Mushaira Not the Right Forum
By Perwaiz Ahmad
Fullerton, CA
The mushaira organized by the Urdu Writers Society on Saturday, May 10, 2014, at the Yorba Linda Community Center was well attended although in my estimate 15-20 percent of the chairs went begging because apparently several attendees could not make it for one reason or another. The venue and the ambiance received high grades. So did the appetizer with delicious mango lassi and other beverages in abundance. However, according to some guests, the main course dishes lacked a little oomph which could have made the entrees a bit more palatable. Many kudos to Irfan Murtaza and his team of volunteers because it takes a lot of effort and time to ensure that all the I's get dotted and the T's get crossed before the start of the event , especially when out-of-State poets are gracing the occasion. Out of State poets better beware! Ahmad Jaffrey is watching you with his critical eye!!
Most poets kept the audience on the edge of their seats but Ahmad Jaffrey stole the show with his satirical composition entitled " Makaan " and " Shaair" . As always, Tabish Khanzada's recitation was spell-bounding , especially his poem "Mother/Maa" that touched the hearts of all because there is no relationship more sacrosanct than a mother-and-child relationship ever since man walked on the face of the earth. Jawaid Masroor's recitation was also superb; so were Naqaash and others.
It hurts me to say that a well organized mushaira was marred by a couple of poets when they took to the podium and recited their poems with religious connotations that were in strong contrast to the faith and belief of the majority of the audience. I was appalled to say the least and as a result some members of the audience, including myself, walked out of the hall in protest.
People come to mushairas to socialize and to have some leisure time, not to hear issues that have been contentious for centuries. This gathering was certainly not the forum or the occasion to propagate one's belief and sadly enough this was not the first time I heard a poet going off on a limb to disseminate his belief.
On a lighter note, I would like to suggest the Urdu Writers Society to eliminate "WRITER " from their organization's name because the current name does not resonate well with the kind of mission they have. An incident that happened many years ago went like this.
When the Head of the Urdu Department was asked in Urdu, 'Aap kaa kiss shobay say taluq hai ?', he replied in English , " I am the head of the Urdu Department". In the same frame of mind I would like to request the committee of the Urdu Writers Society to translate their organization's name without any English word , i.e. it should be100 percent Urdu.
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