Every year 'December' reminds me of a personality who gave a breath of fresh air to the Urdu poetry. The strong advocate of women's rights and the true depiction of an eastern girl; Perveen Shakir was one of the most 'loved' and 'read' Urdu poets of her time.
She was born on 24th November, 1952 in Karachi, Pakistan and was highly erudite with three degrees; one in English literature, one in linguistics and one was Masters in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, USA.
The ionic figure of 20th century, Parveen Shakir taught for around nine years at Karachi University and Trinity College, Connecticut, USA; before she got her feet into Civil Services. She was a successful bureaucrat who stood second in CSS exam and first in the Academy going on to a successful career in the prestigious Customs Services of Pakistan and worked as Commissioner in the Customs department. Perveen's most prestigious honor that she got in her life was her Central Superior Services Examination (CSS) in 1982; where there was a question on her poetry in the Urdu Examination.
Perveen Shakir gave five eternal gifts to the Urdu poetry in the form of Khushboo (Fragrance) in 1977, Sad-barg (Marigold) in 1982, Khud-kalaami (Talking to one's self) in 1985, and Inkaar (Refusal) in 1990. Her fifth and final book Kaf-e-Aina (Under the mirror) was published posthumously in 1996.
Her first book, Khushboo, (Fragrance) consists of both ghazals and nazms, won the Adamjee award. Later she was awarded the highly obliged award 'Pride of Performance' by the Pakistan Government on her remarkable contribution to the Urdu poetry.
Perveen was endowed with a high sense of creativity and novelty. She dedicated her first poetical work 'Khushboo' to Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi; whom she considered as her 'ustad' and used to affectionally call 'Ammujaan'.
'Khushboo' expresses the emotions of an adolescent girl for whom everything is her beloved one. Here you find confessions of this girl nurturing romantic dreams in a world of grim realities. The most significant difference that one finds in her poetry is the way she look at things i.e the female perspective which strongly lacks in Urdu poetry.
She herself wrote in the prologue:
On the crumbling threshold of fleet-footed moments, holding on to the arms of the wind, a girl stands and wonders: what should she tell you? Years ago, in the still hours of some night, she had prayed to God that He should reveal to her the girl inside her. I am sure God must have smiled, at least once, at the simplicity of that prayer-girls of tender age don't know that no greater calamity befalls those who dwell on earth than self-knowledge-but He granted her the request. And so, at an age when others wish for the moon, she received the magic word that would let her into the thousand-gated city of the Self.
And elsewhere:
Khushboo, is the story of the same vein. amazed eyes, checks full of dew and a girl having sad smile on her face she knew that this story is not new (not only this, no story in this world is new) - this is the art of our inner writer who dressed it in a way that it win the hearts of the reader!. (Prologue Khushboo)
Writing in first-person pronoun is very difficult to use in poetry/prose. It was her adept skills that she bravely used the first person female pronoun in her poetry and expresses the feeling of a young girl in true way. When one reads the prologue; I am sure one cannot help admiring the confidence with which it was used by the young author. Perveen calls herself a 'larki' (girl) not ''aurat' (Women). She bravely admits that fact that whenever this girl speaks to you; regardless of her wet eyes, you see her head up with confidence and proud.
Perveen was a kind hearted woman with a beautiful smile. She herself admits that if to love someone is crime then this girl confess this crime with full of pride. She wrote:
Wajood ko jab mohabbat ka wajdaan mila tou Shaiyee nay janam leya
Perveen was equally famous on both the electronic and print media. The critics compare Perveen's poetry to that of Iranian poet Forough Farrokhzad. She was a columnist writing weekly articles in the daily Jang and being anchorperson for many literary programs.
She was the strong woman with the true depiction of love, sympathy, ignorance and tolerance. Her poetry shows the various traits of an eastern girl. It was the first time in history of Urdu poetry when someone talked about dolls, ponds, departmental stores, telephones, waterfalls, cloths, perfume and husbands.
Wo tu khushboo hai, hawaaon mei bikhar jaaye gaa
masla tu phool ka hai, phool kidher jaaye gaa
He is the fragrance that will disperse in the wind.
Now the question is what will become of the flower.
And elsewhere:
Those who don't want to understand consider Perveen's poetry is nothing expect the laugh of the rain, smile of followers, songs by birds and her own whispering …….. (Prologue Khushboo)
Yes, it is true but this what we call an eternal love….. Unlike other great poets of her time; as of Amjad Islam Amjad and Faraz, who talked about the lost love, commitment, and feminine beauty, she talked about betrayal, disillusionment, loneliness, and about the masculine beauty. On one moment her poetry tells us the deep feeling of a young girl for whom everything is her beloved one. Whereas on the other hand she vitally accept the circumstances and understands the anguish of being rejected. She makes use of irony but her tone seldom sounds harsh or offhanded.
Perveen's story is a modern fairy tale without the happy ending. She married Naseer Ali, a doctor by profession in 1980 but soon the marriage broke and later divorced. The early years gave them a beautiful gift in the form of a baby boy; Murad Ali.
On 26th December, 1994 the world-wide outpouring of grief was unprecedented when her car collided with a truck and the world of modern Urdu poetry lost one of its brightest stars.
She is still alive in hearts of her fans and every growing year appends the list with the names of new lovers…… it is righteous to say that whenever one want to articulate his/her love; the first gift that is exchanges between them is 'Khushboo'.
harf e taaza naii khushboo mein likha chahta hai
baab ik aur mohabbat ka khula chahta hai
aik lamhay ki tawajoo nahi hasil uss ki
aur yeh dil keh ussay hud say siwa chahta hai
ik hijaab teh e iqrar hai ma'nay manay warna
gul ko maloom hai kaya dast e saba chahta hai
rait he rait hai iss dil mein musafir mairay
aur yeah sehra taira naqash e qaf e pa chahta hai
yehe khamooshi kai rung mein zahir ho gi
aur kuch roz keh woh shokh khula chahta hai
raat ko maan liya dil nay muqadar laykin
raat kay haath pay aab koi diya chahta hai
tairay paymanay mein gardish nahi baqi saqi
aur tairi bezam say aab koi utha chahta hai
