KARACHI, Sept 23: Friends and admirers paid homage to the late poet Syed Masoodul Hassan Tabish, known as Tabish Dehlavi, at a seminar organised on Friday night to mark the poet’s second death anniversary.

Tabish Dehlavi, who was born in Delhi in 1911, passed his bachelor of arts examination from the University of Karachi in 1958. His first poetry collection "Neemroz" was published in 1963, which was followed by "Chiragh-i-Sehra" in 1982, "Ghubar-i-Anjum" and "Taqdees" in 1984, "Deed Bazdeed in 1989, "Mah-i-Shikasta" in 1993, and "Dhoop Chhaon" in 1996.

The seminar, organised by the ‘Muhibban-i-Tabish’, was presided over by Dr Farman Fatehpuri. Jamiluddin Aali was the chief guest.

Speakers said Tabish was an important pillar of traditions of our civilization and that he was an elegant figure of vision. He wrote poems, ghazals, and memoirs and worked as a newscaster, but ghazal was the cardinal reference of his identity.

Farman Fatehpuri said Tabish’s poetry fulfilled the requirements of the era he lived in. One could find all the colours of life and customs in his poetry, which was dominated by the style of Fani and sturdiness of Ghalib’s poetry.

Despite living in the modern era, Tabish remained associated with tradition and remained committed to classical expressions and constructions, he added.

Poet Aali said that Tabish was an extraordinary personality which was bejewelled with elegance, meticulousness and truth and honesty. He was the real torch-bearer of the traditions of the Delhi civilisation and he started winning appreciation in his youth and proved his prowess at the literary gatherings of Delhi as well.

Dr Haneef Fauq said that contemplation and themes in Tabish’s poetry remained at the optimum, while his personality and poetry gave a sense of sacredness. His poetry is a real asset of Urdu literature, he added.

A son of the late poet, Saud Tabish, said that his father’s life was an explanation of discipline, aptness, mannerism and he always tried to maintain a balance between the old traditions and new trends and demands of the age.

Raghib Muradabadi, Ghaus Methravi and Majid Khalil paid poetic tributes to the great poet.

Azhar Hashmi was the stage secretary of the seminar. Nadeem Hashmi, convener of the Muhibban-i-Tabish, presented the introductory remarks. The others who spoke at the seminar were Amirul Islam Hashmi, Sarshar Siddiqui, Mir Hamid Ali, Ishrat Rumani, Syed Azfar Rizvi, Prof Khwaja Qutubuddin, Nasir Shamsi, Prof Sabir Nizami, Zafar Mohiuddin, Dr Wasimuddin and Atiya Sultana.