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.
1
paani meN hai chashmoN¹ ke asar² aab-e-baqa³ ka
har naKhl⁴ pe aalam⁵ Khizar⁶-e sabz-qaba⁷ ka
jo phool hai gulshan meN vo hai noor Khuda ka
saaye meN shajar⁸ ke hai asar² zill-e-huma⁹ ka
mabda¹⁰ karam-e-aam¹¹ ki har joo-e-ravaaN¹² hai
sar-chashma¹³-e faiz¹⁴-e chaman-aara¹⁵-e jahaaN hai

1.spring, brook 2.effect 3.water/nectar of life, life giving 4.tree 5.condition, status 6.legendary old man 7.green cloak 8.tree 9.shadow of huma, a legendary bird, phoenix 10.source 11.blessing for all 12.flowing river 13.fountainhead 14.benevolence 15.beautifying the garden

‘Khizr’ is a legendary old man who is immortal, travels and reads a lot.  He also wears a green cloak.  He is a guide and imparts knowledge.  ‘huma’ is a legendary bird which no one can see but when its shadow falls on someone, he/she becomes monarch.  The waters of mountain springs are life giving.  Every tree imparts knowledge.  Sitting under the shade of a tree makes you a monarch.  Every flowing river is the source of blessings for all.  It is the fountainhead of the beauty of this world.
2
vo mauj-e hava ka harakat¹ abr ko dena
chashmoN se pahaaRauN ke vo uRta hua phena²
gaate hue mallaahoN ka vo kashtiyaaN khena
Dal³ ka vo sar-e shaam idhar karvaTeN lena
vo aks⁴ charaaGhoN ka jhalakta nazar aata
paani ka sitaara bhi chamakta nazar aata

1.movement, flow 2.floam 3.name of a lake 4.reflection

Clouds floating on gusts of wind.  Foam flying from waterfalls.  Boatmen singing as they ply their oars.  The ripples in Dal Lake in the evening look like it is tossing and turning before falling asleep.  The reflection of lights shining in the lake look like twinkling stars.  Also, “sitaara chamakna” is an expression meaning “good luck”.
3
har laala¹-e kohsaar² hai shakl³-e gul-e-raahat⁴
daaGh us ke haiN Khaal⁵-e ruKh⁶-e hooraan-e-masarrat⁷
kya sabza-e Khush raNg hai sarmaaya-e-ishrat⁸
dil ke liye ThanDak hai jigar ke liye farhat⁹
aisa nahiN qudrat ne kiya farsh¹⁰ kahiN par
is raNg ka sabza hi nahiN roo¹¹-e zamiN par

1.tulip 2.hill 3.similar, look 4.flower of comfort 5.beauty spot 6.face 7.joy giving angels 8.wealth of happiness 9.pleasure 10.floor, valley 11.face

Every flower on the hillside imparts joy.  Dark spots “daaGh” on tulip petals look like beauty spots on the face of angles.  The beautiful greenery all around is a wealth of happiness, a source of joy for the heart and soul.  Nature has not made a valley like this anywhere else.  Nowhere on the face of this earth is greenery like this.
4
vo subah ko kohsaar¹ ke phooloN ka mahkna
vo jhaaRioN ki aaR meN chiRiyoN ka chahakna
gardooN² pe shafaq³ koh¹ pe laale⁴ ka lahakna
mastoN ki tarah abr ke TukRoN ka bahkna
har phool ki junbish⁵ se ayaaN⁶ naaz pari ka
chalna vo dabe paauN naseem-e-sahri⁷ ka

1.hill 2.sky 3.twilight 4.tulip 5.movement, swaying 6.apparent 7.dawn breeze

The fragrance of flowers on the hillside at dawn,  birds twittering in trees, shimmering twilight in the sky and flowers on the hill.  Clouds wandering/staggering overhead, as if drunk.  The gentle sway of every flower, like the gait of a fairy.  The morning breeze blowing gently, in silence.
5
vo taa’er¹-e kohsaar lab²-e chashma³-e kohsaar
vo sard hava vo karam⁴-e abr-e gohar-baar⁵
vo meva⁶-e Khush-raNg vo sar-sabz⁷ chaman-zaar
ek aan meN sehat ho jo barsoN ka ho beemaar
ye baaGh-e vatan roo-kash⁸-e gulzaar-e-jinaaN⁹ hai
sarmaaya¹⁰-e naaz-e chaman-aara¹¹-e jahaan hai

1.bird 2.lip, bank 3.spring, rivulet 4.blessing 5.pearl raining 6.fruit 7.lush green 8.resembling 9.garden of heaven 10.wealth 11.one who embellishes gardens, gardener

Birds from the hills alighting at the banks of rivulets.  That blessed cool breeze and the pearl showering clouds.  The colourful fruit and the lush green garden.  Even those with chronic illness would heal in no time.  This garden of my homeland resembles the gardens of heaven.  It is the treasure/wealth of the gardener of the world (god).
6
hai Khitta¹-e sar-sabz² meN ek noor ka aalam
har shaaKh o shajar³ par shajar-e-toor⁴ ka aalam
parveen⁵ hai, yeh hai Khosha-e aNgoor ka aalam
har Khaar⁶ pe bhi hai mazsha-e-hoor⁷ ka aalam
nikle na sada aisi muGhanni⁸ ke gulu⁹ se
aati hai jo aavaz-e-tarannum¹⁰ lab-e-joo¹¹ se

1.region 2.lush green 3.tree 4.tree of Mt. toor, divine burning bush 5.constellation 6.thorn 7.angel’s eyelashes 8.Ghazal singer 9.throat 10.sound of recitation 11.river bank

There is a (divine) glow in this lush green region.  Every branch, every tree looks like the divine bush that Moses saw on top of Mt. toor.  Bunches of grapes look like constellations in the sky.  Even thorns look like the eye lashes of angels.  Even the throat of a Ghazal singer cannot make the sound that emerges from the banks of springs/rivers.
7
mevoN¹ se giraaN-baar² vo ashjaar³ ke Daale
bikhre hue vo daaman-e-kohsaar⁴ pe laale⁵
uRte hue baalaa⁶-e hava barf ke jhaale⁷
dekhe jo koi duur se haiN rooi ke gaalay
vo abr ke lakkoN ka tamaasha shajaroN³ meN
jharnoN ki sadaayeN vo pahaaRoN ke daroN⁸ meN

1.fruit 2.heavy burden 3.trees 4.apron of hills, valley 5.tulips, flowers 6.top of 7.fluffy snow flakes 8.rifts, valleys

Branches of trees heavily laden with fruit.  Flowers scattered in the valleys.  Wispy snow flakes floating on a gentle breeze like puffs of cotton.  The playful hide and seek of clouds through the trees.  The sound of waterfalls in rifts and valleys.
8
chhoRe hue is baaGh ko guzra hai zamaana
taaza hai magar is ki mohabbat ka fasaana¹
aalam ne sharaf² jin ki buzurgi³ ka hai maana
uTThe the isi Khaak se vo aalim⁴ o daana⁵
tan jin ka hai paivand⁶ ab is paak zamiN ka
rug rug⁷ meN hamaari hai ravaaN⁸ Khoon unhiN ka

1.legend, story 2.nobility 3.senior, elderly, legacy 4.learned 5.wise 6.patch (patch of the ground symbolizes grave) 7.veins 8.flowing

It has been long since I left this garden but the story of its love is still fresh in my mind.  The learned and wise, whose noble legacy the world has recognized rose from this soil.  Those whose bodies now bind this soil together, their blood it is that flows through our veins.
9
haaN maiN bhi huN bulbul isi shaadaab¹ chaman ka
hai chashma-e-firdaus² ye aalam hai dahan³ ka
kِis tarha na sar-sabz⁴ ho gulzaar suKhan⁵ ka
hai raNg-e-tabiyyat⁶ meN chaman-zaar vatan ka
taaze⁷ haiN mazaamiN⁸ bhi tabiyyat bhi hari hai
haaN gulshan-e qaumi ki hava sar meN bhari hai

1.verdant 2.source of heaven/divinity/divine utterance 3.mouth, lips 4.lush green 5.words, verse 6.style/nature of feelings/emotions 7.fresh 8.themes

I too, am a lark of this verdant valley.  My lips are like the source of divine utterance.  How can my words not be lush green, their nature comes from the garden of my homeland.  My themes are fresh/new and my nature is green/productive.  The breeze of the garden of home flows through my soul.

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