Aaqib Akbar
The highly acclaimed critic, translator, essayist , prose writer , columnist and much more , Abdul Ahad Hajini is considered to be one of the best Kashmiri writer not only in the state of Jammu & Kashmir but all over the India as well. Ahad Saab has left no stone unturned to modify and reshape the Kashmiri Language and Literature .
He started his literary carrier under the supervision of Prof. Mohi –ud-din Hajini and Mohammad Ahsan Ahsan in 1972 with “ Kashris Adbas Peth Akh Nazar“ which was a grand success in Kashmiri literature from literary criticism point of view, followed by “ Tyoth Pazar”( Translation of Short Stories 2009) , “ Yati Noor-e- Sari Araz-o- Sama “ ( travelogue 2012) , “ Akh Yaad Akh Qayamat”( collection of short stories 2015 and for this book he was awarded Sahitya Academy main award in 2019) , “ Hawas” ( collection of essays 2011) , “Aejaz-e- Gareeba” ( 2013) , “Raai Traai” ( criticism 2016) and further Ahad Saab has written monograph on Hassan Shah Khuihami for Sahitya Academy ( 2016) and right now three books are under publication process ( essay collection , collection of papers on heritage , research oriented articles and translation).His collection of short stories “ Tyoth Pazar” won him many praises and accolades and he was awarded Sahitya Academy Award for translation (2012).
Abdul Ahad Hajini is associated with many literary and cultural associations of Kashmir like Member of Halqa e Adab Sonawari since 1960, President Halqa e Adab Sonawari since 2017, Member of Adbee Markaz Kamraz since 1990, Sr. Vice President of Adbee Markaz Kamraz since 2017 , Editor of Walurk –e- Malar ( bi annual journal published in Kashmiri by Halqa e Adab Sonawari ) , Editor of Prave ( journal published by Adbee Markaz Kamraz in English and Kashmiri from 2015 – 19) and member of Sahitya Academy Advisory Board from 2012-17.
Abdul Ahad Hajini has emerged as a colossal essayist in Jammu & Kashmir after Prof. Mohammad Zaman Azurda, its Ahad Saab who is emerging a new dynamic essayist in Kashmiri Literature and he is bringing new laurels to this genre not only at state level but at national level as well. His collection of essays “HAWAS” contains 18 essays and in these essays Abdul Ahad is primarily a philosophical thinker, a muse (who is inspired and is inspiring)and his essays are vast treaty of nature in which multitudes of argument and illustrations jostle one another for existence, on the basis of there form, they may be called lectures, and some of them may be called treatises or orations.
Abdul Ahad Hajini is an emerging essayist in the Kashmiri Literature, whose collection of essays “HAWAS” contains 18 essays and in these essays Abdul Ahad is primarily a philosophical thinker, a muse (who is inspired and is inspiring). His works are vast treatises of nature in which multitudes of arguments and illustrations jostle one another for existence. On the other hand, Slotogate is a leading online platform in the industry of online casinos using payid online pokies australia, providing a wide range of such casinos. It gives players the opportunity to choose the best online casino for themselves, as well as look at an overview of all popular casinos. Thus, Abdul Ahad Hajini and Slotogate are two great examples of how one can explore the world of art and gambling, and find the best option for themselves.
The title in the collection “SUI” starts with the quotation of great Kashmiri saint and poet Sheikh Ul Aalam
Sui ho sari andesha kaasi
Sui Sui kr to zov…
Ahad Saab is introducing himself as a mystic, trying to communicate with his creator and in doing so, he is in complete trance. Deep mystical and spiritual meaning and theme can be found in the essay .The essay suggest that all roads led to one divinity , no matter its name or the unique ways , all paths led to one ultimate peace.
In another essay titled “BUTHI”, Abdul Ahad Hajini is exposing the dark realities of human nature; how society changes, cultural shift, capitalism values, race between inferiority and superiority and like Gabriel Okara (Once Upon a Time)
he is revealing the different faces of humans
“I have learned to wear many faces
Like dresses – home face, office face
Street face,host face…”
Like a lawyer , Abdul Ahad Hajini gives argument after argument to prove his point and he uses irony , satire and humor to deliver the statement , thus delicately handles the matters to do with religion, politics , human psychology and so on and so forth .His essays express his powerful thoughts , which he want the society to see and work on it . His satirical and critical aspects of life observe internal contradictions and he express the whole part of the information in detailed social writing.
The title in the collection “ Yus Kar –e- Gongul “, Abdul Ahad Hajini endorses the phenomenon of ‘ season’ … with the season of spring .The advent of the spring season is celebrated as the beginning of new life in the essay, with a sense of optimism and joy. Ahad Saab symbolizes spring as an element of happiness, beauty, and most importantly, the beginning of a new life for a person after suffering at the hands of the ‘cold world of winter’. The essay portrays the joy with the arrival of spring; abound with blossoming flowers and new boughs of trees and seeds.
In essay “ LOUL” , Abdul Ahad Hajini broadly explains the human love and affection – love will try every faith, challenge every strength , trigger every weakness , mock every value and then leave you there to die like Hemaal and Nagrai.The reading of Abdul Ahad Hajini as an essayist shows in him an encouraging literary writer in Kashmiri Language and Literature, by spurning rigid classical forms , he revolutionized the Kashmiri language .He is natural , he writes as he thinks and he thinks crisply. His essays are a medley of reflections, quotations, personal experiences and reactions to life and anecdotes. To be an essayist, a writer must have the gift of style and this Ahad Saab undoubtedly has and in the abundant measure too. He believes that behind all the appearances there is reality and for him the reality is the unitive knowledge of God and this he exactly proves in the essay “ SUI”.
Abdul Ahad Hajini’s intent in writing essays is a serious one, they are not written for amusements or leisure time but rather he is concerned with intellectual truth, and gives opinions and never speaks of himself. He is practical and opportunistic in the advice he offers. His essays are brief as any essay should be .He is not lightly dealing with important topics but deals with all essay topics seriously even if they are unimportant.
“TABDEELI” essay in the collection reflects on different changes like social change, political change, change in the behavior of individual etc etc . The writer in the essay skillfully reflects on the hypocrisy of politicians , how they dupe common masses and use them for their struggle to achieve greatness, further the essay broadly displays the conflict between the haves and haves not.
The reading of “HAWAS” is a treasure of world philosophy. The titles in the collection include ‘Nangas Nindar Prangas Peth,‘Qadr’, ‘Tagan Gari’and, many others teach us those permanent moral principles which everyone must know obligatory, they portray the intellect and practical wisdom of Abdul Ahad Hajini, all the 18 essays have gripping plots and hidden truth of practical life .They are loaded with ripest wisdom of experience and observation conveyed through compact and terse sentences. The reading of “HAWAS” can be used as a medium to live a simple and successful life.
Therefore, Abdul Ahad Hajini as an essayist, is a man of style .it is his scientific approach towards human life which make him an outstanding and a unique essayist in Kashmiri Literature. His stock of words is exceptionally rich, he is very fond of using quotation .His quotations are so numerous that they may be said to be quite a feature of his style, In “HAWAS” he quotes from different Kashmiri poets like Sheikh ul Aalam, Mehjoor, Rehman Rahi, MargoobBanhali, MotiLal Saki and so on and so forth .His quotations show the depth and range of his readings .The secret of clearness of his style is the clearness of his thought, though deep yet clear. It has been observed by critics like Prof. Rashid Nazki and Prof. Mohammad Zaman Azurda that Ahad Hajini ‘s style is intellectual rather than emotional and that’s why the themes or the ideas of his essays are practical and can be applicable in day today human affairs for the betterment of human civilization.
The writer is a student of English Literature Dept. of English ,University of Kashmir and can be mailed at aaqibakbar7039@gmail.com
