Kashmir is rightly regarded as the Paradise on earth. One can easily imagine what tedious job it would be if one were to search for gems in a paradise. This tedious job has been done by none other than Dr. Karim Najafi, the Cultural Counsellor of Iran in New Delhi. Dr. Najafi, who already has nearly two dozen books to his credit, has published a rare manuscript on Persian poets of Kashmir ‘Zafaran-e-zar Kashmir’, which has selection of the best works of the best Persian poets in Kashmir. The book was recently released at the Sahitya Academy, New Delhi in the august presence of Syed Shahid Mahdi (Vice Chairman, Indian Council for Cultural Relations), Prof. Mushirul Hasan (Director General, National Archives, Govt. of India), Prof. SS Noor (Vice Chairman of Sahitya Academy, New Delhi), besides several luminaries of the literary and cultural world including Prof. Syed AH Abidi, Ajit Gupta (Deputy DG-ICCR), Prof. SH Qasimi and others.
“Zafran-e-Zar Kashmir” (the saffron Meadow of Kashmir) is a collection of biographies of the poets belonging to Kashmir. It was compiled by Mirza Muhammad Ali Kashmiri, an Iranian migrant from Shiraz in the last days of the 13th century at Lucknow. This work highlights the rich contribution of Iranians in the culturally rich land of Kashmir, also known amongst Persian lovers as Irane Saghir or the smaller Iran. The compiler of the work has entitled it Zafaran-e-zar as the saffron of Kashmir is considered medicinally very useful from olden days.
Says Dr. Karim Najafi, “In my opinion, this work will be a source of introduction to the poetry of these poets of paradise of Kashmir who write poetry in their elegant Persian.” Dr. Najafi had to undergo a patient and long search as a aftermath of which he chanced upon this rare manuscript.
Informing the gathering, Prof. SS Noor said that the Sahitya Academy has recently included Persian and Arabic works too in its ambit and assured that he will leave no stone unturned to get this particular book and other books of similar importance translated in other Indian languages.
Prof. Mushirul Hasan, who has recently taken over as DG-National Archives after his very successful posting as Vice Chancellor-Jamia Millia University talked of his new role and its importance and said that a great number of rare works of Persian and other languages need to be preserved and it will be his prime task in the near future.Members of the audience said that ICCR used to bring out certain publications in Persian, a practice that has been discontinued recently. Syed Shahid Mahdi assured them that he will try his best to restore the publications.
“Zafran-e-Zar Kashmir” (the saffron Meadow of Kashmir) is a collection of biographies of the poets belonging to Kashmir. It was compiled by Mirza Muhammad Ali Kashmiri, an Iranian migrant from Shiraz in the last days of the 13th century at Lucknow. This work highlights the rich contribution of Iranians in the culturally rich land of Kashmir, also known amongst Persian lovers as Irane Saghir or the smaller Iran. The compiler of the work has entitled it Zafaran-e-zar as the saffron of Kashmir is considered medicinally very useful from olden days.
Says Dr. Karim Najafi, “In my opinion, this work will be a source of introduction to the poetry of these poets of paradise of Kashmir who write poetry in their elegant Persian.” Dr. Najafi had to undergo a patient and long search as a aftermath of which he chanced upon this rare manuscript.
Informing the gathering, Prof. SS Noor said that the Sahitya Academy has recently included Persian and Arabic works too in its ambit and assured that he will leave no stone unturned to get this particular book and other books of similar importance translated in other Indian languages.
Prof. Mushirul Hasan, who has recently taken over as DG-National Archives after his very successful posting as Vice Chancellor-Jamia Millia University talked of his new role and its importance and said that a great number of rare works of Persian and other languages need to be preserved and it will be his prime task in the near future.Members of the audience said that ICCR used to bring out certain publications in Persian, a practice that has been discontinued recently. Syed Shahid Mahdi assured them that he will try his best to restore the publications.
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