‘Mushaira’ held at District Courts Bar

Islamabad

District Bar Association Rawalpindi’s Cultural and Literary Wing tries every year to save the high literary culture of ‘Mushaira’. The magic of poetry was revived in the city when poetry lovers -- a bevy of literati, glitterati, intellectuals and large number of young enthusiasts from the lawyers’ community descended on Quaid-e-Azam Hall to immensely enjoy the thought provoking poetry of their favourite poets. President Bar Abid Hussain Raja also graced the occasion.

The ‘Mushaira’ presided over by veteran poet Dr. Ehsan Akbar, and Dr. Munawwar Hashmi, Nusrat Zaidi, Dr. Nazar Abid, and Dr. Nisar Turabi shared stage with him. Secretary Bar Sajid Awan Advocate compered the ‘Mushaira’ in his inimitable style. He was well versed in the compere’s job, so he knew just when to cut a long-winded poet short, and when to cajole a great poet into an encore by exhorting him ‘Mukarrar, mukarrar’.

Many poets impressed with their poetry and won much praise: Nusrat Zaidi: ‘Lehrain zara se dayr ko tehrain tu dekhna, Chehray ka os ka yaks hai darya leeyay huyay’. Dr. Munnawar Haashmi: ‘Roshni chin kay tray rukh ki na muj tak pohnch, Aik deewar hooi yeh koi aanchal na hua’. Dr. Nazre Abid: ‘Janay kis simt mein jaana hai khuda khair karay, Kaafla phir se rawaana hai khuda khair karay’. Dr. Nisar Turabi: ‘Bichar kay tuj se jo tera khayal chin jayay, Rukhay hayat se rangay jamal chin jayay; Tu phir bata wahan lub kushayee kon kara, Jahan jawab se pehlay sawal chin jayay’.

Abid Maroof: ‘Saroun pe apnay bachoun kay radaen chor jaati hain, Keh maayain mar bhe jayain tu duain chor jaati hain’. Mehmood ul Hasan Mehmood: ‘Aay dost shab guzarnay ka inkar bhe naheen, Laikan yahan tu subh kay asaar bhi naheen’. Shamsa Noreen: ‘Apni tauqeer bhool jaatay hain, Jo nageenay jaray naheen hotay’. Ali Bin Aziz: ‘Payar kay masawa zamanay mein, Hadsay sub maheeb hotay hain’.

When Sarfraz Shahid was introduced, the crowd shook itself from the reflective, introspective mood that the previous ‘ghazal/nazm’ poets had established. Soon he brought the cross-legged crowd to its metaphorical feet.

His verse aimed at the funny bone more than the cerebral cortex: ‘Kia kia program hain in leaderoun kay paas, Hota hai roz shehr mein jin ka muzahira, Aus shairoun ko fikr hain ab vote kis ko ein, Manshhor mein kisy kay naheen hain mushaira’.

When any poet completed the second verse, whose unvarying refrain word was so familiar to the audience that they shouted it out in unison. Although the audience was more reserved in its praise, more discriminating in its tastes, but they offered the traditional accolade of poetry aficionados ‘Vah, vah’ when earned.

Farkhanda Shamim, Saima Naqvi, Farzana Aziz, Shafaq, Amna Nawaz, Khalil Shah also recited poetry to the excited audience.

Dr. Ehsan Akbar was the last to recite: ‘Esi madar mein gardish meri tumari thi, Tum apni dhun mein giray tuj ko dekhta hua main.’

Today’s ‘Mushairas’ are not like those popular in the days of Mirza Ghalib and Mir Taqi Mir. This ‘Mushaira’ mixed many forms of poetry that mesmerised the audience and sent them clapping. This blend of diverse genres was what made the ‘Mushaira’, a success.

Farkhanda Shamim, Saima Naqvi, Farzana Aziz, Shafaq, Amna Nawaz, Khalil Shah also recited poetry to the excited audience. When the crowd had settled down to really listen, the compere concluded it and hurried words of thanks to the poets and the audience.