Muhammad Mujahid Syed

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — “The description of sorrows, sufferings and shattered dreams is there in my ghazal (poetry) but there is no place for cynicism in my poetry,” said Dr. Khalid Mahmood, a noted Indian poet, educationist and intellectual based in New Delhi.



He has shown his mettle in the field of poetry, research, criticism, creative writing and humor and satire, and was in the Kingdom to perform Umrah recently. He spoke to Saudi Gazette extensively.



Mahmood’s ghazal reflects the loneliness of the modern individual but he has pluck to bear this pain with grace and dignity. Mahmood said he began his poetic career under the influence of traditional and classical values. But his poetry has been weathered by realities.



His poetry contains modern poetic inclinations along with the traditional finesse. In his poetic fervor he never crosses the ecstasy’s limits. Due to this he is selective. His collection of poetry “Samundar Ashna” can be called a unique selection of his ghazals.



As a dedicated teacher he has surpassed many due to his natural leaning to help and guide his students. He is witty. The satire is the main feature of his poetry but he is never acerbic. His humorous nature attracts everyone.



“The patience and poetic opulence give me strength to stand in the dense forest of the innumerable voices. A poet or the artist’s ego that has sprung up from the refinement of a culture is like a flower plant that has grown up from the deep darkness of the earth’s bosom and now has a limited time of life to face the sunlight, air and whatever is in the outer atmosphere around it.



The unique identity of that plant never bothers other plants or the creatures near it. The mother earth that is bountiful never keeps back in its nourishment. Other materials around it also help it wholeheartedly. My following couplets will help you in understanding this point:



Shah rag per talwar rakhi hai, tewar men sultani hai

Apni kulahe kaj ke qurban qatil ko hairani hai

(The enemy’s sword is touching my jugular vein but I have expressions of a Sultan countenance

My curved cap is amazing my executioner)

Her kamande hawa se baher hai

Taaire jan qafas se baher hai

(No noose of air can reach it

The bird of soul is out of the cage)

Bhadakti aag men paida hua hoon

Samandar zindagi se ashna hai

(I was born in the blazing fire

The ocean is familiar with the life)”



These multidimensional and meaningful metaphors pave the way for the embodiment of the poet’s ego. For Mahmood the universe is wonderful. He said, “I take interest in my surroundings. My ears, eyes and all other senses help me in visualizing and shaping my ideas into poetry. The power of observation is the real strength for a poet.



When a poet delivers his potent ware before his audience they are delighted. The words if used carefully can accomplish miracles. Any poetic, political, religious or social idea needs words to carry it to its takers. Words have created and saved civilizations. I have tried to tread this path carefully lest I go astray. See my following couplets:



Dil ki duniya men andhera ho to kuchh raushan nahin

Ankh chashme sang hai shams-o-qamar hote hue

(If there is darkness in the heart then nothing can be shining

Even in the presence of the sun and the moon the eye has become stone-eye)

Shab ki andheri kokh se nikla meri tarah

Sooraj ghareeb ka bhi makan becharagh tha

(It has risen from the dark womb of the dark night

It seems the pity-worthy sun’s home too is dark like mine



“I never try to embellish my poetry or prose with intentional imaaiyat, kinayah (allusions), misaliyat (parables) or realism but these are part of my basic nature. In the spontaneous overflow they emerge from my subconscious on the surface of my consciousness in the form of words. I am not fanciful but creative. My observation compels me to write my prose or poetry. My complete works are colored by this inclination and should be seen in this perspective,” said Mahmood.



“I haven’t adopted satire but it has entered my writings naturally. I am always the first victim of my own arrow of satire. Whatever I say to others is in fact soliloquy. As a soliloquist sometimes I bother my audience to think about them,” he said.



Mahmood was born on Jan. 15, 1948 in Saronj, Malwa, Madhya Pradesh. Urdu Safarnamon Ka Tanqeedi Mutalia was his Ph.D. thesis. He was former head of the Department of Urdu, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, and presently he is managing director of Maktaba Jamia, New Delhi, and editor in chief of Kitab Numa Monthly.



Apart from innumerable book reviews, prefaces, sketches and literary articles he has published many books of prose and poetry. A list of his books is following:



Shah Mubarak Abroo: Monograph , Delhi Urdu Academy,India.2008, Urdu Adab Mein Tanz-o Mizah Ki Rewayat, Delhi Urdu Academy, India, 2005, Sher Chirag (Poetry), Modern Publishing House , New Delhi, 2001, Adab Ki Tabeer (Tanqeedi Mazameen), Maktaba Jamia , New Delhi,1999, Urdu Text Books, Senior Course, NOS, New Delhi, No.1,3,4 (Edited) 1996, Urdu Safarnamon Ka Tanqeedi Mutalia, Maktaba Jamia, New Delhi, 1995, Urdu Ki Nai Kitab (Text Book Class XII) Co-Author & Co compiler, NCERT (Edited)1989, Urdu Ki Nai Kitab (Text Book Class XI) Co-Author & Co compiler, NCERT 1987, Abdul Lateef Azmi Hayat-o-Khidmat, Co-Author, Maktaba Jamia, New Delhi,1985



“I am worried about the future of Urdu language. Urdu should get its rightful place in India. Not only has the government failed in its duties regarding Urdu language but the Urdu-speaking people too have been irresponsible and selfish in not saving this beautiful and important language. Before the partition of the Indian Subcontinent Urdu language not only flourished in North India as the language of common people but also it was court language. It was a language of education and entertainment but it generated employment too. Like the Mughal court many Indian princely states did their administrative work in this language. There was no Hindi-Urdu problem. These two sisterly languages were learnt by the people willingly.



“The Urdu language is above our petty differences because it had helped us win freedom from the British. Now Urdu is taught in some provinces as second or third language. Even in this condition it’s popular there. Only in Jammu and Kashmir it’s used as official language. The Urdu speaking people should teach their children this language. The Urdu dailies, weeklies and magazines should be bought by us then can we save our language,” Mahmood said.