Zoya
2023-02-14 05:10:48 UTC
aadaab dosto,
I have no solid excuse for my recent extended absence from Alup, just got busy with routine things in life and kept postponing visiting the group.
I am here today because if not here, then where else to post what I am feeling right now?
As most of you know already, the legendary poet and adeeb Amjad Islam Amjad sahib has been a close friend of mine for over two decades. His sudden passing last week has been a huge loss to the literary Urdu world, but it has also been a huge loss for me personally. I am still trying to accept the news that he is no longer with us physically. Actually, I am kind of numb right now, and don't really know what to say.
Amjad sahib was always very generous, kind and affectionate towards me. A perfect gentleman. I have so many memories of my meetings and conversations with him over the years. What truly stands out in my mind is the time my older son and I once spent with Amjad sahib in Delhi, he was in India for a mushaira and we happened to be there at the same time. We had an amazing visit to the Red Fort and Chandni Chowk, and had lunch in Jama masjid area. Amjad sahib sahib would always chuckle when he recalled that at the end of that day my young son had said "mom, as far as your poet friends go, he is actually not bad!"
Another day that was absolutely heavenly for me was spent at Irfan Sufi sahib's home in Chicago, with Amjad sahib and Anwar Masud sahib. Sufi sahib has been Amjad sahib's best friend for over sixty years. Our old Alup friend Zafar sahib was also with us that day. Amazing group of people.
I feel truly blessed that I was able to spend a day with Amjad sahib for one last time in the Fall of 2022, during his short visit to US. One regret that I will always have is that despite numerous invitations by Amjad sahib, I was never able to go to Lahore. However, my dad, who lives in Ludhiana, visited Lahore a few years ago. Dad always talks about how hospitable Amjad sahib was to him. Besides local sightseeing, they went to a ghazal program by Suraiya Khanum. My dad is a Baba Bulleh Shah disciple and his life long wish was to visit Baba ji's mazaar in Kasur, which Amjad sahib arranged for.
I am still coming to terms with the fact that I won't be able to pick up the phone and call Amjad sahib whenever I want, whether it is to ask for an Urdu word tallafuz or meaning, analysis of a she'r or just chat about nothing in particular. At the end of every conversation, I would always ask Amjad sahib to recite some of his asha'ar for me, and he always obliged. Sometimes I would say, wait, let me jot these down or else I may forget them. I have many scraps of paper lying around with such impromptu asha'ar written down. Maybe I should file them away properly.....
Amjad sahib's passing has created a vacuum for me which is impossible to fill. His knowledge, sense of humor and generosity of spirit is unparalleled, and unforgettable. I am trying to find peace in the fact that knowing him has been one of the true blessings of my life. And of course, in the bigger scheme of things, his legacy is immortal.
In November of 2022, while I was in Ludhiana visiting my dad, we talked to Amjad sahib on the phone. He said that if I can't come to Lahore, then maybe we can get together in the Kartarpur sahib gurdwara across the border. My dad and I were planning to do just that during my next visit, but it wasn't meant to be.
I will now close by posting two asha'ar.
During our conversation yesterday, Irfan Sufi sahib, who is mourning the loss of his best friend, quoted this she'r by Shahzad Ahmad:
ruKhsat huaa to aaNkh milaa kar nahiiN gayaa
vo kyuN gayaa hai yeh bhi bataa kar nahiiN gayaa
This morning, I also called the elderly poet Anwar Masud sahib in Islamabad. He is Amjad sahib's samdhi as well as a dear friend, and quoted one of his own asha'ar:
Khaak meN DhuuNDte haiN sonaa log
ham ne sonaa supurd-e-Khaak kiyaa
Amjad sahib had sent me a picture of one of his last poems, titled 'zaruurat' written in Nov 2022, in his own handwriting and still unpublished. In a day or so, I will type it up in Roman and share in this thread.
My thanks to the Alup friends who reached out to me privately after hearing the news last Friday.
________Zoya
I have no solid excuse for my recent extended absence from Alup, just got busy with routine things in life and kept postponing visiting the group.
I am here today because if not here, then where else to post what I am feeling right now?
As most of you know already, the legendary poet and adeeb Amjad Islam Amjad sahib has been a close friend of mine for over two decades. His sudden passing last week has been a huge loss to the literary Urdu world, but it has also been a huge loss for me personally. I am still trying to accept the news that he is no longer with us physically. Actually, I am kind of numb right now, and don't really know what to say.
Amjad sahib was always very generous, kind and affectionate towards me. A perfect gentleman. I have so many memories of my meetings and conversations with him over the years. What truly stands out in my mind is the time my older son and I once spent with Amjad sahib in Delhi, he was in India for a mushaira and we happened to be there at the same time. We had an amazing visit to the Red Fort and Chandni Chowk, and had lunch in Jama masjid area. Amjad sahib sahib would always chuckle when he recalled that at the end of that day my young son had said "mom, as far as your poet friends go, he is actually not bad!"
Another day that was absolutely heavenly for me was spent at Irfan Sufi sahib's home in Chicago, with Amjad sahib and Anwar Masud sahib. Sufi sahib has been Amjad sahib's best friend for over sixty years. Our old Alup friend Zafar sahib was also with us that day. Amazing group of people.
I feel truly blessed that I was able to spend a day with Amjad sahib for one last time in the Fall of 2022, during his short visit to US. One regret that I will always have is that despite numerous invitations by Amjad sahib, I was never able to go to Lahore. However, my dad, who lives in Ludhiana, visited Lahore a few years ago. Dad always talks about how hospitable Amjad sahib was to him. Besides local sightseeing, they went to a ghazal program by Suraiya Khanum. My dad is a Baba Bulleh Shah disciple and his life long wish was to visit Baba ji's mazaar in Kasur, which Amjad sahib arranged for.
I am still coming to terms with the fact that I won't be able to pick up the phone and call Amjad sahib whenever I want, whether it is to ask for an Urdu word tallafuz or meaning, analysis of a she'r or just chat about nothing in particular. At the end of every conversation, I would always ask Amjad sahib to recite some of his asha'ar for me, and he always obliged. Sometimes I would say, wait, let me jot these down or else I may forget them. I have many scraps of paper lying around with such impromptu asha'ar written down. Maybe I should file them away properly.....
Amjad sahib's passing has created a vacuum for me which is impossible to fill. His knowledge, sense of humor and generosity of spirit is unparalleled, and unforgettable. I am trying to find peace in the fact that knowing him has been one of the true blessings of my life. And of course, in the bigger scheme of things, his legacy is immortal.
In November of 2022, while I was in Ludhiana visiting my dad, we talked to Amjad sahib on the phone. He said that if I can't come to Lahore, then maybe we can get together in the Kartarpur sahib gurdwara across the border. My dad and I were planning to do just that during my next visit, but it wasn't meant to be.
I will now close by posting two asha'ar.
During our conversation yesterday, Irfan Sufi sahib, who is mourning the loss of his best friend, quoted this she'r by Shahzad Ahmad:
ruKhsat huaa to aaNkh milaa kar nahiiN gayaa
vo kyuN gayaa hai yeh bhi bataa kar nahiiN gayaa
This morning, I also called the elderly poet Anwar Masud sahib in Islamabad. He is Amjad sahib's samdhi as well as a dear friend, and quoted one of his own asha'ar:
Khaak meN DhuuNDte haiN sonaa log
ham ne sonaa supurd-e-Khaak kiyaa
Amjad sahib had sent me a picture of one of his last poems, titled 'zaruurat' written in Nov 2022, in his own handwriting and still unpublished. In a day or so, I will type it up in Roman and share in this thread.
My thanks to the Alup friends who reached out to me privately after hearing the news last Friday.
________Zoya