My First Mushaira

 Photo credit Vakil Ansari

May 22nd, 2015 was the day of the 4th Annual International Mushaira of Halqa Arbab e Zauq.  Some of the notables from Pakistan and India could not make it. It was presided by Pirzada Qasim. Details can be found in the media, For Urdu Times Click here.


Although I had participated in similar events in college days, this is the first time I read poetry in a proper Mushaira. All my previous 'work' was during college days and since then I had attempted a poem here and there; it was really the encouragement of the Halqa which made me start writing again. 

I am thankful to the Halqa and all those who encouraged including Saeed Naqvi, Vakil Ansari, Naeem Rathor, Abdul Rehman Abd and Baji Nusrat. Special thanks to Shaukat Fehmi whose fan I was from the earlier days I used to attend Halqa sessions in Zameer Jafri and Johar Mir's days of 1990's.
   
This is a ghazal and has difficult subjects in each verse to deal with. I am sure I have not done justice to each subject. For my readers who cannot read Urdu, I have transliterated and translated in the end, without going into much of the details.

   

Transliteration and translation

tum ko chahiye jesi bood o baash kar day ga

dharkaney jama kar do, ba muaash kar day ga

What ever type of living style you want, you will get

Just surrender your feelings, and (big brother) will take care of you

sung kay muqadar ka teshagar musanif hay

nehr khod laye ga, but(h) tarash kar day ga

The destiny of the rock is authored by the stone cutter

He can make a water way out of it, or carve a statue

(there are mythical references to it, Sheren Farhad story)

soch ki qadamat ne so tahen lagai hain

aaghi ka ik lamha ramz faash kar day ga

Fossilized thoughts have put hundreds of layers

One moment of enlightenment is enough to reveal the hidden truth

dostoon kay qissay ko chairtay nahi socha

munhalik yey saniha e dilkhirash kar day ga

You did not realize when you started to talk about old friends

This heartwrenching episode will be fatal

ma'badon kay bargad say fikr to paray rakhna

ye milap paiwande irtiaash kar day ga

Keep (independent) thoughts away from the Banyans of Worship Houses

This joint will end up in trembling of the (profoundly calm) tree

deed kay talabgaro hosla muqadam hay

jils(e) yusofana hay qaash qaash kar day ga

Have to have a strong heart before you ask for audiance

Seeing Joseph will end up (you) cutting yourself in peices

(Reference to the Quranic story of ladies of Egypt cutting their fingers when seeing the captive Joseph)

sahiron ka Halqa hay soch kar qadam rakhna

kis qumaash kay tum ho kis qumaash kar day ga

Think (twice) before you step in the circle (halqa) of these magicians

It will make you a different person

(reference to Halqa Arbab e Zauq)

raastay ki shorish say zaat ko bacha laya

tahelka do ander hay paash paash kar day ga

I kept myself safe from the vicissitudes of the journey

The turmoil inside me is what will decimate me

terey kaflay ka wo aakhri payada hay

jo gohar gira tuj say wo talaash kar day ga

He is the last man walking in your caravan

Whatever is dropped (lost) by you will be found by him

(there is a historic reference for those who know)