Sir Syed Day International Mushaira in San Francisco Bay Area
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Association of North America celebrated Sir Syed Day 2018 with an International Mushaira. The event was held at the Indian Community Center in Milpitas, CA, on November 10, 2018.
The International Mushaira was presided over by guest poet from Pakistan, Javed Saba.
Tashie Zaheer, President of the Urdu Academy of North America, was the MC of the Mushaira. Welcoming the guests, he stressed the importance of poetry in human life. He said that poetry is not simply the sequence of words but a reflection of subtle thoughts. A poet lands us in an unknown world where we are introduced to delicate human feelings and thoughts.
To rephrase it,poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings according to Aristotle. For William Wordsworthpoetry is the revelation of a feeling that the reader or listener recognizes as his or her own.
Poetry is described as a universal language by William Hazlitt.
The Sir Syed Day International Mushaira included eight poets, two poets (Javed Saba and Ahmad Salman) from Pakistan, two poets (Dr Nusrat Mehdi and Madan Mohan Danish) from India who joined four local poets - Fayyaz Uddin Saieb from Phoenix, Arshad Rasheed, Dr Aifra Ahmed and Kausar Saiyed from San Francisco Bay Area – in making the mushaira a memorable one.
Tashie Zaheer, who is also a Saheb-e-Deewan poet, invited Kausar Saiyed to begin the Mushaira. Kausar Saiyed, from Junagarh, inherited poetry from her maternal grandfather. She drew wide applause from the audience for her poetry:
Who Mere Dil MeiN Base Kuchh Is Ada Se Kia KahuN
Bas Unhi Ke Naam Ye Dil Dharakta Reh Gaya
MeiN Ke Too-fanouN Se Guzree Surkh Roo Wo Pur Waqar
Dil Magar SasooN Me Ashke Gham Pe Rota Reh Gaya
Dr Aifra Ahmed was the next local poet who mesmerized the guests with her graphic poem Time of Death which was based on her experience as a doctor.
Arshad Rasheed, a popular Urdu Diaspora poet was next in line from the Bay Area. He amused the audience with his poetry:
Kashmakash Aek Ajeeb Hai Dil-wo-JaaN MeiN Ab Ke
Ham Ke Mujrim HaiN Hamee Apni Gawahi DeiN Ge
Fayyaz Uddin Saieb travelled from Phoenix, Arizona, to attend the International Mushaira. Like Arshad Rasheed, he is also a popular Urdu Diaspora poet. His two collections of poetry have been published. Two of his popular verses:
Alfaaz Guftugoo Ke Liye Ab NaheeN Rahe
Mehsoos Ho Rahaa Hai Mere NaheeN Rahe
Manaa Ke Faasle HaiN Buhut Phir Bhee Ye Bataa
Ham Tere Saath Bhala Kab NaheiN Rahe
After the local poets, Tashie Zaheer invited the first guest poet from India, Madan Mohan Danish. He is Program Executive at the All India Radio Gawaliar. Madan Mohan Danish drew wide applause with his simple but touchy style:
Koi Ye Laakh Kahe, Mere Banane Se Mila
Har Niya Rang Zamane Ko Purane Se Mila
Hamare Rehnuma Bhee Kamal Karte HeiN
Ahmad Salam from Pakistan was the second guest poet who amused the audience with his unique candid and unadorned style:
Kuchal Kuchal-ke Na Foot Path Ko Chalo Itna
YahaaN Pe Raat Ko Mazdoor Khawab Dekh-te HeiN
Nikal Ke Sheh-rooN MeiN Aaa Bhee Jana Chamak-te Khawa-booN Ko Saath Le Kar
Baland-o-Bala ImaartouN MeiN Phir Apne Gaa-ouN Talash Karna
Dr. Nusrat Mehdi, Secretary of MP Urdu Academy, Bhopal, India and Deputy Director of Allama Iqbal Adabi Markaz was the third guest poet. She captivated the audience with her poetry:
Haq Paras-toN Kee JahaN Rai Shumari Hogi
Sab Se Pehle WahaN Aawaaz Hamari Hogi
Tol Kar Dekh Le Azmat Ke Tarazoo MeN Ise
Meri Chadar Teri Dastaar Se Bhari Hogi
President of the Mushaira, Javed Saba from Pakistan, elated the audience with his moving and persuasive poetry:
Khushboo Ho To JhoN-ke Kee Tarah Phool Se Niklo
Dil Ho To Meri Jan Dharak Te Hu’e Aa-Jaao
Yeh Chalte Phirte Hu’e Tum Aa-ee-ne MeiN Jhaank-tee Ho
Yeh Aa-ee-na Tum-he Paagal Bana Ke Chhore-ga
The International Mushaira preceded the Aligarh Tarana. Many of the guests lined up for the Tarana in traditional black sherwani and white trousers.Aligarh Muslim University tarana, written by Majaz Lukhnawi, is perhaps one of the finest anthems written for any educational institution in the world.
Earlier, the program began with the recitation of the Holy Qur’an by Saif Zaman. The audience was welcomed by Dr Shaheer Khan. MC of the event was Suhail Farrukh.
The Aligarh Education Endowment team presented a video update on the AEEF accomplishments during 2017.
The Aligarh Education Endowment Fund (AEEF) was established in 2005 with the objective of enhancement and modernization of education, and improvement of educational opportunities for the underprivileged sections of the Indian society, especially the minorities. AEEF believes that its efforts should result, in the long run, in economically uplifting these groups and helping them to become productive members of Indian society.
Medtech pioneer Mir Imran was the Keynote Speaker, and explained the importance of studying a problem in the process of innovation.He was of the view that innovation should be taught as a subject at the school level.
Tellingly, Mir holds more than 200 patents – and is perhaps most well-known for his pioneering contributions to the first FDA-approved Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator.
Mir has also invented a number of other standard setting devices such as the world’s first EEG monitor, Trans-urethral needle for tumor ablation (TUNA), embolic protection and ultrasound imaging devices. A host of his innovations have been commercialized through successful business ventures.
Dr Shaheer Khan thanked the sponsors of the Sir Syed Day 2018 which included Drs Kamil and Talat Hasan, Dr Ashraf Habibullah (Computers and Structures Inc.), Mr and Mrs Zaheed Kajani, Mr and Mrs.Syed Sarwat (Chandni Restaurant), Mr and Mrs Jamal Qureshi (JQ American Corporation) and Amana Mutual Trust.
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