KARACHI: A book of Urdu poems titled Zard Rangat by Hijaz Naqvi was launched at the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi on Sunday evening.

Distinguished poet Mir Ahmed Navaid, presiding over the event, delivered a lecture on the occasion. He said shaoor is a Hebrew word from which the word sha’iri (poetry) is derived, and from which the word sher (couplet) comes followed by sha’ir (poet). This means that poetry has a direct connection with shaoor or content; so the foremost thing that is examined in poetry is shaoor. After content, the form of a poem is looked at, after that style and the rest of it. “All genres of poetry have been experimented with.”

He said in the days when the Greeks held sway over the world of intellect, poetry was about telling the stories of gods and goddesses. After Egyptian rule rhapsodic or epic poetry (razmiah) caught the fancy of poets such as Firdausi. Then came the time of hikayaat [fables], followed by the English romantic poets of the 18th century (Shelley, Keats etc). The time of Aristotle’s thesis Poetics about what constitutes poetry is left behind — time has moved on. Even the 18th century description of poetry and that of T S Eliot’s in the 20th century are now the thing of the past. “We have seen it all from Poetics to Naseer Turabi’s Sheriyaat. I say that no matter what definition of poetry you come up, it is likely that the sher will go against it.”

Urdu poetry book Zard Rangat launched

Mr Navaid claimed that the era we live in is the age of existential crisis. Now man is looking for himself (insaan apney aap ko talash ker raha hai). The previous concept of man is dead — a new man is being looked for. In the history of mankind versifiers have always focused on man. There are two Urdu language poets — Mir Taqi Mir and Mirza Ghalib — who talked about man (insanon ke sha’ir hain) which is why their revival is taking place.

As far as Hijaz Naqvi’s book is concerned, quoting a western writer he pointed out a great poet collects small things and then present a big idea. Naqvi has collected the small things but he [Navaid] awaits the time when the Zard Rangat poet will come up with a big idea.

Earlier, two speakers expressed their views on the book and its writer. Faisal Siddiqui said his connection with Mr Naqvi began when he [Siddiqui] resumed studying Mir and Ghalib. In that journey the poet was captain of the ship — as a young teacher. “The book has been revised twice — in 2013 and 2017 — and he has omitted more verses than he’s included in the book. He himself considers the book an experiment, a work in progress. We need to take it as a work in progress.”

Mr Siddiqui said two elements of Mr Naqvi’s poetry fascinate him: one, hardcore philosophical bent; and two, he leaves a mystery in his verses, leaves a question about a question. He also quoted quite a few ash’aar from the book one of which was:

Ke jaisey raat ruk ker roz ik sapna dikhati hai

To kiya yeh din guzarney ke ilawa kuchh nahin kerta

[As if the night, every day, makes me see a dream So, the day does nothing but passes by just like that?]

Dr Shehla Alvi said Mr Naqvi is her teacher. She’s been learning Persian from him for a little over two years. She often wonders, “Who is this guy who has lost his playfulness.”

Hijaz Naqvi thanked the guests for attending the launch.

Agha Sheerazi moderated the programme.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2022