The demise of Urdu poets Moin Ahsan Jazbi, Umar Ansari and closure of 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 a close friend of Majaz, left for heavenly abode.

Besides, veteran Urdu poet Umar Ansari, the doyen of Urdu literature in Uttar Pradesh also 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 almost a decade before independence. Ever since, Umar Ansari kept the 'shamaa' of classical poetry alive in Lucknow, for almost six decades. These are great losses for us.

Once, hoping to get the job of a schoolteacher in Punjab, Jazbi had managed to get into train through a friendly railway official. Having just a few coins, he reached the school to find that the job was already given to a person.

With nothing to eat and no money in his pocket, Jazbi, in sheer desperation wrote a ghazal that is rememberd for its poignant lines:

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

This ghazal is recalled as much as his legendary nazm 'Maut' [Death]. Some of the stanzas of the long verse are often quoted even in this era and poetry lovers will always remember Jazbi for writing these unforgettable lines:

Apni soyii huii dunia ko jagaa luu.n to chaluu.n
Apne Ghamkhane mein ek dhuum machaa luu.n to chaluu.n
Aur ek jaam-e-mai talkh chadhaa luu.n to chaluu.n
Abhi chalta huu.n, zara khud ko sambhaluu.n to chaluu.n


Meri aankhon mein abhi tak hai muhabbat ka ghuruur
Mere honton ko abhi tak hai sadaqat ka ghuruur
Mere maathe pe abhi tak hai sharaafat ka ghuruur
Aise wahmon se abhi khud ko nikaloon to chaluu.n


Read Jazbi's works in Urdu, Hindi and English at BESTGHAZALS


Shabkhoon: A magazine, a movement

Shamsur Rahman Faruqi's Urdu literary monthly Shabkhoon that began publication in the mid-sixties was closed this year. This has been a big jolt for Urdu literature in India.

Faruqui's magazine not only established the modernist trend in Urdu poetry but also brought new writers and poets on the scene. In the most difficult circumstances, the magazine was published regularly. Shabkhoon had its detractors.

But it also set new trends. Hundreds of past issues of this magazine will become collector's issues in future and the magazine will always be remembered as a trend-setter in Urdu world. 

A Mumbai-based poet's Urdu ghazal

Abdul Ahad 'Saaz'

It is commonly heard that quality literature is not being written in this era but I don't agree. It is true that the era of Manto-Rajinder Singh Bedi-Krishan Chander-Asmat is long gone in Urdu prose and so is the era of Faiz-Majaz-Makhdoom-Sardar Jafri.

But there is no dearth of litterateurs and poets whose writings can astonish you. The difference is that people are not reading much in the current era. Abdul Ahad Saaz is one of the leading contemporary poets from Mumbai.

Read his Ghazal:

Khud ko kyoon jism ka zindaani karein
Fikr ko takht-e-suleimani karein

Der tak baith kar sochein khud ko
Aaj phir ghar mein biyaabaani karein

Apne kamre mein sajayen aafaaq
Jalsa-e-bay-sar-o-samaani karein

Umar bhar she'r kahein, khoon thookein
Muntakhib rasta-e-nuqsaani karein

Khud ke liye mol lein izhar ka qarz
Doosron ke liye aasaani karein

She'r ke lab par khamoshi likhein
Harf-e-nagufta ko la-faani karein

Keemiyakari hai fan apna Saaz
Aag ko haithe hue paani karein

Abdul Ahad Saaz


To read this ghazal and more verses in Urdu, Hindi and English, CLICK HERE

The Keats of Urdu poetry: Majaz Lakhnavi

Asrarul Haq Majaz was the darling of the Urdu world, the most famous and loved poet of his generation. His nazm, 'Aawara' Aye gham-e-dil kya karoon, Aye wahshat-e-dil kya karoon....[What to do O aching heart, what to do O frenzy wild] is considered one of the most popular verses of Urdu poetry.

Majaz was the uncle of Javed Akhtar and brother-in-law of Jaan Nisaar Akhtar. He was born in 1911 in Rudauli (UP). He was the first Urdu poet who looked at woman with a different persepective, as a 'hamsafar' [companion] and yearned for an intelligent, enlightened and equal life partner.

His ghazal 'Tere maathe pe yeh anchal bohot khoob hai/ Lekin tu isse ek parcham bana leti to achchha thaa' was the foremost progressive voice in 30s.

A darling of poetry-lovers, Majaz was so popular that Ismat Chughtai recounts, Girls college mein ladkiyan usse shaadi ke liye qura nikaalti theen"[it was a pastime among hostel girls to play draw of lots to decide which girl will marry him].

Kuchh tujhko hai khabar ham kya kya ai shorish-e-dauraan bhool gaye
Woh zulf-e-pareeshan bhool gaye, woh deedae-giryan bhool gaye

Ab gul se nazar milti nahin, ab dil ki kali khilti nahin
Ai fasl-e-bahaaran rukhsat ho hum to luft-e-bahaaran bhool gaye

Ai shauq-e-nazaara kya kahiye, nigahon mei koi surat hi nahin
Ai zauq-e-tasavvur kya kahiye hum to surat-e-jaanan hi bhool gaye

Sab ka madawa kar daala apna madawa kar na sake
Sab ke gireban see daale apna hi girebaan bhool gaye

Ab apni wafa ka yeh aalam hai, unki wafa ko kya kahiye
Ek nashtar-e-zeher aageen rakh kar sarhaane, rag-e-jaan bhool gaye

Click for Majaz's ghazal in Urdu, Hindi and Roman scripts here.

Majaz was the natural choice when All India Radio started airing its programmes and he named the Urdu programme 'Awaz'. But his unrequited love affair with a girl and financial problems cost him dearly.

This unique generation of poets had awaited the dawn of independence and dreamt of an independent nation. He wrote anti-imperialistic poems like 'Musafir bhaag waqt-e-baykasi hai/tere sar par ajal mandra rahi hai....and the immensely popular Tarana-e-Alighar...Sarshaar-e-nigaah-e-nargis hoon'

Along with his potery, his wit was becoming legendary and he was always mobbed. People wanted to have the honour of drinking with the famous poet. But he was losing his mental balance.

As Josh once told him, Majaz ghadi rakh kar piya karo' asking him to drink steadily, the maverick poet laughingly said,' Josh sahab main ghada rakh kar peeta hoon'.

Once Josh wrote 'Pindnama' in a magazine asking him to cut down on his drinking while praising Sheikh Abduallah [of Kashmir] in the same breath and Majaz replied,

'Nutq hairaan, dahan dareeda hai, yeh shuneeda nahin deeda hai, rind-e-barbaad ko naseehat hai, sheikh ki shaan mein qaseeda hai'.

Whatever Majaz wrote...either.....

Jalaal-e-aatish o barq-e-sahaab paida kar, ajal bhi kaanp uthe tu woh shabaab paida kar
Tu inquilab ki aamad ka intezar na kar, jo ho sake to inquilab paida karor
Chhalkein tere aariz se gulaab aur zyada. Allah kare zor-e-shabaab aur zyada...

And the lesser poetic:

Ilaahabad mein har soo hain charche ki dilli ka sharaabi aa gaya hai
Guaabi laao chhalkao ki shaida-e-gulaabi aa gaya hai
Yahan ke shaharyaaron ko khabardaar kar do ki woh mard-e-inquilabi aa gaya hai

His poetry struck chord with the generation of youths before and after independence. But the bloody riots of partition and bloodshed in Punjab shocked the nation and more so the progressive poets.

Poets were lamenting like Wamiq Jaunpuri who wrote: Yeh do-aab hai, sah-aab hai, Punjab nahin. Majaz was also left disillusioned. He fell ill and after recovery he was no longer the same person.

On a chilly winter night, he was taken away by a group of 'fans' who left him all alone on a hotel roof after drinking till late night, and he died alone in the bitter cold. Lucknow mourned and the nation mourned. At the age of 44.

Ab iske baad sub'h hai aur sub'h-e-nau majaz/ hum par hai khatm shaam-e-ghareeban-e-lucknow.... A part of Lucknow died that day.

bohat mushkil hai dunyaa ka saNvarnaa
teri zulf ka pech-o-kham nahii hai

Read seven best ghazals and Nazms of Majas in Urdu, Hindi [devanagri] and Roman English scripts at Best Ghazals.

Hindu Food, Muslim Food, SC/ST Food.....

In the movies of 40s and 50s, one can see the occasional scenes of a train stopping at a railway station and the vendors screaming, 'Hindu paani, Muslim paani', 'Hindu chaai, Muslim chaai' (Hindu water, Muslim water).

But that was more than 50 years ago when untouchability was widely prevalent and casteism of a much higher degree existed. Naturally the tea and water were sold by Hindus and Muslims separately for their communities. The untouchables could not buy from either of them.

But this situation exists today. In Patna, the food prepared for policemen is cooked separately. The Hindu food (for upper castes) cooked by their rasoiya, the Muslim food by Muslim cook for Muslim personnel even if they number juste 5 or 50, and so is the case for lower castes.

Isn't it surprising? When the newly elected Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was informed about this practice. He said, "I will seek information and then take action". Now the Bihar Police Association is getting vocal and demanding the top officials be axed for such a practice continuing till date.

As long as the groundlevel situation is concerned, ask those eating and serving, they don't find it disgusting in secular India that got independence almost sixty years ago. For them it's nothing unusual. It was a millennium ago Subuktgeen told his son Mahmood that 'Hindustan ajaayabat ka mulk hhai'. A 1000-years later there is no change apparently.

An Urdu couplet:
Legend in Urdu crime fiction Izhar Asar's poetry:

Milti hai wahi shai jo khayalon mein naheen hai
Yeh baat kitaabon ke hawaalon mein naheen hai

Paas aa ke kisi shai mein tajassus nahin rahta
Ab chaand bhi chehre ki misaalon mein naheen hai

NEWS:

1.The launch of Microsoft 2003 this week at Karachi is a welcome step. For years the need was felt but it is to be seen that when the version reaches India. None of the top portals have felt the need for Urdu emails in India until now.

2. Now comes news about a financial scandal in AP Urdu academy. Nothing unusual. After all, the institutions either that of Urdu, Waqf Board, Madarsa Board or similar Muslim academies are always in the midst of such crises.

Enchanting Urdu couplets

Read the following qita'a I hope you would like it. It is one my favourites:

Aao is lamha-e-fursat ko farozaan karlein
Teergi badhne se pahle chiraaghaan karlein
Shab guzarni hai to kucchh uska bhi samaan karlein
Dil ke zakhmo ko ginein, dard ka unwaan karlein

The lines were penned by Ali Abbas Ummeed, a native of Ghazipur.