Forgotten Marsiya Writer-Bazm Affendi

A Rare Photograph of Bazm Affendi


Dr.Mazhar Naqvi

"Ye Wo Hain Jinki Zamane Mein Aza Hoti Hai

Raat Din Jinke Liye Khalq-e- Khuda Roti Hai"

Bazm Affendi, the writer of the above two lines dedicated to Janab-E- Aun-O-Muhammad, is also a forgotten marsiya writer. Much is not known about him even though his son Najm Affendi was a well known marsiya writer and his grandson, Late Suhail Affendi ranks among the finest Zakir-E-Ahlebait India has ever produced. Suhail Sahib was also a marsiya writer of eminence himself but he always remained more inclined towards oratory. Najm Affendi’s status as a marsiya writer could be gauged from the fact that Shair-e-Inquilab, Josh Malihabadi, had mourned his death and described his departure from the world as a great loss to the literary world. It is stated that once even Suhail Sahib had talked about his  grandfather’s marsiyas but thereafter he never discussed Bazm Sahib publicly.

Since Najm Affendi had migrated to Pakistan and Suhail Sahib remained too preoccupied with Zakiri(Oratory), Marsiyas written by Bazm Affendi remained untraceable. Majority of people forgot him as well his marsiyas in due course of time. As a result, Bazm remains stranger to modern Azadars despite producing elegiac poetry of highest standard. Thanks to research carried out by Janab Baqar Zaidi, 30 marsiyas of Bazm Sahib are now available. It is evident from the traced marsiyas that Bazm was influenced by Mirza Dabeer and he paid maximum attention to the opening of his marsiya to gain instant attention from listeners. Apart from Imam Hussain and Hazrat abbas, he also wrote marsiyas on martyrdom of Janab-E-Hur, Habeeb Ibne Mazahir, Hazrat Ali Akbar and Janab-E-Aun-O-Muhammad. His language is simple but conveys forcefully sentiments of the poet.        

The research on Bazm Sahib reveals that he was born at Agra and named as Mirza Ashiq Hussain in 1860 AD. He adopted Bazm as his pen name and moved to Hyderabad where he breathed his last in 1953.From the quality of his marsiyas, it can easily be concluded that he must have composed hundreds of marsiyas. It is ironical that most of his work is not available. It is grave injustice to Bazm and a befitting tribute can be paid to him by making a fresh start to locate his Kalam the way Janab Baqar Zaidi has done.(Reference available on request.Photo Courtesy Google Images)