{"id":72846,"date":"2026-06-27T17:17:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-27T11:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dwarkaparichay.com\/blog\/?p=72846"},"modified":"2026-06-27T22:18:34","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T16:48:34","slug":"a-dedicated-revolutionary-feminine-voice-of-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dwarkaparichay.com\/blog\/a-dedicated-revolutionary-feminine-voice-of-love\/","title":{"rendered":"A Dedicated Revolutionary Feminine Voice of Love"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

(By Dr. Divik Ramesh )<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had the opportunity to read Ek Awaaz Mohabbat Ki Laleshwari (A Voice of Love: Laleshwari), a play by Kajal Suri\u2014an accomplished poet, author, actress, director, renowned playwright, and broadcaster associated with All India Radio. Published by Sanjana Books in 2023, the play is a remarkable literary work.<\/p>\n\n\n

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From Kajal Suri’s introductory note, Meri Baat (“My Words”), we learn that this play was selected among the five best plays of 2022 by the Sahitya Kala Parishad, Government of Delhi, and was staged at the prestigious Bharatendu Natya Utsav 2023. It has also been continuously performed as a musical dance-drama by the Rubaru Theatre Group, receiving wide appreciation from audiences. The playwright dedicates this work to all strong women who courageously pursue their paths despite challenges and hardships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although rooted in history, the play allows room for creative imagination. It is based on the life and mystical verses (Vaakhs) of Lal Ded (Lalleshwari), the fourteenth-century Kashmiri saint-poet, often regarded as the Meerabai of Kashmir because of her passionate devotion to Lord Shiva. Renouncing domestic life, Lal Ded dedicated herself entirely to spiritual pursuit. She challenged social hypocrisy and meaningless rituals, ultimately embracing complete freedom\u2014even discarding clothing after her guru’s profound teaching:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Why did you never journey inward from the outside?”
These words touched my heart,
And I began to wander unclothed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This naturally recalls the twelfth-century Kannada saint-poet Akka Mahadevi, another devoted follower of Shiva who renounced worldly attachments, including clothing, in her quest for spiritual liberation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Kajal Suri explains:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“While writing this play, I expanded Lal Ded’s Vaakhs through my imagination. Her verses inspired the creation of events, while history provided the background and support for my creative vision.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the foreword, writer Ramavatar Bairwa aptly observes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Bringing a seven-hundred-year-old character through the lens of relevance, transparency, and modernity must have been an immense challenge for the playwright. The tears hidden behind her smile tell that story.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The play consists of three acts, the first being the longest and most significant. Through narrators, it vividly presents the history of Kashmir in engaging dialogues. An innovative dramatic technique transforms Chinar and Jhelum into characters, making them symbolic voices of Kashmir’s civilization and culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One memorable exchange illustrates this beautifully:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chinar: “The valley has changed. People have changed. Perspectives have changed. Everything has changed.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jhelum: “Have you changed? Have I changed? As long as we remain unchanged, the valley too remains unchanged. Kashmir is a heritage of culture and civilization, where countless colors of life flourish. Its hospitality leaves lifelong memories for every visitor, the fragrance of saffron enchants poets, and your incomparable beauty, Chinar, makes the valley even more magnificent.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through these dialogues, the play introduces Kashmir’s glorious intellectual heritage, including Abhinavagupta, Vagbhata, and Lalleshwari herself. We learn that while Sanskrit dominated scholarly literature during her time, Lal Ded chose to compose in the Kashmiri language spoken by ordinary people. Today, those compositions form the very foundation of Kashmiri literature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dialogues also highlight Mahatma Gandhi’s admiration for Kashmir as a land of harmony, where Hindus and Muslims lived together in mutual respect. Characters such as Yasmeen reinforce this spirit of communal unity, while simultaneously reflecting the playwright’s concern over contemporary communal divisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The play reveals extensive scholarly research. Ancient texts, including the Puranas and Kalhana’s Rajatarangini, are skillfully woven into the narrative. It explains that Sage Kashyapa is traditionally regarded as Kashmir’s first ruler, that the valley was once the great lake Satisar, and that the name “Kashmir” evolved from “Kashyapi.” Rajatarangini is rightly praised as an extraordinary blend of history and poetry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conversations between Lal Ded and Saun Pandit are especially compelling, combining philosophy with emotional depth. The play portrays Lal Ded’s suffering in her marital home while emphasizing her dignified yet fearless resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One particularly moving exchange reads:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saun Pandit: “Do you not know that serving your husband and in-laws is the greatest religion?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lal Ded: “I know my religion well. For me, love is the greatest religion. Loving humanity is the highest form of worship.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The later acts continue portraying the injustices Lal Ded endured and her spiritual resilience, drawing consistently upon her Vaakhs. The play reminds readers that before Lal Ded, there was virtually no known prose or poetry in Kashmiri, making her the language’s first great poet. Her philosophical teachings, expressed in simple yet profound language, became woven into everyday Kashmiri speech through sayings and proverbs. Her Vaakhs have been translated into many languages across the world. The play also notes that Padma Shri Bhajan Sopori was the first to set her verses to music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the third act, symbolic characters\u2014including Chinar, Jhelum, Bud Bab, Yasmeen, and the narrators\u2014collectively celebrate Lal Ded’s philosophy of compassion, devotion, and universal humanity while recounting the end of her earthly life. The play concludes with a powerful contemporary message:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yasmeen: “To once again fill this beautiful valley with the colors of love, we must embrace Lalleshwari’s ideals, so that the sounds of the Santoor, Rabab, and Lal Ded’s Vaakhs may once again echo across Kashmir.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chinar: “When the verses of the Holy Quran resonate alongside temple bells and Gurbani hymns, that alone will be our true tribute to this great soul.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The language of the play deserves special praise. It is beautifully Hindustani, blending Hindi and Urdu naturally and gracefully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is remarkable how much Kajal Suri has accomplished within the framework of a relatively short play. She presents not only what history records but also what might have happened through creative imagination\u2014and, perhaps most importantly, what ought to happen today. The result is a deeply moving theatrical work that speaks powerfully to the values of love, humanity, communal harmony, and women’s spiritual courage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Dr. Divik Ramesh
Senior Litterateur<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(By Dr. Divik Ramesh ) I had the opportunity to read Ek Awaaz Mohabbat Ki Laleshwari (A Voice of Love: Laleshwari), a play by Kajal Suri\u2014an accomplished poet, author, actress, director, renowned playwright, and broadcaster associated with All India Radio. Published by Sanjana Books in 2023, the play is a remarkable literary work. From Kajal Suri’s introductory note, Meri Baat (“My Words”), we learn that this play was selected among the five best plays of 2022 by the Sahitya Kala Parishad, Government of Delhi, and was staged at the prestigious Bharatendu Natya Utsav 2023. It has also been continuously performed <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1875],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-72846","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-events"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dwarkaparichay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72846","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dwarkaparichay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dwarkaparichay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dwarkaparichay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dwarkaparichay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72846"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dwarkaparichay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72846\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":72848,"href":"https:\/\/dwarkaparichay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72846\/revisions\/72848"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dwarkaparichay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72846"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dwarkaparichay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72846"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dwarkaparichay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72846"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}