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By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Great American novelist Mark Twain describes humor as mankind's greatest blessing. The minute it crops up, all our irritation and resentments slip away, and a sunny spirit takes their place. Humor is a tonic for mind and body for Grenville Kleiser, another prominent American writer. It is the best antidote for anxiety and depression. It attracts and keeps friends. It lightens human burdens. It is the direct route to serenity and contentment.
And when humor is mixed with poetry it becomes double edge rubber sword which makes a point without drawing blood. Poetry is always soothing as it is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. While poetry is the revelation of a feeling that the reader or listener recognizes as his or her own, humor is the instinct for taking the painful realities of life playfully.
The Urdu Academy of North America with the patronage of Urdu lovers like Syed Sarwat is playing a very important role in the Bay Area to keep alive the tradition of Mushaeras and poetry recitation for the benefit of Urdu enthusiasts and mature native Urdu speakers.
It's monthly literary sessions are entertaining and educative. The Urdu Academy sessions also have a political message as they bring participants together from both sides of the divided sub-continent.
On 26, July 2015 a new dimension was added to the Urdu Academy literary sessions when Arshad Rashid, a poet soft-ware engineer, mixed poetry with humor and staged an amazing show of literary laughter. I call it a mock Humorous Mushaira. He was the director and writer of the show which drew wide applause.
His choice of Urdu Academy members was excellent to perform the role of multi-era Urdu poets. The participants were: Dr. Nina Salman, Dr. Priya Satia, Hatem Rani, Jafar Shah, Tasadduq Husain Attari, Zeeshan Abbasi and Moiz Khan.
The mock Humorous Mushaira began with the performance of Dr. Nina Salman who was named as Mina Dushwari. She presented a blank verse poem since she was representing the IT era modern Urdu poetess.
Moiz Khan, named Ashiq Naamurad, was next. He was also representing the modern era poet. His poem "Anjam-e-Mohabbat" (The End of Love) was well received.
Jafar Shah was named Munir Nihari to act as a contemporary poet, Munir Niazi (1928–2006). Munir Niazi has experimented with poetic forms and has tried to create a new style, rhythm and diction in Urdu poetry. Jafar Shah was an appropriate choice to mock Munir Niazi.
Tasadduq Hussain Attari got the character of popular contemporary poet Ahmed Faraz (1931-2008). He was named Ahmed Naraz. Ahmed Faraz holds a unique position as one of the best poets of current times, with a fine but simple style of writing. Tasadduq Hussain Attari impeccably mocked Ahmed Faraz character.
Zeeshan Abbasi as Ibn-e-Bhayya mocked well-known contemporary poet Ibn-e-Insha (1927-1978). Insha is considered to be one of the best poets and writers of his generation. His most famous ghazal Insha Ji Utthoo Ab Kooch Karo (Get up Insha Ji, Let's leave from here) is an influential classic ghazal. Zeeshan Abbasi deserve all praise for performing his character.
Dr. Priya Satia was named as Sharmeen Shakir. She represented a popular contemporary Urdu poetess Parveen Shakir (1952-1994). Some of Shakir's ghazalyaat or, more specifically, couplets, have gained an iconic status in Urdu literature. Dr. Priya Satia as Sharmeen Shakir drew wide applause.
70-year-old Hatim Rani was named as Atish Jawan representing distinguished Urdu poet Haider Ali Aatish (1778–1848) from Lucknow. Aatish is one of the giants of Urdu Literature. The era of Aatish was a golden era for Urdu poetry in Lucknow. Aatish is mostly known for his Ghazals, and for his amazing and different style of poetry. Hatem Rani flawlessly mocked the character of Aatish.
It will not be too much to say that the mock Humorous Mushaira shows that Arshad Rashid is not only a software engineer and poet but he is a multi-talented artist.
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