Whispers of Spring: Yemberzal Blooms in Kashmiri Poetry
Kashmir winters are harsh. As spring arrives, a delicate white flower emerges as the first harbinger of warmth. The flower, known to Kashmiris as the Yemberzal (the narcissus or daffodil), is far more than a botanical specimen; it is a symbol of hope, love, and resilience.
For centuries, Yemberzal has captivated the imaginations of poets, weaving its beauty into the tapestry of Kashmiri literature.
In Persian culture, the flower is called Nargis. In Greek mythology it is known as Narcissus poeticus or Poet’s Daffodil, dating back to 371– 287 BCE
The iconic opera: Bombur ta Yemberzal
Perhaps the most famous tribute to the Yemberzal is the first-ever Kashmiri opera, Bombur ta Yemberzal (The Bumblebee and the Narcissus), written by the poet Dina Nath Nadim. Performed in 1953, the opera tells the allegorical story of the bumblebee (Bombur) and the narcissus (Yemberzal). The bumblebee is a metaphor for the passionate lover, constantly searching for his beloved, while Yemberzal represents beauty and longing.
Lines from Bombur ta Yemberzal:
Yemberzali aavij zaavij thuff dith,
Tsolmut chhu traet toofaano.
Bomburuss Yemberzal beyee samkhaavon,
Nerunn prein armaano,
Toofaan shaitaan neri zung fatrith,
Saavon munz madaano.
O delicate Narcissus! You have endured a lot of suffering.
We shall make the Narcissus meet her love,
They shall fulfill their desires.
This Satanic Hurricane visiting our Garden at the moment,
Shall depart shortly and die down in some open field.
O Bumble Bee! O Dusky Bumble Bee!
Why do thee lament so much?
The following lines continue the narrative of the bumblebee's longing for the Yemberzal, symbolizing the themes of love and desire.
Bomburo bomburo shaam rung bomburo,
Kyaazi chhukh yoot naalano.
Haal baav panunuy haa shaam sondharo,
Ais karroy jaan qurbaano.
O Bumble Bee! O Dusky Bumble Bee!
Why do thee lament so much?
Come, my love, do not stroll around idly.
The evening is pleasant; come and meet me.
The poet's dilemma: Mahjoor's reflection
Another pillar of Kashmiri poetry, Ghulam Ahmed Mehjoor, also immortalized the Yemberzal in his works. In his poem "Yemberzal". Mehjoor uses the flower to explore deeper questions about life, beauty, and transience.
T Raina translates it as:
He placed me in a predicament !
Bewildered, what can a yemberzal
Say to others, like the spring,
The morning breeze and the dew ?
Mahjoor also celebrates the Yemberzal as a symbol of beauty and the arrival of spring in “Flower of Nishat Bagh”.
Yemberzal tas bombooreni maayi vajthas,
Frakah-vani tser grakavani Kraayi.
The Yemberzal is the bee's favorite flower,
It is the first to bloom in the garden.
Mazaar Posh: Yemberzal, Flower of the Graveyard
A particularly moving image in Kashmiri literature is the yemberzal's common appearance in graveyards, which has earned it the name Mazaar Posh (graveyard flower). Yousufi reflects on the Yemberzal's presence in graveyards, symbolizing love, longing, and resurrection.
Mazaar posh, yemberzal, gulab posh,
Manz chhukh, chon chhukh, chon chhukh.
The Yemberzal, the flower of the graveyard,
In the graveyard, it blooms, it blooms.
From the romance of Nadim's opera to the philosophical musings of Mehjoor, the Yemberzal remains a timeless muse for Kashmiri poets. It is a symbol that encompasses the full spectrum of human experience—from the jubilant arrival of spring to the somber reflections on life and loss.
Yemberzal has also found commercial usage. For example, Forest Essentials uses the pure essential oil of the Nargis flower to create the Nargis Collection of products.