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
hai lab pe mere ulfat-e-qaumi¹ ka taraana
aaina-e kaifiyyat²-e nairaNg³-e zamaana⁴
haaN gosh-e-haqeeqat⁵ se suneN aaqil⁶ o daana⁷
taqdeer ki gardish⁸ ka ye pur-dard fasaana⁹
kِis auj¹⁰ se is qaum ka ye haal hua hai
kis tarah ye gulshan mera paamaal¹¹ hua hai

1.love of nation/community 2.condition 3.changing 4.times 5.truth discerning ears 6.intelligent, informed 7.wise 8.movement, change 9.story 10.apex, climax 11.downtrodden

The song of love of community on my lips, reflecting the condition of changing times.  You, who are informed and wise, can know truth when they hear it.  Hear this sorrowful story of changing fate.  From what heights has this community come down.  O, how this garden has been trampled.
2
Khaamosh tha jo lab vohi sargarm-e-fuGhaaN¹ hai
jo aag thi seene meN nihaaN² aaj ayaaN³ hai
bismil⁴ ki tarah Khaatir-e-naashaad⁵ tapaaN⁶ hai
har madd-e-nafas⁷ surat-e-shamshir⁸ ravaaN⁹ hai
laKhti barad az man guzarad har ke zapeesham
man faash farosh dil-e sad paara-e Kheesham

1.engaged in wailing 2.hidden 3.apparent 4.sacrificial animal 5.unhappy heart 6.agitated, restless 7.wave of breath 8.like a sword 9.moving/cutting

The lips that were silent are now busy wailing.  The fire that was hidden in my bosom has now come out.  My sorrowful heart throbs/thrashes like a sacrificed beast.  Every breath cuts like a sword.  Everything that passes before me, cuts me into pieces.  I present before you a hundred pieces of my heart.
3
hai qaum pe chhaaya hua ye abr-e-nahoosat¹
nazroN se hai pinhaaN² ruKh³-e Khurshid⁴-e s’aadat⁵
midaan-e-taraqqi⁶ meN qadam karte haiN raj’at⁷
saaye ki tarah saathh hai idbaar⁸ ki soorat
vo baar-e-alam⁹ hai ke uThaaya nahiN jaata
bigRa hai vo naqsha¹⁰ ke banaaya nahiN jaata

1.cloud of bad luck 2.hidden 3.face 4.sun 5.good luck 6.field of progress 7.turn back 8.ill omen 9.burden of sorrow 10.picture

It is as if a cursed cloud hangs over the community hiding the bright sun of blessing.  Our feet turn backwards in the field of progress.  Bad luck follows us like our shadow.  The burden of sorrows cannot be borne any more.  The picture is scrambled so badly that it cannot be put back together.
4
peeroN¹ meN nahiN raushni-e chashm-e-baseerat²
anqa³ hai javaanoN meN javaaNmardi o himmat
gumraah hue jaate haiN Khud Khizr⁴-e tareeqat⁵
har saf’ha⁶-e dil se hai miTa harf-e mohabbat
baaqi hai kahaaN naam o nishaaN mahr⁷ o vafa⁸ ka
kuchh raNg hi badla nazar aata hai hava ka

1.elders 2.seeing/discerning eye 3.legendary bird which cannot be seen 4.legendary old man who is considered a guide 5.ways, tradition 6.page 7.kindness 8.promise

Our elders no longer have a discerning eye which can see what is needed.  Daring and courage is absent from the young like the imaginary bird, anqa.  Even the guides of tradition have lost their way.  The word of love has been erased from every page.  There is not even a trace left of kindness and consideration.  The times have changed.

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