Tribute: Passion of a revolutionary poet

The memory of Josh Malihabadi lives on in the hearts of his admirers.

ISLAMABAD:

You laugh at me because I’m different, I laugh at you because you’re all the same. This quote by Jonathan Davis may lend insight into the persona of the legendary poet Josh Malihabadi of the Indo-Pak subcontinent.

Josh, or passion in English, is analogous to the sheer warmth the poet cradled for humanism, liberation and freedom of thought. Known for his radical ideas, he has not received as much attention as his contemporaries yet many recall the attributes that governed his personality and work.

Family members, friends and ardent followers of the poet gathered to commemorate his 30th death anniversary at the National Language Authority (NLA) here on Wednesday.

A multimedia presentation ran a reverie of snippets of his poetry, marsiyas, naat, songs made from his lyric and footages of him in elocutions. Noted writer and poet Kishwar Naheed chaired the session, sharing her experiences with Josh, intertwined, with witty anecdotes.

They observed that while Josh was a non-conformist, he was an independent thinker.

He would challenge the established norm; be it religion or social values and was vocal about his beliefs.

Born into an affluent Nawab family of poets and writers in Lucknow, he inherited the art of writing poetry and prose and would scribble on small pieces of paper, when he was not allowed to pursue it openly as a child.

Speakers read out select verses from his kalam and likened his work to that of Western romantic poets like Shelley, Keats and Wordsworth.

Though they argued, he was not just a romantic poet but also a poet of revolution, undeterred from the harshest of circumstances, be they oppressive dictatorial regimes or solitary confinement.

His diction and command over language produced some fine works of literature, which explore big events like the Second World War and the War of Independence. His autobiography “Yaadon ki baraat” is reminiscent of the odd characters encountered in his lifetime, the problems faced by Muslims under the British Raj and his own personal struggles.

The discussion comprised not only local literati but also a young Japanese  professor Soya Mane of Osaka University, who had flown in specifically for the ceremony. While expressing his appreciation and respect for Josh, he zeroed in on the 60-year-old bond of friendship between Pakistan and Japan and recited verses he had penned in Urdu.

The event was organised by Josh Adabi Foundation, Josh Memorial Committee in collaboration with the NLA.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 23^rd, 2012.