Urdu Academy of North America Hosts
Jashn-e-Sarfaraz Abad
By AbdusSattarGhazali
The Urdu Academy of North America hosted Jashn-e-Sarfaraz Abad on September 25, 2016 at the Chandni Restaurant, Fremont/Newark CA.
The event included the launching of Sarfaraz Abad's second poetry collection - Khushboo, Rang, Ujala - published this year by Maktaba Al-e-Shafaq, Hayward CA.
A unique title for the book was designed by well-known artist, Salma Arastu who also attended the Jashn-e-Sarfaraz Abad.
Sarfaraz Abad's second poetry collection came after almost a quarter of a century. The first collection - WohZulfPareeShaN Hai Abhee - was published in 1992.
President of the Urdu Academy of North America, TashieZaheer, presented a well-researched maqala on the poetry of Sarfaraz Abad. His maqala also serves as the introduction to Abad's second poetry collection. The title of Tashie'smaqala is "Sarfaraz Abad, A True and Real Poet."
According to American novelist and humorist poet Donald Robert Perry Marquis (1878-1937), publishing a volume of verse is like dropping a rose-petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo. Sarfaraz Abad has dropped a rose-petal by publishing his second collection of poetry, now he is waiting for a response from the lovers of Urdu poetry. His first collection was well received and his second collection will be received well as manifested by the poetry lovers who queued up for having an autographed copy of Sarfraz Abad's poetry collection.
TashieZaheer said Sarfraz Abad's poetry is the best reflection of his personal experiences, observations, and creativity. He quoted these verses of Abad to prove his point:
Zindagi Hai ToIshqBheeHogaa
Ye Alamat Hai ZindaganiKee
Buhat Hai Is'maiRushwaiBuhat Hai
HameiN Par AashqeeBhaa'eeBuhat Hai
To cite author and poet Roger Housden, poetry at its best calls forth our deep being. It dares us to break free from the safe strategies of the cautious mind. It is a magical art, and always has been — a making of language spells designed to open our eyes, open our doors and welcome us into a bigger world, one of possibilities we may never have dared to dream of.
I believe Sarfraz Abad's poetry meets this criterion. His poetry touches the feelings of listeners as T. S. Eliot says genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood.
For American poet, Robert Frost, 'there are three things that a poem must reach: the eye, the ear, and what we may call the heart or the mind. It is most important of all to reach the heart of the reader.' The following verse of Sarfaraz Abad is very touchy:
ZindaRehneKaHaqMiliga Use
Jisme Marne KaaHoslaHoga
Rhetorical devices such as simile and metaphor are frequently used in poetry. Aristotle wrote in his Poetics that "the greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor." Sarfaraz Abad uses metaphor extensively to convey his message:
Wo KisKe Dar PeHaiNSajdaGuzaarKiyaMaa'loom
Jo MuntazarHaiN Mere Khoon Se WazuKeLiye
Sarfaraz Abad was asked to recite his quarter-century-old popular ghazal - SabzaZarouNMeiNJaakeKiyaHoga + Zakhm-e-DilAurBhee Hara Hogaa. This rendition drew wide applause but perhaps his following ghazal stole the show:
DilKaaSukunRahat-e-JaaN Sab Chale Gaye
MeiNTanhaaReh Gaya HouNYahaaN Sab Chale Gaye
Launching of Sarfaraz Abad's poetry collection preceded a Mushaera where guest and host poets amused the audience with their thought-provoking poetry.
The guest poets were KashifHaideri from Chicago and NasimFarogh from Maryland. The host poets included Kausar Sayed, Arshad Rashid, Salman Siddique, AhmarShahwar and TashieZaheer.
AhmarShahwar was MC for the Mushaera.
At the conclusion, TashieZaheer thanked the audience for making Jashan-e-Sarfaraz Abad successful. He particularly thanked Syed Sarwat for patronizing the Urdu language in the Bay Area.
