Marsiya Writers before Anees & Dabeer

Dr. Mahar Naqvi

The incredible popularity given by Mir Anees and Mirza Dabir to Marsiya writing and recitation prompts one to believe as if there were no composers of elegiac poetry on ‘Karbala Revolution’.As a result, a large number of Marsiya reciters and composers remain unknown to Muharram mourners.   

For example, no one seems to be aware of the existence of a famous Marsiya reciter Shaykh Sultan. He belonged to the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh, most probably Ghazipur and garnered  mastery over his contemporaries in the royal curt of Delhi. Sultan used to recited Marsiyas eloquently with style. His voice was sensitive, deep and full of sorrow. Although he had no formal training in music yet he captivated the mourners with his tunes befitting for paying tribute to the martyrs. The mourners always responded to his presentation with wailing and grief.

Likewise, Mir Abu Turab and Mirza Ibrahim were also gifted Marsiya reciters of their era. Another was, Mir Darvish Husain who too enjoyed considerable popularity among mourners. In the declining days of Mughal empire, Mir Abdullah also emerged as an excellent marsiyago. A barber by profession, Jani developed taste for Marsiya reciting and soon earned much popularity. He was quite handsome with good command over music. An affluent landlord lavished Jani with costly gifts worth Rs. 1 lakh but he squandered money on extravagance. 

Next worth mentioning name is that of Muhammad Nadim. He was expert in selecting nerve-raking phrases and used most appropriate metaphors in his compositions. At times, He liberally used Marsiyas written by others in his    stanzas in an unusual manner. In 1803 one of Mir Abdullah Miskin's poems was printed in Nagri characters. Gilchrist has quoted Miskin's verses in his Hindustani Grammar,published in 1796. Garcin de Tassy translated some of them into French.

Another poet Khalifa Muhammad All Ghlasi, adopted  Sikandar as his

nom de plume(Takhallus). He hailed from Punjab but rsettled in Delhi. He was not mu educated but still his Marsiyas were free from linguistic pitfalls. His popularity did not fade despite refinements I the art of  Marsiya writing.

In the second half of the 18th century, names of several other many  Marsiya poets also figure.They included Mir Sayed Muhammad Taqi, alias Mir

Ghasi, Qiyamud-Din Qaim Chandpuri, Mirza All Qui! Khan Nadim Dehalvi, Banda  Ali Khan Lakhnavi, Mir Amani Dehalvi, Mirza Zuher

Khaliq Dehalvi, Shah Nuruf l-Haqq Tapan Azimabadi, Shah Mu-hammad Abul Hasan Fard Azimabadi, Qalandar Bakhsh Jurrat Dehalvi, Sheikh Ghulam Hamadani Mushafi, Ghulam Ali Rasikh Azimabadi, Ahmad Beg Qizilbash Dehalvi, Sadiq All Shah Haideri Farrukhabadi, Khwaja Ihsanullah Bayan Dehalvi, Mirza Muhammad Ismail alias Mirza Jan Tapish Dehalvi, Shah Zahurul-Haq Azimabadi, Qasim Lakhnavi, Ghulam Ghaus Khan Ehsan and Mazhar Mushtaq, Shani Azimabadi, Mahzun Azimabadi, Maulvi Jawwad All Azimabadi and Zahik.

Their names suggest that most of them were either from Delhi or Azimabad(Now Patna).Lucknow too had several prominent Marsiya writers. Another feature is that a number of them were Sunnis, indicating poets did not believe in Shia-Sunni ideological conflict and kept away martyrs from their own ideology or faith. These Marsiya writers enriched the Urdu literature and refined both Marsiya writing and presentation.

Source: Available on request