SRINAGAR, NOVEMBER 04: Two new Kashmiri novels, ‘Indrim Zarb’ and ‘Ajab Malik, written by renowned broadcaster, writer, dramatist, and critic Dr. Sohan Kaul, were released today by the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages at Tagore Hall, Srinagar. A grand ceremony marked the unveiling of Dr. Sohan Kaul’s novels, bringing his published works to a record total of 16 novels, making him the state’s most prolific novelist.
The event was presided over by Prof. Dr. Muhammad Zaman Azurdah, with Dr. Ayash Arif as the guest of honour.
The novel Indrim Zarb explores the life of a woman facing an existential crisis, who, on her deathbed, begins to rediscover her Pandit identity. Her story unfolds as a reflection of the traumatic exile in Jammu, where many Pandits suffered from sunstroke, snake bites, and mental stress, resulting in significant memory loss. Prof. Bashar Bashir, presenting a paper on Indrim Zarb, described it as a “pathetic novel” and a “true literature of exile” that captures the deep cultural attachment and existential struggle of the main character.
The second novel, Ajab Malik, was analyzed by Prof. Shad Ramzan, who praised it as a philosophical novel pushing the boundaries of Kashmiri fiction. Prof. Ramzan explained that the story delves into the absurd nature of human existence and the struggles of a writer grappling with creation and resilience, ultimately leading to a descent into madness. He highlighted the novel’s use of magical realism as a valuable addition to Kashmiri literature.
The ceremony was attended by prominent writers and television personalities, including Maqbool Ferozi, Mohammad Yusuf Shaheen, Shakeel-ur-Rehman, Nisar Naseem, Javed Iqbal, Dildar Ashraf Shah, Mohammad Amin Butt, Shaukat Shafi, Gulshan Badrani, Dr. Shabnam Rafiq, and others.
