REHANA QAMAR (POETESS & WRITER) | SOCIAL ACTIVIST | BUSINESS WOMEN | CHAIRPERSON of ANJUMAN TARQI-E-URDU, NORTH AMERICA.
Rehana Qamar is internationally renowned Writer, Poetess, social activist and Business women. She gained lot of respect in her literary as well as social circles. She is also Chairperson at Anjuman Tarqi-e-Urdu, North America.
She is the Author of Ten Books, She is also the holder of Sahitya Academy Award of India.
Apart from it she is the recipient of several different awards including but not limited to Bolan Award 2004 for the Poetess of the Year, Award from Ahsan Syed Dhamaal FM 94, The Management of National Hero Foundation Congratulate, Winner of Women of Inspiration Award Category at 4th Edition of Wonder Women of the year Awards 2016, Life Time achievement Award 2013 from Rotary Club, Faisalabad, received Wonder Women Award, An Award of Literary Excellence from Gulzar Sahib, Cancer Care Hospital & Research Center Award received from Farhat Parveen, Sir Shujaat Ali Rahi and Sir Aslam Faizi gave an award in a Great Whole Pakistan Mushyra at Company Bagh, Bacha Khan Library, Ayub Sabir Auditorium Kohat, received MWC Award from MWC founder president Hafiz Muhammad Abbas Ali in the presence of MWC In-charge Tabassum Batalvi, Azlan Shah, Dr Mohsin Maghiana and Many others.
Thesis and Research on Literary work of Rehana Qamar
- Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad, Urdu Department
Research Conducted by: Sadia Batool, MA Urdu, Year 2018 - Government Sadiq Egerton College،Bahawalpur, Urdu Department
Research Conducted by: Qurat-ul-Ain, MA Urdu, Fall 2016-2018
Rehana Qamar originally hailing from Pakistan but settled in the US is a popular poet of Urdu. She says poetry mostly in the Ghazal format and travels widely to participate in Mushairas all over the world where Urdu language is understood and spoken.
Invariably she is received well due to her art of rendering popular verses. Recently when she rendered her first Ghazal from the book titled Kash Tum Sey Koi Bewafai Karey in a Mushaira organized by the literary organization Carvan-e-Adab in Oldham, Manchester, UK, she was met with applause. In this Ghazal from the book under review Rehana says ‘Badshaha! Terey Asaab Peh Taari Mein Thi/ Woh Bhi Din They Keh Teri Raajkumari Mein Thi’. In the Ghazal quoted above, she complains to her beloved that she was once his heartthrob but was not that any more. The book under review is the sixth of Rehana Qamar’s. The earlier ones are ‘Soch Ki Dehleez Par’ (1996), ‘Magar Tum Apna Kheyal Rakhna’ (1998), ‘Hum Phir Na Milein Shayed’ (2000), ‘Tum Ho To Mein Bhi Hun’ (2002) and ‘Mar Key Bhi Tumharey Hein’ (2004).
As can be seen from the titles of her books, her poetry revolves around love themes and the affiliated happiness and the subsequent wounds it inflicts. On the flap of the book under review Iftikhar Arif states that it has been with continuity that Rehana has published books with gradual improvements shown in her output.
It has been ages since both the poets of the East and the West have been writing poetry of love expressing the emotions such as friendship, attachment, love, adoration, etc. The emotions of meeting and parting depict the weathers of the heart. Sometimes laughter erupts and sometimes cries and tears pour. From Donald Hall to Shakespeare and from Byron to Browning, a wide sample of some of the best-known love poetry has been with us since ages. Some poems fall within the traditional norms.
It compares loves to a red rose or summer day, while others are stunningly original. Emily Dickinson has described love as an imperial thunderbolt that scalps one’s naked soul and John Donne uses the eccentric image of a flea to woo his woman. In the East all classic and modern poets have said a lot on love themes.
A sample of popular couplets of poetry is Mir Taqi Mir’s ‘Ibtida-e-Ishq Hei Rota Hei Kaya/ Aagey Aagey Daikhiye Hota Hei Kaya’, Ghalib’s ‘Ishq Mujh Ko Nahin Wehshat Hi Sahi/ Meri Wehshat Teri Shuhrat Hi Sahi’, Faiz’s ‘Gulon Mein Rang Bharey Baad-e-Nau Bahar Chaley/ Chaley Bhi Aao Keh Gulshan Ka Karobaar Chaley’ or Amjad Islam Amjad’s love poem ‘Jo Bhi Kutch Hei Muhabbat Ka Phailao Hei’ etc.
Sufi Saints have said poems for love of God using the metaphors of folklore successfully. In the process they have spread Islam with success.
Rehana Qamar, who is a product of modern day and the happiness and sorrow it inherits from her love experiences has penned these down practically giving all its shades in her poetry. The present book however contains poetry mostly of departing and gripes with the beloved. For example in the process, the meaning of departing Rehana has been depicted as ‘Abhi Judaai Ka Matlab Nahin Samajhti Hun/ Keh Tu Jahan Bhi Ho Tujh Ko Yehin Samajhto Hun’ and the moment she discovers the bitter truth of departing, she says ‘Hijr Aankhon Sey Nikal Kar Bhi Buhut Bolta Hei/ Yeh Parinda Merey Ander Bhi Buhut Bolta Hei’. The concept of ‘Hijr’ is age-old used amply by the Asaataza poets. Rehana Qamar feels that absence of her beloved even adversely affects her Poetry Saying. She says ‘Main Jo Sab Sey Jhagarti Phirti Hun/ She’er Likha Nahin Bhuhut Din Sey’ (page 53).
Apart from imparting technical knowledge, this reviewer as a Professor feels his moral duty to educate his students at Engineering University, Lahore on the need of unity among all factions of the society today as was never felt that strongly before. It is because for example of infiltration of neighbouring countries’ agencies such as RAW on our northern frontiers under guise of Taliban. Rehana Qamar also makes such a promise to herself and says ‘Mein Is Makan Main Jaala Na Rehney Doon Gi/ Mein Apney Dil Sey Nikaloon Gi Har Kharabi Ko’. She vows to take all the unscrupulousness out from her house. She promises to make her house uncontaminated. She decides to cleanse her heart of all the ambiguities about her fellowmen. She also advises the newly elected government to be open hearted. She says ‘Qamar Ko Yunhi To Shohrat Nahin Mili, Duniya/ Na Chashm-e-Tang Sey Daikh Us Ki Kamyabi Ko’ (page 48).
Rehana has used some colloquial words in her poetry whether taken as a graceful gesture or otherwise by the readers. One of her such words is ‘Shehzaadiye’ (page 55). She says ‘Kaya Hua Tameer Ki Dildadiye Shehzadiye/ Too Ney Zinda Khwab Kyun Dafna Diye Shehzadiye (page 55)’. Similarly the word ‘Badshaha’ has been used twice in her Ghazals (pages 13 and 33).
Apart from sixty seven Ghazals three Azad Nazms
REHANA QAMAR (POETESS & WRITER)
SOCIAL ACTIVIST | BUSINESS WOMEN
CHAIRPERSON of ANJUMAN TARQI-E-URDU,
NORTH AMERICA.
