By TCN News
“It is with great pleasure we welcome you to the first combined Hindi-Urdu poetry recitation session arranged at our Embassy,” said Ambassador Arun Kumar Singh, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India greeting the audience assembled to felicitate Professor Satyapal Anand and for a mushaira-kavi sammelan program at the Embassy of India Auditorium on Friday, 10th June, 2011. He acknowledged the support of the community members in the organization of the event and expressed hope to establish a tradition to holding such functions in the future. He also paid tribute to Professor Satyapal Anand for his outstanding contributions to the literature of Urdu, Hindi, English and Panjabi languages.
Thanking Ambassador A. K. Singh and Dr. Virander Paul, Minister, Press, Information and Culture, Embassy of India for their support in organizing the event, Dr. Zafar Iqbal apprised the audience that for the last three years the Embassy of India has been supporting Yaum-e-Azadi (Independence Day) Mushaira-Kavi Sammelan programs jointly organized by the Washington Aligarh Alumni Association (AAA) and the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin of Metro Washington (GOPIO) every year to promote Subcontinent’s Ganga-Jamuni culture. It was very pleasing to note that such events are gaining increasing popularity, he added. Introducing Professor Satyapal Anand- the honoree, Dr. Iqbal said that Professor Anand is a stalwart literary personality of our times; he has enriched the literature of Urdu, Hindi, English, and Panjabi languages authoring more than 70 books. Almost all reputable Urdu magazines of the Subcontinent and the Europe and Northern America have published special numbers acknowledging his remarkable contributions to the field. An indication of Dr. Anand’s recognition is the fact that the US Library of Congress has acquired 18 books authored by Dr. Anand, an honor not shared by any other Indian author in USA. Copies of documents listing publications and a brief biography of Dr. Anand were also distributed at the meeting.
L-R: Dr. Satyapal Anand, Dr. Narendra Tandon, Dr. Zafar Iqbal, Ms. Rekha Maitra, Dr. Astha Naval, and Dr. Rajkumar Qais
Acknowledging tribute paid to him, Professor Anand thanked Ambassador Singh, participating poets and the organizers of the program. He also mentioned a few anecdotes related to his interactions with contemporary poets, writers, and critics during his many decades of literary life in India and other parts of the globe.
Dr. A. Abdullah, the evergreen conductor of poetry recitation sessions, mentioned in his introductory remarks that Urdu and Hindi are like twin sisters, but unfortunately people with political motives—starting with the British Empire—have tried to inculcate sibling rivalry between them. The faithful lovers of both languages have realized that the progress of Hindi and Urdu is interdependent on each other. He also mentioned that the Aligarh Alumni Association and GOPIO have been successfully providing a common platform for the interaction of Urdu and Hindi literary personalities under one roof for the last three years and that increasing number participants and audience is in these programs is a testimony to the desire of people to share the common heritage.
Audience
Participating poets included Professor Satyapal Anand, Professor Rajkumar Qais from San Diego, Mr. Krishnakumar Singh Mayank from Lucknow, Dr. Narendra Tandon Saahil, Dr. A. Abdullah, Smt. Madhu Maheshwari, Dr. Astha Naval, Mrs. Bhupinder Katohora, Dr. Vishakha Thaker, Mrs. Rekha Maitra, and Ms. Rashmi Sanan,
Samples of poetry recited by some poets at the event are given below:
Bhupinder Katohora
Maine jaase hee ander kadam rakha, khushi se bhar aain Maa ki aankhon ki chamak dekhi
Jaese hee ‘Maa’ ko milne ke liye haath baRhaya Kya hua?
Pata hi na chala apnne aap ko khirdki ke Pass bethhe paya.
Madhu Maheshwari
sach ek kadam chala, khanjar tan gaye havaa meiN udhar mitha jhUT salamiya lete lete chala gayaa
Astha Naval
Kitni asaani se keh diya ki bas ek cheez maangu to dogi
Kabhi phir naraaz na hone ka waada de do
Aur khud baar baar ghalti karne ki ijaazat le lee!
Rakesh Khandelwal
Sans ke prashth par dhadakanon ne likhee, aap hee se shuroo vo kahaanee huN
aapakee odhanee kaa siraa chhoo liyaa, saanjh kee choonaree aur dhaanee huN
aap paaras hain ye to vidit thaa mujhe, aaj vishwaas kuchh aur dradh ho gayaa
aapakee deh kee gandh ko choom kar neem kee pattiyaan raataraanee huN
Rekha Maitra
mere baba kaha karte ki tum hanstee huee hee achchhee laga kartee ho
Aur achchha lagna hee mujhe achchha laga karta so, hansee kee aadat bana lee !
Ab lagta hai ki thoda ro loon to halkee holoon
par ,aadaten badalanaa aasaan to nahee hota !!
Rashmi Sanan
Rashmi Sanan
Tum apne dil mein koee ranjish na paal rakhna
Chhoti zi zindagi hai phir kiya malaal rakhna
Rashmi koee sune to wo sun ke chaunk uThe
Kuchh apni shaeri mein eisa kama rakhna
Krishna Kumar Singh Mayank
Pahle jaisi bat nahiN hai jaane kiyon funkaroN mein
Takey takey meiN bik jaate haiN shohrat ke bazaaroN mein
Paar lagaa de ya dibo dey, us ki marzi par hai Mayank
Daal diya hai apna safeena hum ne to manjhdharoN meiN
Raj Kumar Qais
Raj Kumar Qais
voh mire paas se jab haNs ke guzar jaate haiN
mere aihbaab ke bhi chehre utar jaate haiN
kyaa ajab Khoo hai k voh va’ada to karte haiN, magar
yaad dilvaa’iye to saaf mukar jaate haiN!
Qais ke taur-o-tareeq ab bhi vuhii haiN, yaaro!
aur hoN ge jo buRhaape meiN sudhar jaate haiN!!!
Rah-numaa ik moR par jaa kar khaRaa reh jaaye gaa
ham nikal jaayeN ge aage, qaafila reh jaaye gaa!
ham jahan hoN ge, tumhaarii yaad bhii hogii vaheen
kaun kehtaa hai: yahaaN sab kuchh DHARAA reh jaaye gaa
apna kyaa hai, ham to huuroN se lipaT kar soyeN ge!
tere pichhvaaRe meiN ik murdah paRaa reh jaaye gaa!!!
Professor Satyapal Anand
Professor Satyapal Anand
Bharey poorey meley mieN gaye thay kis ke saharey, bhool gaye
Kis ki ungli muThhi mieN thi, hum be-charey bhool gaye
Jiwan ki jab shaam huui, tow socha, ghar bhi ho aayen
Kitney din yauwan ke thay, aur kahaN guzarey, bhool gaye
Ik charwahi pagdandi par pad-chinh ginti rehti hai
Us basti ka rasta jab se hum bunjarey bhool gaye
Doli uThi ya chita pe baiThi, sab tha aik smaan usey
Yaad rahiN do roti aankheN, chehrey saarey bhool gaye
paR gaye apni jaan ke laaley, kaisey saperey thay hum bhi
Ik nagan ko galey lagaya, mantar saarey bhool gaye.
The program was followed by a sumptuous dinner hosted by the Embassy.
Dr. Zafar Iqbal
Dr. A. Abdullah
Ambassador Arun Kumar Singh welcoming the audience