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Reading Ghalib in
Punjab Dr.
Afzal Mirza
Dr Afzal Shahid is a physicist by
profession but a prolific writer of Urdu and Punjabi poetry. He has
written more than half a dozen books of verses and all that by sitting in
Atlanta (Georgia). After a PhD in physics and a short teaching stint at
Govt. College of Science in Lahore he migrated to America and worked in
the famous Bell Laboratories from where he got recently an early
retirement. At present he teaches in a College and devotes his whole extra
time in following his favorite pursuit of reading and writing poetry.
Realistic and Balanced -
Sharif Kunjahi
By
Dr. Afzal Mirza
first read
some Urdu poems of Sharif Kunjahi in one of the magazines of the
progressive writers movement which was at its peak during the first few
years after partition. The movement which was initiated just before World
War II was inspired by the rise of communism in Soviet Russia and the
sensitive young men of that period saw in it the emancipation of the
wretched of the earth. The economic depression of that period had its
effect on India and famines
The lyrical poet of Punjab
Dr Afzal Mirza
The theme of
partition inspired many writers, mostly prose writers. Among them Saadat
Manto stands out as the one who contributed the largest number of writings
on this theme. In Urdu literature there are few poems on the subject which
include Faiz's Subh-e-Azaadi and Qasmi's Phir Achanak Teergi Mein Aa Gae.
It goes to the credit of Ahmad Rahi that he wrote highly inspiring poems
on the subject in Punjabi. One can also mention the famous poem by Amrita
Preetam in which she addresses Waris Shah to wake up and see the plight of
the blood-bathed Punjab. That poem became a classic.
A
People's Poet : Ustad Daman
Dr. Afzal Mirza
Ustad Daman was last
seen on the funeral of Faiz Ahmad Faiz on November 20, 1984. He appeared
terribly ill but he had managed to make it to Model Town to attend the
funeral in a rickshaw. Although the mourners were visibly shocked by
Faiz's death but whoever saw Daman was shaken by his condition. Those who
had seen his wrestler-like figure in good old days could not believe their
eyes to see the skeleton-like Daman arriving in the gathering with the
help of two people.
The Master
of His Own Words
Dr. Afzal Mirza
Faiz is and remains the most outstanding Urdu poet of the second half of the last
century. During the last few years of his life, however, he wrote some
Punjabi poetry as well which can be found in his last two books namely
and Mairay Dil Mairay. These two books actually contain the
poetry he wrote during the 1970s and early 1980s, till he died in 1984 in
Lahore. After General Zia removed the government of Bhutto in a midnight coup
in 1977, Faiz went into exile and remained
abroad till 1983. It was only a year before his death that he returned to
Pakistan.
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