On the 252nd day of Kashmir siege, and the day of his birth anniversary, we would like to remember martyred cultural activist Safdar Hashmi (1954-1989). PIPFPD would like to borrow excerpts from a writing by Autar Mota that appeared in the Kashmir Pen, on the 10th of May, 2018.
[Many know Com. Safdar, the cultural activist, playwright, director, founding member of Jana Natya Manch (JANAM), a stalwart in the Indian Political theatre. We know the charming young man whose play was interrupted and members of JANAM, including him, fatally assaulted by Congress goons, while performing 'Halla-bol' on Jan 1st, 1989. We know that he succumbed to his injuries later that night. Some also know Safdar as the children’s books writer, poet and documentary film-maker.]
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Not many people know that noted IPTA activist and later JAN NATYA MANCH (JANAM) founder, Comrade Safdar Hashmi also taught English at University of Kashmir sometime in 1977 and 1978. I also vividly remember this tall bespectacled young man coming to our bank with my colleague and friend Tej Dhar. Twice we sat with Safdar in Coffee House over a cup of coffee. He smoked uncontrollably and drank black coffee. He would move with a jholaa-type of a bag hung over his shoulders. A kurta with tailor stitched loose trousers and simple sandals was all that he would put on usually. Sipping coffee and discussing Camus, Sartre, Kafka and Kierkegaard, Safdar also informed us about his St. Stephan background where he had graduated from before completing MA in English from Delhi University. Safdar was also drawn towards Pranesh Nagri, another friend and colleague in the Bank. He was a Marxist.
And then one day, a girl joined him when he came to the Bank. Tej said she was Mala or Moloyshree. She was from Bengal, very sharp and well read. Safdar also started theatre activities in Kashmir University. Dr Jayaraman who was HoD English Department of University of Kashmir, organized an English Play ‘Woyzeck’. The play was staged at Tagore Hall Kashmir.
Safdar had earned many friends in Kashmir. He was unforgettable for many reasons. He was simple and childlike but always focussed in his discussions. Safdar had unshakable beliefs and convictions. He was liberal and a lover of all types of fine arts. He sang old songs of Rafi and liked music and paintings. Theatre was his soul. And when he left Kashmir University possibly in 1978, I would always enquire about him from Tej. Tej kept me informing that Safdar had joined as Press Information Officer, West Bengal Information Centre at New Delhi and had married Mala. Tej also informed later that Safdar had plunged into Communist Party work and theatre, on full time basis leaving his government job. He had formed his own group called ‘Jan Natya Manch’ or JANAM. Shabana Azmi, Nandita Das, Sanjana Kapoor, Naseer Ud Din Shah, Jamini Pathak, Salim Arif and many more actors and theatre personalities got associated with JANAM. ‘JANAM’ performed mostly in and around working-class neighborhoods, factories and workshops. Hundreds of stage shows and street corner performances made JANAM one of the most followed theatre groups of the times and a pain for those in power!
He wrote plays, which his group performed in colonies of poor workers. His plays like Machine, Kursi Kursi Kursi, Gaaon Se Shehar Tak, Teen crore, Aurat, DTC ki Dhandhli and some TV documentaries had become quite popular. Khilti Kaliyaan was a TV serial that he wrote for Doordarshan. He also wrote some books for children. Safdar was also a sensitive poet as well. With all this work, Safdar turned out to be a great crusader against the forces of disruption, division and communalism in the country....
I end this brief post with a poem Kitaabein (books) by Safdar Hashmi that I have rendered to simple English.
KITAABEIN (BOOKS)
Books also communicate,
Revealing tales of time gone by,
Tales of our world,
Stories of Human beings,
Today’s tale or yesterday’s tale,
Tales of every moment spent in happiness or pain,
Flower laden tales,
Cruel stories of Bombs,
Stories of our victories and defeats,
Tales of love and deceit,
Love! Shall you not listen to these tales?
Love! Shall you not go through these books?
Look! How eager these books are to communicate.
Look! How impatient these Books are to stay with you.
- (Safdar Hashmi)
Safdar was murdered to stop his play, his politics! But just two days after his death, JANAM went back to the exact spot and completed the play, with Mala dawning the role of Safdar Hashmi.
The murderers of Safdar are still around, in new forms and new attire with advanced weaponry! The inspiration is that his people have grown in strength too and have not disappointed his spirit or sharpness. ‘Halla Bol’, the eternal slogan against authoritarian regimes continue to echo in Kashmir, in hundreds of Shaheen Baghs, in Universities and street corners! Today, being one celebrated for resurrection, it strikes a chord. For, Safdar lives through those, he will continue to live through each one our resistances.
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Link: https://www.kashmirpen.com/safdar-hashmi-1954-1989-kashmir/
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#StandWithKashmir
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#ReleasePoliticalPrisoners
#LongLiveSafdarHashmi
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