This refers to Nostalgia - Ahad - The Pied Piper by ZGM (GK 03-01-2010). I felt truly nostalgic by this wonderful write-up and I was virtually transported to my childhood days. Abdul Ahad, the songster was really a Pied Piper of Hamlin for us all. He was a big attraction for children and we would follow him through tortuous lanes while listening to his intoxicating voice which would sound more voluminous when it would emerge out of his cone shaped megaphone made of simple Tin. He would frame poems on every event and was himself the singer of his own poems. I saw him first in 1958 when Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah was released from prison. He sang praises for him going through lane to lane and from street to street. When Mirwaiz Atiqulla, the uncle of Mirwaiz Maullana Yousuf Shah died in 1960, there was an ocean of people mourning his death.
Abdul Ahad attracted thousands and thousands of mourners while he sang Marsia songs for months together. He again sang praises when Moulana Farooq was installed as Mirwaiz following the death of Atiqulla. He was on the peak of his fame during the holy relic agitation during 1963 - 1964. He framed heart rending songs and walked through the length and breadth of Srinagar raising his sweet voice and attracting the protesters. He really composed extremely beautiful songs in praise of Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah when he was again released in 1964. Sheikh Sahib was the most beloved personality and the heart throb of lakhs of Kashmiris. In summary, Abdul Ahad identified himself with every episode of our history. It would be great if cultural academy is able to trace out his poetry and assemble it in the shape of a book. ZGM while writing Nostalgia is really writing a history in a very unique and different way, a history which tells us about our socio-cultural and literary ethos. He really deserves our support.
Dr. A. Wahid
Srinagar

Lastupdate on : Mon, 4 Jan 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 4 Jan 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 5 Jan 2010 00:00:00 IST