Interview with renowned Kashmiri sufi poet Samad Mir, recorded on 23-11-1958 at Nambalhar.

*Many thanks to Radio Kashmir Srinagar for conducting and preserving this precious interview.*
This interview was recorded at Mir sahib`s residence at Nambalhar, Budgam by a team of Radio Kashmir Srinagar led by Shri Pushkar Bhan and Shri Jaya Lal Koul, and is available in public domain, where from we have retrieved it.
Samad Mir was born at Sakidafar Srinagar.His father Khaliq Mir was also a sofi poet.Khaliq Mir was a resident of Village Nambalhar (Budgam).He was a poor former and migrated to Srinagar in search of a better job. He started timber sawing(ari kashi)and got married at Sakidafar Srinagar. After the dead of his wife he got married to Noor-Ded of Narwara. Noora and Khaliq Mir had three sons:Samad Mir,Rahim Mir, and Mohammad Mir and a daughter(Jan-Ded).Samad Mir in his early twenties returned back to his native village Nambalhar.Rahim Mir stayed at Narwara and Mohammad Mir died in his twenties.
Samad Mir got married to Khurshi Begum,who also was from Nambalhar.
Initially Samad Mir worked as a labourer with carpenters and masons. But later he took his parental job(aari kashi).
He had three spiritual guides(Murshid)
1. Habib Najar(Wagar-Budgam)
2. Khaliq Najar(Batamaloo Srinagar)
3. Ramzan Dar(Anchi doora-Annant Nag)
He started writing poetry with the permission of Khaliq Najar(murshid),when he was working as labourer at Hari Niwas Srinagar.His first verses are
Vas kar mushkil bar gub goom
Veat raw wun peyoom
Gulaleh panas kaleh reng goom
Veat raw wun peyoom
He was totally illiterate but his poetry is a clean mixture of Islamic Sufism and shaivism. He has used shastra terms frequently
Bar sang e mohkak paaw zakh makh
Thaw path paan seth aatashus
Kam reng wochak yud wai gum khekh
Dev prathak path pash pashes
Besides usual poems he has also written Aka Nundun (only son).It has fourteen parts and all the characters are Hindus.
Since Mir was illiterate, Ali shah(known as Ali Saab)a resident of Wagar village used to pen down his poetry. His poetry has been published by JK Academy of Art,Culture and languages.
His birth year is not exactly known. He died on 9th of January 1959 at Nambalhar.He is buried on the out skirts of the village at a place called AGAR.
He had two sons(Gh.Rasool Mir and Gh. Mohd Mir) and one daughter(Rehti).The close associates(Mureeds) of Samad Mir include Ahad Beigh, Nab kawadari, Ahad chalak of Sringar, Rahim Wani of Muran Pulwama,Rahman Dhobi, Ama Bhat, Subhan Bhat,Madho Ram,Sri kanth and Tulsi devi,of Kremshore, Rahim Shah of Choon Budgam,