Mujaddid IOS Centre for Arts & Literature organises discussion on “Contemporary Sensibility in Urdu-Hindi Poetry”

Mujaddid IOS Centre for Arts & Literature organises discussion on “Contemporary Sensibility in Urdu-Hindi Poetry”

New Delhi: A discussion on ‘Contemporary Sensibility in Urdu-Hindi Poetry’ was organised by Mujaddid IOS Centre for Arts and Literature at the IOS auditorium on August 12, 2023.

The function commenced with the recitation of a Qur’anic verse by Hafiz Mohammad Athar Husain Nadwi.

Convenor of the Centre, Mr. Anjum Naim introduced the participants in the discussion as also the theme. He said that those who were present at the discussion represented both Urdu and Hindi literature. Such discussions focusing on the two languages had become very rare though the need for bringing both of them together was being felt more today than ever before. He observed that at the very outset, it was visualised that the Centre would endeavour to hold multi-lingual dialogues to build bridges with them. Multi-lingual dialogues afforded an opportunity to understand sensibilities of each other. As a matter of fact, one language was complementary to the other in respect of the subject-matter and oeuvre. It also helped understand customs, social and cultural traditions, besides the trends in their literature. No literature could be oblivious to the happenings in society. This played an important role in exchanging the ideas that dominated the language. He held that such gatherings benefited the younger generation at the intellectual level. In a society where social groups belonging to different faiths lived side by side, they seldom acquainted each other with their sensibilities and feelings. In this situation, such dialogues contributed positively to social and cultural enrichment, he added.

Dr Shoeb Raza Khan, assistant director, open schooling, NIOS, who conducted the proceedings, observed that Hindi was being enriched by Ghazals which came from Urdu. A number of Hindi poets were composing Ghazals which had become very popular among the audience at Kavi Sammelans (poetic gatherings).

Prominent Urdu novelist, Urdu poetess and an acclaimed translator, Azra Naqvi was the first speaker who insisted that poetry of Mir Taqi Mir and Mirza Sauda also corresponded with modernity of their times. She said that Nazms like ‘Ghode Ka Qissa’ and ‘Shahar-i-Aashob’ were composed at that time. A poet had to be necessarily susceptible to the happenings around him. He could not remain detached from his times. Man had to encounter the situation which affected everybody, irrespective of his status. Things kept on changing and the poet expressed his impressions in his language with craft and style. Referring to the celebrated Urdu poet of the eighteenth century, Mir Taqi Mir, she said that he picturised his joblessness and all-around destruction due to the swift annexation of the areas held by Nawabs. She informed that she was associated with Rekhta, a well-known Urdu publishing house and was working on a dictionary in Urdu. She held that ‘Mir’ was not confined to the verses of love and beauty. He wrote in other forms of poetry as well. Holding that effects of the two world wars changed the scenario of the world and the literature did not remain unaffected. Sahir Ludhiyanvi’s poem “Parchhaiyan” (shadows) depicted the aftereffects of the Second World War. He described the economic condition of the country following the war. Similarly, the industrial revolution in in England, first war of independence in 1857 and emergence of communism affected the writings of that time. She also referred to Sir Syed Ahmad Khan who battled for English education among Muslims. Commenting on the criticism of the old Urdu poetry by the composers of Nazam, she said that Altaf Husain Haali ‘rejected the old-styled poetry’. Ismail Meeruti was in the same line, she said.

Azra Naqvi pointed out that Faiz Ahmad Faiz and Josh Malihabadi belonged to progressive movement which was influenced by the freedom struggle. Loot and violence in the wake of partition in 1947 found echo in their poetry. She said that the advancement of science and technology coupled with Covid-19 significantly impacted the literature. The world had now become a global village where access to knowledge and information was very easy. She stated that both Urdu and Hindi languages belonged to the country and they had to be contemporary. Social media platforms like Facebook too carried Nazms which were being accessed by the lovers of poetry. She said that Hindi Nazms too were becoming popular. In this connection, she referred to a function hosted by the Sahitya Academi where Sudha Maheshwari recited a Nazm in Hindi. Poets were also using environment as a subject to warn the people against pollution. This could be described as the contemporary sensibility. Imran Pratapgarhi and Gauhar Raza were writing on topical issues. Besides, Kahkashan was writing beautifully. On this occasion, she recited a few poems written by her recently.

Professor of Hindi, Jamia Millia Islamia, Dilip Shakya, opined that contemporary sensibility had an historical context. Today’s life style was different from the living style of the West where modernity was an inalienable part of everyday life. He said that the eminent Hindi writer and critic Agaye discussed the nuances of modern times in his famous book, “Kaal ka Damru” (Drumet of time). He said that Agaye believed that the contemporary life could not be detached either from the past or the present. Contemporary stood for both past and the present. Referring to the famous Urdu poet, Nazeer Akbarabadi, he said that he had been included as a Hindi poet because he wrote a number of Nazms in praise of Hindu gods and goddesses. He remarked that Hindi poetry could not sustain without Urdu poetry. Both the languages had the same origin but they separated from each other later as the two rivers. He noted that the famous national poet of Hindi, Maithili Sharan Gupta was influenced from ‘Haali’. Gupta’s poem ‘Bharat-Bharati’ became very popular those days. Similarly, ‘Madhushala’ written by Harivansh Rai Bachchan was influenced from the celebrated Persian poet, Umar Khayyam. Of late, Dushyant Kumar emerged as the most famous poet of Hindi ghazals. Prakash Pandit was another writer who translated several works from Urdu to Hindi. According to the noted Hindi poet and critic, Shamsher Bahadur Singh, he was the gate-way of Urdu and Hindi. Urdu impacted him most. He said that Nai Kavita (New poetry) came to Hindi similar to its entry into Urdu through Nasir Kazmi. He used the occasion to recite some of his recent compositions.

Well-known Urdu poet, Ikram Khawar, who published two collections of Urdu poetry, namely ‘Masnad-e-Khaak’ and ‘Lahoo Se Chand Ugta Hai’ held that poetry could not be written without being contemporary. All the references in poetry should come from this mundane world because the audience belonged to this planet. He regretted that the new generation of writers dissociated itself from progressive writer’s movement. This was not so with the writers earlier who were very much associated with the movement in one way or the other. Today, the influence of aesthetics characterised by an appreciation of beauty, was ostensibly reflected in poetry. He recited his two Urdu poems and concluded with the remark, “Sitam ki Raat Jo Dhalne pe Aamaada Nahin Hoti”.

Senior Urdu journalist and the VOA (Urdu service) correspondent, Suhail Anjum said that it was a high time both Urdu and Hindi came closer to each other. He praised Rekhta for doing excellent job by bringing both the languages together.

In his presidential remarks, eminent Urdu-Hindi poet, novelist and writer Khursheed Akram, briefly explained niceties of the Nazm. He said that currently, there were quite a few Nazm writers. In this connection, he made special mention of Akhtarul Iman. He observed that while a Nazm did not impact instantly, ghazal did it. Poetry should be such that could make one feel of sensibility. He referred to a poet who made real description of the events during Bhagalpur riots. He observed that literature reflected the trends of the time. There were issues of collective life. Sorrow, hatred, injustice, etc., had affected the life of a common man. Literature was not action, but reaction, and had relationship with man-made disasters. Today, the institutions had lost their value and relevance. There was a big difference between the reflections in the literature of both the languages while Hindi reflected the voice of a common citizen, Urdu reflected the voice of a victim. Some significant work had been done in Urdu fiction which was worthy of attention. Habib Jaalib was the last Urdu poet of resistance. Shedding light on the difference of attitude between Urdu and Hindi in respect of contemporary sensibility, he said that the bulldozer raj began in Madhya Pradesh and Hindi poets wrote a lot on it.

Khursheed Akram pointed out that a magazine invited poems on the bulldozer raj and published 20 of them. While 18 poems were written by Hindi poets, only two were composed by Urdu poets. He said that literature possessed a powerful voice of resistance. Literature did not have only words but also the medium to express them. But there was more stress on saving oneself. He observed that when NRC was sought to be implemented in Assam, poetry of resistance was written. It was called ‘Miyan’ poetry. This poetry influenced Assamese, Bengali and other regional languages which carried songs on the issue. On this, the Assam Chief Minister, Hemant Biswa Sarma had commented that the state faced threat from Ajmals and Poetry of Miyans. It was not a frivolous thing that the poetry became a threat in the face of the state’s excesses, he concluded.

At the end of the discussion, Mr. Anjum Naim extended a vote of thanks to the audience and the speakers. 

A view of audience