Sikandar Ali Wajd --- Birth Anniversary Tribute
Afzal A. Khan
Today marks the 97th birth anniversary of the noted Urdu poet
Sikandar Ali Wajd. So I thought I should send a suitable post
in commemoration.
But, while trying to see the ALUP archives, I found to my dismay
that, apart from a couple of ghazals posted some 10-12 years back,
there was no article in our Newsgroup on the abovenamed poet or other
kalaam composed by him.
That has strengthened my resolve to send this commemorative post.
Here is a brief biographical sketch of the late poet.
He was born on 22nd January 1914 in Vaijapur, which is a small town
in Aurangabad District. At that time, this whole area was part of
the princely state of Hyderabad, ruled over by the seventh Nizam,
Mir Usman Ali Khan. Wajd had his education in Aurangabad City (upto
Intermediate) and then graduated from Usmaaniya University, Hyderabad
where he came in contact with and became a protege of noted Urdu
scholar Maulana Waheeduddin Saleem and (Babaa-e-Urdu) Maulvi Abdul
Haq. In 1937, he passed the Civil Services Examination (H.C.S.) of
Hyderabad State and was assigned to the Judicial Service, as Munsif-
Magistrate.
In 1948, the erstwhile princely state ceased to exist after the
Police Action. Parts of it were then merged with the then Bombay
State. Wajd was assigned to the Maharashtra region and became a
Sessions Judge at Aurangabad. He took premature retirement from
this post in 1964. The same year he became President of the
Maharashtra Unit of the Anjuman-e-Taraqqi-e-Urdu. In 1970, he
received the Padma Shri Award. Later, he was nominated to the Rajya
Sabha in 1972. He was selected as Vice President of the Maharashtra
Urdu Academy in 1975. And, two years later, he received the
prestigious Ghalib Award. In 1981, he was appointed as the
President of the Taraqqi-e-Urdu Board.
Wajd had been a patient of chronic asthma. He fell seriously ill in
1982. And, after being in coma for nearly a month, he passed away
on 16th May 1983, and was laid to rest, in his beloved city of
Aurangabad, in the compound of a Sufi saint's dargaah (Hazrat
Huzoori Shah MiaN Saheb).
Wajd has written both ghazals and naz'ms, almost in equal measure.
Thus, it is difficult to categorize him as basically a Naz'm~go
only. Nevertheless the fact remains that he is better known today
for his Naz'ms.
His books :
1. "Lahu TaraNg" (released in 1944)
{Contains his kalaam upto 1940}
2. "Aaftaab-e-Taaza(h)" (released in 1952)
{Contains his kalaam from 1941 to 1952}
Later, Wajd reviewed his entire poetic output and prepared two
anthologies, revoking (in a manner of speaking) the abovereferred
books. These two collections were :
(a) "Auraaq-e-Musawwar" (Released in 1963, at the hands of Pandit
Nehru)
(b) "Bayaaz-e-Mariyam" (Released in 1974). The entire manuscript
of this anthology was personally written in hand by Wajd
himself. The book also carried some sketches/paintings by M.F.
Husain. It was released at the hands of Smt. Indira Gandhi.
His "Kulliyaat" was ultimately published in 1988 (five years after
his death) by the Maharashtra State Urdu Academy.
He was a regular invitee to Mushairaas and his melodious tarannum,
apart from the quality of his poetry, made him a star attraction
at these events. He was a linguist and had good commmand over
Faarsi and Arabic. Besides, he was very fluent in Urdu, Marathi,
Hindi and English.
Here, I would like to present one of his most famous poems "AjanTa",
which commemorates the art and skill of those who were instrumental
in building the majestic caves, located in Maharashtra.
The Ajanta are a series of about 30 caves carved out of a horse -
shoe shaped cliff in a densely wooded area. They were built
around the second century (B.C.E.). Some scholars believe that
these were carved in two stages, the first series of caves coming
up in the second century B.C., and the second series being built
around the 5th century A.D. They were used by Buddhist monks as
prayer halls, and as monasteries too, for about nine centuries.
And then these were abandoned, probably following the decline of
Buddhism in India. The area was reclaimed by jungle growth and the
caves vanished from the public eye for several centuries, until
being accidentally rediscovered by Britishers around 1819. Since
then, extensive excavations have been carried out and, today, they
are a major tourist attraction. The Ajanta frescoes are indeed
world famous and the Caves themselves have now been designated
as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
It is said that Sir Akbar Hydari (1869-1942), a long-time adminis-
trative functionary of the Hyderabad State, and itsPrime Minister
from March 1937 to September 1941, was greatly instrumental in the
restoration of the Ajanta Caves which were then part of the Nizam's
domain.
There is an interesting story about how the poem got to be
written. Sir Akbar Hydari had already established the State
Archaeology Department which had undertaken the preservation,
restoration and maintenance of many archaeological monuments in
the State (including the Ajanta Caves). He had heard about the
poetic abilities of Wajd, who had recently joined the Judicial
Service in Hyderabad. Sir Akbar commissioned the young poet and
magistrate to compose a suitable poem about them (and the Ellora
Caves too). He was granted long leave, as a special case (with full
salary and other perks). Suitable arrangements were made for his
residence and food (board) in the finest available Dak Bungalow; a
small retinue of butlers, waiters and other servants was also
provided to him. It was in these circumstances that the famous
poem saw the light of day.
Here is the poem itself :
A J A N T A
JahaaN KHoon-e-jigar peete rahe ahl-e-hunar barsoN
JahaaN ghulta raha raNgoN men aahoN ka asar barsoN
JahaaN khiNchta raha patthar pe 'aks-e-KHair-o-shar barsoN
JahaaN qaaim rahegi jannat-e-qalb-o-nazar barsoN
JahaaN naGHme janam lete haiN, raNgeeni barasti hai
Dakan ki god men aabaad woh KH(w)aaboN ki basti hai
Sharaab-o-sh'er ki taaseer ThaNdi hai hawaaoN men
Bahaar-e-zindagi GhaltaaN hai sabze ki fizaaoN men
Nawaa-e-Sarmadi aati hai jharnoN ki sadaaoN men
BayaaN mumkin naheeN woh lutf aata hai du'aaoN men
YahaaN sadiyoN se raaij pur~sukooN sheereeN~maqaali hai
YahaaN ka zarra'zarra mazhar-e-shaan-e-jamaali hai
Tajalli~zaar-e-'irfaaN, shaahkaar-e-ibn-e-Aadam hai
Sar-e-fitrat 'amal ki baargaah-e-husn men KHam hai
Tamaddun mun'akis ho jis men aisa saaGHar-e-Jam hai
Jamaal-e-zindagi rehn-e-jalaal-e-'azm-e-Gautam hai
Umeed-e-jaan-e-taaza phir dil-e-bismil men aayee thi
Talaash-e-amn men tehzeeb is manzil men aayee thi
KaheeN paida hai saari kaifiyat husn-e-gulistaaN ki
KaheeN raunaq nazar aati hai baazaar-o-shabistaaN ki
KaheeN hairat zabaan-e-haal hai, haal-e-pareshaaN ki
LakeereN haiN k(e) shiryaaneN dil-e-insaaN'o'haiwaaN ki
KaheeN zulmat ke peechhe raush'ni mehsoos hoti hai
KaheeN to maut men bhi zindagi mehsoos hoti hai
Hareef-e-naGHma-e-jaaN~baKHsh yeh KHaamosh goyaaee
Kamaal-e-fikr-o-fan, husn-e-tanaasub, shaan-e-zebaayee
Haqeeqat ban gayee jazbaat ki sad~raNg r'anaayee
LaboN par zau~figan hai noor-e-aijaaz-e-maseehaaee
NigaahoN men 'ajab aNdaaz hai KHaara~gudaazi ka
DiloN par naqsh reh jaata hai jin ki be~niyaazee ka
Karishma hai yeh arbaab-e-hamam ki s'aee-e-paiham ka
JinheN ahsaas bhi hota na tha kuchh shaadi-o-GHam ka
DiloN par 'aks khiNch aaya tha jin ke husn-e-'aalam ka
Qalam ko naqsh az'bar ho gaya tha ism-e-a'zam ka
ChaTaanoN par shabaab-o-husn ki maujeN rawaaN kar deeN
FusooN~kaaroN ne raNgoN men muqaiyyad bijliyaaN kar deeN
Hareem-e-K'aaba-e-fan m'obad-e-naazuk~KHayaalaaN hai
Jahaan-e-noor-o-hikmat maskan-e-aashufta~haalaaN hai
JunooN~afshaaN fiza men masti-e-chashm-e-GHazaalaaN hai
Lab-e-joo-e-kuhistaaN jalwa~gaah-e-KHush~jamaalaaN hai
Mila hai zindagi ko baaNk'pan in kaj'kulaahoN se
Nazar waaloN pe shamsheereN barasti haiN nigaahoN se
Jigar ke KHoon se kheeNche gaye haiN naqsh-e-laa~saani
Tasadduq jin ke har KHat par tahaiyyur~KHaana-e-Maani
Mushakkal hai shabaab-o-husn men taKH'eel-e-insaani
Taqaddus ke sahaare ji raha hai zauq-e-'uryaani
Haseenaan-e-AjanTa ka junooN sar'taaj hai goya
YahaaN jazbaat ke izhaar ki m'eraaj hai goya
Hunar~mandoN ne tasweeroN men goya jaan bhar di hai
Taraazoo dil men ho jaati hai woh kaafir nazar di hai
AdaaoN se 'ayaaN hai, lazzat-e-dard-e-jigar di hai
KhuleNge raaz, is Dar se deh'n par muhr kar di hai
Yeh tasweereN ba~zaahir saakit-o-KHaamosh rehti haiN
Magar ahl-e-nazar poochheN to dil ki baat kehti haiN
GulistaaN se jo guzra kaarwaaN fasl-e-bahaari ka
Bahaana mil gaya ahl-e-junooN ko husn~kaari ka
ChaTaanoN par banaya naqsh dil ki be~qaraari ka
Sikhaaya gur ise jazbaat ki aaina~daari ka
Dil-e-kuh'saar men mehfooz apni daastaaN rakh di
Jigar~daaroN ne buniyaad-e-jahaan-e-jaavidaaN rakh di
JahaaN chhoRa KHushi se JaavidaaN paiGHaam ki KHaatir
KHush'aamad ahl-e-daulat ki naheeN ki, kaam ki KHaatir
Na chhani KHaak dar'dar ki kisi in'aam ki KHaatir
Jiye bhi kaam ki KHaatir, mare bhi kaam ki KHaatir
Zamaane ki jabeeN par 'aks chhoRe haiN nigaahoN ke
RaheNge naqsh in ke, naam miT jaayeNge shaahoN ke
******************************************************************
It seems the poem was presented to Sir Akbar Hydari and greatly
liked by him. But the poet continued to polish it for many
years --- some say that nineteen years went by, before Wajd was
satisfied.
In due course, I propose to present here some other poems and
ghazals of Sikandar Ali Wajd.
As a bonus, here is an additional bit of info. Some fifty years
back, a film had been released in India --- "Dil Ek Mandir". It
had some catchy music by Shankar Jaikishan and lyrics by Hasrat
Jaipuri and Shailendra. The film was quite successful at the
time. Its title song comes at the end, when Rajendra Kumar dies
of a heart attack. Just before the song proper begins, Mohammed
Rafi belts out a sher at the top of his voice :
Jaane waale kabhi naheeN aate
Jaane waaloN ki yaad aati hai
Here is the YouTube link for this sher and song :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1KtoooIDYs
Actually, this sher is Wajd's, though I don't think this was
acknowledged in the movie. The song's lyricist was Hasrat
and he had done the same trick with a sher of KHwaaja Haidar
Ali Aatish a little earlier, in the film "Deewaana", stg. Raj
Kapoor and Saira Banu. {I believe I had mentioned this before
in ALUP.} The original sher of Aatish was :
Ai sanam jis ne tujhe chaaNd si soorat di hai
Usi Allah ne mujh ko bhi mohabbat di hai
Hasrat changed "Allah" to "maalik" and appropriated it in his
lyrics --> 'Usi Maalik ne mujhe bhi to mohabbat di hai'. But
I must say that the sher seems better with Hasrat's "tasarruf".
I am sending this post in keeping with the sentiments to be
found in the simple words of the above sher.
Afzal
Naseer
Thank you presenting yet another lengthy masterpiece. Not only for
this but thank you also for providing background information about
Wajd and the Ajanta site. The nazm has some difficult words. If you
are in agreement, I can add a glossary to the poem.
Let me a provide a little additional information from "Sikandar Ali
Wajd: Shaa'ir-o-ShaKhs", penned by Akhtar Jahaan.
"1973 meN jab Anjuman-i-Asaatizah-i- Urdu-Jaami'aat-i-Hind* kii
saalaanah taqriib mun'aqid hu'ii to manduubiin** kii yahii Khvaahish
thii kih Ajanta aur Ellora jaane aur us ko dekhne se pahle us nazm ko
Wajd kii zabaanii sun leN. kyoNkih ba-qaul Yusuf Naazim, Wajd ne
Ajanta, Ellora aur Taj Mahal ko sun_ne kii chiizeN banaa diyaa hai.
jab Hasb-i-Khvaahish Ajantaa sunaa'ii ga'ii to is misra' par taqriib-
an har manduub 'ash 'ash karne lagaa!
taqaddus ke sahaare jii rahaa hai zauq-i-'uryaanii"
* Teachers Association of Urdu Unviersities of India
** Delegates
You have mentioned that Wajd has written nazms and Ghazals of roughly
equal amount. Here is another excerpt from the same source.
" Wajd ne apne maslak kii Mujaallah-i-'Usmaaniyah 1936 ke idaariyah
meN vazaaHat kii hai.. {jab tak dil meN shaandaar maazii kii yaad
taazah nah ho, mustaqbil raushan nahiiN ho saktaa. aslaaf* ke
kaarnaamoN ko apnii kamzoriyoN par pardah Daalne ke liye nahiiN balkih
apne josh-i-'amal ko do-baalaa karne ke liye yaad rakhnaa
chaahie} .... lihaazaa Wajd ne Ghazal-go'ii kii rivaayat ko tark karne
ke bajaa'e us ko jiddat aur nudrat-i-Khayaal** kii gul-kaariyoN se
sajaayaa aur us meN ek nayaa nikhaar paidaa kar diyaa...ba-qaul-i-
Shamsu Rahman Faruqi, {Wajd bunyaadii taur par Ghazal ke shaa'ir haiN.
un kii Ghazal meN vuh kaifiyyat miltii hai jise maiN ustaadaanah ? se
ta'biir kartaa huuN.....Sikandar Ali Wajd apne bihtariin lamHaat meN
is vaqt rivaayatii Ghazal ke bihtariin aur saaliHtariin***numaa'indah
kahe jaa sakte haiN. ....}..."
* Ancestors
** Originality and uniqueness of thought/ideas
*** Most orthodox
aap ne Mohammed Rafi Sahib kaa zikr kar ke jii Khush kar diyaa hai.
vaise ma'luum nahiiN kih aap apne bayaan meN un kii ta'riif kar rahe
haiN yaa tauhiiN:-) ba-har Haal jo link aap ne post kiyaa hai vuh
itnaa achchhaa nahiiN. yih qadre bihtar hai.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GSfbkxFZx0&feature=related
Naseer