BOOUNE.....dying slowly

I breath in while the tree breaths out,
I breath out while the tree breaths in

Our symbiotic partnership
Is the rhythms tree heart beat  ...............


  Booune , known as chinar in English,the most prominent feature of Kashmir's beauty which can be found at every nook and corner of Kashmir.

It is said Chinar's name Booune is derived  from the name of Hindu Goddess, Bhawani. Chinar tree  it  is said were brought to Kashmir  by the Mughal from Iran in 1586 AD when Akbar annexed the valley within his domain  through it is also argued that species of Chinar grown here are of Greek origin.It is a historical fact that Akbar planted about 1200 plants of  Chinar  near the sacred shrine of Hazratbal.
  But introduction of Chinar in Kashmir by Mughal however does not stand the test  of history.In his book,Akbar Nama, Akbar  wrote  that along with  his 34 guards took the shelther in a hallow trunk of Chinar   tree  when  rains over  took  Srinagar. Thus chinar  was already in Kashmir valley when Mughals annexed it within their domain.
  These majestic Chinar tree are slowly extinguishing from Kashmir  due to the two main reasons, the indifference of the state government and arrogance of common  people  towards Chinar.
  In the name of development and prosperity Chinar sites have been replaced by cement structures, macadamized and furred roads. The greedy and unscrupulous people obtained a  green signal to fell a Chinar after it classified as dry  and dead in collusion with some corrupt officers.

  Over the past three decades, the number of Chinar in valley has declined drastically from around 42000 in 1970,the dwindled by more than half in  17394.
  There is good aesthetic reason why Chinar should be preserved as well as vital biological and ecological one.
   If the majestic Chinar are neglected soon they will be extinction from Kashmir which is part of our  rich heritage. 

Kashmir & sufi music

The word Sufi came from Arabic word "Suf" which means pure.Sufis are called so because their inner world is purified and enlightened by the light of wisdom, unity and oneness.
In Sufi music,the songs of the poet-singer invariable between the moods of the lovers and the saints, the beloved.

It's said that sofiana mosiqui came to Kashmir from Iran in  15th century.Over the years, it has established own identity by incorporating Kashmiri music.When one listens to Tajik music, one can hardly find any difference between Kashmir and Irani music.There are only a few families in Kashmir who are practicing this musical form in Kashmir. Whereas the tallest ustad Ghulam Mohd. Qaleenbaft is unable to move out because of health problems, Ustad Ghulam Mohd. Saznawaz and Ustad Abdul Ghani Namathali are imparting training to their family members and are the practicing artists.Ghulam Mohammad Saznawaz is the only existing master of Kashmiri Sufiyana Music in the world. He has opened a school to teach his genre of music, although it does not attract many students from Kashmir because of religious and social prejudice.

Kashmiri musicologist is struggling to revive the 500 years old sofiana mosaqi drawn from Sufi traditions...music which is dying after decade of neglect.

Though the advancement of technology has given newer topics to Kashmiri music, yet still we find the neo-poetry of Kashmiri Sufi songs  through in a very meager number.

There is no denying the fact that sufism and spiritual form the sheet anchor of Kashmiri poetry.