This Land of Ours

(Ghulam Ahmad Mahjoor)

Translated By

Prof. G. R. Malik

The bulbul chirps to the blossoms:

A flower-garden is this land of ours,

This land of ours is a flower-garden,

A flower-garden is this land of ours.

Sunny summits girdle it around -

Fair walls of shining marble -

In the midst is this gem, so green;

A flower-garden is this land of ours.

In the vales of mountain ranges

Spring has chosen a seat to rest.

Tulips bloom in gardens like Shalimar -

A flower-garden is this land of ours.

Springs, rivers and streams,

Rivulets and roaring waterfalls,

Are thrilled with the joy of spring.

A flower-garden is this land of ours.

Around roses the bulbul turns in love

And the bumblebee seeks the narcissus -

Kashmiris feel drunk in excitement.

A flower-garden is this land of ours.

Mahjoor, this homeland of ours

Is a charming garden, indeed;

Let us shower our love on it.

A flower-garden is this land of ours.

The original poem is in kashmiri language and also in the syllabus of 6th class Kashmir subject. For the convenience of readers below is the poem in kashmiri:

The poem is written by Ghulam Ahmad Mahjoor the most celebrated poet of Kashmir. The poet romanticises the mother land in the poem. The poet personifies Bulbul (bird) to describe the beauty of Kashmir. The Bulbul says to flowers in excitement that this flower garden which is like a green gem in the centre of white marble like mountains is our mother land. In the centre of tall mountains, spring has arrived and all around flowers bloom especially tulips. Arrival of spring has also blessed rivers, springs and dry river basins, small canals and fountain with full fresh and clean water therefore all these are singing. Spring has blessed multiple colours to gardens, mountains and forests as well as to deep valleys that is why there are colourful flowers all around. Among the flowers to take up seat Colchicum Luteum (Virkume) 

Colchicum Luteum (Virkume)

and Tankepatye are first among others. Other flowers are in competition to bloom first. All around are flowers be it trees are forests, seeing this Bulbul is overjoyed. In the last stanza the poet Ghulam Mohammad Mahjoor says that the country of ours is very pretty flower garden, therefore we should sacrifice ourselves and love this land.
Reading is Fun

1.) What does the bulbul say to the blossoms in the first and second stanza?

Answer: In the first stanza bulbul says to blossoms that a flower garden is land of ours and in second stanza poet says that sunny mountain tops surrounding  our flower garden like a wall of shining marble and in the middle our mother land is looking like gem.

2.) How is the valley described in the third stanza?
Answer: In third stanza the valley is described as a resting place for Spring season in which the tulips along with other flowers bloom in valley's different gardens.
3.) How does the poet describe the happy mood of the rivers and waterfalls?
Answer: By the roaring of the rivers and waterfalls the poet has described the happy mood of the rivers and waterfalls.
4.) What is the poet’s wish in the end?
Answer: In the end poet wishes that all of the people of his homeland should shower their love on it.
Language Work
A.) Pick out the adjectives used in the poem.
Answer: Adjectives are words that describe the qualities or states of being of nouns. The adjectives used in the poem are:
Sunny, shining, green, charming etc.
B.) Write the antonyms of the given words from the poem.
(One is done as an example)

Word	Antonym
Fair	Ugly
Shining
Bloom
Sorrow
Joy

Answer:

Word	Antonym
Fair	Ugly
Shining	Shabby, Fade
Bloom	Wither
Sorrow	Bore, Depressed
Joy	Sorrow

Let’s Write
Make a list of things that we should do to preserve the beauty of J&K.
Answer:- The things what we should do to preserve the beauty of J&K are:
i.) We should plant more trees.
ii.) We should conserve the forest and the wetlands.
iii.) We should throw our wastage in a dustbin.
iv.) We should respect the wildlife while we are visiting some place.
v.) We should try to recycle used things to minimize pollution.