Rehman Rahi and Existential Poetry in the Kashmiri Tradition — A Commentary by Faheem Ahmad

Introduction

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he concept of human existence has long been a central theme in Kashmiri poetry. This existential inquiry can be traced back to the age-old corpus of Sheikh-ul-Alam, who pondered profound questions such as, “Who am I? What is my name?” This search for understanding the nature of human existence continued with the rise of Sufi poetry, which dominated the literary scene in Kashmir during the 19th and 20th centuries. Poets like Wahab Khar, Nyame Seab, and Ahad Zargar engaged deeply with questions of being and the ontological predicament of human existence.

One of the poets from the recent past whose work can be examined through the lens of controversial "Existential Criticism" (often dismissed as either a philosophy or a literary movement) is Rehman Rahi (1925–2023). Rahi entered the literary world as a poet with immense talent and Marxist political leanings. However, he soon became disillusioned with the Marxist understanding of the world and embarked on his own journey to make sense of existence. Rahi’s poetry covers a wide array of themes, seeking to build a poetics that engages not only with the complexities of human existence but also with the poetic traditions that preceded him. His quest for human existence and freedom, as well as his ongoing struggle with absurdity and nothingness, is a central concern in his work. Rahi’s poetry traces his journey from profound disillusionment with established structures, returning to fundamental experience ("back to things themselves," in the phenomenological sense) and ultimately moving toward the creation of meaning.

Rahi and the Existential Turn

[dropcap]R[/dropcap]ahi’s existential philosophy emerges most clearly in the preface to his poetry collection Nauroz-e-Saba, where he reflects on the existential struggle of humans and the factors that give meaning to their lives. He contemplates the uncertain and surreal beginnings of human consciousness and the elusive, often incomprehensible nature of its "end." Rahi’s concept of ‘Nothingness’ is powerfully conveyed in his poem “Fan Baraye Fan” (Art for Art’s Sake). In this poem, Rahi tells the story of an artist who sets out to create the most beautiful sculpture in the world. After immense effort, he succeeds, and his creation is hailed by all. However, disillusioned, the artist wonders about the meaning and purpose behind his work. Rahi expresses this disillusionment in the following lines:

دٮواں اوس نالٕہ مندنںن شام سپدُم
دِِتَم کھتہ تام نا حق زألی ، مقصد محنتک رٮووم
یٮہ پوختا ویٮوم تی از خام سپدم




Divaan oss nale mandnyen Shaam sapdum
ditem kath taam nahaq zael, maqsad mehnatuk roovum
ye pokhtayoom tee az khaam sapdum.


He cried leaps and bounds that his days have become night
I lost the purpose
my gold has become mud.

(My translation and transliteration)

These lines, indicative of the futility of human existence, point to the philosophical shift Rahi was undergoing. As he immerses himself in the world to seek its purpose as an artist, his art intersects with the historic-political upheavals that shape his existence. Rahi’s work reflects a shift in his ideology, moving from a Marxist perspective to a more existential one. Sartre distinguished between “Committed Art” and “Pure Art,” categorizing them as serving two distinct purposes in novel and poetry writing. Rahi evolved his poetry into a medium through which he expressed his existential anguish, seeking to understand the causality of existence on an ontological level. However, his art remained tethered to the historical context in which he wrote.

In his poem "Akh Sawaal," Rahi calls the artist—an anthropomorphized human consciousness—to confront the nature of existence. Using historical figures like Mehmood and Ayaz, Rahi urges the artist to recognize the truth behind the subjects of his art. He writes:

حقیقت باو محمودن ایازس۔۔۔
گیون والیو! ژ سن پانے گیوتھٛ کیاہ





Haqeeqat baav Mahmooden Ayazes
Gyewen Waalyo! Tche san panai gyuvuth kyah


Let Ayaz know the truth of Mehmood.
O singer! Ponder upon your song.

(My translation and transliteration)

In these lines, Rahi underscores the tension between thoughtless existence and the need for existential reflection. The singer sings without understanding the meaning of his song, while Ayaz serves Mehmood without knowing the existential significance of his actions. Rahi calls for a return to “things themselves,” urging a deeper understanding of existence and the forces that shape it.

In another poem, Rahi expresses a longing to escape human suffering by wishing to transform into a bird (bulbul). This desire arises after a long reflection on the joys of nature and what it would mean to be free from human woes and suffering. In yet another poem titled "Zindagi," Rahi laments the absurdity of life. He portrays the home as meaningless, likening it to a moon consumed by a monster devoid of significance. Life itself is described as a “bald blind woman” who has lost all sense of belonging and meaning. Rahi’s depiction mirrors the bleak moors of Wuthering Heights, evoking an absurd existence that resists external comprehension. Rahi also engages with what Gerard calls “the author facing historical problems as he faces aesthetic problems.” In this poem, Rahi grapples with his existential crisis while also addressing the political upheavals of his time. The image of policemen marching on newly tarred roads, knocking wherever they please, responds to the historical problems that shape his existence.

Rahi and the Question of Freedom and Death

[dropcap]R[/dropcap]ahi’s philosophy on freedom and death can be interpreted through a phenomenological and existential lens. Heidegger, in his view of life as “Being-to-Death,” sees death as the boundary of life. Sartre, on the other hand, suggests that nothingness gives rise to human freedom. Rahi, however, is ambivalent about this freedom. While he recognizes that human consciousness is the source of suffering, he also sees it as inseparable from existence itself.

Rahi’s conception of death is not merely an end but a separation from human consciousness and freedom—something he paradoxically believes is essential to existence. This tension is evident in his poem Soni Lanki Pyeth ("On the Soni Lanki"), where he writes:

موتٕہ کس پنجرس چھنا اڈٕ وژھ تِہ روزاں دار زانہہ۔۔
کیاہ یہ مرگک یُپ ینا میٚتہ مٗول پراآٹتھ اخرس۔۔
زندگَانی سپد کر حاَصل کمال
کر چھ انسانس بنن وونی لا زوال






Moate kis panjras chena advech te rozaan daer zanh
Kyah ye marguk yup niyaa myeti mool preatyeth aekheres?
Zindagani sapde kar haesil kamaal?
Kar chu insanas banun vuni lazawaal?


Is the door of death’s cage never left ajar?
Will the tide of death sweep me away too, tearing me away from my roots?
Will life ever attain fulfillment?
Will man ever become immortal?

(My translation and transliteration)

In this verse, Rahi expresses a longing to return to the world, questioning whether death is the only obstacle to human freedom. He views human existence as a search for beauty and art, with death as the final barrier to achieving ontological liberation. In the poem Path Agar Yeyhey Te Moatas Vaer, Rahi explores death from a different existential perspective. He contends that death ultimately ends human suffering, but it also robs humanity of the opportunity to fully exercise its freedom. Through the perspective of an aged woman, Rahi expresses a desire not to eliminate death but to embrace human freedom without the constant fear of its eventual cessation. He believes that life should be lived freely, creating meaning without concern for its ultimate end.

As he says towards the end of the poem:

پتھ اگر یی ہے تہ موتس واری تس کیا لارہے


Path agar yei he te motas vaeri tas kya laarehey?


If death limits life, it’s not a life in vain.

(My translation and transliteration)

Rahi and the Absurd

[dropcap]R[/dropcap]ahi’s poetry often embodies a sense of the absurd. His depiction of the materialistic and modern world resonates with the noise made by crows. In the poem Perhaps the Noise of Crows, Rahi presents a world that has lost its search for meaning, where human consciousness is reduced to mere noise. Crows, often symbols of death and madness in Kashmiri poetics, represent the absurdity that pervades the poet’s worldview. In this poem, Rahi uses the image of crows to symbolize absurdity, much like Camus used Sisyphus. The crows are harbingers of senselessness, a reminder that human existence often feels devoid of purpose. Rahi further illustrates this absurdity with the image of overwhelming darkness and the incessant noise of the crows:

انِہ گوٚٹ چُھ تیُتھ زِ انِہ گو ٹٚے یوت چُھ لبنٕہ یوان
بیٚیہ کاوَن ہُند شور
ہُران ، ہُنان


Ani gout chu tyuth zi ani gotui yoot chu labne yevaan
beyyi kaavun hund shor
huraan, hunan


There is so much darkness that only darkness is visible
and the noise of crows
amplifying and growing.

(My translation and transliteration)

Rahi’s Quarrel with God

[dropcap]R[/dropcap]ehman Rahi presents a complex and intriguing stance on the concept of God in his poetry. Rather than declaring God as “dead,” as some existential thinkers might, he refrains from engaging in debates about God's existence, power, or divine attributes. Rahi does not concern himself with the theological specifics or ecclesiastical debates surrounding God. Instead, he addresses God with an open-ended, almost agnostic invocation: “Whoever and whatever you are.” This invocation reflects his understanding of God as an entity capable of listening to the poet's existential plight and granting him the wish of self-exploration and discovery. Rahi’s desire is to be recognized, to exist in a world that often seems indifferent. Rahi's conception of God is rooted in the idea of absolute existence, akin to the views of Ibn Arabi, who posited that God's existence is absolute and limitless. In one of his poems, Rahi calls upon God by invoking historical figures—Genghis Khan, Oedipus, Husain, and Abu Turab. These figures, he suggests, found meaning in their lives either through obedience to a higher power or through the pursuit of divinity themselves. In either case, their actions represented a search for existential purpose. Rahi’s invocation is, therefore, not just a prayer but an existential plea—a search for purpose, meaning, and self-discovery within the divine.

Conclusion

[dropcap]R[/dropcap]ehman Rahi emerged in a cultural and intellectual milieu where being an ‘intellectual poet’ was not the norm. His journey through Marxism, followed by a disillusionment with its frameworks, led him to grapple with the ‘myth’ of human existence. In doing so, he approached human existence from the perspective of the artist, a stance that is clearly reflected in his thought-provoking poetry. His work is imbued with undertones of nihilism, absurdism, and existentialism, though it does not adhere strictly to any particular philosophical school. Rahi’s poetry can be seen as a continuation of the mystic tradition in Kashmiri literature, yet it bears the marks of modernism, interrogating the human condition through secular and individualized lenses. In this way, his poetry transcends the aesthetic, becoming a journey—a search for meaning, both literal and figurative. Rahi’s poems embody the complex struggle of trying to understand the self, the world, and the divine, making his work a unique contribution to contemporary Kashmiri literature and philosophy.

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