In Dr. Rafiq Masoodi's New Collection, Kashmiri Grief Finds Grace

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer)
Kashmir's prominent literary figures gathered for Dr. Rafiq Masoodi's book release function in Srinagar's Tagore Hall.

By Rayees Ahmad Kumar

It was a Thursday afternoon in Srinagar, but inside Tagore Hall, time moved at its own rhythm. Outside, the city held its breath under May's tender sun. Inside, verses floated through the air.

People filled every seat. Teachers, poets, bureaucrats, even lawmakers. All had gathered for the release of a book. But it wasn't just any book.

It was Bey Pai Talash, a Kashmiri poetry collection by Dr. Rafiq Masoodi, former Additional Director General of Doordarshan Srinagar and a respected name in Kashmir's cultural memory.

The event was warm, loud, and deeply personal. The hall opened with a prayer-Ya Rasool-e-Hashimi-sung in a voice that silenced the room.

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Then came words of welcome, thoughtful and firm, from Mohammad Amin Bhat, president of Adbi Markaz Kamraz, the group that hosted the event. He reminded the audience of the group's decades-long work in preserving Kashmiri literature and called for school trips to Meeras Mahal, Sopore's small but rich museum of culture.

What followed was a careful blend of celebration and critique. Academics took to the stage: Professor Shafqat Iqbal read a stirring review of the book, tracing its emotional depth and its ties to the land.

Dr. Rafiq Raaz, a veteran broadcaster, offered a comparison between Masoodi's two books, noting how this second one felt more grounded, more at ease in its skin.

Professor Naseem Shifayi reflected not only on the poet's journey, but on the strength of his wife, without whose patience, she said, the book may never have happened.

The book's release happened in two parts-first by Masoodi's family, who stood with pride as they held up the first copies, and then by a dais full of writers and scholars. The applause was long and affectionate. Some people stood. Others reached for their phones to record the moment. A few wiped away tears.

But even in all the praise, there were questions: How many more voices like Masoodi's are still waiting for recognition? How can schools and colleges keep the Kashmiri language alive when English and Urdu dominate classrooms?

Director of School Education, Dr. GN Ittoo, though delayed by official duties, arrived in time to offer both assurance and admiration. Born in Doru, the same village as the legendary Rasool Mir, Ittoo promised more support for local literature and called Masoodi his mentor.

Later, shawls and bouquets changed hands. Mementos were presented. A flower garland was placed gently on the poet's shoulders by a fellow writer. It didn't feel staged-it felt earned.

Masoodi took the microphone last. His words were soft, but steady. He thanked his family, his colleagues, and the audience. Then he played a short audio clip from the UK-a Kashmiri-origin Minister of Justice praising the poet's work. The clip ended with a recitation of Sahibo Sath Cham Mei Cheani-a prayer poem by Mehjoor that left the hall hushed.

One professor reminded the audience of something simple but often forgotten: Kashmiri isn't just a language-it's a way of seeing.“Our poets,” he said,“used similes no other language dares.”

As the crowd thinned, waiters moved through the aisles with trays of kebabs, shami kebabs and soft Kashmiri chapatis. Cups of hot tea followed. Each guest left with a copy of the book, its cover designed by Javed Iqbal, its inside pages carrying verses looking for answers-just as the title Bey Pai Talash suggests.

In the end, it wasn't just the book that found a voice that day. It was a language, a people, a memory.

And above all, it was a poet returning to his roots, not just to be read, but to be remembered.

• The author hails from Qazigund, South Kashmir.

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