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By Arshad Rashid and Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Urdu Academy of North America held its monthly literary program on Sunday (January 15, 2012) at the Chandni Restaurent in Fremont/Newark.
Well known personality of SF Bay Area, Khalid Rana, presided over the program that was divided into two session. The first session was dedicated to the life and work of prominent Urdu poet, Shaukat Ali Khan Fani Badayuni. The second session concentrated on the life and work of another prominent poet Prof. Qayyum Nazar.
Tashie Zaheer, President of the Urdu Academy of North America welcomed the Urdu enthusiasts to the literary session. He said that the Academy was thankful to all those who are giving some of their precious time to promote the Urdu language. Tashie also thanked the Editor/Owner of the leading Urdu News newspaper of North America for meeting the demand of Urdu readers.
After Tashie Zaheer’s weclome Dr. Tahir Mahmood, MC of the first session presented a well-researched maqala on Fani Badayuni’s life and poetry. Fani Badayuni’s poetry was recited by: Hatim Rani, Ismat Kamal, Meraj Sultana Ghazali, Misbah Rehman, Mohammad Saleem, Mukesh Kacker, Nagesh Avadhany, Naseer Humayun, Shahzad Basir, Talat Khan, Abdus Sattar Ghazali.
(Picture shows from left: Arshad Rashid, Khalid Rana and Dr. Tahir Mahmood)
Talat Khan captivated the audience with her melodious presentation of poetry.
Nagesh Avadhany as usual amused the audience with his musical voice.
Fani Badayuni
Shaukat Ali Khan Fani Badayuni (1879–1941) was noted Urdu poet. Shaukat Ali Khan was born in Islamnagar, Badaun, Uttar Pradesh, (then United Provinces). He graduated from Barreilly College in 1901, studied law at Aligarh Muslim University, earning his LL.B. degree in 1906. He practiced law in Bareilly and Lucknow but could not make much success and migrated to Hyderabad. The Nizam's Diwan Maharaja Kishan Prasad 'Shad' who himself was an Urdu lover and poet, got Fani appointed in the department of Education.
Fani started composing poetry around twenty years of age. He translated works of Shakespeare and Milton in Urdu. Fani belonged to the Ghalib's tradition of Urdu poetry. It will be more appropriate to place Fani in the category of what is known in Urdu as 'Sahib-e-gam' because he was a poet of pathos. This tradition in Urdu poetry is headed by Mir Taqi Mir; hence he belongs to Mir's tradition as well. Fani lived at Hyderabad till his death in 1941 .
Fani was associated with the Junior Prince Moazzam Jah nocturnal court throughout his life in Hyderabad. With him in the court were Josh Malihabadi,Sadiq Jaisi, Maher Ul Quadri and others.
Fani was a highly emotional personal he loved Hyderabad and the society. He was initially offered to join as a "munsif" (Judge) since he was a Law Graduate. But Fani did not accept it since he had to move away from the city. He later accepted the post of a school head master in Hyderabad. In the day fani would go to school and in night would attend Moazzam Jah's court till early hours, this night outs did not give him enough time to continue at school as head master, he could complete sleep at the office chair. News spread and he was removed from the post.
Qayyum Nazar
The second session was dedicated to the life and work of Prof Qayyum Nazar. Arshad Rashid was MC of this session. He also presented a maqala on Qayyum Nazar. His poetry was recited by:
Ismat Kamal, Khalid Rana, Naseer Humayun, Meraj Sultana, Misbah Rehman, Mohammad Saleem, Mukesh Kacker, Shahzad Basir, Talat Khan, and Abul Sattar Ghazali.
Professor Qayyum Nazar (1914 - 1989), was a prominent Urdu Language poet from Pakistan. He was born in Lahore and having lost his father at a very early age, suffered many hardships in his life but worked hard to achieve his place in the society. He was a professor in Government College, Lahore, (Pakistan).
He wrote many books of Urdu poetry and on children issues. His first published Ghazal was in 1933 in Risala Aadbi-Duniya. He represented the new wave of Urdu Ghazals and was impressed by many classic Urdu poets, especially Meer and Fani.
Qayyum Nazar’s poetic work included Urdu Ghazals, Nazamas, Punjabi Ghazals and Nazams and Na'ats too. His poems (Nazams) were beautiful and short. Nature was the back drop of his Nazams. His Compilation of Work (Kuliyaat) was published in 1987 and is called "Qalb-O-Nazar kay Silsilay". The poetry in it was arranged by himself.
He lived his life in Lahore but visited many places and reflected his experience in his poetry. He was polite and gentle and had a huge circle of friendship. Qayyum Nazar died in 1989 in Lahore.
The literary evening ended with a vote of thanks by Khalid Rana who particularly thanked Syed Sarwat, owner of the Chandni Restaurtant for hosting Urdu Academy’s literary evenings.
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