By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Patna: On Monday, famous Urdu poet Shad Azimabadi[1846-1927] who lived in Patna was remembered in a special function organized by the Urdu Directorate of the Bihar Secretariat.
Director of Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Library Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad presided over the function. He thanked the Urdu Directorate for honoring Shad Azimabadi. In his address he said that Shad Azimabadi himself complained that people of this state did not recognize his work. This is an attempt in the direction of proper recognition of Shad.
Explaining the importance of Shad’s poetry Dr. Ahmad explained that he is considered one of the great Urdu poets of all time. Dr. Ahmad said that Azimabadi also contributed to the field of history. He was the first one to write history of Bihar securing his position as one of the finest historian of North India in Urdu.
In 1876, during the arrival of Prince of Wales to India he was entrusted with the responsibility of writing history of Bihar. He wrote the history in three volumes but unfortunately only two volumes have been published and that too in 1924 with much effort of Sir Fakhruddin Khan Bahadur.
Prof. Suraiya Jabin addressing the dignitaries said Shad Azaimabadi’s poetry was a different style. Seriousness of his poems left a lasting impression on readers. Shad can be considered the last classical poet in Urdu.
Mr. Mohd. Aslam Ansari, director of the Urdu Directorate talked about Shad Azimabadi’s life and work.
Recently Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav announced that Gulzaribagh railway station near Patna will be renamed Azimabad to honour Shad Azimabadi.
A ghazal of Shad Azimabadi:
tamannaoN meN uljhaya gaya hooN
khilone deke bahlaya gaya hooN
hooN is kuche meN har zarre se aagah
idhar se mudattoN aayga gaya hooN
dil-e-muztar se puchh ai raunaq-e-bazm
main khud aaya nahiN laya gaya hooN
savera hai bahut ai shor-e-mahashar
abhi bekaar uthaya gaya hooN
lahad meN khuN na jaooN mooNh chhupaye
bhari mehfil se uthaya gaya hooN
kuja main aur kuja ai “shaad” duniya
kahaaN se kis jagah laya gaya hooN
Link:
http://dsal.uchicago.edu/books/annualofurdustudies/pager.html?volume=2&objectid=PK2151.A6152_2_107.gif : Rubaiyaat of Shad Azimabadi