SANJAY PANDITA
Dr. Sohan Kaul, a name woven into the very fabric of Kashmiri literature, is more than just an author. He is a chronicler of human anguish, a poet of the absurd, a voice that emerges from the heart of Kashmir—singing both its ancient sorrows and its contemporary turbulence. Born in 1955, amidst the delicate beauty and pervading turmoil of Parnewah, Budgam, Kaul’s journey is one of a restless spirit seeking solace in words, striving to capture the ineffable contradictions of existence. His life, his work, and his extraordinary output reflect the haunting dance of tragedy and resilience that defines Kashmir. In a landscape where serenity meets strife, Kaul stands as a beacon of expression, shedding light on the inner dilemmas of a people long caught between history and destiny.
Kaul’s early years were spent traversing the fertile yet chaotic fields of Parnewah. From his village school to Khansahab High School and later to Amar Singh College in Srinagar, his intellectual thirst was undeniable. It was in the corridors of these institutions that Kaul’s mind began to grapple with larger questions of existence, identity, and human absurdity. The world of literature offered him an escape and a mirror, particularly through the intricate, poetic labyrinth of Urdu.
In 1973, at a time when paths to Law and Political Science beckoned him with promises of success, Kaul made an impassioned choice—to study Urdu. This was not just an academic decision, but a spiritual calling. He knew, even then, that the medium of Urdu prose would allow him to probe life’s ironies with a scalpel of intellect, wit, and a deep sense of humanism. His Ph.D. dissertation, “Social Satire in Urdu Prose,” became the foundation of what would be a lifetime spent dissecting the follies of human behavior, using satire as his sword, and absurdity as his shield.
Kaul’s first foray into fiction came with Aur Sapne Toot Gaye, a work in Urdu that signaled the beginning of his exploration into the ephemeral dreams and harsh realities of life. Yet, despite the early success, something was amiss. He realized that while Urdu was the language of his intellect, it was not the language of his soul. Only in his mother tongue, Kashmiri, could he express the intricate human emotions he sought to depict. Thus began his second birth as a writer, this time in Kashmiri, and with it, a literary revolution that would shape the dramatic and narrative landscape of Kashmiri literature.
In Kaul’s plays, life’s inherent absurdities take center stage. His works, such as Shakespeare, Cactus, Sarkar, Local Taxes Extra, Date of Expiry, and Laash Ghar, aren’t mere dialogues on paper—they are the pulsating rhythms of existence itself, straddling the line between reality and surreality. These plays reflect life’s contradictions, where the mundane collides with the magical, and where time and space collapse into one another.
The stories Kaul tells aren’t about grand heroes or mythical events; they are about ordinary people grappling with extraordinary dilemmas. He takes the simple, the familiar, and through his masterful manipulation of space and time, turns them into reflections of the cosmic. His characters, much like those in Beckett or Kafka, move through worlds where logic holds little sway. They are, instead, governed by forces beyond their control—forces like fate, destiny, and the weight of historical and cultural expectations.
In Khar Kale, Marunie Chhu Behtar, Naad, and Ba Kus Chhus, Kaul pushed the boundaries of drama in Kashmiri, weaving narratives that explored existential dilemmas in profound ways. He did not merely depict life; he deconstructed it. He questioned the very nature of existence, often presenting a world where human intelligence is but a feeble light against the overwhelming darkness of fate. Yet, unlike the nihilism of a Nietzschean worldview, Kaul’s universe retains its spirituality. God is not dead; He merely observes from afar, as humans continue their preordained march through life’s absurdities.
In 2014, as Kashmir was submerged under the devastating floods, Kaul’s literary sensibility found new depths. The natural disaster became a profound metaphor in his magnum opus, Yotam Sarie Paeth Gow. Here, the floodwaters aren’t mere torrents; they are symbols of the endless cycles of misery and suffering that have washed over Kashmir for generations.
In Abysmal, Kaul continues his exploration of human suffering, this time through the lens of mystery and metaphysics. It is a novella that feels like a search—for meaning, for salvation, for something beyond the mundane that defines our everyday lives. It’s as if Kaul is offering us a sugar-coated pill, drawing us into the mysteries of existence while subtly confronting us with life’s harshest truths.
In Ded, perhaps one of Kaul’s most poignant works, we find a narrative that delves deep into the complexities of human relationships. Here, Sarla, a widow abandoned by her in-laws, forms an unlikely and profound bond with Razzak, a Muslim leader. This rebellion against societal norms is emblematic of Kaul’s broader philosophical inquiry—his questioning of rigid boundaries, be they religious, cultural, or emotional. Ded is not just a story of survival; it’s a meditation on love, tolerance, and the deeply ingrained prejudices that govern human societies.
In Panien Panien Gunah, the philosophical inquiry becomes even more acute. The story, in which one brother takes on the sins of another to protect the family’s honor, is a profound meditation on guilt, sacrifice, and the weight of societal expectations. It is a novel that asks hard questions about the nature of human dignity and values, about the choices we make and the prices we pay for them.
In Talash Roze Jari, Kaul offers a bold metaphysical allegory, where the protagonist questions the very existence of God, comparing Him to outdated computer software. The novel is a reflection on the fragility of human belief systems and the shifting nature of faith in a world that seems increasingly disconnected from grace. Much like Camus or Sartre, Kaul is not offering solutions but rather highlighting the absurdity of the questions themselves.
In Daie Chhune Maran, we find Kaul at his most Kafkaesque. The protagonist, punished for crimes he did not commit, stands as a symbol for the arbitrary and often absurd nature of life’s trials. Here, Kaul forces the reader to confront the inherent contradictions of existence—where justice, morality, and fate intertwine in ways that are often incomprehensible.
In Pasiek Dar and Shah Paez, Kaul continues to probe the philosophical and metaphysical realms, blending magical realism with contemporary political and social concerns. In Pasiek Dar, two young boys are transported to another planet by a magician, highlighting the alienation that defines modern human existence. Shah Paez, on the other hand, merges mythology with the harsh realities of militant conflict, presenting a narrative that reflects the crisis of faith, identity, and survival in a land torn by strife.
In this literary portrait of Kaul, it’s essential to highlight two of his other significant works: “Hassan Kozegar” and “Bhand”. These pieces further cement his role as a chronicler of Kashmiri life, using nuanced characters and philosophical undertones to reflect on the region’s social fabric and collective psyche.
In addition to his already impressive repertoire, Dr. Kaul is set to release two fresh novels: “Ajab Malik” and “Andrim Zarab”, which will be published by the Akademy on the 14th of this month. With these new contributions, the total number of his novels will reach 16, further solidifying his prolific status in Kashmiri literature.
Beyond his original works, Kaul’s contribution to literature includes his skillful translations of iconic plays from global literature into Kashmiri. His translations of Chekhov’s The Seagull, Albee’s Zoo Story, Priestly’s An Inspector Calls, and Karnad’s Tuglaq and Hayavadan brought international literature to Kashmiri audiences, enriching the cultural and literary landscape of the valley. These adaptations were not mere linguistic exercises but cultural bridges, connecting the universal human experience with the unique socio-political realities of Kashmir.
A distinctive aspect of Kaul’s process is his ability to infuse the ordinary with elements of the surreal. His works often begin with simple, everyday situations that gradually morph into absurd or magical events. In plays such as Shakespeare and Khar Kale, mundane circumstances evolve into surreal explorations of time, space, and fate.
Kaul uses absurdity and magical realism to dismantle the rigid structures of time and space, allowing his characters to traverse worlds that blur the lines between reality and imagination. His writing process, therefore, involves the delicate balance of anchoring his narratives in reality while allowing them to drift into the realms of the surreal, where larger existential and metaphysical questions can be explored.
Kaul’s writing is deeply metaphorical, and his process involves a careful layering of symbols and allegories that enrich his narratives. In Yotam Sarie Paeth Gow, for example, the floodwaters are not just a natural disaster; they become a character in their own right—a metaphor for time, history, and the unending misery of the Kashmiri people. Similarly, in Talash Roze Jari, the protagonist’s quest for God becomes an allegory for the human search for meaning in a world that feels increasingly disconnected from spirituality.
Kaul’s writing process appears to be organic and fluid, rather than rigidly structured. Much like his narratives, which often play with time and space, his approach to crafting stories is flexible. He allows his characters and plots to evolve naturally, often letting the story take him in unexpected directions. This openness to the creative flow is a hallmark of his process, as he navigates the unpredictable waters of absurdity and surrealism.
Kaul’s writing process is one of constant exploration—of self, of society, and of the absurdities of existence. It is a deeply philosophical and fluid process, characterized by an intellectual curiosity that is matched only by his emotional depth. Through careful character development, metaphorical richness, and an intricate blending of reality and the surreal, Kaul crafts narratives that challenge, provoke, and ultimately, illuminate the human condition.
The writer can be reached at sanjaypanditasp@gmail.com
