Fareb khae haiN jin se voh saare apne the
By Zafar Iqbal, PhD
Photographs and Youtube links courtesy of Khurshid Usmani
Washington, DC: Remembering the old days, chief guest Dr Salman Akhtar recited a portion of his ghazal at the international Sir Syed Day Mushaira using Zoom technology on Sunday, 21 st November 2021. Salman—a psychiatrist by profession—belongs to a family of literary giants. He has authored more than one hundred books on diverse topics in Urdu and English. Following is a portion of the poetry he recited:
Qusoor jitney bhi the voh hamare apne the Fareb khae haiN jin se voh saare apne the
Zamin pe haq na raha, aasmaN ki kiya kahiye Tha ek zamana ki sab chaand tare apne the
Jo baat chhupaee hai sab se Voh un se chhupaani mushkil hai
Bahar ki kahani asaan hai Under ki kahani mushkil hai.
The Aligarh Alumni Association-DC (AAA-DC) started the tradition of mushaira in the United States in 1975. It gained popularity with time. Sister Aligarh Alumni Associations and other literary organizations in the USA and Canada followed it. Although mushairas have become popular events, the AAA-DC mushaira has become the most sought-after event in the Metro Washington area. Last year, the AAA-DC started another practice of inviting the participation of senior, stalwart, and iconic poets with decades of literary experience. Amjad Islam Amjad, Javed Akhtar, Iftikhar Arif, Zehra Nigah, Pirzada Qasim, and Munibur Rahman participated in it previously, using Zoom technology because of the pandemic. It was pleasing to see that other organizations made use of this successful experiment by arranging events with senior poets.
This year, the AAA-DC experimented with the idea of inviting young and rising poets from the Subcontinent. The participating poets included: Abdullah, Abhishek Shukla, Aleena Itrat Rizvi, Ammar Iqbal, Azhar Iqbal, Sabiha Saba, Saher Ansari, Salman Akhtar, Sarfraz Nawaz, and Tahzeeb Haafi. The program was conducted using Zoom technology and was simultaneously aired on YouTube and Facebook. Hundreds of literary enthusiasts enjoyed the event and encouraging comments were posted on the media. A recording of the event is now available on Youtube https://youtu.be/9HIy1hdbvdw .
It was a joint venture and many literary organizations participated in this year’s mushaira. They include Aligarh Alumni Associations of Atlanta, GA; Birmingham, AL; Chicago, IL; Cleveland, OH; Delhi, India; and Washington, DC; Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America (APPNA); Jashn-e-Urdu; Mohibban Urdu of North America; and Urdu Markaz International, Florida and Los Angeles.
Legendary nazim Dr A. Abdullah, who is known for his ability to mesmerize the audience with his literary skills and professional style of introducing poets, conducted the mushaira.
A tribute was paid to Mr Habib Mohammad Farooqi—a senior member of the community and benefactor of the association—who passed away on Saturday, 20 th November 2021 in Virginia.
The organizers gave Lifetime Achievement Awards to Drs Salman Akhtar and Saher Ansari for their contributions to the Urdu language and literature.
Aligarh Alumni Associations’ functions are incomplete without the famous Aligarh Tarana written by the well-known poet Aligarian Majaz Lakhnavi. The AAA-DC has proven true the line of the Tarana, “Jo abr hahaN se uTTHe gaa saare jahan pe barse gaa.”
Selected poetry recited at the event
Abdullah Abdullah ne apni nazm Ehsas sunaee. Us ki chand lineiN
Na tere haath men Iqrar ka kangan
Na mere paaon men waadon ki zanjeeren
Magar ehsaas k bandhan ne hum ko baandh rakh-kha hai
Abhishek Shukla’s poetry reflects Ganga-Jamuni Tahzeeb and he beautifully represents the Lucknow culture.
Hisaab-e-dil mein abhi tum zara kachche ho Qareeb aao to phir joDna sikhata hoon msiN
Aleena Itrat Rizvi has a background of English literature and her poetry reflects its impact .
Fiza ki zard rangat badal bhi sakti hai Bahar aane ki sooral nikal bhi sakti hai
Ammar Iqbal’s poetry is influenced by English literature; he teaches Urdu and English and has published ten books in Urdu, English, and Hindi languages.
Aks kitne utar gae mujh mein Phir na jaane kidhar gae mujh mein
Kiya hua tha zara pata to chale Waqt kiya tha ghaDi banate huey
Respecting abrupt intervention by the Sadr-e-Mushaira, Ammar Iqbal did not continue reciting his poetry.
Azhar Iqbal— a recognized TV anchor, script writer, theatre artist, with English background is a rising star in Urdu poetry.
GhuTan si hone lagi uske paas jaate huey Mein khud se rooTh gaya hoon usey manate huey
Sabiha Saba— a neuroscientist by profession started her poetic career from AAA-DC mushaira decades ago and is a regular participant since then. Lamenting on the apathy about the Urdu language in the Subcontinent she said:
Sab ilaqe zabanoN ke naamoN par haiN Ek ilaqa jo mansoob-e-Urdu nahiN
Sarfraz Nawaz is an educator at the Jamia Millia writing poetry in English and Urdu. His poetry reflects the current social and cultural status surrounding him.
Paude jo lagae meiN ne to do alagae MeiN janta hoon ki kiya hai tanhayioN ka dukh
Tahzeeb Haafi is a popular scholar of the Urdu language, and his poetry conveys fresh ideas.
Jis se eik shakhs ka parda nahiN rakha jaata Ab maze ed us se yeh rishta nahiN rakha jata
Kabhi kabhi voh Khuda ban ke saath chalta hai Kabhi kabhi to voh insaan bhi nahiN lagta
Saher Ansari , taught Urdu in Pakistan and other countries at the university level, served on educational committees and supervised poets, and was a recipient of national awards. Presiding over the mushaira, Dr Ansari appreciated the efforts of the Aligarh Alumni Associations in furthering the mission of the late Sir Syed Ahmed Khan for the promotion of education in the community. He recited a few ghazals and couplets.
Mein hava ki tarah Thehra tha sire shakh-e-gulaab voh bhi apne jism ki Khushboo se pehchana gaya.
Comments
Audiences from Bahrain, Canada, Ethiopia, India, KSA, Pakistan, Qatar, UAE, UK, and the USA posted their comments on Zoom as well as on FaceBook appreciating the mushaira and expressing thanks to the organizers. A message was conveyed that while it was a good idea to encourage young poets, the participation of some senior and famous poets would have enhanced the quality and attracted a larger audience. They also noticed the absence of humorous (mazahiya) poetry. Disappointment was also expressed as poets did not address the social issues in the Subcontinent.
Surinder Deol, an accomplished writer and translator of Urdu poetry, conveyed that the mushaira was a remarkable success given the limitations of having poets from across the world on the Zoom platform. Dr Abdullah did an excellent job as a facilitator, managing time, introducing poets, and maintaining the flow. I was surprised by the quality of work shared by young new poets. This is a good omen for the future of Urdu poetry. Overall, it was a wonderful experience and I would like to thank the organizers.
Mohsin Alikhan, president of the Hyderabad Association of Metropolitan Washington Area, enjoyed the Mushaira. He said that Abdullah Saheb as usual was excellent in his role as anchor. Also, either the number of poets be reduced or more time be given to the program to appreciate the kalaam. It feels, as if, just as they are warming up, their time is up! When the poets were reciting with taranum it was hard to hear and follow. There was no mazahiya shayar, who would have provided a good break in between.
Dr Renuka Misra , a well-known scientist at the NIH, commenting on Dr Abdullah’s nizamat said that he was outstanding as usual. She observed that his command of the Urdu language in the introduction of poets was getting better year after year. The poets respected their allotted time and presented well. I liked Sarfaraz Nawaz and Tehzeeb Haafi, in particular. Dr Abdullah’s poem "Ahsas" was outstanding and I wished he had continued. Another noticeable and admirable thing was the technology—the way participating organizations were presented. My congratulate and best wishes to all those who put their efforts into making the Mushaira very enjoyable.
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