The Poet's Voice: Firaq Gorakhpuri - Ash'aar

Firaq Gorakhpuri (Real Name: Raghupati Sahay) (1896 - 1982) was a towering 20th century Indian intellectual, recognized widely as a poet, critic, teacher, and polymath. Selected for the Indian Civil Service before independence, he resigned to become an activist in Mahatma Gandhi's movement, which resulted in a year-and-a-half of imprisonment. He then joined Allahabad University to teach English literature, and soon became a central figure in the literary milieu of the time in North India. He was an extremely prolific poet in Urdu, writing in several genres - especially ghazal and ruba'i (quatrain). His poetry is characterized by a very overt romanticism bordering on sensuality. He also expanded the repertoire of metaphors and similes in Urdu poetry, and enriched it with Hindi diction. His collection of verse, "Gul-e Naghma" received the Jnanpith Award - India's highest literary award - as well as the Sahitya Academy Award. He received the Padma Bhushan Award from the Government of India in 1968.
This recording is from an Indo-Pak Mushaira held in Delhi c. 1962
Audio Credit: Moin Siddiqui