Samad Mir, a wonderful Sufi mystic poet of our beloved soil Kashmir lived in 20th century, bequeathed heavenly verses and new approaches of mystic path and divine love. His every verse is poetized in great rhythm, meter, deep connotation and knowledge about human behavior, existence of life and divine love. Samad Mir continued the Sufi mystical tradition in Kashmiri poetry in the 20th century.
Almost every poet of Kashmir has used Arabic and Persian dialect in their poetry, writers of the soil were influenced by Persian and Arabic poets but Samad Mir is the first Sufi mystic poet of Kashmir who utilized Sanskrit and Hindi words in his poetry in a marvelous manner, it appears he had deep knowledge, cognition and grip on both the languages. Samad Mir had never gone to school but his poetry is a clean combination of Islamic Sufism. While going through his poetry even well knowing person of Sanskrit and Hindi language cannot spot any kind of error, it is pretty evident that even being an illiterate Samad Mir was a man of towering ability having immense knowledge and wisdom.
Alim Gaw Alim-e-Ludni
Tchalim Shakh Aam Badni
Porum Na Kaseh Nish Toosh
Karis Aarasteh Yaari
(Knowledge is, the divine knowledge
Doubt went and it came as practical
I did not bow for the sake of knowledge
But my beloved (Murshid) blessed me)
Sammad Mir was born at Narwara Srinagar in the year 1894 and at the age of 65 he left his material world in the year 1959. His shrine (Aastaan-i-Aaliya) is situated at Agar, nearby village of Nambalhaar. Samad Mir belonged to a Sufi family, primitively they were the denizens of Nambalhar (Budgam), his father Khaliq Mir was also a Sufi poet who migrated from village Nambalhar to Narwara Srinagar at a young age in search of livelihood. He started working in a saw mill and later got married; he had three sons namely Samad Mir, Rahim Mir and Muhammad Mir. Till the age of maturity of Samad Mir, the whole family dwelt at Narwara, later Samad Mir in his twenties decided to return back to Nambalhar whereas Rahim Mir stayed at Narwara and unfortunately the third brother Muhammad Mir died very young in his twenties.
Samad Mir had two sons, Gh. Rasool Mir and Gull Mohd Mir (also known as Aasi, died 8 September 1980) and one daughter namely Rehti. In the beginning Samad Mir started working as a laborer with carpenters and masons but later joined his parental job of timber sawing (Aari Kash).
Samad Mir used to travel to various places in connection with work, once he went to Wagur (a village in Budgam) where he came in contact with Habib Najar. Samad Mir noticed that Habib Najar is the follower of mystic path; he started to have conversations with him. After having several discussions Samad Mir was very much markedly influenced by him so he decided to follow his directives. This way Samad Mir became the disciple of Habib Najar.
After the death of Habib Najar, Samad Mir felt he is in need of more consciousness which could end his thirst, and came in contact with Khaliq Najar of Batamaloo Srinagar with whose permission he initiated to write poetry.
Veseh Kaar Mushkil Baar Gub Goom
Vet Raw Wun Peyoom
Gulaleh Panas Kaaleh Rang Goom
Vat Raw Wun Peyoom
(Oh! My friend burden of work is weighty
But I had to endure
My rosy body turned black
But I had to endure)
With the death of Khaliq Najar, Samad Mir was appalled and all of a sudden kiboshed to write poetry, Mir did not pen a verse for next 13 years but still was very eager to acquire more knowledge. At last he came under the influence of Faqir Ramzan Dar at Anchidora Anantnag Kashmir who pulled the fire out of his chest and ordered him to transform this fire into poetry so he started to indite poetry again after a gap of 13 years which didn’t stop till his last breath.
It is not out of place to mention here that Faqir Ramzan Dar is a revered and well known Sufi saint of a historical village Anchidora. Anchidora is a famous village for having the burial place of many Sufi saints. Faqir Ramzan Dar was the resident of village Anchidora and has acquired fame because of his Karamaat’s, he has shown so many mystic powers during his life. People from far away villages used to offer their presence and to have a glimpse of spiritual master Faqir Ramzan Dar. His tomb is housed at Anchidora where thousands of devotees bestow their presence.
After the demise of Faqir Ramzan Dar and Samad Mir, both families remained in close touch and maintained good relation with each other. Samad Mir’s family still visit the grandson of Faqir Ramzan Dar namely Mohammad Shaban Dar, a well known Sufi figure and poet, who looked after the shrine (Aastaan-i-Aaliya) and the present structure has been built under his supervision. Mohammad Shaban Dar left this world in 2008. Samad Mir’s son Gull Muhammad Mir (known as Aasi) with his disciples used to visit his father’s Murshid. Samad Mir’s elder son Ghulam Rasool Mir also used to bestow his presence. Khalifa’s of the order of Samad Mir never stopped to visit the Mazar Sharief and family of their Murshid Faqir Ramzan Dar.
It is in place to mention here that I belong to the family too and Faqir Ramzan Dar is my great grandfather, Samad Mir’s family never stopped to visit our home also. At the time of Urs Pak of Faqir Ramzan Dar thousands of devotees from different walks of life visit in turnstile numbers.
Samad Mir has indited highly appreciable and soulful poetry with absolutely different concepts. When we read a complete poem of him, in first instance it seems to be poetized on Tasawwuf but on the other side same poets tells the tales of this world. In early years of his poetry he was criticized for writing in a different style but time expresses the significance, gradually Samad Mir’s poetry attained everyone’s attention and people started to study him and today everyone knows that Samad Mir is a famous, reputed and eminent poet of Kashmir, who did not practiced the previous forms but defined his own versatile thoughts in his own grandeur style.
Ya Gasseh Guddeh Keh Panas Sanun
Nateh Bale Banun Apziyoor
Nakhoon Setie Aasmaan Khanun
Toteh Ma whatless Toor
Mir Sund Seer Gasseh Gairun Sanun
Yem Devi Abrah Moor
( One should first cognize his own self
Or to become a liar who perceived naught
It is impossible to make hole in the sky with nails
Still cannot be accomplished
Mir’s secret shall be empathized by general masses
Who restraints his inner self yearnings )
In these above mentioned lines Samad Mir wants people to know his secrets, his sacrifices of material wants in the path of love, one should experience how difficult is to outlive in the path of beloved that is why Mir says, “Mir’s secret shall be empathized by general masses”, so that they will become cognizant about the condition of Mir.
He did not write only about mystical deeds, worldly concern things etc. Samad Mir has written numerous poems on Prophets, Wali’s and Sufi Saints of Islam. A beautiful poem composed about Hazrat Adam (ASWS) in which he delineates how did Allah SWT created this entire universe, starting from the very creation of Hazrat Adam ASWS. In the grand honor, respect and admiration of Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wasalam he has poetized so many poems magnificently and has revealed the best state of bliss for being in mediation of Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wasalam. These Naat-e-Sharief are the best work done, Samad Mir has brought life to his words written about the nobility of Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wasalam. His art of defining is thoroughly unique and beyond any comparison; he has used words such beautifully that reader’s heart melts within seconds. It seems that Samad Mir has burned his blood till late hours of night while writing these endearing, heart winning and mesmerizing lines.
Kad Choonei Wuchh Meh Bala,
Ya Muhammad Mustafa (SAW)
Had-o-Lahad Arsh-e-Aala,
Ya Muhammad Mustafa (SAW)
(I witnessed you beyond infinity
Ya Muhammad Mustafa (SAW)
You are beyond the bounds of skies and eternity
Ya Muhammad Mustafa (SAW))
Naam-i-Paak Choon Heun Tchu Dushwaar,
Nishi Bo Aataar Gas-ha
Sad Hazaar Bar Ziev Bo TChal-ha,
Ya Muhammad Mustafa (SAW)
(I must go to the perfumer
Before reciting your Noble Name,
Thousands of times I shall rinse my tongue
Ya Muhammad Mustafa (SAW))
Har Saba Durood-o-Salwaat
Tchen Ma Kar Aikh Chuh Ti Saath
Paaneh Sozaan Haq Talla,
Ya Muhammad Mustafa (SAW)
In every breath keep sending salutations
(Reciting Durood and Salaam)
Never halt for a fleeting moment
Allah (SWT) with his angels invoke
Blessings and greetings on You
Ya Muhammad Mustafa (SAW)
These above mentioned lines of Samad Mir get acknowledgment from the Holy Quran also, in Sura Al- Ahzaab Ayat- 56, Allah (SWT) says:
Surely Allah and (all) His angels invoke blessings and greetings on the Holy Prophet [blessings and peace be upon him]. O Believers! You (also) invoke blessings on him and salute him with a worthy salutation of peace abundantly (and fervently).
Samad Mir’s time was unlike than other Sufi poets who lived before him. Earlier Sufi masters/poets most of the time used to remain in meditation, Music sessions (Mehfil-e-Samma) or in debates and discussions with their disciples. But time had changed, with the advent of time various kinds of inventions had taken place and it was the time when radio was introduced in the valley Kashmir.
Once Samad Mir was invited by his disciple Mohd Yousuf Parata (then worked at Radio Kashmir Srinagar) to be the part of a multilingual literary function (Mushaira), great philosophers, writers and poets of the time were also present in the function. Everyone was waiting for the start of programme when it came as a shock for the attendants when they saw a man on the stage wearing Feran (Kashmiri outfit garment) with a villager cap on the head. They were astonished seeing an illiterate man holding the mike to present the programme. The function was multilingual so Kashmiri as well as Urdu writers and poets were present to recite their best compositions (Kalaams).
The function was at its zenith when Samad Mir had had the turn to recite his Kalaam, Samad Mir made everyone breathless when he presented a new style of writing and recited a newest poem written in amalgamation of two languages Urdu & Kashmiri together, the poem was greatly honored by the critics of the time as well as by the youngsters present in the function. The poem experienced outstanding fame in the entire valley, till date the immortal lines of the poem are memorized by almost every Kashmiri on tip of the tongue.
Padh Padh Ke Gaya Pather, Likh Likh Ke Gaya Chhur
Jiss Padney Sey Sahib Miley Who Padna Hai Aur
(By studying one turns to stone and by writing got crashed
By which Deity came to know, that Knowledge is different)
The most popular and accepted image of Samad Mir having mike infront is also captured in the same function of Radio Kashmir Srinagar held at Shalimaar garden Srinagar.
Present time Khalifas of Samad Mir’s chain are Gh. Nabi Hundoo of Buhri Kadal, Bashir Ahmad Beigh of Safa Kadal and Gh. Rasool Mir elder son of Samad Mir frequently visits our home (Gh. Rasool Mir died recently). Once having conversation with Gh. Rasool Mir about his father, he said that when Samad Mir had to write any verse, being an illiterate he used to call me (Gh. Rasool Mir) and would make me pen down. According to Gh. Rasool Mir, at that time he was a youngster and was not capable of writing correctly and quickly so at many occasions he did miss some words and sometimes entire lines. Next day when his father Samad Mir would ask him to recite the lines he wrote, it was almost impossible for him to read his own roughly and wrongly written words which is one of the reasons that most of his Kalaam was lost. An inhabitant of Wagur village namely Ali Shah (known as Ali Saab) also used to write Samad Mir’s poetry.
A huge collection of his writing was written and memorized by his disciples who used to recite their Murshid’s Kalaam in various functions. One more name, his contribution cannot be ignored, one of the best singers of Kashmir, king of Chakri (type of traditional song) Ghulam Ahmad Sofi, he remained bonded with Samad Mir for a pretty long time and has sung so many Kalaams in presence of him.
Sag-e-Ashab-e Kahf Laag Jaananas
Tagyee Godeh Kaas Panas Tchai
Rag-e-Nistar Dith Lageh Har Taanas
Tagyee Godeh Kaas Panas Tchai
Be faithful to your beloved ilk dog of Ashab-e Kahf
If you can do, eliminate your own shadow
(Shadow makes you two; alter it in oneness because God is One)
Prick anywhere in vein causes pain in entire body
If you can do, eliminate your own shadow
John Keats says that poetry gets entire fame which is poetized about ones desires, difficulties and painfulness. From hundreds of years a folk tale known as AKANANDUN (The only Son) is being dramatized as well as poetized by so many writers, artists and poets. AKANANDUN is a story having anguish, sufferings, distress and wishes which magnetizes everyone’s intention. From decades Akanandun has been remembered and has won people’s hearts residing in any nook of the valley.
AKANANDUN (The only Son) has been written by many poets in their own style viz. Bahadur Ganie in 15th century, Ramzan Bhat in 19th century, Tara Chand (Bismil Kashmiri) in 20th century , Samad Mir and Abdul Ahad Zargar.
Besides usual poems Samad Mir is well known throughout Kashmir for his stupendous work Akanandun, he has used the folk tale of Akanandun to bestow manifestation to his own mystical thoughts. Samad Mir’s Akanandun has been indited in fourteen parts and all the characters are Hindus.
Saneh Truva Sheth Bay Chu Sheytaji Yeh Saal (1346 Hijri)
Kan Thavith Man Previth Wun Meh Haal
Akanandun Tie Hareh Suna Maal Tchuie Ishar
Jugee Galib Peer Talib Kuorr Ti Maar
(It is 1346 Hijri when I indited the folk tale Akanandun
Listen cautiously the tale indeed is heart wrenching
Akanandun and his parents are just symbolic characters
Jugee (saint) is dominant, sisters are disciples)
(Samad Mir says that the characters in the story like AKANANDUN his father King HARNAAM, mother SUNMAAL, JUGGEE, SEVEN SISTERS etc. are just symbolic, actually he wants to express his deep thoughts about the actual relation between Murshid and his disciple, how a disciple should forget and bury his own self for the love of his guide (Murshid) which is also an imperative stage in Tasawwuff called FANNA-FI-SHEIKH).
Imran Yousuf can be reached at imranaaadi@gmail.com
