Mir Anis and Mirza Dabir and their Forgotten Predecessors
Mir Anis Mirza Dabir
By Dr.Mazhar Naqvi
Mir Zameer, Mir Khaliq and Fasih are three marsiya writers whose contribution to enrich elegiac poetry in the memory of martyrs of Karbala remains overlooked among the custodians of Urdu literature and Azadars alike. Of the trio, Mir Khaliq is better known as the father of ‘Shahanshah-e-Marsigoi’ (Emperor of Elegy composition) Mir Babar Ali Anis whereas he himself was an eminent marsiya composer .All of them composed their marsiyas in late 18th century and enjoyed some kind of popularity as well. All of them strived to earn respect for elegiac poetry through their novel experimentations and their work surely provided a solid base for their worthy successors like Mir Anis and Mirza Dabir who gave an exalted position to marsiya writing in Urdu poetry and popularized it among the masses.
The role of Zamir is more significant in this context. He not only himself composed marsiyas in an innovative way but also combined his efforts with Mir Khaliq to bring changes in the conventional techniques to develop an altogether new pattern .They standardized the form of marsiya and its ingredients by and large remain the same as they were in their days. How excited Zameer was of his achievements is evident from his composition:
“Aage to ye andaz sune the na kisi ke
Ab sab ye muqallid huye is tarz –e-Navi Ke”
“No one had heard so far the new style; now everyone has faith in the new style”
Before Zameer, chehra (face) was not part of marsiya composition but he made it a permanent feature. He also introduced many other themes such as sarapa (demeanor) of the hero and did not cover the overall physical appearance of his prime character but also elaborated various parts of his body. The term sarapa is a Persian word and it refers to description from tip to top. Zamir perhaps under the influence of reti and Sufi poets who composed poetry to highlight the beauty of their beloved by describing her from tip to top ( Nakh –Shikh) also used the pattern with a difference. Instead of using Nakh shikh Varnan( description) in his marsiyas for any heroine or female character, he portrayed the heroes of Karbala with the help of the pattern set by medieval Indian mystic poetry contained in the works of Kabir, Raskhan, Jaisi, Meera and many others.
Zamir also experimented with Charan style to add color to the description of his hero’s bravery in the Jung( Fight or struggle). He seems to have been influenced by Charan tradition displayed by Chandrabardai in his ‘Prithiraj Raso’ that was penned down by him to eulogize his patron. Charans were retained by Rajput rulers and were paid for composing in praise of their patron in the princely states of Rajputana. Prior to Zamir, Jung was a briefly described by both Deccani and Delhi marsiya writers. Zamir considered it to be as essential as other parts of elegiac poetry and even praises horses and sword s of martyrs while describing their Jung with matchless bravery despite hunger and thirst.
He also probably drew inspiration from ‘Akharas’ that are an integral part of Muharram processions in Awadh even today but more popular in places like Ranchi and certain other pockets of Jharkhand. This is visible from the use of words like Nezabazi, patabazi, binaut, fikiyat and bunk by Zamir. All these words are associated with the martial arts prevailing in Awadh of 18th century and refer to combat or self-defense with staves, knives, long wooden sticks, short spear and wooden swords. He also added landscape ‘manzar nigari’ (landscaping) in a very lucid and simple style in his compositions. He relied heavily on similes, metaphors and exaggerated analogies .His marsiyas are however very lengthy and about two hundred in number. This may be a reason for the less attention he continues to attract from the stakeholders of Marasim-e-azadari.
Mir Khaliq deserves praise for his concentration on ‘rukhsat’ (leave-taking), Shahadat (Martyrdom) and Bain( Wailing).He presented these themes in a novel form and gave much attention on Hazrat Qasim in his compositions. While describing Hazrat Qasim’s legendry wedding on Shab-e-Ashur, he generously portrayed socio-religious customs of the then Awadh society. Most of his marsiyas deal with the theme of the ‘rukhsat’ and ‘Amad”(arrival) of Hazrat Qasim in the battle field and also his exemplary Jung. His language is very sweet and it was his marsiyas that contributed to the growth of Mehndi processions that are taken out on 7th Muharram in Indian sub-continent .He is also believed to have composed over 200 marsiyas.
Fasih who was born in 1780 initially followed the style and pattern of Delhi school of marsiya writing. Probably, he was influenced by Mir Lutf Khan and other Marsiyakhwans of Delhi who figure in the diary ( Muraqqa-e-Delhi) of Dargah Quli Khan. Fasih who has to his credit about a hundred marsiyas also deviated from the pattern evolved by Zamir and Khaliq. He did not include all the essentials constituents of a marsiya. He avoided ‘Chehra’ and other formal aspects of marsiya writing. Use of lengthy meter is another noteworthy characteristic of Fasih. His tendency indicates that he longed for recital of his marsiyas in processions and not from the pulpit of Imambaras where the mourners prefer elegy in short meter and considers a lengthy one as a hindrance in the flow especially when the reciter attains high pitch and his voice chokes with emotion while narrating the tragic events s of Karbala or the last moments of a martyr. He also used words that were not popular in Awadh and he appears to be under the shadow of the works of Deccan and Delhi marsiya writers who preferred to follow the style originated from the time of Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah and Wali Deccani. His marsiyas however contain ethical values of highest standard, for he considered the martyrs of Karbala as ethical role models for entire humanity who laid down their lives for protection of human values under the leadership of Imam Husain. In certain marsiyas, Fasih also follows the pattern of Dilgeer as a result of which he has given more attention on waqia nigari (narrative)instead of’ manzar nigari’( Landscaping) It is a mystery as to why he did not go for any kind of innovation and liked to verse only popular ‘Rivayats’( traditions).
It is unfortunate that these marsiya writers are not remembered much by Azadars nor their marsiyas are recited at Majlises in their own ‘Karmbhumi’ i.e. Lucknow as a tribute to their devotion to Shohda-E-Karbala .Mir anis and Mirza Dabir continues to captivate the hearts of mourners .No doubt that they popularized and perfected the art of marsiya and also fulfilled the aesthetic urge necessitated by the arrival of eminent poets to Lucknow from Delhi after the decline of Mughal kingdom. But we should not forget that it was Zameer, Khaliq and Fasih who were pioneers in adding grace to literary value of Marsiyakhwani that was in the domain of lower class of society in Delhi as mentioned by Dargah Quli Khan who has also lamented that Marsiyakhwans were not well paid and were in demand during the Ashura only.(Reference available on request).
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