Bel Tai Madal—Men Behind It

The genre of Leela poetry in Kashmiri literature is said to have evolved from “Vachun’’ and we notice a boost in this experimentation since late 1750s onwards. It, however, reached its zenith during Krishan Joo Razdan’s time though he explored the `Saguna’’ tradition of Bhakthi to its full potential. He essentially was a “Nirgunvadi’ in his spiritual practice and discipline. Since he was a “Shavite’’, he composed Leelas mostly in honour of Lord Shiva and his one particular Leela “Bel Tai Madal Vene Gulab Pamosh Daste Poozaye Laage Parm Shivas Shiv Nathas Tai….’’ has not only become a part of folk literature of Kashmir but also of world on account of its aesthetic and devotional sensibility. The golden voice of Ustad Mohammad Abdullah Tibat Bakal imparted to it such ethereal beauty and energy that subsequent musical adaptations of the same pale in comparison to Bakal’s rendition.

Bel Tai Madal in Kashmiri Nastalique

The Evergreen Recording

For our esteemed readers it may be added that Tibat Bakal’s presentation was recorded in the Studios of Radio Kashmir, Srinagar and has attained a cult status among the devotees of Lord Shiva in Kashmir. According to Mr Fayyaz Sheheryar, former Director General, All India Radio,this iconic Leela was composed in early sixties by Mohan Lal Aima under the able supervision of the then Programme Producer of Kashmiri Music, Qaisar Qalander.

Mohan Lal Aima

Qaiser Qalandar

Coinciding with Maha Shivratri which is the premier festival of Kashmiri Pandits, the actual beauty of this festival seems to be wedded to the poetic mystical experience by Pt Krishan Joo Razdan (1850-1926) visible in his work Shiv Lagan. This is said to be an evolved adaptation from Urdu translation of “Shiv Puran’’ by the poet. The elements and symbolism of a typical Kashmiri Pandit marriage in his world famous “ Shiv Lagan Leela’’ have been imbued to the best possible outcome. An earlier generation of Kashmiri Pandit women, both young and old, would sing these Leelas and the debvotional tradition would pass on to subsequent generations. However, with the migration, it has come to a sudden halt.

Nevertheless, Tibat Bakal’s rendition of great poet’s “ Bel Tai Madal Vene Gulab Pamosh Daste Poozaye Laage Parm Shivas Shiv Nathas Tai…. still captures the attention and the interest of the young generation . Mr Sheheryar added that Tibat Bakal imbued this Leela with his own devotional element for Lord Shiva and legend has it that Ustad Tibat Bakal would visit the world famous shrine of Mata Kheer Bhawani at Tulmulla to witness the changing colours of the holy spring and seek blessings.

Mohd Abdullah Tibat Bakal ( Left) and Mohan Lal Aima

This Leela with the wonders of ever evolving technology is awaiting further repackaging so as to make it more popular among the youth. However, the original rhythm and the style is not going anywhere.

And therein lies the hope.

Kashmir Rechords

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Bhushan Parimoo says:

10 March, 2024 at 8:36 am

The post reminds us about the poetic masterpieces of Kashmiri Shaivite poet Krishna Joo Razdan rendered immortal through the singers and composers of the former Radio Kashmir, Srinagar, now Akashvani, Sringar.

The accompanying, brief reference to Krishna Joo Razdan's corpus of Shiva poetry, however, raises some

pertinent historical questions.
The post refers to the great poet's anthologies "Shiv Lagan" , " Shiv Puran" and "Shiv Lagan Leela" even as a page of "Shiv Lagan" in Nastaliq script is shown in the blog post.

This gives an impression that Krishna Joo Razdan wrote his leelas and Bhajan in Nastaliq script.

However, we know that the poet's original anthology dedicated to Lord Shiva was titled " Shiv Parinaya " meaning Shiva's marriage.

It was edited by George Grierson in Devanagari script and published by Asiatic Society of Bengal in six ( 6) volumes between 1912 and 1924. The original manuscripts of each volume were written in Devanagari script. Pandit Mukund Ram Shastri prepared a complete commentary (Chaya) on all the volumes in Sanskrit.

This raises the following vital historical questions.

1) When original Sanskrit word ' Parinaya' the poet had given as title to his anthology became popular in it's Kashmiri avatar ' 'Lagan'?

2) Why and when did the Devanagari script in which the poet had originally written got replaced by the Nastaliq to obtain popularity in Kashmir in order to be adopted for rendering into immortal Kashmiri musical compositions ?

3) When and who transcribed the Devanagari 'Shiv Parinaya' into Nastaliq 'Shiv Lagan'?

It may be pertinent here to mention that Asiatic Society spent a lot of money in publishing Shiv Parinaya and could afford no further to publish other poems of Pandit Krishna Joo Razdan.

I therefore request readers
of the blog to throw some light on the points mentioned above.