URDU POET GULZAR DEHLAVI IS NO MORE

                                 

                                             

Padamshri Pandit Anand Mohan Zutshi 'Gulzar Dehlavi'( 1926-2020)..

Mitatee huyi dilli ka nishaan Hain hum log
Doondoge koyi din mein kahaan Hain hum log
Jalti huyi shamon mein sahar ke aansoo
Bujhati huyi lakdi Ka dhuvaan hain hum log

(Gulzar Dehlavi)

Well known freedom fighter , poet ,journalist and scholar,   Anand Mohan Zutshi  , popularly known as Gulzar Dehlavi  breathed his last yesterday. He was 94. He was a post graduate from Delhi University . For some time , he also practiced Law.

He was unique in his beliefs, convictions  and temperament. He had completely recovered from Corona some days back but died peacefully yesterday at his son's (   Anoop Zutshi )   residence in   NOIDA.  He probably died of Cardiac  arrest. That is what the doctors at the Kailash Hospital confirmed where he was rushed .Anoop had come from Pune to be with his father and got stuck up in NOIDA due to lockdown. He had booked an Airtaxi to take his father to Pune so that the family could together  celebrate his birthday falling on 7th July. Anoop's sister is settled in the US.

Gulzar Dehlavi belonged to Ganga Jamuna school of thought . A forthright and open person, he remained close to Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.

Gulzar Dehlavi's father, Allama Pandit Tribhuvan Nath Zutshi  ‘Zar' was also a poet and Persian scholar who lived in Gali Kashmeeran ,Old Delhi . He was a direct disciple of Daagh Dehlavi .

Pandit Anand Mohan Zutshi  or Gulzar Dehlavi's mother , Brij Rani Zutshi “Bezar" was also a poet.
Gali Kashmeeran ,old Delhi was a locality inhabited by Kashmiri Pandits who had moved out from the valley during the dark days of Afghan rule. Many Pandits like Zutshis, Handoos,  Rainas, Kauls, Kunzrus, Dars and Nehrus made their abode in this locality . Apart from Muslims, they  lived happily with Agarwals, Goels, Mathurs and Kakkers  of the area

 For many years, Gulzar Dehlavi   edited a science   magazine published by GOI. He breathed Urdu and remained a grand example of Ganga Jamuna  culture ,patriotism and nationalism all along his life  fighting communalism and  religious bigotry .
His elder brother Khaar Dehlavi was also  a well known Urdu poet. Khaar  died in 2002
I end this tribute with some couplets of Gulzar Dehlavi.

Me vo hindu huun ki nazaan Hain musalmaan jis par
Dil mein Kaaba hai meray Dil hai  sanamkhaanon mein
Josh Ka Kaul hai  aur apna  aqeeda' Gulzar'
Hum sa kaafir na utha koyi musalmaanon mein

Gulzar Dehlavi's  death  is surely  the "end of an era", Peace be to his soul...

(Avtar Mota)


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