A Memorable First of the
Virtual Stage: Urdu Mushaira
By Dr. Muhammed Afzal Shahid
New and novel innovations and
inventions have shaped our beautiful world. The Internet is
the most powerful invention of our time. It seamlessly fulfills
our communicative needs within and beyond national and international
boundaries. The application space of this wonderful resource
seems to have no bounds. Some thoughtful individual came up
with a unique idea to challenge, test and exploit the power
of the Internet. 'What if', they thought, 'we hold a traditional
Urdu Mushaira (poetry session) where poets, administrators,
audience come together from all over the world, despite great
differences in space and time'. This is exactly what happened
on January 29, 2005 when Amjad Sheikh of Urdulife.com (Sweden)
and Dr. Rafi Tabassum of 'Qalam Dost' magazine (Pakistan)
jointly hosted an International Urdu Mushaira on the virtual
stage of the Internet. While it was mid-day on the West Coast
of the USA, late afternoon on her East Coast, evening in Europe,
late night in the Middle East, early hours of next dawn in
Pakistan and late morning in Japan, this first of its kind
poetry session started.
The Internet-based 'paltalk'
provided the basis for true broadcast where one spoke while
all other responded with their written appreciative feedback
and comments, readable to all, as they listened to poets reciting
their poetry. Twenty-one poets from different cities of Pakistan,
Saudi Arab, Kuwait, France, Sweden, Britain and USA, and more
than 100 Urdu poetry lovers came together from all over the
world to listen and become part of the history in making.
The formal poetry session opened at 1:30 am (Pakistan time)
with recitation of verses from the Holy Qur'an followed by
'naat' (verses in praise of Prophet Muhammad, PBUH); both
beautifully recited by Fareed Shah. After inviting the presiding
poet of the session, Professor Mahmud Ahmad Ghazni (Pakistan),
and the chief guest Dr. Muhammed Afzal Shahid (USA), Amjad
Sheikh, declared that the main object of the poetry session
was to utilize the power of the Internet as a readily available,
and virtually cost-free, resource for promoting Urdu, and
for other similar causes by setting a precedent. He invited
Hijaz Akhtar (Karachi, Pakistan) to conduct this first ever
real Mushaira on the virtual stage of the Internet.
The captivating 'nizamat' (conduction)
of Hijaz Akhtar kept the session alive and vigorous. He was
supported by on-line administrators Iqbal Ghali (UK), Janbaz
Ali (Japan) and Dr. Rafi Tabassam (Pakistan). Poets were called
to recite their poetry in a pre-defined order, as is a common
tradition in such events where more senior poets read at gradually
later time slots. At his/her turn, each poet/poetess was introduced,
listened to and graciously thanked. The diverse style of their
reading ranged from simple reading to melodious singing styles.
Thought provoking poetry enthralled the audience who recorded
their written appreciations as they listened. Diversity of
poetic thought covered a wide range; love, social justice,
cultural landscape, mystical dimensions, and down-to-earth
realities of real life as we all endure and enjoy. A few examples
of poetry are shown below. Expressing the true nature of this
first of its kind Mushaira, Amjad Sheikh read: (Though not
worthy of reading, I was dragged into here and had to read
as I came on-line. What a poetry session where the Conductor
is at one place, poets are at many places and the audience
is spread all over the space-time domain!) Dr. Rafi Tabassum
expressed his desire in this couplet: (I endeavor consciously
to eradicate every thing that creates divisions in humanity.)
A four-line piece from Dr. Shahid read: (I speak only to complain.
How fortunate are those who
remember Allah (SWT). True, one achieves what one truly desires;
be it mere reward of words.) Professor Mahmud Ahmad Ghazni,
the presiding poet of the session to come last, read some
powerful and thought provoking poetry. He is a sensitive poet
with keen observations of beauties and burdens of real life.
His unique style of reading his poetry was simply beautiful.
Using dove (bird) as a symbol, how nicely he described: (How
simple, innocent and crazy is Dove that it implores her captor
to grant her wings of freedom.) He asked another important
question in the couplet: (How many eons more will it need
to erase discrimination between black and white knowing well
that both white and black babies have absolutely the same
make-up.) The all-enthralling poetry session lasted almost
four hours. All proceedings of the poetry session were recorded
and are available for listening at the link shown below. http://www.urdulife.com/mushaira/virtual_mushaira.html
In his closing remarks, Dr. Tabassum (in Pakistan) said that
call for dawn-prayer is being made. Thus keeping in line with
the tradition of Mushairas, this first, unique and memorable
Mushaira of the virtual world of the Internet also came to
a close at dawn
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
