Rasul Mir

Rasool Mir (Kashmiri: रसूल मीर, رسول مِر) (died 1870) was one of the leading Kashmiri poets of the 19th century. He was born at Doru Shahabad, a historic town in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir.

He has been titled as Keats of Kashmir for his powerful romantic poetry but at times he mingles with mysticism. A famous verse of Rasool mir translated as Template:Shared by a local resident of mirmaidan-doru Syed Idrees 'This is Rasul Mir, at Shahabad, Doru. He has opened a love-kiosk. Come ye lovers, drink free cup. Love’s fire burns me deep (Ye chu rusul mir shahabad dure', tam'e chu trowmut ashk'e dukaan, yee wu aashko chaewu tuur'e'tuuray mai chu'h moore' lalwun naar) He descended from a family of zamindars who used to be village heads at Doru, mohalla Mirmaidan. Now government has laid a beautiful lawn and tomb at Mir's graveyard.

Rasul Mir, that skilled decanter of love, has a raging controversy shrouding his age. The local traditions, recorded in 1940s by Ab Ahad Azad, spoke of a death in his prime. Folk history has it that Mahmood Gami predicted his youthful death (Amis Chhi jan-h-margi handi koder// amis cheh jaan'h'margi hind'e kaeran). His poetry, its fervent youthfulness, its vibrant tenor, its tone of hearty yearning, its pristine emotions, all point to a poet, untouched by the cares of decaying age. Rasul Mir was said to have been alive in 1855 AD when Mahmood Gani died, and he died a few years before-Maqbool Shah Kralawari (d. 1874). Accordingly, his demise was reckoned between 1867 and 1870). Rasul Mir was thus said to have lived between 1820s and 1870s. Mr. Teng in his Kuliyati Rasul Mir, refers to a document, in revenue records at Anantnag, which bears the signature of Rasul Mir, as Lambardar and is dated 5 April 1889. On this basis, Rasool may have lived into the last decade of 19th century. That is as close to factual certainty as researches have gotten to.

For the rest, there is his poetic legacy, and, ahagain oral traditions. Oral traditions say Rasul Mir was tall, handsome fair-complexioned person, and sported moustaches that tapered far into the face. He was graceful, fashionable fellow, with a youthful heart that throbbed with love, love, and lots of love. His Poetry is hardly preserved in a few pages somewhere, but as history reveals, Rasool Mir has contributed oceans of poetry regarding Spiritual and Natural Love,

• Garri drayas garikean t'choore nil'e'nagai luusum dohh, raath lajj'mow raaah musafeeray mai chu mooray lalh'wun naar*

{Syed Idrees/doru}

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