Majeed Amjad's captivating poetry!

[Saqib Riaz]

Majeed Amjad's captivating poetry!

By Dr Amjad Parvez

Majeed Amjad Ki Dastan-e-Muhabbat
By Dr Wazir Agha
Jamhoori Publications, Lahore; Pp 114; Rs 200

Knowing the life and works of the famous poet Majeed Amjad is Dr Wazir Agha's strong point. Dr Agha had not only published many poems of Majeed Amjad while he was associated with Maulana Salahuddin's literary magazine 'Adabi Duniya', but had also subsequently written many essays on his works. After the demise of Maulana and at the advent of Dr Wazir Agha's own literary journal 'Auraq', Majeed Amjad's poems became its regular feature. A lot many letters and analysis started appearing in the magazine. The book under review titled 'Majeed Amjad Ki Dastan-e-Muhabbat' comprises seven essays written by Dr Wazir Agha related to Majeed Amjad. This book, according to Dr Khwaja Muhammad Zakariya, is the first book related to Amjad's poetry but at the same time, it does not mean that Dr Agha's relation to Amjad's poetry is limited to this book. Dr Agha is one critic who had realised the importance of Amjad's poetry at a very early stage and this book appears after his demise. He has been criticising Majeed Amjad's innumerable facets of poetry since the last 30 to 35 years. Dr Agha's other essays also refer to Amjad's poetry extensively. The book under review has summed up Majeed Amjad's contributions in reciting poetry.
The first article in the book is in the form of an obituary titled 'Teri Yaad Mein' that emphasises the callous attitude of the governmental or non-governmental organisations who could have preserved this great poet in the form of audio and visual means while he was alive. Majeed Amjad was found dead in his house. A small two liner appeared in the newspaper thereafter. It was only Intizar Hussain who had foreseen this happening and had warned about this forthcoming incident and had said that it would be too late before the importance of the poet shall be realised. This protest was noted and after Majeed Amjad's demise, some people came out of their shells and his works started getting noticed.
Majeed Amjad's Dastan-e-Muhabbat (love story) is perhaps the lengthiest essay in this collection. It is a story knitted by Dr Wazir Agha through Amjad's poems. Though it was a well known fact that Majeed Amjad fell in love with a German tourist namely Shalaat who had come to see Harapa's ruins. Dr Zakariya had mentioned about this to Amjad who had refrained from giving it a complexion of a love story. It was with a very deep insight and effort that Dr Agha dug out those poems that had given development of Amjad's feelings from a burning love to a cold one. Amjad used metaphors to express himself. It is ironic that Shalaat who was full of life became a reference of a cold country as time passed.
In an evening of 1941, through a poem titled 'Mulaqaat' Amjad desires to be following the footsteps of Ranjha. He says 'Rait Kei Teelon Peh Sarkandon Ki Lehraati Qitaar / Neem Shab, Mein Aur Meri Bensuri' (In the midst of bushes on desert mountains, I feel like a man playing flute awaiting my beloved). He looks forward to meeting his imaginary beloved in his 1942 poem titled 'Kaun'. These poems were written by Amjad in his youth. By then he had not come across Shalaat. In a poem titled 'Lahore' he looks for his beloved in a Burqa clad woman in Anarkali Bazaar. Again the unknown beloved appears in his poem 'Pur Nishat Juloos Kei Saath' in 1943. Even in his 1944 poem 'Yaad', he is looking for the woman of his dreams that had yet to take physical shape. This concept of love appears again with more intensity in his poem 'Ham Safar'. It was much later in 1958 when Shalaat came in Majeed Amjad's life. She was fond of poetry of both East and West. He spent 83 days in her company. It is suspected that he went to Quetta to see her off. His poem 'Quetta Tak' represents his feelings of sadness on her return. He says in the last four lines of this poem 'Tullo-e-Meher, Shaguft-e-Seher, Seyahi Shab/Teri Talab Tujhey Paanei Ki Arzoo/Nigeh Uthi To Zamaney Kei Saameney Tera Roop/ Palak Jhuki To Merey Dil Kei Roobro Tera Gham' (When the moon appeared, the desire to meet you intensified but all what I felt in my heart was the sorrow of departing). This outpour comprises two poems (or Ghazals). Dr Agha observes that Majeed Amjad at that time was so down in spirits that he just wanted to give words to what came out of his heart and not bothering about the format of poetry he chose. In the poem titled 'Khander', Majeeed Amjad binds him with a small stone of the ruins to Shalaat. The poem titled Munich comprised his feelings when his beloved informed that she had visited her mother in Munich. Majeed said then, 'Faasilon Ki Kamand Sei Azaad/Mera Dil Hei Keh Sheher Munich Hei' (Oblivious of the distance, my heart lies in Munich) (Page 71). This episode was followed by two Ghazals and a poem titled 'Jeevan Dais'. Here he had said that he had filled his lap with ever living sorrows. Then the poem 'Afsaaney' followed after exchange of letters. He says 'Barf Ambaar Diyaron Kei Kisi Phool Ka Dheyan/Par Jali Titli Ki Uran' (Attention is caught by a butterfly with no wings of a flower in a snow clad county) (Page 77). Naturally the snow-clad country is Germany, flower is Shalaat and butterfly with no wings is himself. Many other Ghazals and poems like 'Railway Station', 'Nigah-e-Baazgusht', 'Sangat-1960), 'Aik Shabih' and 'Kaun Daikhey' follow in the same mood. Since 1958 Majeed's mention of his beloved in physical form and in 1965-66 taking shape of metaphors is his love story. For example in the poem 'Koh-Buland', he says, 'Tera Wujood Is Pataal Sei Lei Kar/Ooper Ki Un Neeli Hadon Tak Hei' (Your presence is felt from the land to the blue horizons) (Page 86). Majeed Amjad had concealed his love in his heart until Dr Wazir Agha's research that touched his heart by reading his poetry.
The other essays like 'Majeed Amjad - Aik Dardmand Dil' (A caring heart) unconsciously compare a heart that feels the pain with those of Noon Meem Rashid, Mira Ji, Faiz and other Progressive Movement poets. The other essay is titled 'Maut Ki Dastak' (the knock of death). It makes one aware of many facets of death. The essays 'Majeed Amjad Ki Shairi Mein Shajar' (Tree in the poetry of Majeed's poetry) discuss the importance of the use of trees in the poetry of Amjad as metaphor. The essay titled 'Kharqa Posh-o-Paba Gil' discusses the personality, self-discovery and beliefs of Majeed Amjad. This book of Dr Wazir Agha shall help discover all aspects of Majeed Amjad's life and works not only by poetry lovers but also by masses.


Daily Times Sunday, July 24, 2011