AN INTERVIEW WITH SHAFKAT AZIZ HAJAM, KASHMIRI POET AND WRITER

Credit: The Hemingway Post, a literary magazine, available only in Print.  

 An interview with Shafkat Aziz Hajam, a Kashmiri Poet and Writer

Kashmir, once known as a paradise on earth, suddenly fell into the cobweb of violence. It swallowed the lives of many people and left several others homeless in their homeland. In such a melancholic backdrop, when the valley is engulfed in fear and suspense, Shafkat Azis Hajam, a noted poet, author, and book reviewer, delivers the message of love, peace, and harmony. In brief, his poetry is replete with the emotions of goodwill and nationalism. 

The publication of two children’s poetry books, The Cuckoo’s Voice and The Canary’s Voice have firmly established Hajam as a leading children’s poet in the Kashmir region. Most arguably, Hajam is the only poet in the region who has been actively writing beautiful poetry for children. His poetry helps children take a flight to the world of the unknown, where they learn important life lessons. The amalgamation of thrill, wonder, suspense, tenderness, and a bit of laughter makes his poetry a perfect read for children. His poetry offers them what a normal child can dream of in his or her life. 

Shafkat Aziz Hajam has been in the teaching profession for the last decade or more. He has been successfully teaching and writing in tandem. Hajam’s poems have already left a discernible mark on modern-day children’s poetry. 

LB Thapa, the publisher and editor of The Hemingway Post, a literary magazine, has interviewed Shafkat Aziz Hajam and asked him about his experience as a children’s poet. He also asked him how he wrote poetry in Kashmir, where people still live under constant fear and threat. A full interview is given below.

THP: When did you take poetry seriously?

Shafkat Aziz Hajam: I started writing poetry in the 10th grade. I wrote my first poem about the STD station where I used to work after taking my 10th-grade examination. After that, I wrote about Doctor without Borders, with whom I used to interact at the hospital in our town, where they used to treat patients. I had to stop writing for some time due to unfavorable conditions at home. Soon, I resumed my literary endeavor. I began writing rhymes and poems for children, which gave me much relief at a time when time was extremely critical for writing and publishing at home. After attaining growing responses from children and parents, I took children’s poetry rather seriously and wrote a children’s

Poetry (rhyme book) book titled The Cuckoo’s Voice. 

THP: Does poetry come to you effortlessly, or do you need to put in much effort to stir your thoughts?

Shafkat Aziz Hajam: Poetry comes to me effortlessly. It depends on what I experience, and if anything special, then I jot down my rambling ideas, and soon a beautiful poem is born. 

THP: You call yourself a children’s Poet. Why did you choose writing for children?

Shafkat Aziz Hajam: I started teaching in my 10th grade class. I have been in the teaching field for almost fifteen years. Though I teach middle and secondary-level students, I love to play with and interact with elementary-level students. I want to teach them everything that can make them good citizens of the land. Being a teacher, I must teach them what is right and what is wrong. Therefore, I wrote a children’s poetry (rhyme book) titled The Cuckoo’s Voices, which contains the poetry that I have already mentioned above. And because of my poems for children, I am called a children’s poet and I am writing for children. In the meantime, I also write sublime poetry for adults. 

THP: How satisfied are you with being a children’s Poet?

Shafkat Aziz Hajam: I am extremely satisfied with being a children’s Poet as my poems are being memorized and recited, especially during assembly in my school. It increases my passion to write more beautiful poems for the children. 

THP: Do you think writing poetry for children and adults needs the same thought process, or do you need to think differently?

Shafkat Aziz Hajam: No, absolutely not. I have to think differently and write differently. Adults’ poetry must be different. The degree of ambiguity and wording can’t be the same for children’s and adults’ poetry. I always conjure up the subject of my poem vis-à-vis children and adults. 

THP: What is the response of the Kashmiri people to your poetry writing?

Shafkat Aziz Hajam: In Kashmir, there are many poets but fewer readers. My poetry is read on social media, especially by my friends, well-wishers, and poetry admirers. But I think people are losing the taste of poetry due to similar kinds of poetry writing styles. To some extent, it has become monotonous and is losing its charm due to overuse of the subject. I think the time has come when the poets must be much more innovative in the writing of modern-day poetry. I chose social media as a reliable medium to find poetry lovers across the world, and I have been successful in doing so. 

THP: Can poets and writers in Kashmir express their feelings fearlessly in papers?

Shafkat Aziz Hajam: I am not afraid yet. Symbolically and metaphorically, they can do it, but one should know what to write and what not. Maybe it will take a bit more time to see some more positive changes taking place in the valley. I am quite optimistic about that. 

THP: Do poets and writers feel safe in Kashmir?

Shafkat Aziz Hajam: Of course. Poets and writers are safe in Kashmir. However, their safety depends on what they write and what they propagate through their writing. Writers and poets should be much more mindful about the tone and subject they choose to write. Freedom of speech and freedom of expression do not mean one gets a license to go wayward. They can write about the injustice meted out to innocents, but the writers and poets must be watchful about the language and tone. 

THP: Do you think writers and poets can be creative under the shadow of terror and intimidation?

Shafkat Aziz Hajam: I have heard from one of my teachers that suffering is the only teacher in life. No one learns anything worthwhile in life without going through pain and misery. Writers and poets should not care about such situations. They should wade through the vicissitudes of worldly life. What they should care about are their creative activities. I myself have gone through the roller coaster of life without making any fuss. 

Eventually, I realized that all the difficulties in my life had only pushed me to become more creative. Recently, I completed one more poetry book titled as The Unknown Wounded Heart. 

THP: Do you think Kashmir is changing now, where violence is dying down and peace is prevailing?

Shafkat Aziz Hajam: Yes, of course. The situation is different from what it was seven years ago. Youths are now concentrating on studies instead of getting involved in stone-pelting. However, I am very worried about seeing drug addiction rapidly spreading among Kashmiri youths. This is a worrying sign. 

THP: History is a witness. Literature dies a miserable death at the hands of terrorism. However, literature flourishes in peace. Do you think the glorious days of Kashmir, when it was known as a piece of paradise on earth, will return shortly? 

Shafkat Aziz Hajam: I have heard more of the glorious days, but I have experienced less. Ever since I opened my eyes, I have experienced violence, skirmishes, and ambiguity. The valley of Kashmir has been affected more by external violence than internal. We hope the future will be much more blissful. 

THP: You have written a poem about peace. How do you think that permanent peace can be restored in Kashmir?

Shafkat Aziz Hajam: To restore permanent peace, a quality education is needed for the people of Kashmir. Higher education and direct investment in Kashmir will provide more employment to the youth of Kashmir. I think unemployment is the biggest enemy of the Kashmiri people. Let’s not forget that unemployed youths can easily be misguided for any wrong purposes. This is precisely what happened in Kashmir recently. Such a trend has plummeted tremendously in recent years.   

THP: Do you think a poet or writer in Kashmir can survive as a full-time writer or poet?

Shafkat Aziz Hajam: Yes, why not? But it depends on why one writes. To be a full-time writer, there should be a cause, interest, and time. Time management is important. And causes like promotion, earning money, etc. must be there. 

THP: Do you think Kashmiri poets are different from other poets in India?

Shafkat Aziz Hajam: Every poet is different from others. A poet is different by the environmental influence, passion, style, wording, and theme. So keeping these things in mind, there could be a difference between Kashmiri poets and writers from other parts of India. We can easily understand the situation in which Kashmiri poets and writers are living today. This very situation is different from the other parts of India. 

THP: What are your future projects as a poet?

Shafkat Aziz Hajam: I will continue writing poetry for children and adults. I do not want to write poetry for entertainment. My poetry should contain some fruitful messages for children and adults alike. 

THP: You are also known for book reviews. Which task is more laborious: writing poetry or a book review?

Shafkat Aziz Hajam: Both tasks require concentration, but book reviewing demands more labor. While reviewing a book, I need to go through the entire book. Only after properly understanding the theme of the book do I have to write a review of the book. It takes more time and energy than writing poetry.

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