New Delhi: A discussion on ‘Contemporary Sensibility in Urdu-Hindi Poetry’ was organised by Mujaddid IOS Centre for Arts and Literature at the IOS auditorium on August 12, said a press release.
Anjum Naim, Convener of the Centre, said that those who were present at the discussion represented both Urdu and Hindi literature. Such discussions focusing on the two languages had become very rare though the need for bringing both of them together was being felt more today than ever before.
He observed that the centre would endeavour to hold multi-lingual dialogues to build bridges between them. Multi-lingual dialogue offered an opportunity to understand sensibilities of each other.
Dr Shoeb Raza Khan, Assistant Director, Open Schooling, IGNOU, who conducted the proceedings, observed that Hindi was being enriched by Ghazals which came from Urdu. A number of Hindi poets were composing Ghazals which had become very popular among the audience at Kavi Sammelans (poetic gatherings).
Azra Naqvi, prominent Urdu novelist, poet and an acclaimed translator, insisted that poetry of Mir Taqi Mir and Mirza Sauda corresponded with modernity of their times. She said that poems like ‘Ghode Ka Qissa’ and ‘Shahar-i-Aashob’ were composed at that time. A poet had to be sensitive to the happenings around him. He could not remain detached from his times.
Referring to Mir Taqi Mir she said that he picturised him becoming jobless following all round destruction due to the annexation of the areas held by Nawabs. She informed that she was associated with Rekhta, a well-known Urdu publishing house and was working on a dictionary in Urdu. She held that ‘Mir’ was not confined to the verses of love and beauty. He wrote poetry on a wide variety of subjects.
On the other hand, Sahir Ludhiyanvi’s poem “Parchhaiyan” (shadows) depicted the aftereffects of the Second World War. He described the economic condition of the country following the war.
Azra Naqvi pointed out that Faiz Ahmad Faiz and Josh Malihabadi belonged to progressive movement which was influenced by the freedom struggle. Loot, destruction and violence in the wake of partition in 1947 found echo in their poetry.
She stated that both Urdu and Hindi languages belonged to the country and they had to be contemporary. Social media platforms like Facebook too carried Nazms which were being accessed by the lovers of poetry. She said that Hindi Nazms too were becoming popular. In this connection, she referred to a function hosted by the Sahitya Academi where Sudha Maheshwari recited a Nazm in Hindi.
Poets were also using environment as a subject to warn the people against the looming disasters.
Imran Pratapgarhi and Gauhar Raza were writing on topical issues, she informed and added Kahkashan was writing beautifully.
Dilip Shakya, Professor of Hindi, Jamia Millia Islamia, opined that contemporary sensibility had an historical context. Today’s lifestyle was different from the living style of the West where modernity was an inalienable part of everyday life. He said that the eminent Hindi writer and critic Agaye discussed the nuances of modern times in his famous book, “Kaal ka Damru”. He said that Agaye believed that the contemporary life could not be detached either from the past or the present.
Referring to the famous Urdu poet, Nazeer Akbarabadi, he said that he had been included as a Hindi poet because he wrote a number of Nazms in praise of Hindu gods and goddesses. He remarked that Hindi poetry could not sustain without Urdu poetry. Both the languages had the same origin but they separated from each other later as the two rivers. He noted that the famous national poet of Hindi, Maithili Sharan Gupta was influenced by ‘Haali’. Gupta’s poem ‘Bharat-Bharati’ became very popular those days. Similarly, ‘Madhushala’ written by Harivansh Rai Bachchan was influenced from the celebrated Persian poet, Umar Khayyam. Of late, Dushyant Kumar has emerged as the most famous poet of Hindi ghazals. Prakash Pandit was another writer who translated several works from Urdu to Hindi.
According to the noted Hindi poet and critic, Shamsher Bahadur Singh, he was the gate-way of Urdu and Hindi. Urdu impacted him most. He said that Nai Kavita (New Poem) came to Hindi similar to its entry into Urdu through Nasir Kazmi. He used the occasion to recite some of his recent compositions.
Well-known Urdu poet, Ikram Khawar, who published two collections of poetry– ‘Masnad-e-Khaak’ and ‘Lahoo Se Chand Ugta Hai’ held that poetry could not be written without being contemporary. All the references in poetry should come from this world because the audience belonged to this planet. He regretted that the new generation of writers dissociated itself from progressive writers’ movement. This was not so with the writers earlier who were very much associated with the movement in one way or the other. He recited his two Urdu poems and concluded with the remark, “Sitam ki Raat Jo Dhalne pe Aamaada Nahin Hoti.”
Senior Urdu journalist and the BBC (Urdu service) correspondent, Suhail Anjum said that it was high time both Urdu and Hindi came closer to each other. He praised Rekhta for doing excellent job by bringing both the languages together.
In his presidential remarks, eminent Urdu-Hindi poet, novelist and writer Khursheed Akram, briefly explained niceties of the Nazm. He said that currently, there were quite a few Nazm writers. In this connection, he made special mention of Akhtarul Iman. He observed that while a Nazm did not impact instantly. It was ghazal that did it.
He referred to a poet who made real description of the events during Bhagalpur riots. Literature reflected the trends of the time. There were issues of collective life such as sorrow, hatred, injustice, etc..
Literature was not action, but reaction, and had relationship with man-made disasters. Today, the institutions had lost their value and relevance. There was a big difference between the reflections in the literature of both the languages while Hindi reflected the voice of a common citizen Urdu reflected the voice of a victim. Some significant work had been done in Urdu fiction which was worthy of attention.
Habib Jaalib was the last Urdu poet of resistance. Shedding light on the difference of attitude between Urdu and Hindi in respect of contemporary sensibility, he said that the bulldozer raj began in Madhya Pradesh and Hindi poets wrote a lot on it.
Khursheed Akram pointed out that a magazine invited poems on the bulldozer raj and published 20 of them. While 18 poems were written by Hindi poets, only two were composed by Urdu poets. He said that literature possessed a powerful voice of resistance. Literature did not have only words but also the medium to express them. But there was more stress on saving oneself. He observed that when NRC was sought to be implemented in Assam, poetry of resistance was written. It was called ‘Miyan’ poetry. This poetry influenced Assamese, Bengali and other regional languages which carried songs on the issue. On this, the Assam Chief Minister, Hemant Biswas Sarma had commented that the state faced threat from Ajmals and poetry of Miyans. It was not a frivolous thing that the poetry became a threat in the face of the state’s excesses, he concluded.
