A CENTURY has passed since the demise of Muhammad Husain Azad (1830-1910) distinguished prose writer, poet, critic, linguist, researcher and the creator of allegory in Urdu literature to which Aabe Hayat and Nairange Khiyal are an immortal testimony.

The Urdu Department at Oriental College, Punjab University, Lahore held a two-day world seminar in January, 2010, to pay tribute to the great pioneer of modern Urdu prose and poetry.

Attended by well-known writers hailing from Pakistan, India, Iran, Turkey and Japan, the seminar presented about 38 papers on Azad. The book under review, Aazad Sadi Maqalat contains 32 of the same research papers by prominent personalities of Urdu.

The key address was delivered by Dr Aslam Farrukhi whose thesis for his PhD was on Azad. The article is in the form of a sketch expanding over Azad’s childhood, youth, and the War of Independence, 1857 which had disturbed his family and professional life and ultimately resulted in insanity in the later years of his life.

Dr Farrukhi narrates Azad’s activities as the founder of Anjuman-i-Punjab which changed the course of Urdu prose and poetry and his differences with Dr G.W. Leitner, who was the president of the Anjuman and also the principal of Government College, Lahore.

Scholars have divided Azad’s life into two phases — one before his eccentricity that is till 1885 and then the period from 1885 to 1910, spanning over 25 years of his life. The articles presented in the book cover diversified aspects of Azad’s life.

While Dr Farrukhi’s sketch is a wholesome account of his life, it simultaneously brings to light Azad’s literary contributions. A contemporary of Sir Syed, Hali, Shibli and Nazeer Ahmed, Azad warns his compatriots that Urdu poetry is being limited to a narrow sphere and it was time to free it from the traditional subjects, or else, he cautioned, Urdu poetry would become obscure.

Azad advocated natural poetry and asked the writers to benefit from the thoughts of European and English writers. He was joined by Hali and Shibli and Sir Syed applauded his efforts, though the traditionalists raised hue and cry.

Azad was deeply impressed by English writers, especially those writing in the genre of allegorical essays. Nairange Khiyal is a collection of his allegorical essays and is read with interest and still regarded as a masterpiece.

Azad ka Aslub-i-Junoon by Asif Farrukhi probes the reasons for his eccentricity and emphasises upon the need to study the style of his writings which he continued during his insanity as well. According to biographers, 1885 is the year after which he started suffered from schizophrenia.

Prior to it the accidental death of his daughter had shocked him to a great extent. Azad never truly recovered from this incident.

According to Dr Mohammed Sadik, one of the factors of his insanity was his over indulgence in editing Zauq’s poetic collection. Other possible factors may be his mother’s demise in his early childhood or even the War of Independence of 1857 after which his father was sent to the gallows by the colonial rulers.

Though Azad had to compromise with the English rulers for his survival, he passed through mental and spiritual torture and had monetary problems at many times in his life. However he continued to write with a distinct zeal and unique style.

Farrukhi names a number of literary giants who continued to write even when declared insane but were never ignored by the critics. These include Christopher Smart, French poet Gérard de Nerval and Virginia Woolf. He adds, quoting Hans Arp in his article, ‘What name should be given to this kind of insanity? “When a new mode of imagining erupts into literature, it dislocates the rhetoric of its time, and is of a subtler stuff than that rhetoric — the infinite arrives on this earth”.’

Azad stands prominently among those whose writings are full of style and allure. Almost all of the articles present in the book lament that most of Azad’s writings have been ignored by critics. This attitude is not surprising, as we come across instances where creative writers who lead normal lives are relegated and ignored.

According to Dr Aslam Farrukhi there exist 52 books written by Azad during this period. However, no one has bothered to save them, let alone publish them.

The articles on Azad help in bringing to light the diversified skills of this literary giant.

A mere glimpse of the titles of these articles depicts the extraordinary expertise of this great writer. Some of these are: Azad Anjuman-i-Punjab and Jadidiat, Azad Aur Leitner ke Ilmi Rawabit, Muhammad Husain Azad Aur Nauabadiati Muzmerat, Hali aur Shibli Ki Muhammad Husain Azad Se Asrpeziri, Jadid Urdu Nazm Ke Farugh Mein Aazad Ki Khidmat, Darbar-i-Akbari Aur Tariq Nawesi ke Taqaze, Muhammad Hussain Azad Ki Tamsil Nigari, Azad Ki Insha Pardazi, Jadid Urdu Nasr Ke Imkanat, Azad Ki Maktoob Nigari and many more.

Written by prominent writers from the subcontinent all the articles reveal the exemplary capabilities of Azad. The book under review is no doubt a valuable addition in the study of this immortal writer. Aazad Sadi Maqalat (ARTICLES) Compiled by Tehseen Firaqi and Nasir Abbas Nayyar Punjab University Oriental College, Lahore 456pp. Rs500