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Mohsin Bhopali's ninth collection By Hasan Abidi Poet Mohsin Bhopali launched his latest collection of verses, Manzil, at the Dr Salimuzzaman Siddiqui Science Centre on Aug 17. The Bhopal International Forum hosted the occasion. Dr Farman Fatehpuri chaired the proceedings and was as usual eloquent in his discourse. The head of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Shaharyar Mohammad Khan, with his Bhopal connection, was the chief guest. He recounted the services of the ruling family of Bhopal state for the promotion of Urdu and Muslims in general. He described Mohsin Bhopali as Fakhr-i-Bhopal (like someone calling Allama Iqbal 'Fakhr-i-Sialkot'). Manzil is Mohsin Bhopali's ninth collection which includes ghazals, naghmey and 'nazmaney', a new poetic form devised by him, though there might be some other claimants to it. Those who praised the poet included Prof Saher Ansari, Mohammad Ahmad Sabzwari and Jazib Qureshi. Mohsin Bhopali, a qualified engineer employed by the Sindh government, retired in 1993 as executive engineer. But people have always known him as a poet. He had earned laurels even four decades back when his first poetry collection, Shikast-i- Shab, had appeared and was launched in November 1961 with the famed Z.A. Bokhari to chair the occasion. Mr Mohsin has an innate quality of subtly weaving the socio- political environment into his poetic fabric. He enriched his poetry by his deep study of literature and society at large. A line from a ghazal he wrote in the early 50s won such instant popularity that it became the idiom of his age, depicting the collective thought of the people: Manzil unhey mili jo shareek-i-safar na thhey Gard-i-Musafat was his second collection which was warmly admired by Rais Amrohvi and many other prominent poets. The 'nazmaney' that he wrote in later years were like skits in poetic form - illustrative, sarcastic and humane. He wrote literary commentaries for a daily paper for around three years and also authored a book on literature's role in harmonizing national unity. While Prof Saher Ansari praised Mohsin Bhopali for his erudition in poetry, Ahmad Sabzwari admired his candid quality in depicting human behaviour, found in many forms. Mohsin was afflicted with throat cancer but was successfully operated upon in 1988, and, the courageous person that he is, he has put that interlude behind him to continue leading a busy and creative life. * * * * * Saema Ali, a young poet from Swabi, NWFP, who teaches mathematics at an educational institute there, appeared at the Arts Council with her maiden poetry collection, Dhoop Loon Hatheli Par, on Aug 19. Dr Mohammad Ali Siddiqui presided over the launch and there were seven speakers to pay tribute to the poet. He found elements of freshness and maturity in her poetry. In her 'cultural voyage', she had composed some very good couplets. Shahnaz Shoro, a story-writer and critic, felt that Ms Ali's poetry spoke of the love of a sensitive woman inhibited by eastern traditions. Dr Siddiqui regretted that teachers and critics did not provide enough guidance to talented young writers and took little care to hone the latter's talents. In the past, literary societies from the higher secondary to the university level used to engage themselves in the reading and recital of poetry and discussions on the merits of the work being reviewed. This practice doesn't exist any more. Noted writers and critics were once invited to the university campus to deliver lectures on contemporary literary topics, but not so any more. Even leisurely discussions among poets and writers in coffee houses and restaurants had an educative value for young writers. The forum at the Arts Council for aspiring writers and poets, I am afraid, is not doing enough. Their meetings quite often boil down to self-praise, and are usually self-congratulatory. Senior poets who go to such forums appear to be more keen to recite their own poetry rather than pay attention to younger writers. Saema Ali is no doubt a promising poet, but exaggerated and undue praise of new writers, as witnessed at the launch of their mostly raw stuff, has had its adverse effect on both the writers and the literary climate. At a recent literary meeting, Dr Hanif Fauq said gushing praise heaped on some books, which were later found to the poor in content and caused disappointment among the readers, was one of the reasons why people were running away from book reading. Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)
