Celebrating Unity in Diversity: The Sixteenth Independence Day Mushaira-Kavi Sammelan
By Zafar Iqbal, PhD
Washington, DC
Dr A. Abdullah inaugurated the Sixteenth Independence Day Mushaira-Kavi Sammelan on Sunday, August 25, 2024, at the Central Library in Arlington, Virginia. In his opening remarks, he emphasized, “We gather here to celebrate the independence of the entire Subcontinent. Sadly, this independence was shadowed by an eclipse that has only deepened over time. Organizing such literary and cultural activities is like lighting small candles in our hearts, helping us appreciate our shared heritage, our Sanjhi Virasat. This appreciation and mutual respect are what make us human. True freedom lies in liberating ourselves from prejudices.”
Neha Singh
Preethi Govindraj
Renuka Misra
This bilingual poetry session, a tradition started in 2008 by the Aligarh Alumni Association of Washington, DC (AAA-DC) in collaboration with the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin of Metropolitan Washington (GOPIO-Metro), is part of the Subcontinent’s Independence Day (Yaum-e-Azadi) celebrations. Over the years, it has evolved into a vital platform for poets to share their work, preserving and promoting the rich poetic traditions of Urdu and Hindi, and bridging generational and cultural gaps.
This year’s program featured participation from the Association of Indian Muslims of America (AIM), the Hyderabad Association of Washington Metro Area (HAWMA), the Montgomery Nawabs (MONA), and the American Society of Science, Engineering, and Technology (ASSET).
Aslam Azad, President of AAA-DC, provided an overview of the Association’s activities since its founding in 1975, highlighting its commitment to recognizing and promoting local literary talent. Over the years, numerous poets and authors, including Professor Satyapal Anand, Professor Asghar Wajahat, Dr A. Abdullah, Dr K. Mohan, Mr. Raj Kumar Qais, Mr. Anadi Naik, Dr Astha Naval, Mr Dhananjaya Kumar, Mrs Rashmi Sanan, Mrs Daler Deol Aashna, Mr Surender Deol, Dr Salman Akhtar, Professor Gopichand Narang, and Surinder Deol, have released their works at this event.
This year, Farah Kamran’s book Surkh Shaam Ka Diya was released. The acclaimed Urdu poet and short-story writer Jameel Usman, who traveled from New Jersey, eloquently introduced her and her poetic journey. He encapsulated her path by reciting lines from her poetry: Voh Zakhm jis ne bujhaya tha aarzo ka chiagh, Vohi javaz bana dil ki raushni ke liyae. Renowned journalist, novelist, and short-story writer Nuzaira Azam presided over the session, highlighting Kamran's perseverance, dedication, and contributions to the literary world.
The Mushaira and Kavi Sammelan were chaired by retired Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer Dr Ashok Narayan, currently visiting the USA. The event featured performances by poets including A. Abdullah, Ashok Narayan, Azfar Hasan, Farah Kamran, Jameel Usman, Madhu Maheshwari, Mohammed Akbar, Mohammed Jaweed, Narender Tandon, Nisha Narayan, Preeti Govindaraj, Qamar Kazmi, Razi Raziuddin, Taher Mahmood, Vinita Tiwari, Vishakha Thaker, and Yusuf Rahat.
A heartfelt tribute was paid to the late senior poets of the Metropolitan Washington area who passed away last year, Rakesh Khandelwal and Gulshan Madhur, in recognition of their significant contributions to the literary community. Additionally, homage was offered to the late Talat Shamim, wife of Dr Abdullah Shamim, a former active member of the Urdu Literary Society, a subsidiary of AAA-DC. Condolences were also extended for the late Professor Ahmad Shahid Khan, a retired AMU professor and father of AAA-DC Treasurer-elect Dr Salman Shahid.
Mohammad Akbar skillfully conducted the poetry recitation session, providing appropriate introductions to poets and ensuring smooth time management. Afzal Usmani served as the Master of Ceremonies, while Renuka Misra expressed gratitude to all participants and attendees for their contributions to the event's success. She also acknowledged the volunteers for their hard work and thanked the Arlington Library for providing the facilities.
The program was highly appreciated by the attendees, who stayed until the very end.
Mentioned below are samples of poetry recited at the event:
Ye jo mera sa mujhko lagata hai
Dar haqiqat ye sab usee kaa hai
Uskaa deedar ho to kyonkar ho
Uske qadamon she kaun uthata hai
Naik kaam aur badi aik jaisay nahee.n
Aik jaisay nahi.n aasmaan-o-zamee.n
Aik jaisay nahi.n hai.n khzaf aur nagee.n
Aik jaisay nahi.n aastaan-o-jabee.n
Qaul-e-mulla hadees aur quraa.n nhee.n
Jhoot aur such barabar nahee.n dosto
Zulmat-o-noor hurgiz bhi uksaa.n nahee.n
Hum uss des ke baasi thay jis des mein Ganga behti hai
Ik eik lehar uss Ganga ki ashkoun se likh kar kehti hai
Hindu Muslim ke chakkar mein tum des ko apney toR ga'ey
Mein Hindu hoon na Muslim hoon, kyun mera daman choR ga'ey?
Mein eik pawitar darya hoon, gar jal mein merey naha'o gaey
Hindu ho, Muslim, ya Sikh ho, tum bas insaaN ban ja'o gaey
Mizaj daar hooN eik aan baan rakhti hooN
Mein apni zaat ko shayaan-enshaan rakhti hooN
Mein us zamane ki khud shanas aurat hooN
Shaoor rakhti hooN shola zabaan rakhti hooN
Irada to yeh tha mera ki usko bhool jaooN gaa
Magar dil meiN khayal uska dar aaye to kiya keejiye
Socha tha ki na guzrooN gaaab us ke kooche se
magar voh ban sanwar kar baam par aaye to kiya keejiye
jab tak na parvarish mein iimaan hoga
har aazaadi ka na ek-sa paimaan hoga
tab tak mazhab, havas aur taaqat ke
junoon se bantaa kahin shaitaan hoga!
Shaad tha main dekh ker dushman ki barbaadi magar.
Uski nazron se jo dekha dil pareshan hogaya.
Mujhko gul aaye nazar usko laga wo khaar hain
Ek nazar ke farq se gulshun beyaaban ho gaya
Ajab hai mojza raahewafa mein J
o jaan deta hai wo marta nahin hai
Laalach hiya maa ghar kiyo, sar pe KhouF sawaar
naiya talley chhed re, saajan hain us paar
Bande aur Khudaa ke beech, patree see dewaar
nayan hirdai ke kholiye, mumkin hain deedaar
Jo charche meiN aata hai, vahi kharche meiN aata hai
Jo kaam nahiN hita vo agarche mein aata hai
Yeh imtehaan bhi ajab mazaq hai yaaro
Jo mauzoo chhoR diya hai voh parche meiN aata hai
