Immensely Relevant Poetry of Kalim Ajiz

An essay written by SAYEED AKHTAR

April , 2010

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Immensely Relevant Poetry of Kalim Ajiz
Word „Relevant‟ can be best defined by its various shades of meanings viz. authentic,
credible, great, of good standing, reliable, related, valid, to the purpose, pertinent, etc.

Kalim Ajiz is well known all over the Urdu world for his sweet but insightful Ghazals. Here
I am attempting to analyze the repute and stature of his poetry based on the criterion of
RELEVANCY.

Why is this man‟s poetry so appealing to his listeners‟ hearts? (I am intentionally using the
word listener and not reader because he always prefers to recite his Ghazals than to get
them printed in magazines). When he recites, why all the ears around him become
neglectful of all sounds except this man‟s voice? How come his words so soft in texture
become so penetrating and piercing to reach the inside of even those carefree ones who
have shut themselves from all sensitivities?

Kalim Ajiz has multi-faceted personality. He is a master prose writer. He has been
awarded PhD in literature for his valuable research. He has been a much loved professor
in the University. He is author of around dozen books. He is a good story teller. He received
Government of India‟s prestigious Padma Shree title way back in 1989. He was honored by
some big cosmopolitan metropolis in United States with symbolic key to the city. He has
been awarded for his contributions from various literary and cultural organizations. Many
scholars have written their doctoral thesis on Kalim Ajiz‟s poetry. All these facets aside,
this simple, fragile, soft spoken man in his eighties has now become the most esteemed
symbol of Urdu‟s classic poetry at its best.

As regard authenticity, he himself has expressed very vividly in his poetry. At one place he
says: “Don‟t compare me with others since:

MERA GHAME ZAATI HAI AURON KA KITAABI HAI

(Others merely borrowed from books; my pain and tribulations are my own).

Please note that translation here is not literal; instead is my subtle interpretation of his
verses.

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We can very easily sense that there is no artificiality in his poetry. His verses are the most
appropriate and pertinent words put around the true events he faced in life at all critical
junctures.

This aspect of authenticity has made him stand out amongst his contemporaries. For last
fifty-sixty years in all gatherings of commons as well as elites he has been projecting the
pent-up feelings of all oppressed, neglected and mistreated human beings all around him.
Though he never uses words like hammer, bullet, rifle and dynamite in his poetry, it is
much more effective than the poems of so called progressive representatives of proletariats.

Kalim Ajiz stands against tyrants, bullies, oppressors and persecutors but he does it in
more cultured, refined and sophisticated style.

AAZMANA HAI TO AA BAZOO-O- DIL KI QUWWAT

TOO BHI SHAMSHIR UTHA HUM BHI GHAZAL KAHTE HAIN

(Want to assess the strength of my arms and courage of my heart? Take up your sword; I
am ready too with my Ghazal.)

Those who are familiar with various rallies, demonstrations and parliamentary sessions, do
also know how widely his couplets are quoted every where. Whether it is lawyer‟s
movement in Pakistan or political speeches by leaders in India, when they want to highlight
the clever and tricky maneuverings of tyrants, most of them take help from Kalim Ajiz‟s
couplets. One universally famous couplet is:

DAAMAN PE KOI CHHEENT NA KHANJAR PE KOI DAAGH

TUM QATL KARO HO KI KARAAMAT KARO HO

(Neither blood stains on clothes nor spots on the dagger; vow! you commit the murder or
perform a miracle!)

In Ghazals, beloveds are playfully given the adjectives of Qatil (murderer), Zaalim (tyrant)
etc. What Kalim Ajiz has artfully done is the opposite. He has called the real Qatil and

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Zalim his beloved. He not only calls them so, he accepts them as his beloved. Thus the
canvas of Ghazal has been immensely enlarged by him.

WOHI QATIL BHI HAI, MUKHBIR BHI HAI, MUNSIF BHI WOHI

AQRABA MERE KAREN KHOON KA DAAWA KIS PAR

(He is the killer, the informer and also the judge; against whom my family should lodge the
murder charge?)

HUM NE TO CHHAHA OOSE BHI KI JISE DEKHTE HI

LOG BESAKHTA BOL UTHTE HAIN “QATIL” “QATIL”

(I have loved even him who when seen is immediately recognized and addressed as „Killer‟,
„Killer‟)

It is not that he just calls his dire enemy his beloved; he really treats the assailants like a
beloved and does so with full sincerity. This is the unique specialty with which Kalim Ajiz
has been endowed. He has always remained a true well-wisher of his adversaries. This he
does in spite of knowing enemy‟s evil intention as well as all his wicked planning. When he
sees the adversary in trouble, he himself goes to him and invites him by saying

IDHAR AAO TUMAHAARI ZULF HUM AARASTA KARDEN

JO GESOO HUM SANWARENGE KABHI BARHAM NAHI HONGE

(Come to me; let me straighten your troubling hair locks; when I set them right your
tresses shall never ever be entangled again)

Those smart players who skillfully blame the oppressed and wronged for being barbaric,
violent, poorly attired, uncivilized etc, his simple plain answer is to show them their real
face.

DEKHIYE MERI GHAZAL MEN KABHI SOORAT APNI

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YEH WO AAEENA HAI JO AAPNE KAM DEKHA HAI

(See your image through the lenses of my Ghazal; alas you never saw yourself in this
mirror)

Very sarcastically he tells those Neo-rich and Pseudo-civilized to simply look at their own
history:

ITRAA RAHE HO AAJ PEHAN KAR NAI QIBA

DAAMAN THA TAAR TAAR ABHI KAL KI BAT HAI

(You are so arrogant just on wearing the new long gown; it was only yesterday that you
wore nothing but shredded threads)

Though he is poet of Ghazlas, when one recites his poems or Nazms especially Kahani,
Jaanaan , Duaa, Musaafir and Humnasheen one has to immediately agree that his poetry is
immensely relevant for our time. This is because relevancy means being factual, to the
point and meaningful.

When his listeners feel that this humble man projects the true history, challenges enemy‟s
false propaganda, courageously faces all odds and is never apologetic, they immediately
realize how „RELEVANT‟ Kalim Ajiz is. He is deservedly most appropriate spokesman of
the entire silent majorities by expressing their pain and suffering so lucidly using simple
but beautiful words in the sophisticated format of Ghazals.

Another very important role he plays is to show everyone the approach which is bound to
succeed in tackling any difficult situation. This is to give flowers in return to all the stones
hurled. Though he lost his mother, his sister and many of his close family members in
shameful 1946 carnage of Bihar, he did not get disenchanted with humanity and never
became bitter in his writing or in his relationship at all levels. He himself says:

ZAMAANA. LAAKH OOSE TADPAYGA RULAYEGA

WO MARSIYA NA KAHEGA GHAZAL HI GAAYEGA

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(Destiny will give him excruciating pain, compel him to weep; still he will never lament or
write elegy; he will always sing Ghazal)

May the world adopt his prophetic approach and see the benefits. Amen! Unfortunately the
present world is not sensible enough to adopt this path of love and forgiveness.

In his own words,

PUKAAROON HOON LEKIN NA BAAZ AAYE HAI

YEH DUNIYA KAHAAN DOOBNE JAAYE HAI

(I am calling and invoking but it is not ready to turn back; where is this world going to
drown itself?)

If we take relevancy as being “to the purpose”, he has always been relevant. His purpose
from the beginning has been very transparent. What is the purpose after all? He himself
gives answer to this.

APNA TO KAAM HAI KI JALATE CHALO CHIRAAGH

RASTE MEN KHWAH DOST KE DUSHMAN KA GHAR MILE

(My purpose is solely to light the lamps; whether the houses on my route are those of
friends or foes).

*********

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 7 commentson this article
kankan

MERA GHAME ZAATI HAI AURON KA KITAABI HAI

Mine is physical work for others it is intellectual
-
DAAMAN PE KOI CHHEENT NA KHANJAR PE KOI DAAGH
TUM QATL KARO HO KI KARAAMAT KARO HO
Your murder is miracle – no stain in cloth nor in dagger!
-
WOHI QATIL BHI HAI, MUKHBIR BHI HAI, MUNSIF BHI WOHI
AQRABA MERE KAREN KHOON KA DAAWA KIS PAR
He is all in one – murderer, informer, and judge!
To whom would my family appeal?
-
IDHAR AAO TUMAHAARI ZULF HUM AARASTA KARDEN
JO GESOO HUM SANWARENGE KABHI BARHAM NAHI HONGE
Let me straighten your hair
They would never bother you again
-
DEKHIYE MERI GHAZAL MEN KABHI SOORAT APNI
YEH WO AAEENA HAI JO AAPNE KAM DEKHA HAI
Please read my poem
It reflect my deeds, and so it shall yours
-
ITRAA RAHE HO AAJ PEHAN KAR NAI QIBA
DAAMAN THA TAAR TAAR ABHI KAL KI BAT HAI
Can your naked past be hidden under your civil attire?
-
ZAMAANA. LAAKH OOSE TADPAYGA RULAYEGA
WO MARSIYA NA KAHEGA GHAZAL HI GAAYEGA
Pain or Sorrow do not make them cry or weep,
They always become songs and poem
-
PUKAAROON HOON LEKIN NA BAAZ AAYE HAI
YEH DUNIYA KAHAAN DOOBNE JAAYE HAI
World does not heed my words
Why is it determined to commit suicide?
-
APNA TO KAAM HAI KI JALATE CHALO CHIRAAGH
RASTE MEN KHWAH DOST KE DUSHMAN KA GHAR MILE
To bring light to dark homes on my path – is my job
To whom they belong – foe or friend, I do not to care.
….
a poem can make even non poet to understand in his way

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Sayeed Akhtar‟s Response on Kankan‟s comments

Dear Kankan,

So far I considered you as mathematician, statistician, systems architect, programming expert,

philosopher, fan of Mulla Nasruddin, well-versed in Upnishad and one who could so easily grasp
the spirit of meditation and spirituality. But today you have convinced me that you are a poet too.
In fact you have proved that you are connoisseur of Urdu Ghazal as well. Let me admit that you
could translate some of the verses of Kalim Ajiz much better than I did.

I am proud of you Kankan.

Thanks for such a prompt and intuitive response.

Sayeed Aklhtar

Naveed Akhtar

I really enjoyed this post. Short biography of Kalim Ajiz Saheb at the beginning was very
helpful. I got new information about him that I didn’t know earlier (example: didn’t know that he
received Padma Shree award, didn’t realize that he was honored by being given symbolic key in
US).

I liked the verses where Kalim Ajiz Saheb talks about loving his enemies. I found the part where
you mention that Kalim Ajiz Saheb treats the assailants like a beloved and does so with full
sincerity. This matches his personality.

I found the ending verse “My purpose is solely…are those of friends or foes” to be very
touching.

Thanks for this post. My respect and regard towards him has increased. His poetry is eye-opener.

nbzain

Beautifully written and very informative.

wasay

Sayeed Bhai
Indeed a great job and as you rightly mentioned an even greater translation by your freind
Kankan
Please keep the Shama alive
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abdulhadi

sayeed bhai- you really enlightened us about this great poet and how different is his poetry than
others.
Hats off to your freind Kankan for his translation which conveys the message effectively.
abdulhadi.

s.h. masoom

waaaaaaaaah, bahut khoob

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