Budgam, July 15: Kashmir’s literary and cultural fraternity is in mourning following the death of Shahid Budgami, one of the Valley’s most revered poets and cultural custodians. Born as Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, he passed away at his ancestral home in , on Monday after a prolonged illness. He was 90.
Shahid Budgami carved a unique place in Kashmiri literature with his romantic and lyrical poetry that graced Radio Kashmir Srinagar for decades and was rendered by some of the most celebrated Kashmiri vocalists. His verses, marked by classical subtlety and emotional depth, continue to echo across generations.
In the 1970s, Budgami ventured into cinema as Assistant Director in the landmark Kashmiri feature film Shair-e-Kashmir Mehjoor, working alongside cinematic legends Balraj Sahni and Prabhat Mukherjee. The film, a biopic of legendary poet Mahjoor, marked a cultural milestone as the second-ever feature in the Kashmiri language.
As a literary historian, he made remarkable contributions through works like “Kashri Marsi Hund Tawareekh”, a foundational text chronicling the elegiac tradition of Kashmir (Marsiya).
His multiple poetry collections enriched the region’s literary archive.
After retiring as Assistant Commissioner Development and District Panchayat Officer, Budgami remained an active figure in the cultural scene, publishing and editing the respected politico-literary journal Budshah. His home became a hub for poets, broadcasters, artists, and cultural thinkers.
He belonged to a lineage of literary excellence being the younger brother of poet Fariq Budgami and maternal uncle to several notable figures including filmmaker Bashir Budgami, actor Nazir Josh (King Ahad Raza), singer Nisar Budgami, and poet Javed Budgami.
In his death, Kashmir has lost a literary torchbearer, a cultural guardian, and a beloved human being whose legacy will continue to inspire. His funeral was attended by family, admirers, and fellow writers who paid homage to the poet whose verses had become a part of Kashmir’s collective memory.
May Allah grant Shahid Budgami maghfirah and elevate his place in Jannat al-Firdous. (JKNS)
