Mehjoor - The Poet of Kashmir

Mehjoor is the most famous and revolutionary poet in Kashmir. His real name was Ghulam Ahmad Peerzada. He was born on August 11, 1887, in Mitrigam, Pulwama. He is known as Shair-e-Kashmir" and "the poet of Kashmir". His father’s name was Peer Abdullah Shah. His mother’s name was Sayeeda Begum. She died when Mehjoor was only two years old. His father was responsible for his early education.

Mehjoor | Image Source - JKYouth

Mehjoor was brilliant from his childhood. He was very fond of learning. He was sent to Tral for his primary education. There, he received his education from Abdul Ghani Aashaq. He was a scholar and a poet. In 1901, he was sent to the madrasa Nusrat-ul-Islam in Srinagar. Mehjoor’s father was a preacher (Maulvi). He wants his son to follow the same path. However, he had different dreams.

In the winter of 1905, he went to Amritsar. There he learned calligraphy, which later helped him secure a job at a local newspaper. During this time, he met many famous Urdu poets. These include Maulana Bismil Amritsari, Mohamad Din Fouq, and Maulana Shibli Nomani. They helped him improve his poetry. He also adopted "Mehjoor" as his pen name during his stay in Punjab.

He returned home in 1908. In the next year, he got appointed as a patwari in the revenue department. His first posting was in Ladakh. During his work, he got posted in different parts of Kashmir. This helped Mehjoor observe the beauty of the culture and traditions of Kashmir. He also appreciated the beauty of Kashmiri folk poetry and folklore.

In 1911–12, Mehjoor first tried his hand at Urdu and Kashmiri poetry. However, he was not much interested in the Kashmiri language. He was once invited to a poetic symposium. There, he recited one of his Urdu poems. But unfortunately, it didn’t bring him any success. He then decided to move to his mother tongue. In 1915, Mehjoor said good-bye to Urdu and completely moved towards the Kashmiri language.

Mehjoor published his first poem "Vanta Hay Vesy" in 1918. This became a turning point, which changed his life. After that, he only wrote in his native language Kashmiri. He later became famous as "Shair-e-Kashmir".

Mehjoor | Image Source - SearchKashmir

During the birth of Mehjoor, Kashmir was under Dogra rule. They were so brutal against the people. He saw people going through terrible and pathetic conditions. This broke his heart. He then used his poetry to raise a spark of freedom in the people. He gave people the message of unity, love, affection, and God’s love. His poems were banned from being published. But he didn’t stop and kept writing.

Mehjoor was the first poet who became popular among people. His poems were sung by people in farms, at weddings, and also on festivals. He praised the gardens, springs, lakes, and many other things of Kashmir in his poems. Along with being a poet, he was also a great scholar.

He has published a book named "Ladakh ka Safranama". In this, he wrote about his experience as a traveller to Ladakh. The book has proven itself useful for tourists even today. He wrote a book called "Patwari" for the benefit of Patwaris. Qalandar Raheem Sahib was Mehjoor’s spiritual guide. He also wrote his biography "Hayaat-e-Raheemi".

His poetry work is published in two parts "Payaam-e-Mehjoor" and "Kalaam-e-Mehjoor". "Kalam-e-Mehjoor" has 11 volumes, while "Payaam-e-Mehjoor" has 6 volumes. His poems have been translated into Urdu and English.

Balraj Sahani was a famous Indian filmmaker. He wrote about the Mehjoor in the "Vishwa Bharati" magazine in 1938. His work has also impressed the famous poet Rabindarnath Tagore. His poem "Grees Koor" (The Peasant's Daughter) is one of his famous poems. Because of this poem, he became known as "Wordsworth of Kashmir".

Mehjoor retired from his service in 1945. He then moved back to Mitrigam, his birthplace. In 1951, he received a scholarship from the government. He was the first poet in Kashmir to receive a scholarship. He received his first installment on April 8, 1952. On the same day, Mehjoor had a brain hemorrhage. Mehoor died on April 9, 1952. At that time, he was 67 years old. He was first buried in his native village, Mitrigam, in Pulwama.

After two days on April 11, 1952, Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad visited his village and suggested that his body be disinterred. The poet was then reburied with full state honours at Athvajan, Srinagar, beside Habba Khatoon. His funeral began at Khawnakhai Maula. It is one of Kashmir's holiest sites.