Urdu 2005: Jazbi, Umar Ansari and Shabkhoon

Is it the occasion to talk about death when we are ushering into the New Year? But 2005 was the year that took Moin Ahsan Jazbi away from us. The last of the great and popular Urdu poets of the Taraqqi Pasand Tehreek (Progressive Writers' Movement) Jazbi, who was the close friend of Majaz, left for heavenly abode.

And Umar Ansari, the doyen of Urdu literature in Uttar Pradesh passed away. He was the man whose couplet:

Mere haathon ke taraashe hue patthar ke sanam
Aaj bhagwan ban ke baithe hain butkhaon mein

had become universally popular in Urdu world a decade before independence. Ever since Umar Ansari kept the 'shamaa' of classical poetry alive in Lucknow for almost six decades. Both deaths have been great loss for us.

Once hoping for a job of teacher in Punjab, he managed to get into train through a friendly railway official. Having hardly any money, he reached the school to find that the job was already given and having nothing to eat, Jazbi in sheer desperation wrote a ghazal that is rememberd for its poignant lines.

Moin (Moeen/Mueen) Ahsan Jazbi wrote immortal lines like the following ghazal and the legendary nazm Maut.

Marne ki duaayen kyoon mangoon, jeene ki tamanna kaun kare
Yeh dunia ho ya woh dunia, ab khwahish-e-dunia kaun kare

Jab kashti saabit-o-saalim thi, sahil ki tamanna kisko thi
Ab aisi shikasta kashti par sahil ki tamanna kaun kare

Similarly, the long verse 'Maut' and particularly the following stanzas were on the lips of all and sundry :

Apni soyee hui dunia ko jagaa loon to chaloon
Apne ghamkhane mein ek dhoom macha loon to chaloon
Aur ek jaam-e-mai talkh chadha loon to chaloon
Abhi chalta hoon, zara khud ko sambhaloon to chaloon

Meri aankhon mein abhi tak hai muhabbat ka ghuroor
Mere honton ko abhi tak hai sadaqat ka ghuroor
Mere maathe pe abhi tak hai sharaafat ka ghuroor
Aise wahmon se abhi khud ko nikaloon to chaloon

Shabkhoon: A magazine, a movement

Shamsur Rahman Faruqi's Urdu literary monthly Shabkhoon/Shabkhun that was published from mid-sixties until 2005 finally shut down this year. This has been a big jolt for Urdu literature in India where except the magazines of government and academies only Shaer has remained alive.

Faruqui's magazine not only established the modernist trend in Urdu poetry but also brought new writers, poets on the scene. In the most difficult circumstances Faruqui kept churning out issues after issues but this legendary magazine was heading towards its closure.

Urdu-speaking populace was dwindling in Northern India and especially UP. The subscribers of Shabkhoon were not more than 1,200 in 2005, as far reliable sources suggest. Shabkhoon is dead now. But the hundreds of issues of this magazine will become prized issues in future and the magazine will always be remembered as a trend-setter in Urdu world.

More so, for Faruqi's single-handed contribution towards Urdu literature. [Jazbi's photo courtesy urdupoint.com]

मरने की दुआएं क्यूं मांगूं , जीने की तमन्ना कौन करे
यह दुनिया हो या वह दुनिया अब ख्वाहिश-ए-दुनिया कौन करे

जब कश्ती साबित-ओ-सालिम थी तब साहिल की तमन्ना किस्को थी
अब ऐसी शिकस्ता कश्ती पर साहिल की तमन्ना कौन करे!

जो आग लगाई थी तुमने उसको तो बुझाया अश्कों से
जो अश्कों ने भड़्काई है उस आग को ठन्डा कौन करे

दुनिया ने हमें छोड़ा जज़्बी हम छोड़ न दें क्यूं दुनिया को
दुनिया को समझ कर बैठे हैं अब दुनिया दुनिया कौन करे

मुईन अह्सन जज़्बी

@Indscribe--Alavi, Circa 2005)