“Silsilay toar gaya voh sabhi jaatey jaatey”- A tribute to Legend Ahmed Faraz

KARACHI: One of the greatest Pakistani Urdu poets, Ahmed Faraz, is being remembered today (Tuesday) on his seventh death anniversary.

Faraz was born in Kohat Pakistan on 14th January 1931.

He was considered one of the greatest modern Urdu poets of the last century. During in college life, Faiz Ahmad Faiz and Ali Sardar Jafri were his best progressive poets, who impressed him and became his role models

Faraz is his pen name ‘takhallus’, whereas his real name is Syed Ahmad Shah.

Outspoken about politics, he went into self-imposed exile during the Zia-ul-Haq era after he was arrested for reciting certain poems at a mushaira criticizing the military rule.

He stayed for 6 years in Britain, Canada and Europe before returning to Pakistan, where he was initially appointed Chairman Academy of Letters and later chairperson of the Islamabad-based National Book Foundation for several years.

He has been awarded with numerous national and international awards.He was awarded the Hilal-e-Imtiaz in 2004, in recognition of his literary achievements. He returned the award in 2006 after becoming disenchanted with the government and its policies.

Ahmed Faraz, who has been compared with Faiz Ahmed Faiz, holds a unique position as one of the best poets of current times, with a fine but simple style of writing.

Even common people can easily understand. Ethnically a Hindko speaking Pashtoon, Ahmed Faraz studied Persian and Urdu at the Peshawar University. He later became lecturer at the Peshawar University.

Faraz died in Islamabad on August 25, 2008

POETRY SAMPLES

Khwaab martay naheen

Khwaab martay naheen

Khwaab dil hain, nah aankhen, nah saansen keh jo

Rezaa, rezaa huwe to bikhar jaayen ge

Jism kii maut se ye bhii mar jaayen ge

 

One of his famous Ghazal is given below

Suna hai laug ussay aankh bhar ke dekhtey hain,

So uss k shehr main kuch din theher k dekhtey hain

 

Suna hai rabt hai uss ko kharaab haalo’n se,

So apney aap ko barbaad ker ke dekhtey hain

 

Suna hai dard ki gaahak hai chashm-e-naaz uski,

So hum bhi uss ki gali se guzar k dekhtey hain..

 

Suna hai usko bhi hai sher-o-shaiyrii se shughaf,

So hum bhi mau’jzay apney hunar ke dekhtey hain

 

Suna hai bolay to baaton se phool jhartey hain,

Ye baat hai to chalo baat ker ke dekhtey hain

 

Suna hai raat ussey chaand takta rehta hai,

Sitaarey baam-e-falak se utar ke dekhtey hain..

 

Suna hai din ko usay titliaa’n sataati hain,

Suna hai raat ko jugnoo theher ke dekhtey hain

 

Suna hai hashr hain uss ki ghazal si aankhain,

Suna hai uss ko hiran dasht bhar ke dekhtey hain.

 

Siyaah chashm to dekhay hain per na aisay bhi,

K uss ko surma farosh aah bhar ke dekhtey hain

 

Suna hai uss ke labo’n se gulaab jaltey hain,

So hum bahaar pe ilzaam dhar ke dekhtey hain

 

Suna hai aaina tamsaal hai jabee’n uski,

Jo saada dil hain ussay ban sanwar ke dekhtey hain

 

Suna hai jab se hamaail hain uss ki gardan main,

Mizaaj aur hi la’al-o-gohar ke dekhtey hain.

 

Suna hai chashm-e-tasawwar se dasht-e-imkaa’n mein,

Palang zaaviye uss ki kamar ke dekhtey hain

 

Suna hai uss k badan ki taraash aysii hai,

Ke phool apni qaba’ain kutar ke dekhtey hain

 

Wo sar-o-qad hai magar be-gul-e-muraad nahi,

Ke us shajar pe shagoofey samar ke dekhtey hain.

 

Nazar uthey to ye samjho k deen-o-dil to gaye,

So rehrawaan-e-tamanna bhi dar ke dekhtey hain..

 

Rukay to gardishain uss ka tawaaf kerti hain,

Chaley to uss ko zamaaney theher ke dekhtey hain

 

Kahaniyaa’n hi sahi,sab mubaalghey hi sahi,

Agar woh khawaab hai,ta’abeer ker ke dekhtey hain

 

Kisay naseeb ke be-pairhan ussay dekhey,

Kabhi kabhaar,dar-o-deewaar ghar ke dekhtey hain.

 

Ab uske shehr mein tehrain k kooch ker jaayin,

Faraaz! aao sitaarey safar ke dekhtey hain….!