Poetry dominated the literary scene last week. But that was nothing unusual, such is the gravitational force of poetry, particularly the ghazal. However, the grief and a severe sense of loss associated with the death of Mushfiq Khwaja kept haunting the literary circles and individuals in and outside the country. Condolence meetings were held at various places. One such meeting was held at the Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu, where speakers recalled the personal qualities of the late Khwaja Sahib apart from his invaluable academic work.

At a well-attended meeting held by the Federal Urdu University last Saturday, the Vice Chancellor Dr Syed Iqbal Mohsin, announced that a Mushfiq Khwaja chair would be instituted at the university to carry on research in history and different genres of Urdu, following the tradition set by the great researcher whose Tahqeeq Nama and monumental work on Mirza Yagaana would always keep his name alive. The suggestion to institute the Mushfiq Khwaja chair came from Dr Manzoor Ahmad who admired his satirical prose most.

Others who spoke on the occasion included Dr Abul Khair Kashfi, Jamiluddin Aali, Dr Hanif Fauq, Aftab Ahmad Khan and Afaq Siddiqui.

Jamiluddin Aali recalled that the late Khwaja had left behind a treasure of unpublished work, and his published material was of rare quality which should be preserved at all cost. He had inherited from his father, Khwaja Abdul Waheed, a valued collection of books, at present part of his library. Mushfiq Khwaja had with him the diaries of Molvi Abdul Haq, which the Baba-i-Urdu used to write frequently for many years. Aali said when these were published, they would reveal some very important information and interesting episodes. Qaumi Zaban, the journal of the Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu, was going to publish a special number on the life and works of Mushfiq Khawaja, Aali informed the audience.

Dr Hanif Fauq shed light on the works of the late author, such as Khush Maarkai Zeba and Jaiza-i-Makhtotat, which are spread over 1,500 pages and the Tahqeeq Naama. Dr Fauq said that Khwaja Sahib was a master prose writer with a great sense of humour and a fascinating stylist, a rare quality found in contemporary researchers. His three volumes titled Khama Bagosh, Sukhanha-i-Guftani are testimony to his captivating prose.

Afaq Siddiqi read out a lengthy paper recalling the 46 years of relationship he had with the late Mushfiq Khwaja. The paper however was more about Baba-i-Urdu and his Urdu University project than Khwaja Sahib. The meeting concluded with the following couplet of Mushfiq Khawaja:

Yaden rah jaaen gi, aur yaden bhi aisi jinka

Zaher ankhon se rag-o-pai mein uter jaaya ga

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There were two poetry sessions organized last week — one at Karachi Gymkhana and the other an informal one at the Arts Council, a couple of days after the KG’s function.

Senior and a ‘kulwaqti’ (for all time) poet, Anwer Shaoor, entertained the audience with simple and plain discourse at the Gymkhana meeting.

Banaya na rahne ko ghar zinagi bher

Kiya badlon me safar

zindagi bher

Ahmed Naveed, a comparatively younger poet whose ghazals carry a distinct flavour, was also much applauded by the audience. He has three MAs to his credit — in Urdu and English Literature, and Philosophy — we were told. His verses reflect his philosophical approach to life and its natural phenomena. In his presidential address, Mahmood Sham defined the merits of poetry and said it was an essential part of the American education system. A society deprived of poetry may soon become decivilized, rude and vulgar. Even more revealing was the fact, as described by Sham, that the large business houses encouraged their young employees to learn poetry and compose verses for spiritual comfort and to gain a better understanding of life. This is supposed to improve their business. The stalwarts of the GK perhaps knew it already.

A couple of days later, an evening with a poet was held at Gulrung Cafe in the precincts of the Arts Council, the guest being none other than our very well known poet Khalid Alig.

Last year such an attempt at the cafe was taken as a venture to run a parallel body against the Council’s Adabi committee. It was later decided that literary sittings without the use of loudspeakers could be held in an informal way. So, we have now a friends committee, with an enterprising Council member as its chairman. They have promised to invite many other poets and writers, artists, sportsmen and social personalities for similar informal gatherings.

The evening with the senior poet was quite well attended. The poet’s voice, however, did not reach beyond the third row, since no loudspeaker was used. So Sarwer Javed who compered the proceedings also acted as a prompter.

Khalid Alig was a journalist, his last regular assignment was with a People’s Party organ. An anti-establishment poet, against all martial laws from FM Ayub Khan to the present, Khalid Alig is a much sought-after poet at mushairas and democratic rallies. He is highly respected for his simple and honest living and his socialist ideology. He is forthright in the expression of his beliefs through his forceful and appealing verses.

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Dhanuk (rainbow) mushaira is another project of the new governing body of the Arts Council. Seven poets signifying the seven colours of the rainbow make a mushaira, said to be a brainchild of Rizwan Sidiqui. Afaq Siddiqui in his presidential address emphasized the need for a book culture to counter the rising force of the electronic media and the clash of channels. The book reading habit should be encouraged to meet that challenge. Among the poets who recited their verses were Majid Khalil, Zaki Usmani, Sarwer Javed, Mohammad Subuktageen Saba, Sohail Ahmed and Khursheed Alam.

Ms Rahat Zahid, a poet based in Glasgow (Scotland), presented her collection of verses at the Arts Council only last week. Ms Khushbakht Shujaat, vice-president of the Council, hosted the launch on behalf of ther Qalam Dost. She said she was happy to note that more and more women poets were appearing with their poetry collections. Naqqash Kazmi, Hasan Zaheer, Sarwat Zafer and many others spoke on the poetic qualities of the book Udas Galyon Mein (in the lonely lanes). The general secretary of the Bhopal Forum presented the Subh-i-Ghazal, the poetry collection from Sheri Bhopali, an eminent ghazal poet and contemporary of Jigar Muradabadi. Dr Farman Fatehpuri spoke for the poet.