A nice collection of ghazals... A nice collection of ghazals, shers (couplets), kavitas and qat.as covering almost all aspects of life (and death). As a closed group of friends, we were endowed with small parts of this collection by way of texts via SMS’s first and, then later - as technology evolved - through Whatsapp. However, to receive this collection in entirety is a joy unparalleled. eMKay is blessed with a strong hold on Hindi and Urdu and this helps him to translate his feelings and thoughts effectively into his poems. Though the individual pieces are written either in Hindi or in Urdu, there are instances wherein a beautiful and seamless blend of both these Hindustani languages can be seen in the same piece. The themes touch upon almost all aspects of life: if there is ray of hope in ‘Teri ummeed hai’, then the ever-encouraging and motivating thoughts to move-on and face life with new determination and zeal are presented in ‘Himmat afzai’ and ‘Dushwaariyaan na hon jis mein’. If there is a feeling of loneliness and being lost in ‘Ek ajnabi shehar’, ‘Mrigtrishna’, ‘Apne hisse ka dard’, then there are poems like ‘Toh baat bane’ and ‘Andaaz apna apna’ that urge one to rise and become a better human being. If there are hints of atheism in ‘Waaiz aur main’, then there is an adopting of a diametrically opposite position of thanking the Almighty in ‘Ae Khuda tera shukriya’. But the two biggest themes that emerge in this collection are longing for the separated beloved (‘Ek agyaat preyasi ke naam’, ‘Anubhuti’, ‘Mohabbat thi junoon tha’, ‘Shikaayat’, ‘Teri furkat mein’, ‘Kshitij’, ‘Ikhtiyaar’); and to embrace death as and when it arrives. But ‘death’ is not to be seen as something morbid or something to dread about and be afraid of, it is described more in the sense of a final resting dimension. This thought is well-crystallized in works such as ‘Zindagi’, ‘Na poochho kyunkar waqt kata, ‘Zindagi mein har ek ko’. In ‘Waqt se’, the author chastises ‘time’ to heal his wounds as well. The most beautiful part comes out in the couplets in later part of this ‘ghazal’ where author questions the tenacity and rigidity of (good) ‘time’(s) to never return. ‘Rozi roti’, ‘Nidaan’ and ‘Vidambana’ provide an insight into how the author views life in the mundane. If I have to pick one poem that stands out and that I will read out aloud when I am feeling down and beaten, then it will be ‘Daur-e-aainda’. This poem forcefully asserts the transformation from ‘merely existing’ to ‘being alive’. ‘Ranj ke talabgaar’ and ‘Viruddh’ written on the similar themes of embracing life with positivity, and stand up and face the odds with determination instill new energy and vigour and vitality. ‘Naari shakti’ and ‘Maa’ are an ode to the womanhood: the former brings out the ‘shakti’ bhaav and the latter very nicely brings out the benevolent feeling that since God could not be everywhere, he created mother to take care of every child. The collection also contains two beautiful poems dedicated to the eMKay’s lovely daughters Mullicka and Muskaan on their birthdays. The glossary at the end of some Urdu poems explaining the meaning of Urdu words is helpful and in prevents the frequent trips to internet to look for meanings. All in all, it is a beautiful treat to have this collection. Looking forward to more such shaayari from eMKay’s pen.
Sameer Rakheja (India)