KARACHI, Oct 27: The sixth Yadgaari Mushaira in memory of classical ghazal poet Shaikh Imam Bux Nasikh (born 1185 Hijra) was held here on Saturday. Noted elderly poet, Hazrat Tabish Dehlavi, known for his enviable commitment to poetry, particularly the ghazal, presided over the mushaira and kept sitting till around 2am (Sunday) defying age. Some 32 poets, apart from Ahmad Faraz and Mohsin Ehsan who were in the city, also participated. It was a ‘tarhi’ mushaira and participants were expected to recite their ghazals following any one ghazal from Nasikh writing and in the same metre and rhyme.

An article presented by Dr Aslam Farrukhi on the life and poetic art of Nasikh, which was also carried in the mujallah (journal) published for the occasion, was highly appreciated by everyone. Dr Farrukhi’s chaste prose reminiscent of Molvi Mohammad Azad’s style, descriptive and yet simple, as also pointed out by Faraz, enthralled the audience.

The mushaira started with an introductory essay from Syed Iqbal Hussain Kazmi, Chairman of Mushaira Committee who also conducted the proceedings. The annual mushaira — quite popular of yore — remained suspended for 11 long years.

Tabish Dehlavi commended the mushaira organizers, Shell Pakistan Sports Club, Karachi, and lamented that while commercial organizations are busy in promoting the nation’s heritage of literature and culture, the government’s own literary bodies — Academy Adbiat, National Language Authority and others — doing nothing to contribute substantially except for a few cosmetic moves.

The general standard of poetry from this long array of poets (32 in all) was commendable, their theme close to social realities, touching the ongoing political conditions, couched in poetic images. Some of the poets were Jon Elia Pirzada Qasim, Saher Ansari, Shaheda Hasan, Sarshar Siddiqui, Shabnam Roomani, Fatema Hasan, Khawaja Razi Haider, Muslim Shamim, Aejaz Rehmani, Hussain Anjum, Naqqash Kazmi, Tajdar Adil, Wazahat Nasim, Sarwer Javed, Abid Raza Shakeeb, Liaquat Ali Asim and Azm Behzad. Amirul Islam Hashmi recited his humorous verses. Some of the couplets are noted below:

Raat kia soey ke baqi umr ki

neend urh gaee

Khaab kia dekha ke dharka lag

gaya taabir ka

—Ahmad Faraz

Daroogh-e-maslehat aamez jab

urooj pe ho

To aas paas kaheen cheekhti hae

Sachchaee

—Mohsin Ehsan

Matti ko chchornay say badalti

naheen zameen

Hijrat ke mausamaun mein

bahar-o-khizan naheen

—Shaheda Hasan

Go guzari na ja saki hum say

hum nay wo zindagi guzari hae

bin tumharay kabhi naheen aaee

Kya meri neend bhi tumhari

hae? —Jon Elia

Hasan Abidi