Faridoon Shahryar's Blog


Thursday, January 24, 2019

Khamoshi barqaraar rahe

Khamoshi barqaraar rahe
By Faridoon Shahryar

Shor khamoshi ka
Pehle bhi suna hoga
Ye to hota aaya hai
Hota rahega 
Koi nai baat nahin 
Darr ki chaap 
Dehlaa dene waala sannata
Alaamat hai
Maazi se takraav ka
Mustaqbil ke khwaab pirona
 Fizool hai
Kal ki ghaltiyon ko
Phir dohraana 
Haqeeqat hai
Tasleem kijiye 
Is sachchai ko
Aur chup rahiye
khamoshi barqaraar rahe
Yahi aapki zimmedaari hai

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Gavah Nahin Koi

Gavah Nahin Koi
By Faridoon Shahryar 

Zaheen log hain wo
Jo mauqe ki nauyiyat ko
Samajhte hain
Hawa ke saath behne 
Mein hi samajhdaari hai
Wo ye jaante hain, 
Maante hain
Har ek us baat ko
Jo kamyabi ki aahat se
Unke vajood ko 
Mukammal karti hai. 

Insaniyat par unki shuk hai
Neki se unhen parhez hai shayad
Qatl Jo sabke saamne hua
Gavah nahin uska koi.

Friday, January 18, 2019

Zameer Roz Marta Hai

Khwaab gumnaam thhe
unhe dafnaana hi behtar thha
Mehnat ke beej 
Kyun boyen 
Jab aaraam ki galiyan saji hain
Hum to kal bhi acche thhe
Aaj bhi madadgaar hain
Qadardaan hain
Dene walon ke
Zameer roz marta hai
Hum zinda rahenge
Auron ke khwaabon ke zariye
Kuch na kaho hamein
Hum to achche hain
Sacche hain
Ahad ke magar kachche hain.

#FaridoonShahryar

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Nafrat ka Ujaala

Nafrat ka ujaala 
Samete chingariyan
Jagmaga raha hai
Khahkhahe hain
Fizaon mein
Nashtar hain
Nigahon mein 
Parinde hain sahme
Darinde jama hain
Zameen aasmaa par
Khoon se latpat
Khwaab bikhre se
Ye kya ho raha hai
Ye kya maajra hai...

#FaridoonShahryar

Sunday, January 13, 2019

Mayoos Sannaata

Mayoos Sannaata
By Faridoon Shahryar


Jungle tabah hua
Aag nahin lagi thi
Na zalzala aaya, aur na sailaab
Ajeeb si khamoshi hai
Suna hai kuch cheekhon ki Awaazen, musalsal goonjee
Kai roz
Phir aadat pad gayi
Pattiyan tooteen
Phir shaakhein juda hueen
Aur sabza murjha gaya
Ab vahan reigistan hai
Aur mayoos sannata bhi...

Monday, January 7, 2019

Kaanton ka geet

Hairat ki baat hai
Jhooth ka beej bone 
Se faayda hua
Pedh bhi bada hua
Phal bhi hue
Pattiyan bhi muskurayin
Afsos ye tha ki 
Ye kisi ke tasavvur ki upaj thee
Zameen banjar thi
Kaanton ne mil kar geet gaaya
Ab, andhera hai
Aur khamoshi bhi

Sunday, January 6, 2019

Ujaale ki aahat

Ek tasveer aisi
Jo kabhi bani hi na ho
Ek khayal aisa 
Jise sochna bhi mumkin nahin tha shayad 
Umeed ka aaina
Dhundla hi sahi
Lekin khwab ki khwahish ko
Sajaata hai
Aankhon mein aasoo hi sahi
Haqeeqat se vabistgi to hai
Raat din se door sahi
Ujaale ki aahat ka gumaan to hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Saturday, January 5, 2019

Tryst with Urdu Poetry begins....

Jo baat bahut pehle karni thi, ab ki hai

This was the Misra of Abba's Ghazal that Javed Akhtar sahab wrote on the copy of his first collection of poetry #Tarkash when he presented it to my father. Javed sahab started writing poetry rather late in his life and hence the first collection of his Ghazals/Nazmz was published late (Published in 1995, and he was born in 1945). 

The reason why I am writing this post is the urge that I am having off late to write poetry in Urdu. I started writing poetry in English at the age of 12 and was getting published in literary magazines by the age of 18. While I was still pursuing BA honours in English at AMU my poems were getting published along with celebrated writers of Indian English like Kamla Das, Keki Daruwala, Shiv K Kumar, Tabish Khair etc. Poetry in English doesn't sell and once you get involved with the practical side of life, pragmatism takes over. Flair for poetry helped me in journalism, I ghost wrote a couple of books (that helped me buy my first house) and there was a period of time where I was involved with advertising. I was producing jingles for radio and television. I wrote 100s of Ads in English as well as Hindustani. 

I have been asked many a times that why don't you write in Urdu. People who have followed my father's work would know that he was a rare poet. He sacrificed a lot to stay honest to his Art. We were very close. I understood early in life that it's important to compartmentalise: Father is father and an Artiste is an Artiste. It's not correct to mix the two. That would lead to a conflict. We discussed anything and everything under the sun. And by that I mean Anything! He was brutally frank with me. 

Now when I look back, I realise that he didn't want me to have an easy, cushioned life. He said, "Tumko samandar ke paas bhej diya hai ab terna tum khud seekho." I never used Abba's name to get ahead in life. Never! I have no respect for people who drop names of influential people during their conversation just to add value to themselves. If you need crutches all the time then what's the point. I am grateful to Abba that he imparted a lot of knowledge directly or in a subtle manner. That knowledge continues to be of immense help. I always say, parents leave behind property, money, but my father left behind a wealth of knowledge, quotes, jokes, sayings that continue to help me at various crucial moments in life.

 I always felt that when my father has already contributed so much to the world of Urdu literature then what more can I add to it. While researching for the session with Vishal Bhardwaj sahab at Jashne Rekhta, I indulged in a very detailed research. I read Bashir Badr sahabs poetry (since Vishal sahab was very close to him). I read Faiz Ahmad Faiz' poetry since he had Faiz in Haider. I read Vishal sahab's Nazmz again and again. He has a lot of honesty in what he says. Vishal sahab told me that "Since you speak such good Urdu, why don't you write as well?" I have never prepared for any interview the way I prepared for my session with Vishal sahab. Since we speak English and asaan Hindustani in our day to day life, chaste Urdu gets left behind. The script for my questions was drafted by Aarefa Faridoon who's a very fine writer as well. Ammi Najma Mahmood is a widely known writer in Urdu and she incorporated some solid Urdu words like 'Ibhaam', 'Parda-e-Seemi' etc. I had to get the talaffuz right. Most of it came naturally since I've grown up in an Urdu speaking household and then I worked on a few words that had phonetic subtleties involved. The session with Vishal sahab went well. 

I listen to songs on my mobile while travelling. Ear phone is one of my closest friends. Literally! Now I am listening to Mirza Ghalib, Faiz, Iqbal and it's a beautiful world. I wrote a few Nazmz recently and I was surprised by the good response. Something tells me from within that it's time for me to turn back to my roots and write in the language that comes most naturally to me. I know I'd be compared with Abba but that's fine. He was very honest to his craft. I shall try and follow that. I know there are a lot of honest people out there who'd give their reactions. If poetry makes a difference in people's lives then they make it a part of their day to day life. 

Abba said, "You must read classic Poets. You should know what all has been written in the past, the subjects especially. It shouldn't be the case that you may feel that you've written something unique but someone had already said the same thing 200 years back." So that's the endeavour, to try and say what hasn't been said before and say it in a unique manner. I am nervous but something within tells me that, now is the time. 

Jo baat bahut pehle karni thi, ab ki hai.