Tag Archives: Urdu Poet

Beacon of change

Hyderabad, TELANGANA :

Members smile during a rehearsal break The group is performing qawwali at Goethe Zentrum for World Music Day Celebrations. Photo: G. Ramakrishna
Members smile during a rehearsal break The group is performing qawwali at Goethe Zentrum for World Music Day Celebrations. Photo: G. Ramakrishna

A group of women qawwals share their experiences and the issues they highlight in their qawwalis

Hyderabad :

Away from the hustle and bustle of the bazaars in Charminar, a quiet lane in Sultanshahi resonates with qawwal claps and inside Shaheen Resource Centre, the chatter and laughter of young girls fills the air.

Amidst the harmonium preludes, the group wearing cheery yellow duppattas and feather caps sing a qawwali — Kab tak mera maula, dil mera pukara hai, shaadi meri marzi se kabhi hoti nahin hai, mujh ko kya pasand hai koi poochta nahin hai... Clearly this is not a regular qawwali where singers confine their performances to a spiritual context. The lyrics here carry a message that’s contemporary and temporal though it’s packaged in familiar qawwali tunes.

Jameela Nishat of Shaheen Resource Centre Photo: G. Ramakrishna
Jameela Nishat of Shaheen Resource Centre Photo: G. Ramakrishna

Jameela Nishat, the founder of Shaheen talks about using qawwali as a beacon of change. “Women are not given space in public; they are allowed to write poetry but not allowed to perform in public. This is our effort to bring a change in that mindset,” she shares.

A feminist Urdu poet who writes the songs which depicts reality, Jameela encourages women to take a step towards this change. As a result, the group from Shaheen has performed qawwalis at schools, colleges and other events for three years now.

Sania Fatima, a staff teacher and volunteer, shares the impact of qawwalis. “When we perform for special days like a Mother’s Day or Women’s Day, we intersperse the songs with messages like ‘beti bachao beti padao’ and highlight the abuse women face daily in their lives. The response is amazing as qawwalis are enjoyed by all,” she points out. Some popular tunes of classics like Tere mehfil mein kismet, aajmaake hum bhi dekhenge from Mughal-E-Azam have been used with lyrics changed to highlight contemporary social issues.

Tackling themes like dowry, education, taking care of one’s health, being independent and making life’s choices; lyrics in the songs asks tough questions. Sultana, who is a graduate, believes qawwalis can be used as instruments of change.

Zehra Jabeen recalls the experience of performing qawwali recently during the ‘Salaam Telangana’ event at Ravindra Bharati. “The crowd was restive and making lots of noise; it did not stop even when we started the qawwali. But within a few seconds, there was pin drop silence and they heard us with full attention.” .

It is a mixed group, comprising members of various ages and stages in life. A first year student Swati Kulkarni is also part of the group. “I have knowledge of music but singing a qawwali was new. Everything, from the costume, changing one’s voice, to singing in rhythm to the claps was different,” she smiles. The cheerful group looks forward to the qawwali performances.

“It is a big challenge to come out and stand courageously on a platform to sing. We hope our songs inspire many others too,” chips in Sania, the lead singer, and adds, “We brush aside minor issues of high notes and low notes. We make our voices heard as a group.”

The rehearsals for a forthcoming performance over, the girls break into a smile. “When we wear the costume and sing in rhythm, we feel so excited that we forget the world.”

(The group is performing as part of World Music Day celebrations at Goethe Zentrum on June 26; Entry: Free)

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Metroplus / by Neerja Murthy / Hyderabad – June 24th, 2016

Sada-e-Dilkusha of Iqbal’s Persian poems to be released on Saturday

IQbalMPos05mar2014
Hyderabad :

(Siasat News) Noted Urdu poet, Mr. Muztar Majaz has complied Sada-e-Dilkusha consisting of Iqbal’s Persian poems and translated them from Persian into Urdu.

This book will be released by Mr. Syed Turabul Hasan, IAS (Rtd) at Urdu Hall, Himayathnagar at 7 pm on Saturday 8th March.

Dr. Mohammed Ziauddin Ahmed Shakaib will preside over the function. Mr. Rahimuddin Kamal, Editor of Horizon English Daily will be the guest of honor for this function.

Prof. Fatima Begum, former Head of the Dept. of Urdu of O.U. and Mr. Syed Imtiyaz Uddin will express their opinions on the translated poems by Mr. Muztar Majaz. Mr. Ghulam Yazdani, President of Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu, A.P. will present welcome address.

Dr. Mohammed Shujath Ali Rashed, Deputy Director of Centre for Professional Development of Urdu Medium Teachers of Maulana Azad National Urdu University will conduct the meeting.

He has requested all the invitees, research scholars and Urdu lovers to attend the meeting.

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> Hyderabad / Tuesday – March 04th, 2014