Though a section rues decline in standards of poetry that is read from the stage, the fact is that the institution of mushaira keeps growing stronger.
The historic Shankar-Shaad Mushaira, the 47th such event, organised by DCM group, was held in Delhi recently. This year Anwar Jalalpuri presided over the mushaira.
The founders of Delhi Cloth Mill (DCM) Lala Shankar Lal and Murli Dhar Shaad's poetry was sung at the start. Audience listened to rapt-attention when veteran poet Shaharyar recited:
Jo chaahti dunyaa hai, voh mujhse nahiiN hogaa
samjhautaa koii Khwaab ke badle nahiiN hogaa
[Shaharyar]
zindagii kis se kahegii koii tayyaari nahiiN
maut ke bas meN to ek lamhe ki bhii yaari nahiiN
[Wasim Barelvi]
phir aasmaaN saara kabutar ka ho gaya
[Munawwar Rana]
Jaam khaali the, magar maiKhaana to aabaad thaa
chashm-e-saaqii meN taGaaful thaa, pashemaani na thi
jin safiinoN ne kabhii toRaa thaa, maujoN ka Ghuruur
us jagah Duube jis jagah daryaa meN tuGhyaanii na thii
[Malikzada Manzoor Ahmed]
Poets from Pakistan including Zohra Nigaah and Ghulam Abbaas Tabish, and shayars from other countries attended the event.
Of course, some poets who relied more on their rendition style or those who sing from the stage, but there is serious poetry as well and hundreds wait till late night to listen to the poets.
Another mushaira was organised at Jamia Millia Islamia. In the auditorium of Faculty of Engineering, poets regaled the shayari aficionados. Elderly Bekal Utsaahi, known for his geets, was heard with due respect. He presided over the grand poetic meet.
daftar meN zehn, ghar meN nigah, raaste meN paaoN
jiine kii aarzuu meN badan haath se gayaa
[Ghazanfar]
nuchi qamiis, phatii aastiiN, kuchh to hai
hamaare gaaoN meN moTa, mahiin kuchh to hai
[Bekal Utsahi]
shakhsiyat ka andaaza guftguu se hota hai
[Shams Ramzi]
FIVE MUSHAIRAS: 25 COUPLETS
ab apne aap ko qatraa bhii kah nahiiN saktaaburaa kiyaa jo samandar se aashnaii kii
[Iqbal Ash'har]
kabuutar aake yahaaN saarii raat rotay haiN
ye kaun log haiN jo maqbaroN meN sotay haiN
[Malikzada Javed]
yahaaN to aadmii milnaa muhaal hai yaaro
voh chaahte haiN ki parvardigaar mil jaaye
[Surendra Shajar]
Ikhtilaaf aapas meN der tak nahiiN rakhnaa
ranjisheN miTaane ko ek salaam kaafi hai
[Abid Wafa]
The third mushaira was during the Sahitya Akademi's seminar on Faiz. Renowned Bengali writer and one my favourite authors Sunil Gangopadhyay had presided over the initial session. The mushaira was a success.
The poetry-lovers were delighted to see legendary poet Balraj Komal recite at the mushaira. Shaharyar, Farhat Ehsas, Khalil Mamoon, Pritpal Singh Betab and Shakil Azmi were applauded for their couplets.
kashti-e-jaaN se utar jaane ko jii chaahtaa hai
in dinoN yuuN hii mar jaane ko jii chaahtaa hai
[Shaharyar]
achchhii chiizeN lagengii aur achchhii
darmiyaaN kuchh Kharaab rakh diyaa karo
[Balraj Komal]
terii aaNkheN Khudaa mahfooz rakhe
terii aaNkhoN meN hairaani bohat hai
[Sheen Kaaf Nizam]
kisii kisii ko thamaataa hai chaabiyaaN ghar kii
Khudaa har ek ko apnaa pataa nahii detaa
[Parvin Kumar Ashk]
The mushaira at India Islamic Cultural Centre that was organised jointly under the aegis of Urdu Academy, Mehfil-e-Urdu and Nobel Education Foundation, was also quite successful. Here is a selection of couplets rendered on the occasion.
One of the most respected Urdu poets, Anand Mohan Zutshi Gulzar Dehlvi recited:
she'riyat khush-gavaar ho ke rahii/ilm-o-fan kii bahaar ho ke rahii
daur-e-qahat-ur-rijaal meN dekho/zindagii baa-vaqaar ho ke rahii
mizaaj puuchhne vaaloN kii Khair ho yaa Rab
mizaaj puuchhne vaale bhii kam hii rah gaye haiN
[Vaqar Manvi]
log kahte haiN ki is khel meN sar jaate haiN
ishq meN itna Khasaara hai to ghar jaate haiN
[Shakil Jamaali]
tujhe shaahi haram kii ek din zeenat banaayenge
baDe naazoN se paala hai tujhe Urdu zubaaN hamne
[Khurshid Haider]
tiir baaqii nahiiN kamaan meN kyaa
[Salim Siddiqui]
sabhii vaade-iraade, ahad-o-paimaaN TuuT jaate haiN
Ghariibi meN baDe Khuddaar insaaN TuuT jaate haiN
[Shams Ramzi]
na jaane tumne sub'h ka qasiida kaise likh liyaa
yahaaN to kal bhii raat thii, yahaaN to ab bhii raat hai
[Iqbal Ash'har]
aaNkh bhar bhar aaii aur dhundhlaa gaye manzar tamaam
kis qadar tiikha hai terii be-Rukhii ka zaaiqa
[Zafar Moradabadi]
agar maiN sochne baiThuuN to zindagii kam hai
[Moin Shadab]
rakh denge zindagii teraa bastaa uThaa ke ham
[Javed Mushiri]
The mushaira-e-shayaraat, an exclusive women's poetic meet, was also held recently. It was organised by Delhi Urdu Academy to mark the International Women's Day. It was decided that no male would appear on the stage, however, there was a row between two poetesses.
Comments from audiences and unruliness forced Professor Akhtarul Wasey had to intervene. Malka Nasim, Azra Naqvi, Ana Dehlvi, Iffat Zarreen, Tarannum Kanpuri and over a dozen other poets participated in the mushaira.
maiN us se duur bhii jaauN to kis tarah jaauN
voh itr ban kar mere pairahan meN rahtaa hai
[Waseem Rashid]
Read earlier posts on Mushaira reports on this blog:
1. Enchanting couplets at an Urdu Mushaira in Delhi
2. Makhmoor Saeedi, Zubair Rizvi recite couplets at Mushaira
3. Tarahi mushairas: A glorious tradition of Urdu poetry