Urdu Book Review

(Was originally published in The Tribune dated 17 October, 2010)

Articulating avian aspirations

By

Amar Nath Wadehra

Parindon ka aalami mushaira by BD Kalia “Humdum”
Haryana Waqf Board, Ambala Cantt. Pages: 159. Price: not mentioned

Aasman aur bhi uththta hai to uthth janey dow
Hamney bhi kuvvat-e-parvaaz badha lee ‘Humdum’
(Let the sky soar higher, I too have increased my capability to fly accordingly).

Indian literature has a long tradition of creating bird characters that think, talk and act like human beings, and have become household names. There is Garuda in our ancient scriptures and mythology, Jatayu in Ramayan and Shuka in various Sanskrit texts, including the ones pertaining to astrology. However, birds as poets – especially in Urdu? Can’t recall? But that’s not a surprise because, perhaps, it never occurred to any writer of substance to create one. BD Kalia ‘Humdum’ has filled this gap with his latest book.

Often we attribute assorted qualities to different birds, viz., crow as messenger, vulture as bad omen and owl as harbinger of desolation, which this oft-quoted verse suggests, “Bas ek hi ullu kaafi hai barbaad gulistaan karne ko/Har shaakh pey ullu baitha ho anjaam-e-gulistaan kya hoga.” The owl-poet in Humdum’s book retorts, “Bastiyaan veeran karna husno-mai ka kaam hai/Boom tow ullu ka pattha muft mein badnam hai” (it’s liquor and beauty that destroy human dwellings, the darned owl is reviled unreasonably).

The book’s cover depicts the style and ambience of mushaira, setting the contents’ mood. It is a humorous, poignant and thought-provoking take on human beings’ hypocrisy, cruelty and other foibles vis-à-vis our feathered friends. A few “famous bird-poets” that have presented their kalaam in this collection are Garud Aalami (President), Hansmaan Sarovari, Mor Bharati, Tota Ludhianvi, Bater Jalandhari, Kumri Kanpuri, Bulbul Banarsi, Surkhab Panchkulvi et al.

The following couplets articulate avian protest against human beings’ tendency to capture birds and cage them, feed them, use them for entertainment and sell them for profit: Daal kar pinjre mein panchchi ko jo sab pakwaan dey/Woh sitamgar ho na ho woh meharbaan uska nahin. And, Azad mujhko kar dey o quaid karne wale/Main bezubaan hoon quaidi mujhe chchordkar dua ley.

When the bird is freed it thanks the captor in this manner: Ab dua deytay huye thaktee nahin meri zubaan /Quaid sey jo kar diya azad toonay meharbaan.

Through various ashaar (couplets) the bird-poets assert their superiority over human beings in this manner: Hameen Suur-Tulsi, Hameen Mir-Ghalib, /Hameen inmey rehtey thhey chola badalkar. Putting a stamp on the bird poets’ moral superiority Humdum avers: Deeno-imaan kay waali tujhey maloom hai kya/Peshtar mullah sey deitein hain azaanein panchchi.

This book highlights the process of projecting the beauty of Urdu poetry through the medium of birds. Something that is unique – even if one considers the past and present of Urdu poesy. On a more elevated level, it deals with such ideals as freedom, peace, the etiquettes of mushaira like giving daad (appreciation) and acknowledging it. In fact the ambience for the mushaira has been created with great skill and imagination.

Parindon ka aalami mushaira is a product of BD Kalia’s fertile imagination. He has articulated the birds’ muted feelings through this volume.

&n

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