By: Tarun Prakash Srivastava, Sr. Executive Editor-ICN Group
LUCKNOW: Suhail Kakorvi is too close to me to assess and understand him accurately. It is always scientifically true that an object just adjacent to our eyes always looks blurred and the same thing repeatedly happens with me for Suhail Kakorvi. Every time, he picks a strange gem out from his unbounded treasure.
I was amazed when he penned ‘Aamnama’ and created a record to place entire book in verse on an individual fruit and his this wonderful task is duly registered and featured in Limca Book of Records. I was further amazed when he wrote down ‘Gulnama’ (it is in publishing process) when he placed numbers of Ghazals on flowers under the same meter, rhyme (Kafiya) and end rhymes (Radeef). This book is not only a book but it is not lesser than a pleasant tour of a valley full of variant colorful flowers. Till I could come out of said magic, he presented his new creation ‘Neela Chand’. This book was quite different from his earlier creations. In Urdu poetry, uses of idioms and proverbs are hardly seen and to counter this scarcity, he used two-three idioms in every line of verses and this book is published in Urdu, Hindi and English language in a single cover.
This time, Mirza Ghalib comes out of Suhail Kakorvi. Ghalib by travailing a lot and ultimately, after centuries, could be able to find a window to peep out into the present through Suhail Kakorvi. This is another enchantment of Suhail Kakorvi which is known as ‘Ghalib: Ek Uttarkatha’ in Hindi, ‘Remnants of Ghalib’ in English and ‘Arziyat-e-Ghalib’ in Urdu.
The work of Ghalib appears to be most easy and relevant and find the place on lips of everybody on every situation of life but in fact, the frames used by him the creation of his poetry are most difficult in comparison to any other poet of Urdu till date. The appearance of Ghalib is easiest but the creation of Ghalib is the toughest job.
Earlier, the number of eminent scholars have authored several books on different angles of the poetry of Ghalib but all such works are only a recognition of the work of Ghalib available but none of them brings his work ahead. So far, as my knowledge is concerned, “Ghalib- Ek Uttar Katha” starts its journey from the milestone where Ghalib’s poetry had actually ended. If Ghalib would have alive today, it would be most difficult to decide that “Ghalib- Ek Uttar Katha” is produced by Mirza Ghalib himself or it is a creation of a person other than Mirza Ghalib.
This wonderful job of Suhail Kakorvi is the second episode of Ghalibnama where Ghalib speaks through him. Suhail Kakorvi has versed 100 (hundred) Ghazals against 100 (Hundred) Ghazals of Mirza Ghalib of the same meter, rhymes, and end rhymes. These ghazals are not only technically appears to be the extension of Ghalib’s own ghazals but these ghazals have the same soul, feelings, and sentiments which make them more particular, special and peculiar.
The following is a popular ghazal of Mirza Ghalib:-
“Bazeechae atfaal hai duniya mere aage,
Hota hai shabo roz tamasha mere aage”
And Suhail Kakorvi has created a mirror creation of this Ghazal as under:
“Majboor hai wo naaz sarapa mere aage,
karta hi nahi koi bahana mere aage.
[Helpless I found that coquetry personified before me,
And resign to me without any excuse whatever, she.]
Izhaar hoon main noor-e-rukhe husn-e-azal,
Sooraj ko bhi aata hai paseena mere aage”.
[I am the exposure of the Beauty of the countenance of Eternity,
That in the sense of inferiority even sun sweats losing entity.]
Mirza Ghalib says:
“Dil hi to hai na sang-o-khist dard se bhar na aaye kyun,
Royenge hum hazaar bar koi hame sataye kyun”
And find the mirror Ghazal created by Suhail Kakorvi:
“Pahle hi jab wo kah chuka, kyun wo mile, wo aaye kyun,
Phir bhi haseen khwab-e-wasl, dil ne mujhe dikhaye kyun.
[The sweetheart clearned not to meed and come ever before,
Despite all beautiful dreams of union heart showed to lure.]
Ye to talluqat par, aai hui bahaar hai,
sharm ka isme zikr kya ispe koi lajaye kyun”
[It is the spring that pervades over love relation,
So why to shame and bashfulness in passion.]
See another popular ghazal of Ghalib hereunder:
“Ishq mujhko nahi, wahshat hi sahi,
Meri wahshat teri shohrat hi sahi”.
And Suhail Kakori creates his mirror ghazal as under:
“Chalo naseh ki naseehat hi sahi,
Hum hain fursat se museebat hi sahi
[I am now not busy – Let it be,
Preachers sermon – Let it be.]
Itna pecheeda na rishta kijiye,
Apko humse zaroorat hi sahi”
[Do not create complications within the relations,
Require though thee something from me- Let it be.]
Another beautiful Ghazal of Ghalib runs as under:
“Dard minnat kashe dawa na hua,
Main na achha hua bura na hua
And the mirror ghazal of Suhail Kakori is as under:
“Chahte the jo wo zara na hua,
Ishq walon ka mazhaka na hua”
[Did not happen what desired she,
Fun was not made of lovers surely]
Manzil-e-yar aarzo hi rahi,
kabhi humwaar rasta na hua”
[The destination of love remained desire only,
Never was smooth and plain the path found I]
I have just given some examples here above to show the accuracy of frame and depth of feeling of the ghazals of Suhail Kakorvi standing in the mirror of Ghalibnama.
Suhail patriotism stands vividly revealed in the following couplets:
“Moti take hain mujhme ye anmol aye ‘Suhail’,
Urdu hai aur mohabbat-e-Hindustan Hai”.
[There attached to my being gems precious,
Urdu language and Indian culture gracious]
“Ghalib- Ek Uttar Katha” proves that Mirza Ghalib is still alive and sometimes he speaks through Suhail Kakorvi.
I welcome the return of Mirza Ghalib and I believe that Literary World shall also welcome him through its open heart.
