57th Shankar Shad Mushaira blends poetic expressions from different generations

The 57th Shankar Shad Mushaira held on April 4 at the Modern School on Barakhamba Road was a blend of poetic expressions from different generations, turning the gathering into a shared celebration of emotion, memory, and timeless expression.

The mushaira that has been serving as a unifying thread for the capital’s literary soul was organised this time by the Shankar Lall Murli Dhar Memorial Society in collaboration with DCM Shriram Industries Ltd.

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Poets from Bareilly, Mumbai, Jodhpur, Kanpur, and Hyderabad brought diverse linguistic flavours with shared emotions of love, longing, and heartbreak. Poet Iqbal Ashar set the tone for the mushaira by quoting Firaq Gorakhpuri and reflecting on the legacy of stalwarts like Faiz Ahmad Faiz and Parveen Shakir, highlighting Urdu as the soul of secular India.

Renowned figures such as Javed Akhtar and Prof. Waseem Barelvi shared the stage with emerging voices. The evening opened with a striking performance by a young poet, Zubair Ali Tabish, evoking loud applause from the audience. Hina Rizvi Haider’s verses on women, love, and loss resonated deeply with the audience. Prof. Barelvi remarked, “A ghazal leaves the poet the moment it is spoken,” capturing the fleeting beauty of expression.

Azhar Iqbal held the audience spellbound, especially with his popular poem “Baat-Banao”. Sunil Kumar Tang’s performance prompted Javed Akhtar to call him back. Veterans like Sheen Kaaf Nizam, Rajesh Reddy, and Shakeel Azmi continued to hold the audience’s attention.

On the occasion, Javed Akhtar advised young poets to keep writing because the truth burns within them.