Urdu Ghazal After 1980

Dr Kausar Mazhari is one of the first critics who considered the critical value of Urdu Ghazals after 1980. The book Jawaz-o-intekhab is his best creation on this point of view. The book covers the life and works of those ghazal poets who became prominent between 1980 and 2001.The book comprises of 39 poets and it has historical value on several grounds. To collect and compile the life and works of eminent ghazal poets of the particular era with their personal and academic profiles is quite an accomplishment. It is of course a research based work. He has a plan to compile another volume covering the rest of the Indian ghazal poets of present scenario Based on prolix discussion of modernism and post modernism, the foreword has chewable readability. Dr Mazhari suggested another idea beside these movements that is Khud-Jawaziyat (self-justification ism).In respect of other movements, this revolt is based on various facts. There are two parts of foreword Pehla Chehra (First Face) and Doosra Chehra (Second Face).

“The modernism based on philosophical mixture of Existentialism and Abstractionalism” Author cleared it during discussion about philosophical assets of modernism. In the name of freedom existentialists consecrated immorality into the literature. They cannot tolerate any social, moral and ritual bound. In result of they penned out pornographic write-ups which is absolutely anti social and immoral. -----These are causes that Dr Mazhari strongly deviated to support modernism ( which is completely based on existential ism).Another reason modernism is not born and grew-up in eastern culture so that it is not fit for eastern languages.


Deckard said ---“I think therefore I am.”----In other side Kierkegaard said ----“Because I exist and because I think therefore I think that I exist.” Both Deckard and Kierkegaard are existential and both have different ideas of existence. It means they have some contradiction in root, because existentialism is a philosophical mother of modernism that is why this movement is not completely decent. In another phase of foreword Doosra Chehra (Second Face) he discussed about post modernism. One of the key persons of the movement in Urdu Mr. GC Narang accepts his inability to define it in these sentences ---“The imagination of post modernism is not cleared yet ……. Post modernism is more related with social disposition and cultural conditions.”

Dr Mazhari proved with some references of David Harris, Thompson, Mc donnel , M Gotdiener, Sheron Zukin and M Faucault , that it is also completely based on western culture so that to accept it same to same in Urdu literature would be just a copy. Every movement has its own circumstances and background to grow-up. He denied both movements theory because of culture. Only those movements will be fit for Urdu literature which born in eastern culture. So Dr. Mazhari presented another idea beside these movements that is Khud-Jawaziyat (self-justificationism).His rebel against adaptation another languages movement same to same is based on proper evidence. Aim and aspects of this new Khud-Jawaziyat he argued very briefly in the book.

Mohd. Zeyaul Haque A renowned social, political and critical analytic of Urdu literature in India said about Dr.Mazhari ------“Kausar Mazhari has not started revising Urdu’s critical canon , yet a new set of attitudes, perspectives and priorities are evident here. To begin with Urdu criticism is no longer derivational in character. No body has to get certificate of merit saying his or her writings are worth while because they conform to TS Eliot’s or IA Richard’s ideas of what good writing should be like”------(Ref: The Milli Gazette 1-15, January 2003 p.28)

The new Indian critic Dr Maula Bakhsh emphasized like this;

“This detailed work of Kausar Mazhari can be sponsor of new ghazal’s identification and in future whenever any one will talk about poetic trends of this age, to avoid this book would be difficult” (Urdu monthly “Shair” Mumbai ; Jan 2002 : P 12) Dr Kausar Mazhari made himself a heroic personality with this valuable research.