DR. BARQI AZMI : A GREAT POET OF OUR TIMES. BY: Dr. Syeda Imrana Nashtar Khairabadi Atlanta USA.
DR. BARQI AZMI : A GREAT POET OF OUR TIMES.
BY: Dr. Syeda Imrana Nashtar Khairabadi
Atlanta USA.
Dr. Ahmad Ali Barqi Azmi is a great poet of our times. He is a poet of the Urdu language. He is original, indispensable, passionate, vivid and dedicated to his art. He was born in Azamgarh U.P. India on December 25, 1954. He received his Masters in Urdu and Persian, and his Doctorate in Modern/Classical Persian from the Centre of African and Asian Languages of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, India. He has visited many countries, including Iran and Afghanistan, on study tours. Hi is serving as as Translator-cum-Announcer in the Persian Service of the External Services Division of All India Radio New Delhi since last 35 years.He has served the organaization for 33 years & retired from service on 31 December 2014 & presently serving as Casual Broadcaster . He has an illustrious family background. His father, Hazrat Rahmat Elahi Barq, was a great poet of Urdu whose poetry collection entitled “Tanweer-e-Sukhan” is a great treatise of the Urdu language. Dr. Barqi Azmi inherited poetic genius from his father, who also provided him poetic inspiration.
Dr. Barqi’s poetry collection entitled “Rooh-e-Sukhan” is a masterpiece of his art. It is unique in many ways. It is an extensive collection, consisting of approximately 500 pages and thousands of his remarkable ghazals (a form of Urdu poetry). It is notable not only for the masterful way in which the poet Barqi conveys his thoughts and feelings, but also because of its variety of subject matter, topics and poetic styles. It is also important for its significant message in support of global peace and various national and international important issues. For example, he addresses natural disasters including the 2004 tsunami and the 2011 Japan earthquake, scientific expeditions, health topics such as polio and AIDS, and environmental issues such as pollution and global warming. The poet treats modern topics such as Facebook and the Internet, and commemorates international observances such as Earth Day, Mother’s Day, and International Science Day. The poet has also included poetic tributes to living and deceased poets, writers, and artists, including legends like Wali Deccni, Meer Taqi Meer, Ghalib, Iqbaal, Jigar, Sir Syed, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, and many more. His poetry collection “Rooh-e-Sukhan” is the mirror of his soul and a triumph of his poetic achievement, effort, and art.
He himself writes about his poetry collection as follows:
“Majmu-e-Kalam hai “Rooh-e- Sukhan” mera
Peshe nazar hai jismeN yahaN fikr-o-fun mera
Gulhaye raNgaraNg ka Guldasta-e-hasiN
Ash’ar se aya hai yahi hai chaman mera.”
Dr. Barqi has great esteem for his father .He writes about his excellence in the following couplets:
“Mere walid ka nahiN koi jawab
Jo the aqsaayae jahan meN intikhab.
Unka majmu-e-kalam hai”Tanweer-e-Sukhan”
JismeN husn-o-fikro fan hai lajawab
The poet Barqi has great love for his birthplace city, Azamgarh. He writes of it:
“Shahar Azamgarh hai Barqi mera abai vatan
Jiske azmat ke nishaN hain har taraf jalwa figan.”
Dr. Barqi discusses his philosophy of life in the following lines:
“Mera sarmayae hayat hai jo
Vo hai mere zameer ki awaz”
Dr. Barqi Azmi’s spiritual and devotional poetry rose and grew fuelled by his religious faith and doctrines which are deeply rooted in Islam, that is, the religion of peace and love. In the following ash’ars he expresses his great gratitude and thanks towards Almighty Allah (God) for his blessings:
“MaiN shukr ada kaise karooN tere Karam ka
“Haqqa ke Khudawand hai too loho qalam ka”
Toofan-e-hawadis meN hai Barqi ka safeena
Kar sakta hai ab too hi izala mire gham ka”.
The poet Barqi’s love for the prophet Mohammad (SAW) is immense. He expresses his high regard for him as follows:
“Nabi ki zaat zeenat ban gayi hai mere DeewaN ki
Unhi ka noor hai jo roshni hai bazmeN imkaN ki
Wahi hai shan meN jinki hai waraf’ana lak zikrak
SanakhwaN unki azmat ki har ik Ayat hai QuraN ki.”
In another place, the poet writes about Hazrat Mohammad (SAW) as follows:
“Mere Sarkar ane wale haiN
Haq ka paigham lane wale haiN”
About the Holy Quran Pak, Barqi writes:
“Iska ik ik lafz hai rushdo hidayat ka payam
Kar diya barpa jahaN meN jis ne zehni inqilab.”
Dr. Barqi expresses his views about Islam as:
“Mazhab-e Kaynat hai Islam
Sab ki rahe nijat hai Islam.”
ِِِِDr.Barqi defines Urdu Ghazal as:
"Ahsaas ka waseela-e-izhar hai Ghazal
Aainadaar-e nudrate afkar hai Ghazal
Urdu adab ko jispe hamesha rahega naaz
Izhar-e-fikro-fun ka vo mayaar hai Ghazal
Barqi ke fikro-fun ka muraqqa isi meN hai
Barq Azmi se matlae anwar hai ghal".
In another place poet says:
"Wo Ghazal hai rooh-e- Urdu shayri
Jo hadees-e husn ki tafseer ho."
Dr. Barqi writes about his poetry as:
"Aap beeti haiN meri Ghazal ke asha'ar
Sun ke sab log haiN aNgushtbadandaN JanaN."
Dr. Barqi depicts in his poetry many positive aspects of love and life, truth and beauty. His love poetry is powerful and passionate, tender and sensuous, sweet and musical, melancholic and sublime.
“Baat hai unki baat phooloN ki
Zaat hai unki zaat phooloN ki
Wo mujassim bahar haiN unmeN
Hai bohat si sifat phooloN ki
Another example:
“HaiN uske daste naaz meN dilkash hina ke phool
Izhar-e-ishq kiya hai usne dikha ke phool.”
The poet Barqi describes his beloved as:
“Bhara hai phooloN se us Ggulzar ka daman
Wo rashke gul hai mujassim bahar ka daman
Wo ake dekhe to ho jayega yaqeeN us ko
Bohat wasi hai Barqi ke pyar ka daman.”
Please see the following beautiful sher of Dr. Barqi:
“Guzre jidhar se wo zulfeN saNwar ke
The mushk bar jhoNke Naseem-e-Bahar ke”.
About love, the poet Barqi’s outlook is very positive. He declares:
“Ishq hai dar asl husn-e-zindagi
Ishq se hai zidagi meN ab-o-tab.”
Many of Barqi’s ghazals seem the product of self-pity, a search for solace or validation. They are inspired by his everyday life. His love poetry is quite adept and eloquent in expressing sadness:
Meri chashm-e-nam meN hai jo maujzan
Aisi toughiyani kabhi dekhi hai kya.”
Please see another sher:
“MaiN judaai kis tarha sahooN sham ke ba’ad
Bin tire too hi bata kaise rahooN sham ke ba’ad.”
Another sher expresses the same agony:
“Kitni veerani hai ab is meN na pooNch mujhse
Mera kashana-e-dil ab hai mazaroN ki tarha.”
The following ash’ars express the poet Barqi’s saddest thoughts:
“Rooh farsa hai judai ka tasawwur Barqi
Dil pukare hi chala jata hai JaanaaN JaanaaN.”
Veeran hai mera qasre dil ab koi nahiN rahta hai vahaN bas
Baqi bache haiN chand khaNdhar jo dehte dehte deh na sake.”
Despite his growing despair, he is able also to feel immense joy. Love in Barqi’s poetry is not merely a personal voyage. His objective is to show love as a theme in itself, the fundamental fuel of the entire poetic process.
Dr. Barqi describes nature beautifully. He writes:
“Husne fitrat ka nazara hai ye behad shandar
Hai numaya jisse Barqi sana’te parwardigar
Hai ye farhat bakhsh manzar Deeda-o-dil ke liye
Khoobsoorat jheel ke pehloo meN dilkash kosaar.”
Dr. Barqi’s poetry is important for its great message to the world. He says:
“Khud jiyeN auroN ko bhi jeeneN deN
Zinda rahne ki hai sab ko chahat ”
“Sabko deN aman -o-Mohabbat ka pyam
Chorh deN bughz-o-hasad aur nafrat”
“Aao miljul ke kareN kuch aisa
Khatm ho jaye jahaN se vahshat.”
Dr.Barqi says:
Aman-e-alam ki fiza hamwaar hona chahiye
Aadmi ko aadmi se pyaar hona chahiye."
Most great poets throughout the history of language have left their mark through specific works of art and poetry. Dr. Barqi has devoted his entire life to the advancement of Urdu language and literature. His poetic collection “Rooh-e-Sukhan” is his claim to greatness. It covers every point on the spectrum, every topic, every intention, every event, every emotion and sentiment imaginable. It is like a garden of red, red roses. It has vast dimensions of thought. It is significant for its awesome content, its profound poetic tributes, its wonderful form, its elegant language, its beautiful figures of speech, and its rich poetic diction. It is further distinguished by its high and sublime messages of global peace and brotherhood, which are so sorely needed in this incendiary and painful time.
As a poet, Barqi’s output is unsurpassed and unmatched. He employs the creative medium to reflect, interpret, and represent the intersection of his inner workings and the reality of the world around him. For his immense contribution to Urdu language and literature, the poet Dr.Ahmad Ali Barqi Azmi is entitled to the highest admiration and congratulations from innumerable voices all over the world. May Allah bless him.
With best regards, great thanks and high esteem.
By
Dr.Syeda Imrana Nashtar Khairabadi
Atlanta, GA .USA
