Title: Shri Suraj Narayan Tiku: A Life Where Art Became Destiny
Date: 2026-01-21 04:50:52
Last Modified: 2026-01-21 05:15:25 by MithBooks
Tags: Kashmir, Personalities
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(A personal narrative tribut...
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(A personal narrative tribute)
Some artists leave behind museums, awards, and official citations. Others leave behind something far more enduring—memory, influence, and quiet inspiration. Shri Suraj Narayan Tiku, my Masad, belonged firmly to the latter category. His life did not unfold amid applause and honours, yet his presence shaped Kashmiri art, theatre, and design in ways that still echo silently.
On every Gauri Tritiya, when Mata Saraswati is invoked as the embodiment of knowledge and creativity, my thoughts instinctively return to him. It feels profoundly symbolic that his birth anniversary falls on this sacred day. For those who knew him closely, there was never any doubt - he was truly blessed by Mata Saraswati.
This is not merely an artist’s biography. It is a personal remembrance, written by someone who watched him paint, design, rehearse, struggle, teach, and quietly persevere.
Shri Suraj Narayan Tiku was born in 1929, in the locality of Habbakadal, Srinagar - a part of the city pulsating with tradition, culture, and community life. His early childhood, however, was shadowed by tragedy. He lost his father at a very young age, an event that abruptly altered the course of the family’s life.
His mother emerged as the central pillar of strength. With limited resources but unwavering dignity, she raised Suraj Narayan and his sister, ensuring that education and moral grounding were never sacrificed to hardship. Looking back, it is impossible to separate the gentleness and discipline of his personality from the values instilled by his mother.
This early confrontation with loss perhaps sharpened his sensitivity - an emotional depth that later found expression in his landscapes, portraits, and stage visuals.
Art came to him not as a conscious choice, but as an instinct. From a young age, Suraj Narayan Tiku was drawn to drawing and painting. Paper, pencil, and colour became his refuge and language.
He observed keenly - the shifting light on Dal Lake, the textured walls of old Srinagar homes, the play of shadow in narrow lanes. These impressions quietly accumulated and later reappeared on both canvas and stage.
After completing his matriculation in 1945, he enrolled at the Amar Singh Technical Institute, Srinagar, where he earned a Diploma in Fine Arts. At the time, this institute was the nerve centre of visual arts education in Kashmir.
Here, he trained under stalwarts such as Pt. Shridhar Joo, Pt. Shivji Raina, and most importantly, Pt. Kashi Nath Bhan—a towering figure in Kashmiri theatre and art. Bhan Saab became not merely a teacher, but a lifelong mentor, shaping Suraj Narayan Tiku’s understanding of both painting and stagecraft.
Before fame or professional recognition, Suraj Narayan Tiku served as a drawing teacher, first in Hoshiarpur (Punjab) and later in Pattan, Kashmir.
He did not impose rigid formulas on his students. Instead, he encouraged observation, patience, and emotional engagement. Many students later recalled that he never rushed a line or a colour—and never allowed them to do so either. Teaching, for him, was not employment; it was sadhana.
His artistic journey naturally expanded into theatre through Kala Kendra, Srinagar, Kashmir’s pioneering theatre institution. This marked the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the stage.
At Kala Kendra, Suraj Narayan Tiku wore multiple hats:
He acted in several notable productions, including Raksha Bandhan, Satyavan Savitri, Krishn Janam, Prahlad Bhagat, and Aurat. Even as an actor, his painter’s eye was evident - he understood space, depth, balance, and visual rhythm instinctively.
A defining moment came in 1966, when he was selected by the Song and Drama Division, Government of India, for advanced professional training in set design in Delhi.
This exposure transformed his intuitive artistry into disciplined stage engineering. He learned lighting dynamics, spatial composition, material usage, and the psychology of stage movement.
I vividly recall the impact of this mastery in the celebrated play “Nefa Ki Ek Shaam”, staged at Gulab Bhawan, Jammu, in the post-1962 Indo–China War period. Even as a child, I was struck by how the set itself seemed to narrate the story. The play went on to have numerous performances across India, becoming a landmark of its time.
For me, his true studio was his home. As a child, I frequently visited my Masi’s house, especially on the occasion of his birthday. Those visits were transformative.
I watched him work in silence - sometimes on finished pieces, often on incomplete ones. I observed his meticulous colour schemes, his layering of watercolours, and his sketching process that slowly shaped Kashmir’s landscapes on paper.
His works ranged from:
Those hours left a permanent imprint on my raw mind and later inspired my own engagement with drawing and watercolour painting as a lifelong hobby.
The final major chapter of his professional life unfolded at the School of Designs, Jammu & Kashmir Government. Here, his diverse experience found institutional expression. He mentored young artists, designers, and theatre aspirants, bridging traditional Kashmiri aesthetics with modern design sensibilities. He retired from service in 1984, leaving behind an enriched institution and a generation of influenced minds.
Despite being a towering presence in Kashmiri art and theatre, formal recognition eluded him. Many of his contemporaries received honours, titles, and public acclaim.
This was not due to lack of merit, but perhaps due to his humility, aversion to self-promotion, and unwillingness to compromise artistic integrity for visibility. History, unfortunately, often favours the loud over the profound.
The upheaval of 1990 forced him, like thousands of Kashmiri Pandits, to migrate to Jammu. Exile weighed heavily on him. Yet, even away from his homeland, he continued to paint Kashmir - not from sight, but from memory.
He passed away on 26 January 1997, leaving behind canvases, sketches, sets, students, and an unfulfilled promise of recognition.
Shri Suraj Narayan Tiku did not chase legacy - he lived it. His life reminds us that true art does not always seek applause. Sometimes, it simply seeks truth.
For me, he remains my Masad - the silent teacher whose brush strokes shaped my understanding of beauty. On every Gauri Tritiya, I bow not just to an artist, but to a life lived in devotion to art.
Namaskar.
by Author: Yekjah • 5
by Author: Suniel Kumar Dhar • 5
by Author: Mithlesh Dhar • 5
Nestled among the snow-capped peaks and serene valleys of Kashmir bloomed one of the greatest mystic voices of the Indian subcontinent — Lalleshwari, lovingly called Lal Ded by the Kashmiri people. Born in the 14th century, her life and verses continue to illuminate the hearts of spiritual seekers across centuries.
Early Life and Awakening
Lalleshwari was born around 1320 CE in Pandrethan (near present-day Srinagar). Details of her early life are interwoven with legend and oral tradition. Her given name was believed to be Lalleshwari (“grace of God”), though she is most affectionately remembered as Lal Ded, meaning “Grandmother Lal.”
Married at a young age, Lalleshwari faced harsh treatment in her in-laws’ house. The spiritual seeds within her, however, were already sprouting. Disillusioned by worldly life, she yearned for a deeper truth. This inner quest led her to Siddha Shrikanth, under whose guidance she delved into Shaivism and intense yogic practices.
The Path of Mysticism
Lal Ded walked away from domestic life to become a wandering ascetic, clad only in a simple woolen garment — or sometimes, legend says, entirely unclad, symbolizing her renunciation of all social norms. She roamed the lush valleys and hills of Kashmir, lost in divine absorption.
Her spiritual philosophy drew deeply from Kashmir Shaivism, particularly the Trika school, which celebrates the unity of the individual soul (atman) with the universal consciousness (Shiva). Through bhakti (devotion) and self-realization, she sought to transcend dualities.
The Vakhs: Pearls of Wisdom
Lalleshwari expressed her profound insights through short, intuitive poems called vakhs (literally “utterances” in Kashmiri). These four-line verses, composed in the native tongue, are simple yet layered with spiritual depth. They explore themes of self-inquiry, ego dissolution, divine love, and the ephemeral nature of worldly existence.
Examples of her vakhs reflect a fearless voice that challenged orthodoxy:
> Shiva resides not in temples of stone;
My body is His temple, my heart His shrine.
Or in another:
> I searched for my Self until I grew weary,
but no one, I know now, reaches the hidden knowledge by mere effort.
Her poetry often took gentle jabs at ritualistic religion, urging people to seek the divine within.
A Universal Mystic
Though rooted in Kashmir’s Shaiva tradition, Lal Ded’s teachings are universal. Her verses cross the boundaries of religion and philosophy. Both Hindus and Muslims of Kashmir revere her equally. In fact, the great Sufi saint Sheikh Noor-ud-din Noorani (Nund Rishi) regarded her as his spiritual mentor, a testament to her unifying influence.
Legacy
More than 600 years later, Lalleshwari’s vakhs still form the spiritual bedrock of Kashmir’s cultural identity. They are sung, recited, and woven into everyday wisdom. Many of her sayings live on as Kashmiri proverbs.
Today, Lal Ded stands as an embodiment of feminine spiritual power, resilience, and unflinching truth. Her life teaches us to look inward, beyond external rituals, to find the divine spark that resides in every heart.
Closing Thoughts
Lalleshwari’s life was a radiant pilgrimage from pain to profound enlightenment. In a time of rigid societal norms, she dared to live her truth, becoming a lamp of divine consciousness not just for Kashmir, but for all humanity.
Her vakhs are not relics of the past — they continue to whisper timeless truths, urging us to awaken to our own inner divinity. Truly, the mystic grandmother of Kashmir still lives on, in verse and in spirit.
by Author: Yekjah • 5
by Author: Suniel Kumar Dhar • 5
by Author: Mithlesh Dhar • 5
My name is Mithlesh Dhar, and I am a father living 2,200 kilometers away from my heart.
By day, I work in the glass towers of Hyderabad. By evening, I look at my two-year-old daughter and wonder: “How will she know the scent of the Chinar? How will she feel the weight of our stories if she only hears them in a city so far from the mountains?”
I built Yekjah (meaning Togetherness) because I realized that as we move for our careers, our culture shouldn't be left behind in a packed suitcase.
In a world of AI and "big" social media, our specific stories are getting lost. We are more connected than ever, yet a Kashmiri in Hyderabad or anywhere around the world feels alone. We worry about our children losing their mother tongue. We miss the grit of the road, the taste of home, and the simple joy of being among our own.
This website is not just a social network. It is a Digital Homeland. I built this as a legacy for my daughter, and a sanctuary for you.
To Preserve: A place to archive our family trees, our recipes, and our language so they never fade.
To Connect: A bridge for those of us driving our cars across the plains of India to find one another.
To Belong: A platform where being "local" isn't about where you work, but where your heart resides.
Yekjah is my love letter to Jammu & Kashmir, and my gift to the next generation.
Whether you are here to share a story, find a piece of home in a distant city, or simply plan your next drive back to the mountains—welcome home.
by Author: Yekjah • 5
by Author: Suniel Kumar Dhar • 5
by Author: Mithlesh Dhar • 5
The temple of Mata Jwala Ji also called Jwala Bhagwati, is located in Khrew, a town about 20 km southeast of Srinagar in Kashmir. It is situated on a small hillock, offering beautiful views of the surrounding Zabarwan mountain range. The presiding deity is Mata Jwala Ji, a manifestation of Shakti, the primordial cosmic energy. The word “Jwala” means flame, indicating the goddess’s fiery power. In local tradition, she is also called “Jawala Bhagwati”, and is revered as a protector and fulfiller of wishes.
The origins of the shrine is very ancient. It is believed to be several thousand years old. According to legends and Kashmiri folklore, the temple’s location was sanctified by the goddess herself who manifested here in a blazing form.
The temple finds mention in the Rajatarangini, the famous chronicle by Kalhana (12th century CE), which records many Shakti Peethas in Kashmir.
Despite the political upheavals and invasions in Kashmir’s history, the worship of Jwala Ji at Khrew continued. The Mughal emperor Akbar, as per local lore, is said to have offered respect to such shrines due to their vibrant following.
Near the temple, there is a natural spring (nag) considered very sacred. Earlier, local traditions spoke of mysterious natural flames (or emissions of gases catching fire) from nearby rocks, giving it the name Jwala Mukhi, though such phenomena are mostly subdued now.
🌺 Aashad Sukhlapaksha Chaturdashi Festival
The annual festival (mela) dedicated to Mata Jawala Ji is observed on Aashad Shukla Paksha Chaturdashi (the 14th lunar day of the bright half of Ashadha month.
Mata Jwala Ji Temple at Khrew is an ancient Shakti shrine of Kashmir and it stands as a testament to the rich spiritual and syncretic traditions of Kashmir, dedicated to the ever-blazing divine Mother who protects her devotees.
Thousands of devotees (historically both Kashmiri Pandits and local Muslims) used to visit the shrine, taking a holy bath in the spring and offering pooja to the goddess.
Among the seven principal Shakti temples (Sapta Shakti Peethas) of ancient Kashmir, including Kheer Bhawani at Tulmul, Sharika Bhagwati at Hari Parbat, Jwala Ji of Khrew also holds a unique place in Kashmir historical pilgrim places.
Kashmiri Pandits traditionally pay homage here to seek blessings for health, protection from calamities, and fulfillment of desires.
The temple continues to be revered, and efforts have been made by the community to maintain the annual festival and preserve the sanctity of the site, even after the turmoil that led to large-scale migration of Pandits from the valley in the 1990s.
जय ज्वाला माता
by Author: Yekjah • 5
by Author: Suniel Kumar Dhar • 5
by Author: Mithlesh Dhar • 5
Triloke Kaul, a prominent and esteemed Kashmiri artist and former Director of the School of Designs, passed away on June 15, 2025, in Jammu.
Born in the early 1930s in Habakadal, Srinagar, Kashmir, into a Kashmiri Pandit family, Kaul grew up amidst the vibrant cultural milieu of the old city — wooden havelis, stone temples, narrow lanes, and the ghats of the Vitasta (Jhelum) river — all of which would later infuse his art.
After completing his schooling in Kashmir, he pursued formal studies in fine arts at the prestigious Faculty of Fine Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (now Vadodara), Gujarat. There, he trained under stalwarts of modern Indian art, absorbing influences from the Baroda School, known for blending traditional Indian idioms with global modernism.
Triloke Kaul was a pioneer of modernism in Kashmir — known for his cubist landscapes, mentorship of younger artists, and stewardship of the region’s cultural heritage. His paintings are marked by a cubist, analytical approach, breaking down landscapes, cityscapes, temples, and bridges into geometric forms. He often used vivid yet earthy palettes — ochres, saffron, and deep greens — reminiscent of Kashmir’s seasonal moods. His work is deeply rooted in Kashmiri architecture and terrain, giving his modernist expression a distinct regional identity.
Upon returning to Srinagar in the 1950s, Kaul became a founding member of the Progressive Artists’ Association of Kashmir, alongside artists like P.N. Kachru, S.N. Bhat, G.R. Santosh, and Bansi Parimu.
In the late 1950s, he was appointed Director of the School of Designs, under the Department of Industries and Commerce, Government of Jammu & Kashmir. The school was established to revive and modernize Kashmiri handicrafts. Under his leadership, the institution produced hundreds of new designs for shawls, carpets, papier-mâché, and wooden crafts — blending tradition with modern aesthetics. He was part of a movement that helped transform Kashmiri art from purely decorative crafts into a broader visual modernism. Kaul Sahab played a crucial role in preserving Kashmir’s design vocabulary while introducing modern lines and forms.
Though less known in mainstream Indian art history compared to contemporaries like G.R. Santosh, partly because he focused more on design work and local mentorship than on self-promotion, Triloke Kaul is revered among Kashmiri artists and craft historians as a foundational figure in the evolution of modern Kashmiri visual culture.
He was among the first recipients of the Sharda Samman in 1993.
by Author: Yekjah • 5
by Author: Suniel Kumar Dhar • 5
by Author: Mithlesh Dhar • 5
Today is Shravan Krishan Paksh Sheshti, and this day is also called Vahārat in Kashmiri tradtions. Vahārat is indeed a significant day in Kashmiri Hindu culture. It marks the beginning of the rainy season (usually around early Shravan) in the Kashmir Valley. The name "Vahārat" is thought to be derived from an old Kashmiri term meaning "rainy period". Vahārat marks the transition from summer to the rainy season and Kashmiri Pandits celebrate this change with tradtional rituals and prepration of special foods. Vahārat is an important cultural event highlighting the communities connection with nature and their tradtions.
It is a time to thank nature for the coming rains which are vital for paddy and saffron cultivation in the valley. Small rituals are sometimes done, involving water pots and local deities, to seek blessings for good rains and healthy crops.
Families usually visit relatives and friends, exchanging greetings, and wishes for good rains and prosperity. Often, women gather together to prepare special foods.
On this day Kashmiri Pandits usually prepare a special and unique snack called Yaje (याज़ि). Yaje (याज़ि) is a unique Kashmiri Pandit delicacy made primarily from rice flour (चावल का आटा) and walnut kernels (डूंनय गूज़). The dough of rice atta kneaded with water and walnut kernels mixed into it, along with cumin seeds and ajwain, is then shaped into small round or oval patties and these patties are steamed in a traditional earthen pot called lej in Kashmiri (लेज in Kashmiri), on tradtional Kashmiri chullas (दान), giving them a rustic flavour. The Kashmiri's enjoy these hot Yaje (याज़ि) with Sheer-Chai (salted Kashmiri tea) or sometimes with sweet Kehwa.
Vahārat is not a religious festival, more of a seasonal folk obersvance deeply rooted in the agrarian life of Kashmiri Hindus. It reflects how closely life is tied to the rhythms of nature, where rain mean hope for rice paddies, saffron fields and apple orchards. The small festival also serve as a social bonding day, ensuring that ties of kinship and neighbourhood are strengthened, by sharing Yaje (याज़ि) with family, relatives, neighbours and friends.
by Author: Yekjah • 5
by Author: Suniel Kumar Dhar • 5
by Author: Mithlesh Dhar • 5
For several years now, I have been out of my hometown.
It was after completing my 12th class that I went for my graduation in Chandigarh. Left Jammu and Kashmir.
Little did I know that I would not be coming again.
This is not only me, but many Kashmiri Pandit Youth these days leave their hometowns, especially from the Jammu and Kashmir region, for their higher studies, and then settle in other states of India for their jobs.
Later, they get married and have kids, and then it becomes nearly impossible to visit their hometowns anymore.
Sometimes it is because of the workload, leave accumulation, and sometimes it is because of the kids' studies.
Why should we go home for Kashmiri Festivals?
As a society, we are already spread across the globe, and our distances are increasing daily. Today, we are in India in some other state, and the next moment, we see ourselves moving abroad.
If today it is difficult to take out time to visit our home town, then in near future it might become nearly impossible to do so.
I remember when I graduated and got my first job in a hotel, I didn't visit my home for almost 3 to 5 years. It was a long time to stay away from home and all that for the sake of settling down.
I missed marriages, functions, and celebrations that mattered to me. Missed festivals like Shivratri, Pann, Diwali, et, just to build a career. But today, when I see to the past, that wasn't really necessary. I just missed some precious time that I will never get again.
While I was running, everyone around me was taking breaks and going to their families. My roommate just took off for Dusshera, and now, on Diwali, was again going home. Before that, on Ganesh Chaturthi.
I was the only one at my work location not going home to celebrate anything.
It was at that time that I realised what I was missing. What we as a society are missing these days.
I determined in my mind that I will go to Jammu on every Shivratri, and till today I am doing that, and I cannot be happier doing that.
It is the time of year when I am excited. I must go home on Shivratri in any way possible. This year I went to Jammu in my car with my wife and 1-year-old daughter.
It was an incredible experience to travel 5000 km to and fro.
This reason that I have made it mandatory for me to take leave and go to my home during Shivratri has allowed me to be connected to my roots.
There is nothing that can keep you grounded and connected to your community more than going to your home during Kashmiri Festivals. These festivals are so vibrant and happening when we go there. Without us, there is no meaning to these festivals. More than that, there is nothing in us without these festivals.
Our net worth, the money we have or the money we might make, is not worth the connection that we as humans feel when we are in our native place. Especially when we have kids.
Kids love to explore. They want to learn where they come from and what is their legacy.
I believe if we are not able to introduce our kids to Kashmir and its legacy, then we have failed as parents.
Everyone has the right to know their history, and by visiting our hometown during Kashmiri Festivals, we become more connected to our culture and traditions.
Let us know in the comments section below when you last visited your home.
by Author: Yekjah • 5
by Author: Suniel Kumar Dhar • 5
by Author: Mithlesh Dhar • 5
by Author: Yekjah • 5
by Author: Suniel Kumar Dhar • 5
by Author: Mithlesh Dhar • 5
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