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The tragedy of Karbala remembered By Hasan Abidi With the dawn of the first of Muharram, the social and cultural scene of the city assumed a sombre tone. The melancholic melody of nauhas and marsias filled radio and television channels. Nai sadi ka naya maarka, Farat ke paar. Hui hai phir sey qiamat bapa, Fafrat ke paar. With these lines, 13 centuries lying between the Karbala of the past and the present suddenly disappear. Majalis were held in various parts of the city, where elegiac verses were read out. The salam, invoked on such occasions, is like the ghazal in form, but in content is related to the tragic events of Karbala. A seminar was held at the Pakistan Arts Council where ulema from different schools of thought were invited to speak on the significance of Muharram and the invaluable sacrifices given by the martyrs of Karbala - Imam Hussain, his relatives and followers. Maulana Ihteramul Haq Thanvi, Dr Hussain Mohammad Jafari, Maulana Tarabul Haq Qadri, Hafiz Hussain Siddiqui, Qazi Nur-ul-Islam and some others dilated on the philosophy and meaning of sacrifice. Maulana Ihteramul Haq and the other participants spoke on the need for Muslim unity and recalled the tragic fall of the caliphate of Baghdad, and the death and plunder heaped on its citizens in the 14th century on account of their disunity against the Mongols. The same situation is faced by the Muslims in the present times. While some speakers pleaded that sectarianism should be totally abolished, Dr Jafri said that this was neither possible nor feasible. It was not 'firqa bandi' (sectarianism) as some people believed, he said, but free expression of thought and belief, which could be a source of unity. All Muslims believed in the Holy Quran and the basic tenets of Islam and in the last Prophet (PBUH). Within those parameters, Dr Jafri said, people should be free to think differently in different situations. A couple of days later (on Feb 16) a mehfil-i-musalma was held at the Arts Council. Among those who recited salams and paid homage to the memory of Imam Hussain were senior poets Sadiq Madhosh, Prof Saher Ansari, Majid Khalil and Hasan Akber Kamal. Majid Khalil recited the following lines. Das Muharram bawaqt-i-shaam Hussain Zakhm hi zakhm hai tamam Hussain Das Moharram ko din naheen hota Shaam hoti hai sirf sham-i-Hussain Sajjad Sukhan paid his homage in the following lines: Gham-i-Hussain ko hum roshni samajhtay hain Hamari palkon pey aansoo nahin charaghan hai Abbas Haider Zaidi, Javed Manzar, Ehsan Kakorvi, Qamar Jamali, Ghaus Mathravi and Ms Nasim Nazish were among poets who took part in the sitting. The electronic media has a pivotal role in the promotion of mehfil-i-masalma. Apart from PTV, other channels in Pakistan have also taken up the form. Dr Hilal Naqvi, a researcher in elegiac poetry and author of a huge volume on the history of the marsia, is also known for innovations in the poetic form of the musaddas. He was heard from a TV channel reciting his new marsia, composed in long metre, with the last lines repeated in each stanza. Eulogizing the epoch-making role of Imam Hussain in changing the course of history, Hilal recited the following lines: Moarrikh khud kisi taarikh ka hissa naheen hota. Vohi taarikh likhkhay ga jo khud taarikh bun jaye. Old-timers recall the majalis held at the residence of Dr Yaawer Abbas and at some other places where such stalwarts as Josh Malihabadi, Syed Aley Raza and Nasim Amrohvi would present their newly composed marsia before large gatherings. Such majalis are not to be seen any more. But a 'marsia-nau tasnif' (newly composed marsia) was heard on a TV channel from the noted 'marsiago', Umid Fazli, the other day. In these uncertain days when security measures have become necessary, free movement has been hampered in many areas, and it seems that more and more we will have to rely on TV telecasts. Known poet and nauhakhwan Sajid Jafri launched his album of nauhas at the Arts Council. This is his 21st album. Among those present at the launch were Azfar Rizvi, Ahmad Shah, and poets Ahmad Navid, Mohib Fazli, Asif Aijaz and Salim Qureshi. Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)
