RAJOURI- The two-day Pahari Conference, organized by J&K Academy of Art, Culture & Languages, started here Monday with participating writers and scholars stressing on popularization and promotion of the language and its literature.
Inaugurated by Vice Chairman, J&K Advisory Board for Development of Pahari Speaking People, Kafil ur Rehman, the literary event is the fourth in the series of language conferences organized by the Academy since October last. Earlier, conferences were held about Kashmiri, Dogri and Punjabi languages even as similar activity is in the offing with respect to Gojri, Urdu, Hindi and Bodhi.
The conference began on a positive note with speakers sounding optimistic about the richness and development of the language and appreciating the Academys initiative to focus on the challenges and opportunities for Pahari language. During two days, several paper reading sessions will be held and issues relating to Pahari language thoroughly discussed and debated.
On the first day, three papers were presented including Pahari Zaban: Masayil Te Mawaqe by Zafar Iqbal Manhas, Pahari Zaban Te Isna Nasri Adab by Ghulam Haider Nadeem and Pahari Zaban Naway Daur Ni Darwatni Ver by Fida Rajourvi, followed by question-answer session. On the concluding day, seven papers will be presented by K. D. Maini, Raja Nazar Boniyari, Dr. Jahangir Danish, Nazir Qureshi, Nisar Rahi, Dr. Abdul Haq Nayeemi and Abdur Rashid Qureshi. The papers cover various aspects of Pahari language with special reference to contemporary challenges confronted by it.
Former Ministers, Mirza Abdur Rashid and Mushtaq Ahmad Bukhari, prominent writers, poets and a large number of lovers of Pahari language and literature attended the conference that began with a beautiful musical item.
On this occasion special number of Sheeraza (Pahari) on Uri was also released.
Addressing the conference, Kafil ur Rehman referred to the richness of Pahari language and urged new generation to carry forward the mission of its development started by their seniors. He said writers and poets are valuable assets for any society and through their writings they give direction to people. Pahari writers and poets, he said, have contributed a lot in making it a frontline language in the Subcontinent. He said although the literature produced in Pahari is rich and comparable to any other language there was need to produce quality works in a sustained manner and take it to further heights.
Speaking on the occasion, Mirza Abdur Rashid and Mushtaq Ahmad Bukhuari dwelt on the efforts of individual writers and literary groups in bringing Pahari language and literature to its present level and hoped these efforts would continue. They appreciated the contribution of the Academy in the development of Pahari literature and underscored the need for literary activities like the ongoing conference in the promotion of languages and literature.
Welcoming the participants, Secretary Academy, Khalid Bashir Ahmad, spoke about the importance of the conference in identifying challenges and opportunities for Pahari language and hoped the participants would come up with a roadmap for its promotion. He outlined the growth and importance of Pahari language in Jammu & Kashmir and highlighted its ancient origin. He dwelt in detail on the role of the Academy in the development and promotion of the language and specifically referred to its ambitious Pahari language publication programme ever since the inception of Pahari section in 1978. He briefed the audience about important Pahari publications published by the Academy in recent years and those on which work was currently at different stages.
The significant Pahari publications brought out so far by the Academy, the Secretary said, include special numbers on Lall Ded, Baba Ji Laarvi, Nanga Baji, Rajouri, Poonch, Karnah, Uri, Ghazal, Naat, Mashaheer, Tareekh, Zaban, Saqafat, Aulia, Pahari Qabayil, Maulana Rumi and Ali Adalat. He said Ghazal Number and Shah Muhammad Khan Number are in the final stages and would be soon published. Likewise, he said, translation of prominent works including Gulistan-e-Saadi, Karvan-e-Madina, Rubayat-i-Umr-i-Khayam, Alif Laila and Hazar Daastan had already been published while translation of Tareekh-e-Farishta, Tareekh-e-Hassan, War and Peace, Kitab-ul-Hind, Othello, Rajtarangini, Um-ul-Quran, Hayat-i-Abu Haneefa, Kashmir in Sunlight and Shade, Hikayat-i-Rumi and Old Man and the Sea was currently under way. He assured that these publications would soon see the light of the day.
The Secretary also briefly highlighted some major steps taken by the Academy since last year to improve the functioning of the institution. He specifically referred to the launch of the Academys website and multi-coloured newsletter, Saqafat, digitization of the rich collection of manuscripts, paintings, miniatures, sculptures, artifacts and images, laying of foundation stone of the multi-crore Tehzeeb Mahal as the state-of-the-art cultural centre and institution of Artists & Writers Welfare Fund.
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