A most interesting development in Urdu literature since 1947 has been the emergence of an increasing number of women poets who have contributed to Urdu poetry what, several generations earlier, other women had to Urdu fiction: a more intimately feminine voice and a range of themes containing what had not been expressed before—a woman’s experience within the Urdu-speaking urban milieu (C.M . Naim)
Tomorrow , the literary circles of Pakistan are going to observe the 14th death anniversary of noted poetess Parveen Shakir with solemnity and reverence.
It may be recalled that Parveen Shakir, 42, was killed in a road accident on December 26, in 1994.
Born on November 24, 1952 in Karachi she was a noted Urdu poetess, teacher and a civil servant. She did her master in English Literature and Linguistics from Karachi University.
She was a professor at Karachi University and Trinity College, Connecticut, USA, for 9 years before joining the Civil Service.
Her unique honor was that when she appeared in the Central Superior Services Examination in 1982 there was a question on her poetry in the Urdu examination.
Her poetry was a breath of fresh air in Urdu poetry. She used the first person feminine pronoun, which is rarely used in Urdu poetry even by female poets.
Her first book, Khushboo, won the Adamjee Award. Later she was awarded the Pride of Performance.
By Huma Khawar
Death comes to everyone and is inevitable. Yet we call death ‘untimely’ when it comes to our loved ones, especially those who leave us at the prime of their lives. Parveen Shakir, one of the most popular poets of her time, had just turned 42 in November 1994, when a month later on the otherwise quite roads of Islamabad, on her way to office, her car was hit by a bus and within a few hours she was no more.
A rare combination of beauty and brains, a stunner with three masters degrees, author of five books, anchor person, eminent columnist, successful bureaucrat, a loving mother and a favourite with the electronic media, Parveen died at the prime of her life. A recipient of President’s Pride of Performance for literature, Parveen, in fact, was one of the few lucky ones recognized in her lifetime.
Sukhan Sitaroon Ka Karwaan was the title of the grand national mushaira organized by the Parveen Shakir Trust at a local hotel in the capital, where the literary circle of the country gathered to pay tribute to the life and works of the poetess. Held after a long gap, the event was no doubt a treat for Islooites and turned out to be a well-attended function with fans, friends and a large number of who’s who of the capital making their presence felt.
“A death so sudden left her friends and readers shattered and stunned. They wanted to do something for her to remedy their loss and to fill in the vacuum created in their hearts by her tragic and death. A Trust was therefore set up in 1995 with two objectives, namely to look after her young son, whom she was bringing up as a single parent and secondly to promote, protect and preserve her poetry,” Parveen Qadir Agha, Chairperson Parveen Shakir Trust, said welcoming the guests.
The number of members is growing while there are eight life members. In fact, all her well-wishers are members who work voluntarily throughout the year to express their sentiments. The other activities of the Trust include holding an annual function in a different city of Pakistan every year. She informed the audience that the Trust is running with support from civil society and corporate sector.
Yadon Ki Shamain, a candle-lighting ceremony marked the beginning of the evening when writers present on the occasion one by one lighted a candle each in front of the portraits of great Urdu poets, Mir, Ghalib, Iqbal, Josh, Noon Meem Rashid, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi, Munir Niazi and Parveen Shakir, with selected verses playing in the background.
After the last candle, lit by Zehra Nigah for Parveen Shakir, the mushaira began led by Amjad Islam Amjad, who requested Iftikhar Arif to preside. Other poets included Peerzada Qasim. Mohsin Shakeel, Anwer Masood, Khatir Ghazanavi, Asghar Nadeem, Shabnum Shakeel, Yasmeen Hameed, Fatima Hasan and Zehra Nigah were called on stage. Every poet present there had his or her own style and level of popularity, but it was no doubt Zehra Nigah who people eagerly listened to as one rarely gets to listen to her. Zehra recited her recent poems and then some of her kalam in taranum.
Abdullah Yousaf, Chairman of Central Board of Revenue, who was the chief guest, lauded Parveen’s work, who he said was also “an able CBR officer”. Nargis Rasheed, the compere of the evening, announced the names of Aks-e-Khushboo, an award which is given to best poetry written by a young poet.
Durdana Khuso, a student of the Sardar Khan University Balochistan was given the Parveen Shakir Gold Medal for securing first position in MA English examination. This is so because Parveen had two masters in English Literature and Linguistic, and was planning to do her PhD in the same subject.
Murad Ali, Parveen’s son, was just 15 years old when his mother died. Parveen was a single parent and the news was a shock for him. Leaving for office that day, on December 26, 1994, she called out to him to take his breakfast. A few minutes later he received a phone call that his mother’s car has crashed, the driver was dead and she was unconscious.
Murad completed his A Levels after his mother’s death and then went to Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) and later to Canada, graduating from University of Waterloo, Ontario with a degree in Mathmatics and computer sciences. He is now settled in Canada.
Parveen Shakir’s son has inherited creativity. He can write poetry, sings and plays the keyboard and guitar. Murad’s grandmother is now no more and his khala is now his mentor. But one cannot but praise the sincerity of Parveen Qadir Agha, his mother’s friend who is also her legal guardian and who has been a source of great support for him.