“Urdu unites people and talks of peace”
AMN / NEW DELHI
The scintillating poetry added a unique sparkle to the festive season this Diwali. Jashn-e-Bahar Trust celebrated the 21st edition of its international mushaira Jashn-e-Bahar in the capital this evening. Marking the 150th anniversary year of Mahatma Gandhi, the mushaira celebrated Urdu as a harbinger of Gandhian ideals of communal harmony, universal brotherhood and inclusivity.
“Urdu is the language of love and tolerance. In fact, it is Gandhivadi and talks of peace and universal brotherhood. For religions need languages but languages have no religions,”saidKamna Prasad, Founder, Jashn-e-Bahar Trust, in her opening remarks.
“The land of ‘Urdu-e-Moalla’ or ‘exalted language Urdu’ and of Urdu Bazar, Delhi is the heart of India and of Urdu too. I have seen my elders speak and write Urdu. Popular mushairas like Jashn-e-Bahar bear testimony to Urdu’s undisputed Indianness. So those who are calling Urdu ‘foreign’ these days should definitely relook at India’s history and syncretic culture,” said Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, who was the chief guest.
“Jashn-e-Bahar celebrates our common cultural heritage. Urdu has embodied and protected India’s secular values right since its inception. It plays a pivotal role in building the character of the youth,” said Dr Najma Akhtar, Vice Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia, who was the guest of honour.
“Whenever narrow-mindedness has tried to unravel the syncretic culture of this country and this society, Urdu has come forward to defend it. Its poetry has embraced the people, put balm on their wounds and exhorted them to take care of their composite values and shown them how to do that,” said eminent litterateur Chitra Mudgal who presided over the mushaira.
Poet after poet, the theme of yakjahati (communal harmony) resounded in Jashn-e-Bahar 2019, the world’s largest international mushaira that was webcast live all over the globe for the first time. Top names from the world of Urdu literature read their latest compositions to an avid audience of about 4000 poetry lovers.
Led by Prof Wasim Barelvi, the poets’ list for the evening comprised Dr Abdullah Abdullah from Washington, Dr Nausha Asrar from Houston, Aziz Nabeel from Doha, Qatar and Syed Sarosh Asif from Abu Dhabi. India was represented by Dr Nusrat Mehdi, Iqbal Ashhar, Prof Minu Bakshi, Aqeel Nomani, Parveen Kaif, Liaqat Jafri, Dr Nuzhat Anjum, Madan Mohan Danish, Abdul Rehman Mansoor, Azhar Iqbal, Nadeem Shad and AalokShrivastav who conducted the mushaira.
The non profitJashn-e-Bahar Trust presented this year’s mega literary show with the support of Urdu Academy-Delhi, Takshila Educational Society, M R Morarka Foundation, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, Dhampur Sugar Mills Ltd, Al Nawaz Restaurant, Swastik Elec and Jahnavi Constructions among others.
Some selected verses read at mushaira Jashn-e-Bahar 2019:
ThokroN ko bhinahiNhoti har eksarkitalaash
BhaaNpletihainkiseaataahaesajdaakarnaaduaaoNkesaath
-Prof Wasim Barelvi
Mamooli se ikbashar ho tum Abdullah
DuniyakejhagDe tum se kaisenipteNge
Isi liye to merimaano
Apnekaam se kaamrakhoaurchaadaroDhke
Lambitaano!
-Dr Abdullah Abdullah
Ikkamzordiye ne to ujaalaaabakhshaa
Dekhnaa ye hai, ujale ne kisekyabakhshaa
-Dr Nausha Asrar
Bikharchukaahaita’alluq, kasaavmushkilhai
Chalohataaoke ab rakh-rakhaavmushkilhai
-Dr Nusrat Mehdi
MujhmeiN koi mujhjaisaa ho aisaabhi ho saktaahai
Yaaphir koi aurchhupaa ho aisaabhi ho saktaahai
-Syed Sarosh Asif
Khushi ye haikesoorajkidastak sun rahaahooN
Kalal ye haichiraagoN se judaahonaapaDegaa
-Aqeel Nomani
Be faizikchiraagbataayaagayaamujhe
Soorajbujhaa to dhooNdhkelaayaagayaamujhe
Ubhraa hare k baarnayaaphool ban ke main
MittimeiNjitnibaarmilaayaagayaamujhe
-Iqbal Ashhar
SaaNsletaahuaa har rang nazaraaegaa
Tum kiseeroz mire rang meiNaao to sahee
-Aziz Nabeel
Rasmewafaanibhaanaa to ghairatkibaathai
wo mujhkobhooljaayen ye hairatkibaathai
-Dr Nuzhat Anjum
Badhaakarhaathsaarihaddmitaa de
ZameenoNkekushaadaaqaddmitaa de
Kabhi bachche ko naqshaa mat dikhaanaa
Na jaanekounsisarhadmitaa de
-Liaqat Jafri
KyoNpareshaaNnazaraatehaiNteresheharke log
Jab kabhi ham teri mehfil meiNnazaraatehaiN
-Prof Minu Bakshi
Dopahar masjid me ye ailaanfarmayagaya
Aikbachcharorahahai, jin ka hai le jaaiye
DaudkarBadlumiyaaNpahunchemu’azzin se kahaa
Jin ka bachchakaisahotahaihamedikhlaaiye
-Abdul Rehman Mansoor
Aurkyaaaakhirtujhe aye zindagaanichaahiye
Aarzookalaagkeethi, aajpaanichaahiye
-Madan Mohan Danish
DilkehaiN bure lekinachchhebhi to lagtehaiN
Har baatsahijhoothi, sachchebhi to lagtehain
-Parveen Kaif
Chahaktegharmahakte khet aur wo gaaoNkigaliyaaN
JinhaiN hum choDaaye un sabhi ko jeeterahtehaiN
-AalokShrivastav
JunooNkamhai to mujh se shaayarikam ho rahihai
TumhepaakarmeridiwaaNagikam ho rahihai
-Azhar Iqbal
Chahe sab khojaayelekinunko mat khonaa
Jinkoteriaankh ka aansuNdaryaalagtaahai
-Nadeem Shad