urdustan > adeeb > akbar allahabadi

life... Syed Akbar Hussain ( takHallus= akbar) was born at Barah, Allahabad on 16th November 1846.  His early education was Eastern  style ( in madrasa), but he on his own interest learned English.  He got a small job in the Court, later he passed the law exam and he retired as the session judge from the Allahabad High Court. He was honoured by the title of "Khan Bahadur." Died in Allahabad on 9th September 1921.  experiences ...  Like the gentlemen of that time, Akbar's youth was also colourful and it is visible in his poetry. He saw the First War of Independence of 1857, to the First World War and then the Freedom Struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi.  Because of his association with the legal system, he observed closely the British Government and the people associated with it. He saw the youth rushing to copy the Western culture, and he was deeply disturbed with that. He used all his poetic potential to critically analyse the western culture and convince poeple not to forget their own culture.  poetry... Akbar's ustad was Waheed, who was the shagird of Aatish. Akbar is the pioneer in the field of humour and sarcasm; before him there were only serious poets who ocassionly had one or two sher of that kind in their ghazals. For Akbar humour was not only a style but an instrument to clearly undertand the social change. He doesn't lost the message by his style.  Like Iqbal he was also a  poet of the mind, they both used their poetry to awaken the sleeping masses, but what a contrast in their style.  Underneath the humour, we find the poet's pain- pain that this society is changing for the worse and won't listen to him. takeed-e- ibaadat pay yeH sab kahte haiN laRhke peeri meiN bhi AKBAR ki zarafat nahiN jaati [ takeed-e-ibaadat= to remind for prayers,  peeri= old age] He has great understanding and control of the language. He used  simple language with very effective use. He also used  English words in his poetry with very interesting results, which was also to make fun of the Brown Sahibs.  examples... hareefoN nay rapaT likhwaai hai ja jaake thane meiN keH AKBAR naam leta hai kHuda ka iss zamane meiN aik kHat banaam munshi nisaar hussain,  lucknow namaaH koi naH yaar ka paigHaam bhejiye iss fasal meiN jo bhejiye bas aam bhejiye aise zaroor hoN keH unheiN rakh kay kha sakooN pukHtaH agar hoN bees, to das kHaam bhejiye maaloom hi hai aapko bande ka address seedhe allahabad mere naam bhejiye aisa naH ho keH aap kaheiN jawaab meiN taamil hogi, pahle magar daam bhejiye kya kahooN iss ko maiN badbakHti-e-nation  kay siwa iss ko aata nahiN ab kuchh imitation kay siwa hum aah bhi karte haiN to ho jaate haiN badnaam woH qatal bhi karte haiN to charcha nahiN hota jahaaN meiN haal mera iss qadar zaboon hua  keH mujh ko dekh kay bismil ko bhi sakoon hua  gHareeb dil nay bahut aarzueiN paida kiN magar nasib ka likkha keH sab ka kHoon hua ummid hashm-e-murawwat kahaaN rahi baaqi zariya baatoN ka  jab sirf telefoon hua nigah garam christmas meiN bhi rahi hum par humare huq meiN december bhi maah-e-june hua

[ photo courtesy of MATHEMATICS ] Links on Akbar : by Nita by Saleem  gHamza nahiN.. : gHazal huNgama hai kyuN : gHazal mustaqbil : nazm