Poets steal show

Cadet College, Hasanabdal hosted a Mushaira where poets from different cities participated. Academics gathered to enjoy an evening of Mushaira.

Zaheer Qandeel moderated the event. Dr. Nisar Turabi was the chief guest. Hameeda Moeen Rizvi from London was Guest of Honor.Gen (r) Najeeb Tariq, principal of the college, Faculty members were in the limelight and a large number of students were also present on the occasion including teachers and students from Abbottabad Public school.

It was both inspirational and light verses at the Mushaira that captivated the audience. It was a poignant spectacle. Who was the soul and spirit of the Mushaira, it was difficult to decide.Various colours of poetry were presented including the popular ‘ghazal’ and ‘nazm’. There was a variety of themes with some poets flashing between the uplifting and the commonplace. Unfolding their feelings in a striking language, they kept the listeners in excitement.

Taking place at a relaxed pace choice verses were read by the host and guest poets, which spoke of the dreams unfulfilled and of regions untraveled. There was a mix of the ancient and modern, unique and diverse style of poetry.

The audience didn’t have a hierarchy about what was high and what was low poetry. At the time when we live in a world where slam is getting very much recognized as poetry it was a big luxury having access to a good of poetry.

Major (r) Amanullah Aman’s verses reflected his spiritual values and interests and received great appreciation from the audience. He got encouraging calls of ‘wah wah’ at every verse:

Main kisi taur ziankaar naheen ho sakta

Meri bunyaad mein taazeemay Khudwanday Karim

Fazal Hussain Samim also recited his entertaining verses drenched in contemporary hue:

Teri tarah jawan huyee hai yeh bail bhi

Deewar phaand kar meray aangan mein aayee hai

Ahmad Hussain Mujahid’s verses expressed emotional highs of romance with the depths of heartbreak:

Khirki pe jukhi huee theen bailain

Kamray mein koi maamla tha

Zaheer Qandeel poetry was too gloomy showing a vivid end:

Zindgi ne rulaya bohat hai

Es leeyay maskharay bun gayay hain

Col (r) Shahab Alam’s verses were over classical in expression and had historical inklings:

Jheel Saiful Malook nein poocha

Jo teray saath hai pari hai naa

Nisar Turabi with his riotous splash of verses was prominent, using contemporary style of poetry:

Meray sukhan mein younhee roshni naheen aayee

Teray khayal ne palkain utha kay dekha hai

Akhter Reza Saleemi lived up to his reputation as having a modern, unique and diverse style:

Woh Husnay sabz jo utra naheen hai daali par

Frayfta hai kisi phool chunanay waali par

Faisal Hashmi dreamy verses had scintillating effect on the audience especially the new generation:

Zameen zeena be zeena buland honay lagi

Utar raha tha koi khushboo khabar sitaray se

Ziaul Mustafa Turk shared his pet themes with the appropriate inflection, reflecting on the issue of existence:

Wohi hoon main, wohi bazaar ka tamasha hai

Mera tamasha naheen yaar ka tamasha

Shamsa Noreen:

Kohr pari hai sheeshoun pe aur manzar kutch dhundlayay se hain

Kum fehmi ki dhund mein liptay chaltay phirtay sayay se hain

Kaisay koi ghul mil jaayay aisay logoun ki mehfil mein

Baatoun mein taaseer naheen hai lehjay kutch itrayay se hain

Words of praise were showered on the organizers of Mushaira. It was really an enjoyable lively evening.

Others who presented their poetry included: Mazhar Hussain Syed, Imran Aami and Kalsoom Durrani.