By B
L Razdan
December
17, 2020
The 93rd
Death Anniversary of Pt Krishna Joo Razdan, the poet of Kashmiri poets, is
falling on 22nd December, 2020 corresponding to Bikrami Magar Shukla Paksh
Ashtami. There was a controversy surrounding the date of his death inasmuch as
some would say that it was in 1924 and some would say that it was in 1925. All
were, however, agreed that the death took place on Marg Shuklapaksh Ashtami in
Bikrami Samwat. To put the controversy at rest, the matter was resolved by the
well known Kashmiri Jyotshi, Shri Bhushan Lal Ji of Vijayeshwar Jyotish
Karlaya, who found that this Bikrami date fell on 13th December, 1926 and also
that in other years, the Shukla Paksh Ashtami would not correspond to 13th
December, 1924 or 1925. Razdans of Vanpoh, his progeny, have been performing
his shraad hawan always on Magar Shukla Paksh Ashtmi. Thus it is established
beyond any shadow of doubt that the true and correct date of Nirvana of Krishna
Joo Razdan was 13th December, 1926.
That
Krishna Joo Razdan was a Kashmiri poet of very high order and has written
beautiful poetry in Kashmiri, is too well known and documented. What, however,
is not known is that he used to write poetry in Dogri, Hindi and surprisingly,
even in Persian?
Those who
had seen him personally, would recall that Krishna Joo did poetry almost under
impulse or what you call ‘vaikhuri’ in Kashmiri or even in Hindi. He would
recite a poem sometimes at the prodding of his daughter in law. Using his
buttocks as substitute for drums he would go on outpouring stanza after stanza
that were rhyming beautifully even as the theme in his mind would also be
accomplished simultaneously. He would recite similarly when prodded on by his
Guru or even by his gurubhais and later on by his disciples. Having said what
he had to, it was for these friends and/or relatives to write these down on
paper. It was left for his eldest grandson, Pt Jia Lal Razdan, to take rounds
of all places Pt. Krishna Joo Razdan would hae visited, like the homes of his
disciples such as Pt Kanth Kak Sharabi, Pt. Kailash Nath Fotedar, Pt. J N
Misri, Wanchoo family of Srinagar and others, who would most sincerely maintain
and preserve these precious verses. Pt. Jia Lal Razdan wrote a beautiful hand,
which he
used to compile
Krishna Bhajanavli in Persian
script, which is preserved as a precious family heirloom by his descendants.
For the
benefit of the posterity this bhajanavli has been digitized and is available on
the internet. The disciples of Krishna Joo Razdan copied this document and
handwrote several copies thereof. They would present a copy each to their
daughters at the time of their marriage. While Fotedar Sahib’s family has
preserved their copies and made the Devnagri edition available on the internet,
Misri family has made copies of their family heirloom available in six volumes
at Amazon. The Persian poems are not traceable.
However, Pt
Damodar Lal Bhat, a leading advocate of Anantnag, recollected some Persian
poems, one of which was spontaneously recited by Krishna Joo Razdan on one of
their family functions. Similarly he was also personally witness to another
recitation at another function, which again he could recall.
President
awardee, Dr (Prof.) Mathura Dutt Pandey, was so impressed by the depth of
Krishna Joo Razdan’s poetry in general that he rendered nine of his Kashmiri
poems into Hindi poetry, which were published separately under the title
‘Navrattan’.
Seeing that
Krishna Joo Razdan had dabbled in Hindi and Dogri poetry as well, he edited a
separate booklet titled Krishna Joo Razdan ki Hindi Bhakti Kavita ko den. The
two Persian poems recalled by Pt. Damodar Lal Bhat were also included in this
publication.
-----
Bhushan
Lal Razdan, formerly of the Indian Revenue Service, retired as Director General
of Income Tax (Investigation), Chandigarh.
Original
Headline: Krishna Joo Razdan: Poet of Kashmiri Poets
Source: The Greater Kashmir
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/krishna-joo-razdan-poetry-almost/d/123798
New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism