IQBAL ASHHAR: BIOGRAPHY

Iqbal Ashhar was born in a middle-class family of Kucha Chelan, Delhi, on 26 October 1965. It is noteworthy that in this very locality there once lived some history-making and renowned figures of Delhi like Khwaja Meer ‘Dard’ a renowned Sufi poet and a contemporary of Meer Taqi ‘Meer’, Hakeem Momin Khan ‘Momin’ a contemporary of ‘Ghalib’, Imam Bakhsh Sehbai a famous puzzle-maker poet and expert of prosody, Maulana Ahmed Saeed a freedom fighter, and Mufti Kifayatullah.

Iqbal Ashhar’s father Abdul Lateef was a renowned maker of Unani tablet producing machines. His ancestors hailed from Amroha in Western Uttar Pradesh, the land of famous poets like Ghulam Hamdani, Mushafi, Jaun Elia, Kamaal Amrohavi, and well-known painters like the Saadiqain. The ancestors of Iqbal Ashhar’s mother, Sakeena Khatoon hailed from Aligarh, the field of Sir Syed’s action.

Iqbal Ashhar received his primary education from Shanta Nursery School and secondary education from Ramjas School No.1 (Daryaganj). Urdu was not included in his course of study after he completed Class Vth. But Urdu magazines and journals not only continued his interest in Urdu but gave it a sense of direction. At last, while in Class XII, he opted for Urdu as an additional subject which secured him admission to B.A (Honours) in Urdu from Zakir Husain Delhi College. However, he could not continue his education after the first year because of the loss of confidence caused by the inferiority complex that grew thanks to his Urdu teachers, the weakening financial position of the family and psychic turbulence.

Ashhar’s mother was fond of listening to film songs and the recordings of poetic gatherings (mushairas) while all the family members eagerly jotted down the couplets of their liking in notebooks. Like aroma, Urdu and poetry pervaded the atmosphere of Ashhar’s home. Ashhar’s poetic career started in a very curious manner. He composed his lines on the rhythm of film lyrics and kept humming them off and on. In 1982, Ashhar composed a qawwali for the festival of Vasant Panchami on a tune set by the school’s music teacher and students of the 27 Ramjas schools of Delhi presented it with fascinating music on the Annual Day of these schools. On this occasion, H K L Kapoor, the Lt Governor of Delhi honored him with a prize. Ashhar’s inclination for music had motivated him towards the poetic rhythm and that’s why he had acquired command over the commonly used meters of Urdu Ghazal quite early on.

Iqbal Ashhar’s poetry started properly speaking in 1983. In the beginning, he composed poetry in the traditional style and then he came over to Modernism (Jadidiyat). However, after his practice for several years, he succeeded in discovering for his Ghazals a unique style which is above the modern-traditional controversy. Ashhar also composed metric and blank verses but just like ‘Meer’, his own disposition is captive to the curved locks of the damsel called Ghazal.  For the first 15 years, his poetry remained confined to the poetic sittings that were organized in Old Delhi and to the local mushairas.

Iqbal Ashhar began to attend all-India mushairas in 1998, under the patronage of the late Mauj Rampuri, a distinguished poet from Rampur, and Professor Waseem Barelvi, the pride of Ghazal. Doctor Rahat Indori, Anwar Jalalpuri, Meraj Faizabadi and Munawwar Rana were prominent among the poets who encouraged Iqbal Ashhar at every single step. Over the last two decades, the name of Iqbal Ashhar has been a pressing need of the all-India mushairas. He has also been representing India abroad with remarkable success. With his Urdu poetry, he has held the banner of India aloft in all the Gulf countries as well, apart from the USA, Canada and Pakistan. About Ghazal Sarai, the latest book of his poetry, Professor Gopichand Narang, the international ambassador of Urdu expressed his opinion about his poetry in the following way:

“Poetry is a kind of the distinction that one doesn’t get till a special gift is bestowed upon him. It is about a truth that is not linked with knowledge alone but comes from creativity, feelings, intuition, and a mysterious state involving a personal experience with the purity of heart and truth. It paves its own way, it doesn’t follow an already paved path, it gets its own truth conceded, and it needs no endorsement. Sometimes a poet doesn’t know which couplet or line will bring his own salvation. Numerous weighty poems just lie unheeded in the world of creativity. There are thousands of immortal couplets whose creators’ very names remain unknown. On occasions, poetry surpasses the poet himself. Several times, I have heard Iqbal Ashhar reciting his poetry in mushairas. His popular poem “Urdu” is such a truth that descends down the audience’s hearts, and shakes their conscience to the core. But this also intensely requires literary taste and inner sensitivity on the part of the reader. It’s too is a must for the poet that he takes no particular point as his final destination. Creativity is an ever-flowing stream. It has the hue of a Journey, Unending Journey. Iqbal Ashhar’s poetry possesses the qualities of a slow flame, spontaneity, and flow. Contemporary social life throws a substantial challenge for a creative person. Human society, politics, culture-- the scenario of everything has changed. Iqbal Ashhar has a command over several genres. He has composed Ghazals, Nazms and lyrics as well. A selection of his poetry, Ghazal Sarai, is now coming to the people. I offer him congrats from the depths of my heart. Sarai has a relation to a journey. I now wait for his journey forward and pray for his progress and still more renown.”

Gopichand Narang

Books

1) Dhanak Tere Khayal ki (Hindi and Urdu, 2005)

2) Ratjage (poetry collection, Urdu, 2010),

    Ratjage (second edition, 2013)

3) Ghazal Sarai (poetry selection)

Well-Known Creations

Nazms:

1) Urdu

2) Taj Mahal

Ghazals:

1) Thehri-Thehri Si Tabeeyat Mein Rawani Aai

2) Use Bachaye koi kaise Toot Jaane Se

3) Uski khushboo Meri Ghazalon Mein Simat Aai Hai

4) Pyaas Darya ki Nigahon Se Chhupa Rakkhi Hai

5) Kuchh Nahi Badla, Deewane The, Deewane Hi Rahe

6) Dayaar-e-Dil Mein Naya-Naya Sa Charagh koi Jala Raha Hai

7) Silsila khatm Hua Jalne Jalane wala

8) Ye Baat Alag Hai ki Tum Na Badalo Magar Zamana Badal Raha Hai

9) Ye Jugnuon ki Qayadat Mein Chalne wale Log

10) Koi khwab Phir Se Chamak Utha, koi Zakhm Phir Se Hara Hua

11) Khuda Ne Laaj Rakhi Meri Be-nawai ki

12) Naye Mausamon ki koi khushi, Na Gayi Ruton ka Malaal Hai

13) Ishq Ne U Yun kar Diya Duniya Se Begana Mujhe

14) Hum ko Hamare Sabr ka khoob Sila Diya Gaya

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