By TCN Special Correspondent,
Lucknow: King of Urdu ghazal Asadullah Ghalib, last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, Nawab Mirza Khan Daag, Momin Khan Momin, all came together for a mushaira in the city of nawabs-Lucknow.
The occasion was the staging of ‘Dilli Ki Akhiri Shama’ at Rai Uma Nath Bali auditorium on Sunday, where prominent citizens of the city portrayed the all time greats of Urdu poetry. Written by Mirza Farhat Ullah Beg and directed by Pradeep Srivastava the presentation was a class display of Tamsili Mushaira where eminent poets assemble for
presenting their creations.
It was heartening to notice Athar Nabi, a cultural activist as Ghalib reading: ‘Hame Jinsey hai wafa ki ummeed,, woh nahi jantey wafa kya hai’. Nawab Mir Jafar Abdullah as Momin complimented with the couplet: ‘Woh jo hummey tummey karar tha,, Tumhey yaad ho na ho.’
The outstanding performance was by US resident Christopher Hill Shipman who depicted the role of a French soldier Alexander Hedley Azad. Audience appreciated his lines:‘Chehallum ko ayadat ke liye who meri aaye, Azad thikana bhi hai is bekhabri ka’.
Nirmal Darshan as Daag also impressed with the lines: ‘Jinhey apni khabar nahi abtak,, woh mere dil ka raaz kya janey’. Another Nawab Masood Meer Abdullah portrayed the role of Mirza Fakhru Ramz, narrating: ‘Haal Khul Jaye ghair key saarey,, Par Karoon Kya ke tu mera na hua.
Director, Pradeep Srivastava narrating the background of the play that the novel ‘Dilli Ki Akhiri Shama’ was written when the Mughal dynasty was at its fag end and with that it was also an end of an era of tehzeeb (culture).
“We have tried to relive the era with this presentation where the legends of Urdu poetry shared the stage,” he said.