Love of the lyrical language

"Shaayari, shaayar ki mukhtalif kaifiyaton kaa nuzool hai/Gar baat dil se ho kar zabaan tak na aaye to woh fuzool hai. (Poetry is the result of the various thoughts in a poet’s mind. If what is said does not come straight from the heart, it is worthless.)”

This couplet from among the many ghazals and nazms that have been penned by orthodontist Dr Navroze Kotwal conveys his sentiments in Urdu, "a beautiful language” through which he has chosen to express himself. "Urdu, especially Urdu poetry, is like music to the ears,” he enthuses.

To members of the Zoroastrian community and others who look askance at his fascination for Urdu, Kotwal feels obliged to "clear this misconception from the minds of people that Urdu is the language only of the Muslims just because it is the language used in the capital, in Muslim dominated places such as Uttar Pradesh, Hyderabad and some parts of Pakistan. In fact in the Sindh area of Pakistan they speak Sindhi, in Baluchistan, Baluchi, and in Peshawar, Pashto.” If Urdu was the language of the Muslims, then people in Indonesia, Malaysia and several African countries, all predominantly Muslim, would have been speaking this language, he conveys.

Dr Navroze Kotwal (top and above) at St Xavier’s College at a meeting conducted under the aegis of the Wisdom Foundation to condemn the terrorist attacks of 26/11. Various religious heads attended including (seated from left) Maulana Zaheer Abbas and Rabbi Ezra Moses

Even in India, Muslims living in various states speak the regional language of their state, he points out. And in fact the "Deccan Urdu spoken in Hyderabad sounds somewhat different from Urdu spoken in Lucknow or Delhi.” Urdu originated and was developed in northern India, most probably in Delhi, he believes.

"Urdu is a lyrical language of metaphor and symbolism, a language of poets and scholars. Unfortunately because of the conflict between Hindus and Muslims it has been politicized…Urdu is not a religion, it is a language of culture shared by both Hindus and Muslims,” he is emphatic. Dwelling at length on this subject Kotwal was inspired to compose the ghazal on Urdu Zabaan (see pg 37).

There was a time in the 1920s-30s when Parsi theater was synonymous with Urdu theater, with the stage productions on different themes being enacted exclusively in Urdu, a language in which the Parsi cast was well conversant. The Hindi films too in the early part of the 20th century had renowned Parsi actors like Sohrab Modi who was known for his delivery of Urdu dialogs. The film Alam Ara made by Ardeshir Irani had music composed by Pirojsha Jamaji Mistry. In the course of treating Mistry’s great grand daughters, Kotwal learnt that even Pirojsha’s son Kersi, a musician himself, unfortunately did not have the music of the earlier epoch. "So much of our old heritage is lost,” regrets Kotwal.

He has grown up on a genre of good Hindi historical films like Mughal-e-Azam, Taj Mahal, Anarkali, Jahanara and Muslim socials like Barsaat Ki Raat, Chaudhvi Ka Chand. The content of such films "gave great scope for beautiful Urdu poetry. In those days every lyricist was a good poet. Even the film music had great poetry,” says Kotwal proud of his collection of old Hindi songs. His father Shavak being one of the partners of Evergreen Pictures, Kotwal recalls his continuous exposure to shootings of Hindi films and recordings of songs since the age of eight years. Lyricists today are handicapped, he observes, because "the tapori (riffraff) type characters in the present day films are not expected to speak good, chaste Urdu.”

It was Sahir Ludhianvi who wrote lyrics for films like Pyasa who inspired Kotwal to try his hand at Urdu compositions. Although no one in his family spoke Urdu, under the influence of contemporary Urdu poets like Iftiquar Imam, Shamim Abbas and especially Shafiq Abbas, "the most important influence in inspiring me to write Urdu poetry,” Kotwal tried to express his thoughts in Urdu. "Sometimes I am blank for months and sometimes I may get a sudden flash when driving,” says Kotwal who neither believes in "writing fast or vast” and has many unfinished works although several of his compositions have appeared in print in Urdu magazines like Shayar, Kitabnuma, Hamaari Zabaan and on the literary page of Sunday Inquilab.

Among the city’s leading Urdu poets, Kotwal had participated in a mushaira organized by the Sahyog Cultural Society to condemn the terrorist attacks on the city on November 26, 2008. One of his couplets on the subject: "Yun noch noch khana darinda sifat hai kaam/Insaan ne kyon mita diya insaaniyat ka naam (The habit of eating bit by bit is a beastly act. Why have humans eroded the name of humanity)?” (see Ghazal on terrorism, pg 42) was part of a ghazal written soon after the terrorists struck seven different trains in Bombay in July 2006 to "express my pain, anguish and condemnation.”

Over the years Kotwal has written more ghazals than nazms. Among the two best known forms of Urdu poetry, a ghazal is composed of a series of couplets. A ghazal can be continuous (musalsal) on one particular subject or non-continuous where every couplet tells its own story. The first misra or line of a couplet is in the form of a question and the second misra, which the reader/audience awaits with keen expectation, is in the form of an answer. The first couplet of a ghazal is called the matla, and the last where the poet usually brings in his name is called the maqta.

In a nazm the poet expresses himself in a verse format. It can be a free verse (aazaad nazm) or rhyming verse (paaband nazm). The paaband nazm may adopt the radeef style of the ghazal where the same word is repeated at the end of each couplet or the qafiya format where rhyming words are used at the end of the line. A ghazal must have a qafiya but it can be without a radeef, Kotwal explains the finer nuances. One of his nazms (see pg 37) was inspired by his mother Meher during the last days of her life in hospital when "she was too weak even to speak to me. She wanted to say certain things to me but had to convey by facial expressions and signs made by her hands.”

The other forms of Urdu poetry are hamd (in praise of God), naat (in praise of prophets), qaseeda (in praise of royals), manqabat (in praise of holy people), marcia (elegy or lamentation) and masnavi (epic).

Before Kotwal developed a fascination for Urdu, he had mastered the Hindi language. He remembers his student days at St Mary’s School when he took others by surprise — "a Parsi boy winning a prize in Hindi.” Later during his college days at St Xavier’s, the Institute of Science and Government Dental College, Bombay he became friendly with those who spoke good Urdu "which furthered my interest in the language.” Even after he completed his masters in orthodontics from Indiana University, USA, Kotwal continued to pursue his study of Urdu.

The Urdu alphabet has 36 letters, we learn. Originally there were 22 letters taken from the Sami or Sumerian language. Then six more letters were added from Arabic, another four from Persian and yet another four from Hindi. Although the Urdu and Persian scripts are known to be similar Kotwal’s only regret is that "I have no knowledge of Persian.” Many in India speak Hindustani which is a mix of Hindi and Urdu, for the grammar of the two languages is the same although the vocabulary differs (Urdu incorporating many Persian words, and Hindi many Sanskrit words).

Making time for sports too, being the Bombay State Junior Badminton champion in 1959, Kotwal refers to his trip to Beijing for the Olympics last year when two Muslim boys from Iran — Meherdad and Meherzad — mistaking him for an Iranian, came up to him and hugged him and started talking to him in Persian. When Kotwal revealed his Zoroastrian ancestry, "they were ecstatic and declared ‘nek pindaar, nek guftaar, nek kirdaar (good thoughts, good words, good deeds).’”

Being an ordained navar and having participated in jashans, Kotwal professes "great faith” in his religion "though I may not go to the fire temple every day.” Whilst appreciating that the "sanctity of fire temples has to be respected,” Kotwal maintains, "I consider all religions equal; no one is superior.” His son-in-law Tommy Cornett he considers "a wonderful person” although he is not a Parsi. Daughter Nairika has completed her degree in dance from Brenau University in Georgia and is now settled in USA with her husband and children Kamyaab (meaning successful) and Shayaan (meaning worthy), both names suggested by Navroze when she sought his recommendations from the ‘k’ and ‘sh’ raashi. Navroze also has a son Kaizaad who is professor of theater at the Ohio State University.

On the day of the interview with Parsiana, the Mumbai Mirror had carried the front page report of seven-year-old Farzin Batliwalla having died of starvation after her Parsi father deserted his non-Parsi wife and three children. Convinced that "something could have been done to avert this tragedy,” Kotwal hopes that the community will look after the younger two children instead of carrying their fights to the media "and making a fool of themselves.”

Seeing the world divided on the basis of religious denominations, Kotwal has penned yet another couplet: "Insaan toh but chuka hai mazhabon ke maare/Khuda ke wastey ab Khuda ko bhi na baant dena (World is divided on the basis of religion. For God’s sake don’t divide God too.)”

Kotwal’s rhymes

Kotwal’s verses and the corresponding translations that he has given with great reluctance for he firmly believes like Robert Frost: "poetry is that which is lost in translation.” When translating from any one language to another, the soul is lost, only the shell remains, he regrets.

Ghazal on Urdu Zabaan

Urdu na Mussalmaan, na Hindu ki hai zabaan

Ishq-o-wafa ke rang ki, khushbu ki hai zabaan

Mazhab ki tangiyon se isey waasta nahin

Insaaniyat ho jismey, usi khu ki hai zabaan

Magreeb ho ya ke sharq, shumaal-o-junoob ho

Iss kaenaat mein yeh har ek su ki hai zabaan

Makhsoos log iss ke, na haakim kabhi huey

Rastey pe chalti phirti man-o-tu ki hai zabaan

Hare ek ke saath isska masavi sulook hai

Aaqa ki aur ghulaam ki, babu ki hai zabaan

Hai tantana bhi ismey, mohabbat ki aag bhi

Jah-o-jalaal-e-Akbar ki, sheikhu ki hai zabaan

Kaise azeem logon ko taskheer har gayi

‘Iqbal’-o-‘meer’-o-‘Mirza’ ke jaadu ki hai zabaan

Zulmat kadeh mein jaise ke bijli chamak uthey

Kaali andheri raaton mein, jugnu ki hai zabaan

Maashooqiyat bhi ismey mujassim si ho gayi

Husn-e-lab-o-rukhsaar ki, gesu ki hai zaabaan

Had se hi zyaada pyaari na mujhko lagey yeh kyon

‘Navroze’ yeh meri, mere goolru ki hai zabaan

Translation

Urdu is neither the language of the Muslims, nor that of the Hindus

It is the language of sincerity and the fragrance of love

Urdu has no connection with any religion

It is the language of those who have faith in humanity

Be it West or East, be it North or South

In this Universe, Urdu belongs everywhere

Urdu has never been ruled by anyone in particular

It is the common man’s language, spoken by you and me

Urdu is the language of the ruler and of the ruled

It accords equal treatment to all concerned

Urdu boasts of pomp and splendor, as also the fire of love

It was emperor Akbar’s and his prince Salim’s language

Urdu has captivated such great minds, that

It was the language of the magic of ‘Iqbal,’ ‘Meer’ and ‘Ghalib’

Just as lightning would strike on a dark night

Urdu glows like a fire fly in a starless sky

The beloved’s beauty is epitomized in Urdu

It is the language of the beauty of the lips, cheeks and tresses

Why should I not hold Urdu really close to my heart, for

It is my language and that of my beloved

Nazm (on the threshold of death)

Zindagi phir bhi chalti rehti hai

Zindagi chahe ek kahani ho/Guftgu saari bezabaani ho

Har taraf marg-e-nagahani ho

Zindagi phir bhi chalti rehti hai

Har wafa mein jafa ka dhang miley

Noor mein zulmaton ka rang miley

Jism par har kaba hi tang miley

Zindagi phir bhi chalti rehti hai

Apne sab ho jahan mein begaane

Har haqeeqat sunaye afsaane

Hum ko koi yahan na pehchaane

Zindagi phir bhi chalti rehti hai

Door manzil se jab bhi ghaafil ho

Rehjani taakti muqaabil ho

Kashti dube jahan pe saahil ho

Zindagi phir bhi chalti rehti hai

Zakhm jitney hain daag hon sab

Dil mein goya chiraag hon sab

Ishq ka ek suraag hon sab

Zindagi phir bhi chalti reht hai

Aaj jaane kahan se mah nikla

Who bhi kya kuch na mujshe kah nikla

Ashq aankon se meri bah nikla

Zindagi phir bhi chalti rehti hai

Baad-o-Baaraan na gar zameen se miley

Phool koi na phir kahin pe khiley

Ek patta na apni jagah se hiley

Zindagi phir bhi chalti rehti hai

Log zinda hain yaan dafeene se

Koi rehta nahin kareene se

Hum toh baaz aaye aise jeene se

Zindagi phir bhi chalti rehti hai

Jal chukka ho kaleja peene mein

Mar gayein ho aarzooein seene mein

Ab mazaa kya raha ho jeene mein

Zindagi phir bhi chalti rehti hai

Waqt ka ek jhonka aaya toh kya

Marg dekar humein rulaya toh kya

Usne jashn-e-ajal manaya toh kya

Kuch bhi ho jaaye, maut marti hai

Zindagi phir bhi chalti rehti hai

Translation

But, life yet goes on

Life may be like fiction

Conversations may be by sign language

Everywhere there may be sudden deaths

But, life yet goes on

There are shades of deceit among the faithful

There are shades of darkness in every light

There aren’t enough clothes to cover everybody

But, life yet goes on

Those who are our own may behave like strangers

Every truth may sound just like a story

People may refuse to recognize us

But, life yet goes on

You may be oblivious of your destination

Your attackers may be right in front of you

Your ship may sink right near the shore

But, life yet goes on

Every wound may form a spot on your heart

Yet they may glow like lights from your heart

They may all be signs of unrequited love

But, life yet goes on

The moon suddenly appears without informing us

We are not aware what it means to us

Suddenly our eyes well up with tears

But, life yet goes on

Our earth may not be blessed with wind or water

Flowers may never bloom again

Not a leaf may be blown away

But, life yet goes on

People may live like some hidden treasure

Nobody may be leading a proper life

We may not approve of such living

But, life yet goes on

One’s spirit may have been consumed by drinking

All hopes may have been snuffed out of the heart

Life itself may not be worth living

But, life yet goes on

Time may deal a cruel blow to us

We may grieve for death itself

Others may celebrate the death of someone

Whatever happens, death remains

But, life yet goes on

Ghazal on terrorism

Nikley the kal jo subah ko, kartey huey salaam

Lautey na ghar ko, aa hi gayi, zindagi ki shaam

Jalti rahi dilon mein, jo yeh naar-e-intaqaam

Barbaadiyon ke kissey, na honge kabhi tamaam

Yun noch noch khaana, darinda sifat hai kaam

Insaan ne kyon mita diya, insaaniyat ka naam

Pahuncha ke zak kisiko, kiya bhi jo zer-e-daam

Mansab hua buland, yeh kaisa khayaal-e-khaam

Ghaaratgari, fassad, qahar, loot, qatl-e-aam

Kya ab yehi bacha hai yahan, laayak-e-anaam

Yun bebason ko maarna, hai buzdilon ka kaam

Nafreen hai khuda issey, mazhab bhi ho badnaam

Ab toh khuda ke wastey, jhagde karein tamaam

Hindu ke lab pe Allah ho, Muslim pukarey Ram

‘Navroze’ dast-e-dil mein, mohabbat ko aisey thaam

Insaaniyat ko duniya mein, har ja miley dawaam

Translation

Those who left home in the morning, saying ‘Salaam’

Did not return, for arrived suddenly the evening of their lives

If the fire of revenge keeps raging in people’s hearts

These acts of destruction will never come to an end

Devouring bit by bit is a beastly act

Why did human beings erode the good name of humanity

That, by capturing one after causing grievous harm

Raises your status, is a mean and low thought

Plunder, violence, fury, pillage, massacre

Is this all that is left for humans to do?

Killing of the helpless is the work of cowards

This incurs the Almighty’s wrath and brings disgrace to one’s religion

For God’s sake, let us put an end to fighting

May Allah be on Hindu’s lips, may Muslims chant the name of Ram

‘Navroze’ hold love so close to your heart, that,

The message of humanity spreads everywhere and forever