It has been our experience to witness that there were some singers who sang very few songs but these songs remain imprinted in our minds. Pakistani singer SB John was one who sang ‘Tu Jo Nahi Hei Tau Kutch Bhi Nahi Hei’ in 1956 film ‘Savera’ in the music of Master Manzoor Hussain. More than […]
Mansha Yaad — remembering a popular playwright and writer
My very dear friend Dr Anwar Nasim, a molecular biologist and geneticist who was President of Academy of Sciences in Islamabad invited me about two decades ago where I met Muhammad Mansha Yaad. The common factor is that both Dr. Anwar Nasim and Mansha Yaad are writers and have received President of Pakistan’s civil awards; […]
Remembering the services of Najam Hussain Syed — a renowned Punjabi writer and poet
Najam Hussain Syed is a renowned Punjabi writer, poet and critic. I came to know about him when Izzat Majeed, another Punjabi poet used to hum Shah Hussain’s Kafis in different tunes to what I had learnt at my PTV and Radio recordings composed by various music composers of that time. Izzat confided that these […]
Takhleeq provides interesting material for literature lovers
Still in affordable price and in reasonable size, monthly ‘Takhleeq’ provides interesting material for the literature lovers by its editor Soonan Azhar Javed. The insides of front cover as well as the inside of back cover provide pictorial memories of Takhleeq 2020 annual function. In this event Takhleeq 2019 award was presented by Dr. Qaiser […]
Mushtaq Soofi — poet, writer, columnist and producer
My exposure to Mushtaq Soofi for umpteen years now has been as a creative television producer as he spent considerable time of his life in Pakistan television Corporation. He is humble, soft spoken person and an ardent reader, writer, poet and column writer. Before writing on his traits I must reproduce an answer to most […]
Khawaja sahib’s poetry is universal in nature
Maulana Abdul Majeed Salik in his introduction to Khwaja Dil Muhammad’s book titled ‘Peet Ki Reet’ comprising Hindi Doha (a form of poetry) states that this format of poetry is endless in its beauty. In olden days Naik, Kabir and Bihari Sat Sai were famous for saying Dohas, which is a pure form of poetry […]
Dr Saeed Bhutta — Punjabi scholar, folklore researcher and oral historian
It is a very rare phenomenon that a Punjabi language writer and researcher goes into the interior of Punjab to collect stories as told by story tellers of villages and preserve them. If Dr Saeed Bhutta had not carried out this commendable feat, the art of storytelling and folklore would have diminished as such species […]
Faiz’s work dedicated to Saleema and Moneeza
The book titled Baqiaat-o Nadraat – Faiz Ahmad Faiz (1911 – 1984) is a huge book written and compiled by Dr. Syed Taqi Abidi (living in Toronto, Canada) and printed on expensive art paper on Register Size and published by Gagan Shahid and Amar Shahid of Book Corner, Jhelum. It is a very ambitious and […]
International Mother Language Day celebrated in Punjab
International Mother Language Day or what is termed as ‘Maan Boli Dehaar’ in Punjabi language is celebrated every year on February 21 since the year 2000. The main purpose of celebrating this day is to promote the awareness of language and cultural diversity all across the world. It was first announced by UNESCO on November […]
Remembering the contributions of Muhammad Zubair Ahmad towards Punjabi poetry
Muhammad Zubair Ahmed is a fine Punjabi poet cum writer. I do not see the difference as to why he kept his pen name as Zubair Ahmad. Both names have the same connotations. He was born in Lahore on June 30, 1958. He is surprisingly a teacher of English but writes prolific Punjabi poetry and […]