By Waqar Naseem Wamiq

RIYADH – Pak-O-Hind poets regaled their audience in a mushaira “Jashan e Javid Akhter Javid” organized by Halqa e Fikr O Funn (HFF) to honor a senior poet and writer Javid Akhter Javid held at Pak House restaurant in Riyadh.

Chief advisor of HFF Prof. Dr. Mahmood Ahmed Bajwa presided over the mushaira that was highly attended by the Pak-O-Hind poetry lovers. The proceeding of the mushaira was ably conducted by Dr. Saeed Ahmed Waince of HFF. The program formally began with the recitation of verses from the Holy Qur’an by Qari Muhammad Qasim Muhammadi and a Naat by Abid Shamoon Chand, information secretary of HFF.

Dr. Tariq Aziz, chief coordinator of HFF, lauded the efforts of HFF and Javid Akhter Javid in his welcome note comprised in classic Urdu. He said, “Literature is the surest basis and poetry is a God-gifted ability. HFF has a fine history and it has produced several prominent Urdu poets and writers from Saudi Arabia. HFF salutes the efforts of its Nazim-e-Aala Javid Akhter javid.”

Akhtar ul Islam Nadwi, a prominent Indian literary and social figure, praised Javid Akhter Javid for his socio literary contributions in Saudi Arabia. “I am so happy to be here tonight at the Pak-O-Hind mushaira. Once again, unfortunately the intense tensions between both neighboring countries are on rise but the peoples of India and Pakistan are always having a strong love bonding despite of the hate sentiments, we must negate such sentiments, we ate the same bread, we drink the same water, we breath the same air, we are humans and our sharing are similar. Javid Akhtar Javid is a symbol of love. He is the man of words and I congratulate Halqa e Fikr O Funn to carry his legacy,” Nadwi said.

The Pak House banquet hall was nicely decorated with the traditional mushaira decorum. Each participating poet regaled the audience and disseminated the sweetness of poetry. The audience showed much encouragement for the poets and praised their presentation of poetry.

There were many poetry lovers in the audience who were praising the couplets with “wah wah” and repeating the couplets after the poets (misra utthana). The poets who participated in the mushaira were Mansoor Mahboob Chauhdary, Humayoun Akhter, Qazi Mansoor, Khursheed ul Hassan Naiyar, Sadaf Faridi, Yousaf Ali Yousaf, Shaukat Jamal, Abu Tahir Bilal and Waqar Naseem Wamiq.

Bajwa declared the mushaira as a successful one and congratulated the participating poets and praised the audience. “Mushaira is one of our cultural and literary tradition. We at Halqa e Fikr O Funn are doing our every effort to keep and promote this tradition. Today’s Mushaira was one of the best in recent times, Javid Akhter Javid will always be remembered for his literary contributions in Saudi Arabia and for HFF. We pray for his long and healthy life,” Bajwa said.

Chand presented a gift of book written by Pakistani Poet Ashfaq Niaz to the Secretary General of Halqa e Fikr O Funn Waqar Naseem Wamiq and senior executive member Dr. Saeed Ahmed Waince.

HFF’s Amin Tajir gave the vote of thanks. “We are so thankful to each one of you who attended the mushaira, especially the participating poets. Javid Akhter Javid lives in our hearts and we are always praying for the best of his health,” he said. The mushaira ended on prayers by Hafiz Abdul Waheed.