Rahim Seab Sopori- Makers of Indian Literature

Rahim Seab Sopori (1775-1850) is one of the most celebrated Sufi poets of nineteenth century Kashmir. He was a Sufi - both in person and poetry. He is a part of the illustrious Sufi poetic tradition of the East. Rahim Seab was deeply influenced by his preceding mystic poets and their teachings. However, he dealt with Sufi teachings in his unique and innovative style. Rahim Seab possessed equal mastery over Islamic mysticism and Kashmiri Saiva Shastra. He profusely employed terms from both the traditions along with the ancient myths and beliefs of Kashmir to express his self and vision. His work mostly deals with universal values of love, compassion, mutual co-existence, peace and brotherhood, making his poetry relevant even in contemporary times. His verses, laden with love, reflect both the spiritual impulse and the physical passion. His verses communicate with equal felicity to people of all faiths.

Muhammad Amin Shakeeb (1940-2018) was a well known researcher and educationist from the Sopore town of North Kashmir. He retired from a responsible position in the Department of Education, Government of Jammu & Kashmir. His research in the field of Kashmiri Sufi poets, especially Rahim Seab Sopori and Peer Ghulam Mohammad Hanafi, two pioneering Sufi poets in Kashmiri, has been published by Sahitya Akademi and J&K Academy of Art, Culture Languages. He wrote in Kashmiri and Urdu and translated from these languages.

Abid Ahmad (b. 1977) is an award winning writer and translator based in Srinagar, Kashmir. He works as Editor in J&K Academy of Art, Culture & Languages. Besides several books in Kashmiri and English, Ahmad has innumerable academic papers to his credit. His areas of interest include Kashmiri culture, literature and philosophy.

Seab Sopori. Earlier hagiographers too have consigned such an outstanding poet to oblivion for unknown reasons. That is why whatever has been lately written about him has not revealed anything substantial but has, on the contrary, added to the confusion manifold. Many things pertaining to the details about his place of birth, family, profession, his spiritual masters, have come to the fore. Whatever was written by one was seconded by others, leaving many questions about his life and contribution unanswered. There was still the need to know who Rahim Seab was, where he actually came from, what his family was like, who his teachers were, how he began his poetic career, which sources nurtured his poetic impulse, where his family and progeny presently are and what has happened to them, where and in what condition his poetic oeuvre is. These are some of the questions answer to which have been sought here.

For this, I had to visit many places and villages and meet all those people who had any information about Rahim Seab Sopori or about his work. I had to return barehanded from many places as nothing substantial was found there. But I was constantly encouraged by renowned writers and other personalities including Sofi Muhammad Akbar (President, Markaz-e Adab-o Saqafat, Sopore) and Saifudddin Sopori, MP.

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