WHY URDU POET AKHTAR UL IMAN NEVER WROTE GAZAL ?

                   

AKHTAR UL IMAN.(1915-1996)

 .(The Urdu poet who never used Gazal format   )

Akhtar ul Iman is amongst my favourite  urdu poets. I enjoy reading his Nazms for many reasons. He says what he feels. He is not restricted by Wazan ,Qafiya ,Behar and  Radeef .For this reason ,he never used Gazal format .He   felt that the  Gazal format  does not permit expression of original ideas and concept .He also believed that Ghalib had put an end to Gazal writing. He had brought it to its Zenith. I haven't come across any gazal written by Akhtar ul Iman.

 Does a Gazal poet get trapped in Wazan,  Qafiya ,Behar and Radeef and ultimately make compromises?  .

Akhtar had two personalities. One ,a popular dialogue and script writer of BR Chopra films and second a very serious poet of Nazm genre. Here is his Nazm 'Ek Ahsaas'.

(Ek Ahsaas...)

ghunudgi si rahi  taari umr bhar ham par
ye aarzoo  hi rahi  thodi  der so letay
ḳhalish mili hai mujhe aur kuchh nahin  ab tak
teray  ḳhayaal se ai kaash dard dho letay
meray azizo  meray  doston gavaah  raho
birah ki raat kati aamad-e-sahar na huyi
shikasta-pa hi sahi ham-safar raha phir bhi
umeed Tooti  kayi baar muntashir na huyi
hayoola kaise badalta  hai vaqt hairaan  huun
fareb aur na khaaye  nigaah  Darta  huun
ye zindagi bhi koyi zindagi  hai pal pal mein
hazaar  baar sambhalta huun aur martaa  huun
vo log jin ko musafir-navaaz kehtay  thay
kahaan gaye ki yahaan ajnabi hain  saathi  bhi
vo saayaa-daar shajar jo suna tha raah mein hain
sab andhiyon ne gira daale ab kahaan  jaayein
ye bojh aur nahin uth-taa kuchh sabeel karo
chalo hansengay  kahin baith kar zamaane par ...

(Avtar Mota)

PS
In the photo ,you can see Akhtar ul Iman reading some paper . You can also  see poet  Ali sardar Jafri ,K A Abbas, and Jan Nisar Akhtar .


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