How I Remember Parveen Shakir, An Immortal Poetess

By Editor on 22nd May 2025 • ( 0 )

How I Remember Parveen Shakir, An Immortal Poetess

Today on Facebook the Group named “Faraz Nagar”, had posted an article of some literary critic on the life and poetry of Parveen Shakir. It is very comprehensive article that covers some aspects of her life and poetry.

It is very heart warming and heart touching article. I would like to write a few lines from my personal experience about her to get it treasured in the annals of her historical record. Parveen Shakir was a great poetess. She was original, innovative, passionate and intuitive. Her poetry is a great addition to Urdu literature.

Once, we were together at the Residence of Ms. Nargis Awan, who was the wife of a federal minister Mr. Awan. We were together in a poetry session. Besides, Ahmed Faraz was also in this Mushaira. She was very slim and smart and looked quite dignified and reserved sort of lady. Her poetry is the voice of her wounded heart.

One feels immensely grieved on her accidental death and life of sorrow after her divorce. Though, her husband Nasir Ali was her cousin and it was a love marriage, after eleven years of happy wedded life, the tragic end was divorce. Her poetry indeed reflects the voice of a wounded heart, and her life’s challenges, including her divorce, making her work more relatable and poignant .

She was an iconic poetess, teacher, and civil servant who left an indelible mark on Urdu literature. Her poetry beautifully captures the complexities of human emotions, particularly those experienced by humans. Her poetry is far away from obscenity and pornography. Her love is Platonic, that is the union of souls. The poetry of Fehmida Riaz in her book “Badan Dareeda”, reflects Byronic love, that is the union of bodies. It is quite sensuous. Similarly, the poetry of Iranian poetess Faroogh-e-Furrukhzad is sensuous.

She died in a tragic accident in Islamabad. It was a great shocking news for the whole country. On the third day after her demise, in the house of her friend Parveen Agha was the ceremony of Soem. Parveen Agha was federal secretary in the government of Pakistan and a great fan and friend of Parveen Shakir.

Allama Hafiz Riaz spoke on the occasion and offered blessings to the departed soul. Many writers, poets, journalists and civil servants participated in this prayer. Ahmed Nadim Qasmi had especially come from Lahore. Ahmed Faraz also participated.

Her son Murad was just a kid and was sitting quite mute and dumb like a statue as he had lost his loving mother and was already bearing the brunt of the separation of his father, who had divorced his mother. He was deeply sunk in the ditch of melancholy.

Whenever I attend any funeral ceremony in the graveyard of H/8 Islamabad, I make sure to recite Fateha at her grave. The graves of poet Josh Malihabadi, Ahmed Faraz and Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan are in the same cemetery.