" SHRINGARA RASA " IN THE POETRY OF FIRAQ GORAKHPURI

                                                                                    

SUNSET TIME AFTER THE SNOWFALL IN KASHMIR ( NEAR PARTAAP PARK RESIDENCY ROAD SRINAGAR KASHMIR )

DEC 2010....

TO THIS PHOTOGRAPH ,I AM ADDING MY  CONCLUDING WRITE UP ON  WELL KNOWN  URDU POET  RAGHUPATI SAHAI "FIRAQ GORAKHPURI "

“Firaq is a spoiled Genius of India ”

(Mahatama Gandhi )

“ Firaq was a treasure of Knowledge and wisdom ”

( Ismat Chugtai )

“ Firaq is basically a poet of sensuous Beauty and adept in depicting Psychological states of a lover . He has an authentic Individual Voice and a delightful way of using the language ”

( Ali Sardar Jafri )

Firaq shall be always remembered as a poet who was fascinated by Beauty . In his long semi Autobiographical poem HINDOLA , He informs us as to how even as a child he was attracted to a Beautiful face. Ugliness or evil in any shape repulsed him. No other poet can match him in so far as description of Female form or elucidation of Grace and beauty of a woman is concerned . His woman could be a mother feeding an infant , A sister tying Rakhi to her brother or a bride sitting near the sacred fire and taking vows . He presents his women as Gopikas performing Raas Leela in Gokul or Sita busy in her cooking tasks or Sarswati playing on her sitar . His woman is also like the GAZAL of HAFIZ .Many Hindi poets call him a Shringar *Rasa poet of URDU.

Yeh Sarzameen Hai Aakaash ki parastish Gaah

Sijal badan ki bayaan Kis Tarah Ho Kaifiyat

Utaaratein Hain teri Aarti Sitaara o Maah

Sarswati ke Bajaaye huve Sitaar Ki Gat.

Iss pyaar se Dhe Rahi hai Meethi Lori

Hiltee Hai Sudol Baanh Gori Gori

Maathhay Pe suhaag Aankhon mein ras Haathon mein

Bachay Ke hindolay Ki Chamaktee dori

HAI BYAHAATA PAR ROOP ABHI KUNWARA HAI

MAA HAI PAR ADA JO BHI HAI DOSHEEZA HAI

WOH MOD BHARI, MAANG BHARI, GOAD BHARI

KANYA HAI, SUHAAGAN HAI, JAGAT MAATA HAI

TU HAATH KO JAB HAATH MEIN LE LETI HAI

DUKH DARD ZAMAANE KE MITA DETI HAI

SANSAR KE ISS TAPTE HUYE VEERANE MEIN

SUKH SHAANT KI GOYA TU HARI KHETI HAI

AMRIT WOH HALAAHAL KO BANA DETI HAI

GHUSSE KI NAZAR PHOOL KHILA DETI HAI

MAA LAADLI AULAAD KO JAISE TAADE

KIS PYAR SE PREMI KO SAZAA DETI HAI

LAHRON MEIN KHILA KANWAL NAHLAYE JAISE

DOSHEEZA-E-SUBAH GUNGUNAYE JAISE

YEH ROOP, YEH LOCH, YEH TARANNUM, YEH NIKHAR

BACHCHA SOTAY MEIN MUSKURAYE JAISE

GHUNCHE KO NASEEM GUDGUDAYE JAISE

MUTRIB KOI SAAZ CHEDD JAYE JAISE

YUN PHOOT RAHI HAI MUSKURAHAT KI KIRAN

MANDIR MEIN CHIRAAG JHILMILAYE JAISE

Dilon ko Teray Tabassum Ki Yaad yuun Aayee

Ke Jagmagaa Uthein Jis Tarah Mandiron Mein Chiraag

( So came the recollection of your smiling face

As if the temple Lights suddenly come ablaze )

Firaq informs his critics

“I have given **Shringara Rasa of Hindi poetry to women described in my GAZALS or RUBAYAATS . These women are rooted in the everlasting realities of life. Most of my critics do not know what Shringara Rasa is . For them it is sheer sensuous love . In fact it  applies to Dance , Music , Painting , Poetry and Sculpture .The primary emotion in this universe is generated by SHRINGARA alone .

The relation between a man and a woman is a symbol for the relation between Creator and the creation. Our Rig Veda also mentions Shringara Rasa. And Vishnu is the presiding deity of SHRINGARA. There are 8 RASAS (aesthetic savors ) that Bharat Muni also describes in his Natyashastra . The Ninth Rasa was given to the world by a kashmiri  poet ,  Musician , Dramatist ,and Shaivite Scholar ***Abhinavgupta . Aesthetic sensibilities always overpowers the force of physicality and the sensuality gets transformed into Love. ”

Firaq’s poetic response to our fundamental emotions is bonafide and sincere . His lovers and beloveds are not unreal. . They belong to this world who live their lives inspite of their frustrations and disappointments .

Jeenay waale jee leingay

Ab Na milogay Achhi Baat

( Those who have to exist , shall live it up

Fine , if you decide not to meet them any more .)

Zindagi ko Bhi Munh Dikhaana Hai

Ro chukay teray Beqaraar Bahut

( Those troubled by you have to face this life as well,

Yes they need to do away with this weeping now)

Khwahishon ko Teri Mohabbat Mein

Khwahishon se Buland Hona hai

( In your love , These longings of mine

Had to rise above the level of yearnings )

Kuchh Aadmi ko hain Majbooriyaan bhi Duniya Mein

Array woh Dard e Mohabbat sahi to kyaa Mar jaayein

( Man has other concerns besides the need of love

Even the ache of thwarted passion is no excuse to die )

Firaq’s message in love is “ keep Patience and wait ”. This waiting could even be endless.

Hum Ahal e Intezaar Ki Aahat pe Kaan thhay

Thandi Hawa Thhi Gham Thha Tera Dal Chali Thhi Raat

( With our ears on footstep sound of the person who had to arrive, we just kept waiting ,

The breeze was cool , the Mind full with your sorrows and the night had gone by.)

Na Koyee vaada na koyee yakeen na koyee umeed

Magar Hamein to tera Intezaar Karnaa Thha

( Not even a promise , Neither a belief and nor a hope,

But still we had to keep waiting for you.)

Death is also a subject that Firaq has often touched . According to him , Death can be treated but not this existence upon which Man has no control .

Maut Ka Bhi Ilaaj Ho Shaayad

Zindagi ka koyee ilaaj nahin

( Death may be curable and treatable

But Alas! This existence has no cure )

Donon Aalam kahin Na Takraa Jaayein

Maut ne Saaz e Zindagi Chhedaa.

( Death has started to play the music of life

I fear a collision may take place in two world )

Firaq’s optimism about love and life is unusual . It is far away from the traditional lore of urdu poetry . One can feel its healing effect.. I quote a couplet..

Iss Qaaynaat e Gham Ki Fusurda Fizaaon mein

Bikhraa Gaye hain Aa ke woh kuchh Muskaraahatein

( Coming to this world of my gloom      

He created space for some smiles to spread.)

( Avtar Mota 01.11.2013 )

PS

* Rasa ( Aesthetics)

Rasa in simple words means emotions .Rasas give different hues, colours and shades to our life . Rasa encompasses not just the emotion, but also the various things that cause that emotion .Ancient Indian wisdom has given the RASA theory to the world. The performing arts in India - Music, Dance, drama and even poetry - are based on the concept of Nava Rasa, or the 'nine sentiments'. Each artistic creation is supposed to be dominated by one of these sentiments. These 'sentiments' are placed in an acknowledged order.

1 Shringara

A romantic sentiment filled with longing for and absent lover. It contains

the holistic aspects of love and is said to represent the universal creative force.

2          Hasya

It is comic, humorous and laughter provoking.

3          Karuna

It implies pathos , Pity sadness , expressing extreme loneliness for either god or love.

4          Raudra

It implies fury or excited anger.

5          Veera

It expresses the sentiments of heroism, bravery, majesty and glory. A

dignified kind of excitement.

6          Bhayanaka

It expresses fright or fear.

7          Vibhasta

It expresses is repulsion and disgust.

8          Abdhuta

It expresses wonder, amazement, exhilaration and even a little fear as if one is

experiencing a strange new experience.

9          Shanta

It is the last rasa and shows peace, tranquility and relaxation. It was discovered by Abhinavgupta a kashmiri Shaivite scholar .

Further The Natyasastra identifies eight rasas with eight corresponding Bhava (mood)

Rati (Love)

Hasya (Mirth)

Soka (Sorrow)

Krodha (Anger)

Utsaha (Energy)

Bhaya (Terror)

Jugupsa (Disgust)

Vismaya (Astonishment).

According to various Indian musicologist, In music, one takes into account only four RASAS namely: Shringaara, Veera, Karuna and Shaanta. They also inform that

Shaanta and Karuna Rasa has – Vilambit Laya-slow tempo

Shringaara- Rasa has - Madhya Laya- medium tempo

Veera Rasa has - Drut Laya – fast tempo.

“

**Shringara Rasa

Shringara means love and beauty. This is the emotion used to represent that which appeals to the human mind, that which one finds beautiful, that which evokes love. This is indeed the king of all Rasas and the one that finds the most frequent portrayal in art. It can be used for the love between friends, the love between a mother and her child, the love for god or the love between a teacher and his disciples. But the Shringara or love between a man and a woman is easily the most popular form of this rasa that is used in poetry , music , dance , acting , painting and now in cinema as well.

*** Abhinavgupta

Abhinavagupta ( 950 – 1020 AD) was one of India's greatest Shaiva scholar from Kashmir . He was also a poet ,philosophers, mystic and aestheticians. He was also considered an important musician, dramatist, theologian, and logician who exercised strong influences on Indian culture. Abhinavagupta was strongly influenced by Buddhist logic and TANTRA. A legend about the moment of his death (placed somewhere between 1015 and 1025 Not clear still), says that he took with him 1200 disciples and marched off to a cave (the Bhairava Cave, an actual place known to this day as BEERWA ), reciting his poem Bhairava-stava, a devotional work.

He is the discoverer of ninth RASA known as Shanta Rasa . Abhinavgupta stated that ‘Rasa’ is in the mind of the ‘Rasika’ or listener in a dormant state. The stimulus merely awakens the dormant instincts and evokes a response or reaction..

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