Moradabad, Jigar: The Poet Of Beauty

  Sheikh Ali Sikandar

 ( 1890-1960)

Jigar is one of the most prominent pre-modern poets who enjoyed stunning popularity and fan-following.
He is known as a poet with the pen name of Jigar, who was born at Moradabad, a city in India that he suffixed with his name like many other poets did as an act of tradition. His father, 'Ali Nazar' was a disciple of Khwaja Wazeer Lakhnavi. He did not receive any regular or formal education but learned Arabic, Persian, and Urdu at an early age and later learned English. He came to be known as an epicurean and a highly sociable man of pleasant disposition. He also acquired a somewhat mythic reputation as one who must drink in order to please the muse. Later, he abandoned this way of life and sought solace in a religious way of life. 

Jigar was addicted to alcohol all through his life and everyone knew about his forgetfulness and absent-mindedness. Jigar learned his first lessons in poetry from his father, Ali Nazar, who was a poet himself before he sought occasional advice from major poets like Dagh Dehlavi and Asghar Gondavi with whom he also lived in Gonda as a friend and benefactor. He emerged as a poet of acute romantic leanings and evolved a poetics that suited his thematic preferences and gave a definite identity to his poetry. He also earned his reputation as an iconic mushaira poet who earned huge applause from the audience. Known essentially for his ghazal that represented the stock themes of love and wine in a manner characterized by a unique musicality. His Sufi Poem "Yeh Hai Maikada" Was Sung By Many traditional singers Like the Sabri Brothers, Aziz Mian, & Attaullah Esakhelvi. He published his first collection Daagh-e-Jigar in 1928 followed by Shola-i-Toor in 1932. His third collection Aatish-e-Gul which appeared more than two decades later in 1954 earned him the prestigious Sahitya Akademi award. Jigar retains his position as one of the pillars of ghazal before the coming of the high modernists. Jigar was addicted to alcohol all through his life and everyone knew about his forgetfulness and absent-mindedness. He died on 9 September 1960 in Gonda.

ہم کو مٹا سکے یہ زمانہ میں دم نہیں..

ہم سے زمانہ خود ہے زمانے سے ہم نہیں....

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