Daagh Dehlvi : His Nous Touched Upon His Poetry

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 25 May 2024 English critic I A Richards was of the opinion that when a writer or a poet has a humongous corpus of works, one should cherry-pick a few sublime ones to have an idea of the writer's craftsmanship. Ruminate over them and then dive into the ocean of his oeuvre. Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet said the same, albeit in Turkish, "Gent Wint Key Faan Ej Mon Ember" (Choose the best one and you'll get the idea). Daagh Dehlvi was born on May 25 ------ Daagh Dehlvi, whose birth anniversary falls on May 25, is one such great classical Urdu poet whose prolific poetry runs into reams and volumes. So, it's better to pick a gem from his cornucopia that underscores his poetic genius, beauty and also wisdom. Here's one in my opinion. You've every right to find some other from the great poet's repertoire: Khabar Sun Kar Mere Marne Ki Voh Bole Raqeebon Se Khuda Bakhshe, Bahut-Si Khoobiyaan Theen Marne Wale Mein (Having got the news of my demise, she told her suitors/ God bless him, the deceased had many good qualities) This couplet expresses the common human trait. We tend to 'remember' a person only when he's no more. To quote Nawab Shefta, "Yaad Kiye Jaane Ke Liye/ Shayad Zaroori Hai Insaan Ka Marna" (To be remembered, death seems to be a sine qua non). By the way, professor Ralph Russell, who taught Urdu at British Universities, liked this couplet very much. He'd often say, 'Death often romanticizes a person but with a tinge of sarcasm.' To quote Qateel, "Jeete Ji Woh Namurad Tha/ Qaabil Insaan Ban Gaya Marte Hi" (Useless while alive, the same became a competent person after death). This couplet is also some sort of a euphemism for 'Good Riddance.' American humorous poet Ogden Nash put it so succinctly, "When you can't say, good riddance/ You say, departed one was good in every sense." Though Daagh's poetry is in a classical mould, his nous touches and refines many couplets. For example, "Baat Tak Karni Na Aati Thi Tumhein/ Ye Humare Saamne Ki Baat Hai" (You couldn't even talk properly/ I was a witness to your incompetence). Many upstarts and neo-rich who think themselves to be very important/ Were non-entities until yesterday. The young guy in Poona whose Porsche mowed down two youngsters and who splurged nearly 1 lakh in a couple of hours, cannot even talk coherently. His father and grandfather are equally unsophisticated and churlish. The family lacks class, pedigree and history. Just two generations of affluence made the entire family so damn arrogant and haughtily supercilious. Daagh's couplet applies to such people. One of Daagh's oft-quoted couplets is for those who keep praying like mendicants, "Hazaar Baar Jo Maanga Karo Toh Kya Haasil/ Dua Wahi Hai Jo Dil Se Kabhi Nikalti Hai" (A deluge of prayers will yield nothing/ A true prayer occasionally springs from the recesses of one's heart). To read Daagh's chiselled poetry is to understand life in its entirety. Daagh was a classical poet who went beyond the traditional metaphors, subjects and issues prevalent in the poetry of his era. ---- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/daagh-dehlvi-poetry/d/132381 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism