They relived the times gone by. Welcoming once again their long-time comrade and fellow poet Mohamad Mumtaz Rashid, the members of Bazm-e-Urdu Qatar (BUQ) gathered here recently to illuminate an evening with a session of poetry.
BUQ, the oldest literary community organisation in Doha established in 1959, hosted ‘An Evening with Rashid’ at PNTC Hall, Al Wakrah, in honour of the poet. Rashid left Qatar in 2014 after living here for more than 36 years. He was employed with Kahramaa.
Rashid is renowned for his poetry among Qatar’s literary community and has 17 books to his credit. His recent publication Safar Asfal was also launched on the occasion. Rashid, on a short visit to Qatar, now lives in his native Lahore, Pakistan, and visits Qatar only twice a year to meet friends.
And when he is around, friends and fellow poets throw parties for him and organise poetry sessions so that they can listen to his latest works.
“I am very glad and pleased to meet my friends and BUQ members. It has been a privilege to be the ex-chairman and president of Bazm-e-Urdu Qatar and I worked together with the team for the last 37years,” Rashid told the audience while thanking the BUQ members for organising the event in his honour.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed being the part of this very old Urdu literary organisation in Qatar and my cooperation in any which way will always be there for BUQ and all my Qatar-based fellow poets,” added Rashid, who was the chief guest of the occasion.
The programme was presided over by the patron of Bazm-e-Urdu Qatar, Rana Ayub. Shahabuddin, editor of quarterly magazine Sadaf, published in Patna, India, was the guest of honour. The event started with the recitation of the Holy Qur’an by Athar Azmi. The initial compering was conducted by BUQ General Secretary while BUQ president Ijaz Haider presented the welcoming note.
“Sadaf is regularly publishing all the literary work of individuals based in Qatar. It has also been decided by the management of Sadaf that its annual award will be granted to the best literary work coming out of this region,” announced Shahabuddin, while speaking at the occasion.
Rana Ayub said that such gatherings for promoting Urdu poetry are necessary. “The tradition of honouring the ex-chairman and other former members should also continue,” said Ayub. He assured BUQ of his continued support in future as well.
Mumtaz Rashid also distributed his new book Safar Asfal and the new edition of the quarterly magazine Khayal-o-fun to the guests and the members of the audience. Two more publications were launched on the occasion. They included a book, Duniya Meri Nazar Main (The World Through My Eyes) by Nasir Nakagava, a Japan-based Pakistani journalist, and the new edition of Sadaf from Patna.
The second part of the event was a mushaira (poetry session). BUQ treasurer Raquim Azmi convened the mushaira which included a session featuring recitation of poetry by Mumtaz Rashid, Fertash Syed, Shafiq Akhtar, Shaukat Ali Naz, Asif Shafi, Ahmad Ashfaq, Aziz Nabeel, Mansoor Azmi, Ijaz Haider, Qaiser Masood, Ashfaq Deshmukh, Tahir Jamil, Athar Azmi, Raquim Azmi, Anmol Ittefaq, Zareef Baloch and Raza Hasan.
BUQ vice president Mansoor Azmi proposed the vote of thanks to the members of the audience and the guests for participating in the programme. A large number of Urdu lovers attended the event.
The prominent among those who attended the mushiara were Dr Tauseef Hashmi, Khalid Dad Khan, president Anjuman-e-Mohiban-e-Urdu Hind, Ibrahim Khan, founder, Anjuman-e-Mohiban-e-Urdu Hind, Shumsuddin, Sultan Azmi and Nuseer Ahmed Khateeb, a prominent businessman.
Established in 1959, Bazm is one of the oldest Urdu literary organisations of Qatar with members from India, Pakistan and other countries. The organisation has played a key role in the promotion of Urdu language and literature in Qatar.
The forum invited various poets from outside Qatar in 1984 and paved the way for international mushairas in the country. It organises monthly poetic gatherings and annual symposiums, inviting prominent poets from India and Pakistan to present their verses.
The Bazm has also provided a platform for advancement of cultural, social and literary activities for the entire South Asian community, also involving the poets from GCC countries.