Braving odds, 23-year-old Tral youth writes 200 plus Kashmiri poems to promote ‘mother tongue’

BASHARAT RASHID

Pulwama, 8 December: Zahid Manzoor Bhat(23), a writer from Gutroo village of Aripal tehsil in the Tral sub-district has written more than two hundred poems in the Kashmiri language.

Being inspired by several renowned Kashmiri poets Manzoor, chose the Kashmiri language to propagate the local language, literature, and culture. Manzoor started writing Kashmiri poems, some four years back.

Zahid is the lone bread earner at home and his small family comprises of his mother, grandmother, and younger brother. He works in a private school and earns a meager amount of rs 3000  to feed his family.

Talking to the Arising State, Zahid said that he was only three years old when he lost his father & was ‘highly supported’ by a Yateem Trust.

He said that he developed an interest in Kashmiri poetry in the year 2016 after he got inspired by the Tral based well-known Kashmiri poets namely Late Rajab Hamid & Nadeem Altaf Trali.

“I have been inspired by Rajab Hamid, Nadeem Altaf Trali, and other Sufi Poets like Mehjoor, Rasool Mir, Niyam Soub, Shamas Fakeer & others. ”It’s all because of their inspiration that I managed to write 250 poems in the Kashmiri language,” Zahid said, adding that the main motive to show his interest in writing Kashmiri, is to promote the mother tongue.

Bhat recalled,” when he was studying in the 8th standard, one of his teachers in school namely Abdul Rashid Poswal had predicted that he would become a good writer.”

He said that his prediction turned true as he ‘gradually developed an interest’ in Kashmiri writing, despite the financial crisis and other responsibilities at home.

Zahid wants to publish a poetry book in Kashmiri, but financial constraints prove an obstacle in fulfilling his desire.

“I have a dream to get my poetry book published in the Kashmiri language so that people would be able to read my poems. ”

As per Zahid, Kashmiri poetry has an essence of helping us understand 500 words Kashmiri essay in 5 or 6 lines only, which clearly indicates that it’s ‘fruitful’ at all.

He said that his attempts to promote the Kashmiri language, literature & culture will continue in the future as well, besides an effort to publish his maiden book in Kashmiri.

It’s pertinent to mention here that Zahid’s poetry is being appreciated and adored on social media.