{"id":203,"date":"2025-05-03T00:32:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-03T00:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stagingserver3.com\/Maharaj\/?p=203"},"modified":"2025-05-05T23:11:43","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T23:11:43","slug":"the-rhapsody-of-kashmir","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stagingserver3.com\/Maharaj\/the-rhapsody-of-kashmir\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rhapsody of Kashmir"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”full_width_background” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” equal_height=”yes” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” bg_image=”132″ bg_position=”center center” background_image_loading=”default” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” scene_position=”center” top_padding=”60″ constrain_group_1=”yes” bottom_padding=”60″ left_padding_desktop=”50″ constrain_group_2=”yes” right_padding_desktop=”50″ text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” id=”ro-1″ overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” gradient_type=”default” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]\n
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The Rhapsody of Kashmir
\nMaharaj Kaul<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0Rhaps<\/a><\/span><\/strong>ody of<\/a> Kash<\/a><\/strong><\/span>mir \u2013 website<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>In<\/p>\n

The Rhapsody of Kashmir,\u00a0<\/em>his fifth collection of poetry, Kashmiri American poet, Maharaj Kaul, describes Kashmir, the land of his ancestors, after the civil war of 1989. He saw the wanton destruction of human beings and homes, milieu and culture. He laments:<\/p>\n

The clandestine evil schemes of 80\u2019s
\nHatched in our neighbor country
\nCoalesced into one infernal insane fire in \u201989,
\nDestroying the finely woven culture of a millennia in the valley,
\nDisturbing the tranquility of a million years among the mountains.<\/p>\n

A friend turned into a murderer,
\nA neighbor into an arsonist;
\nA community acquiesced to become an army.
\nAn angelic valley became a death valley \u2013
\nAll in the name of God and religion.<\/p>\n

(From the poem \u201cRoots.\u201d)<\/p>\n

In his preface to the book he writes:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ongoing political crises in Kashmir, born in 1947, has mutilated the soul of Kashmir. The political heroes of the crises have no idea of the damage they have done to it. It will take a long time before the soul of Kashmir is healed,\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Maharaj Kaul has a hope that one day Kashmir will be reborn:<\/p>\n

\u201cBut the idea of Kashmir is still not dead,
\nThere is hope, in fact, a dream, that one day it will be reborn
\nAnd reconnect with its past glory.<\/p>\n

Then we will not mourn the lost time,
\nBut celebrate man\u2019s infinite resilience,
\nTo forget, to forgive, to recreate, and move on.\u201d<\/p>\n

(From the poem \u201cThe Shattered Dream of Kashmir\u201d)[\/vc_column_text][image_with_animation image_url=”57″ image_size=”full” animation_type=”entrance” animation=”None” animation_movement_type=”transform_y” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default” el_class=”immg-01″ img_link=”#”][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” text_align=”left” row_position=”default” row_position_tablet=”inherit” row_position_phone=”inherit” overflow=”visible” pointer_events=”all”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” overflow=”visible” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][nectar_icon icon_family=”fontawesome” icon_style=”default” icon_color_type=”custom” icon_color_custom=”#0866ff” icon_padding=”10px” pointer_events=”all” icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-facebook-square” icon_size=”30″ url=”#”][nectar_icon icon_family=”fontawesome” icon_style=”default” icon_color_type=”custom” icon_color_custom=”#1d9bf0″ icon_padding=”10px” pointer_events=”all” icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-twitter-square” icon_size=”30″ url=”#”][image_with_animation image_url=”58″ image_size=”full” animation_type=”entrance” animation=”None” animation_movement_type=”transform_y” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default” el_class=”immg-02″ img_link=”#”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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