The syncretic “Shankar-Shad” poetic bonhomie of Urdu Shayari at Modern School

The syncretic “Shankar-Shad” poetic bonhomie of Urdu Shayari at Modern School

 Firoz Bakht Ahmed

The entire packed hall, consisting of the connoisseurs of Urdu poetry, rose to their feet, when the poet laureate, Wasim Barelvi spoke in his sonorous and melodious voice, “Yeh bachcha aasman chhoo kar rahega/ Badon ke paon chhoo kar aa raha hei!”:

(This child will touch the heavenly zenith/ He is coming after touching the elders’ feet!)

The clamorous roar approved the couplet as it highlighted the most desired value based reverence for the elderly, who today, at the fag end of respect and regard.

The bonhomie at the toast of Indo-Pak poetic legacy, “Shankar-Shad Indo-Pak Mushaira”, now only restricted to India, owing to the cold shouldered diplomacy, its 56th edition at Delhi’s Modern School, was a perfect blend of the dual syncretic culture of both India and Urdu. Replete with sounds of “mukarrar” (repeat), “Subhan Allah” (wonderful), “lajawab” (inimitable), “behtreen” (wonderful) etc., the houseful gathering at Shankar Lal Hall and a large number of the connoisseurs of Urdu, with a ratio of 80-20, not that of Yogi Adityanath but of the “Shayari” loving Hindus and Muslims, proved that we Indians are a harmonious, fragrant and multi-hued bouquet co-existing as brethren since eons!

Those custodians of Urdu, who keep on signing the epitaph of Urdu and keep billowing that Urdu is on oxygen or even dead, should marvel at the never say efforts of the rejuvenation and revival of Urdu by a non-Urdu knowing industrialist and Shriram Chemicals’ owner, Madhav Shriram, who has ably continued with the interfaith harmony legacy of his forefathers from Lala Banshidhar to Sir Shankar Lal and Lala Muralidhar Shad, both illustrious Urdu poets.

Rakhshanda Jalil, the eminent author, literatteur and the live wire of the “Mushaira” opined that people like Madhav of “Shriram Chemicals”, Sanjiv Saraf of “Rekhta” and Kamna Prasad of “Sulabh International”/ “Jashn-e-Bahar”, all non-Muslims, have given a kiss of life to Urdu at a time, when the language needs faithfully friends!

Being the flag bearer of Urdu, stated Madhav Shriram, “The reason that Urdu proliferated and got promoted was owing to its secular character and a universal base in India and abroad.” Today it happens to be one of the most popular of all international languages.

Wajahlat Habibullah, the former civil servant was the chief guest who emphasized that even before the advent of Muslims in India, the country was connected historically, culturally, politically and commercially via Arabic, Persian and Turkish influences to the Middle East and other countries, including Iran, Sudan and Turkey. After Muslims settled in India, the conglomeration of people of various cultures speaking a variety of languages like Rekhta, Hindavi and ultimately, Urdu, came into being.

The poets who enthralled one and all included Wasim Barelwi, Javed Akhtar, Sheen Kaaf Nizam, Popular Merrathi, Iqbal Ashhar, Shabina Habib, Gauhar Raza, Azhar Iqbal, Noman Shauq and Itrat Ali.

That evening, the Urdu lovers’ darling was the celebrated Urdu poetess, Shabina Adeeba, cornered standing ovation at her daring and inimitable performance. Being dazed at the presence of women outnumbering the males, she congratulated them and earned huge praise for her couplet:

“Jo khandani raees hein, mizaj rakhtey hein narm apna/ Tumhara lehja bata raha hei, tumhari daulat mai, nai hei?”

(Courteous are the people, who are truly rich/ Your curt tone proves that you’re newly rich)

Most hilarious moments came when Popular Merathi, today’s lord of the light-hearted, comic couplets of today’s Urdu, took a dig at the chameleon-like politicians with many couplets, including:

“Mawaliyon ko na dekha karo hiqarat se/ Na janey kaun kal wazir ho jaye!”

(Don’t look down upon the rabble-rousers/ Who knows they might become ministers!)

If the not so celebrated poets like Iqbal Ashhar, Itrat Ali, Iqbal Azhar and Nusrat Mahdi, were impeccable in their content and delivery, the star poet, Javed Akhtar came up with his old and oft repeated couplets which disappoInted his followers.

But then, Wasim Barelvi, the doyen of Urdu poetry today, came up with some extremely good combinations of “Nazams’ and “Ghazals”, like:

“Mein duniya to mananey mein laga hoon/ Mera ghar mujh se rootha ja raha hei!”

(While being busy appeasing one and all/ Love for my family is victimized!)

Principal, Modern School, Dr Vijay Datta, a lover of Urdu, stated that Urdu that joins lacerated hearts and disturbed souls, was evident from the houseful auditorium with the maximum people, especially, youth, such that the connoisseurs had to be accommodated at the basketball court besides the live telecast by many channels. “Urdu is a language cementing interfaith bonds!” Adds Datta.

(Firoz Bakht Ahmed is the former Chancellor of Maulana Azad National Urdu University and grandnephew of Bharat Ratna Maulana Azad)