Ded, Rupa Bhawani, Habba Khatoon and Arinimaal.

KASHMIRI POETS

	Lal Ded Kashmir has produced many saints, poets and mystics. Among them, Lal Ded is very prominent. In Kashmir, some people consider her a poet, some consider her a holywoman and some consider her a sufi, a yogi, or a devotee of Shiva. *...More...*		Swami Govind Kaul The son of Swami Aftab Kaul and Vishvamalya, born in Dattataraya Gotra, Gobind Kaul naturally followed the tradition of his forefathers and became an ardent Shaivite. To his elder brother Harishwara and to his Guru Bharatlal he owed his proficiency in the Sastras andyoga. *...More...*
	Parmanand Parmanand rose to enviable eminence not only as a saint, but also as a poet articulating spiritual insights. Born in the family of a village Patwari he was named Nanda or Nanda Ram, and his persistent endeavour transformed him into Parmanand. *...More...*		Krishnajoo Razdan Krishnajoo Razdan's "Maharaja Mahadevun Che Chhui Saal" is a superb Puranic picture gallery. In this devotional lyric cosmos is the studio-cum-exhibition hall, Lord Vishnu is the model and Krishna Joo Razdan, incognite as Narada, is the inspired literary painter. *...More...*
	Zinda Koul 'Masterji' Pandit Zinda Koul is a well-known poet of Kashmir. In Kashmir, his students and friends used to call him 'Masterji'. He came to be called 'Masterji' because he used to teach many Kashmiris, both in school as well as at his home. *...More...*		Dina Nath 'Nadim' The death of Mahjoor and Masterji closed one phase of Kashmiri poetry. With Nadim's poetry, a new phase was introduced. Some people claim that Kashmiri poetry is currently passing through an era which may be termed "the Nadim era". *...More...*
	Habba Khatoon Lal Ded contributed the vaks of devotion and wisdom to the Kashmiri language. Habba Khatun, on the other hand, sang songs of love and romance. *...More...*		Ghulam Ahmad Mahjoor Mahjoor has a place of honor among the poets of Kashmir. He is especially noted for two things. He introduced a new style into Kashmiri poetry. *...More...*
	Posh Bub �Posh Mot� hardly needs any introduction. A religious leader of integrity and a spiritual guide imparts religious guidance to number less devotees and disciples. *...More...*		Ksemendra In an extant reference to Ksemendra found in Kalhana's Raja Tarangini, his talent as a poet has been praised but his acumen for historicity played down. *...More...*
	Arnimal Arnimal was the wife of Munshi Bhawani Das, an erudite Persian scholar in the court of Jumma Khan, who was the Afghan Governor of Kashmir from 1788 to 1792 AD. Born in the eighteenth century, nearly two hundred years after Habba Khatoon, Arnimal followed in the wake of the tradition of her predecessor and made the love lyrics adopted by Habba Khatoon more of a plaintive wail. *...More...*		Shamas Faqir Through his upbringing at home and later under the influence of several seasoned teachers, Shamas Faqir was drawn towards divine contemplation during his early formative years. He got connected with the Qadri Sufi order and thereafter, around the age of twenty-five, he went to Amritsar in pursuit of spiritual knowledge. *...More...*
	Mahmud Gami Mahmud Gami (1765-1855) introduced in Kashmiri the Persian forms of the masnavi and ghazal. He is noted for his work Yusuf Zulaikha, a poem which is a major contribution to Kashmiri literature. *...More...*		Maqbool Shah Kralawari Maqbool Shah Kralawari (1820-'76) was educated in Persian literature and is considered as the finest lyricist of the 19th century Kashmir. *...More...*
	Rasool Mir Rasul Mir, that skilled decanter of love, has a raging controversy shrouding his age. The local traditions recorded in 1940�s of by Ab Ahad Azad, spoke of a death in his prime. *...More...*		Samad Mir Samad Mir (1894-1959), known for his outstanding work Akanandun (The Only Son), continued the Sufi-mystic tradition in Kashmiri poetry in the 20th century. *...More...*
	Abdul Ahad "Azad" 'Azad' is inherently possessed of uncommon consciousness of head and heart. He has never elected to go into the shell like other Kashmiri Romanticists. *...More...*		Subhash Premi Subhash ji writes poems in Hindi. He is known for his artistic skills of playing Kongo. *...More...*
	Makhan Lal Kaul Mahav Noted poet and Journalist, started as a teacher but turned to journalism afterwards. Through the literary columns of the newspaper KHIDMAT he gave many budding writers opportunities to express themselves. *...More...*		Kashi Nath Revoo Shehjaar A Sanskrit scholar whose command on the language could be outshined only by him preferred to maintain a low profile throughout his life. Translating English poetry into Sanskrit was his favorite past time. He wrote devotional songs in Kashmiri and Hindi. *...More...*

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