RIYADH — Prominent Urdu poets enthralled a huge audience of about 2,000 Indians at a historic All-India Mushaira (poetry session) organized in Riyadh by Indian community organizations — India Islamic Cultural Center (IICC), BISWAS and Bihar Anjuman. The historic poetry session was moderated by well known Urdu poet Majid Deobandi and presided over by prominent poet Taahir Faraz. Besides the duo, who was the major attractions at the Mushaira, other poets being the center of attraction were comic poets Sikandar Hayat Gadbad and Iqbal Shana. They recited their popular couplets on demand one after another to enthrall the audience as the public kept on asking for ‘once more' requesting to recite their choice of Ghazals. Deobandi mesmerized the audience with his famous couplets: Allah mere rizq ki barkat na chali jaaye Do roz se ghar me koi mehman nahi hai Ham ne to banae hen samandar men bhi raste Yoon ham ko mitana koi aasaan nahin he Do char ummeedon ke diye ab bhi hen roshan Maazi ki haveli abhi veeran nahin he Faraz also enthralled the Urdu lovers with his popular Ghazals and couplets. Is bulandi pe bahot tanhaa hoon Kaash main sab ke barabar hota Pahale kuchh dur tak sath chal ke parakh Phir mujhe hamsafar hamsafar bolana Popular for their good comic sense and entertaining poetry Sikandar Hayat Gadbad and Iqbal Shana well accompanied in taking the evening to public elegance as the poetry session progressed. Other poets who recited their poetry at the Mushaira included Khursheed Nayyir, Zafar Mahmood, Shafeeq Nadwi and some young local poets. Program conveners Murshid Kamal, Laique Ahmad Azmi and Misbah ul Arefeen (IICC) Akhtar Ul-Islam Nadwi, Mukhtar Khan and Naushad Ahmad (BISWAS) and Jabed Husain, Muneer Ahmad and Kaunain Shahidi (Bihar Anjuman), Riyadh chapter welcomed the guest poets and presented them with bouquets and mementos. Ghizal Mahdi, President of Jamia Millia Islamia Alumni Association, Riyadh presented memento to Majid Deobandi for his contribution to Urdu literature and Poetry. Earlier, prominent community organization Tanzeem Hum Hindustani hosted a luncheon in honor of the visiting poets after President Mohammad Quaiser's welcome address. — SG
