It is a pleasure to see continuous publishing of monthly ‘Takhleeq’ in the environment where some of very high standard literary magazines in the subcontinent have been closed due to paucity of funds and lack of proper literary contributions.
Editor Sonaan gives the credit of this magazine’s continuity to its fans that carry a copy of ‘Takhleeq’ and generate new readers where ever they travel all over the world. The inside page of the title cover gives the pictures of Azhar Javed’s friends with a message that the next issue would be dedicated to Rasheed Amjad who died recently. The intellectuals remembered are Dr. Anwar Sadeed, Mashkoor Hussain Yaad, Aizaz Ahmad Aazar, Absaar Abdul Ali, Hamid Saraaj, Iftikhar Majaaz, Malik Maqbool Ahmad, Dr. Saleem Agha Qizilbash, Nand Kishore Vikram, Prof. Jameel Aazar, Najam ul Hassan Rizvi and Shafi Aqeel.
After Hamd by Hassan Askari Kazmi and Naats by Khalid Iqbal Yasir and Shahbaz Anwar Khan, a very interesting and old letter by Parvez Bazmi from Sargodha to Azhar Javed has been reproduced. The basic need of reproducing this letter is because Bazmi had commented that if in 1913 Tagore became Nobel Laureate then in 2009, Satayapal Anand and Dr. Wazir Agha should have been nominated, the former from India and the latter from Pakistan. The rest of this letter throws light on blame game among literary groups, for instance the autobiography Paap Beeti by Ashfaq Naqvi has been referred to. Mention is made of the professional estranged relationship between Jamil Yousuf and Anwar Sadeed, the rivalry of two strong groups with their leaders both hailing from Sargodha etc.
On the corner reserved for Dada Tufail Akhtar in the magazine under review, famous film writer Muhammad Parvez Kalim writes an open letter to him where he recalls how he met Dada and Hassan Nisar in the office of a young businessman, which was located in Naqi Market, the Mall, Lahore. This guy desired to become an actor. Parvez mentions Dada’s contributions in writing for many film and non-film magazines such as Dhanak, Mussavir, Tassavur, Mumtaz and Muskurahat. In the latter he introduced many new writers. Kalim Saheb laments that for a person who worked for the uplift of Pakistani filmdom, none came on his funeral.
On the corner reserved for Dada Tufail Akhtar in the magazine under review, famous film writer Muhammad Parvez Kalim writes an open letter to him where he recalls how he met Dada and Hassan Nisar in the office of a young businessman, which was located in Naqi Market, the Mall, Lahore
Another tribute by Aftab Khan titled ‘Gehre Rang Hain Teri Yaadon Kei’ emphasises on the construction of the sentences in Tufail Akhtar’s writings based on his association of two decades plus. Aftab got introduced to Dada through Yasin Goreecha in his office in Royal Park, Lahore. Dada had managed to publish his magazine ‘Muskurahat’ for 20 plus years with beautiful get up. He shot into fame from the film magazine ‘Dhanak’ that had also become identity for Hassan Nisar, Rukhsana Noor, Zia Sajid and Javed Iqbal cartoonist. Dada published books of Baba Yahya Khan, Rukhsana Noor, Munir Raaj, Zahid Akaasi, Rishi Khan, Afzal Aajiz, Aziz Merthi. Saeed Qais, Sarwer Sukhaira, Parvez Kalim, Firdaus Ali, Fida Ahmad Kardar and Khursheed Alam. Dada was a part of ensemble to India with Munir Niazi, Aizaz Ahmad Aazar, and Zareen Panna etc.
In the section on essays, the first essay is penned on Ayub Khawer as poet of love and resistance by Ghulam Hassain Sajid. According to the author of this essay, neither did Khawer make Islamic civilization as his theme of poetry like Izhar ul Haq and Sarwet Hussain did nor did he live in the past like Ghulam Muhammad Qasir and Jamal Ehsani. Khawer has tried to leave a fixed theme behind like Sabir Zafar, Shabbir Shahid and Ghulam Hussain Sajid. In Khawer’s poetry of 1990s he came out of the defeat of his dreams and leaves the foggy past for a pleasant future. His book ‘Tumhain Jaane Ki Jaldi Thi’ Khawer attempts to prolong the ecstasy of togetherness.
Muslim Shamim writes on literature and writers of 21st century. He seconds the observation of Professor Munis Raza, former Vice Chancellor, Delhi University which he made in the inaugural session of Progressive Writers Conference held in Delhi in 1992 about the challenges faced by literature in the twenty first century one needed to dig out questions. Answers would then follow.
Hassan Askari Kazmi writes on Anjum Roomani as a representative poet in Ghazal Saying who concentrates on the thought content. Nobody knew that Anjum Roomani’s real name was Fazal Din and that he was professor of mathematics, supposedly a profession that would have nothing to do with the delicate art of poetry saying. Qateel Shifai’s real name was Auranzeb. Not many people knew that. Anjum Roomani was considered much above his contemporary poets when his book ‘Koo-e-Malamat’ was published. Anjum believed in traditional approach in his Ghazal though he did not condemn the poets who attempted modern approach in their poetry. His couplet ‘Hei Waqia Kutch Aur Riwayet Kutch Aur Hei/Yaron Ko Kutch Hum Sei Shikayat Kutch Aur Hei’.
It was shocking news for the literati that Dr. Nadim Shafiq Malik, famous educationist, critic and expert on Iqbaliaat died on December 20, 2020. This reviewer got this news through the essay written by a fellow writer Dr. Haroon Ur Rasheed Tabassum. Dr Nadim died young as he was born in 1965 and died when he was only 55. His natural interest in Iqbal made him acquire Masters, MPhil and PhD from Quaid-e-Azam University with ease.
The articles on Shamsur Rehman Farooqi by Saifi Sirwanji from India and on Krishen Chander by Khalid Abdullah are equally absorbing. Two essays on Pahaili, the forgotten format of Urdu literature by Javed Abbas Javed and on Butterflies by Nasir Ali Syed need mention.This issue of Takhleeq also contains poems and Ghazals. There is a large section on short stories by Sami Ahoja, Khaqan Sajid, Attiya Syed, Akhtar Saeed Madaan, Muhammad Iqbal Feroze, Muhammad Aslam, Hanif Bawa, Ashraf Asaari, Shaista Mufti and Agha Shahid. Dr. Akhtar Shumar shares his memories of Government College University. This reviewer shares his memories of Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Nusrat’s original name was Parvez and his father Ustad Fateh Ali Khan was a musicologist, vocalist, instrumentalist, and a famous Qawwal. Nusrat had four elder sisters and one younger brother namely Farukh Fateh Ali Khan. In 1947 his family had migrated to Pakistan from their native city of Jallundher in East Punjab, British India. Before partition, his family lived in their ancestral house at Basti Sheikh, Jallundhar. He was the fifth child and first son of Fateh Ali Khan. It is a fact that Nusrat was born with silver spoon in his mouth as he hailed from a family with a rich legacy of Qawwali music. Two of his uncles, Ustad Mubarik Ali Khan and Ustad Salamat Ali Khan, were also famous Qawwals. God was extra kind to Nusrat as his fame surpassed that of his forefathers and siblings. Nusrat was born on October 13, 1948 in Hazara, Faisalabad, Pakistan. His Sun Sign was Libra. Despite that Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was a Pakistani musician and singer, counted amongst the greatest voices ever recorded, his father wanted him to become a doctor or engineer as he felt that practitioners of Qawwali had low social eminence. But fate had other plans written for him and Nusrat too went on to become a musician cum singer par excellence. Nusrat received musical training in Tabla and vocals. The March 2021 issue of Takhleeq has special corners of Punjabi and Saraiki literature. It has Inshaiya by Syed Tehseen Gillani, humour by Dr Inam ul Haq Javed, Dr Badar Muneer, Dr Muhsin Maghiana and Noor Kamal Shah. Letters to the editor, reviews by Naseem-e-Seher and list of books received by the editor are also added in this literary magazine. as reiterated above.
The writer is the recipient of the prestigious Pride of Performance award. He can be reached at [email protected]