Jahangeer Ganaie
Tral, Mar 4: A youth from south Kashmir inspired by renowned Sufi poets has published his first book in Kashmiri to promote Sufi literature besides the Kashmiri language.
Zahid Manzoor Bhat, a resident of Gutroo village in Aripal Tehsil of Tral, said that listening to Sufi saints since his childhood inspired him to pen down hundreds of poems, most of them in Kashmiri.
“Sufi poets like Rajab Hamid, Rasool Mir, Shamas Fakeer, Rahim Sopore inspired me since my childhood.Once a Teacher Namely Abdul Rashid saw some couplets on my notebook While checking when i was in class 8th then he said you will become a poet”. And by listening and reading the writings of sufi poets, I have written over 500 poems. Most of my poems are Naat and Hamud,” Bhat said.
After a lot of struggle Bhat turned his poetry collection into a book which he wasn’t able to do due to financial issues.
“My father died when I was just 3 years old and we got some help from a Yateem trust and after completing my Bachelors, I started to work as a private school teacher where I am getting meager salary to take care of my family which comprises of the mother, grandmother and the younger brother,” he said. “I wanted to publish my book but I am hardly fulfilling the needs of the family, but now some friends helped to publish the first book, titled “Hayaatuk-Aab ”.
Bhat said most of his work is yet to be published while besides promoting Sufism, the main motive behind writing the poems in Kashmiri is to promote the mother tongue.
“In my poems, I have touched social issues as well. We are losing our culture which is our identity and are only propagating western culture,” he said.
“Our valley is full of talent, but the financial issues and lack of platform are becoming an obstacle for thousands of youth to get their dreams fulfilled,” he said.
