brij narain chakbast (1882-1926) was born in faizabad into a kashmiri brahmin family who moved to lakhnau soon after his birth.  He received his early education from a maulvi, learning urdu, arabi and faarsi.  Later, he got a law degree and then practised law in lakhnau.  Unfortunately, he died very young of a stroke he suffered while traveling by train to argue a case in bareily.  His book was published posthumously.

He was politically very acutely aware and wrote many nationalistic poems also promoting communal harmony.  He was very active in the formation of Kashmiri Young Men’s Association.  Parts of this long nazm, “muraqqa-e ibrat” were written for the annual gathering of the association in kashmir, when he was barely sixteen years old.  Other parts, written later, were combined into a booklet.

“muraqqa” is an album, a collection of sketches/images. “ibrat” is meant to draw a moral lesson from something.  Thus, “muraqqa-e ibrat” is an exhortation for kashmiri youth on a collection of diverse topics.  It is extremely good in its literary composition even for a mature poet, but amazingly so for a 16 year old.  It is divided into 8 thematic sections for easy reading.

A word of caution.  urdu was chakbast’s primary language, his mother tongue.  He learnt it along with faarsi and arabi.  He uses islamic imagery/vocabulary even when describing completely secular topics.  Thus, his criticism of orthodoxy, written in islamic vocabulary, is meant to be a criticism of all, not just islamic orthodoxy.

1.  “tamheed” is a short introduction of 7 stanzas of six lines each praising his own abilities of versification, lyrically expounding on why he is writing this and transitioning into praising the region of kashmir. The language and the style is reminiscent of another great kashmiri brahmin, daya shankar naseem, in his own introduction of his ‘gulzaar-e naseem’.

2.  “kashmir” is a section of 9 stanzas describing the beauty of the hills, gardens, orchards, rivers, waterfalls of kashmir in lyrical metaphors and acknowledging his own debt to and love for his homeland.

3.  “qaum ki haalat” a very short section of 4 stanzas is full of pathos describing the sorry state of the community of kashmiris.4.  “naujavaanauN ki haalat” of 11 stanzas is rich in its literary content and maturity.  You have to remind yourselves again and again that this is a 16 year old writing.  There is much hand-wringing about the wastefulness and self-absorption of the youth of kashmir.  He is laying the ground work to inspire them to join the freedom movement.

5.  “daulat” is a 13 stanza piece moralizing about the accumulation of wealth which is used for selfish pleasures rather than for helping others.  There is little recognition of dialectical/materialist ideas of socialism (chakbast wrote this in 1898) but there is keen awareness of maldistribution of wealth in a moral/ethical sense.  The literary quality is amazing giving every indication of genius.

6.  “aazadi o islaah” is 6 stanzas on freedom and reform.  He praises the reformers of Europe and chides his audience that they have not drawn the right lessons from their lives.

7.  “mazhab” is a short 7 stanza section deriding religious leaders as well as concepts of orthodoxy.  It is not just “daulat” and lack of understanding of “islaah” that blinds us, it is also orthodoxy.  Recall that because of his educational background the vocabulary and imagery he is using might sound like islamic, but it is entirely secular, equally critical of all orthodoxy.

8.  “taNbeeh” is the concluding section of 4 stanzas with exhortation but still very beautiful in its literary content.

panDit brij narain chakbast (1882-1926).  See “Overview” tab for a more complete introduction.
tamheed – Preface
1
haaN noor-e-azal¹ jalva-e-guftaar² dikha de
haaN shama-e zabaaN matla-e-anvaar³ dikha de
haaN taba-e-ravaaN⁴ qulzum-e-zaKhKhaar⁵ dikha de
haaN raNg-e-suKhan⁶ gulshan-e be-Khaar⁷ dikha de
gulzaar mu’aani ka mahakta nazar aaye
tooti⁸ chamanistaN meN chahakta nazar aaye

1.eternal light 2.glory of speech/recitation 3.dawn of rays of light 4.flowing/dynamic mood/nature 5.raging ocean 6.style of versification 7.without thorns 8.parrot, parakeet

O, eternal light help me show the brilliance of recitation.  O, flame of the tongue, help me show the light of dawn.  O, dynamism of nature, help me show a raging ocean.  O, style of versification, help me show a blooming garden without thorns.  Let fragrance spread in the garden of meaning.  Let the parakeet chirp joyfully in the garden.
2
ho husn-e-bayaaN¹ meN chamanistaN ka tajammul²
har nukta-e raNgiN nazar aaye sifat³-e gul
har m’aani-e pecheeda⁴ bane turra⁵-e suNbul⁶
aashiq hoN suKhan⁷ par jo suneN surat⁸-e bulbul
jo she’r ho tooba⁹ ka vo saani¹⁰ nazar aaye
kausar¹¹ ki tabiyyat meN raavani nazar aaye

1.beauty of recitation 2.adornment, glory 3.nature, characteristics 4.complicated 5.crown 6.fragrant grass topped with a crown-like flower 7.verse 8.like, similar to 9.legendary tree in heaven that bears all kinds of fruit for everyone to enjoy 10.example, similar to 11.legendary river in heaven

Let the beauty of my recitation be like the glory of the garden.  Let every colourful point (of meaning) be fragrant (meaningful) like a blooming rose.  Let every complicated meaning adorn my she’r like the crown on top of suNbul.  Let those who hear my verse fall in love with it, like the bulbul (in poetic legend the bulbul falls in love with the rose).  Let every she’r be like the tooba in heaven, yielding fruit (meaning) to all who come.  Let my verse flow like the legendary kauser in heaven.
3
haaN tab’a¹ rasa² Khaatir³-e ahbaab⁴ hai manzoor⁵
bas sharm ka burqa ruKh⁶-e mu’aani se ho ab duur
dikhla de sar-e-bazm⁷ tajalli⁸-e sar-e-toor⁹
Ghash¹⁰ soorat-e-moosa¹¹ hoN jo sun paayeN ye mazkoor¹²
munkir¹³ jo haiN fir’aun-sifat¹⁴ ejaaz¹⁵-e suKhan ke
hoN aaj vo qaa’el¹⁶ mere andaaz¹⁷-e suKhan ke

1.nature 2.reaching high, influential 3.consideration, praise 4.friends 5.desirable 6.face 7.open assembly/gathering 8.brilliance 9.top of Mt. Sinaii 10.faint, pass out 11.like/similar to Moses 12.recitation 13.denier 14.nature of Pharoah 15.miracle 16.convinced 17.style

This has many Biblical/quranic references.  Moses went on top of toor (Mt. Sinaii) asking to see god.  He saw a manifestation as a lightning strike/brilliance and fainted.  Pharaoh was a denier of divinity.  When Moses demonstrated miracles, he had to accept/be convinced.  My influential/convincing nature desires the consideration of friends.  Let the veil of shyness be lifted from the meaning of my verse.  Show to everyone gathered, the same (divine) brilliance that moosa saw on toor.  Let them faint with fear/awe just like moosa did.  And those who deny the miracle of my verse, like Pharaoh denied divinity, let them be convinced by the (miraculous) style of my recitation.
4
haaN taana¹ o tashnee’² ki parva nahiN mujh ko
tahseen³ o sataa’esh⁴ ki tamanna nahiN mujh ko
nairaNgi⁵-e aflaak⁶ ka shikva⁷ nahiN mujh ko
kuchh fikr ho shohrat ki ye sauda nahiN mujh ko
Dooba hua huN misl-e-suKhan⁸ raNg-e suKhan meN
gul ho ke maiN rahta huN lataafat⁹ ke chaman meN

1.sarcasm 2.taunt, reproach 3.tribute 4.praise 5.deception 6.skies, heavens, fate 7.complaint 8.similar to my verse 9.elegance

I do not care about taunts and sarcasm.  I do not desire tributes or praise.  I do not complain about the vicissitudes of fate.  I do not bargain for any fame.  I am drowned in the style of verse like verse itself.  I am like rose surrounded by elegance (of verse).
5
us vaqt ka ab hosh¹ bhi poora nahiN zinhaar²
sar-mast³ mujhe rakhti hai jab se mai-e-ash’aar⁴
laikin na raha mujh ko ta’alli⁵ se sarokaar⁶
hai meri Khamoshi pe fida aalm-e guftaar
is mai ne kuchh aisa mujhe madhosh kiya hai
Khud apne ta’eeN⁷ maiN ne faraamosh⁸ kiya hai

1.awareness, consciousness 2.absolutely not 3.intoxicated 4.wine of verse 5.exaggerated praise 6.concern, relationship 7.self-interest 8.forget

I absolutely do not have awareness of anything else, ever since the wine of verse has intoxicated me.  I do not want to indulge in self-praise.  The world of versification appreciates my silence (why do I need to praise myself).  This wine has intoxicated me so much that I have forgotten self-preservation.
6
aalam¹ se juda² hai meri taqreer³ ka aalam⁴
badbeenoN⁵ pe hairat se hai tasveer ka aalam⁴
raNgiN-suKhani se hai ye tahreer⁶ ka aalam
har saf’he⁷ pe hai gulshan-e kashmir ka aalam
kaifiyyat⁸-e gulzaar samaai hai nazar meN
is Khitta⁹-e dil-kash ka hai sauda mere sar meN

1.world 2.separate, different 3.speech, recitation 4.condition, state 5.ill-wishers 6.writing (written verse) 7.page 8.condition 9.region

The condition/state of my recited verse is different from that of the world.  Those who wish me ill, are a picture of amazement, such is the colourful versification of my writing.  On each page the garden of kashmir is apparent.  The picture of this garden is infused in my eyes.  My heart desires this pleasant region.
7
mohtaaj¹ nahiN wasf² ka ye Khitta-e-dil-geer³
hai roo-kash⁴-e gulzaar-e-jinaaN⁵ gulshan-e kashmir
firdaus-e-bariN⁶ is ki hai bigRi hui tasveer
vaaN mauj-e hava meN dam-e-eesa⁷ ki hai taaseer⁸
har soKhta⁹ jaane ke ba kashmir dar aayad¹⁰
gar murGh-e-kabaab¹¹ ast ke ba baal o par aayad

1.beholden, dependent 2.praise 3.heart capturing region 4.reflection of 5.garden of heaven 6.high heaven 7.breath of Jesus, healing breeze 8.effect 9.burnt 10.to come 11.roasted bird

This heart capturing region does not need any praise.  The garden of kashmir is a twin-image of the garden of heaven.  High heaven is but a spoiled picture of this garden.  Every gust of wind has the effect of the healing breath of Jesus.  Every burnt/saddened heart should come to kashmir, even if it is like a bird roasted into a kabaab, it can regenerate its feathers and wings.

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