Jo abr yahāñ se uTThegā vo saare jahāñ par barsegā
Washington Aligarh Alumni Mushaira Goes International
By Zafar Iqbal, PhD
The Aligarh Alumni Association, Washington DC (AAA-DC) organized an international mushaira to celebrate the centenary of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) on October 31st, 2020.
A Mushaira is a literary symposium where poets recite their poetry and is an essential 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 famous poet Majaz Lakhnavi, testifies “Jo abr yahāñ se uTThegā vo saare jahāñ par barsegā, har shahr-e-tarab par garjegā har qasr-e-tarab par kaḌkegā,” the 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 poets from the Subcontinent have participated in this annual literary event. Every year, five to six poets from India, Pakistan, and other countries are invited to participate in the mushaira.
A significant feature of this year’s mushaira was that 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) joined hands and cooperated in organizing it.
Because of the prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the program was conducted by using Jashn-e-Urdu StreamYard live streaming technology and it was simultaneously broadcast on YouTube and Facebook. Despite being an online Mushaira, the program did not lack the essentials ofgood mannerlyadaab andgrace that typify a traditional Mushaira; this was truly gratifying and duly appreciated.
This year’s program was unique as six eminent poets (Amjad Islam Amjad, Javed Akhtar, Iftikhar Arif, Zehra Nigah, Pirzada Qasim, and Munibur Rahman) with many decades of outstanding literary contributions participated in it. Well-known humorist and writer Anwar Maqsood also recited a couplet of DaaghDehlvi. The nizamat was done by Dr A. Abdullah with his impeccable mannerism. Several thousand literary enthusiasts enjoyed the event and followed up by posting encouraging and positive comments on the social media.
Samples of the poetry recited by poets:
Professor Pirzada Qasim is a neuroscientist by qualification who became an educationist and vice-chancellor of three 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, a well-known poet, is an accomplished writer of dramas and serial plays.
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 of Pakistan Academy of Letters and National Language Authority. He emotionally reminisced on the time 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 Khudā the ki apne ghar rahte
Javed Akhtar is a political activist, poet, lyricist, and screenwriter. He is the 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 of 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 one of two female poets to gain prominence in the 1950s when the literary 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
Khudāvandā! 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 celebrated scholar of Persian, Professor Munibur Rahman, presided over the event. He is deeply interested in classical Persian literature 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.
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