Shamshad Kralawari
In the ever-evolving landscape of Urdu poetry, where voices often compete for grandeur, Khursheed Kazmi remains a poet of quiet conviction. His verses do not seek applause—they invite contemplation. Born in Budhiyal Qaziyan near R.S. Pora, Jammu, and emotionally rooted in the poetic soil of Kashmir, Kazmi’s journey is one of humility, literary stewardship, and emotional resonance.
Between Jammu and Srinagar: A Life Anchored in Poetic Geography
Kazmi’s life is geographically divided between the plains of Jammu and the poetic altitude of Srinagar. Since building his home in Srinagar in the 1960s, he has spent summers immersed in the valley’s literary rhythms, while winters draw him back to Jammu. Yet, it is Kashmir that he calls his watan—not merely a place, but a metaphysical homeland where his verses find their truest echo.
“Kashmir hai mera watan
Mera watan Kashmir hai”
(Kashmir is my homeland—yes,
Kashmir, the image of paradise.)
His poetry often reflects this duality: the longing for permanence in a transient world, and the search for meaning in silence.
“Yeh haqeeqat faqat haqeeqat hai
Is zamaane mein bay sada hoon main”
(This is the only truth itself—
In this age, I remain without a voice.)
A Personal Encounter: Poetry as Gift, Promise as Legacy
Last Month August 2025, Kazmi visited my residence with a rare book—Mouganni-e-Hayyat, his study of Arsh Sehbayi’s poetic style. Alongside it, he gifted me two of his own collections: Husn-e-Tagazzul and Tayir-e-Khayal. That gesture felt more than material—it was a poetic inheritance.
“Haqeeqat kya hai meri shairi ki
Jo bhi seekha hai to Noor al-Zaman se”
(What truth lies in my poetry?
Whatever I’ve learned, it is from Noor al-Zaman.)
Published Works: A Testament to Craft and Care
Kazmi’s ghazals are marked by clarity, philosophical depth, and emotional honesty.
“Qabil nahin thay uski mohabbat ke hum kabhi
Us ne banaya apna, inayat ki baat hai”
(We were never worthy of the love—
My love owned me , out of grace.)
“Mujh ko daawa to nahin hai main tumhara kuch houn ,
Aarzoo hai meri tum dil mein basaye rakhna”
(I make no claim to be yours—
My only wish is to dwell in your heart.)
Mentorship and Literary Kinship
Kazmi’s poetic lineage includes Noor, Arsh Sehbayi, and Ameen Bangali. Yet he himself has become a mentor to many. He wrote a short note for me while presenting the books.
“ Apne jazbaat ki roshni mein padhiye ‘’
(Read this in the light of your own emotions.)
“Hum agar keh lete hain kuch to Khuda ki dain hai
Hum ko tasleem hai, Khursheed shair hum nahin”
(If we utter anything, it is by God’s grace—
We accept, Khursheed, we are not poets.)
“Shikayat karein uski Khursheed kis se
Muqaddar mein likha tha jo ho gaya hai:
(Whom should we blame, Khursheed?
What was written in fate has come to pass.)
Critical Engagement: Mouganni-e-Hayyat and Literary Stewardship
Kazmi’s critique of Sehbayi is both rigorous and reverent.
“Arsh ki shairi mein jazbaat ka ek aisa saahil hai
Jahan har lehar apni pehchaan banati hai”
(In Arsh’s poetry, there is a shore of emotions—
Where every wave carves its own identity.)
“Yeh gulshan yoon hi rahega “
(This garden will remain as it is,
And thousands of devoted souls
Will go on sacrificing themselves for it—
Yet the garden will endure.)
Ghazal as Medium: Sorrow, Silence, and Soul
Kazmi’s ghazals blur the line between personal and collective grief.
Ghazaal sirf aur sirf gham-e-dauran aur gham-e-jaan ke izhaar ka zariya hai
Ghazal is solely a medium for expressing the sorrow of the world and the sorrow of the soul.
(Zindagi se har koi mayoos hai
Kyun hai itni bebasi, mujh ko bata)
(Everyone is disheartened by life—
Tell me, why is there such helplessness?)
“Aazmaya hum ne duniya ko bohat
Kis qadar hai bewafa, janay bhi do”
(We have tested the world enough_
Let go, for it is so unfaithful.)
“Kuch bhi ho, mujh ko tujh se pyaar hai dost
Aa bhi ja, tera intezaar hai dost “
Yeh bahaarain khizaan hain tere baghair
To agar ho khizaan, bahaar hai dost “
(No matter what, I love you, my friend—
Even if it’s autumn, it feels like spring,
Because of you, my friend.)
A Poet for the Soulful Reader;
Khursheed Kazmi is not a poet for the impatient reader. His verses require stillness, reflection, and emotional openness. In an age of literary noise, his voice is a whisper worth listening to.
Shamshad Kralawari can be reached at shamshadkralwari@gmail.com
