When the pendulum of
experience stretches so far as to sway on the extremities of emotions, it is
then that a writer is born. Amidst the turbulent struggle for Indian independence,
literature seemingly ceased the opportunity to rage a revolution of words which
would encapsulate the mutual sentiment of millions. The late nineteenth and
early twentieth century witnessed a particular bloom of revolutionary writings and
a major spot among it is captured by the nazms, ghazals, and the
satirical sher-0-shairi that the poets of Urdu literature weaved during
the period. A great many names resurface when we leaf through the pages of history
and Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Makhdoom, Jazbi, Ali Sardar Jafri, Fani Badayuni, Majaz Lakhnawi,
etc. are to name only a few.
Majaz Lakhnawi was born as
Asrar ul Haq Majaz (19 October, 1911) in Rudauli, Faizabad, in the state of
Uttar Pradesh, India. He received his early education in Lucknow, and at St.
John’s college, Agra; but it was Aligarh Muslim University which earned Majaz
his bachelor’s degree. Regarded as the ‘Keats’ of Urdu poetry, Majaz began
composing his verses while in Aligarh. He is credited for composing the “Nazr-e-Aligarh”
or tarana (anthem) for Aligarh Muslim University-
‘Ye
mera chaman, hai mera chaman,
Main
apne chaman ka bulbul hun’
Post his graduation from
Aligarh Muslim University, Majaz was offered a position as an assistant editor
of Aawaz, the newly-established journal of the All India Radio. This
shift from Aligarh to Delhi was a major change in the life of our poet. Aligarh
gave Majaz an identity and space to grow and produce his work. He was in a
place that gave him utmost respect and the young minds of universities relied
upon him to voice their heart. This transference was a new path on which Majaz had
to tread. His elegance of writing Urdu poetry became apparent when he
befriended two poets, Fani Baduyani (whom he considered his mentor), and Jazbi.
A poet with an exemplary imagination,
Majaz was dragged to realistic and revolutionary writing by the epoch he lived
in. While reading Majaz, one can easily trace the balance that he strived to
maintain between imagination and realism. A young poet of his time, he struck
the chords of romance and revolution alike in the hearts of youth. The years in
which he lived and wrote were pulsating with the spirit of nationalism.
Apparent changes were witnessed in various spheres- political, social, as well
as literary. The need of the hour demanded revolution and poets like Majaz and
his contemporaries diverted their ink towards this rebellion. It was during
this time that Majaz was magnetized towards the Taraqqi Pasand Tahreek
(Progressive Writers’ Movement) and started blending his imagination with a touch
of progression to fabricate works that are still irreplaceable.
‘Tere
mathe pe ye anchal to bahut hi khub hai lekin
Tu
is anchal se ik parcham bana leti to acha hota’
An astonishing feature
that distinguished Majaz from his contemporaries was his striking memory.
Certain chronicles based on his life claim that Majaz rarely inscribed his
lines down. He was known for modifying his verses as and when he wished. Some
famous works like Aahang faced this issue of alteration which was mostly
carried out by Majaz himself, but at times by the publishers or composers. Thus,
with this three-fold amendment, various editions of Aahang were
published, each distinct from one another. This was a major criticism faced by
the poet but this criticism again, rebounded in his favour to popularize him
exponentially. At such a young age, Majaz was desired by publishers all over.
Majaz, whose popularity
was at its zenith, could not escape the pangs of love and eventually lost his
heart to a married woman in Delhi who happened to be his admirer. This love was
unrequited and drew him into a hopelessness which he was unable to evade. The
chaos which shrouded his love was unveiled through the couplets that ring of
passion. There was a shadow of despair which flickered in his work. He wrote
extensively about beauty, longing, love, and romance during this phase of his
life. One of his most famous nazms written during this time was titled-
“Husn ko be-hijaab hona tha”; a couplet of which still resonates within the
hearts of lovers-
“Kuchh
tumhari nigah kafir thi
Kuchh
mujhe bhi kharab hona tha”
When critics think of
Majaz in relation to his peers, they fall upon the conclusion that his poetic style
was distinct and adorned with simplicity. He could be considered an old soul in
terms of his usage of rhymes and meters in poetry, like the poets of older
generation. His minimal experimentation places his poetry as melodious and
effortless. While his contemporaries engaged in varying degrees of experiments
with their work, (Faiz deployed classical metaphors to derive a sense of
revolution, Firaq brought themes from Sanskrit poetry to Urdu, Noon Meem Rashed
wrote about the mental anguish of colonized people, etc.), Majaz embraced his
art of subtle, delicate themes; endowing us with some graceful works. He rained
emotions in various tones to drench his readers with a multiplicity of feelings.
His artistry and an effortless style had the power to envelope emotional states
of mind which words usually fail to illustrate. A melancholy and poignancy
which he inscribed through his ink produced his distinctive work, Aahang. This
was his first diwan, dedicated to Faiz and Jazbi whom he calls his
“dil-o-jigar”, and to Sardar Jafri and Makhdoom, who are “mere dast-o-bazu”.
Majaz’s unique style
embodies the ease with which he swings between the echoes of nationalism and
the subliminal desires of a lover. This fusion is astounding and reflects in
the works of Majaz which includes- Aawara, Aahang, Shab-e-taab, Saaz-e-Nau,
etc. Though Majaz reached the acme of his career at a young age, he suffered
anxious breakdowns. Alcoholism ate him up from within, eventually leading to
his end. Majaz died at a young age of 44 years in the winter of 1955 and left
behind him mysteries and a pile of unanswered questions. But his mastery over
emotions and an amalgamation of romance and revolution placed him on a pedestal
which is unforgettable. In his relatively brief poetic career, he composed
poems that still reverberate in the Urdu literary sphere.
-
- Nawa Fatima
No comments:
Post a Comment