Best Of Kaifi Azmi, The Progressive Poet.

Kaifi Azmi is regarded as one of the most progressive poets of all time. He was born on 14 January 1919 and he sadly passed away on 10 May 2002. His real name was Athar Hussein Rizvi. A recipient of Padma Shri, Kaifi is the one who has written almost about everything be it about the orthodox society, love, heartbreaks and life. Kaifi Azmi has also written lyrics for Bollywood songs and we can listen to his lyrical gems in movies like Heer Ranjha and Kagaz Ke Phool.

 

Here are a few of his words that continue to touch our heart and ignite our emotions:

Jhuki Jhuki Si Nazar Be-qarar Hai Ki Nahin

This is one of the most famous Ghazal ever written by him. In this, he talks about love and how he loves a person and asks her if she loves him the same way or not. The way Kaifi has expressed his emotions in this one is truly indigenous.  Also, you can listen to this lyrical gem in Jagjit Singh’s voice in the 1982 movie Arth.

Tum Itna Jo Muskura Rahe Ho

Here Kaifi talks about how a person hides his pain away and shows that he is happy. Even though the pain he is feeling is unbearable, he also talks about how not talking about the pain with others will just make it worse. Therefore the person suffering from pain will continue to hurt by overthinking about it.  This masterpiece is also featured in Arth (1982).

Main Dhundta Hun Jise Wo Jahan Nahin Milta

In this one Kafii talks about how lonely he is feeling and he is wishing for a new world. A world which ahs new humans whom he can talk too, however, he also talks about how lonely this world makes him feel.  The feeling of loneliness is perfectly described in this lyrical gem. After that, he says the world that I look for is nowhere to be found, it’s also a satire at how this world has lost its humanity.

Aurat

One of my favourites of Kaifi Azmi this Nazm here talks about feminism during the time of independence. Here Kaifi says that wake up and rise, my love, as you have to walk hand in hand with me, he also points out there is a world outside the four walls of the home. This remarkable piece of literature is the one which makes people think of Kaifi as a progressive writer.

Daera

This Nazm by Kaifi is another incredible epitome of poetry. Here he talks about life and how everything just repeats itself in a sort of a loop and how mundane life now seems to him and how bored he is of it. In the end, he says that I feel trapped like Sita, I am so bored that I don’t know when Ram will return, I wish that Ravan comes again so there shall be something of interest in my life.

Koi Ye Kaise Batae

In this one, Kaifi asks the world that why is this happening in this way. Why am I left alone after being loved? Why does this happen? If there is love why is there such a distance too? And if love is said to be eternal then how does it change like this? He talks of heartbreak and questions love in a nuanced way.

Now here are some of his Best Shers:

bas ik jhijak hai yahī hāl-e-dil sunāne meñ,  ki terā zikr bhī aa.egā is fasāne meñ

 

insāñ kī ḳhvāhishoñ kī koī intihā nahīñ ,do gaz zamīñ bhī chāhiye do gaz kafan ke baad

 

bastī meñ apnī hindū musalmāñ jo bas ga.e, insāñ kī shakl dekhne ko ham taras ga.e

I hope you enjoyed reading this, and if you did you might want to check out Best of Naresh Kumar Shad.