Karachi on the viewless wings of poesy

Renowned poets throng to 25th International Urdu Mushaira

KARACHI: There were times when the ‘City of Lights’ used to have night-long literary and social activities. Those times seemed to have returned late Wednesday night when the Karachi Expo Centre was abuzz with renowned local and international poets reciting verse after verse and poems to the delight of poetry lovers.

Remembering the late Azhar Abbas Hashmi’s services for the international mushaira, renowned poet and Ziauddin University Vice-Chancellor, Dr Pirzada Qasim, said that the absence of Hashmi was greatly felt on the day as he was the one who used to give the keynote speech. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN

People from all walks of life and representatives of different segments of society were present at the 25th International Urdu Mushaira – an annual feature since 1989 – that brought together the literati and social butterflies of the port city under the open sky. The event was organised by Sakinan-e-Shehr-e-Quaid in collaboration with the Unikarian International and Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi.

Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar, who was also present at the mushaira, vowed to name a major artery of the city in Hashmi’s name. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN

Presided over by senior poet Rasa Chughtai, the mushaira was held in the honour of the late Azhar Abbas Hashmi, the man who founded the institution 28 years back and organised the event for two decades in Karachi. Unlike last time in 2014, when only one Indian poet graced the event, as many as six Indian poets and five from other countries made their way to the port city this year for the mushaira.

Hashmi remembered

Remembering Hashmi’s services for the international mushaira, renowned poet and Ziauddin University Vice-Chancellor, Dr Pirzada Qasim, said that the absence of Hashmi was greatly felt on the day as he was the one who used to give the keynote speech.

Tajuddin Taj from the Indian city of Bhopal lamented that in India, mushaira is always initiated with the recitation of a naat. As no one recited naat here in Karachi, he said, he chose to recite naat before reading out verses from his poems. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN

Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar, who was also present at the mushaira, vowed to name a major artery of the city in Hashmi’s name.



Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair, who was the chief guest of the event, thanked all the Indian and foreign poets for gracing the mushaira. He pledged to restore the glory that Karachi used to have earlier.

Indian poet Johar Kanpuri, who was in a bit of a hurry to catch his flight back to India, wished that the ‘City of Lights’ remains such always. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN

Art Council of Pakistan, Karachi, President Ahmed Shah said that Hashmi played a pivotal role in initiating the mushaira 25 years back, which will be continued each year. Unikarian President Prof Ejaz Ahmed Farooqi said Hashmi had a main role in initiating the Unikarian International, a society of Karachi University’s alumni. Hashmi, he said, was a ‘dervish’ kind of a person who never sought credit for his work.

Senior poet Amjad Islam Amjad, satirist Anwar Masood from Lahore and Anwar Shaoor and Shahida Hasan from Karachi were among the senior poets who read out their popular verses right at the end of the mushaira, which continued into the early hours of Thursday morning.

Ana Dehlavi was among the Indian poets who recited their verses at the mushaira. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN

What lacked was a variety of poems as most of the young poets focused on love themes more than other genres of poem. However, the youngest poetess of the mushaira, Neel Ahmed – who was the first one to come on stage – recited her short poem, titled Gurya [Doll], which was widely applauded by the audience. She highlighted the plight of the marginalised women of society.



Indian poetess Shabina Adeeb took the stage by storm as she started reading verses from her poem in her husky voice, which had just the perfect mix of romance and agony. ‘Raat din aap chiraghon ko jalatay kion hain? Ghar chiraghon se nahin piyaar se roshan hota [Why do you try to illuminate the house with lamps? Houses are illuminated with love, not lamps]’ and ‘Mujh ko nazro se gira dijye mar jaon gi, aap par qatal ki tohmat bhi nahi aye gi [Let me fall in your eyes and I will die; you won’t even be accused of the murder]’ were some of her verses, to which the audience couldn’t stop applauding. “Each couplet of her directly hits heart,” said someone from the audience.

Senior poet Amjad Islam Amjad, satirist Anwar Masood from Lahore and Anwar Shaoor and Shahida Hasan from Karachi were among the senior poets who read out their popular verses right at the end of the mushaira, which continued into the early hours of Thursday morning. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN

Tajuddin Taj from the Indian city of Bhopal lamented that in India, mushaira is always initiated with the recitation of a naat. As no one recited naat here in Karachi, he said, he chose to recite naat before reading out verses from his poems. Another Indian poet, Johar Kanpuri, who was in a bit of a hurry to catch his flight back to India, wished that the ‘City of Lights’ remains such always.

When he read his couplet, ‘Tumhara ghar hamesha roshni se jagmagaunga, Chiragho ki khushamad mat karo mein dil jalaunga [I will always illuminate your house; Do not appease the lamps, I will burn my heart to light the house]’, someone from the audience shouted that he should be recruited in K-Electric. Other Indian poets who recited their poems included Hasan Kazmi, Hina Taimori and Ana Dehlavi.



It was around 3am when poet Anwar Shaoor, took to the stage and successfully charged up the crowd through his unique style of poetry reading with verses such as ‘Chaman mein aapki tarha gulab ek bhi nahi, Huzoor ek bhi nhi, janab ek bhi nahi [There is no flower like you in the garden, Not even one, Sir, Not even one].