Daily Times

The writer of three earlier books titled Partau, Kheyal-o-Khwaab and Wohi Chaya, Rehana Ashraf’s fourth book comprises prose-poetry titled Aks-e-Daroon (Inner Reflections).

The book reflects what goes on inside a body and mind. Azra Mirza gives an apt tribute to Rehana on her poetry through a poem, one stanza of which is “Hain Maarfat Ke Sabhi Raaz Tera Zaad-e-Raah, Daleel Teri Baseerat Pe Khud Bani Hai Gawah, Tu Apni Quwat-e-Baatin Ke Fun Se Hai Waqif, Sehr Ke Hone Ka Hai Khoob Tujh Ko Andaza’ (all what dawns upon you, because of your wisdom, hascerebral as your witness. Since God has bestowed upon you all the treasures of wisdom, you have an exact idea of when dawn shall break). In a poetic introduction, Rehana reveals that her mind was surrounded by mist and was a scattered-self when a fairy came from nowhere and flew her towards dawn. That hollow of light thus gave her astuteness so that she could spell what went inside her.

Poet Karamat Bukhari observes that Rehana’s poems fall under the category of Blank Verse. She has kept the rhymes intact and thereby maintained the rhythm. Rehana has also written poems in Azad Nazm (free verse) and Nasari Nazm (Prose poetry) formats. In the introductory chapter of her book titled Jadeed Nazm Ke Arbaab-e-Arba’a, late Dr Anwar Sadeed had named some poets of Urdu nazm such as Munir Niazi, Shahzad Ahmad, Jilani Kamran, Salim Ahmad, Jamil ud din Aali, Ghulam Jillani Asghar, Sarshar Siddiqui, Ahmad Zafar, Ubaidullah Aleem, Sehr Ansari, Himayat Ali Shair, Arsh Siddiqui, Ibn-e-Insha, Ijaz Farouqi, Dr Khurshid Rizvi, Riaz Majeed, Naseer Ahmad Nasir, Shaheen Mufti, Shabnam Rumani and many more. This list is quite long. This reviewer has only mentioned a few names. Dr Anwar Sadeed had also discussed the two important movements at the time of creation of our homeland, first the progressive writers movement and the other by Halqa-e-Arbaab-e-Zauq and their respective impact on both the inner soul and the facade of Urdu literature. Then Dr Anwar Sadeed talked about the two forgotten voices in the field of interest namely Arif Abdul Mateen and Altaf Gohar.

Karamat Bukhari in an article titled Lazawal Nazmon Ki Shaira in the book under review names some poets related to the Progressive Writers Movement such as Faiz, Firaq, Sahir, Majrooh, Kaifi and Allama Iqbal apart from Mira Ji, Majeed Amjad and Noon Meem Rashid. Giving this information as a prelude to Rehana Ashraf’s poems, he observes that like any creative person whose creation writes the civilisation of that era, Rehana’s poems shall also play their role. It is so because of her treatment, style and craft. In a beautiful poem titled ‘Ista’are’ (metaphors) she pays homage to the Almighty by indicating a lot many things we see in everyday life as metaphors of His existence like skies, earth, stars, the sun, moon, oceans, rivers, fire, life and death etc. She also distributes flowers of art every day in various gatherings and says the odour of her words knit in poems hopefully reaches to the audience.

Rehana Ashraf’s poetry is more an expression of feelings of truth. That is why it is a reflection of her inner beauty ‘Aks-e-Daroon’ (reflection of innersole); hence the title of the book under review. Rehana’s short poems have a beauty of their own. As an apt tribute to poet Munir Niazi, she chooses just the right expression by saying, “Kuch Jaage Jaage Se, Kuch Soye Soye Se, Ghazab Ke Sukhanwar Thay, Soch May Khoye Khoye Se” (He was a great intellectual, always lost in his thoughts, in sleepy or awake demeanour). She compares the body and soul in her poem ‘Mun Aur Tun’ (Soul and body). This reviewer shall just pick a few lines from this poem. On one hand she says, “Mu Ke Ander Kitni Wusa’at, Apna Bhi Khud Bojh Uthaei.” On the other hand she says, “Aur Itraata Hua Ye Tun, Maadi Duniya Ka Ye Dhan, Zaat Ke Zindaan Ka Mehsoor’ (The soul has great depth. It not only carries your weight but also of the others. On the contrary, the body is the wealth of this capitalistic society controlled by the cell of yourself).

On Women’s Day, Rehana presented her poem titled Aurat Ke Qalam Se (from the pen of a woman). A few lines are reproduced here; “Par Hai Tau Yehi, Keh Tu Azal Se Hi, Is Sinf-e-Niswaan Ko, Ya Siraf Apni Ana’a, Auzaan May Tolta Raha” (It is a fact that since day one, you weighed women on the scale of your ego). Rehana is not oblivious to what is going around her in the country.