Syed Mustafa Hussain Zaidi (Urdu: سید مصطفی حسین زیدی) was a renowned Urdu poet of Pakistan. He has the honor of having first published collection of ghazals and nazms at age 19.Mustafa was born on October 10, 1930 in Allahabad, India. His father, Syed Lakhte Hussain Zaidi, was a senior officer in Indian C.I.D. Mustafa was a brilliant student of his time. He graduated from Allahabad University with distinction. His family migrated to Pakistan in 1951, where he came to be known as "Mustafa Zaidi" instead of "Tegh Allahabadi". In 1954, he appeared in CSS exams and employed with the Pakistan Civil Services. He was dismissed in 1970 from government services. He had a German wife.
In October 12, 1970, he was found dead in Karachi along with an unconscious woman named "Shehnaz Gul", with whom he was believed to have an affair. It is widely believed that both may have attempted suicide by ingesting poison. His death and the reasons thereof have remained a mystery. (In the name of truth, it might have been a case of "sweet death" without much mysteri in it). The details of this trial were frequently published with photos of Shahnaz Gul (a real beauty)in the Pakistani press without leaving much to fantacy.
Zaidi's famous contemporary was Nasir Kazmi, also a poet who was born in India but spent his poetic life in Lahore, Pakistan.
One of his popular couplets (below in Urdu,followed by translation) is:
Inhi paththaron pe chal kar agar aa sako tou aao
Mere ghar ke raaste meiN kaheeN kehkashaan nahiN hai
Mere ghar ke raaste meiN kaheeN kehkashaan nahiN hai
Come, if you can walk on the stones-ridden path to my house
For there is no galaxy on the way which leads to my house
For there is no galaxy on the way which leads to my house
Here's the important collection of Mustafa's poetry.
• Mauj meri sadaf sadaf
• Shehr-e-Aarzu
• Zanjeerain
• Koh-e-Nida
• Quba-e-Saaz
Please note a few corrections :
ReplyDelete* His correct name was SYED MUSTAFA HASNAIN ZAIDI
* The names of the seven (7) volumes of his poetic works are as follows :
ZANJEEREIN
ROSHNI
SHEHR E AZAR
MAUJ MERI SADAF SADAF
QABA E SAAZ
GAREIBAN
KOH E NIDA
Please note a second correction for the sake of correctness of history and that is that his death was NOT a suicide, nor a case of 'sweet death'. The fact of the matter is that he was drugged and the murdered.His mistress(named above) was involved in the murder plot, as was her husband. Subsequently, she was tried in court for his murder and his body was exhumed from the grave. His murder could not be proved in court because high-up and influential people were involved and just as no murder of a prominent personality is ever solved in Pakistan. The facts stated above are all verifiable facts. It is very painful for members of his family to come across conjectures that he had committed suicide whereas it is far from the truth. For the sake of correctness of recorded history, it is very important that all details should be correct!
ReplyDeleteMustafa Zaidi's poetry;
ReplyDeleteMein apney zehn ka ik ik waraq ulatta houn
her ik waraq ki jabeen per nishan eismat hei
kisi bayaz pey bikhhra huwa hei khwab ka rang
wou khwab jin mei naey ehad ki basharat hei
kahin jamal key mehtaab ki ghhani palkein
kahin khayal key khurshid ki tamazat hei
meri nigahh mein arzi adalatein kiya hein
ye shaeiri meri sab sey bari adalat hei
@ Saba Zaidi>>> Thank you for these precious Informations and corrections.
ReplyDeleteDo you have any relations with Late Mustafa Zaidi as your name is also Zaidi??
Saba Zaidi, I have been reading Mustufa sahib for quite sometime and also did bit of research on him.
ReplyDeleteBeen wanting to write a piece on him as a tribute and maybe take it further if possible to make a little production.
I need help and corrections of facts and also pictures or anything which could be supportive for the cause.
If you are still there and help me, I would really appreciate your interest in the regard.
Thank you