“Jo abr yahāñ se uTThegā vo saare jahāñ par barsegā”

Zafar Iqbal

WASHINGTON (TIP): The Aligarh Alumni Association, Washington DC (AAA-DC) organized an international mushaira of legendary poets to celebrate the centenary of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) on 31^st October 2020.  The Mushaira is a literary symposium where poets gather to recite their poetry and it is part of the culture of the Subcontinent. The AAA-DC started the tradition of holding Mushaira more than four decades ago and it is the oldest South-Asian cultural event in Washington. Starting with a humble beginning, it has achieved international fame. As the Tarana of the AMU, written by the famous poet Majaz Lakhnavi, says “Jo abr yahāñ se uTThegā vo saare jahāñ par barsegā, har shahr-e-tarab par garjegā har qasr-e-tarab par kaḌkegā,” this mushaira tradition initiated by the AAA-DC has now become the most sought after annual literary event in North America.   During the last four decades, almost all renowned and stalwart poets from the Subcontinent have participated in this annual event organized by the AAA-DC. Every year 5-6 poets from India, Pakistan, and other countries are invited to participate in the mushaira. A significant virtue of this year’s mushaira was the cooperation of 25 Aligarh Alumni and AMU Old Boys Associations (Atlanta, GA; Birmingham, AL; Chicago, Chicago, IL; Cleveland, OH; Delhi, Dubai, Karachi; Kuwait; Qatar; Riyadh; Northern California; and Washington DC) and Urdu literary organizations around the globe (APPNA, Cincinnati, OH; Mohibban-e-Urdu, NA; Jashn-e-Urdu, Dubai; Bazm-e-Alig, Qatar; Urdu Academy MD; Taqdees-e-Adab, Houston; Urdu Markaz, FL; Urdu Markaz Int, LA; Ashiyana Contracting, Dubai; Hindustanyat Int, UK; MNK Interiors, Dubai; Aligarh Education Endowment Fund, CA; and Global Organization of People of Indian Origin, DC.) cooperated in it.

Because of the COVID-19 situation, this program was conducted using Jashn-e-Urdu StreamYard live streaming technology and it was simultaneously broadcast on YouTube, and Facebook. Despite it being an online Mushaira, the program did not err on the usual formalities, grace, and adaab of a traditional Mushaira, which is much appreciated.  This year’s program was unique as six stalwart poets (Amjad Islam Amjad, Javed Akhtar, Iftikhar Arif, Zehra Nigah, Pirzada Qasim, and Munibur Rahman) with many decades of literary experience participated in it. Famous TV programs writer Anwar Maqsood also recited a couplet from Daagh Dehlvi. The nizamat was done by Dr. A. Abdullah in his usual marvelous professional style. Several thousand literary enthusiasts enjoyed the event, and many encouraging and positive comments were posted on the media.

Samples of the poetry recited by poets:

Professor Pirzada Qasim is a neuroscientist by training who became an educationist and a vice-chancellor of 3 different universities.

ye asr-e-nau kī chitāoñ meñ aag kaisī hai

ki ruuh raakh huī aur badan jalā bhī nahīñ

tamām umr ajab vaz.a-dāriyoñ meñ kaTī

use aziiz rakhā jo hamārā thā bhī nahīñ

Amjad Islam Amjad. In addition to his poetry, he is well-known as a writer of dramas and serial plays for Pakistan TV.

Kuchh vazahat na iltijaa keejiye Sach kaha hai to hausla keejiye

Hum ne mana ki moatbar hai dimagh Dil na maane agar to kiya keejiye

Aeene TooT kar nahiN juRte DostoN ko yun na khafa keejiye

JhooT se bhi bura hai aadha sach Is se behtar hai chup raha keejiye

Iftikhar Husain Arif, scholar, litterateur and former head Pakistan Academy of Letters and National Language Authority. He emotionally reminiscent the early life he spent at Lucknow.

inhīñ meñ jiite, inhīñ bastiyoñ meñ mar rahte ;

ye chāhte the magar kis ke naam par rahte

payambaroñ se zamīneñ vafā nahīñ kartīñ ;

ham aise kaun ḳhudā the ki apne ghar rahte

Javed Akhtar is a political activist, poet, lyricist, and screenwriter. He is a recipient of the Padma Bhushan Award, Sahitya Akademi Award as well as five National Film Awards. He was also a member of Rajya Sabha. Recently he was chosen as a recipient for the Richard Dawkins Award.

ye nayā shahar to hai ḳhuub basāyā tum ne

kyuuñ purānā huā vīrān zarā dekh to lo

kal jahāñ dīvār thī hai aaj ik dar dekhiye ,

kyā samā.ī thī bhalā dīvāne ke sar dekhiye

pur-sukūñ lagtī hai kitnī jhiil ke paanī pe bat

pairoñ kī be-tābiyāñ paanī ke andar dekhiye

Zehra Nigah is a poet and scriptwriter and is one of two female poets to gain prominence in the 1950s when the scene was dominated by men. She was the Guest of Honor at this event.

sunā hai jañgaloñ kā bhī koī dastūr hotā hai

sunā hai sher kā jab peT bhar jaa.e to vo hamla nahīñ kartā

daraḳhtoñ kī ghanī chhāñv meñ jā kar leT jaatā hai

havā ke tez jhoñke jab daraḳhtoñ ko hilāte haiñ

to mainā apne bachche chhoḌ kar

kavve ke anDoñ ko paroñ se thaam letī hai

ḳhudāvandā! jalīl o mo’tabar! daanā o biinā munsif o akbar!

mire is shahr meñ ab jañgaloñ hī kā koī qānūn nāfiz kar!

koī dastūr nāfiz kar!

Prominent modernist poet and a celebrated scholar of Persian, Professor Munibur Rahman presided over the event. He is deeply interested in the classical literature of Persian and is the modernist voice of Persian poetry. His books of Urdu poetry that bear his modernist mark include Baazdeed, Shahr-e-Gumnaam, and Nuqta-i-Mauhoom.

Timtimate haiN teri yaad mein yun dil ke chiragh;

Jaise basti ka nishaN dete haiN ssahil ke chiragh

Pehle se hi dilkash hai tasavur tera

Door se kitne bhale lagte haiN chiraagh

Us se milne ki kashish baad muddat mujhe laee thi

Lekin aah mujhe ehsaas na tha beech mein waqt ki khaee thi.

 A recording of the event is now available on YouTube channel — https://youtu.be/i3p388-UcSA and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AligarhAlumniAssociationOfDC/videos/2487046914930672/?vh=e.

(Report prepared by Zafar Iqbal, PhD (240-328-0162; raabta.india@gmail.com)