Forgotten Female Marsiya Poet -Hazeen Kanpuri

Mir Anees-Inspiration of Hazeen Kanpuri 

Dr. Mazhar Naqvi

History should have recorded her as a great female elegiac poet of Indian sub-continent. But she remains forgotten and unheard despite producing touching marsiyas, Nauhas and Salams of very high quality. Her name also does not figure in the work of Amy Bard of Columbia university titled ‘Value and Vitality in a Literary Tradition: Female Poets and the Urdu Marsiya.’ Bard has listed only three female poets Fatima Zaidi, Begum Shohrat and Tasvir Fatima in her endeavor to bring to limelight the forgotten female marsiya writers. May be due to scarcity of material, Bard missed Hazeen Kanpuri but her omission can only be termed as unfortunate. She surely deserves more awareness among the mourners of Imam Hussain, for she represents the rare breed of female marsiya poets.   

Hazeen was born in Kanpur in 1909.Her real name was Hasan Jahan Begum but her family also addressed her as Hasina Begum. Her father Syed Asghar Hussain Jafari was a renowned Hakim (practitioner of Unani Medicine).People also called him as Pyare Sahib fondly. He was a great devotee of Ahle-Bait and used to organize majalis at his Imambara in Patkapur locality of Kanpur. His father Syed Asad Ali was also a well-respected and popular physician of his time. Asad Sahib traced his decent from Sufi Shah Niyamat Ullah Wali of Kirman. He was also a close friend of the writer of Urdu classic ‘Fasana-E-Ajaib’ Mirza Rajab Ali Beg Suroor. It is widely believed that Asad Sahib was the spirit behind the acclaimed work of Suroor.

Hasina Begum received education at home and developed interest in elegiac poetry from passionate tradition of marsiyakhwani at her family Imambara during Muharram. Initially, she used to recite herself marsiyas of Mir Anees. Then, she started composing elegies on her own with ‘Takhallus’ (Pen Name) of Hazeen Kanpuri. In 1926, she was married to noted critic and Urdu litterateur Syed Masood Hussain Rizvi ‘Adeeb’. She received encouragement from her scholar husband and her poetic talent flourished in Lucknow. Being proficient in Persian and Urdu from her childhood, Hazeen composed scores of Marsiyas, Nauhas and Salams in most emotional manner with simple words. It is evident from her poetry that she preferred to compose elegies in the language of commoners and avoided unfamiliar or complex words.

In his ‘Tazkira Shora-e-Uttar Pradesh’ (Description of poets hailing from Uttar Pradesh province of India), Janab Irfan Abbasi has included her name also. He has also written that she wanted to publish a book also. Her wish remained unfulfilled as she suffered a fatal cardiac arrest on October 23, 1969.In the recently published ‘Tazkira Shora-E-Kanpur, the compilers has claimed that some Marsiyas and Nauhas of Hazeen are still traceable but they have not mentioned any source, leaving the readers wondering from where they could find her elegies. They have printed a few ‘Ashaar’ (Couplets) of one of her Nauhas along with her brief biographical sketch. The composition not only highlights the caliber of Hazeen as a matured poet but can also be considered as a master piece in conveying the tragic narratives of Karbala. It reads as under:

“ Janib-e-Maidan Humakte Hain Jo Asghar Baar Baar

Maan Laga Leti Hai Seene Se Tadap Ke Baar Baar

Biwiyan Kahti Thi Ya Rab Qaid Mein Aa Jaye Maut

Ta Ki Be Parda Na Ho Aale Payambar Baar Baar

Kamsini Se Apne Bachchon Ki Jo Tha Zainab Ko Khauf

Cherti Thi Qissa-e Siffin-o- Khaiber Baar Baar “

Translation:

(Asghar When Looks At Battle-Filed Again & Again
His Perplexed Mother Embraces Him Again & Again
O" Allah, Grant Us Death In Prison, Prays Pious Ladies 
So Women of Prophet's Family Are Not Disgraced Again & Again"