Photo credit: Irfan Mehraj/Wande Magazine
T.he Rehman Rahi, a wordsmith during the Progressive Writers Movement era whose resilient literary campaign turned him into a Kashmiri soldier, died Monday at the age of 98 in Srinagar.
Born on May 6, 1925, Rahi went on to become a legendary Kashmiri poet, translator and critic whose numerous literary contributions have earned him the Sahitia Akademi Award, the Padma Shri Award and India’s highest literary award. It won a certain Junampis Prize.
Rahi passed away early in the morning at his home in the Vitsar Nag district of the city’s Nowshera district.
His Nimaze Jinaza was performed at 2:30 pm after the Zhuhr prayer and was enshrined near the temple of Kwaja Habibullah Nousheri (RA).
Hundreds of people from all walks of life attended prayers at his funeral, and his death was widely mourned, especially in the literary world.
His funeral prayers were led by Moulana Shoket Hussein Ken and were attended by a series of literary figures.
Poet, translator, critic. Professor Rahi won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1961 for his poetry book Nawroz-i-Saba, in 2000 he won the Padma Shri, and in 2007 he won India’s highest literary award. won the Jnanpith Award (2004).
Professor Rahi is the first Kashmiri writer to win the Jnanpith Award for his poetry collection Siyah Rood Jaeren Manz (In Black Drizzle).
In 2000, he was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship by Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi.
Professor Rahi began his career in 1948 as a clerk for the Government’s Office of Public Works and was a member of the Progressive Writers Association, where he became its general secretary.
He also edited several issues of Quan Posh, the Progressive Writers Association’s literary magazine.
He later joined the Urdu daily Khidmat as an associate editor.
Rahi received Master’s degrees in Farsi (1952) and English (1962) from the University of Jammu and Kashmir and later taught Persian. From his 1953 to 1955 he was on the editorial board of Delhi’s Urdu-language daily Aajkal.
When he was a student, he also belonged to the cultural department of the Communist Party of Kashmir.
compliments pour in
Literary figures mourned his death, arguing that it would be difficult to fill the void in him.
Recalling his contribution, Director of Kashmiri Language and Literature Professor Majuru Rashid told the Kashmir Observer that Professor Rahi’s death is a great loss for Kashmiri language and literature.
“He was a Kashmiri poet and will be remembered until the Kashmiri language in literature survives.
He further said that it was Professor Rahi who created the true essence of the Kashmiri language as far as poetry is concerned.
“Prof. Rahi was the only poet who could lift the Kashmiri language from its roots and take it to new heights.”
Those in the literary world recalled that his poems would bring to mind famous and internationally recognized poets such as Dr. Sir Muhammad Iqbal and Mirza Asadullah Khan.
Rahi wrote several collections of poetry and translated works of famous poets in other languages into Kashmiri.
Another poet and critic, Professor Nazir Azad, told the Kashmir Observer that Professor Rashi would listen patiently to various Mushaira poems and encourage the poet. He also said he takes criticism in a subtle way.
“Tames asse Kasher zabane henz dag, ti tem khatre oas su mehanat ti mashaqat karran (he was worried about Kashmiri so for the improvement of Kashmiri he did a lot of activities)” Professor Azad said.
Professor Rahi was not only a great poet, but, as I recall Professor Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar, was also an excellent teacher.
“His lectures in class are so clear that our students will never forget them,” said Professor Zagar, who is currently in charge of the Kashmir section of the Department of Modern Indian Languages at Aligarh Muslim University.
Professor Rahi is considered the greatest poet in the literary world after Lal Dead, he said.
“But his criticism was different. We will always cherish these moments,” he added.
Professor Shafi Shauq said Professor Rahi was the only well-read Kashmiri poet who consciously sought to absorb the wholesome characteristics of Kashmiri Western literature, giving them local color and restraint. .
“His major contribution to Kashmiri literature was his reformation of the Kashmiri Department of Kashmir University, and I had the honor of working under him from its inception in 1976. Kashmir, KU, 2010.
Rahi’s death was also mourned by Deputy Governor Manoj Sinha, who called his death “the end of an era”.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Professor Rehman Rahi, one of Kashmir’s most influential poets and Jnanpith laureates in recent years. His death marks the end of an era. My deepest condolences to his family, friends and supporters,” Sinha tweeted.
Former Prime Minister and PDP President Mehbooba Mufti also mourned Rahi’s death.
“I am saddened to hear the sad passing of towering literary magnate and Gampace Award winner Zinab Rehman Rahi. His death left a void in Kashmiri literature and society that could never be filled. My condolences to the family,” he tweeted.
“Rehman Rahi was one of the most prominent figures in Kashmiri literature. His creative genius was expressed in various genres of literature. They will continue to influence young bards and writers. My deepest condolences,” CPI(M) leader MY Tarigami tweeted.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: join now
|
participate in quality journalism |
|
It takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce quality journalism. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, breaking big stories and exposing injustices that can change lives. More people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever before, but only a handful are paying for it as ad revenue is rapidly declining. |
| I thought it was a lucky day |
Click here for details
