“Jo aaj sahibe masnad hai Kal nhi honge, kirayedaar hai jaati makaan thodi hai”…wrote Urdu poet Rahat Indori who died yesterday due to cardiac arrest. A day before yesterday he had tested positive for COVID-19. The shayar, who left his listeners entranced in Kavi sammelans and mushairas for 50 years, earned distinction in the Hindi film industry as a lyricist as well.
From Shaakhon se toot jaaye wopatte nahi hain hum to Log har mod pe rukruk ke sambhalte kyu hain,Itna darte kyon hain and main jab mar jaaoon toh meri alag pehchaan likh dena, Lahu se meri peshani pe Hindustan likh dena …his poesy gave a coup d’oeil of his audacity as a poet.
With a five decades long career in poetry, Rahat Indori, an Urdu scholar, was one of the best mushaira (poetry symposiums) artists in India and someone who audaciously called a spade a spade.
Attacking chauvinism he wrote “sabhika khoon hai shamil yahanki mitti mein, Kisi ke baap ka Hindustan thodi hai.” The scribe that he was, Rahat Indori interpreted the mood of the country in his verse that was emotive, immediate and political.
Rahat Indori was that special poet who was effectively related himself with the youth from his poetry.
Indeed, his lines conveyed in a brand name style, practically prodding in a manner of speaking, were mainstream with Tik-Tokers and the individuals who didn’t give it a second thought or comprehend Urdu verse.
As a lyricist, his famous songs —, neend churayee meri, Dekho dekho jaanam ham, Koi jaye to le aye , tilte track of Muna Bhai MBBS to chori chori jab nazrein mili — ricochets with his fans.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic claimed any chaos of normal life, Indori’s poem “Bulati hai Magar jane ka nahi” went viral on social media, leading to Innumerable memes.
He is very outspoken and straightforward in his poetries like – sarhadon pe tanaav hai kya pta kro desh me chunaav hai kya…
He has headed out globally to present verse. He has gone to mushayaras in practically all the Districts of India and has likewise made a trip on different occasions to USA, UK, UAE, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Mauritius, KSA, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and so on.
Rahat was awarded the doctorate title in Urdu literature from the Bhoj University of Madhya Pradesh in 1985 for his thesis named Urdu Main Mushaira.
His fellow Gulzar said Indori was the soul of a mushaira. ”Mushaira loot ke le gaye” is a saying in Urdu. Toh Rahat Saab mushairon ke lootere the (he stole the thunder at symposiums),” Gulzar told PTI.
Young lyricist Varun Grover called him a “rockstar of the Indian literary world” and prince of the “mushaira” tradition.
Ye haadsa to Kisi din guzarne wala tha/ Main bach Bhi jaata to Marne wala tha were the words of Indori, who would continue to live in his poesy.
Written By Chnaderveer Singh
Image source Google
