Josh Malihabadi | |
|---|---|
 Josh (1949) | |
| Born | Shabbir Hasan Khan 5 December 1898 (1898-12-05) |
| Died | 22 February 1982(1982-02-22) (aged 83) Islamabad, Pakistan |
| Occupation | Poet |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Education | Visva-Bharati University |
| Literary movement | Progressive Writers' Movement |
| Notable awards |
|
| Other names | Shayar-e-Inquilab |
Josh Malihabadi (bornShabbir Hasan Khan; 5 December 1898 – 22 February 1982) popularly known asShayar-e-Inqalab (poet of revolution) was Indian bornPakistaniUrdu poet.
Known for hisliberal values and challenging the established order, he wrote over 100,000 couplets and more than 1,000rubaiyat in his lifetime.Yaadon ki Barat, hisautobiography, is noted for its frank and candid style. The first Prime Minister of India,Jawaharlal Nehru held him in high esteem and frequently attended themushaira at Lala Kishan Lal Kalra's United Coffee House where Josh recited his poetry.[1][2][3][4]
Some of his works were translated to English likeThe Unity of Mankind elegies by Josh Malihabadi by Syed Akbar Pasha Tirmizi.
Josh was born to anUrdu-speaking Muslim family ofAfridi Pashtun origin inMalihabad (13 miles fromLucknow),United Provinces, British India.[1] He received early education in Arabic, Persian, Urdu and English at his home.[3][5] He studied atSt Peter's College,Agra and passed hisSenior Cambridge examination in 1914. Subsequently, he studiedArabic andPersian and, in 1918, spent six months atTagore'suniversity atShantiniketan. The death of his father, Bashir Ahmed Khan, in 1916, prevented him from undertaking a college education.
His family had a long tradition of producing men of letters. His great-grandfather, Nawab Faqeer Muhammad Khan ‘Goya’; his grandfather, Nawab Muhammad Ahmad Khan; his paternal uncle, Ameer Ahmad Khan; and his father, Basheer Ahmad Khan, were all poets with numerous works, including poetry collections, translations, and essays.[6]Another of his relative was the journalist, scholar andAbul Kalam Azad's confidant,Abdur Razzaq Malihabadi.[7][3]
In 1925, Josh started to supervise translation work atOsmania University in the princely state ofHyderabad. However, his stay there ended when he found himself exiled for writing anazm against theNizam of Hyderabad, the then ruler of the state.[8]
Soon thereafter, he founded the magazineKaleem (literally, "speaker" in Urdu), in which he wrote articles in favour of independence from theBritish Raj in India. His poem Hussain aur Inquilab (Hussain and Revolution) won him the title ofShaair-e-Inquilaab (Poet of the Revolution). Subsequently, he became more actively involved in the freedom struggle (albeit, in an intellectual capacity) and became close to some of the political leaders of that era, especiallyJawaharlal Nehru (later to be the first Prime Minister of independent India).[1][8]
After the end of the British Raj in India in 1947, Josh became the editor of the publicationAaj-Kal.[8]
Josh migrated to Pakistan in 1956 – despite Jawaharlal Nehru's insistence against it – over what is generally believed to be his concern regarding the future of Josh andUrdu language inIndia,[9][5] where he thought theHindu majority would encourage the use ofHindi rather thanUrdu. After migration, Josh settled inKarachi and worked forAnjuman-i-Tarraqi-i-Urdu.[10][8]
Josh remained in Pakistan until he died on 22 February 1982 inIslamabad.[3]Mustafa Zaidi, Faiz Ahmad Faiz and Syed Fakhruddin Balley were the closest companions and friends of Josh and Sajjad Hyder Kharosh (son of Josh).[2]Faiz Ahmad Faiz visitedIslamabad during his illness and Syed Fakhruddin Balley remained entirely engaged with Josh and Sajjad Hyder Kharosh.[2] Poet Faiz, who coincidentally landed in Pakistan on 22 February 1982 after a long self-imposed exile to meetGeneral Zia Ul-Haq, the then military ruler of Pakistan, and complained to him for not attending Joautobiographyuneral.'[2]
Professor Ehtesham Hussain was the first eminent figure who started working on Josh's biography, with his implied consent. He was in the early stages of his work, when suddenly Josh migrated to Pakistan. It's evident that the scholar Ehtesham lost his passion and never completed the work. Professor Mohammad Hassan, a promi ent scholar of Ehtesham's lineage, then wrote a nearly 100 pageepilogue on Josh in 1987, that will soon be published by JLSC, Calgary.Hilal Naqvi, eminent poet and researcher almost devoted his entire life in gathering and publishing Josh's work. The list of Josh's admirers are so long and over a span of nearly 100 years, but the most prominent contributors and writers amongst them include, professor Ehtesham Hussain,Rais Amrohvi,Mustafa Zaidi, Sehba Luckhnavi, Professor Qamar Raes, Ali Sardar, Professor Mumtaz Hussain, Ali Ahmed Fatmi, Shahid Mahuli of Ghalib Institute, Delhi, India, ProfessorSahar Ansari, Rahat Saeed,Jaun Elia,Muhammad Ali Siddiqui, Professor Hasan Abid, Jaffar Ahmed,Parvin Shakir,Iqbal Haider, Shaista Rizvi.[10][2]
Moreover, Josh's maternal grandson Farrukh Jamal Malihabadi, Josh Malihabadi's granddaughterTabassum Akhlaq has also carried over the legacy of his poetry. Presently, artist Fahim Hamid Ali is working on a unique and contemporary presentation of Josh.[2]
Josh Literary Society of Canada (JLSC) was formed byIqbal Haider, Arshad Vasti, Shaista Rizvi, Naheed Kazmi, Nighat Haider, Hasan Zaheer, Aqeel Athar, Alim Ghaznavi, Abdul Qavi Zia and others in February 1983 in Calgary, Canada.
JLSC convened its first literary conference in Calgary in February 1986 under the title ofJosh – The Poet of the Century, with a keynote article by the eminent scholar Professor Mumtaz Hussain.
Then Josh Society and Irteqa Foundation of Karachi together commemorated Josh Centennial a 3-day, mega literary event inKarachi, followed up by other one day programs inDelhi,Allahabad, Lucknow,Lahore, Hyderabad andDubai. Josh Literary Society has published and reprinted 14 books on Josh. JLSC has also convened and celebrated many other Centennials or seminars likeFiraq Gorakhpuri,Majaz Lucknawi,Mustafa Zaidi,Juan Elia,Saadat Hasan Manto, Rashid,Faiz Ahmed Faiz andIsmat Chughtai.[10]
TheJosh Memorial Committee was formed in 1986 by Tabassum Akhlaq and she is the current chairperson. The committee organises seminars on Josh Malihabadi's personality, history and literary work. These seminars are usually held on his birthday and death anniversary (on 5 December and 22 February respectively).[11]
In August 2012, theGovernment of Pakistan announcedHilal-i-Imtiaz for Josh Malihabadi. This award was presented to his granddaughter and founding chairperson of Josh Memorial Committee, Tabassum Akhlaq by thePresident of Pakistan,Asif Ali Zardari in a ceremony held in thePresidency onPakistan Day 23 March 2013.[12]
The lifelong mission of Josh can be summed up in his own words:
Kaam hai mera taghayyur, Naam hai mera shabaab
Mera naara: inquilab-o-inquilab-o-inquilab
My task is change, my name is youth!
My slogan: revolution, revolution and revolution!
A noted scholar and literary critic of PakistanPervez Hoodbhoy is quoted as saying about his poetry, "Poetry flowed from Josh's pen like water from a bubbling spring."[3]
These include:
| Song | Singers | Film and year |
|---|---|---|
| Ae Watan Hum Hain Teri Shama Ke Parwanaun Mein | Masood Rana andAhmed Rushdi | Aag Ka Darya (1966) |
| Hawa Se Moti Baras Rahein Hain, Faza Tarane Suna Rahi Hai | Noor Jehan | Aag Ka Darya (1966 film) |
On the advice of film directorW. Z. Ahmed, Malihabadi also wrote songs for Shalimar Pictures. One of the films isAag Ka Darya (1966) with music by Ghulam Nabi and Abdul Latif.[8][14][15]
