[HULK]

A most interesting development in Urdu literature since 1947 hasbeen the emergence of an increasing number of women poets who have contributed to Urdu poetry what, several generations earlier, other women had to Urdu fiction: a more intimately feminine voice and a range of themes containing what had not been expressed before—a woman’s experience within the Urdu-speaking urban milieu. It is noteworthy that this development occurred in Pakistan, where an average Muslim woman’s life has been much more restricted in certain ways than in India. Perhaps it reflects the creative power of the challenges in Pakistan less than the decline in Urdu education in India, where, one suspects, Muslim women poets of this kind are more likely to come forth in literatures other than Urdu. Be that as it may, there is a triad of Pakistani women poets whose individual talents must receive primary credit. Parveen Shakir is the youngest of the three, the other two—chronologically senior to her—being Kishwar Naheed and Fahmida Riaz. Naheed and Riaz created the space within which Shakir’s poetry successfully found its own voice.

Shakir has so far published four books of poetry. Each contains ghazals as well as na ms. The gazal demands a language that is ruthlessly concise yet rich in suggestiveness; it also requires its listeners/readers to bring to it their own experiential specificity, context, and elaboration, as well as their own acquired literary knowledge. The na m, on the other hand, allows the poet to elaborate: the poet often strings out specific contexts and invites us to keep company as he or she discovers the poem in that process. These are two quite different modes of perception and creation.

Parveen Shakir was born on 24th November, 1952 in Karachi, Pakistan. She was highly educated with two masters degrees, one in English literature and one in linguistics. She also held a Ph.D and another masters degree in Bank Administration.

She was a teacher for nine years before she joined the Civil Service and worked in the Customs department. In 1986 she was appointed the second secretary, CBR in Islamabad.

A number of books of her poetry have been published. In chronological order, they are Khushboo (1976), Sad-barg (1980), Khud-kalaami (1990), Inkaar (1990) and Maah-e-Tamaam (1994). Her first book, Khushboo, won the Adamjee award. Later she was awarded the Pride of Performance award, which is the highest award given by the Pakistan government.

On 26th December, 1994, on her way to work, her car collided with a truck and the world of modern Urdu poetry lost one of its brightest stars.

Parveen Shakir initially wrote under the pen-name of 'Beena'. She considered Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi her 'ustad' and used to called him 'Ammujaan'. She was married to Dr. Nasir Ahmed but got divorced from him sometime before her untimely demise in 1994. They had one son - Murad Ali.

[HULK]

apanii rusavaa_ii tere naam ka charchaa dekhuu.N
ek zaraa sher kahuu.N aur mai.n kyaa kyaa dekhuu.N

niind aa jaaye to kyaa mahafile.n barpaa dekhuu.N
aa.Nkh khul jaaye to tanhaa_ii kaa sahara dekhuu.N

shaam bhii ho ga_ii dhundhalaa ga_ii aa.Nkhe.n bhii merii
bhuulanevaale mai.n kab tak teraa rastaa dekhuu.N

sab zide.n us kii mai.n puurii karuu.N har baat sunuu.N
ek bachche kii tarah se use ha.Nstaa dekhuu.N

mujh pe chhaa jaaye vo barasaat kii Khushbuu kii tarah
ang ang apanaa usii rut me.n mahakataa dekhuu.N

tuu merii tarah se yaktaa hai magar mere habib
jii me.n aataa hai ko_ii aur bhii tujh saa dekhuu.N

mai.n ne jis lamhe ko puujaa hai use bas ek baar
Khvaab ban kar terii aa.Nkho.n me.n utarataa dekhuu.N

tuu meraa kuchh nahii.n lagataa hai magar jaan-e-hayaat
jaane kyo.n tere liye dil ko dha.Dakataa dekhuu.N

[AQN]

neend tu khawb hogaee shayed
jins nayaab hogaee shayed,

apney ghar ki tarah wo ladki bhi
nazar-e-saelaab ho gaee shayed,

tujhko sochoo'n tu roshni dekhoo'n
yun mahtaab hogaee shayed,

aik muddat sey aankh roee nahi
jheel payaab hogaee shayed,

hijr k paanyoo'n mey ishq ki naao
kaheen gherq aab hogaee shayed,

chand logoo'n ki dastaras mey hey
zeest kamkhawb hogaee shayed,

..............Perveen Shakir................

Good to have the summary of her life Emblem99
Nice sharing

[AQN]

aks-e-khushboo hoon bikharney sey na rokey koee
aur bikhar jaaoo'n tu mujhko na samaetey koee,

kaa'np uutthti hoon main yey soch key tanhaee mey
meray chehray pey tera naam na padh ley koee,

jis tarah khawb meray hogaey raeza raeza
is tarah sey na kabhi toot key bikhrey koee,

main tu is din sey hiraasaa'n hoon k jab hukm miley
khushk phooloo'n ko kitaaboo'n mey na rakhey koee,

ab tu is rah sey wo shakhs guzarta bhi nahi
ab kis umeed pey derwaazey sey jhaa'nkey koee,

koee aahut, koee aawaaz, koee chaap nahi
dil ki galyaa'n badi sunsaan hein aaey koee,

............... Perveen Shakir ........................