LAHORE:The 15th death anniversary of renowned Urdu poet, Ahmed Faraz, was observed on Friday here with literary zeal.
Ahmad Faraz was born on January 12, 1931 in Kohat. He real name was Syed Ahmad Shah. He studied at Edward’s College, Peshawar and received his Master’s degree in Urdu and Persian from Peshawar University. During his college life, the two poets Faiz Ahmad Faiz and Ali Sardar Jafri influenced him and became Faraz’s role models. He started his career as a script writer from Radio Pakistan, Peshawar and later joined Urdu Department of Peshawar University as a lecturer.
Later on, he took up senior positions of administrative nature as Resident Director of Pakistan National Centre, and subsequently the Director of ‘Academy Adaptability Pakistan,’ Lok Virsa and Chairperson of National Book Foundation.
A widely respected poet, Faraz received several awards. Some of these include Adamji Award, Abaseen Award, Kamal-e-Fun Award, and Hilal-e-Imtiyaz award, which he returned registering his displeasure with the country’s governance. He was decorated with Hilal-e-Pakistan award by the Government of Pakistan posthumously.
Faraz started writing poetry while he was still a young college student. He emerged as a ghazal poet with an individual signature of his own. Even while he drew upon the traditional subjects of love and romance, he also wrote his age in his poetry with all its despairs and disappointments and produced some of the finest specimens of resistance poetry.
He was a prolific poet with several anthologies to his credit. These include Tanha Tanha, Dard-e-Aashob, Janan Janan, Shubkhoon, Merey Khwab Reza Reza, Beaawara Gali Koochon Mein, Nabeena Shar Mein Aaeena, Pus Andaz Mausam, and Khwab-e-Gul Pareshan Hai. His translations of poetry are included in Sub Awazein Meri Hain.
Faraz also put together a selection from the poetry of Kunwar Mahinder Singh Bedi in ‘Ai Ishq Junoon Pesha’.
His Kulliyat appeared with an inclusive title of Shahr-e-Sukhan Aaraasta Hai. Talking about his intellectual revelations, noted literary personality of provincial metropolis Dr Fakhar ul Haq Noori told reporter that Ahmed Faraz’s style of speech developed under the strong influence of his family conditions and environment.
Although, poetry is a divine act, every poet tries to present his thoughts in the best possible way, he said.
Ahmed Faraz kept in mind the high traditions of Urdu and Persian poetry right from the very beginning of his poetry, adding Ahmed Faraz’s father Syed Muhammad Shah Bark played a major role in embellishing the poetry of Ahmed Faraz.
To a query Noori said that Ahmed Faraz’s poetry acknowledges the poetry of Persian poets and their artistic excellence. Ahmed Faraz also used Persian words and techniques of Persian poets in his poetry.
Today, here various literary circles and forums paid tribute to Ahmed Faraz by organising sittings at Pak Tea House, Lahore Press Club and other literary places.
Talking to reporter, PTV senior producer Agha Qaiser said that Ahmad Faraz was a legendary personality who wrote wonderful poetry and short-stories in Urdu which won him many prizes and awards from the Pakistan Writers’ Guild.
It may be mentioned here that Faraz was awarded the Presidential Award for his poetical works.
‘Tanha Tanha’, ‘Be-awaz gali kuchon main’, ‘Sab Awazain Meri Hain’ and ‘Shab-e-Khoon’ are among his top literary works.
Faraz died on August 25, 2008, because of kidney failure and was buried in Islamabad.