24-519: English writers Bengali writers Punjabi writers Hindi writers Kashmiri writers Marathi writers Asrar-ul-Haq (19 October 1911 to 5 December 1955), better known as Majaz Lakhnawi , was an Indian Urdu poet . He is known for his romantic and revolutionary poetry . He composed ghazals and nazms in Urdu . He was the maternal uncle of poet and screenplay writer Javed Akhtar and Indian-American psychoanalyst Salman Akhtar . Majaz
48-585: A child, and probably for this reason, he tended to be somewhat difficult, with erratic behavior; he was moody and also a loner . He had the habit of staying awake all night and doing most of his work then; as a result, his earned the nickname "Jaggan Bhaiyya" ("awake brother" in Hindi). According to a major newspaper of the region, "With hindsight one could deduce that he had the marks of a bipolar mental disorder that became more pronounced as he grew older and his life began to fall apart". Majaz's father, Seraj-ul-Haq,
72-499: A documentary film Kabir, Iqbal and Freedom and two television serials: the runaway success, the 18-part Kahkashan , based on the lives and works of six Urdu poets of the 20th century he had known personally viz. Firaq Gorakhpuri , Josh Malihabadi , Majaz , Hasrat Mohani , Makhdoom Mohiuddin and Jigar Moradabadi ; and Mehfil-e-yaaran in which he interviewed people from different walks of life. Both serials had tremendous mass appeal. In addition, he published his autobiography. He
96-574: A month. Thus, Majaz grew up mainly in Rudauli and received his basic education there. In the late 1920s, his father was transferred to Agra . Since his parents were no more, and since Agra was too far from Rudauli for frequent visits, Seraj-ul-Haq decided to take his wife and children with him. Majaz completed school in Agra in 1929, and enrolled in St. John's Intermediate College. Almost immediately, his father
120-529: A national gift, to the then prime minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif , during the historic Lahore Summit , 20–21 February 1999. It was also a milestone in Jafri's life. In the course of his literary career spanning five decades, Jafri also edited anthologies of Kabir , Mir , Ghalib and Meera Bai with his own introductions. He also wrote two plays for the Indian People's Theatre Association , produced
144-877: A year more than he should have. The years that Majaz spent in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) coincided with the presence there of many important poets and writers of Urdu. AMU was indeed a nursery of literary talent during those years. Here he came in contact with the Progressive Writers' Movement under K. M. Ashraf and Abdul Aleem . Majaz lived and wrote in times which were exceptionally vibrant for poetry; Urdu-language poets such as Faiz Ahmed Faiz , Fani Badayuni , Jazbi, Makhdoom , Sahir Ludhianvi , Ismat Chughtai , and Ali Sardar Jafri were among his peers. They were not merely his contemporaries but close friends as well. Others such as Josh and Firaq knew him well. His first diwan, Ahang ,
168-607: Is a List of Urdu-language poets . [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Ali Sardar Jafri English writers Bengali writers Punjabi writers Hindi writers Kashmiri writers Marathi writers Ali Sardar Jafri (29 November 1913 – 1 August 2000 ) was an Indian writer of Urdu language. He was also a poet, critic and film lyricist. Ali Sardar Jafri was born in Balrampur (in present-day Uttar Pradesh ), where he spent his formative years. His early influences were Mir Anees and Josh Malihabadi . In 1933, he
192-638: Is dedicated to Faiz and Jazbi whom he calls his “dil-o-jigar,” and to Sardar Jafri and Makhdoom, who are “mere dast-o-bazu.” Faiz wrote a thoughtful prelude to Ahang . Majaz abandoned his MA in Aligarh due to financial reasons and moved to Delhi where he worked as sub-editor for the journal, Awaaz (Call). Here he became actively involved with the Delhi branch of the Progressive Writers' Association run by Shahid Ahmad Dehlvi . He also worked for
216-437: Is left in us after the bloodbath of riots Ghareeb Sita ke ghar pe kab tak rahegi Ravan ki hukmrani Draupadi ka libas uske badan se kab tak chhina karega Shakuntala kab tak andhi taqdeer ke bhanwar mein phansi rahegi Yeh Lakhnau ki shiguftagi maqbaron mein kab tak dabi rahegi How long will Ravan rule over the home of poor Sita How long will Draupadi be deprived of her garment How long will Shakuntala be enmeshed in
240-748: The All India Radio for a year before moving to Bombay , where he worked in the Department of Information for the Government of Bombay. In 1937, he returned to Lucknow and along with Jafri and Sibte Hassan founded the literary magazine, Parcham (Flag) which ran only for a single issue. In Lucknow, he also worked on the editorial staff of journals like Halqa-e-Adab (Circle of Literature) and in Naya Adab (New Literature) along with Jafri and Sibte Hassan. Majaz died on 5 December 1955, while
264-581: The Indian National Congress as Secretary of the university's Students' Union. Jafri embarked on his literary career in 1938 with the publication of his first collection of short stories called Manzil (Destination). His first collection of poems Parvaz (Flight) was published in 1944. In 1936, he presided over the first conference of the Progressive Writers' Movement in Lucknow . He also presided over their subsequent assemblies for
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#1732776215432288-866: The Chief Minister of Bombay State; three months later, he was rearrested. His important works as a lyricist include Dharti Ke Lal (1946) and Pardesi (1957) . Between 1948 and 1978 he published eight poetry collections, which include, Nai Duniya Ko Salaam (Salute to the New World), (1948), Khoon Ki Lakeer , Amn Ka Sitara , Asia Jaag Utha (Asia Awakes) (1951), Patthar Ki Deewar (Stone Wall) (1953), Ek Khwab Aur (One More Dream), Pairahan-i-Sharar (The Robe of Sparks) (1965) and Lahu Pukarta Hai (The Blood Calls) (1965). These were followed by Awadh ki khak-i-haseen (Beautiful Land of Awadh), Subhe Farda (Tomorrow Morning), Mera Safar (My journey) and his last anthology entitled Sarhad (Frontier), which
312-1013: The Gold medal from the Pakistan Government for Iqbal studies (1978), the Uttar Pradesh Urdu Academy Award for poetry, the Makhdoom Award, the Faiz Ahmad Faiz Award, the Iqbal Samman Award from the Madhya Pradesh government and the Sant Dyaneshwar Award from the Maharashtra government. Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) conferred a doctorate ( D.Litt. ) on him in 1986, fifty years after he
336-629: The abyss of fate How long will the freshness of Lucknow remain buried under the imposing tombs? In 1998, Jafri became the third Urdu poet to receive the Jnanpith Award (for 1997), after Firaq Gorakhpuri (1969) and Qurratulain Hyder (1989). The Bharatiya Jnanpith said, "Jafri represents those who are fighting against injustice and oppression in society". He was also the recipient of several other significant awards and honours including Padma Shri (1967), Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship (1971),
360-498: The cold winter night. The next morning he was rushed to the hospital where doctors diagnosed a brain hemorrhage and pneumonia ". Majaz died that night. He was buried in a cemetery in Lucknow. His grave bears a verse from one of his ghazals written in 1945: And after this there is morn and the new morning Majaz With me ends the eve of sorrows of Lucknow. Majaz's collection of poems include: Urdu poets The following
384-557: The first Students' Urdu Convention was underway in Lucknow. His condolence meeting was held on 7 December 1955 in the Rifah-e-Aam Hall and was attended by poets and writers from all over India. Due to his heavy drinking, he had a tragic death. On the night of his death, according to a newspaper, "Majaz's friends took him to a tavern in Lalbagh where they all drank on the rooftop. One by one they all left leaving Majaz alone in
408-408: The rest of his life. In 1939, he became co-editor of Naya Adab , a literary journal devoted to the Progressive Writers' Movement which continued to be published until 1949. He was involved in several social, political and literary movements. On 20 January 1949, he was arrested at Bhiwandi , for organising a (then banned) Progressive Urdu writers' conference, despite warnings from Morarji Desai ,
432-458: The then Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee carried with him on his bus journey to Lahore in 1999. The prime minister had invited Jafri to accompany him on this trip but ill health prevented him from doing so. Sarhad is also an audio album dedicated to Indo-Pakistan amity produced by Squadron Leader Anil Sehgal and composed and sung by "Bulbul-e-Kashmir" Seema Anil Sehgal. Atal Bihari Vajpayee made history when he presented Sarhad , as
456-412: Was a university graduate at a time when this was rare; he joined government service, serving in the middle ranks of the registration department, and finally reached the rank of Assistant Registrar. He was posted mainly in Lucknow , but since his aged parents needed attention, he kept his wife and children in the ancestral house at Rudauli, which is not far from Lucknow , and he would visit them about twice
480-522: Was admitted to Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) where he soon got exposed to Communist ideology and was expelled from the university in 1936 for 'political reasons'. However, he graduated in 1938 from Zakir Husain College ( Delhi College ), Delhi University , but his subsequent postgraduate studies at Lucknow University ended prematurely following his arrest during 1940–41 for writing anti-War poems, and for taking part in political activities organised by
504-662: Was also the editor and publisher of Guftagu , one of the leading Urdu literary magazines of the Indian sub-continent . Jafri died on 1 August 2000 in Mumbai , the capital of Maharashtra . To mark his first death anniversary, the book Ali Sardar Jafri: The Youthful Boatman of Joy , edited by Squadron Leader Anil Sehgal, a close associate, was published in 2001. Ai watan khake watan woh bhi tujhe de denge Bach raha hai jo lahoo abke fasaddat ke baad O my country, my beloved land we shall be most willing to sacrifice Whatever blood
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#1732776215432528-409: Was at this time that he came in contact with both senior and upcoming poets of Agra, including Fani Badayuni , Ale Ahmad Suroor and Jazbi. With difficulty, Majaz finally cleared his intermediate exams in 1931, and rejoined his parents in Aligarh, where his father got him enrolled for BA at Aligarh Muslim University , his subjects being philosophy, economics and Urdu. He graduated in 1936, again taking
552-480: Was born on 19 October 1911 at Rudauli in Ayodhya district of what is now Uttar Pradesh . His family were a branch of a land-owning gentry family, but were not wealthy. His brother Ansar Harvani was a journalist and he had two older sisters, namely Safia and Hamida . Safia was the wife of poet Jan Nisar Akhtar . Thus, Majaz was the maternal uncle of Javed Akhtar . Majaz suffered from a hearing impairment even as
576-494: Was transferred to Aligarh , and the family moved again, leaving Majaz in a hostel. The young Majaz was given a cash allowance for the first time in his life, and freedom from his mother's adoring but eagle surveillance. He behaved like many teenagers of his age, neglected his studies, spent his time and money the way he liked, and failed his exams. Yet, his time was spent not on games or in disreputable activities, but in attending mushairas (poetry symposia) and music concerts . It
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