Brij Narain Chakbast; a Well Noted Urdu Poet

Brij Narayan Chakbast

Brij Narayan Chakbast, also spelled, Brij Narain Chakbast, (Urdu: برج نارائن چکبست) was a well noted Urdu poet.

Chakbast (1882–1926) was an Urdu poet. He was born in 19 January 1882 in a Kashmiri Pandit family settled in North India in 15th century A.D.

Chakbast was born in Faizabad (near Lucknow) in 1882. His father Pandit Udit Narayan Chakbast, was born at Lucknow in, circa 1843, and he was also a poet. Pandit Udit Narayan was deputy collector, the highest post that any Indian could have at that time. After the death of his father in 1887, the family moved to Lucknow and they started living in Kashmiri Mohalla of Lucknow.

Poetry

Chakbast was educated in Lucknow, and he became a successful lawyer. Chakbast married in 1905, but lost his wife and first child in 1906. He married again in 1907, and settled down as a practising lawyer at Lucknow. In 12 February 1926, he collapsed at the railway station in Rae Bareli and died few hours later at the age of 44.

Chakbast made a thorough study of Urdu poetry. He defended Daya Shankar Kaul Nasim when it was suggested that he was not the author of the epic Gul Bakawali. He was actively involved in social and political affairs, and was a strong proponent of the Home Rule and actively participated in the Home Rule Movement.

Chakbast's early education was in Faizabad. After his father's death his family moved to Lucknow, and it was here he completed his remaining education. He earned his degree of B.A in 1905 and LL.B in 1907, from Canning College, Lucknow, which was affiliated with Allahabad University at that time. Later, he became a successful lawyer.

Chakbast was primarily a poet but his prose is also considered at par with his poetry. Chakbast's premature death was a great loss for Urdu but whatever he left is exemplary and is considered among the gems of Urdu literature. He was strongly influenced by Ghalib, Mir Anis and Aatish. Chakbast was primarily a nazm poet. He began his poetic career with a nazm in 1894. He wrote nazms, mathnavi, a play, and about 50 ghazals. His Ramayan ka ek Scene is strongly reminiscent of marasi of Mir Anis. His verses from his ghazal.