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Dr. Fareed Parbati (1961-2011)

The Milli Gazette
Published Online: Jan 27, 2012
Print Issue: 1-15 February 2012
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By Mohammad Imtiyaz Ahmad

Dr. Fareed Parbati, a noted Urdu poet of Kashmir, died on 14 Dec. 2011. He was a pillar of the new literary generation of Kashnir. Though he was a commerce graduate, Urdu literature, especially ‘Ghazal’ and ‘Rubayee’ attracted him most.

‘Rubayee’ has been regarded as a tough genre of Persian and Urdu poetry because a poet has to follow all the rules and techniques of prosody at every step. Dr. Fareed emerged as a known Urdu Rubayee poet not only in Jammu and Kashmir but in India and Pakistan also.

He liked rubayee because of its short and complete form. His collections of Rubayeet include Fareed Nama, Khabr-e- Tahayur and Hujoom-e Aina.

He did not only write creative writings of Rubayee but also comphend and defined its art, its techniques and did a positive critical work of its main practitioners like Amjad, Anees, Hali, Josh, Firaq, Sadiqain etc and made efforts to introduce it through his books Muqaddima Sinf-e Rubayee and Tanqeed-e Rubayee.

Likewise, he made a contribution to Urdu ghazal. He was fully aware of its musical techniques, tools and tunes.

He was a trustworthy keeper of the tradition without any exaggeration. He describes Islamic events and stories in a beautiful poetic manner. First of all, he says Hamd to the Almighty Allah and says Naat to the Holy Prophet (pbuh) and presented great tributes to the martyrs of Karbala:

Samie kehna, Baseer kehna, Aleem kehna, Hakeem kehna

Woh apni azmat se khud hae wakif, usay to Rab e Azeem kehna

(Hazar Imkaan p. 21)

Koi Patther bhee maare duain dena,

yeh wahi kaam hae jo pyare Nabi kartay thay (p. 22)

Dil mein basa hay Ishq-e Hasan-o Husain, Fareed

Is wajah say chamakta hae maqsoom betarah (p. 23)

Parbati feels proud to follow the traditional path of Urdu poetry and construct his poetic edifice upon these foundations. We can see the obvious and manifest effectiveness of Zafar, Meer, Sauda, Ghalib, Zauq, Dagh, Ameer Meenayee, Tasleem, Iqbal, Faiz, Hasrat Mohani, Nasir Kazmi etc in his poetry. For example these verses:

Zafar:Na thi jab apne haal ki khabar to rahe dekhte auroon ke aeb o hunar / padi jab apne haal pe nazr to nigah mein koi bura na raha

Fareed:Woh doosron ke aib kabhi gin nahi sakta  / Nigah jiski hamesha ho apni khami par

Ghalib: Tere waday pe jiye hum to ai jaan jhoot jaana /  Ki khushi say mar na jaate agar aetebar hota

Fareed: Mera har dukh who samajhta hae Fareed apna dukh  /  Yeh ek za’m na karday burbaad mujhe

Ghalib: Boye gul naale dil dode chiraagh-e mehfil   jo teri bazm se nikla so pareshan nikla

Fareed: Shikasta aarzoo, arze tamana shoq-e la haasil / teri khater to yeh sab kuch gawara kar raha hoon

Parbati himself writes, “I am always convinced by the mingling of old and new. I have started my poetry under that school which is called classical school of thought. Poetics is the real essence of poetry in front of me, while literal and technical shape is secondary” (Hazaar Imkaan, p. 11)

Dr. Fareed Parbati was peerless in his poetic way and creative expressions. He had the aesthetical insight and awareness of the poetic narrative and highest form of mystical experience, discernment of human values and traditions. Misery, pain, sorrow and melancholy are part of his creation and intuition. So we can see all the voices here which have grown out of the injured and broken hearts in the form of ‘aah’ (cry of pain):

Pur shor gahe zulm ke bazaar mein hoon

Gah raqs kunan husn ke darbaar mein hoon

Gah peeste hai waqt ki chaki mujh ko

Gah tez qadm wadei pur-khar mein hoon

This pain, sorrow and misery is not his own; he is participating and accepting them from others, especially from the people in the Valley of Paradise which has now become a place of Hell. He feels deeply the separation of a son from his parents, children from their elders, sisters from their brothers, a friend from his friends. He has himself observed burning homes, destroyed houses, killing of youngsters, kidnapping of people... All the circumstances and conditions are in front of his eyes, so comes continuously in the layers of his mind, memory, thought and imagination and moulding itself in the form of poetry. Most of examples related to these events are in his books, Hazaar Imkaan and  Khabr e Tahayur. Significantly, he has dedicated one of his poems to his people -- Ahl e watan ke naam:

Mitna hae un sarhadon ko ek din

Is ghaat ko, damdama ko, zaad ko ek din

Ghabra na jo mussalat hae ashram ki fouj

Aayen gein ababeel madad ko ek din.

(Khabr e tahayur, p. 338)

 

He did not lose his attitude due to these cruelties and tortures. Rather, he encourages himself and his people to continue their struggle. He discusses the cruelties, sorrows and miseries while also showing a way out:

Haari howe sarhad pe data isliye hoon mein

jeete howe dushman ko kabhi maat bi hogi.

(Hazaar imkaan, p. 59)

Dr. Fareed Parbati has remained a symbol of homelessness also. He could never stay freely at one place. He had made a new home, but death did not allow him to stay there also. The word ghar (home or house) has more than a meaning to him. ‘Khawab’ (dream) also is multi-meaning word in his poetry. ‘Toofan’ (Tempest), ‘Rait’ (sand), ‘Paani’ (water), ‘Sumandar’ (ocean), ‘Azaab’ (Torture), ‘yaad’ (Rememberance), ‘Armaan’ (desires), ‘Ummeed’ (Hope) etc, are also key concepts of his poetic diction. He was a versatile literary figure which the Kashmiri and Urdu world has lost. He was new hope for Kashmir after Hamidi Kashmiri, who was recognized and accepted by contemporary writers and critics.
 
Yeh ek sawaal ki rag-e rawaan kay manand hae,
yeh ik silsila vaham-o ghuman kay manand hae’
(Guftgu chand se)
Har shab jala kay rakhta hoon dehleez par chiraagh
Shayad ki lout aao gay, ummeed ab bhi hai
(Hazaar Imkaan)

The author is a research scholar in Department of Urdu, Jamia

This article appeared in The Milli Gazette print issue of 1-15 February 2012 on page no. 12

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