- by Rubina Firdaus Urdu Majlis is an informal assemblage of Urdu lovers of all ages and from all levels of passion for the Urdu literature. It is a gathering that celebrates Urdu literature by engaging in discussions involving the works of well-known Urdu poets. Each month, an enthusiastic group of fifty people gather at the Caldwell Hall of NC State University in Raleigh, NC to talk about their poet of the evening. Urdu Majlis that was held on September 15, met to discuss the work of the famous Urdu female poet Zehra Nigaah. Zehra Nigaah is a much-loved and highly respected poet in Pakistan. Although she has been a prolific writer for several years, her published work consists of a single volume called "Shaam ka pehla taara." This publication spans over three distinct periods in her writing and demonstrates her skill as an accomplished lyricist and a fine poet capable of both intensity and subtlety. Zehra Nigaah lives in London where she occasionally appears at literary events. In a telephone interview with the editor of Mehraab, her sister Sara Naqvi shared Zehra's early interest in poetry when she began writing at the age of ten. By the time she was fifteen, she was not only writing ghazals but participating in mushairas. At her home in London, literary gatherings were held and attended by famous Urdu poets such as Faiz and Sardar Jafri. The poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz recalled hearing the popular teen-age poet Zehra for the first time at a mushaira. He suspected that she probably received help from a seasoned poet. Her early poetry had all the qualities of a good ghazal and it was hard to comprehend that this young girl could display such a sensitive personality at such a tender age. After her marriage in 1958, Zehra took a long sabbatical from literary life to look after her children. It was in 1980 that she published her first collection of poetry. Her later works touched on a variety of topics an amalgamation of tradition and innovation. She moves from romantic poetry to the realm of every day life and emotions. She has also covered political and feminist issues. Her poetry reflects her awareness of the disadvantages and constraints faced by women in a traditional society and recognition of their desire for freedom and change. Zehra herself is known to have said, 'Traditional societies do not encourage women from 'respectable' families to express themselves sensually or participate in mushairas." Her outlook is reflected in her works; which have been referred to as the "poetry of Resistance." In a collection of translations of contemporary Urdu feminist poetry "We Sinful Women," author Rukhsana Ahmad includes Zehra Nigaah among seven women poets whose writings represent "brave departures from the literary tradition." But contrary to what some critics consider her as, Zehra Nigaah refuses to be classified as a feminist poet. In this book, a critic describes Zehra's poetry as "far less overtly political and perhaps less challenging to the status quo." Zehra's ghazals have been set to music, and have been sung by Tina Sani and Nayarra Noor. Her new collection of poetry "Waraq" was recently published and it deals with turmoils in society and the political situation in Pakistan. The bulk of published Urdu poetry is still love poetry bound in old traditional idioms and self-adulation. This makes Zehra Nigaah's poetry innovative and most interesting Urdu poetry of our times. |
