E-Paper
Poet for all reasons
Khushbir Singh Shaad?s philosophy is best summed up in this verse: ?Har Paudhey ko paani dena hai dushwar magar, baarish ke mausam tak sabko zinda rakhna hai.?
Khushbir Singh Shaad’s philosophy is best summed up in this verse: “Har Paudhey ko paani dena hai dushwar magar, baarish ke mausam tak sabko zinda rakhna hai.”
It is this approach perhaps, that has seen Shaad being accepted as a poet in his own right despite initial rejections.
For someone who had to hire a Urdu tutor to learn the script not very long ago, it is no mean achievement that famous Pakistani ghazal singer Farida Khanam expressed a desire to sing Shaad’s verses, prominent literary magazines published his couplets and recognition from the global literary fraternity came his way.
The latest indication of Shaad’s growing popularity has come through an invite by Federation of Aligarh Alumni Association and Urdu Markaz International. The invite meant for five select poets from India – Shaad, Nida Fazli and Popular Meeruti – and Pakistan – Jazib Qureshi and Rehana Roohi – follows after Shaad’s highly successful tour of Pakistan where his verses were lapped up by the classes and masses alike. “We would be touring 15 US cities from November 3 to December 16,” Shaad informed HT WE.
Shaad’s popularity is all the more striking for he is hardly seen in mushairas (poetic symposiums). “I had my reasons for not attending mushairas. One, I was the lone earning member in my family. Two, I was more into printing business, my family members felt that I would waste my time and energy attending these poetic symposiums and most importantly I myself was disenchanted seeing the way the stage was being used to heighten passions,” he said.
He added, “A poet doesn’t need to carry some message. If a poem comes from the heart, it would leave an impact on its own.” Like? “In Pakistan a couplet of mine: Yeh tera taj nahi hamari pagdi hai, yeh sar ke saath he utregi, sar ka hissa hai was so well received that virtually every one seemed to have remembered it by heart. That’s what a good poem/couplet does to people,” he said.
So, Shaad kept on writing.
Today, his poetic publications include—Jaane Kab Yeh Mausam Badle, Geeli Mitti, Chalo Kuchh Rang Hi Bikhre that was printed by Pakistan’s leading publisher—Welcome Book Port as well and Zara Yeh Dhoop Dhal Jaye. “Bekhabiyan, my latest poetic offering is all set for release around January,” he said.
What’s more, Shaad doesn’t scout the country looking for a publisher. “I don’t like running after people. I write Urdu poetry for I like it. So, I print my poems at my own press. My books are meant for all lovers of Urdu poetry,” he says.
The verses penned by this simple, unassuming Sikh have been published in literary magazines like ‘Shabkhoon’ that is taken out by leading critic Shams-Ur-Rehman Farooqui, Naya Daur, Inquilab, leading Pakistani papers like Jung and Dawn etc. In fact, while reviewing Shaad’s verses in Dawn, the reviewer wrote, “After Kunwar Mahendra Singh Bedi and Rajendra Singh Bedi, Shaad is probably the third Sikh to make such meaningful contribution to Urdu literature.”
What next? One expected a poetic reply. And Shaad didn’t disappoint. “Sadaf jo bikhre pade hain wafa ke saahil par, inhe sambhal ke rakhna, na jaane kya mil jaye”!
