Vijay Wali
It is well said that hope is life and every human being is hopeful of his bright tomorrow. But the poets are considered more sensitive than the common people , it is because of this that they express their sentiments and views in such a way that the people are moved.
Sarvanand Koul Premi , was one of those poets who had dreams of bright tomorrow in thier eyes and represented common sentiments of the common people . He gave voice to just and peaceful aspirations of the people, for whom he had great love in his heart.
Born in 1924 in a peasant Kahmiri Pandit family of Souf Shalli in Kukarnag area of Kashmir valley, Sarvanand was an intelligent boy and his zeal for education encouraged him to walk to Schools that were at a considerable distance from his home.
He with his determination completed his graduation and later went to Punjab in 1948 for doing job in Electricity Deptt. and later went to Delhi for working in a central government office. But his heart remained in his place of birth Kashmir , which he loved more than himself. Sarvanand Koul Premi returned to Kashmir in year 1954 and joined Education Department of Jammu & Kashmir as a teacher,a department he served for next 23 years with sincerity.
Sarvanand Koul Premi’s heart was moved by the sufferings of the common people, and he used to give vent to his feelings through Urdu and Hindi poetry, which he used to recite to his close associates and literary friends.
Sarvanand Koul Premi became a big name in Kashmiri poetry by virtue of his vocabulary a simple expression and placed himself in the galaxy of writers of his times like Gulam Ahmed Mehjoor, Arjan Deo Majboor, Master Zind Koul and others. In fact the ray of writting in mother toungue Kashmiri was kindled in Sarvanand’s heart by a great Master of Kashmiir poetry Master Zinda Koul. It was Master Zinda Koul who advised him to write in Kashmiri language in which he can express himself well and more effectively.
Sarvanand Koul Premi found the Master Ji’s advice valuable and realistic . He found himself more conversant with the native language and started expressing himself freely, his writing gave him the requisite recognition and he never looked back again as his poetry collections and creative writings like Kalam-e-Premi, Payam-e-Premi , Rudh Jhari, Paan Chaddar , Osh Vosh took the literary circles as well as common people by storm.
Apart from being a creative writer, Sarvanand Koul Premi has been a good Researcher also., His scholarly qualities enabled him to write exclusive and maiden research papers on the life and teachings of Mata Roop Bhawani , Swami Mirza Kak and many more in the line.
Sarvanand Koul Premi was genius of his times , a teacher, a scholar and a poet of repute . His poetry depicted the agony and pain he felt for a common man, filling the extinguished hearts with a new ray of hope.
“Lolas byol gali, titi ma bani zanh,
Zoon payi chali chali, titi ma bani zanh;
Apuz kenh kaal yodvy rathi khasi,
Pazras nyal gali, titi ma bani zanh.
( It will never be, that love will be lost,
it will never be, that moon will shattered;
Lie can prevail for a moment,
it will never be, that truth will vanquish.)
Sarvanand Koul Premi in his youth also took part in independence struggle and the same comradeship remained entrusted in his heart for rest of his life along with his views of brotherhood and patriotism. As a journalist he worked in Daily Khidmat and Weekly Desh newspapers, expressing in solidarity with his independent countrymen. During this dawn of independence Premi also remained a active member of Cultural Front, where he worked with many genius writers of his times.
In fact Gulam Ahmed Mahjoor , the great poet of Kashmir lauded his poetry collection “Rudha Jahre” a master peice, which won him acclaim on highest level.
Apart from being a poet and research scholar Sarvanand Koul Premi was a good translator too. He translated many prominent books from other languages into Kashmiri language .His translations include Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta, Rabindra Nath Tagore’s Geetanjali and many more. The specialty of his translations is that he has translated them in the verse form ,knitting them poetically in such a manner that they proved to be the exact replicas of the original texts and thoughts.
On the fateful day of 29th April 1990, Srvanand Koul Premi along with his son were martyred by unknown gun men in his native village itself, but the songs of Premi which are full of compassion, brotherhood and patriotism will echo in our ears for ever, reminding us of the great human being he was.
A fearless soldier of pen, Premi was never afraid of his stand on brotherhood and patriotism he stood for all through his life.
” Be aashan hanz aash banith
bas lat monji gos.
Cheti ma amut yuth toofanah
myani pathi”
(Being a hope of the hopeless
I I am being trampled upon;
Are you also facing this typhoon
like me)
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