KARACHI: The poetry of Mir Anis and Umman Saamani encourages mankind to stand against the system of tyranny or autocracy.

This was stated by prominent progressive Urdu scholar and intellectual Dr Aliya Imam, who presided over a literary conference organised by the Cultural Centre of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Karachi, on “Ashurai Shairi” (religious tragic poetry) on Sunday evening.

Raza Baqri, the director of the cultural centre, was the chief guest on the occasion.

The conference highlighted the poetic contribution of famous Urdu poet Mir Anis and a Persian poet, Umman Saamani.  

Delivering the presidential address, Dr Imam said whether tragic poetry was in Urdu or Persian it was about respect for human relations.

“The elegies (Marsiya) of both epic writers will live [forever] as this form of poetry [reflects] the universal message of Karbala,” she maintained.

Dr Faizeh Zehra Mirza, a professor at the Karachi University’s Persian department, poet Firasat Rizvi and Zaigham Zaman also expressed their views in the literary event.

Elaborating the poetic significance of Mir Anis, Mr Rizvi, who was the keynote speaker, said that in the great epic poetry, Anis was considered one of the celebrated poets in the world.

“He is considered a magician in terms of using expressions and linguistic standards. His elegies, linked with the events of Karbala, set the great examples of the depiction of characters, emotions and human psychology. He used marvellous dramatic techniques in his poetry,” he said.

Mr Rizvi pointed out that heroes of some great epic writers, including Homer, Dante, Milton, Kalidas and Firdausi, had mundane grandeur and power.

Contrary to the thoughts of these scholars, Anis declared Hazrat Imam Hussain his inspiration for writing.

“Heroes of the Western epic writers are deprived of the moral and saintly attributes of the hero (Imam Hussain) of Anis,” he said.

He declared the poetry of Mir Anis a miracle of literary aesthetics, as his elegies are the powerful expressions of human values and moral principles.  

Dr Mirza, presenting a detailed paper on the Persian “Ashurai” poet, said that there is an aesthetic metaphor of eternal truth in the epic poems of Umman Saamani.

She also recited some selected original verses of the Persian poet.

On the occasion, famous Urdu poet Nasim Nazish recited her Salam to pay tribute to the great sacrifice of Imam Hussain and his companions.

Some famous parts of the elegies of Mir Anis were also recited by Jawaid Hasan, Qindeel Jafari and Tabassum Zehra.

In his concluding remarks, Mr Baqri thanked the participants and said that Iran and Pakistan have old diplomatic and cultural relations.

He said that the messages of Imam Hussain are to love mankind, maintain peace and dislike war.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2017