Washington is the place to be for enjoying Urdu-Hindi poetry

URDU-HINDI POETRY AND WASHINGTON | TheGhouseDiary.com 

http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2015/09/washington-is-place-to-be-for-enjoying.html


I am glad I moved to Washington, besides getting a chance to fulfill my dream of working towards building a cohesive America, I am enjoying the fellowship and the literary aspect of my life as well.  I have a deep passion for the Urdu (Hindi) Poetry and Washington is the place to be!  I just cannot rave about the intellectual stimulation with the folks around here.

Dr. Zafar and Nuzaira Iqbal had invited a few friends for dinner, and some of them are Poets and a joy to hear. The gathering was to honor the visiting poet Sarwat Zahra.  Dr. Satyapal Anand was a special guest, who is a scholar with mastery in Urdu, Hindi, English and Farsi Poetry, one must hear him, indeed, and I am encouraged and influenced by his style of independent prose like poetry.  He is a legend in the Urdu poetry.

Dr. Moazzam Siddiqi is a treasure of knowledge, I have heard him talk about the father of Urdu-Hindi language Amir Khusro, and want to hear more, and last night he spoke about Meera’s devotion to Krishna.  There is an art in telling stories that only a few have mastered and Dr. Siddiqi has become my favorite person to hear and learn from.

Dr. Zaheer Parvez recited two poetries – one was about the story of endurance of African Americans, and the other was his days in UC Berkley, as Dr. Anand commented on the poetries, I literally saw his poem in pictures, that’s how powerful his poetry was, and his poem should be a part of the African American Museum, he knows what integration means and I loved his poems.

Sarwat Zahra was the honored guest poet – Dr. Anand had written a preface to her first book, and what a fine introduction that was. I wish I had recorded it.  Sarwat’s poems are visual, a picture jumps at you with each word in her poem, it is about the daily lives of women and what they go thru, great expression and accurate depictions of the story of women in the subcontinent.  What appealed to me about her poetry was her breadth of references, she shared a poem about Jesus, and then recited the poem about Meera and Meera’s devotion to Krishna and how she struggled with it, and Dr. Siddiqi hung the moon by narrating the story of Meera.  Meera was known for her devotion and here devotional songs she had composed some 500 years ago, and per Dr. Anand, only M. Subba Lakshmi had rendered them beautifully to the point that Pandit Nehru paid a visit to honor her.
 

Sarwat is heading to Dallas and Houston, she has a program on the 12^th and I urge everyone to hear her out, and I have asked her to recite Meera’s poem for my friends Surendra Mittal, Kundan Sharma and my buzurg DD Maini, and Jesus’s poem for Javed Gill.  I am sure she may have touched upon the Sikh life as well, if she has I hope she would recite for Dr. Harbans Lal.
More about : Sarwat Zahra on facebook and her website - http://www.sarwatzehra.com
Thanks to Dr. Amer Shakil of Urdu Ghar for being available to talk with Sarwat,  and I hope my friend Raja Zahid Khanzada will write about her and video tape for Geo TV.

I briefly spoke about the Organization I am working with – The American Muslim Institution, and thanks to Dr. Moazzam Siddiqi for such a fine and humbling introduction.

Happy Janamashtami - details about it at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/sri-krishna-birthday-celebration-janmashtami_b_1762997.html


....
Mike is a speaker, thinker, writer, pluralist, TV-Radio commentator and a human rights activist committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. His info in 63 links at MikeGhouse.net and writings at TheGhouseDiary.com  

Urdu poet Abbas Tabish attends Mushaira in Dallas

Abbas Tabish attends Mushaira in Dallas
http://www.geo.tv/article-162296-Urdu-poet-Abbas-Tabish-attends-Mushaira-in-Dallas

Posted by: Raja Zahid A Khanzada  | Posted: October 12, 2014 - 346 PKT | 

 

 

DALLAS: The founder of Urdu Ghar in Dallas and President of Pakistan American Association of Texas, Dr. Amer Suleman hosted a Mushaira at his residence in recognition of renowned poet and recipient of Pride of performance Abbas Tabish.

Urdu poet Shakeel Jazib also attended the event. Local poets of Dallas and notables of Dallas Fort Worth also attended the event.

Dallas Fort Worth famous poet Younus Ajaz presided the mushaira. Local poet Noor Amrohvi, who is known for hosting international mushairas of Al Noor International, moderated the event.
Addressing the attendees Mr. Amrohvi said that this is greatness of Urdu poetry which has produced a poet like Abbas Tabish.

Addressing the attendees, the host Dr. Amer Suleiman said that “It is a good fortune of Dallas that we have two nugget of Urdu poetry is here in our literary circle”. Local Dallas poets including Syed Iqbal Haider, Umar Abidi, Dr. Shamsa Kanwal, Farhan Syed, Zuhra Chishti, Mike Ghouse, Naheed Shad, Dr. Amer Suleman, Noor Amrohvi and other poets recited their poems.

The visiting poet from Pakistan Shakeel Jazib kept people in ecstasy through his poetry, Ghazals and sonnets.

The attendees of the event kept clapping on each stanza of all of Abbas Tabish poems.
The Mushaira was presided by Younus Ajaz who in his presidential address said that Abbas Tabish is at the top of Urdu poetry and is holding the torch to lead the poetic style and diction after Ahmad Faraz as a leading poet.

He said that Abbas Tabish should have had the “Pride of Performance” award much earlier since Tabish and his poetry lives in people’s heart.

Urdu Ghar Louisville, Kentucky

URDU GHAR LOUISVILLE
www.UrduHindi.net

Each one of us is deeply attached to our culture, and as such we are always pulled towards it. One of the many cultural manifestations is through the language, whatever that language may be. We are home in the language that has been a major part of our childhood and adolescence.

I am sure your attachment to your language is expressed in many ways. Mine is done by scribbling something or the other in Urdu while I am on the phone or just between holds on the phone, usually poetry and sometimes even my speech in English, but in Urdu script.  I have figured out how to write in typical Indian/Pakistani, Persian and Arabic style of letters.   I still do my math, additions, subtractions, divisions and multiplications in Urdu pahaday.

There was a craving to be affiliated with the linguistic gatherings. Thank God for the International Hindi Association, a fine organization and I became a life member, and also a life member of Mallige Kannada Sangha (Kannada Language). We always had an organization called Bazm-e-Urdu in Dallas, but it merely focused on Mushaeray and not on sit-down exchanges nor did it have membership as an expression of belonging. 

The tishinagi (thirst) finally saw fulfillment when I joined Urdu Ghar in Dallas, started and run by Dr. Amer Suleman. What is greater is, it is an inclusive informal organization where Urdu Speaking Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Sikhs and others come together to speak, read, write and listen to in Urdu, more will be joining as we go further.

It’s a social gathering with Urdu as a common denominator. Thanks to Yasmeen’s friends in Louisville, Kentucky.  About 12 of us started our first gathering on Wednesday, July 30, 2014, and we hope to carry this once a month at different homes or at our home.

Dr. Amer Suleman has set a few good standards, and we will follow the same culture– it is all about freedom,  and started by reading the same Rahnuma Usools (guiding principles).  We request an RSVP in advance so that the host (take turns) can plan on arranging tea, snacks, fruits or veggies and refreshments or it can be shared.  No dinner and no mehman-pleasing-cooking, as it is not viable in the long haul. The simpler the gatherings, the sustainable they become.

Let’s plan on meeting on Wednesday, August 27 at our house in Jeffersonville or its open to be hosted by any one. You can text me your RSVP to (214) 325-1916 and let's be sensitive to our hosts. We will meet on time at 7:00 PM and close the meeting on time at 9:30 PM (less than desi movie).  Let this social gathering be a joy and respectful of every one's time, otherwise it becomes  a burden.   

Symposium on Sir Allama Iqbal's discourse on democracy

URL - http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2013/05/sympoium-on-sir-allama-iqbals-discourse.html

Dr. Allama Iqbal is one of the greatest philosopher poets of India; he and Swami Vivekananda continue to be the most quoted in awakening the masses with their wisdom. Their words were magical, thoughtful and evoked practical attitudes towards life.

I was particularly interested in his work on Pluralism, as we are getting ready to do a poetry session in Urdu-Hindi on Pluralism, as I was familiar with some of his works, like “ Mazhab nahin sikhata aapas me bair rakhna”  meaning religion does not teach one to hold grudges against people of other faiths.  Boy, was I happy to hear the response from the audience? Apparently there is a lot more poetry to explore. There was group of ladies on the table next to mine, and they were happy to express their familiarity with his work on pluralism, and I have requested them to write a poem about pluralism.   

MikeGhouse-Dr.Nyla Khan-Dr.Anwar

Dr.MonaKazimShah-Mrs and Dr. Masood Raja-Dr.Anwar

The South Asia Democracy watch organized the event, and had invited great speakers to talk about his work. Dr. Jaffar Mahallati, former UN Ambassador got everyone floored when he talked about Dr. Iqbal’s influence on the Iranian intellectuals and continues to be part of the study and speeches even to this day. Dr. Nyla Ali Khan, the granddaughter of Sheikh Abdullah, Chief Minister of Kashmir and a Professor in Oklahoma delivered one of the greatest speeches on democracy and the impeccable value of US Constitution and Iqbal’s preference for democracy, where leadership with morality was to be valued, but religion and state were to be separate entities. My admiration for Iqbal continues to grow.

Dr. Talmeez Fatima, Dr. Masood Raja and Dr. Qaisar Abbas delivered the messages that I have been craving to hear all my life – about his views on democracy and pluralism. I hope to read Dr. Abbas’s article in Urdu to fully grasp the thoughts he has written, and Dr. Fatima talked about timeliness of Iqbal’s message. Dr. Basheer Ahmed did a fabulous job as the master of the ceremonies. 

One of the rigors of intellectualism is to question everything, and questioning they did. Particularly Masood Raja; no one should be given a free pass.  In the  story of my quest for pluralism, I have quoted my sister’s innocent throw back question at me some 40 years ago – “do you know more than Allama Iqbal” and my response remains the same to this day, no, but I will not take any one’s words for granted.”

My camera died on me at the all day event “many faces one peace” from there I rushed to this program and did not get a chance to charge up my camera or the cell phone. I am writing a separate note about the program, where I spoke how to build a cohesive America, where no American has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of the other, and book and the move is in the making on the Americans Together.

http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2013/02/indian-americans-committment-to.html




Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, peace, Islam, Israel, India, interfaith, and cohesion at work place. He is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day at www.TheGhousediary.com. He believes in Standing up for others and has done that throughout his life as an activist. Mike has a presence on national and local TV, Radio and Print Media. He is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News; fortnightly at Huffington post; and several other periodicals across the world. His personal site www.MikeGhouse.net indexes his work through many links.