ATP Mushaira: Anwar Masood

Posted on March 26, 2008
Filed Under >Adil Najam, ATP Mushaira, Humor, People, Poetry, Urdu
25 Comments
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Adil Najam

I want to introduce this new (hopefully regular) feature at ATP. (Actually, if you press the ‘ATP Mushaira‘ category you will find that this is the second installment in this category; the first being our little Faiz Mela on Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s birthday.) Of course, poetry has been a regular and favorite subject for us at Pakistaniat.com. However, this (sub-) category is distinguished from other posts on poetry because here we will feature kalam i shair ba zaban i shair (i.e., poetry recited by the poets themselves).

The Mushaira is a particular – and particularly enchanting – Pakistani tradition. It is, of course, not just a Pakistani tradition, nor any more only an Urdu tradition. Indeed, it seems that the new revival of the mushaira is happening neither in Pakistan nor in India but in the Middle East and North America, because of affluent expatriates yearning for poetic connections to the homes they left behind. Indeed, a new crop of poets are emerging in these diaspora communities, and as we did with Khalid Irfan, we hope to feature these new ‘non-resident’ poets here too.

To me, the format and structure of the mushaira is a wonderful social and literary device and the interactions amongst the poets and between poets and audience adds dimensions to the understanding and appreciation of the artistic expression in ways that are significantly different from reading poetry or to listening to it being sung by someone else. Of course, it has its pitfalls too and I am not suggesting that the mushaira experience is superior to other forms of ‘poetic intake’. All I am suggesting is that it is different. And it is this difference we wish to capture through this series of posts where we will showcase audio and video recordings of poets reading their own kalam.

For this installment I bring you three selections from Anwar Masood; someone I have known and admired for very long and who has been always very kind and affectionate to me.

We have, of course, talked about him before on this blog (also here and elsewhere). But this time, let us talk himself in his unique and extremely entertaining style. The first two selections are of qataat in Urdu (his preferred format for his Urdu work). For many, including me, his most memorable work are his classic Punjabi poems such as Banyaan, Chai tay Lassi, Anarkalli diyan shaanan, Jehlum dey pul tay (my particular favorite), etc. The third offering here is his Punjabi humorous poem Ajj Ki Pakaiaye, which I think is the most representative of his Punjabi work, in structure as well as idiom.

Finally, as a special treat, I offer this audio link to his serious Punjabi poem Ambri (this will open and play in RealPlayer; click on images on left). The subject is a courageous one: domestic violence. And it is rendered with heartfelt passion as well as poetic sophistication. For me, at least, this is amongst the very best of Anwar Masood’s work.

Mizaahiya – Anwar Masood – Qitaat 02
05:00

Mezahiya – Anwar Masood – Qitaat 01
05:00

Mizahiya Nazm Punjabi – Anwar Masood – ‘Aaj kee Pakaiye’
02:13

25 responses to “ATP Mushaira: Anwar Masood”

  1. dear recepient of this comment link
    as a matter of fact i wassurfing this site to find email contact of mr anwer maqsood famous humerous tv artist of pakistan
    also i need email contact of nayarra noor, ghazal singer ptv pakistan: kindly oblige and provide me internet contacts of above personalities and oblige
    warm regards
    sincerely yours
    naseem ahmed khan
    karachi
    pakistan

  2. haji akhtar moazzam says:

    I respect Mr.Anwar Masood punjabi local poet.Still i remember the last part of his poem TU ALOO CHIL MAHIYA in Zamindar Degree College gujrat,punjab,Pakistan.Love to every body.Long live Pakistan and God save Pakistan.Thaks for saying AMIN

  3. S U Janbaz says:

    Anwar Masood a legend, a son of the soil, a voice of the mother earth, have a very delicate heart, deep thought and a unique style. He uses the words of common man in his poetry. Due to which, his poetry is enjoyed by every one.

  4. Rafay Kashmiri says:

    Request to Adil Najm

    @ Halaat-e-Hazerah par
    Janab-e-Anwar Masood ki nzr hay

    Halwajat-e-Assembly

    Wardi utter gai’i hay, to Asraar bhi Khulain,
    Ab Dekhna hay, uqdah-e-Anwaar bhi khulain

    Pir-o-murshid rukh pay hain, maidan-e-karzar,
    Hosh-o-khirad ki Ramza-e-Adaat bhi khulain

    Fikr yun hay, keh Hosh ata hay, josh jata hay,
    Ai’ay Assembly kay, dasterkhawan pay chalain
    Rafay Kashmiri

  5. Qais zahoor says:

    I call this unique person uncle Anwar Masood.I learnt his poem by heart but na hova ain ka aandaz naseeb

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