REVIEW OF THE BOOK " YAADEIN ..TILOK CHAND MAHROOM KI " BY HIS GRAND DAUGHTER MRS. MUKTA LALL

                                                                               

                                                            (Mrs Mukta Lall Born 1944 )

                                                                           

“YAADEIN.... TILOK CHAND MAHROOM KI "

 (Edited By Mukta Lall ..

Price Rs150/=

Available from

Mukta lall

J 30, South Extension 1

New Delhi -110049)

Daughter of stalwart Urdu poet Jagan Narth Azad and Grand daughter of Another well known Urdu Poet Tilok Chand " Mahroom " (1887-1966) , Mukta Lall ( Born 1944 ) worked for a Multinational Company and retired from a senior position in 2004. Well versed in Urdu , English and Hindi , she has translated Some Urdu Books written by Her Grandfather and father and published them In Devnagari script. These Books are...

(1) Bahaar e Tiffli ( Songs for children ) composed by Tilok Chand Mahroom

(2) Bachon Ki Duniya ( Songs for children ) composed by Tilok Chand Mahroom

(2) Geeton Ki Phulvaari ( Songs for children ) written by Jagan Nath Azad .

lately In 2015, she Published another Book in Devnagri titled " YAADEIN Tilok Chand Mahroom Ki " . The Book is dedicated to the memory of her Grand father ( Tilok Chand Mahroom ) and her Grand Mother ( Smt. Asha Devi ). Mukta Ji is a translator, Author and writer apart from being a connoisseur of Urdu poetry .

I have gone through her latest Book " YAADEIN Tilok Chand Mahroom Ki " and before i comment something , i believe I need to introduce late Tilok Chand Mahroom to readers .

Tilok Chand Mahroom was born at Village Mauza Noor Zaman Shah District Miyaanvaali ( Now In Pakistan ) located on the Banks of river Indus. Due to recurrence of Floods , the family moved to Isakhel . Tilok chand passed his matriculation with distinction and completed his BA in 1920 . He worked as English teacher in a school at Dera Ismail Khan  and then moved to Isakhel Municipal School where he was elevated to the post of a Headmaster . From Isakhel , he moved to Miyaanvaali and finally retired from Rawalpindi. He also worked as lecturer at Gorden College Rawalpindi till December 1947. After the partition of the country , he moved to Delhi and joined as Urdu Professor in a Camp College established By Punjab University for students belonging to Refugee families from Pakistan .

" Nazaan thhaa jis pe Kaaba Woh Kaafir Nahin Rahaa "

( That Unbeliever is no more , for whom even Kaaba felt proud )

This is what a leading News paper from Pakistan wrote on the Death of Poet Jagan Nath Azad . For sure this in depth belief in Humanity had come biologically to jagan Nath Azad from his Father Tilok Chand Mahroom. Poet Mahroom lived with Muslim community for a major part of his life. Most of his friends were Muslims . He shared their happiness and sorrows , celeberated Idd and Deepawali and had profound knowledge of Holy Quran and Bhagwat Geeta . Mahroom believed in Human values and never compromised them till his death.

He wrote Nazms , Gazals , Rubaiyats , Marsiyas , Nohas and Patriotic songs . Apart from that , he also wrote poems for children . I quote a sample couplet of Mahroom….

Samajh mein Aaya Na Raaz e Sa’nat Zaraa Bhi Soorat-gare Azal Ka ,

Banaa rahaa hai Mitaa Mitaa kar Mitaa Rahaa hai Banaa banaa Kar ….

Mahroom was a lover of kashmir . I do not know when and how many times he visited kashmir , But his poem on Kashmir is a master piece in itself . I quote some lines .. ..

“Tu Reshmi Doshaale Duniya ko de Rahaa hai ,

Tera Jamaal rangeen Rakhshaan hai cheethhadon mein ,

Daur e Khizaan Bhi Tera hai rashq e sadh Bahaaraan,

Aey vaadi e Gul Afshaan…

Duniya Ke Ahal e Imaan Kahtein Hain Jis Ko Jannat

Sharmindaa Ho Ke Tujh se Rooposh Ho gayee hai

Varnaa Kahin to Hotay Aasaar Bagh e Rizwaan

Aey Vaadiye Gul-afshaan ...

And firaq Gorakhpuri pays glowing Tributes to Mahroom in his Book “ Urdu Bhaasha Aur Sahitya “ Published by U. P. Hindi Sansthhaan Lucknow ( Refer Page 264 to 268 ). I quote Firaq ,

“ Through Nazms , Mahroom Creates fantastic imagery . One simply dances with his poetic flow and usage of words to creates scenes .Without religious Bias , he has written some finest poems on Historical personalities of India . I am referring to his poems like “ Khwaab e jahaangir, “Mirza Ghalib “, “Mahatma Budh “, “Seeta Ji Ki Fariyaad “ and “ Noor jahaan ka Mazaar” etc. Through his GAZALs , he presents his pain and Compassion. Perhaps , the death of his two Daughters (One infant and while the other was married and committed suicide ) left a deep influence on his mind . He wrote Marsiyas on these deaths and these tragedies influenced his poetry as well. He also wrote some beautiful poems in Persian . “

Now coming to the Book Under review ……

Spread in 132 pages , the Book presents a Glimpse into the life and Creative work of the poet. As You moves through pages , You are feasted with wonderful anecdotes relating to Hafeez Jalandhari and Vaqaar Ambaalavi both being his close friends . As and when Mahroom visited Lahore , he would invariably go and meet Hafeez. So did Hafeez Jalandhari come to Rawalpindi to meet Mahroom. The Book also presents some anecdotes of Mahroom’s interaction with Lala lajpat Rai and Mahatma Hans Raj ( Founder of DAV institutions ).Scholarly review of some Books of Mahroom by Firaq Gorakhpuri are also included in this Book Under review. About his Book "Shola e Nava " Firaq wrote ..

" Maharoom" s GAZALS present his profound consciousness  and perfection . His GAZALs are basically classical in form and content . Reading them is educating yourself. His couplets provide music and thought provoking stimulation to the reader . Born out of rich personal experience and self discipline ,these couplets stay on your tongue due to values and idealism that gets transported to the reader."

His poems for children, Gazals, Marsiyas and Rubais have attracted attention of critics. Mukta Ji informs that Salamat Ullah , Niyaz Fatehpuri and Ram Lal Nabhavi have critically reviewed Mahroom's work and praised it . The Book informs about a meeting between Allama Iqbal and Mahroom .

Mahroom had a great skill and style for composing Marsiyas .He also wrote a MARSIYA on Allama's death. I quote some lines from this Marsiya appearing on page 69 of this book.

Baagh e Jahaan Mein Soorat e Gulhaaye Tar rahaa

Baagh e Jinaan Mein Misl e Naseem e Sehar Gayaa

Khaak e Chaman mein Gauhar e Shabnam Nihaan nahin

Khursheed e Jalwabaar se poochho Kidhar gayaa

Zaahir ki Aankh Se Jo Nihaan ho Gayaa to Kyaa

Ahsaas mein samaa gayaa Dil mein Uttar Gayaa ...

The book also informs us that Mahroom’s first poetic collection “Kalaam e Mahroom “ won applause from Akbar Allahabaadi .

Mahroom was out and out a Nationalist and wrote poems on Gandhi ji, sardar Patel, Moti Lal Nehru , Jawahar lal Nehru , lala lajpat Rai, Gopal Krishen Gokhale , Subash Chandra Bose , Bhagat Singh and many more leaders . All these poems appeared in his Book “ KAARWAAN E WATTAN”published on 1960 . About this book , Firaq Gorakhapuri wrote ,

“ This is the best Book On Patriotic poetry .A priceless Document and the best poetic collection of 1960.”

We are also informed about simple eating habits of Mahroom. A Glass of milk for his breakfast , He preferred fruits and simple food thereafter .

Partition of the country came like a great shock to Mahroom. After he moved to India, All along his life , he, Not only missed his friends but cities of Rawalpindi and Lahore as well . He also missed River Indus in particular . He gave a poetic vent to his feelings for river indus . I quote from the Book …

Go Rishtay Kinaaaron se Teray taurr ke aaya

Tiffali Bhi Jawaani bhi Vahin Chorr ke aayaa

Tu Aur Talaatum Voh Meray Zikar e Nihaan ka

Afsos Kahaan me huun yeh Kissa Hai Kahaan ka

Kya keejiye woh Aar nahin Paaar nahin hai

Aasooda Kissi Taur Dill e Zaar Nahin hai

Mahroom was also influenced by Arya samaj movement . Bhagwat Geeta remained close to his heart. He had also translated Bhagwat Geeta into Poetic urdu .

The Book under review presents sample poems of Mahroom like “Meri Kitaab “ , “ Dekh Aey Hilaal e Shaam ( Written on the Death Of Bhagat Singh ), Inquilaab , Ashq e Hasrat ( written on the death of his wife ),Shikvaa e Saiyaad , Bulbul Ki Fariyaad , and his well known Poem “ Noor jahaan ka Mazaar “.

The last section of the book covers some events in the life of the poet through select photographs . These photographs show Mahroom with Galaxy of urdu poets of the subcontinent . A photograph clicked in July 1963, shows Mahroom performing Milani on the marriage of Mukta ji ( His Grand daughter and the author of the Book under review). Another photograph shows Mahroom on his death bed (in the Hospital )surrounded by His two Daughters and Son Jagan Nath Azad .

Anyone who loves Urdu Poetry may find the Book interesting and useful.

I end this review with some Couplet of Mahroom,..

“Pehloo Mein Dil Hai Dard Ki Duniyaa Kahein Jissay..

Par Iss Kadar Ujaad ke sehraa Kahein Jissay..

Woh Ro'bay Husn Thhaa Ki Bun Aayi Na Hum se baat,

Yuun Haal e Dil Kahaa Ke Na Kehnaa Kahein Jissay “

.

( Autar Mota )

                                                                      

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