By Mushtaque B Barq
Life is like it, a streak of light followed by silence. Death is the flip side of existence and every living creature has to taste it.
We have lost a genius, genuine and God fearing character. A gentle man who would never say no whenever he was asked for. A smiling face, with serious thought bestowed by a dulcet voice. He would always carry his little handbag within it carting his magnificent writeups.
Shahzada Bismil was a columnist and reputed Urdu fiction writer from Bemina Srinagar Kashmir. He was a retired government employee. His columns, essays and short stories are considered exemplary for the seamless diction. He started his column in 1974 and his column Chalte Chalte has already impressed all and sundry. His earlier column Qaus-i-Qaza and Saat Rang have not only mesmerized the readers for the apt use of references but have also set a standard of his own. His columns were published in different newspapers of the country and abroad. His literary anthologies include Raqs-i- Bismil, Khuda Kele Mujay Bachav, Khushboo Ki Mout and the second edition of Raqs-i- Bismil . His two volumes based on his columns _Chalte Chalte was recently released on the 200th session of the Jammu and Kashmir Fiction Writers’ Guild.
His short stories are well-knitted and exceedingly idealistic. His narrative technique is unique. His engagement with his characters seems subjective for most of his characters have been taken from his surroundings of which he is part and parcel. His romantic texture is conventional in nature and in most of his stories he utilized romance in the best possible way.
He was awarded for his literary contribution by Jammu and Kashmir Fiction Writers’ Guild in 2018, 2019 and 2021. He was also been awarded by Tamel-i- Irshad for his regular column writing. He has the credit of reading the highest number of Fiction Tehreer in Urdu in the sessions of Jammu and Kashmir Fiction Writers’ Guild.
After his schooling in 1960, he was appointed as a clerk at The University of Kashmir and in 1966-67 he was transferred to BOSEas head clerk and retired as joint Secretary Admissions. He passed away on 23rd May 2022 after a brief illness. May Allah grand peace to his soul.
